The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
The narrator, a teenage girl, discovers a letter hidden in an ancient book on her father's bookshelf. By reading it, she supposedly is now cursed because she will experience the same fatal journey as the letter's author. He writes that he will probably be dead by the time the letter is found. The narrator's father reluctantly confesses his long-held secret: He is embarking on a search for her missing mother who hasn't been seen since she began searching for Dracula's tomb. He also recounts the chilling tale of his college advisor's disappearance; the professor vanished while researching the legend of the Impaler, better known as Dracula, leaving behind only one clue: a blood-smeared wall. Other vampires appear and attack various characters as this father and daughter travel together throughout Europe.
I picked up this novel a couple of years ago after two people, a student in my class and a friend in my small group, persistently raved about it. My lasting impressions are that it is lengthy and vivid. And really lengthy. Despite my initial delight at finding this apparent treasure in a heap of forgettable new novels, I found myself slogging through the middle of the book until I finally gave up and skimmed to the end. Skipping a hundred pages or so didn't leave any holes in the plot, and that makes me wonder why it wasn't more heavily edited.
Despite the feeling that I was meandering through pages of dry, unneccessary details, I believe Kostova's attention to sharp, shocking, and memorable imagery makes up for the shortcomings. If you share my profound dislike of that other vampire story, Twilight, don't turn your nose up at this novel. Besides having a blood-sucking character, it has nothing in common with Stefanie Meyer's work.
Overall grade: A-
Character development: A
Setting: A
Pace: B
Writing Style: A
The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
Like most teenagers, Mackie Doyle feels like he's different from everyone else. But Mackie has always suspected he's not quite human, and his father warns him that if he doesn't remain inconspicuous, the people of Gentry might string him up like they did Kellen Caury. When Mackie is near blood or iron, he can't disguise his debilitating reaction to these toxins. He descends into the hidden depths of the town and begins to uncover the truth of his identity and the ugly secrets of Gentry.
I enjoyed Yovanoff's reference to the Morrigan of Celtic mythology and the way this myth fits into a story set in a drab, quiet small town. The allusion to something ancient adds depth to the story. Keep in mind, the imagery is ghastly: "They smelled worse--all wet dirt and rank, decomposing flesh"; "She smiled a loose, mushy smile, showing black teeth and rotting gums." And the characters speak like authentic adolescents, sometimes using those four-letter words.
This unique story, though, is a refreshing departure from today's hackneyed vampire/witch/bratty clique themes the publishers keep pushing onto young adult readers. Readers will enjoy the journey into the underground world of a haunted little town.
