BORN UNDER A MILLION SHADOWS * THE HISTORIAN

I was out of town for a couple of weeks, without access to the world wide web, and I missed my blog! I did get to do some reading, though.

Born Under A Million Shadows is by Andrea Busfield, and takes place in Afghanistan. The taliban government has fallen, and Kabul is coming back to life. This story is narrated by a precocious 11 year old boy named Fawad, and it's about the people in his life, both the Afghanis and the foreigners. I couldn't put this down. The story is beautifully written, and the characters are fully present. This is a book for all ages - a modern day To Kill A Mockingbird without the trial, but with a few more adventures. If you're looking for that great book that you can't put down, here it is.

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova - I haven't read a vampire novel since the first Anne Rice book. This isn't really a vampire novel per se, but it is a tale of some people who seemed to be chosen as those who would search for Dracula's tomb. It travels across Europe, in place and time. It's about a family, it's a love story, it's about how historians do their research. I found it to be rather long, but engaging enough to keep me reading to the end. I must also say that for me it was worth it.