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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
Pomalé, bylo dlouho jasné, kam to směřuje, ale na dovolenou v Bulharsku naprosto skvělé. :)
This author really paints the scene with words! Gave me an intense urge to travel! Couldn’t put this book down. Compelling read with characters that seemed so real. Great start to the 2019 reading.
Kostova creates another passion project that drives readers directly into the emotional, cultural, and physical depth of Bulgaria. I found it a fascinating piece creating the history and the changes from the end of WWII to Soviet control, to the rebirth of democracy and the discovery that an entire generation of people have to relearn how to live together with themselves and with each other after everything they experienced. I enjoyed the character development and the intrigue as Bird and Bobby tried to solve the mystery of why they had the cremated remains and how the story of those remains fit into the larger picture of the Bulgarian political landscape. At times it felt a little contrived as they experienced the same thing over and over, moving from one location to the next picking up just enough clues to get them to the next location and next story, but even with that basic trope I still enjoyed reading Kostova's rendition of Bulgaria in transformation. Similar to how the Historian had me pining to visit Hungary, the Shadow Land has me looking forward to my visit to Bulgaria.
I want to like Elizabeth Kostova's books. On the surface level they're everything I like in a book--solid female characters, a bit of mystery and a Slavic setting, and yet her books always miss the mark for me. Although I have a lot of friends that love her first novel The Historian , it just never grabbed me.
I thought that The Shadow Land was a step above her previous works. The story is interesting, particularly the parts set in the 1940s and 1950s, and the characters were interesting enough to keep my attention. However, as others have stated, the plot borders on unbelievable. It's just strange enough that I could never quite buy into what was happening & the ending didn't do anything to cancel that part out. Some of the plot points feel ridiculous or get lost in the denseness of the book (why the focus on her brother, for example? Or the romance angle).
I received an advanced copy of this from Text Publishing through NetGalley.
I thought that The Shadow Land was a step above her previous works. The story is interesting, particularly the parts set in the 1940s and 1950s, and the characters were interesting enough to keep my attention. However, as others have stated, the plot borders on unbelievable. It's just strange enough that I could never quite buy into what was happening & the ending didn't do anything to cancel that part out. Some of the plot points feel ridiculous or get lost in the denseness of the book (why the focus on her brother, for example? Or the romance angle).
I received an advanced copy of this from Text Publishing through NetGalley.
This book is trying to too much. The plot is weak, things just magically happen right. Bulgaria is a cool country but does not contain the oomph of a Mexico or Russia to hold your attention for that long. Could have used some solid editing. Its a long ass book about not a lot of things with a weakass plot.
I read a little over half and then stopped caring what happened so skimmed the rest. I expected a book that was part travelogue from this author but it just didn't work for me in the way it did for The Historian. I didn't care for whiny Alexandra and felt she had no growth (in fact, she felt like a cardboard cutout of the daughter from The Historian, a character I also disliked). I don't know. So many feelings but since I DNFed this one, I need to let it go.
I never knew so much about Bulgaria before. This book has so much information about that country: both historically and it's nearly current condition. I fount he history sections much more compelling than the frame story around that part.
I guess I really need to read The Historian. I've read two other of this author's books now, but The Historian seems to be the reader favorite.
I guess I really need to read The Historian. I've read two other of this author's books now, but The Historian seems to be the reader favorite.
Too dull with a very naive main character. Can't get through it.
Meh. While I absolutely loved the characters and Kostova's writing is SO beautiful, this book was ultimately boring to read. The plot moved at a slower-than-a-snail's pace and the climax was over WAY too quickly. The format of one chapter in current time and the next chapter as a story told about the past just got tedious. Chasing the Lazarov family all over the country got so frustrating! Yes, the idea of this book was intriguing, but there was just not enough substance to keep me interested. I would not recommend this book.
This book is way too slow for me, despite how much I love historical fiction set in countries I'm not very familiar with. I also did not really like the main character, Alexandra, so I will end my reading here.