Book Review: The Swan Thieves

I enjoy books that introduce me to new things, or deal with topics that I don't know much about.  When I read Elizabeth Kostova's novel The Historian I didn't know much about the Dracula myth, other than what was in the popular media.  I enjoyed the book so much that I read Bram Stoker's Dracula, which I found intriguing.  I also enjoyed Ms. Kostoav's writing and have been anticipating her next novel. 

The Swan Thieves, Ms. Kostova's second novel, is set in the United States in the late 1990s and in France in the mid 1800s.  It tells the parallel love stories of Robert Oliver, a well respected artist, and his loves; and Beatrice de Clerval and Olivier Vignot.  We only learn about Robert through the words of Kate, his ex-wife, and Mary, his ex-lover.  He has suffered a mental breakdown at the start of the novel and after an initial discussion with the narrator (a psychiatrist), stops speaking.  He does give the psychiatrist permission to talk to the people in his life, which Marlow does.  Along the way, we learn a lot about the early days of the Impressionist movement in art.  The story is told mostly through narration (Kate and Mary telling Marlow about Robert) and letters (from Beatrice to Olivier and Olivier to Beatrice).  It is a fascinating way of having the story evolve.  As in the Historian, the writing is descriptive and evocative.  I highly recommend it.

The Swan Thieves By Kostova, Elizabeth 2010-01 - Little Brown and Company 9780316065788 Check Our Catalog Kostova's masterful new novel travels from American cities to the coast of Normandy, from the late 19th century to the late 20th, from young love to last love to create a story of obsession, history's losses, and the power of art to preserve human hope. …More

The Historian By Kostova, Elizabeth 2005-06 - Little Brown and Company 0316011770 Check Our Catalog In this riveting debut novel, a young girl discovers her father's darkest secret and embarks on a harrowing journey across Europe to complete the quest he never could--the quest to find history's most legendary fiend: Dracula. …More

Dracula By Stoker, Bram Introduction by Kostova, Elizabeth 2005-08 - Back Bay Books 0316014818 Check Our Catalog …More