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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
After 318 pages, I just wasn’t hooked to the story or any of the characters. When I opened the book up again to read more, it did not interest me, so I am embracing the “not for me” option.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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
When I started this book I was disappointed. I read nearly 200 pages in hopes that something would happen and trying to get a grasp of the plot. I was not successful on either task, so I put the book down for a spell and considered whether or not to return to it. I did, and as you can see I managed to finish it despite the weak storyline.
The book is all over the place with several different mysteries that are seemingly interconnected. It took me awhile to understand where the book was going. Quite frankly I think the author could have excluded this manuscript plot point. I think it becomes unnecessary as you get deeper into the book. ADoW became more compelling as we learned more about Diana and Matthew, and watched them develop their bond. The book also became richer after we met and spent time with their families. I had trouble putting the book down, and now I am disappointed it's over.
I hope the second book focuses on just a couple things, primarily I look forward to watching Diana come into her own. I don't want her to become some weak damsel in distress.
The book is all over the place with several different mysteries that are seemingly interconnected. It took me awhile to understand where the book was going. Quite frankly I think the author could have excluded this manuscript plot point. I think it becomes unnecessary as you get deeper into the book. ADoW became more compelling as we learned more about Diana and Matthew, and watched them develop their bond. The book also became richer after we met and spent time with their families. I had trouble putting the book down, and now I am disappointed it's over.
I hope the second book focuses on just a couple things, primarily I look forward to watching Diana come into her own. I don't want her to become some weak damsel in distress.
I love Diana and Matthew but I was just wanting it to end from about 400 pages ?
Ysbeau ily (idk how u spell it)
Ysbeau ily (idk how u spell it)
I watched part of the series with Matthew Goode a while back - I can't remember when or where or why I lost interest. I didn't realize this was the book the series was based on until I started reading.
It's essentially [b:Twilight|41865|Twilight (The Twilight Saga, #1)|Stephenie Meyer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1700522826l/41865._SY75_.jpg|3212258] for grown ups with a bit of [b:Outlander|10964|Outlander (Outlander, #1)|Diana Gabaldon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1659086907l/10964._SY75_.jpg|2489796] thrown in? I haven't consumed a lot of mainstream Vampiric literature so I'm not sure who or what else Harkness borrows. The Twilight similarities are striking.
Diana/Bella is a fully grown person (mid-30s, I think) with her own well-established career and scholarly pursuits, she also has the added interest of being a witch. She narrowly (and I mean NARROWLY) escapes being a full-fledged Mary Sue by needing to fight to learn how to use her long suppressed powers. She still very much falls into the tiresome Not Like Other Girls trope and is very much a damsel in distress almost 100% of the time. I don't like her all that much but I like the idea of her and I like her background so for now, I'm invested and hoping for a little more character development.
Matthew/Edward is 1000 years old instead of 80 and is brooding, controlling, spies on Diana, and is more decidedly not nice. Like our 'good' Twilight vamps, he sustains himself largely on animal blood and also used to feast on human criminals. He falls in love with Diana almost instantly, is religious and weird about consummating their vampire mated/bond, and vehemently refuses to turn Diana into a vampire. The 'us against them' vibes are strong as this is yet another forbidden romance as congress between species (witches/vampires/daemons) is forbidden by the Volturi... er, I mean the Congregation.
The vampires don't sparkle, but are cold and pale. They can cry (blood) and even sleep and enjoy raw meat, nuts, and wines. I get that the protective alpha male thing is a popular trope in romance but it does personally give me the icks as it strongly reminds me of an abusive and toxic relationship I was in during my early twenties. I'd prefer a stronger heroine who isn't married within three weeks of meeting a dude, but I do appreciate the improvements Harkness has made to the Twilight corner of vampire lore (which is quite different than say, [a:Anne Rice|7577|Anne Rice|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1383250078p2/7577.jpg] or [a:Bram Stoker|6988|Bram Stoker|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1202438456p2/6988.jpg], yes?)
I'm not a Twilight hater and didn't hate this (I'm probably going to finish the series; am currently on [b:book two|11559200|Shadow of Night (All Souls, #2)|Deborah Harkness|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320604137l/11559200._SY75_.jpg|16499524]), but thought the fan-fiction level similarities were pretty wild. I'll argue the historical aspect of this series saves it and elevates it above other attempts to mimic [a:Stephenie Meyer|941441|Stephenie Meyer|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1596739281p2/941441.jpg]'s success. Harkness has done an insane amount of research and uses real scholars, real historical figures, real places, and real events and weaves them all into a rich history of paranormal lore. I understand she has a background in history and has her PhD and studied at Oxford. It shows. As a writer, I admire the epic level of planning that takes and am also exhausted by it.
The books are long and pretty slow paced. I'm listening at 2.5x speed while working on some renovation projects and do give a lot more grace for books with a lot of worldbuilding like this one. The audiobooks are good with a narrator (Jennifer Ikeda) who can bounce between Diana's American accent and Matthew's British and French accents without making me want to scream - sooo many narrators butcher this and she's doing SO WELL.
Anyway, recommend if you like paranormal romance and/or have even a mid-level tolerance for Twilight. :)
It's essentially [b:Twilight|41865|Twilight (The Twilight Saga, #1)|Stephenie Meyer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1700522826l/41865._SY75_.jpg|3212258] for grown ups with a bit of [b:Outlander|10964|Outlander (Outlander, #1)|Diana Gabaldon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1659086907l/10964._SY75_.jpg|2489796] thrown in? I haven't consumed a lot of mainstream Vampiric literature so I'm not sure who or what else Harkness borrows. The Twilight similarities are striking.
Diana/Bella is a fully grown person (mid-30s, I think) with her own well-established career and scholarly pursuits, she also has the added interest of being a witch. She narrowly (and I mean NARROWLY) escapes being a full-fledged Mary Sue by needing to fight to learn how to use her long suppressed powers. She still very much falls into the tiresome Not Like Other Girls trope and is very much a damsel in distress almost 100% of the time. I don't like her all that much but I like the idea of her and I like her background so for now, I'm invested and hoping for a little more character development.
Matthew/Edward is 1000 years old instead of 80 and is brooding, controlling, spies on Diana, and is more decidedly not nice. Like our 'good' Twilight vamps, he sustains himself largely on animal blood and also used to feast on human criminals. He falls in love with Diana almost instantly, is religious and weird about consummating their vampire mated/bond, and vehemently refuses to turn Diana into a vampire. The 'us against them' vibes are strong as this is yet another forbidden romance as congress between species (witches/vampires/daemons) is forbidden by the Volturi... er, I mean the Congregation.
The vampires don't sparkle, but are cold and pale. They can cry (blood) and even sleep and enjoy raw meat, nuts, and wines. I get that the protective alpha male thing is a popular trope in romance but it does personally give me the icks as it strongly reminds me of an abusive and toxic relationship I was in during my early twenties. I'd prefer a stronger heroine who isn't married within three weeks of meeting a dude, but I do appreciate the improvements Harkness has made to the Twilight corner of vampire lore (which is quite different than say, [a:Anne Rice|7577|Anne Rice|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1383250078p2/7577.jpg] or [a:Bram Stoker|6988|Bram Stoker|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1202438456p2/6988.jpg], yes?)
I'm not a Twilight hater and didn't hate this (I'm probably going to finish the series; am currently on [b:book two|11559200|Shadow of Night (All Souls, #2)|Deborah Harkness|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320604137l/11559200._SY75_.jpg|16499524]), but thought the fan-fiction level similarities were pretty wild. I'll argue the historical aspect of this series saves it and elevates it above other attempts to mimic [a:Stephenie Meyer|941441|Stephenie Meyer|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1596739281p2/941441.jpg]'s success. Harkness has done an insane amount of research and uses real scholars, real historical figures, real places, and real events and weaves them all into a rich history of paranormal lore. I understand she has a background in history and has her PhD and studied at Oxford. It shows. As a writer, I admire the epic level of planning that takes and am also exhausted by it.
The books are long and pretty slow paced. I'm listening at 2.5x speed while working on some renovation projects and do give a lot more grace for books with a lot of worldbuilding like this one. The audiobooks are good with a narrator (Jennifer Ikeda) who can bounce between Diana's American accent and Matthew's British and French accents without making me want to scream - sooo many narrators butcher this and she's doing SO WELL.
Anyway, recommend if you like paranormal romance and/or have even a mid-level tolerance for Twilight. :)
For me, this book started off wonderfully...but as it went on, it lost its magic. The romance got cheesy and too simplified (aka insta-lovey) and the pacing slowed to a snail's pace! However, the history and characters and interplay of science and magic are what really carry this book! Bought the second book which I may or may not read. Not sure if I want to read another 1,200 pages of this story? :/
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
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
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Wont be reading the second. Very close to DNFing several times. Both main characters give me the ick.