miloszklimek

I actually listened to this as an audio book, probably to the detriment of my enjoyment of the novel. Kostova has a fine eye for detail--17 discs worth, which I think translates to over 500 pages. The majority of this novel is spent in story-telling flashbacks by multiple characters, who relate their relationships with Robert Oliver, a painter who seems to have reached an obsessive peak, to psychiatrist Andrew Marlowe. There is a second thread revolving around letters from a French woman to her husband's uncle, reciprocated by him to her, written in the late 1800s. This story has all the necessary ingredients to hold my interest: troubled characters, descriptive narration, a complicated and twisting plot that spans multiple eras of history--but it just fails to deliver. For my taste, the connection between the two narratives is not strong enough to be compelling; the rationale behind Robert Oliver's actions/reactions is not compelling; the outcome is not satisfactory. It was a little disheartening to listen to 17 hours' worth of audio and be disappointed in the ending. But I am enjoying The Historian immensely. Of course, it's about Dracula. Who doesn't love a good Dracula novel?

2023-07-28 01:01