thebookconfessions's review against another edition
5.0
This was slow and atmospheric, and absolutely captivating. I wanted to read this book for the longest time but always changed my mind because of its size but I can now definitely say it was worth it. One of my favorite books this year. Will definitely re-read it.
juliterario's review against another edition
1.0
- SIN SPOILERS -
No tengo mucho que decir de esta novela. Me regalaron este libro y, cuando lo vi, me morí de ganas de leerlo. No sólo es ficción histórica, sino que la trama de esta novela gira alrededor de la leyenda de Drácula y Vlad el Empalador (lo cual me fascina) y parecía tener una gran narración. El tamaño de esta bestia de libro me asustó, pero tenía muchas ganas de leerlo. Al final, fue una gran decepción.
“When you handle books all day long, every new one is a friend and a temptation.”
Nunca me había costado taaanto terminar un libro. Quise abandonarlo en más de once ocasiones, pero me forcé a seguir. Este no es un libro que quería dejar sin terminar. Aún así, me aburrí en la página 100. Hasta ahí llegó mi interés por The Historian. ME ABURRÍ TAAAANNNTO. La narración me gustó mucho y la trama en esas primeras 100 páginas realmente me tenía atrapada. Esas 100 páginas me encantaron, ¿saben? Pero eso es todo. Hasta ahí llega mi cariño por esta novela. Perdón.
La trama me pareció muy redundante y todo el libro está lleno de relleno innecesario. Todo bien con las descripciones de lugares, comida, sentimientos y la rutina de la protagonista, pero nada de eso era necesario, sobre todo si va a ocupar páginas enteras. Los personajes.... No sé, no me gustó nada jajajja.
¿Por qué terminé el libro entonces? Por el contexto histórico. Me gustó mucho el elemento histórico de este libro y esa es la única razón por la que me negué a abandonar la lectura.
No tengo mucho que decir de esta novela. Me regalaron este libro y, cuando lo vi, me morí de ganas de leerlo. No sólo es ficción histórica, sino que la trama de esta novela gira alrededor de la leyenda de Drácula y Vlad el Empalador (lo cual me fascina) y parecía tener una gran narración. El tamaño de esta bestia de libro me asustó, pero tenía muchas ganas de leerlo. Al final, fue una gran decepción.
“When you handle books all day long, every new one is a friend and a temptation.”
Nunca me había costado taaanto terminar un libro. Quise abandonarlo en más de once ocasiones, pero me forcé a seguir. Este no es un libro que quería dejar sin terminar. Aún así, me aburrí en la página 100. Hasta ahí llegó mi interés por The Historian. ME ABURRÍ TAAAANNNTO. La narración me gustó mucho y la trama en esas primeras 100 páginas realmente me tenía atrapada. Esas 100 páginas me encantaron, ¿saben? Pero eso es todo. Hasta ahí llega mi cariño por esta novela. Perdón.
La trama me pareció muy redundante y todo el libro está lleno de relleno innecesario. Todo bien con las descripciones de lugares, comida, sentimientos y la rutina de la protagonista, pero nada de eso era necesario, sobre todo si va a ocupar páginas enteras. Los personajes.... No sé, no me gustó nada jajajja.
¿Por qué terminé el libro entonces? Por el contexto histórico. Me gustó mucho el elemento histórico de este libro y esa es la única razón por la que me negué a abandonar la lectura.
the_mad_bird_diaries's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
doveinthefridge's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
kellysch01's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
hgranger's review against another edition
1.0
Surprisingly dull and incredibly slow moving considering the high body count and vast amount of ground and history this book covers -- not to mention despite the subject matter.
The ending offers a glimmer of hope, only to have it ripped away by an incongruous circumstance. ("Wasting illness" - really?? Because a semi-happy ending is just so passé?)
The book also contains one of my literary pet-peeves: logical inconsistencies. For example: just because a person is undead, that doesn't make their clothing indestructible by wear, tear, and time. I.e. If you're going to write about how your protagonist's clothes are soiled and shabby after a week of hotels and airplanes, then don't expect me to believe that Vlad's boots and fancy cloak, etc have held up for 500 years....
I could go into another pet-peeve which is protagonists being obtuse: "He drank a drink called 'amnesia'. I wonder why he says he can't remember anything..." Or I could bore someone to (un)death by explaining in excruciating detail how I felt about the additional plot of communists (!) chasing immortality for their evil leaders!! Maybe in a letter? I feel like I also need to point out that I LOVE libraries. And Kostova tried pretty hard to kill my love for books and libraries by talking it to death.
I think, I'll just go look for my vampire kit and stab the book with it. Maybe at least for the book it will stick.....
Changed it to a one star rating after thinking about it for a few hours after finishing the book. Elena ("Helen") and her amazing mother and aunt just weren't enough to justify slogging through 676 pages of...I don't even know how to describe this. Research? Pondering? Very detailed letters? One random make-out session didn't make this book interesting either, FYI. (Hint: chemistry - does wonders for characters who get in bed together!)
The ending offers a glimmer of hope, only to have it ripped away by an incongruous circumstance. ("Wasting illness" - really?? Because a semi-happy ending is just so passé?)
The book also contains one of my literary pet-peeves: logical inconsistencies. For example: just because a person is undead, that doesn't make their clothing indestructible by wear, tear, and time. I.e. If you're going to write about how your protagonist's clothes are soiled and shabby after a week of hotels and airplanes, then don't expect me to believe that Vlad's boots and fancy cloak, etc have held up for 500 years....
I could go into another pet-peeve which is protagonists being obtuse: "He drank a drink called 'amnesia'. I wonder why he says he can't remember anything..." Or I could bore someone to (un)death by explaining in excruciating detail how I felt about the additional plot of communists (!) chasing immortality for their evil leaders!! Maybe in a letter? I feel like I also need to point out that I LOVE libraries. And Kostova tried pretty hard to kill my love for books and libraries by talking it to death.
I think, I'll just go look for my vampire kit and stab the book with it. Maybe at least for the book it will stick.....
Changed it to a one star rating after thinking about it for a few hours after finishing the book. Elena ("Helen") and her amazing mother and aunt just weren't enough to justify slogging through 676 pages of...I don't even know how to describe this. Research? Pondering? Very detailed letters? One random make-out session didn't make this book interesting either, FYI. (Hint: chemistry - does wonders for characters who get in bed together!)
kcoccia's review against another edition
3.0
Meh. I was bored most of the time. Every now and then it would start looking up but it never lasted long. I can appreciate the story but the way it was done just wasn't for me.
ktxx22's review against another edition
5.0
2020: I decided to reread this book because it was my book suggestion for one of my book clubs. Full stop this book is one of my all time favorites. It’s solidified its place there after this reread! I was sucked in again and even though I know the story and what happens I found myself excited about the twists and turns. I love this book
2018:This is probably one of my favorite stories about Dracula! I was immediately sucked into this story, and this book is a 26hour listen. I could not stop! I NEEDED to know if they found Vlad Dracule or if he remained a mystery! So many delicious layers and intrigues the best I can compare it to is The Ninth Gate meets the DaVinci Code meets National Treasure, but we’re talking about horror and Vampires. I highly recommend this book! Spectacular 5/5 from me, and I look forward to rereading it in the future as I’m sure I missed some clues early on!
2018:This is probably one of my favorite stories about Dracula! I was immediately sucked into this story, and this book is a 26hour listen. I could not stop! I NEEDED to know if they found Vlad Dracule or if he remained a mystery! So many delicious layers and intrigues the best I can compare it to is The Ninth Gate meets the DaVinci Code meets National Treasure, but we’re talking about horror and Vampires. I highly recommend this book! Spectacular 5/5 from me, and I look forward to rereading it in the future as I’m sure I missed some clues early on!