A review by jeremiglio
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

3.0

I enjoyed it and was absorbed throughout, but objectively there's a lot wrong with this book. It's overlong and contrived, with countless coincidences, deus ex machina, and hints at plot points that never go anywhere. It's very thoroughly researched, but the epistolary style doesn't work when you just use it to infodump - you could cut out most of it without affecting the story, and characters end up existing purely to deliver information. Plus, the ending is somewhat rushed and underwhelming.

That said, it was super fun to read as someone with an interest in history and archives. If you like Dracula and the Horrible Histories books, it's worth a try.