tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656468.post113680610243568921..comments2024-03-28T13:18:28.238+00:00Comments on Grumpy Old Bookman: Abandoned novelsMichael Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11338398159818400930noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656468.post-1144851902664218512006-04-12T15:25:00.000+01:002006-04-12T15:25:00.000+01:00it was late last night that i decided i will eithe...it was late last night that i decided i will either force myself to finish this book or i never will. i started skimming and scanning thru the last 200 pages, not giving a damn anymore to the endless, frivolous, minutely detailed describtions, or facts for tt matter. ms. kostova is just in love with every word she types, and in doing so, she sacrifices tempo and momentum in such a plot, where flipping thru pages as fast and breathless as one can should be the prime concern with a brick novel as this one.<BR/><BR/>also, ms. kostova seems to be quite under the effect of his bulgarian husband when it comes to formulating a stand point for the region's history and politics.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656468.post-1137409439853784552006-01-16T11:03:00.000+00:002006-01-16T11:03:00.000+00:00I think you could be a lot grumpier here. I know I...I think you could be a lot grumpier here. I know I was.<BR/><BR/>I started <I>The Historian</I> as well, but I found the writing so bad I got irritated and gave it away. I was exasperated to read that Kostova won the Hopwood Award for the Novel-in-Progress. I don't know if it was for <I>The Historian</I>, though.<BR/><BR/>I blogged about it <A HREF="http://houseofalma.blogspot.com/2005/10/sucking-blood-out-of-literature.html" REL="nofollow">here</A>.<BR/><BR/>Coincidentally, I also started the Rankin book and didn't bother with the rest of it. Pretty much for the same reason as you. The whole genre seems to be in need of major renovation.https://www.blogger.com/profile/15524799342555455519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656468.post-1137263522568701652006-01-14T18:32:00.000+00:002006-01-14T18:32:00.000+00:00Thanks for this post, I have been dithering over "...Thanks for this post, I have been dithering over "The Historian" for ages and now I don't think I'll bother.<BR/>You haven't read "Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell", have you? This is another massively long book that has been seriously promoted in the same manner as "The Historian" (and sounds similarly convoluted). Again, I can't decide whether to invest the time in reading it.<BR/>I had read "Fleshmarket Close" before reading your blog entry. I take your point, but I do enjoy reading Rankin. He hasn't plummeted in quality over the course of the books he's written inbetween "Black and Blue" and "FC", unlike James Patterson, who used to be good and now is so unbelievably bad -- most strikingly in the Alex Cross series, which started when Patterson wrote excitingly, but now are written by computer program (or something).Maxine Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06628509319992204770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656468.post-1137172886332096502006-01-13T17:21:00.000+00:002006-01-13T17:21:00.000+00:00I read all of The Historian. I don't think you'll ...I read all of The Historian. I don't think you'll suffer any permanent effects from not finishing it. The two things about the book that I did enjoy were (1) the travelogue of all those eastern bloc nations. I got about as close to them as I am ever going to. (2) Most vampire books have the bite being very sexual, often Dracula is out enrich his little vampire wife harem. Here, he's out to create an undead think tank, complete with an "evil librarian." How often do you hear of such things, really?JoanneMarie Fausthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16751278640738482830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656468.post-1137167382722641812006-01-13T15:49:00.000+00:002006-01-13T15:49:00.000+00:00count in The Ulysses from my side.count in The Ulysses from my side.Vikram Johrihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12016674284703056882noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656468.post-1137010639994492812006-01-11T20:17:00.000+00:002006-01-11T20:17:00.000+00:00I read 'The Historian' and enjoyed it from word go...I read 'The Historian' and enjoyed it from word go. I really enjoyed the flavour of old Europe and the building sense of fear and dread as I turned each page. My only quibble - well two quibbles actually - was the length (could have been chopped by 200 pages) and the ending (all this build up and it fizzled out into nothing much at all). As much as I liked this book, I don't think it's particularly brilliant and, like you, I fail to understand the marketing push behind it. Be interesting to see what she comes up with next - if anything at all.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656468.post-1137002389934701482006-01-11T17:59:00.000+00:002006-01-11T17:59:00.000+00:00Dear Mic:You can sure write a review.Kind, polite ...Dear Mic:<BR/><BR/>You can sure write a review.<BR/><BR/>Kind, polite (Are all europeans, polite?) and concise.<BR/><BR/>Will be sure to check out these<BR/>books at the local library <BR/>(for free).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com