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The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness

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The Book of Life (All Souls Trilogy 3) by Deborah Harkness

After traveling through time to Tudor London, historian and witch Diana Bishop and vampire scientist Matthew Clairmont are now back in the present to face new crises and old enemies.

At Matthew’s ancestral home in France they reunite with their families – with one heart-breaking exception. But the real threat to their future is yet to be revealed, and when it is, the search for the elusive manuscript Ashmole 782 and its missing pages takes on a terrifying urgency. Using ancient knowledge and modern science, from the palaces of Venice and beyond, Diana and Matthew will finally learn what the witches discovered so many centuries ago. (back cover)

I don’t really know what to say… I really loved this series and I’m sad that it ends here.

Diana and Matthew are back in the present from Tudor time and Diana is pregnant with twins. Matthew is still trying to find a way to cure blood rage.

All that lab work and DNA thing went way over my head again, but it was still fascinating stuff. And the nerd in me really loves that they’re historian and scientist so we get along with their researching,

Diana finally grows into her magic here and is less afraid to use it. Thankfully while being pregnant she’s still doing stuff so her chapters are never boring.

We meet new and old characters and I really loved Fernando and Gallowglass. Okay, maybe I had little crush on him… I would have liked to know what happens to him in the end because that was left open.

The bad guy of the book is Matthew’s son Benjamin who also has blood rage. Now who wouldn’t like a villain who kills, tortures and rapes to get his vengeance? He was crazy enough to be a perfect villain.

4/5

Published: Headline (2014)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 580
Source: library

reviews

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

Shadow of Night (All Souls Trilogy 2) by Deborah Harkness

Historian Diana Bishop, descended from a line of powerful witches, and long-lived vampire Matthew Clairmont have broken the laws dividing creatures. When Diana discovered a significant alchemical manuscript in the Bodleian Library,she sparked a struggle in which she became bound to Matthew. Now the fragile coexistence of witches, daemons, vampires and humans is dangerously threatened.

Seeking safety, Diana and Matthew travel back in time to London, 1590. But they soon realise that the past may not provide a haven. Reclaiming his former identity as poet and spy for Queen Elizabeth, the vampire falls back in with a group of radicals known as the School of Night. Many are unruly daemons, the creative minds of the age, including playwright Christopher Marlowe and mathematician Thomas Harriot.

Together Matthew and Diana scour Tudor London for the elusive manuscript Ashmole 782, and search for the witch who will teach Diana how to control her remarkable powers… (Goodreads)

The book starts where the previous one left and Diana and Matthew lands on Elizabethan England. As a historian Diana is thrilled but finds herself lost even with her knowledge of that time. Everyone can tell from her speech and manners that she isn’t from around, and it causes curiosity. Matthew’s friends ─ the infamous School of Night that includes few well-known persons ─ tries to teach her the proper manners and speech and they also find a witch to train her, while trying to find the missing copy of Ashmole 782.

I loved A Discovery of Witches and I’m happy that the second book lived up to it! There was lot less DNA stuff in it which was relief but also less vampire, daemon, witch – mythology which was a shame.

We learn quite a bit more about Matthew and his past which was interesting. We really get to know him more and we finally meet his father, Philippe. I really wish there would be more of him! Not to mention more father-son scenes.

Diana learns more about witchcraft and her ability to control it. I loved seeing her growing more confident both with her magic and with her relationship with Matthew.

I really wish there will be more Gallowglass, Marcus and Pierre. I can’t help myself! I thought the relationship Marcus and Phoebe moved little too quick and we didn’t meet them long enough to see that grow.

I love the way Harkness manages to involve both vampires and historical things and to make it feel natural. I love these books and can’t wait for the next book!

5/5
Published: Headline (2012)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 580
Source: library

reviews

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy 1) by Deborah Harkness

Deep in the stacks of Oxford’s Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell. (Goodreads)

The book starts when Diana Bishop discovers a bewitched manuscript,called Ashmole 782, in a library at Oxford. It has been lost for centuries and soon all kind of witches, daemons and vampires are trying to get it. One of them is Matthew Clairmont, a scientist who is also vampire.
Diana is from a powerful family of witches but after her parents’ death she has refused to use her powers. But when things starts to take dangerous turn she learns that she can’t ignore her heritage anymore.

Book is told from Diane’s point of view and it worked here. She’s strong, brave, intelligent and she’s historian. What’s not to like? It was interesting to see how she grew during the book, fing herself again and learning to control her powers.

Matthew is over 1000 year old vampire who takes interest in Diana. At first he is just looking for Ashmole 782 but soon finds that he can’t keep her out of his thoughts. But vampires and witches aren’t supposed to be together as they are about to find out. I liked Matthew and the chemistry between him and Diane. Sure he had this medieval thing about protecting women and stuff but I thought he was still quite adorable.

There was quite a lot talking about DNA and alchemy and I have to say that it went way over my head. But it was still interesting and it didn’t made m enjoy it any less.

And there was a finnish witch called Satu Järvinen :) That doesn’t happen often and just made me happy. Of course she was one of the bad guys but you can’t have it all, can you? She kinda leaves a lasting impression on Diane, not to mention traumas.

I really liked this book! I liked the first half book better with Matthew and Diane getting to know eachother. In later part things started to move much faster and while it was fun it didn’t feel the same.

A word of warning: the books has much detailed telling about things. How wine or food tasted and or smelled and their reactions to it. So if you’re not into that kind of thing you should be warned.

4,5/5
Published: Viking (2011)
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 579
Source: library