Kostova builds suspense by revealing the threads of her story as the narrator discovers them: what she's told, what she reads in old letters and, of course, what she discovers directly when the legendary threat of Dracula looms. As Paul relates these stories to his daughter, she secretly begins her own research. When Rossi disappeared, Paul continued his quest with the help of another scholar, Helen, who had her own reasons for seeking the truth. Paul's former adviser at Oxford, Professor Rossi, became obsessed with researching Dracula and was convinced that he remained alive. Her widowed father, Paul, reluctantly provides pieces of a chilling story it seems this ominous little book has a way of forcing itself on its owners, with terrifying results. The book is ancient, blank except for a sinister woodcut of a dragon and the word "Drakulya," but it's the letters tucked inside, dated 1930 and addressed to "My dear and unfortunate successor," that really pique her curiosity. In 1972, a 16-year-old American living in Amsterdam finds a mysterious book in her diplomat father's library. Little, Brown, (656p) Considering the recent rush of door-stopping historical novels, first-timer Kostova is getting a big launch fortunately, a lot here lives up to the hype. A review with a blue-tinted title indicates a book of unusual commercial interest that hasn't received a starred review.THE HISTORIANElizabeth Kostova. A starred review indicates a book of outstanding quality.
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