Book Review, #2: The Shadow Land (Elizabeth Kostova)

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The Historian is one of my favorite novels. I wouldn’t choose it for a desert island, but it makes a thrilling and gripping read your first (or even second) time through. I vividly remember a family vacation when my two sisters and I were all reading the book at the same time, grabbing it whenever another put it down. The Shadow Land caught my eye at the library one afternoon before a cold freeze (or bomb cyclone) set in. It is a much worse novel than the Historian. It tries to emulate the same plot twists and intrigue but the content just isn’t there. The most incredible scenes take place inside a forced labor camp, which wasn’t where I hoped (or wanted) the book to bring me on a cozy weekend.