Reviews

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

bl00dy_gh0st's review against another edition

adventurous informative slow-paced

2.5

maggiejean18's review against another edition

3.0

The pacing is a nightmare, but I enjoyed the characters and some of the story. Far too heavy on trivia and light on action. Kostova is a master of building suspense but also might be a master of the letdown when we finally reach some semblance of climax.

slimshaedy92's review against another edition

mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

As an art history student, I was strongly hooked on this story for the first half. Things began to drag in the second half, and I’m not entirely sure I’m satisfied with the climax, but I am glad I read this. The writing is elegant and the mystery reels you in, but this is more literary fiction with threads of horror than straight horror. It’s for the history nerds, not necessarily the horror freaks (I am both so it worked 😎)

kalona's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

e_oneita's review against another edition

4.0

Beautiful, chilling, and heart-warming, The Historian is the sort of book that should be read while riding the rails in Europe... While always looking over one's shoulder.

hitch's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

thewillotree's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

It's beautifully written and researched, but so much happens in it that the ending is anti-climactic and feels seemingly rushed and a lot is left not addressed. I think it would have worked better and been more streamlined if the daughter's POV was edited out and it focused on Paul or Helen recounting the events instead, because by the time I finished it, I couldn't determine the point of the timeline with the daughter, as little happened the pertained to the story itself. I'll admit that I was also probably let down more because I went into it thinking (based on what I had heard and how it is marketed) that this was a horror novel. It isn't. It's a historical novel.

treatyoshelvesxo's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

2.75

lord_petros's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.75

crumb92's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0