Book Review: A Discovery Of Witches By Deborah Harkness

Book: A Discover Of Witches

Author: Deborah Harkness

Hardcover : 592 Pages

Publisher: Viking Adult

The leather-bound volume was nothing remarkable. To an ordinary historian, it would have looked no different from hundreds of other manuscripts in Oxford’s Bodleian Library, ancient and worn. But I knew there was something odd about it from the moment I collected it.

Duke Humfrey’s Reading Room was deserted on this late-September afternoon, and requests for library materials were filled quickly now that the summer crush of visiting scholars was over and the madness of the fall term had not yet begun. Even so, I was surprised when Sean stopped me at the call desk.

“Dr. Bishop, your manuscripts are up,” he whispered, voice tinged with a touch of mischief. The front of his argyle sweater was streaked with the rusty traces of old leather bindings, and he brushed at it self-consciously. A lock of sandy hair tumbled over his forehead when he did.

I loved this book the first time I read it, and I loved it even more this (second) time too. Although the first time I read it within 24 hours this time I prefered to enjoy myself, so it took me four days. I really like books that have history elements. Deborah Harkness is a historian of science herself making this book a very pleasant trip for someone who doesn't know at all details about alchemy and 15th century history and arts.

Mrs. Harkness created a very interesting universe where the lead heroine is Diana Bishop a witch who prefered to cut ties with her past after a traumatic experience and focused entirely to her studies in the academic field. When Diana discovers a lost manuscript a lot of other creatures enter into her life. 

Which are those creatures? Other witches, vampires, daemons and finally the unaware humans. 

What happens when the first creature that makes his presence known is a very charming but bossy French Vampire? Matthew le Clemort is not a vampire you want to overstep. He is a doctor but also a warrior and the only one who can protect her. 

Diana is trying to understand what all these creatures want from her, but also who she really is. She has to realize that some gifts in life are given for a reason, even though some she didn't ask for . Matthew will help her along the way but they will face a lot of difficulties because their relationship is forbidden by an ancient agreement. When the wrath will fall upon them, they will realize that they have to stand their grounds and to fight back. 

You can find more about A Discovery of Witches at Deborah Harkness' Official Website