A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
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A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
Stir up an enchanted book, a pair of star crossed lovers and a malevolent conspiracy in your cauldron and you have Deborah Harkness’ debut novel.
A Discovery of Witches was published to rave reviews in 2011. It is Professor Harkness first assay into fiction but she has since published the second and third volumes to complete the ‘All Souls Trilogy”. A chunky paperback of well over 600 pages, its subject matter places it firmly in the fantasy realm but the depth of research and quality of the writing make it a rewarding read for adult and intellectual readers.
Like both the Harry Potter and Twilight series, A Discovery of Witches takes place in the real world but one in which ‘otherworldly creatures’, in this case witches, vampires and daemons hide in plain sight. The story opens in the Bodleian Library where Diana Bishop, a descendant of Salem witches, finds a missing, magical book. Unfortunately her discovery draws the attention of other creatures who desperately want the book’s secrets and Bishop turns to scientist vampire Matthew Clairmont for aid. What follows is both an enchanting love story and a frantic race to find the information that so many creatures are willing to kill for.
There are several themes which inform much of the action. One is the tension between fear and desire, a desire to seize the moment coupled with a fear of failure. Another is the old adage, ‘to thine own self be true’. The characters struggle to achieve that against adversaries, against the rules of their world and sometimes against their own natures as they grow together in love and trust.
A Discovery of Witches is set in recognisable locations in modern Oxford, rural France and upstate New York. The locations are beautifully described and populated with an eclectic mix of characters who are all as well drawn as the protagonists. In fact some of the places are almost characters in their own right. The Bishop House in Madison in the latter half of the novel is a particular delight.
I was completely hooked by this novel. It is beautifully written with a poetic quality to much of the language. It has realistic characters and situations, despite the fact that it is about vampires and witches. It has humour and pathos. And it makes the reader think. After all, what does one serve when inviting a vampire for dinner?
The added bonus to the story is the depth of research. Many of the characters are created around historical figures and there, Professor Harkness shines. While reading I learned a great deal; about science, genetics, historical people and ideas. I spent a lot of time on google, oohing and aahing over links between the backstories of characters and their history in the real world. The novel does not exist in isolation, it is a gateway to a universe of intriguing possibilities.
I have no hesitation in giving this novel four stars out of four. It is well written, with fascinating characters and an intricately crafted plot. It certainly cast a spell on me.
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This book was interesting in the sense that I don't know if I loved it or hated it. Certainly, there were aspects of both. The beginning was quite slow, but even when nothing interesting was happening, I still enjoyed reading it. I did listen to the audiobook version, so perhaps it was the narrator that made it more enticing for me. Either way, it did begin to get more interesting when Matthew was introduced and the story became slightly less about historical details and more about character relationships. I found almost every scene set in the library boring, so I was also happier when the settings were switched up. I had no difficulty continuing after the first bit, even if some sections later on irritated me. I was determined to push through to the end by that point.
One major thing that bothered me was the character of Diana Bishop. Matthew kept talking about how brave she was, and everyone else in their world seemed to agree. Personally, I didn't see it, and it annoyed me every time it was mentioned. The only 'brave' thing she may have done was enter into a relationship with a vampire, and she didn't even really think twice about that. Diana had good reason to be afraid of magic, yes, since it did lead to her parents' deaths, but she whined and complained an excessive amount when her family began to insist she learn some magic for her own safety. This, combined with some other scenes that I won't mention to avoid spoilers, started to convince me that she wasn't brave - just stupid. And since she was supposedly super-smart with a PhD and invaluable to Oxford, the contradiction bothered me too.
Another of my love/hate things in this book was Matthew and Diana's relationship. There were times when I thought that it was cute, or could be good for them, or good for their world, even, but then other times when I just cringed. Matthew was so overly protective, to the point of violence. Diana knew a lot about history, sure, but she didn't seem to have much real-world experience to attract Matthew, a thousand-year-old vampire, to her. Their relationship progressed much too quickly, based on the amount of time they actually spent with each other. A lot of people have compared their romance to Bella and Edward's in Twilight, and I have just one thing to say about that: no. Just no. Simply because both of the males are vampires, doesn't mean the relationships are similar in any other way.
One thing I did appreciate about this book was how well-built the settings and characters were. Aside from Diana, I thought the characters all had very good reasons for their actions and backstories to support them. The settings were also all very well-explained. There was a lot of historical detail, which I appreciate, because it helps to tie the world of the book to the world of us readers. There were very many characters, which could be expected from a book of this length. However, I found that they were all introduced in such a way to stamp them into my mind, since I found that I could easily remember just about every character when they were later mentioned.
Will I read this novel again? Probably not. But did I enjoy it the first time? Yes. There was enough good to balance out the parts that I didn't like, thankfully. I'd give this book a rating of three and a half stars, rounded to four. Even though there were quite a few aspects that bothered me, it was obvious that there had been a lot of work put into setting up the plot, and all the other details that I appreciated. I would recommend this story to readers who enjoy preternatural creatures, supernatural romances, and witchy magic.
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I've always heard good things about this book and I appreciate well-researched history.
Thank you for bringing this book back to the front of my mind! I'm going to seek it out now!
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Have you guys seen the show that came out last year? Season 2 has been filmed and is due out hopefully this fall!
This is one of my favorite series of all time. I highly recommend it. Every person I have lent my copies to has ended up purchasing them for themselves later!
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The books are much more in depth. Be prepared for some changes from the series--they differences in the show were made with the author's approval, but to provide a clearer storyline for those who won't read the books and therefore know the additional details of the story. I hope you enjoy them!Barbara Larkin wrote: ↑04 Jul 2020, 05:37 I've watched the series starring Matthew Goode and Teresa Palmer, and the books are in my Wishlist. There are so many details I'm still unclear about, so I hope the book goes a long way in erasing that confusion. Thanks for the review!