The Historian

This book is simply impossible to resist.

It has fairly leapt to the top shelf, where it now lies nestled down deep among my all-time favourites. I must confess that I was initially reluctant to delve into this story. After all, who really needs another campy, vampire tale?

Luckily for me, I set these feelings aside long enough to read the first chapter, and after that, there was no turning back.

As you step into the pages, you embark on an eerie, haunted, and hypnotic adventure that is thoroughly saturated in ancient history and the wondrous, exotic old European churches, monasteries, and libraries. These places are positively brimming with ancient parchment, long-forgotten maps, and books.

Kostova's historical tracking of the real Vlad Drakulya is flawless. She is able to describe, with a chilling and atmospheric eye for detail, the many settings as well as the political climate in which this story unfolds.

It is a full-speed-ahead, rich historical thriller, complete with enough gothic images, cultural folklore, ancient crypts, and creaking stairs to raise the hair on the back of your neck. It will no doubt spark a compulsive and insatiable interest in this age-old tale.

This truly is GREAT fiction!

5 Stars—Favorite. Book. Ever.

I first read this remarkable book during my college days. I stumbled upon it in the Bargain Books section at Barnes and Noble. The moment I opened it, I was completely captivated. What truly intrigued me was the “Note to the Reader” section. I found myself literally engaged in an internal argument about whether this was a work of fiction or an actual history book. I kept asking myself, “Does the author not understand that she’s writing fiction? Or perhaps she thinks this story is real?” Driven by my curiosity, I continued reading. After devouring 600 pages, I am absolutely convinced that this story is real. This book has become the go-to gift for every occasion. I gave a copy to my mother-in-law, who had never read a single book mentioning a vampire in her life. To my surprise, she loved it! It became a symbol of rebellion for her, and she reveled in it. Whenever her uptight friends came over, she made sure to display “The Historian” to prove how cool she was! And I haven’t even begun to discuss the story itself!

I make it a point to read this book at least once a year. In between readings, I find myself craving the story like no other. It contains adventure, intrigue, horror, culture, history – everything! I discover something new with each reading. This year, I read it while on a cruise and finished it in just 3 days. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to everyone. It doesn’t matter what genre of books you typically enjoy reading; everyone will fall in love with this one.

I wrote a review for “The Historian” some time ago, and when I recently reread it, I realized how incomplete it was. However, nothing has changed since then. It remains my favorite book. I still start longing to read it again before the year is over, and it still holds me spellbound whenever I pick it up. In fact, this year’s reading was even more special because I was reading it while on a train traveling through Italy, and I had the opportunity to see some of the places mentioned in the book! I sat in Saint Marco’s Square at Florian’s, sipping a rich, thick hot chocolate.

It continues to amaze me that a work of fiction can sound so much like history and make me want to believe that it all really happened. Kostova has a remarkable talent for storytelling, intertwining history and fact in such a seamless way that everything feels incredibly realistic and authentic, as if you are living through all the action. This book has inspired me to add traveling through the Balkans by train in the autumn, as well as visiting Budapest and Romania, to my list of places I want to see. The characters are so vivid and real that you feel like you’ve made new friends by the time you finish the book. When I say to Ivan that I want to visit Istanbul, part of the reason is because I half-expect to meet Turgut and have him invite us to his house for lunch. You find yourself rooting for the characters as they search for the Count, and the anticipation of “what’s going to happen next?” keeps you turning the pages.

As a history enthusiast, I have so much fun year after year, uncovering more details and immersing myself in the search and research. And this book even satisfies my craving for a good scare! There are moments that are just creepy enough to give you a shudder but not so terrifying that you would put the book down in fright. (Are you all impressed with how professional I sound in this review? Ha!) I also want to give a huge shout out to Elizabeth Kostova for being such a kind and gracious person. I attended her book signing in the spring, and she seemed genuinely happy to see me. I completely geeked out over her, and in response, she bought me a copy of her newest book, “The Shadow Land.” I’ve met authors who couldn’t care less about their fans, but she is definitely not one of them! This book has sparked my imagination in such a profound way that I keep coming back to it year after year.

This book, in many aspects, brought to my mind the DaVinci code. However, it was far more captivating and skillfully written. The in-depth research and historical documents incorporated within were truly fascinating. I was particularly intrigued by the subject matter as it revolved around Vlad Ţepeş, the Wallachian (Romanian) prince, whom Bram Stoker made famous as Dracula. (My interest stemmed not from a love for vampires but rather from my missionary service in Romania and my curiosity about Vlad himself.尽管他邪恶可怕，但罗马尼亚人实际上为他感到非常自豪，因为他使他们的国家免受土耳其人的侵害。他们一点也不喜欢他被误解为德古拉。他的父亲被称为弗拉德·德拉库尔，这就是那个名字的由来。德拉库尔在罗马尼亚语中是“龙”的意思。)

The Historian adheres to the belief that Vlad Ţepeş is indeed a Vampire and still alive, or rather "undead" as it were. There are three distinct stories intertwined into one, centering around three individuals in pursuit of Dracula: The narrator, who shares her story from the perspective of a 16-year-old girl in 1972. Her father's story is presented through letters to his daughter and conversations about his experiences in 1954. Finally, there is Professor Rossi, the father's college advisor. Rossi's story is also told via letters and conversations and took place in 1931. At times, it can be challenging to discern which story one is reading due to the frequent jumps, but after the initial few chapters, one begins to get a sense of it, and the way the author chose to combine the three stories seemed truly ingenious.

I thoroughly enjoyed delving into the history of Eastern Europe during the Ottoman rule as well as during Communist times. It's difficult to determine how much of it is based on fact, considering the blurry line when discussing vampirism and Vlad Ţepeş, but I know a significant portion was. The author is clearly an outstanding researcher and has a deep understanding of her subject matter.

I was slightly irked by the inaccurate portrayal of the Romanian language at times. (I suppose she didn't research that aspect quite thoroughly enough.) Diacritical markings were almost always absent, except in place names. Her Hungarian, on the other hand, seemed to have all the diacritical markings, and I'm unsure about the Bulgarian since she used our alphabet rather than the Cyrillic. This bothered me, although I'm aware most people wouldn't even care. :)

It also bothered me that we never learn the name of the narrator. Her father never refers to her by name, nor does anyone else it seems. We know she was named for "Helen's mother," but "Helen's mother" is another character whose name we never actually hear. I don't know why this bothered me so much, but it did. I guess we can make up her name, and since we know it was Romanian, I choose Anca. :)

The epilogue was a bit disconcerting, and the final resolution of the story seems comical when I think about it now, but it was entirely fitting and acceptable within the context of the story. I couldn't help but chuckle every time I read the phrase "evil librarian."

It's not a quick read... it took me nearly a week to finish, but it was definitely enjoyable. Kostova has a lovely, almost Victorian style of writing. It's very descriptive. The book also scared me out of my wits at times. It was really good, though. I loved it, despite all my above annoyances.

Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb.

Why on earth does this book receive such an excessive amount of hype? It is not only overlong, making it a real chore to get through, but also overboring, failing to engage the reader's interest in the slightest. What's more, it is highly overpredictable, with every plot twist and turn being foreseeable from a mile away. In short, it is just plain dumb.

Seriously, I find myself wondering why I even bothered to continue wasting my precious time on this book. I am truly at a loss for words. I can only plead with you not to succumb to the unfounded hype. Please, use your own judgment and don't be misled by the excessive praise that this book has received.

What if Vlad Ţepeş, the Prince of Wallachia who served as the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula, was truly a vampire? Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian delves into this captivating question. The story follows three distinct characters across different time periods. In the 1930s, there is Bartholomew Rossi, an English professor. In the 1950s, his protégé Paul takes center stage. And in the 1970s, Paul's unnamed daughter becomes involved. Mysterious books and Rossi's sudden disappearance set off a thrilling hunt for Dracula's tomb that spans across Europe. This allows Kostova to showcase her extensive historical and geographical research.

Kostova breathes life into Eastern Europe in a way that is truly remarkable. From the bustling cities of Istanbul and Budapest to the quaint villages in Romania, the author vividly describes the sights, sounds, people, politics, and culture. The intensity of her descriptions is such that readers can easily picture the scenes and may even find themselves with an overwhelming desire to visit these places. Without this rich and detailed setting, the book would have been far less engaging.

The plot is equally as fascinating as the setting. Despite unfolding over a period of 40 years, there is a palpable sense of urgency and an eerie creepiness that drives the story forward. As the characters draw closer to uncovering Dracula's secrets, they face violent warnings that attempt to deter them. The story seamlessly and clearly weaves between all three time periods, making it a more intellectually stimulating version of The Da Vinci Code. The author seems to advocate using the past as a guide for dealing with the present.

However, the book does have one weakness, which is its ending. Without giving too much away, upon reaching the conclusion, many readers may find themselves thinking, "What? That's IT? THAT'S why?" While it does neatly tie into the historical themes, it appears to be at odds with the sense of dire urgency that propelled the plot. A brief explanation is provided, but it may seem somewhat lackluster. If anyone wishes to offer a counterargument, it would be most welcome, as the desire to find reasons to consider the ending as wonderful as the rest of the book is strong.

Overall, The Historian is heartily recommended. It offers a unique and engaging exploration of history, mystery, and the supernatural.

This novel far exceeded my expectations. I first noticed it in a friend's luggage and later saw it at the library. After three weeks of reading nineteenth-century novelists, I thought a light read would be a nice change. After all, it's about vampires, right? The book is about none other than Dracula himself, the real Vlad the Impaler, who turns out to be undead.

Light reading? Well, not exactly. With 650 pages, it's more concerned with the minutiae of historical research than with torn arteries. Much like Bram Stoker's Dracula, Kostova's The Historian owes a great debt to it (more so than many other vampire novels). The novel is constructed as a story within a story within a story.

One of the novel's central conceits is the use of letters written by the young female narrator's father to tell much of the story. As these letters exceed 300 pages in type, questions of plausibility arise, but only if you think about it too long. In the middle of the father's letters, he is given a parcel of letters written by his mentor, Bartolomeo Rossi, which are also substantial documents.

As their stories take them deeper into Eastern and Central Europe, the texts become like Russian nesting dolls, one inside the other. The narrator reads her father's letters, in which he tells of visiting a Bulgarian scholar who reads to him from a manuscript that includes yet another person's lengthy transcription of someone else's reminisces about Vlad Tepes. This layered story is part of Kostova's novel's charm and is rather an amusing in-joke.

What's impressive is how Kostova weaves three sizable narratives together, alternating time, place, and narrative voice. We start in Amsterdam in 1972 with the young narrator, a 16-year-old schoolgirl, who discovers a mysterious volume in her diplomat father's office and later embarks on a journey to France. The letters she reads, left by her father after he vanishes, send her on this journey. Her father's letters tell of his travels and investigations into the Dracula legend in the 1950s Eastern Bloc. Along the way, we also learn of Rossi's investigations in the 1930s.

On top of that, there is a wealth of erudition on 15th-century monasteries, the cultural divide between Romanians and Transylvanians, the Walechian court, medieval church politics, central European folk songs, Bulgarian religious rituals, historian cataloging and research methodology, and the overlapping history of Central Europe.

Consider this late passage: The “Chronicle” of Zacharias is known through two manuscripts... This is not your average vampire book.

And that's one of the funny things about reading this novel. At times, you have to remind yourself that it's about vampires. Kostova knows how to keep the monsters offstage, creating a creepy atmosphere with suggestive shadows. There are also some vampire staples, like a bat flitting across the night sky and a wolf approaching the firelight.

What drives each of the main characters is the discovery of a mysterious old book with a printed page of a dragon and the rest of the pages blank. Each character who becomes obsessed with the legend of Vlad Tepes has a similar book that came to them under curious circumstances. The mystery of why and how these books keep turning up is one of the novel's clever conclusions.

The novel has a large cast of characters, all well-drawn and interesting. We know from the beginning that the young narrator's absent mother is involved in the story, and Kostova manages to keep this familiar angle surprising. The author paces the story beautifully, with revelations coming at just the right moments. All three story lines converge near the end, and the story picks up speed towards its conclusion.

The actual climax seems a bit rushed, but Kostova makes up for it with a final pages reversal that is both unsettling and quiet. Overall, The Historian is a unique and engaging novel that combines history, mystery, and horror in a satisfying way.

Hmmm.

I read this at work and one of the builders in the break room looked over the top of his copy of the Daily Star and asked if this was some sort of "how to" book. (He understood that I was an archaeologist and thus interpreted The Historian to be some sort of quick guide to being a historian.) And I sighed my deepest sigh yet, as another tiny particle of my soul curled up, died and flaked off and floated away into the ether.

Obviously, if I was a vampire, I wouldn't have to worry about the condition of my soul because that would be long gone, along with worries about iron supplements and dental hygiene. Maybe not a bad thing in the long run.

So, Vlad Tepes, Prince, Impaler and legendary ruler of Wallachia, not to mention a possible embodiment of Bram Stoker's villainous Count Dracula, is an actual person who has taken to sending out teasers in the form of esoteric historic folios to lure a librarian, historian or archivist for purposes related to archiving. As every good reader knows, book collecting is an addiction, and imagine having over 500 years to collect and hoard piles of papery goodness? Vlad is not averse to snacking on his bibliophilic staff either, and this got me to thinking... what would be the tastiest of all professions?

The conclusions I have drawn are based largely upon my perceptions of what each job actually entails. If you perform any of these professions, then feel free to chip in and argue the pros/cons of your own tastiness.

1. Chef: Generally a little plump, well-fed, using only the finest ingredients and subtly flavoured after years of rubbing things in butter, slurping down sherry, red wine, bouille bases with herbs and shallots. Let's face it, these people are basically self-basting here. The only potential downside might be the long-term exposure to garlic.

2. Athlete: Perfectly honed in their well-muscled meaty suits, filled with more vitamins and minerals than you can shake a stick at, and with the added bonus of always having their blood pumping extra loudly due to all the exertion, so they're easy to find.

3. Lingerie model: Scantily clad and used to draping themselves over furniture in a way that might be appealing to vampires of a more traditional frame of mind. Exposed neck area for easy biting.

4. Dentists: Probably taste minty fresh, and who is to say that a vampire might not need a scrape and polish now and again?

However, I quite clearly digress. The Historian moves like a river. The edges (first and last section) swirl and spin and suck you into a promising plot. However, the centre has a sluggish meander where the waters get a little muddied. The story follows three generations of the same family, and little by little, their own history is shown to be interwoven with that of Vlad the Impaler. The narrative travels between Amsterdam, America, Oxford, France, Istanbul, Bulgaria and Romania, so there are plenty of colourful scenery changes as the plot unfolds. I did enjoy this, all digression and prevarication aside. Elizabeth Kostova can write and is clearly an excellent historian in her own right, which is what pushed me on to the end without feeling the need to drive a stake through my own heart.

4.0 ⭐️

Elizabeth Kostova penned The Historian during her time at The University of Michigan, and it took her a remarkable ten years to bring her debut novel to fruition.

The Historian is crafted in the epistolary format, presenting as a historical fiction with a darkly gothic and Victorian prose style. It draws inspiration from Bram Stoker’s Dracula and delves deep into the background of Vlad Tepes, also known as “The Impaler”. The novel takes readers on a global journey, traversing from Amsterdam to Istanbul and Philadelphia, accompanied by our narrators, Helen and Paul Rossi.

This epic novel spans multiple generations, stretching from the 1930s all the way through 2008. A prevalent theme throughout the story is religious conflict, predominantly between Christianity and Islam, and its profound effects on society.

The narrator entertains the belief that Dracula is still alive and secluded in a subterranean lair library, where he engages in scholarly pursuits. Essentially, the book is a quest for evidence. I discovered it to be a captivating and unique spin on the dark academia and vampire genres, offering a fresh perspective and an engaging narrative that keeps readers hooked from start to finish.