English Vocab 1

• (noun): The state of being set apart or
• assigned for a particular purpose.

~Allotment, Quota

~Bundle, Entirety

Professor Rossi’s note allocation, which helped Paul greatly, was about the mysterious book he found and his research on Vlad Dracula.

• (adj.): A person who practices extreme
• self-denial and abstains from worldly comforts usually for religious reason.

~Self-Denying, Frugal

~Self-Indulgence, Gluttonous

Once Helen was infected, she slowly became ascetic to the point where she felt she needed to leave her family.

• (verb): to take away from by form of trickery
• or flattery, cheating or deceiving.

~Mislead, Deceive

~Disclose, Reveal

Although it might have been a dangerous task, Paul never beguiled his daughter when it came to the stories of his dangerous past.

• (adj.): Without refinement, delicacy, or
• sensitivity.

~Oafish, Dense

~Delicate, Refined

Even though Helen seems to be strong willed and authoritative, Elizabeth Kostove describes her as anything but crass.

(verb.): To pay all part of a cost.

~Finance, Fund

~Owe, Retain

• Paul and Helen were very lucky that Helen’s aunt was able to help them, for her actions helped defray the mounting cost of their
• mission.

(noun): Force or power.

~Strength, Force

~Weakness, Incompetence

Dracula used his entire dint to collect works of literature for the last 500 years to secretly create the world’s best library.

• (verb): to direct or order with authority and
• emphasis.

~Admonish, Charge

~Request, Ask

• Paul was enjoined to do what he must to save his
• beloved professor somewhat out of guilt and partly out of affection for the man.

• (noun): An accredited messenger or
• representative.

~Agent, Ambassador

~Receiver, Sender

• Elizabeth Kostova uses The Historian as an envoy
• to teach the reader about the history of the real and mythical Vlad Dracula.

• (Noun): A person who interferes in the
• matters of another’s.

~Meddler, Intruder

~Insider, Delight

Throughout The Historian it seems almost all the characters are connected in some web of events, few however can be considered interlopers because they do not insert themselves into the web purposely.

• (adj.): Taking the place of another person or
• thing, as a substitute.

~Surrogate, Empathetic

~Primary, First-hand

• While reading The Historian, the reader might secretly wish Rossi would be saved by some miraculous character that would as in a vicarious
• manner.

• (verb): To advice, caution, warn against
• something.

~Reprove, Caution

~Approve, Commend

Although Paul’s Daughter is admonished by others multiple times, she pursues her goal in the wish to find her father safe and alive.

• (adj.): to stand with arm bent at elbow and
• hand on hip.

~Bent, Crooked

~Straight, Aligned

When Helen and Paul finally found Rossi lying in akimbo in his underground tomb, the reader may have thought the story was over but Elizabeth Kostova astounds them with an even better twist to the story afterwards.

• (adj.): Weariness of mind or body from
• strain.

~Exhausted, Fatigued

~Energized,Excited

While reading the lone,droning pages in a few parts of The Historian, one might begin to feel a bit lassitude from the strain of the long paragraphs.

• (Adj.): Unrestrained by law or morals,
• disregarding rules.

~Carnal, Corrupt

~Chaste, Controlled

Elizabeth Kostova made Dracula a very flat , licentious character, who doesn’t have morals and is driven only to complete his own wishes.

• (noun): A goddess that inspires a creative
• artist. A state of abstraction.

~Inspiration, Motivation

~Distraction, Discourager

One might lone to learn what Elizabeth Kostova’s muse was while she was driven to complete this masterpiece of literature, The Historian.

• (Verb): To think or meditate on or to comment
• thoughtfully on a subject.

~Brood, Ponder

~Ignore, Neglect

Throughout The Historian, Elizabeth Kostova’s writing forces the reader to muse over concepts that are otherwise unheard of.

(adj.): Of or pertaining to money.

~Economic, Financial

~Noncommercial, Not-for-profit

As a result of their “research”, Paul and Helen were able to find a book of pecuniary value which helped provided them with almost a lifetime of savings.

(Noun): A situation, state, or condition, usually an unfavorable or bad one.

~Case, dilemma

~Blessing, Boon

The plight towards the end of The Historian was a bit surprising; there were some details that reader did not expect.

(adj.): Full of, bold, forward.

~Arrogant, Insolent

~Modest, Humble

Paul is very bewildered when he first meets Helen, for her presumptuous character does not seem to match her appearance at first until he knows her more thoroughly.

(adj.): tending to be destructive when overthrowing something such as a government.

~Rebellious, Destructive

~Loyal, Obedient

Dracula seems to be a very subversive character, for in his attempts to succeed he rips apart his victims’ humanity with his undead infection.

(adj.): Lacking in ideas or intelligence,without contents.

~Empty, Dull

~Intelligent, Aware

The only character in the Historian who seems slightly vacuous is Helen’s mother, but even she is somewhat intelligent and thoughtful in her own ways.