Book Review: A Discovery of Witches
Here’s my review of A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. Don’t forget to leave a comment if you’ve read it, or want to read it. Then see today’s writing prompt at the bottom of this post.
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness is an engaging read with vivid characters and a plot that unfolds at just the right pace. It is an ideal read for those who enjoy more obscure history, cryptic books and manuscripts, forbidden romance, found family, unseen dangers and unfolding mysteries, and magic. And I am looking forward to reading the second book in the series.
The characters really come to life (pun not intended) in this book, especially Diana. I have really enjoyed following her journey so far, as she unpacks the power of her magic and learns more about her family’s history. She is a strong female character with relatable flaws who is easy to get behind. She's smart and resourceful, knows her own mind, and isn't afraid of leaping into the unknown with a centuries-old vampire who has a slight patriarchal bent she keeps in check.
Matthew's character is also intriguing, as he is a modern-day vampire who is using modern science to try and figure out where his species comes from … which is oddly relatable as a human. And makes it less surprising when he and Diana inevitably get caught up in a centuries-old war between their species, as they try to learn more about where they come from and how they are linked to each other, as if by magic, though there is still much left to uncover about their inexplicable connection in the remainder of the series.
I thought the commingling of science and magic and historical references in the novel were masterfully done, as it reminded me how little we still know about ourselves as humans and how natural it is to wonder about all those things that remain mysterious to us about ourselves. It was oddly refreshing how normal and relatable a book about witches and vampires and demons was.
I especially appreciated the scenes with the ancient texts and manuscripts Diana comes across, and how her understanding of alchemy merges with other characters’ understanding of science and magic. (What is magic but incomprehensible or yet-to-be-explored scientific inquiry anyway?) If you are a bibliophile, enjoy cryptic texts, love the smell of old books, and love hanging out in libraries, you will appreciate these scenes too.
Each scene in the book is vividly described as well. Whether the scene takes place in a library at Oxford, a French castle, or a magical house that has a mind of its own, you will feel transported there as you read. Yet you will never experience jetlag as you are transported from one place to the next in the book, as the plot unfolds at a steady and appropriate pace that will keep you turning pages.
I would definitely recommend reading this book at the beginning of fall, and recommend it to those readers who enjoy mysteries, history, books, and romance.
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Today’s Writing Prompt
Writing Prompt: Poem, Magic
Write a poem about magic, or something that is magical.
Writing Tip
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