Children of the Night: The Strange and Epic Story of Modern Romania Hardcover – 19 Aug. 2021

This is a fascinating insight into the history and culture of a country which deserves a much higher place in our collective consciousness. It puts into perspective the relatively recent dominance of one cruel dictator and the suffering of a strongly defined race of people. Yet Kenyon keeps our attention by entering well written prose that informs and entertains in the way that his decades of work at the BBC drilled into him. Highly recommended.

This is a fascinating history of a Romania’s grotesque leaders. The outrageous cruelties and abuses of power continue through to modern times, so much so that one almost looks back at Vlad the Impaler (Dracula) as a model of good governance.

One of the most exciting non fiction books I've ever read. It was fascinating from start to finish and easy to read. Not bogged down by unnecessary detail.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t recommend it too highly. For anyone who has any interest in the fascinating country of Romania it’s a must read.

I was hoping for a new interpretation of the modern history of this interesting country, but I was disappointed. Kenyon writes in pot-boiling prose, but doesn't seem to have done much research, primary sources are especially missing. His account of Prince Vlad III as a 'proud nationalist' is cliched along the lines of Ceausescu-era narratives. He writes that Romanian independence saw the end of minarets in the country. In fact there were no minarets in Wallachia or Moldavia before independence, and the country once independent actually gained minarets (in the Dobrogea region). Marta Bibescu was not engaged to Prince Ferdinand before Marie met him (she was six years old when Ferdinand and Marie met!) and her house Mogosoaia was not in the mountains. And so on...(Edit: thanks to another reviewer for pointing out that it is Vlad III, not Vlad II. I stand by my other points)

Paul Kenyon's book is a great read as well as relating a very interesting and non-mainstream period of foreign history. Having a very sketchy knowledge of Romanian history I was delighted to read such an informative and comprehensive account. The author achieves the difficult balance of writing in an engaging way whilst describing historical events which are clearly well-researched. Having read Paul Kenyon's book about African dictators I was looking forward to another enlightening and thought-provoking read and I was definitely not disappointed. Through his pacey narrative and focus on the human characteristics of the individuals, Kenyon has the ability to take the reader back in time making the narrative and events both vivid and memorable.

This is a beautifully written and well researched historical narrative of my country's past. It is the character development, attention to detail and the vivid depiction of events which make this book a truly captivating and rewarding read. I've learnt a lot about my country's history, from Prince Vlad Tepes, who barely made it in our history text books during Ceausescu, to the birth of fascism, the mystic leader Codreanu, and the Romanian Holocaust which was entirely wiped out of history by the communists. This book has everything: adventure, dark humour, love, loss, needless suffering, and hope. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in European and Romanian history.

What a fascinating book this is! Paul Kenyon brings characters to life and leads us deftly through the historical and political landscape. His enthusiasm and knowledge are infectious resulting in a total page turner