Sunday, May 20, 2012

A Discovery of Witches - Deborah Harkness

Date Started: 5/1/12
Date Finished: 5/11/12

One-Word Summary: Spectacular

This was a re-read; I actually read this book for the first time about a year ago. I liked it so much I bought it for my mom for Christmas and after an initial hesitation (I think based on the title) she adored the book as well.

This isn't the typical vampire/witches/daemon story. It's a complete re-imagination centered around Diana Bishop, the last in a long-line of powerful witches. She has tried to remove all witchcraft from her life and has forged a career studying ancient manuscripts of alchemy. She inadvertently recalls a book lost for 150 years - Ashmole 782, and in so doing opens her life to magic and all of the creatures that come along with it. She forms an unlikely friendship that evolves into a relationship with vampire Matthew Clairmont, and then learns about the prohibition on such relationships, put in place centuries ago. The book ends with Diana and Matthew traveling back in time so that she can learn from proper witches how to control her many gifts (water, fire, time-walking, etc.). I cannot WAIT for the sequel.

Re-reading this book was fantastic as I had forgotten many of the details that will no doubt be relevant in the sequel (coming out this summer). I have recommended this book over and over and would do so again without hesitation. Fantastic read.

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