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justt_dewitt's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
ceallaighsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
[Review from October 2022]:
“Se souvenir du passe, et qu’il ya un avenir. // Remember the past, and that there is a future.”
I very much enjoyed my first real-time readalong for A Discovery of Witches this year! I think the main thing that really struck me anew on this reread was just how well researched her books are. She includes details that only someone who actually put the immense effort in to get every aspect right would add—who has thought about every tiny piece of her story, her characters, and the world she creates.
I particularly appreciated how Matthew gives Diana vaccines and inoculations before going back in time. Even though we’re dealing with pure fantasy and hypothetically impossible things like vampirism, witchcraft, and time travel, Harkness uses these details and meticulous research to still make it seem as real as possible. Which is so important for keeping the reader both immersed in the world of the book as well as invested in the story and the characters. Just brilliant. 🤗💕
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
alexandramue's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
fugubooks's review against another edition
4.0
I read this over the course of a month or two before I went to bed, and I really enjoyed it. This first book felt like it was setting everything up so the second book can focus on the development and expansion of the characters, so I hope the second book (and the rest of the series) can live up to the potential this beginning has set.
librosforlibra's review against another edition
2.0
I bought this novel because it was described as a cross between Anne Rice and Harry Potter. I found it to be more a cross between Twilight and the 2000s TV series Charmed. This book revolves around the romantic relationship between the main character, Diana, and a vampire, Matthew. Unfortunately, the romance between these two characters is immature and unconvincing.
This book has witches, vampires, daemons, ghosts, whatever Sophie is, mythological gods, the possibility of mixed species, witchcraft, spellcraft, alchemy, secret societies, a Templar-like order and time travel. It’s as if the author had twenty stories in her head and put them all in one book, which doesn’t work. However, the book is well-organized. The grammar and sentence structure are very good, and the plot is easy to follow.
Despite the complexity of the story, this book is much longer than it should be. The author describes the environment well, but she’s often long-winded. She sometimes gives elaborate details about things that have no bearing on the story or in setting the scene/mood. A lot of the material depicting the romance is unnecessary and just plain silly. We don’t need details about the outfits Diana is donning and how she styles her hair when she always wears black pants and black turtlenecks and pulls her hair into a ponytail.
Although the characters have deep histories, they are all superficial, one-dimensional and poorly written. Diana is supposed to be brave, but we only know that because other characters keep saying she’s brave. It’s the author’s job to write the main character as brave, and she didn’t do that at all. Diana comes across as anything but brave. She seems childish, impetuous, reckless and argumentative. Indeed, Matthew treats her like a toddler.
Matthew’s vampiric senses tell him what Diana feels, and he’s constantly announcing that Diana is hungry or tired. He then picks her up and places her in a chair to feed her or lifts her into bed at night. When she wakes, he lifts her out of bed and places her on the floor. When he wants her to face him, he turns her chair around with her in it. All of this is done without Diana’s permission. It’s nauseating. This book might work as a YA novel, but it is not a good adult novel.
This book has witches, vampires, daemons, ghosts, whatever Sophie is, mythological gods, the possibility of mixed species, witchcraft, spellcraft, alchemy, secret societies, a Templar-like order and time travel. It’s as if the author had twenty stories in her head and put them all in one book, which doesn’t work. However, the book is well-organized. The grammar and sentence structure are very good, and the plot is easy to follow.
Despite the complexity of the story, this book is much longer than it should be. The author describes the environment well, but she’s often long-winded. She sometimes gives elaborate details about things that have no bearing on the story or in setting the scene/mood. A lot of the material depicting the romance is unnecessary and just plain silly. We don’t need details about the outfits Diana is donning and how she styles her hair when she always wears black pants and black turtlenecks and pulls her hair into a ponytail.
Although the characters have deep histories, they are all superficial, one-dimensional and poorly written. Diana is supposed to be brave, but we only know that because other characters keep saying she’s brave. It’s the author’s job to write the main character as brave, and she didn’t do that at all. Diana comes across as anything but brave. She seems childish, impetuous, reckless and argumentative. Indeed, Matthew treats her like a toddler.
Matthew’s vampiric senses tell him what Diana feels, and he’s constantly announcing that Diana is hungry or tired. He then picks her up and places her in a chair to feed her or lifts her into bed at night. When she wakes, he lifts her out of bed and places her on the floor. When he wants her to face him, he turns her chair around with her in it. All of this is done without Diana’s permission. It’s nauseating. This book might work as a YA novel, but it is not a good adult novel.
pandajammies's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
saucestuu's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
djorgenson112358's review against another edition
Good grief. Giving up on this one. It's turning into one of those lousy stories where the man (vampire) is so in love with the heroine that he might be violent without realizing it. And she might not do anything at all. Quite literally. She will be a plot device that the vampire carries around to keep the plot going. Because he needs to protect her. Because possessive men with sudden, violent tempers who don't care what the object of their possessiveness wants are great heroes. Good grief why did I read so much of this crap?
I have a bad run of lousy books going. Hopefully I can find something decent next.
I have a bad run of lousy books going. Hopefully I can find something decent next.
whitneymahan's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
accidentalra's review against another edition
4.0
Originally read November 2012; reread January 2016
It was just as page-turning and enjoyable the second time.
It was just as page-turning and enjoyable the second time.