Let’s take a look to
Deborah Harkness' A Discovery of Witches, part 1 in the All Souls Trilogy, or what I refer to as the book that should really
have captivated the current Twilight fanbase (Yes, I know it came out
afterwards, but time is just a construct).
Plot, legitimate character development, historical acumen, action,
adventure, believable and realistic (in so far as fiction can be) romance, and
a healthy use of popular lore. In this
story we find our main character, Diana, a reluctant witch and active historian deep in study in Oxford’s Bodleian Library. Within, she finds a mysterious book that,
after a brief glance, she disregards with no second thought. However, it serves as a beacon, flooding Oxford
with daemon, witch, and vampire alike.
One such is the charming, yet dark, Matthew, 1500 year old vampire and
current biochemist at Oxford who, despite the rules of the Congregation, a
group formed by all three nonhuman creatures who dictate the allowed activity
of their kind, finds himself drawn to her and, inevitably, her to him. Thus begins Diana’s adventure to discover the
mystery of this book, a tome that has been sought after for centuries by beings
of all three kinds. Throughout this
search her feelings towards Matthew change, as do her views on using her
powers, and what exactly it means to be a witch.
I know what you’re thinking!
What with the number of vampire romances being written lately, what
makes this any different? Bear with me.
Now normally, I’m not one for romance in books, finding they
are often needlessly-heavy handed and out of place in their involvement. That being said, I found the use of romance here
to be, dare I say, normal. Insofar as
romance between a witch and a vampire can be normal anyway. Additionally, while there is romance present
in this story, it is not the main, or sole, point of this story; if it were
removed there would still be a story left behind. However, the romance in this book adds to the
plot as a whole, which is an excellent sign.
The creatures are an interesting part of A Discovery of Witches, daemon, witch,
and vampire alike. These are creatures
that are incredibly popular in current media, so I can understand why they
would the three chosen. Daemon’s are
incredibly intelligent and driven so long as their subject of interest is
involved, being completely absentminded when it’s not. Witches have an affinity towards various
elements which determines how their magic manifests itself, all involving a
strong tie towards Nature. Vampire,
well, are vampires. Timeless creatures
with enhanced physical abilities, a fondness for blood, and the ability to
alter normal humans. The only deviation
from original lore comes when Harkness includes vampire’s overprotectiveness/possessiveness
of loved ones, but every author needs a bit of artistic freedom.
The individual characters is also lovingly crafted, each
with their own goals and personalities that are clear from the start. Every main character, secondary character, and
even some minor characters, all serve a purpose and act under their own
volition, going about their lives in reasonable manners rather than in such a
way that is convenient for moving the story along. The only downside to this is that, at times,
that inherent free will can cause the story to drag at parts.
At first I was enamored by the story in every way. There was seemingly nothing extraneous to
this book as I devoured it. The simple
joy I got from reading this book is exceptional. However, that slowly fades away once I took
some time to actually think about what I’d read. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not as if the book
goes from hero to zero, but there are issues.
One of the greatest boons, and banes, of this novel is the
description found within. Each scene is
so lovingly crafted that I found myself immersed in the world of the
story. I could feel, taste, hear, smell,
see everything so vividly that I could practically see the story playing out
around me. That would be the boon. The bane, on the other hand, comes when I had
to ask myself whether or not such detail was really needed for every single
scene. The gregarious amount of detail
can also overshadow character traits or development, causing the characters to
get lost in the world being formed around them.
Similar to the novel’s level of description, both boon and
bane, the plot can seem a bit extraneous at moments. There are simple, subtle moments in the story
that go to minutely advancing the plot as well as the romantic feelings of
Diana towards Matthew. The things about these
small moments, unfortunately, is that while they are fine—in my opinion great—when
used to keep a story from getting too intense and adding a little spice, they
can become tedious, if not outright annoying, when used excessively.
Overall this is definitely an above average story, and one
that I would recommend highly to those interested in Contemporary Fantasy, Romance,
and a solid spin on Vampiric Literature, or those who are just interested in
reading a beautifully detailed story.
Rating: 4/5
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