Book Review: The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love books that manage to combine all my favorite things...mystery, the supernatural, suspense, history, and romance. Although this book is really long, it moves quickly and keeps you guessing.

The premise is a hunt for the real Dracula, Vlad the Impaler. The mystery takes the characters (and readers) across the globe- America, Turkey, Bulgaria- all over Eastern Europe, really. As the historian follows clues taken from actual historical fact, danger follows him and those who assist him on his mission.

Kostova uses private correspondence liberally throughout to provide emotion and as a way to reveal secrets. A similar strategy was used in The Swan Thieves, another novel by the same author. This is very effective in breaking up the narrative and letting the reader see different sides to the characters.

Overall, a suspenseful story steeped in history. Highly recommended.

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Book Review: The Swan Thieves

The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A beautiful contrast between two painters: the madness of one in the modern day and the mystery surrounding one in the 1800's.

Kostova blends art, history, psychology and love story seamlessly in this tender and gripping novel. Robert, the disturbed painter, is seen through the eyes of two women who had tried to love him. The life of Beatrice, the 19th century artist, is discovered through private correspondence between her and her forbidden lover. Their stories are tied together by Andrew, the psychologist who finds himself wrapped up in Beatrice's mystery in order to help his patient, Robert.

Past and present, first-person narrative and antique letters: woven together, the characters are real and sympathetic, their stories ring true, and the reader finds herself frightened, angered, thrilled, hopeless, and uplifted, all at the right moments.



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