Don't let the 2-star rating deceive you. I would still recommend this book for the fun it offers.

Possible spoilers follow.

It occurs to me that scholars and graduate students (even more alluring!) have become the favored heroes in this ongoing genre of suspenseful historical/mystery/magic quests. The Da Vinci Code and such. Indeed, to save the world, one must be a meticulous reader. In this book, it struck me as particularly humorous that in his boundless evil, Dracula infiltrates the minds of those capable of truly heinous acts: They will tear cards from the card catalogue! They will revoke your library privileges! They will, gasp, prevent you from reading! In short, they will bar you from entering the perilous world of nerd-dom, you nerd. And if you should yield in your noble scholarly endeavors, beware... or you might become... A LIBRARIAN IN HELL. Yes, truly, a fate worse than death.

So Dracula attempts to entice the most promising scholars to him. What he has always desired, above even power and awe, is a well-organized library of rare documents? So he distributes books to these scholars, warns them profusely when they do attempt to follow the clues to their logical conclusion, yet secretly hopes they will find his lair anyway? So that he can then panic and move it? He both covets and resists their cleverness? This doesn't quite ring true to me as the "grand reveal." Just read the Stoker classic! It's so delightful, far more blood-chilling, and far more captivating to explore for deeper symbolism. This Dracula seems rather dull in comparison, as do its main characters.

I can only hope that although I'm not a historian nor pursuing a PhD, there might be a place for a struggling MFA student in one of these convoluted plots.

"I can't make it out," she said, squinting at the densely-typed pages, her hand shaking. A furrow of concentration appeared on her forehead. "Wait! I think - I think it says that I must write a two-page scene where one character expounds entirely in monologue! Damn you, you diabolical genius, damn you!"

Perhaps the evil genius of myth will foster an interest in the literary arts? I can't wait.

I picked up this book when I first purchased it, but I simply couldn't bring myself to read it. It seemed to lack any semblance of interest.

However, when it was nominated for the monthly read at COL, I decided to give it another chance. And boy, am I glad I did!

This book truly took me on a captivating journey through history. I found myself completely immersed in its pages, eagerly following the story.

To be honest, the normal noises outside my house and the creaks inside did make me a bit cautious at times. But that only added to the overall atmosphere and excitement of reading this wonderful book.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in history or enjoys a good read that can transport them to another time and place.

**The Enchanting World of "The Historian" by Elizabeth Kostova**

I had the pleasure of visiting Romania last month, which rekindled my desire to reread my favorite Dracula books. Among them was "The Historian" by Elizabeth Kostova, a book that has firmly established itself as my all-time favorite vampire novel. My history with this book is long and complex. I don't remember exactly what led me to buy it, but it was undoubtedly one of the best purchases of my life. I've even had to buy it twice due to someone stealing my first copy.

What makes "The Historian" truly remarkable is its unique blend of the supernatural and a believable, thorough investigation. Despite its supernatural elements, the story feels completely credible and realistic. At times, I found myself believing that it was a true account of events. The travel and geography in the book are also captivating. Kostova's descriptions of places and her passion for travel are enough to inspire wanderlust in any reader. She talks about Bulgaria, my own country, in a way that makes me want to explore it further. I was a bit disappointed that she didn't discuss Romania, my new passion, with the same excitement as Bulgaria, Turkey, or France. However, the unconventional locations she chose for the story added an interesting twist.

The characters in "The Historian" are another highlight. They are vivid, realistic, and flawed, which makes them relatable. I also appreciate the layers upon layers of storytelling in the book. The use of different narrative devices, such as letters, notes, books, and conversations, adds depth and variety to the story. While the secondary characters could have been more developed, the overall quality of the book more than makes up for it.

In conclusion, "The Historian" is a great mix of entertainment, thought-provocation, and information. It's a book that I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys literature, history, or travel. It has something for everyone and will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. Read on the WondrousBooks blog.

I really wanted to like this book.

However, God, is it boring as hell.

I hate not finishing a book, but I just can't waste one more minute reading something that feels like watching paint dry.

I kept waiting for the story to take off and for something exciting to happen.

But this book felt like an exercise in cold war geography and a self-indulgent author showing off how smart she is and how much research she'd done.

Who really cares about that?

The premise of the book was really intriguing, but the story gets lost in page after page of unrelenting descriptions and cryptic dialogue.

I didn't care about the characters at all. They seemed frustratingly rigid and emotionless.

There was just too much history and geography and not enough action for me.

The first few pages were filled with quotes from reviews raving about how "thrilling," "gripping," and "terrifying" the book is.

Excuse me? It's so boring that I could hardly stay awake while reading it.

This book is going straight to the used book store.

**The Historian, Elizabeth Kostova**

One late night, as a young woman delved into her father's library, she made a remarkable discovery. She found an ancient book and a collection of yellowing letters ominously addressed to "My dear and unfortunate successor." This unexpected find thrust her into a world she could never have imagined, a complex labyrinth where the secrets of her father's past and her mother's mysterious fate intertwined with an evil lurking deep within history.

The Historian masterfully weaves together the history and folklore of Vlad Țepeș, the 15th-century prince of Wallachia known as "Vlad the Impaler," and his fictional counterpart, Count Dracula. The story also follows Paul, a professor, his 16-year-old daughter, and their arduous quest for Vlad's tomb. The novel ingeniously ties together three separate narratives through letters and oral accounts: that of Paul's mentor in the 1930s, Paul in the 1950s, and the narrator herself in the 1970s. Told primarily from the perspective of Paul's unnamed daughter, the tale unfolds with captivating mystery.

This debut novel by Elizabeth Kostova is a thrilling and unforgettable adventure. It seamlessly blends reality and fantasy, past and present, real and fictional characters, creating a narrative that will leave readers spellbound. The book spent a significant amount of time on the bestseller lists of many countries around the world, was translated into 28 languages, and was even dubbed "The Dracula Code" in reference to "The Da Vinci Code." With its rich historical details, complex characters, and gripping plot, The Historian is a must-read for fans of historical fiction and mystery.

Kostova's meticulous research and vivid imagination bring the story to life, making it a truly immersive reading experience.

Whether you're intrigued by the legend of Dracula or simply enjoy a well-written novel, The Historian is sure to satisfy.

So, embark on this journey with the young woman and her father as they uncover the secrets of the past and face the darkness that awaits them.

This is actually the second time I've read this book.

For a first novel, it is truly outstanding. I was completely engrossed in the story from start to finish.

I have a genuine love for history and the entire Dracula lore, and this book seemed to be a great blend of both.

It added a significant amount of suspense that had me reading with the lights on.

I think I devoured it in about four days as I simply couldn't put it down.

However, I must say this. If you are not really into history or researching, I would suggest skipping it.

If you are only wanting to read it because it has to do with Dracula, I would recommend picking a much smaller book.

But, as I have a passion for history and research (after all, I work in a library), it was right up my alley.

Actually, I'm currently doing a bit of research on it myself.

I did peruse some of the comments on Amazon.com and wasn't exactly taken aback by them.

It was clearly a book that elicited either a "love it" or "hate it" response.

This is why I offer my caution.

Basically, those who didn't enjoy it were seeking a straightforward Dracula story and thought the historical aspects were "a drag".

Since I'm really into history, I thought it was pretty damn good.

To be fair, I did notice a few historical inaccuracies, but I think I'll let them slide for now. ;)

All in all, it's a good read, especially for a rainy day when you have the time to fully immerse yourself in its pages.

A slow-paced Gothic mystery, often likened to Dan Brown but with better writing. That was the impression I had of this book prior to reading it. However, the comparison to Dan Brown might mislead people into thinking it's more action-packed than it actually is. So, I'd like to concur with many other Goodreads reviews here and truly emphasize that this is indeed a very slow-paced book.

There are some spine-tingling moments, especially when you sense that the vampires will see you and find you, regardless of what you do. They might even be able to read your mind. These moments are exciting precisely because they are so rare. When they finally do appear, they have all the more impact.

But most of the time, this is a slow-burning plot with a lot of traveling (mostly around Europe). It also involves a great deal of primary source investigation, describing numerous old books, letters, documents, etc., and the characters discuss them at length. Kostova describes different locations extremely well, and the book does give you a wonderful sense of place. There is a lot of traveling to libraries and churches, searching for clues that direct the characters towards their next destination. There is also a great deal of description of local cuisine. A good, hearty meal is of great importance for vampire hunters.

As I read, I considered giving this book four stars, but by the time I reached the end, I settled on three. Mainly because the book has some structural weaknesses and is a bit too slow-paced - even for me. When I reached the halfway point, I became less and less engaged in the story, and I didn't really care much about the characters. And by the end, I thought things were wrapped up too quickly compared to the vast number of pages it took for the story to build up and develop. The whole thing was a bit underwhelming.

The structure of the different timelines also bothered me. The main character is a seventeen-year-old girl. Her story, set in the 1970s, is prominent in the first 200 pages of the story and runs parallel to another timeline set in the 1950s. This one is first told orally and then through letters. There's also a third timeline, set in the 1930s, but it's not very long. After a while, the 1950s timeline takes over, and the main character, who was just barely given a personality and a plotline of her own, becomes mostly an observer for the remainder of the book. She remains uninteresting throughout. None of the main characters are very interesting, though.

So for the majority of the book, a page-long chapter from the 1970s timeline is inserted here and there, surrounded by the considerably more lengthy and detailed 1950s timeline. Either the two should have been more equal, or the 1970s timeline should have been removed from the part of the book where it had next to nothing to contribute. The 1950s timeline is often told through unrealistically long letters, where the language is no different from the rest of the narration. At first, the main character sits down to read each of these letters, but after a while, they are simply inserted without introduction and take over the whole plot.

The plot is not difficult to follow, but it seems messy or just poorly put together. And then there are some other small annoyances, like allies/helpers popping up here and there very conveniently and without good reason. There is a certain atmosphere in the book that will stay with me for a while. It has something to it. But it is very far from perfect.

3.5/5.
Finishing this book was an experience that kind of felt like crossing the finish line of a marathon. Of course, I have no real idea what that actually feels like in reality, but that's the closest comparison I can make. Overall, I did enjoy this book. However, there were times when reading it felt more like a chore. This was partly because I was reading it for a class assignment.
Only a very small number of books truly need to exceed 800 pages in length, and this one definitely didn't fall into that category. It was extremely well-written, but at certain points, it became overly descriptive. There were also a few plot twists and turns that could have been completely eliminated without affecting the overall story. I read that Kostova aimed to write a "serious novel" similar to the often overly long Victorian novels. But in this case, it just felt too forced.
Overall, The Historian is not your typical supernatural vampire story. Instead, it focuses on how evil, both supernatural and human, infiltrates history and, in some cases, becomes "immortal." It's a book that will appeal to history buffs (although I wouldn't necessarily consider myself one) and lovers of old books and libraries (which I most definitely am). In fact, every character in this book, including the menacing "Vlad the Impaler" himself, is completely obsessed with books, manuscripts, archives, libraries, and all kinds of historical recordings. The novel plays with multiple narrative perspectives, blurring different timelines and narrative techniques together. It tells the story partly through letters and descriptions of manuscripts, making it feel very much like a quest that takes the characters and the reader to various cities in Eastern Europe and into countless archives and libraries. This makes for a highly immersive reading experience.
If you're interested in a fresh and original take on the legend of Dracula or in a book that explores interesting ideas about historiography and the process of "writing and rewriting" history (and you're in the mood for a rather long read!), then I would definitely recommend giving this book a try!

I was immediately drawn to 'The Historian' due to its captivating cover, the alluring plot description, and the hint of dark themes within. The moment I turned to the first page, I was completely hooked. I simply couldn't bear to put the book down and found myself staying up countless nights, eagerly devouring chapter after chapter. It's one of those rare books that has the power to suck you in completely. I constantly found myself thinking about the characters, the intricate plot, and the vivid settings, becoming thoroughly immersed in the thrilling world that Kostova has created.

The book commences with a young girl's discovery of mysterious letters in her father's study. However, it soon unfolds into three distinct stories. There's her father's search for his missing university professor, the professor's own account, and the girl's subsequent quest to find her father when he vanishes under strange circumstances. The plot is divided into three tangents, taking place in different eras, each expertly intertwined with the others. Kostova masterfully handles this complex narrative, ensuring that it never becomes confusing. Revealing too much about the plot might spoil the prospective reader's enjoyment, but essentially, it's a clever reimagining of Dracula - an intelligent mystery that spans centuries and has a dark, arcane core.

Kostova's writing is truly brilliant. Stylistically, it reminds me of Donna Tartt's equally remarkable 'The Secret History'. Her descriptions are rich and evocative, painting detailed portraits of the many places the characters visit. This not only makes the book function as a historical travelogue but also enhances its supernatural mystery. Moreover, its cerebral nature makes the supernatural elements all the more believable. The characters are beautifully developed and always seem real. I was not disappointed in any aspect of the book. It is constantly exciting, with a fast pace, filled with mystery, academic in nature but never dull, and brimming with unexpected twists, turns, and detours.

'The Historian' is so exquisitely written and fantastically engaging that I know I will return to it again and again. In my view, it has the potential to become a classic and can easily be ranked alongside Stoker's original 'Dracula'. And considering this is Kostova's debut, I'm eagerly anticipating what she will do next.

The original article:
This is a short article. It needs to be rewritten and expanded.

The rewritten and expanded article:

This is a rather short article indeed.

It has the potential to be transformed into a more detailed and engaging piece.

By adding more context, examples, and perhaps some personal insights, it can become a more valuable read.

For instance, we could elaborate on the main points, provide real-life scenarios to illustrate them, or share our own experiences related to the topic.

This would not only make the article longer but also more interesting and relatable to the readers.

Moreover, we could use more descriptive language and修辞手法 to enhance the overall quality of the writing.

With these improvements, the article would be able to convey its message more effectively and leave a lasting impression on the readers.

So, let's get started on this rewrite and expansion process and turn this short article into a remarkable one.

I am giving up.

The only truly fascinating aspect of this book was the story behind its publication.

"The Historian" was hyped up to be the next "The Da Vinci Code," with a whopping purchasing price of 2 million dollars.

However, it failed to live up to the expectations.

The book was extremely slow-paced and overly descriptive.

The only reason I managed to get through as many as 130 pages was because I was listening to it on audio.

I suppose I zoned out during the endless descriptions and historical background and was only engaged during the conversations.

When I actually attempted to read the book myself, I couldn't even make it through 10 pages.

I simply can't recommend it to anyone I know.

Yet, it is a bestseller, so I guess there must be something in it that some people find enjoyable.

Maybe it's the historical context or the unique storyline that appeals to certain readers.

But for me, it was a disappointment.

I'll be looking for something else to read that can capture my attention and keep me engaged from start to finish.

Perhaps it was the contagion of my father's letters, but everything looked suspicious to me now. It was as if we were being followed by eyes I could not see.

If you have a penchant for the thrilling Dan Brown 'Da Vinci code' series, are enthralled by Dracula and vampires, enjoy train rides across the enchanting landscapes of Europe, relish descriptions presented through captivating stories, letters that bring history to life, and a deep dive into 15th and 16th century history, all intertwined with action and romance... then this book is tailor-made for you.

Reading this book, with its intricately intertwined stories and characters that unfold before your eyes, will surely keep you on the edge of your seat. The anticipation builds with each turn of the page, and you find yourself completely immersed in this world. It is a journey well worth taking, one that will leave you with a new perspective and a sense of wonder.

Ps I will never look at Librarians in the same way again. Their role in this story adds an unexpected layer of mystery and intrigue, making me see them in a whole new light.