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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
This story, and the way it is told, is incredible. It's engrossing, impossible to put down, and I loved every bit of it. Kostava has written a masterpiece, that I want everyone who loves historical fiction (that's based on real events) to read. Do it.
I really wanted to like this. I tried to trudge through the endless, intricately detailed descriptions of Bulgaria with the hope that some form of plot (I don't ask for much in terms of plot, but I need a little bit more than a 400+ extended road trip). The writing was alright, a bit overwrought. The European street dog had more personality and depth than the main character, Alexandra. I almost got to the 40% mark, but then decided to give it a rest.
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I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley.
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I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley.
I got this books from Netgalley in return for an honest review. I was disappointed. It took forever for me to read it and today I just decided to plow through it because there were some interesting parts and towards the end, I just started skimming for those parts. It was hard to get into the story because it was so unbelievable that I couldn't suspend belief to make it work. A young American coming to Bulgaria to teach English accidently gets a bag with an urn full of ashes, and she decides to find the owner on day one in a new country. No. Then she willingly jumps in a cab with a guy that knows things that most taxi drivers wouldn't know and continues to be with him for days trying to find this family. No.
There were some beautiful passages and descriptions, but I couldn't believe the main story. The secondary story which was flashbacks of the deceased's urn she is trying to return was interesting but only started in the middle of the novel. Usually Kostova novels I finish within a few days, but this book will and 21 days.
There were some beautiful passages and descriptions, but I couldn't believe the main story. The secondary story which was flashbacks of the deceased's urn she is trying to return was interesting but only started in the middle of the novel. Usually Kostova novels I finish within a few days, but this book will and 21 days.
I really enjoyed the romantic descriptions of Eastern Europe and the beautiful setting. It made me homesick for Russia. The premise was fun, but also I needed a little more detail as to why they were in danger to feel like it was truly high stakes. Also, it's optimistic (naive) to assume a movement will die with the death of its leader (see Vladimir Lenin, Martin Luther King, L. Ron Hubbard, Joseph Smith, etc.)
Pure pleasure. I loved Kostova’s first novel, The Historian, but merely liked her second, The Swan Thieves. The Shadow Land is exquisite. It illuminated a country and a period of history (post-war Communist Bulgaria) that I knew little about—and shed some light on what my in-laws were experiencing at the same time in northernmost Greece. With well-drawn characters and a mystery/quest-driven plot, this was satisfying on many levels.
Unfortunately this took me a long time to get through because I was busy with traveling and such, so I don't think I really appreciated it as much as I should have. As usual, Kostova's writing was the star of a very unusual plot. Alexandra ends up with a stranger's ashes and in trying to reunite them with the family ends up going on a road trip around Bulgaria with a taxi driver named Bobby and a dog named Stoycha, followed and threatened by unknown forces. While it sounds ridiculous when summarized, it doesn't feel ridiculous in the reading. I felt like I just got back from a road trip around Bulgaria, learning an awful lot about the country's past and present on the way. After the long, meandering trip, I was a bit put off by the abrupt and dramatic ending, but otherwise I enjoyed this slow read with deep characters and well-drawn settings. It was the kind of book whose tone and mood seemed to seep out of the pages and into my life for awhile after I finished it. I'll probably remember the feeling long after I forget the plot.
The fine print: received ARC from Edelweiss.
The fine print: received ARC from Edelweiss.
3.5 stars
Alexandra has arrived in Sofia, Bulgaria, ready to do a little exploring before she begins her English teaching job. One choice, one inadvertent mistake, turns Alexandra’s vacation time into a desperate hunt to return something she has accidentally become in possession of: an urn of ashes. Whose ashes are they? How can she find the rightful owner? It isn’t long before she’s beginning to see that something isn’t right - danger is lurking and sorting things out will require delving into Bulgaria’s dark history and the personal experiences of one Bulgarian: Stoyan Lazarov.
I can’t decide if this deserves 3.5 stars or 4. It was really engaging - the story swept me a long and I started caring about the characters. I liked learning the history of Bulgaria and things tied together well in the end. The switching between time periods worked for me and although it was hard to read, I found Stoyan's hardships under Communism to be very powerful - a real test of the human spirit. I just had to suspend my disbelief quite a bit - relationships matured super quickly and there were a few coincidences that felt like a stretch. But again, I always wanted to read it - so I’m glad I finished.
Alexandra has arrived in Sofia, Bulgaria, ready to do a little exploring before she begins her English teaching job. One choice, one inadvertent mistake, turns Alexandra’s vacation time into a desperate hunt to return something she has accidentally become in possession of: an urn of ashes. Whose ashes are they? How can she find the rightful owner? It isn’t long before she’s beginning to see that something isn’t right - danger is lurking and sorting things out will require delving into Bulgaria’s dark history and the personal experiences of one Bulgarian: Stoyan Lazarov.
I can’t decide if this deserves 3.5 stars or 4. It was really engaging - the story swept me a long and I started caring about the characters. I liked learning the history of Bulgaria and things tied together well in the end. The switching between time periods worked for me and although it was hard to read, I found Stoyan's hardships under Communism to be very powerful - a real test of the human spirit. I just had to suspend my disbelief quite a bit - relationships matured super quickly and there were a few coincidences that felt like a stretch. But again, I always wanted to read it - so I’m glad I finished.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Alexandra Boyd has moved to Bulgaria to teach. On her first day, she accidentally takes a bag that isn't hers after helping an elderly couple. She begins a search to get it back to its rightful owners the Lazarovs. This is entertwined with the story of Stoyan Lazarov who's ashes the package contains.
Story was believable but the middle part drug.
Story was believable but the middle part drug.