Name: A Discovery of Witches
Rating: 3.935416666666667 (720 reviews)
ISBN: 9780670022410

Deborah E. Harkness

Discovering a magical manuscript in Oxford's library, scholar Diana Bishop, a descendant of witches who has rejected her heritage, inadvertently unleashes a fantastical underworld of daemons, witches and vampires whose activities center around an enchanted treasure.

A Discovery of Witches

Tim Pendry

This has been called a 'Twilight for adults'. That just about sums up this dark romantic fantasy which, once it gets going, proves to be a highly entertaining romp through otherwise familiar territory involving witches, 'daemons', vampires and ghosts - only werewolves are missing. Where it scores is that the paranormal creatures are given more credibility than we usually find in such tales. They have back stories that involve DNA and alternative genetic lines so that the supernatural is given the illusion of being more natural than it usually is allowed to be. There is a similarity in tone to the world of Harry Potter where wizardry co-exists with the world of muggles. We ordinary humans, as in the Potter books, play virtually no role in a story which can sometimes move at quite a pace. This is very much a creature feature. The story eventually settles down into a rather cosy tale of romantic passion with a strong dangerous but fundamentally passionate and loving vampire and a heroine who is a bright independent academic denying her witchery - some serious girlie wish fulfilment there. The fantasy intensifies from very ordinary beginnings in an Oxford college library almost to the point of comic book hysteria at times but the book is mostly well written and it is an easy, relaxing read for a holiday or long flight. But would I go on to read the second and third novels on the sequence? No, probably not. The book is certainly likeable and creates a coherent and entertaining universe but life is short and I don't generally go on long trips or have the sort of holiday that involves reading romantic novels. However, just because I won't carry on with the story does not mean that you might not. Certainly I suspect many women will love it because Harkness captures the mind-set of her own type - that of the modern career woman - and her desire for something passionate but safe in her fantasy life. A male who wanted to read just one novel (other than the superior 'Grand Sophy' of Georgette Heyer, light opera to Austen's Wagner) that suggested the appeal of romance to women could do worse than choose this one for an experiment in inter-gender understanding. Diana Bishop, solitary, runner, rower, academic, repressing her own inner nature, is the epitome of many modern thirty-somethings and this book provides a safe space for fantasy liaisons with wolf-like intense, passionate, protective and dangerous vampires.

Deborah Harkness

*Now a major Sky original production* THE NUMBER ONE INTERNATIONAL AND SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER. A Discovery of Witches is the first in the must-have, must-read ALL SOULS trilogy. It begins with absence and desire. It begins with blood and fear. It begins with a discovery of witches. Fall under the spell of Diana and Matthew in the stunning first volume of the No.1 internationally bestselling ALL SOULS trilogy. A world of witches, daemons and vampires. A manuscript which holds the secrets of their past and the key to their future. Diana and Matthew - the forbidden love at the heart of it. 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 geneticist. 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... Five reasons to read A Discovery of Witches and the All Souls Trilogy 'Rich, thrilling ... A captivating and romantic ripping yarn' E L James 'Intelligent and off-the-wall ... irrestistible to Twilight fans' Sunday Times 'I could lose myself in here and never want to come out ... Utterly enchanting on every level' Manda Scott 'Exciting amounts of spells, kisses and battles, and is recounted with enchanting, page-turning panache' Marie Claire 'A bubbling cauldron of illicit desire ... an assured saga that blends romance with fantasy' Daily Mail

Now a major TV series (All Souls 1)

I Lines the idea of a Witsch who is also an Historian and a Vampire who had met many authors of the time

Melanie

Not just another Vampire Story.

I Lines the idea of a Witsch who is also an Historian and a Vampire who had met many authors of the time

Ugggh. So much here. It’s a good storyline, but I hate the Author’s writing style. I understand “world building”, but there’s so much unnecessary fluff here. You could take out AT LEAST 4 hours worth of completely useless information from this book and still have all of the details needed and then some. Also, I detest how Diana is such a helpless damsel 🙄. I’m sure the character development will be nice, but I lost interest in so much useless information in this 20 hour read that I don’t know if I’m willing to suffer through another one to find out what happens. 

Jessy Tatum

Erin McL

Love the magic system, love the twists turns and surprises, but I feel as though the story lost me at times and I am hopeful the romance fleshes out a little more (I want more angst, more chemistry) it is a little instant love but if a hot vampire became obsessed with me I would also give in. Excited for book two!

Monserrat Navarro 

Simply not understanding the hate this book is receiving. Taste is entirely subjective but there are few things I’d like to correct in some of these top reviews I’ve seen. 
“The book has no plot.” - It’s a romance novel. The plot is the slow burn romance, with underlying themes of trying to discover this mysterious manuscript and figuring out the origin of these creatures. It’s a journey. 
I’m not one for vampire novels- I think sometimes they’re a little comical for me with just how old the authors make the vampires in question. But it did keep me entertained. The characters are well fleshed out. The author maintains a great balance between character development, story development, and dialogue. I’ll admit Harkness goes a little over the top with the unnecessary description of wine tasting that I simply skimmed over. 
I’m pretty generous with my ratings, a 5 star for me means i enjoyed it enough to continue the series. It kept me engaged, I am truly interested to see how the story develops. It begins slowly (I believe it didn’t pick up until approximately the halfway point) 
I’m glad I didn’t listen to the reviews. The characters truly are fantastic and ultimately that’s where the 5 star comes from. It’s rare I find fleshed out characters like this.

chloe rae

*3.5

This was a strange read for me. There were some parts I really enjoyed, and then some parts I found suuuper frustrating. 
Firstly, I loved the history and atmosphere of this novel. They were so interesting! The history added something so cool to the story. And I really loved the setting as well. I want to go to Oxford and study in the library for days on end! I could just picture myself there, man. 
I also loved the chemistry between our two main characters. I actually really liked all the characters. I loved the families of both Diana and Mathew. Everyone in the book was super intriguing and I definitely wanted more from some of them in the end. 
The last half of the book was definitely my favorite. When everyone came together towards the end, I couldn’t wait to see what happened. I loved how the house almost felt like it’s own separate character. And I’m definitely excited to see what happens next!
HOWEVER 
This story was was too long. She could’ve cut out 200 pages easy. Matthew was so controlling and possessive, and they kept trying to justify it but it just wasn’t working. It was actual insta-love, which I don’t hate as much as most people, but there was a part in here that was just too much too soon. 
The TV series, which I watched before this, paced everything out so much better than the books. And I found TV Diana to be much more independent and confident than Book Diana. She could be super annoying in the books and I’d just want to knock some sense into her.
Overall, excited to continue on but definitely didn’t blow my mind.

This was a reread about 3 or 4 years after my first time reading this book and I still loved it. This book will always be firmly in my heart and will always hold my "witchy academia" interest. The blend on historical academics and magic bring on such a nostalgic feel. I've never once been to Oxford or England but the descriptions in this book make me feel like I'm sitting right there in the Bodliean with Diana. 

Cassidy Webb

Elle May

I really enjoyed the story, my biggest issue is how drawn out parts of the book were it seemed unnecessary but I'm looking forward to reading Shadow of Night next and seeing where the next part of the story takes Matthew and Diana.

Tatiana

A Discovery of Witches: 3.5/5

Deborah Harkness knows how to tell a story, and this was a damn good one to tell. The world-building is on another level. I don't think I've ever read another book with as much context or detail about the setting as this one does. It really brings these characters to life. 

I found myself really connected to Diana and actually following her emotional journey and arc. For example, feeling weary about Matthew and Ysabou and gradually coming to love them in the end. I don't know if I've ever felt so in tune with a character's feelings but I absolutely loved it.

The only thing I would say is that some of the book is pretty slow towards the middle and it takes a minute to pick up, but these parts inevitably are really important to the set up of the next book and unfurling the mysteries within the world.

Overall this was a great read and I am excited to dive into Shadow of Night.

Melissa Palmer

This was a reread for me. This is one of my favorite series....Diana is a witch who doesn't know how to use her magic. She falls in love with Matthew, a vampire. Great writing and interesting characters.

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). Look for the hit TV series “A Discovery of Witches,” streaming on AMC Plus, Sundance Now and Shudder. Season 2 premieres January 9, 2021! 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.

A Novel

Annnddddd the real-time read is finished! Super fun to do this and dive back into this series. You can see how well Deb wove things into the series and gave little hints, even in book one. It was great to read all of the little easter eggs! 

(Bre)anne✨

TW to be added later

Annnddddd the real-time read is finished! Super fun to do this and dive back into this series. You can see how well Deb wove things into the series and gave little hints, even in book one. It was great to read all of the little easter eggs! 

A book about a woman who pushes away her witch powers to be normal. Only to find a book, for her research in alchemy, that changes her life. She finds herself in the presence of vampires, demons, and other witches who are looking for a text that is said to be the beginning of their creation. Wonderful writing and waiting for the next book to be available to read!

Carmen Slzr

Dark academia fantasy vibes. I loved this book so much. The world building was amazing and fascinating. There are so many layers to Diana and Matthew and the whole storyline in general. Definitely recommend.

Leah Diaz 

Melanie Knight

I loved this book! It's like a grown-up and more sophisticated version of Twilight, with a strong female witch as the main character, surrounded by a host of Witches, vampires, daemons and humans. Lots of romance, plenty of mystery and suspense and nice touches of historical references.

Brooklyn Montri

Book was very good, love the plot but got confused at some parts, it’s fine i figured it out :)

A Discovery of Witches

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