The Historian

3.8 avg 280930 votes 20040 reviews 217904 want to read

About this book

The record-breaking phenomenon from Elizabeth Kostova is a celebrated masterpiece that "refashioned the vampire myth into a compelling contemporary novel, a late-night page-turner" (San Francisco Chronicle).  Breathtakingly suspenseful and beautifully written, The Historian is the story of a young woman plunged into a labyrinth where the secrets of her family’s past connect to an inconceivable evil: the dark fifteenth-century reign of Vlad the Impaler and a time-defying pact that may have kept his awful work alive through the ages. The search for the truth becomes an adventure of monumental proportions, taking us from monasteries and dusty libraries to the capitals of Eastern Europe—in a feat of storytelling so rich, so hypnotic, so exciting that it has enthralled readers around the world.“Part thriller, part history, part romance...Kostova has a keen sense of storytelling and she has a marvelous tale to tell.” —Baltimore Sun

3.8 ★★★★☆ average of 3 sources · 280930 votes
Goodreads 3.8 280930
1★2★3★4★5★

20,040 reviews · 217,904 want to read · 10,792 reading now

Apple Books 4.5 750
Hardcover 3.7 429

Reader Profile

Enjoyment76Difficulty60Influence59Popularity74

3.8/5 · 280930 readers · Moderate

What genre is The Historian?

It sits on the Romance shelves.

Who wrote The Historian?

Elizabeth Kostova.

The Historian ★ 3.8 · 3 sources Check price →