HALLOWEEN REVIEWS 2021
by Elizabeth Kostova
This novel took a lot of criticism, no doubt much of it a backlash from the hype that heralded it as the debut of a great literary voice of the 21st century.
Although the hype was undeserved, I feel that much of the criticism is as well.
Elizabeth Kostova has written a much better Dracula novel than Bram Stoker did (talk about an overblown reputation!), and she has utilized the structure of telling a story through personal letters more successfully, too.
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| Elizabeth Kostova |
One of the strengths of this novel is the way Kostova has immersed the Dracula myth in the true history of medieval Europe, depicting a cruel and desperate world that provides a credible origin for the most bloodthirsty monster of all time.
Her depictions of the many locales that the characters pass through on their travels are elegantly written, and the historical passages are fascinating.
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| "Historian" (Persian) |
I was also moved by the motivations and interconnections of the characters as they face great perils out of intellectual curiosity and personal loyalty.
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| "Blood Legend Hunt" (Thai) |
It is certainly not a perfect novel.
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| "Historian" (Russian) |
Kostova is rightfully criticized for an overreliance on coincidental meetings and the climactic non-confrontation with Dracula was disappointing.
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| "The Historian" (Portuguese) |
Nevertheless, I never regretted the hours I spent with this fine novel.
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| "The Historian" (Swedish) |
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| "The Historian" (Spanish) |
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| "Historians" (Latvian) |
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| "History Researcher" (Finnish) |
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| "The Historian" (Hungarian) |
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| "Historian" (Japanese) |
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| "Historian" (Estonian) |
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| "Historian" (Swedish) |
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| "Historian" (Slovak) |
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| "The Historian"(Hebrew) |
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| "The Historian" (Portuguese) |
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| "The Disciple" (Italian) |
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| "The Historian" (German) |
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| "Tracing Dracula" (Vietnamese) |
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| "The Historian" (Dutch) |
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