Review: Shadow of Night

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I just finished reading Shadow of the Night. While I enjoyed A Discovery of Witches, it started out great but the Diana/Matthew relationship felt a bit Twilight-esque. I was just annoyed with the whole damsel in constant distress is saved by big vampire man.

Well, this book was a complete turnaround. Diana was strong and didn't need saving, she managed herself. I love Elizabethan historical fiction so that just added to a great story. You just felt like a fly on the wall with such vivid descriptions.

I loved this book. In fact, I've been reading it nearly nonstop for the last couple of days and when I finished tonight, I had to keep reminding myself I was no longer in this magical world of witches, vampires, and daemons.

Don't you love it when you get so deep into a book that once you pull yourself out of it, you have to sort of wake up and realize it's not real life?

I can't wait for book 3!!



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Review: A Discovery of Witches

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This is the story of Diana Bishop. A expert in chemistry and alchemy of the 17th century who happens to be a witch. Which she hates, so she pretends she is human and avoids magic. That is, until in her research she comes across a very old and very odd manuscript that has been bewitched. Her breaking its spell brings out the creatures including more witches, vampires,,and demons. This book has apparently been lost got hundreds of years and has the secrets of the beginnings of each of these creatures.

Because of this, Diana becomes a target for many, including a gorgeous vampire named Matthew who sweeps Diana off her feet. Danger ensues and they must hide from it, which eventually leads Diana and Matthew into "time walking" or time travel. All of which sets the stage for an adventure told in a trilogy.

While I really did enjoy this story and I'm anxious to read the rest of the trilogy, I did not care for the way Diana seemed to go from successful expert professor who takes care of herself to pitiful Bella Swan when she finds her soulmate in Matthew the vampire. This is a successful woman who has made it all the way to Yale tenured professor all by herself. Yet, she meets this vampire and suddenly she's a helpless witch who can't take care of herself. She just falls into obeying him and going along with his pack mentality. WTH? This is a vampire and he's a vampire with rage issues. Why does she just turn into this helpless little girl who keeps getting hurt and needs to be saved and then sedated by him? Like I said, I enjoyed the story, but it definitely had shades of Twilight -- including the lack of sex and her always wanting it.

And furthermore, if her magic is spellbound and she can ONLY use it when she needs it why the heck was she so useless when Satu kidnaps her? Shouldn't her witch abilities come out in that time of need?







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