The 4th book read for my 2015 Take Control Of Your TBR Pile challenge.
A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES (ALL SOULS #1) by DEBORAH HARKNESS.SOURCE: Received as a gift a few years ago.
INNER FRONT COVER BLURB: When historian Diana Bishop finds an alchemical manuscript in the Bodleian Library, it's an unwelcome intrusion of magic into her carefully ordered life.Though Diana is a witch of impeccable lineage, the violent death of her parents while she was still a child convinced her that human fear is more potent than any witchcraft. (Read more by clicking on book title)
FIRST SENTENCE {Chapter 1}: The leather-bound volume was nothing remarkable.
MEMORABLE MOMENT {Page 110}: 'In what way did I not kill her? I took her life, her identity, her vitality - that's death, Hamish.'
MY THOUGHTS:
- A latte-loving daemon?
- A vampire who rather than needing to be 'invited in' waits for a window to be left open?
- A vampire who not only doesn't turn to a pile of ashes in sunlight but who 'liked to bask in its glow'?
- A vampire who along with daemons and witches, doing .... yoga?
..... Per-lease.
Reading at times like a script for a spoof supernatural movie, at times it's actually quite funny. It's just a shame that this isn't intentional and for the main part the novel takes itself too seriously.
A sort of Harry Potter/Twilight/Fifty Shades Of Grey hybrid. A witch, her parents the creme-de-la creme of their kind, orphaned at childhood and brought up by other family members? A mysterious, magical book? A vampire who spends considerable time watching a woman sleep unaware that he is there? A 'love affair' that borders on the abusive? Sound familiar?
At least with Harry Potter and Twilight there is a certain honesty in that the reader knows what they are getting. Quite unlike A Discovery Of Witches which when it comes down to it is essentially just another vampire romance albeit one masquerading as a more intelligent read for 'grown-ups'.
Given to me as a present along with the second book in the series (Shadow Of Night). Alas I've been put off reading book two, an equally weighty novel, let alone buying book three (The Book Of Life).
12 comments:
I am so sorry you didn't enjoy this more..I absolutely loved this series and Diana and Michael.
I'm sorry this one didn't work for you, Tracy. I really liked it.
Seemingly one of only a few not to like it, I'm beginning to wonder if its me that has missed something in the reading of this.
Thanks for your honest review! I'm not sure this one's for me.
Hmm. Interesting take. I've had it on my to read list for awhile too. Still gonna give it a go but good top get some insight. Thanks!
It doesn't sound like my kind of book at all. I've gotten a bit tired of the whole vampire scene and It sounds far too "romantic" for my taste.
I'm sorry it disappointed you, especially since you already have the second in the series.
I've heard good things about this one, but it was never one I was terribly interested in. Sorry this didn't work for you.
sorry it wasn't for you. I have this one but I haven't read it because well in French it's big but one day. I hope it will be better for me.
This sounds pretty bad. Based on your review it seems that trying to navigate through book 2 would be too much to expect.
this is on my Mount TBR. I'll remember to go at it with a light hearted expectation. Thanks.
I think that I have this in my TBR pile somewhere, but not in a hurry to read it now. One of my pet peeves is when basic supernatural "rules" are ignored or broken. Yes, an author can create their own mythology, but not when it flies in the face of history! So no sunbathing vampires, sparkly or otherwise, for me thank you very much!
So sorry to hear you didn't enjoy this one. I have heard great things about the series, but I haven't read it yet. it has been on my list for ages.
~Jess
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