From the Bookshelf of Around the World in 80 Books…

The Historian

Elizabeth Kostova

Start date: March 1, 2014

Finish date: March 31, 2014

Discussion: Group Reads Discussions

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What Members Thought

Aug 22, 2008 MichelleCH rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-fic, fiction, mystery, hungary, suspense, kindle

The Historian is a story within a story, mostly told through letters. I didn't mind the lengthy transitions that followed different main characters, the timing of new bits of information kept me turning the pages. The novel takes the history of Vlad Tepes and blends it with the legend of Dracula and carries his presence into the modern world. Kostova made this believable, not an easy task. As the reader learns more about the real Dracula, the story becomes even creepier.

While reading the book ...more

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Sep 26, 2010 Meghan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction-and-fantasy, fiction, historical-fiction, europe, europe-yugoslavia-and-balkans, scary-horror

I know some people will have problems with this book, but I loved it. I felt transported back to the world of academia that I escaped several years ago and to all the European cities I've stayed in, recalling all the things that happened there (including falling in love), so in part it was a personal journey down memory lane. I enjoyed looking for my dissertation advisor's influence (he worked with Kostova when she was doing her research) and possibly the character built on his quirky personalit ...more

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Oct 23, 2009 Katie rated it it was amazing

It's been a while since I sat down and really enjoyed a book. This book had many elements that I enjoyed - it was a smart book, but it had a lot of adventure, history, and travel to places with which I'm not terribly familiar (Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, etc). The characters were interesting - not all of them, I felt, were thoroughly developed, with the exception of Helen. That being said, the plotline more than made up for it, and I feel I gained a great deal from having read this book. I would ...more

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Sep 13, 2008 Johanne rated it it was amazing

Shelves: all-time-favourites

I loved this book. I love vampire lore and this combined vampires and my love of European history. It really made me want to travel to Eastern Europe.

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