Books: August 14, 2018
Elizabeth Kostova’s THE SHADOW LAND
LOVED Kostova’s THE SHADOW LAND, which is set in Bulgaria–a country the American author loves.
The story takes place in a very fraught period in the country, where corruption and racism/antisemitism run rampant. Violence, of course, comes with intolerance at the behest of power. But what is encouraging is the human determination to not be smashed in the process.
An old mystery is unraveled as the plot unfolds–and the core of that mystery is eerie reading in our present American moment of Trumpism and Russian interference in our 2016 election, our democracy, and our society.
The novel is beautifully written. I downloaded the audio version and listened while I sewed. I’ve put Kostova’s earlier novel, THE HISTORIAN, on hold and look forward to listening to it.
Here is a review–with which I have to say I do not really agree. We are in an age of speed, and this novel is not about speeding through the plot to get to the reveal.
https://www.npr.org/2017/04/16/522778257/a-strange-odyssey-through-bulgaria-in-shadow-land
Louisa Enright's Blog 