Elizabeth Kostova: The Historian

You might have seen this one hanging around lately at the bookstores. Stacks and stacks of paperback versions (I like to get the hardbacks if I can) infiltrating the space. Briefly, it's about one womans search for the real Vlad Dracul Tepes, following in her parents footsteps, after her father goes AWOL. Think the Da Vinci code but for vampire loving literatis'. And it's good; time consuming and could quite easily lose a few hundred pages, but the detail in the description of the landscape, and how this is created to reflect the character's shifting mood is exquisite. The main character (the narrator) begins as a young girl and over the course of the story her personality grows into that of a woman, through her realisation of her parents as people, with a past and life independent of the label 'parent' - and what a past they have! creepy vampire librarians, dastardly deeds in church crypts and monastaries. It isn't hide under the covers stuff, but then I don't think that was what Kostova was aiming for. The vast area over which the search for Vlad goes and the historical and political detail involved in firstly, his life and then his influence in the society he ruled gives a far more interesting read than the run-of-the-mill vamp novel. Kostovas factual yet descriptive style can be dry at times and yet it reminds me of Stoker and the original 'Dracula' novel, which surely is a plus. When the introduction of Vlad is made (oh yes, he makes an appearance) it is faintly unsatisfying, one can't help but feel..not cheated...but that the meeting would be more intense if it was through that of the narrator instead of a third party, however, this may be the effect necessary to keep the reader interested - the hope that this meeting will occur. The key theme which shouts out is that of transition, its a coming of age novel with a twist; family dynamics and secrets make for chewably intellectual thinking. If you choose to google bits you'll be pleasantly surprised and I can see this being an underground cult conspiracy classic, by the end you want it to be real and due to the facutal style in places it could almost be so. It may not be a religious figure Kostova dives into - like the Da Vinci code, but Vlad has inspired generations of writers and researchers. In another year or so, I bet you can take a 'Historian' sightseeing holiday. Summarised, it's a must read - as long as you have the time, yes, you can pick it up and put it down but if you've got a book buying habit this book could quite easily escape through the 'whole read' stack. If you manage to get to the end, you'll feel like you've read a classic and very proud of the fact too.

In one sentence? A new cult conspiracy classic

In three themes?

1. Historical Politics
2. Transition & Growth
3. Parental Relationships & Control