I very much like the woman protagonist to be a very strong character -- in and of herself. She knows the "world" contains three supernatural type of creatures Witches (she is one), Vampires, and Demons. She also knows the majority of the world is none of these. They are Humans. All supernatural folk know to keep themselves hidden from Humans. After all, isn't that how Diana Bishop's ancestor died -- at the Salem Witch Trials? Diana chooses the hard road. She denies her Witch heritage. She becomes an historian. And then -- and then -- there is the day when she requests from her library, a book known only as Ashmole 782. That is when her isolated life begins to unravel. Warning: a couple passages are PG-13 rated. I also very much like how history is interwoven inside this novel. The author, Deborah Harkness, is a professor of history, but not like any professor I ever had in college! One of the characters is a Vampire, who has lived more than 1,000 years. The way Ms. Harkness weaves his history into and within the story, is marvelous. You will find yourself checking the Encyclopedia for some of the terms she uses, and those will be very interesting by themselves. Just me personally, I worked at a large university library. So I should explain what "Ashmole 782" means. "Ashmole" is the name of a person who collected books. He bought books before a time when there was any national library, such as the Library of Congress. The Library of Congress was one of the first libraries to organize books by category number for every book they owned (they created the Dewey Decimal system). Cutter was another. Now in the story, somehow, Ashmole's collection of books is donated to the Bodleian Library in England. So the library gets boxes and boxes of completely unknown books. What an undergraduate (like me) will do, we take one book out of one box, and we name it (collector) 001. Next book is (collector) 002. Other undergraduates will research title page, author, etc., and will standardize those books as per the library. But there will always be some books that have never been categorized or standardized. And they become: "Ashmole 782". I have always wondered, did I categorize "Secrets of the Darkest Art" wrongly; using Cutter's system? E45 (Historical Sciences) (England) / B4 (Author: Bullock, Owle) (4th book published by this author) --- E45/B4 --- Or should I have left it "Dumbledore 064"? (Just kidding.) (I think.) The author's characters are very well written. The background setting and history are very well explained. The science of genetics, which explains witches, demons & vampires is perfect. There is such an amazing variety of personalities. Some of the "good guys" are dark. Some of the "bad guys" are simply driven by what they believe to be right. Although mostly the reader might think they know the "good guys" and the "bad guys"; Well . . . a couple of the "good guys" are Vampires. How much can you trust them? And there are wild cards to consider. Not all Witches are on the same side. And Demons? Nobody knows the troubles they see. But really, you should experience this book to decide for yourself.Read full review
Somehow I never heard of A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness until a friend recommended it to me recently. I don’t read a lot of fantasy or paranormal literature as a rule. I enjoyed it a lot because it has all the ingredients I look for: interesting, well-developed characters, a bit of humor, mystery, a twisty plot, and great settings (I would so like to visit the Bodleian Library). It also has something I’ve never previously encountered in a novel: characters speaking Old French or Occitan. Perfect for those who enjoy vampires and the paranormal (and even for those of us who don't read many vampire stories).
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
I had made an abortive attempt to watch the TV adaptation of this trilogy without first reading the books, but someone loaned me the first - Discover of Witches - and I was hooked by the end of the first twenty pages. The novel is rich with detail - of history, metaphysics, and places - and the characters manage to be both exotic and believable: no small feat when writing about witches, vampires, and demons. As an historian, I am attracted to stories that bring the past to life, but only if the depiction is authentic and then only if it is also entertaining. Harkness does not disappoint.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
A wonderfully written historical fiction with a fantasy twist! A Discovery of Witches will keep your attention. Tying in with real historical facts, the story is both compelling g and completely believable. I highly recommend this series. As usual, the books are far better than the movie!
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I had heard lots of good things about this book and, for me, they held true. Good author and story line. If this is your genre, I say go for it.
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Keeping my attention. Love a book that you look forward to reading every day.
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Enjoyable series. Great charters. Engaging plot. One you can read again and again.
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Not a quick read; one part of a trilogy. Strong characters and in-depth situations.
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If you like love stores about witches and vampires you will love this series.
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I had read the book years ago. Watched the mini series, and decided to read the book again.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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