A Discovery of Witches

This next book I'm going to review, I have to admit, the first time I read it, I hated it. I saw it in the back of Entertainment Weekly and it had the tag line of 'If you liked Twilight, you'll love A Discovery of Witches' so I bought it, and was underwhelmed.  I saw pieces of Twilight everywhere in it, from the dialogue to the characters to the plot points. About a year later, I decided to re-read it when the next book 'Shadow of Night' came out. I'm not sure why, but I did and was pleasantly surprised with how I felt the second time around.

Here's my review of:

A Discovery of Witches

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was struggle to get through the first time. Because it had been mentioned in the same breath as Twilight when I saw a review of it, all I could see were the similarities and it made me shake my head. When I read it again with a different eye (and the sequel was out by then) I found myself enjoying the story more and actually liking the characters where before I was bored by them. It's actually one of the main reasons I read books twice before reviewing them.


*SPOILERS START HERE*




Diana Bishop is a witch who doesn't want to be a witch. She's researching an alchemical manuscript- Ashmole 782- that hasn't been seen in years and somehow it appears in the library Oxford. She senses the magic in it the moment she comes in contact with the book but because she's been denying her witchcraft, she ignores the warnings and doesn't realize the importance of it until it's been returned to the stacks, and vanishes. While in the library, she meets Matthew Clairmont a vampire with an interest in her because of her ability to have called the book from the stacks. He knows the importance of the book, the secrets it's rumored to be carrying and gets close to Diana to see if she can call the manuscript again and try to get his hands on it.

Needless to say, Diana and Matthew fall in love but because of the laws of the Congregation they are forbidden to be together. (of course) The book that was touted to be 'like Twilight' ends up being 'like Outlander' too because for reasons you'll have to read the book to find out, they end up going back in time to stay alive.


*END SPOILERS*




What I liked: I liked the world Deborah Harkness created, the idea behind the story. A witch, intent on denying her craft, who needs to learn more about it in order to save herself and Matthew. I think the Ashmole 782 itself is really interesting- and the scene where she has the encounter with it in the library is well written. Matthew is of course a perfect, wealthy and gorgeous vampire with the patience of a saint to put up with Diana at times. I liked the character of Matthew's mother and her protective ways.

What I didn't like: The book dragged. Often. And I really had to make myself not think Twilight/Outlander as I read it because there are many similar threads within it. I found myself skimming at times because nothing was happening. Diana at the end of the book is still a very inept witch with 'great powers' but has no idea how to use them.


The next book in the trilogy, Shadow of Night is, in my opinion, a better book. It still drags in places, but thee seemed to be more action in it even though the plot still progresses slowly. I am actually looking forward to the next book, interested to see where the story goes. And that is more than I can say after my first read of A Discovery of Witches.

That's why I'm glad I gave it another chance.

Thanks for Reading my Mind.

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