About this title: The specter of the supernatural infuses this academic thriller, the debut of author Elizabeth Kostova. In 1972 Amsterdam, a sheltered, motherless teenager stumbles across an ancient book imprinted with a dragon and stuffed with 40-year-old, mysteriously addressed letters. Gradually, her father reveals the link between the book and various attempts to discover the tomb of the brutal warrior/ruler Vlad Tepes, better known as Dracula. Those who choose to become part of the search generally end up paying with their careers and their lives. Despite (or perhaps because of) these dire warnings, the ...
read more
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Mass-market paperback
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Date published: 2008
ISBN-13:9780316067942ISBN:0316067946
Description: Very good. No dust jacket as issued. Glued binding. 909 p. Contains: Illustrations. Audience: General/trade. Very good mass market paperback. Clean, tight copy with no writing. A VERY NICE SOLID COPY WITH LIGHT WEAR! YOU WON T FIND BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE! Nevada Books is a name you can trust for great service and customer satisfaction. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Date published: 2005
ISBN-13:9780316011778ISBN:0316011770
Description: Good in good dust jacket. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 656 p. Audience: General/trade. Nice condition. Price sticker on dust jacket. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Date published: 2005
ISBN-13:9780316011778ISBN:0316011770
Description: Good. Only lightly used. Book has minimal wear to cover and binding. A few pages may have small creases and minimal underlining. Book selection as BIG as Texas. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Date published: 2005
ISBN-13:9780316011778ISBN:0316011770
Description: Good. Only lightly used. Book has minimal wear to cover and binding. A few pages may have small creases and minimal underlining. Book selection as BIG as Texas. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Date published: 2005
ISBN-13:9780316011778ISBN:0316011770
Description: Good. Only lightly used. Book has minimal wear to cover and binding. A few pages may have small creases and minimal underlining. Book selection as BIG as Texas. read more
"The Historian is an all time favorite. However, notable in many reviews is some expressed disappointment with the ending.
To understand the ending - and better appreciate the entire book - I think it is essential for every reader to understand two things - for whom ("the one reader") - and what purpose - motivated the storyteller to finally "commit to paper" this "cri de coeur"."
"I tell friends this book is The DaVinci Code for fans of the Dracula legend. The DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons left me longing for a return trip to Europe to follow the trail myself. Similarly, The Historian kindled a desire to follow the roads travelled by the characters in their search for Dracula.
While the book's focus is on Dracula, it is not a horror tale, per se. However, as you read, there may be times when you are tempted to lock the windows and doors and add a string of garlic to your grocery list, just in case.
The characters, quite frankly, were less interesting than the travelogue but someone has to tell the story."
"I really need to give a reason that this book received such a low rating from me.
First, I want to say that the majority of the book was amazing. It was mysterious, and the descriptions were vivid. the author pulled me totally into this story. This book is over 700 pages and I rushed through it to find out what the great mystery was...only to be disappointed by a silly and rushed ending. I felt so robbed that I was tempted to throw this massive book but knew it would do a great deal of damage.
I feel like the author just grew weary of her story, and finding no convenient way to end the book, she just kinda stopped. :) The mysterious reason for the entire story, the tension building clue that was sought after in Turkey and Romania (described in such great detail that I feel that I have been there) was so ridiculous to be absurd. My mouth fell open when the truth was revealed for the evil, dastardly plan of an ages old vampire was so innocuous as to be a blasphemy against the dracula myth."
We guarantee every item's condition, as described on Alibris. If you are not satisfied that an item is as described, return your purchase for a refund.
rating
