Being a fan of the "typical" vampire book in the genre of Anne Rice or Stephen King, I found this journey from the narrator's personal perspectives through her parents' (historians) examination of history and their supposed personal experiences very intriguing and believable. I really enjoyed the very organized trip the book took me on for the search through Eastern Europe with real descriptions of the geography and the people and their folklore. Very well constructed, organized, and believable novel. I will look forward to Ms. Kostova's next book.