kyliereads341's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Torture
Minor: Pregnancy and Panic attacks/disorders
piperclover's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I'm so torn on this. On one hand I love the mystery around the manuscript, the magic system, the convent, and all of that stuff. On the other hand I despise Matthew as a love interest. He could be the villain, he could be the best friend, he could just be a random vampire that they dragged in to all this, but I cannot stand him as a love interest. His character has some flashes of being interesting but by-and-large hes just a controlling, obnoxious Edward Cullen era vampire love interest.
And that's my biggest gripe with this book that it feels like a mix of National Treasure and the bad parts of Twilight. You can clearly see that this was written post twilight boom. I just hate this stupid relationship so much but I'm so interested in the actual plot that I might get sucked in and try the next book.
It was a bit long and a bit slow so it definitely could have cut about a 100 pages out but I did really enjoy the fact that even though it's all about magic, they did address the legalities of the legalities of their plan which was a fun thing to add. And also it raised a very good question about whether or not vampires can tell when somebody is menstruating and if they like it or not.
And that's my biggest gripe with this book that it feels like a mix of National Treasure and the bad parts of Twilight. You can clearly see that this was written post twilight boom. I just hate this stupid relationship so much but I'm so interested in the actual plot that I might get sucked in and try the next book.
It was a bit long and a bit slow so it definitely could have cut about a 100 pages out but I did really enjoy the fact that even though it's all about magic, they did address the legalities of the legalities of their plan which was a fun thing to add. And also it raised a very good question about whether or not vampires can tell when somebody is menstruating and if they like it or not.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Murder
Moderate: Stalking
Harassmentsianmichaela's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture and Blood
baearles's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Grief, Injury/injury detail, Torture, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Murder, Stalking, Toxic relationship, War, and Pregnancy
bedtimesandbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Grief, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Torture, Murder, Death of parent, Injury/injury detail, Medical trauma, and Stalking
Moderate: Mental illness, Child death, and Pregnancy
foxgloveandcrow's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A fun story that would’ve been improved by trimming out the minutiae and doing a bit more to introduce antagonists. New bad guys were often just dropped right in with no introduction. And I definitely didn’t need a chapter devoted to legal paperwork.
But I like the tv series a lot (which separated the wheat from the chaff, honestly), and I enjoyed the story and characters of the book a lot.
But I like the tv series a lot (which separated the wheat from the chaff, honestly), and I enjoyed the story and characters of the book a lot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Torture, and Stalking
Moderate: Death of parent, Injury/injury detail, and Panic attacks/disorders
bodagirl's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
This book kept my interest while reading, but didn't make me want to devour it. I think part of the issue is that the magic system and society are still being defined, as the POV is mostly from Diana, who has denied her heritage for so long, and Matthew, who keeps secrets from other characters and the reader. I'm also a little uncomfortable with Diana and Matthew's relationship; I'm getting the feeling that they are fated, which is fine, but the motivations for why they are drawn together at the start is really unclear. It started as "enemies to lovers" but within a few chapters it became some amorphous connection that . I do appreciate that Harkness is stressing that Matthew comes from a very different age and his vampiric instincts make him act possessively, but it makes my modern sensibilities shudder a bit that Diana questions things so very rarely and often just accepts what she is being told.
The aspects of the story I really enjoyed were the historical elements that were woven in (though I wonder along with Diana how Matthew was able to know so many influential thinkers so well) and the idea that demons aren't actually from Hell, but rather randomly popped up as super creative or gifted people. However, the possible connection between "demonic" and some mental health disorders or the Autism spectrum in problematic, even though the demons we meet seem to be fairly well adjusted.
I grabbed the whole series from a used bookshop, so I will probably continue to see if it improves.
Spoiler
much later on turned into a possible fated mate situationThe aspects of the story I really enjoyed were the historical elements that were woven in (though I wonder along with Diana how Matthew was able to know so many influential thinkers so well) and the idea that demons aren't actually from Hell, but rather randomly popped up as super creative or gifted people. However, the possible connection between "demonic" and some mental health disorders or the Autism spectrum in problematic, even though the demons we meet seem to be fairly well adjusted.
I grabbed the whole series from a used bookshop, so I will probably continue to see if it improves.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/injury detail
Moderate: Torture and Violence
Minor: Sexual content
aduqu's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This book is perfect for adults who grew up reading supernatural YA romance novels.
Is it a literary masterpiece? No.
Do I think the love interest is sexist at times? Yes, but I have hope that will improve.
But overall, it's a fun read with a really fun and interesting world. It's exactly what I was looking for, and I'll definitely be reading the rest of the series!
Is it a literary masterpiece? No.
Do I think the love interest is sexist at times? Yes, but I have hope that will improve.
But overall, it's a fun read with a really fun and interesting world. It's exactly what I was looking for, and I'll definitely be reading the rest of the series!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, and Alcohol
mariebrunelm's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
What better way to get mentally ready for a trip to the Bodleian library in Oxford than by reading a book set partly in the Bodleian library in Oxford? I first read A Discovery of Witches in 2018 when I was leaving for my first solo trip to Oxford and it helped quite a lot with my stress because Diana, the main character, is literally shown taking each step to enter the library. This time round, I read it for the setting and because re-reading brings me much comfort. It really is a fun book, but also a rather deep one. On the one hand, I still love it as much as the first time, because there were lots of parallels to draw between supernatural creatures and queer people. On the other hand, this being the third time I'm reading it, I could no longer stand Matthew (the other MC)'s overprotectiveness and paternalistic behaviour (which are challenged, thankfully) and I really roled my eyes at the insta-love story and the direction their relationship took (I don't want to spoil you!).
But this novel is still very, very enjoyable - I found myself giggling and not putting the book down and having lunch at Blackwell's just because Diana did.
Having said that, you still may not know what this book is about. Diana is a historian of science studying alchemical manuscripts at the Bodleian where she meets Matthew, a vampire, while creatures of all three types (there are daemons as well) close in on her for studying a particular document at the Bodleian. There follows a romance between the two of them, the details of which I will not disclose, but it involves very spirited locations, danger and a whole lot of pining.
Rep: sapphic secondary characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Injury/injury detail, Medical content, Stalking, Blood, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, and Murder
maxandrambo's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Torture, Injury/injury detail, and Kidnapping
Minor: Death of parent