The Swan Thieves
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Review
`A mesmerising psychological mystery.' --Good Housekeeping
'A compulsive book.' --Sunday Business Post --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
'A compulsive book.' --Sunday Business Post --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
'A mesmerising psychological mystery.' Good Housekeeping
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I think the reason that this book seems to polarise opinion is because nothing much happens in it. Psychologist Robert Marlowe acquires the renowned painter Robert Oliver as his patient, and subsequently travels around meeting people who might be able to shed some light on the reasons behind Oliver's breakdown. The majority of the book comprises the memories and insights of these people told in the voice of that particular individual, and so takes place outside the narrative which is really a convenient framework for these first person interludes. This apparently frustrates a lot of people, but it's what made the book so appealing to me.
'The Swan Thieves' is not a book that is driven by action but by a gradual development of the characters encountered, all of whom are vivid and fascinating. I thought the author used different points of view and writing styles well, blending first person narratives in the past and present tenses, third person narratives in the present tense and letters to create an elaborate whole piece by piece. Usually this sort of switching irritates me, so it's a mark of the author's skill that in this case I thought it perfectly suited the book. Each different bit of the writing told me more about the characters and it was this gradual revelation and exploration which made this book such a pleasure to read.
'The Swan Thieves' is not a book that is driven by action but by a gradual development of the characters encountered, all of whom are vivid and fascinating. I thought the author used different points of view and writing styles well, blending first person narratives in the past and present tenses, third person narratives in the present tense and letters to create an elaborate whole piece by piece. Usually this sort of switching irritates me, so it's a mark of the author's skill that in this case I thought it perfectly suited the book. Each different bit of the writing told me more about the characters and it was this gradual revelation and exploration which made this book such a pleasure to read.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I read this in a day (and most of a night!) Like other reviewers I would agree that it is probably the writing style that polarises opinion. I personally thoght it suited it, and in a strange way it reminded me of the way the original Dracula is set out (which may not entirely be a coincidence considering the subject matter of one of Kostova's earlier books!)
It is true that there is not a lot of action in the first parts. The interest is in the unfolding of the characters. The prose is good, intellegent without being 'difficult' and the whole thing flows very well.
It is true that there is not a lot of action in the first parts. The interest is in the unfolding of the characters. The prose is good, intellegent without being 'difficult' and the whole thing flows very well.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Historian is one of my favourite recent books and I was looking forward to another well-written and absorbing story. Unfortunately, The Swan Thieves has a thin plot, unbelievable characters and I was left asking a number of questions at the end, in particular why the obsession with Beatrice, why did Robert suddenly recover at the end and why had I bothered to finish it? Some of the descriptions are nicely written but that's the only positive thing about the book. Very disappointing given the quality of it's predecessor.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Hmmm...Shame that this isn't everyone's cup of tea
i loved this book! because...
1. it made me want to paint
2. i love the whole mystery of Beatrice and Olivier and also this supposedly crazy or truly disturbed... Read more
1. it made me want to paint
2. i love the whole mystery of Beatrice and Olivier and also this supposedly crazy or truly disturbed... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Jaye888
An insipid waste of time.
Promises to be clever and stylish. It fails in both categories. Clearly trading on the Da Vinci Code wave, this book fails to raise any sympathy for character or situation. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Alan
The most beautiful book I have read in years!
Beautifully written, intelligent, inspiring and insiteful. I feel unable to pick up another book until my mind has absorbed all that I loved about this book!
Published 8 months ago by zebedee
Underwhelmed
What to make of Elizabeth Kostova's second novel? Like others, I read and enjoyed The Historian and in particular the way in which Ms Kostova refused to rush her tale. Read more
Published 9 months ago by P. Borrington
Is this the same person who wrote "The historian"??
New authors are often told "When you get published in a genre, you have to stick to it,as your readers expect you to. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Shantnu Tiwari
Poor and self-indulgent
There is a potentially pleasant little story inside this book trying to get out but golly the writer does go on - and on ...... Read more
Published 14 months ago by D. Ballard
Enthralling combination of good character portrayal, vivid...
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The complexity of the unfolding character portrayals kept me wanting to read more. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Sonia
The Swan Thieves
Very well researched. The Characters were believable and the story was quite gripping. I found the fact that Marlow was reliving his patients life a little creepy, the endless... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Debzz
Swan Thieves
The Swan Thieves is the first Elizabeth Kostava I have read and, for me, much of the attraction was the Impressionist backdrop to the historical part of the novel. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Alison E Warner
600 pages of pretentious hollow nothingness!
What a dreadful disappointment this book was after the brilliance of 'The Historian'. Plodding, dull, unconvincing and pretentious, leading to a dire conclusion that explained very... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Goth lady
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