Book Review: The Historian

The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova is a 656 page novel centering primarily on the history of Vlad Tepes, or Vlad the Impaler, or more commonly, Dracula.

The novel depicts three major searches for Dracula, starting with Bartholomew Rossi in the '30s, who shared his experiences with his protege, Paul, who searched with Rossi's estranged daughter, Helen, a descendant of Vlad the Impaler, in the '50s, who passed the legacy to his daughter in the '70s. The three narratives are each engaging and keep the story moving towards a wonderful climax.

Not a page is wasted in the story. The history of Vlad, both reality and legend, is given and would be found interesting to anyone interested in the subject. For those looking for a slasher story, you'll be disappointed. For anyone looking for an interesting and exciting look into the mythos of one of the most brutal figures in history, this is a good read.

Kostova's real talent is in description. I usually hate too much description in a novel, but she is so good at it that I found myself setting aside the novel to look up some of the towns she describes on the internet to see what they really look like. It made me want to actually get on a plane and visit some of the ancient cities, villages, and monasteries she mentions.


The Historian is the first novel for Elizabeth Kostova and is available in both hard and softcover. The hardcover is now available at Amazon for $7.99. Kostova graduated from Yale and has an MFA from the University of Michigan.

The movie rights to The Historian have been bought for a reported seven-figure deal (a dream for any writer) and is set for a 2010 release.