As a part of the English-speaking world, I'm sure you have at least some knowledge of the Twilight phenomenon and the resulting vampire obsession amongst, mostly, teenaged girls. I feel about Twilight the same way I feel about "chicklit" - it's fun because it doesn't require thought and doesn't have what I would term "literary merit." That being said, I think it's sad that a lot of really well-written and interesting novels about vampires are disregarded because most people hear "vampire" and they think "sappy romance like Twilight." Elizabeth Kostova's 2005 novel, The Historian, is an intriguing and suspenseful vampire novel that had the misfortune of coming out the same year as Twilight.
The Historian centers around a young woman who finds an ancient book and a repository of old letters in her father's library which set her on a path she never could have imagined. Intertwining historical truths about Vlad the Impaler and the myth of Dracula with the lives of this girl and her parents, Kostova creates a thrilling story which culminates with a spine-chilling encounter with Dracula himself. There are no sparkly, "nice" vampires in this book - all the legends about coffins and evil are true. If you have any interest whatsoever in the occult or vampire myths and legends, I would strongly recommend this book. Kostova's writing is compelling, the epistolary form of the letters found in the library mixed in with the narrative we're given of this woman's life is intriguing, and the plot will hook you in and keep you guessing until the very end.
No comments:
Post a Comment