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The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova


Kell

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I still haven't started this book. My friend told me to read Dracula first since that's the best vampire novel ever. Only thing I know both of these books is that they're about vampires. I don't know when I'll start The Historian since I've never heard anything good about the book in person.

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Morning Seiichi. Hope you're well, mate. This is glum news. I hope it doesn't turn into one of those 'Donna Tartt' things, where we wait a decade for another novel and it turns out to be pants! :irked:

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I hope it doesn't turn into one of those 'Donna Tartt' things, where we wait a decade for another novel and it turns out to be pants! :irked:

 

You can say that again, Mac!! I could not agree more. I loved Secret History, waited on Tartt for 10 years and what do we get for a 2nd book?! There are no words. Oh man I was mad at that. I still remember the day I finished that book, LOL.

 

Thanks for the news about Kostova, Chesilbeach. I'm so excited!!!

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  • 2 weeks later...
Apparently she has a new book out later this year called The Swan Thieves.

 

Aaah, I'm glad I found this post. I really enjoyed The Historian. However, I struggled to get into it. Reading the first 150 pages or so was a real effort, and then suddenly it seemed to me it picked up the pace and I just couldn't put it down.

 

I've never had that with a book before. Usually I love it or hate it.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've just started reading this - 40 pages in and I AM HOOKED! I have an exam tomorrow and I'm still staying up to read another chapter. I love everything about it so far.

 

I find it very interesting to see what people thought was hard to get through, some thought the middle dragged, some found it hard to get into at the start.... I'm a bit obsessed with Vladdy boy generally, so I think I'm just going to love love love the whole thing :)

 

ETA: There's a 'Giulia' in it! I'd never heard the name before our resident possessor of it, and now here it is again. :D

Edited by Nollaig
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I find it very interesting to see what people thought was hard to get through, some thought the middle dragged, some found it hard to get into at the start.... I'm a bit obsessed with Vladdy boy generally, so I think I'm just going to love love love the whole thing :D

 

I had no trouble getting into the book, in fact I think I got into it pretty quickly and the it more or less kept up the same pace for me the whole way through (although a bit quicker would have been nicer :)) ...however ...

 

I LOVED this book! I think it dragged a bit toward the end but not too much. I wouldn't let it discourage me from reading it if I were you. It is a really great read!

 

... I agree with RCee, the ending did drag a bit for me too, I still wanted to finish it though :)

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I think I might re-read this in the next couple of months as dad is doing a trek through Romania for MacMillan in September and ends up at his castle!

 

You will of course have to go there and meet your Dad when he's finished :D

 

You lucky thing you!! :)

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I think I might re-read this in the next couple of months as dad is doing a trek through Romania for MacMillan in September and ends up at his castle!

 

I was thinking the same thing. I read this when it first came out and have loaned it to everyone I knew at one point or another. I think I will dig out of the bookcase and reread it next.

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I'm 98 pages in now, and I'm totally loving it. Much as it's capturing my attention with the constant little twists and turns, as well as the very slowly mounting information about the dark figure as he were, I can't help but wonder what will the strict regulations turn out to be, or whether they'll actually be disclosed. The author happily relates the exact conditions of Bram Stoker's Dracula's existence. I have to admit I'm hoping various unlikely/impossible events which have been occuring,

particularly this lightning fast movement and even non-presence at the cafe,

will be explained outright.

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I loved how much research Kostova had clearly done prior to writing this novel. I can't wait for her next one!

 

I might re-read this one soon. :)

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"Someone had certainly moved it since I'd been there last. I glanced suspiciously at the skull in the glass case, but it gave back a bland, anatomical gaze."

 

I just had to say, that cracked me up! I don't know whether it was supposed to be funny, but it was just the description of a 'gaze' being 'anatomical', because it's a skull, not a person. It's like the skull is saying, 'don't look at me, I'm just a skull, how could a piece of anatomy move a book?'

 

:readingtwo::D;)

 

ETA: Okay, I have to have a mini ramble about this book.

 

 

The bit where she's on the train and theres a dude with a newspaper sitting opposite her - SCARY!! :lol:

I actually skipped the intermediate narrative to see what happened!

 

It's dropping hints (which may or may not be true) all over the place!

1.

Who was the woman on the Brussels platform? It hinted it was Helen. So what becomes of her, and why would she be there then? Is she a vampire? Why would she be wearing old fashioned clothes otherwise?

 

2.

The resemblance between Helen and Vlad. Suggests some relation maybe? Through her father? Might explain why he was involved... but if it's due to relation, how do Paul and Turgut fit into the equation?

 

 

Also, I like Barley.

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It's dropping hints (which may or may not be true) all over the place!

1.

Who was the woman on the Brussels platform? It hinted it was Helen. So what becomes of her, and why would she be there then? Is she a vampire? Why would she be wearing old fashioned clothes otherwise?

 

2.

The resemblance between Helen and Vlad. Suggests some relation maybe? Through her father? Might explain why he was involved... but if it's due to relation, how do Paul and Turgut fit into the equation?

 

Ooooh, I want to tell you, I want to tell you! *restrains herself* But, I won't do that and spoil the fun of finding out for yourself. :D

 

I absolutely loved this book. It's one of the best and most intriguing I've ever read. I should reread it sometime. :readingtwo:

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