A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness ISBN: 9780143119678
Series: All Souls #1
Also in this series: Shadow of Night (Movie Tie-In)
Published by Penguin Books on February 8, 2011
Genres: Paranormal, Romance
Pages: 579
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Book one of the New York Times-bestselling All Souls trilogy--"a wonderfully imaginative grown-up fantasy with all the magic of Harry Potter and Twilight" (People).
Now "[a] hot show that's like Twilight meets Outlander" (Thrillist) airing Sundays on AMC and BBC America, as well as streaming on Sundance Now and Shudder.Deborah Harkness's sparkling debut, A Discovery of Witches, has brought her into the spotlight and galvanized fans around the world. In this tale of passion and obsession, Diana Bishop, a young scholar and a descendant of witches, discovers a long-lost and enchanted alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782, deep in Oxford's Bodleian Library. Its reappearance summons a fantastical underworld, which she navigates with her leading man, vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont.
Harkness has created a universe to rival those of Anne Rice, Diana Gabaldon, and Elizabeth Kostova, and she adds a scholar's depth to this riveting tale of magic and suspense. The story continues in book two, Shadow of Night, and concludes with The Book of Life.
I originally read this in summer 2014 and re-read it in anticipation of watching the new TV show based off the trilogy. I needed to finish the trilogy, but enough time had passed that I’d forgotten most of the first book. I’m delightedly surprised that my original review still stands:
The protagonist is no-nonsense and practical, and it’s great fun to see her deal with many curveballs in her boldly honest way. The romance is steamy- and I don’t often say that, so here it’s a huge compliment- and not explicit at all. The are some lightly gory bits, but the portrayal of family ties is so brilliantly developed and you get such a sense for each character that I didn’t mind a little stomach churning.
There’s a great many nods to history (and alchemy) as well as genetics and phlebotomy in a way that tells me Harkness likes her research (she’s a professor and wine blogger, BTW). Gotta love entertainment that educates!
I also might have a wee book crush on Marcus. *ahem*
Anyway, I greatly enjoyed this one and I’m glad there’s a sequel, which I will be reading as soon as I can get my paws on it. I recommend it for fans of contemporary supernatural stories, intelligent fiction, juxtapositions/opposites, character development, sizzling but relatively ‘clean’ romance, and lovingly researched science and/or history in fiction.
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