terrim21 's review for:

The Shadow Land by Elizabeth Kostova
1.0

I abandoned this book about 30% in, completing Part 1. Alexandra gets dropped off at a hotel instead of the hostel where she had reservations. While at the cab stand, there is tangle of luggage with another family. After she gets into her cab, she notices she has a piece of their luggage, and inside it is a box containing cremains. Her cab driver takes her 1st to the police station, then back to the hotel, all in an attempt to locate the family and return the box of ashes to them. Because of the language barrier, Alexandra's cab driver goes into the hotel and inquires about the family. He is told that they didn't stay there but met with a journalist who is "well known at the hotel."

We are told that Alexandra, from the US, attended college and got a degree, and is in Bulgaria to teach English. Her cab driver, Bobby, reveals himself to have some skills that don't have much to do with driving a cab. So, if they're both so smart, why didn't they ask the hotel for the name of the journalist so he could put them in contact with the family? I couldn't put that out of my mind as Bobby drove Alexandra back and forth from Sofia to towns 2+ hours away in search of the owner of the box of ashes.

I realize the author had a story she wanted to tell, but I wish she hadn't dumbed down her characters to do it.