Historical Vampire Novel

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

Timing is everything. Right now, I must have plenty of time on my hands, because I’ve been riding trains through the Pyrenees and wagons through Romanian woods, researching in Istanbul library archives and flying between Oxford and Amsterdam, immersed in Elizabeth Kostova’s 676-page novel The Historian.

Kostova has been touring for her latest novel, The Swan Thieves and stopped off one recent evening to give a writing workshop at 826 Seattle, Dave Eggers’ non-profit writing and tutoring center for youth (826seattle.org). She’s so personable I wanted to read her work, and decided to start chronologically with The Historian, a best seller in 2005, before rewarding myself with The Swan Thieves which is getting a bunch of buzz.

Just like The Historian’s main characters who go searching for the still-living Dracula, I had no idea what I was getting into. My only complaint is that I’m staying up too late at night reading in bed because I can’t put the darn thing down. This novel is particular fun for people who love libraries and bookstores--- who knew Dracula was a book collector?

For those of you reading Sookie Stackhouse and the Twilight series or any of those other vampire books, come on over to the real dark side and pick up The Historian. You won’t regret it.

~Pat