Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

A follow-up to the best-selling A Discovery of Witches finds Oxford scholar and reluctant witch, Diana, and vampire geneticist, Matthew Clairmont, in Elizabethan London, where Diana seeks a magical tutor and Matthew confronts elements from his past at the same time the mystery of Ashmole 782 deepens.

More than 90 percent of this book takes place in the 1500s, and while I preferred the world built in A Discovery of Witches, this book really explores some of the central questions of the book and helps move Diana along in her development as a witch.

A few things that I found a bit problematic are time continuity/continuum and the fact that the very reason for going back to the 1500s was pretty significantly downplayed. That being said, I can't wait to get started on book 3!

I thought this was pretentious and overly complicated. I was not a fan.

I enjoyed this book more than the first one. It was long at times and still with a lot of characters but the story picks up right after the firt one and it was well written and fun to read.

I really enjoyed this book. I marvel at all of the research required to even contemplate a story like this. I would love an opportunity to discuss the author's writing process.