The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. Should I persevere?

[Daisydaydream]

I'm only a couple of chapters into this, and very little seems to be happening. I don't get much time to read (do any of us?!)and it's just not gripping me so far. so I don't know whether to just abandon it, or persevere?

The thing is, I bought Twilight in a charity shop last week, and I'm itching to read that!

Which vampires are more entertaining?!

I can only add that I persisted a few chapters further and could not continue - the premise was great but it just did not grip me in any way and I found the writing style a bit tortuous(and I hate giving up on books but life is too short).

Oh I really liked it! Do persevere, it is a good book, far better than Twilight imo.

Is this the Dracula story? I liked it. I thought that it was about as good a re-telling of the story as could be done. But it wasn;t really enjoyable in terms of building excitingly to a dramatic conclusion. I enjoyed it for its meander through lots of European capital cities, etc. It is practically a travelogue. And I enjoyed it for some of the characters, like the very lovely cultured and hospitable Turkish professor. It was kind of scholarly and informed. The conclusion was good, compelling, but not exciting. A very strange sort of book -- the genre should be called something like 'librarian horror' or 'academic vampirism'.

I really liked it too - worth it IMO

Lol Deathworm - academic vampirism sums it up!

I actually found it very, very creepy. It is not normally my sort of book at all but I absolutely gripped.

I loved it. 'Twilight' is pants!

Yes I second 'academic vampirism'!

I found it interesting but I wouldn't say I enjoyed it that much, and laboured through parts of it. I know a few people who haven't bothered fnishing it. It does indeed meander.

Thanks for your replies. I think based on your reviews I'll give it another couple of days and see how it shapes up. I must admit I'm not that fussed by the travel diary style, and the narrater says how she is frustrated by her father stopping his recollection of the vampire tale; not half as frustrated as me! I want to know the bits about the book and Professor Rossi, but it keeps being interrupted by the present day narration. I think that's the main problem I have with it. However, I shall read a bit more and see where it goes.

Loved it,as is a friend of mine who is currently reading it.

i tried and tried to get into this but i gave up. i just couldnt get into it at all! wonder if i should give it another whirl on the train....? DH just said he thought it was brilliant.

im half way thru some jasper ffords, Lost in a good book! far more entertaining!

I have just read my third Jasper FFFFFFFFFFF
and have come to the conclusion that he drives me insane and I can't be bothered to read any more!

Give up. It only gets worse. After about two thirds I lost the will to live.

Glad some people thought it was a worthwhile read, but I agree with Kerala - for me it was a waste of a lot of precious reading time. I struggled through it as it was a book club choice, but it lost me....overwritten and far too long. You might want to read some of the 1 and 2-star reviews on Amazon for entertainment.

It took a long time for me to get into this but it turned out to be fantastic and a wonderful retalling of the Dracula legends, it reallyis worth it, eventually!

Oh, yes, I rather liked that one. Haven't read Twilight so can't advise on that.

Maybe give it another couple of chapters and then ditch it if it's still not doing it for you?

I loved this book, i was sorry to finish it. I did find it a bit slow and difficult to follow at first, but i actually thought it was really well written and by the end quite enjoyed the tooing and froing of it.

Twilight was very very easy to read. I am also reading The Historian at the moment - and have been for a few weeks. It is a rare book for me in that i haven't given it up and want to read more and yet i'm not getting that feeling of wanting to read it each night. Usually when i read a book that i like i really look forward to getting back to it. Want to read it though as i am not bored as such but it is just very slow going.