A Discovery of Witches
2011 • 579 pages
Ratings180
Average rating3.8
15
Ratings180
Average rating3.8
**An epic, richly inventive, historically sweeping, magical romance.**
When historian Diana Bishop opens an alchemical manuscript in the Bodleian Library, it's an unwelcome intrusion of magic into her carefully ordered life. Though Diana is a witch of impeccable lineage, the violent death of her parents while she was still a child convinced her that human fear is more potent than any witchcraft. Now Diana has unwittingly exposed herself to a world she's kept at bay for years; one of powerful witches, creative, destructive daemons and long-lived vampires.
Sensing the significance of Diana's discovery, the creatures gather in Oxford, among them the enigmatic Matthew Clairmont, a vampire genticist. Diana is inexplicably drawn to Matthew and, in a shadowy world of half-truths and old enmities, ties herself to him without fully understanding the ancient line they are crossing.
As they begin to unlock the secrets of the manuscript and their feelings for each other deepen, so the fragile balance of peace unravels.
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4 primary books5 released booksAll Souls is a 6-book series with 5 primary works first released in 2011 with contributions by Deborah Harkness.
Reviews with the most likes.
Twilight for adults.
When a vampire appears, and he is describe as the most beautiful thing the protagonist has ever seen, and is carefully described as being perfect, with a reputation of seducing pretty much anyone he/she comes into contact with, you know where the book focus will be.
Read the top comments about the book, they pretty much nail it.
Read 1:30/23:57 6%
Can you believe it? I finally finished a book that I was reading just for me. Seems like ages... my Enginerd and I stumbled across the first season limited availability on Prime and binged the whole thing in about two days over the holidays. Then I bought the Kindle ebook on sale. I started into it and was fighting with myself of to stitch or to read and happened to find the Audiobook on #Libbyapp. I have to admit there is a 16-week wait as I returned the audiobook. I may admit that I enjoyed the drama bette, but I liked those actors for my imagined visual as I took in more details to the story. I'd like to continue, but have to watch for sales...
It took me two and a half months of leisure reading/listening to get through this book as my attention waxed and waned. Overall, I enjoyed the story and the world it introduced.
I wish I could give this book six stars out of five. How did I wait so long to read it?
On the surface it's a little like Twilight(at least with regard to not being a vampire and loving a vampire) but with intelligence and maturity and academia and history and tea and yoga, and a little like Outlander for the richly drawn history but even more ancient and modern. It defies description, really, but there's plenty of suspense and fantasy, woven with a strong thread of a love story that has an epic feel.
This goes on my keep-forever shelf.
The first half plus of this book I would say is 5 stars. I gave it 4 because it becomes a bit Twilight-esque towards the end.
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