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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book started at five stars for me and lost a star every two hundred pages.
We open in a *chef’s kiss* perfect slice of dark academia. Diana Bishop is a professor and historian of science perusing alchemical texts when she calls upon an elusive book from the Oxford stacks that is full to the brim with dark magic. As a witch, Diana senses its power immediately—and decides she wants nothing to do with it. Magic has burned her before and she’s sworn off engaging with it if she can help it. Of course, a text so powerful starts to draw the attention of other witches, vampires and daemons, including a hot vampire and fellow professor, Dr. Matthew Clairmont.
Some things that make sense at first that fall very quickly into a tangled mess: the forbidden text, the magic system, Matthew Clairmont as a redeeming character, the academic Oxford backdrop, SCIENCE, and the characters’ familial histories.
Holy smokes. At first, the book sets up a lot of constancies that are easy to wrap your mind around. The introduction of the three species and how their individual powers manifest makes sense because it’s relatively simple. Once you get the family trees mapped out in your head, understanding the Clairmonts and Bishops seems to be manageable too. Diana is described as human in all ways but physical; Matthew is likened to a wolf.
THEN—things take a sharp left turn. Diana ends up being a HUGE Mary Sue, despite her inability to tap into her powers for nearly the entire book. There’s extensive and invasive detail about her genetics that takes a frightening amount of agency of her own body away from her. This, coupled with Matthew’s deeply problematic treatment of Diana (even more troubling than Edward with Bella, if you could imagine!) really gave me the ick.
That said, A Discovery of Witches and its many, many pages aren’t hard to read. The writing style is smooth and easily consumed like a glass of water down the throat, even when those later chapters start to feel like a fever dream. All in all, I think I might need a break before I think about the second book.
We open in a *chef’s kiss* perfect slice of dark academia. Diana Bishop is a professor and historian of science perusing alchemical texts when she calls upon an elusive book from the Oxford stacks that is full to the brim with dark magic. As a witch, Diana senses its power immediately—and decides she wants nothing to do with it. Magic has burned her before and she’s sworn off engaging with it if she can help it. Of course, a text so powerful starts to draw the attention of other witches, vampires and daemons, including a hot vampire and fellow professor, Dr. Matthew Clairmont.
Some things that make sense at first that fall very quickly into a tangled mess: the forbidden text, the magic system, Matthew Clairmont as a redeeming character, the academic Oxford backdrop, SCIENCE, and the characters’ familial histories.
Holy smokes. At first, the book sets up a lot of constancies that are easy to wrap your mind around. The introduction of the three species and how their individual powers manifest makes sense because it’s relatively simple. Once you get the family trees mapped out in your head, understanding the Clairmonts and Bishops seems to be manageable too. Diana is described as human in all ways but physical; Matthew is likened to a wolf.
THEN—things take a sharp left turn. Diana ends up being a HUGE Mary Sue, despite her inability to tap into her powers for nearly the entire book. There’s extensive and invasive detail about her genetics that takes a frightening amount of agency of her own body away from her. This, coupled with Matthew’s deeply problematic treatment of Diana (even more troubling than Edward with Bella, if you could imagine!) really gave me the ick.
That said, A Discovery of Witches and its many, many pages aren’t hard to read. The writing style is smooth and easily consumed like a glass of water down the throat, even when those later chapters start to feel like a fever dream. All in all, I think I might need a break before I think about the second book.
2/5 stars
This book was a frustrating one for me. I bought the trilogy because I loved the show, and after reading reviews about it, I thought to myself why not. An urban fantasy, elements of historical fiction, and a forbidden paranormal romance? Sounded great in theory - but sadly, it was not executed well. I tried to keep in mind that this book was written over a decade ago, so writing trends and books trends are so different now - but even then, this book fell flat for me.
On paper, Diana's relationship with Matthew seemed great. However, that illusion was quickly shattered because Diana, a mature adult working woman with a Ph.D. and a professor, someone who is an expert in her field, acts like a child. I'm sorry but I was absolutely beyond annoyed with her. Every complaint, every action, I was just so frustrated with her! She acted like a pushover teenager to be honest, which only cemented my dislike for her.
And Matthew. Oh, Matthew. I had to remind myself not to be fooled by Matthew Goode because Matthew de Clairmont is perhaps one of the most toxic, unlikeable love-interests I've ever had the displeasure of reading- and that's saying something. He's controlling, possessive, and quite frankly, insane. He basically kidnaps Diana and she lets him too - all the while, she's also refusing to acknowledge that hey, you're not human. You're a witch! Stop bringing others into your issues! I felt like screaming at her so many times throughout the novel because of this. She doesn't act like her age which only served to frustrate me beyond belief.
Not to mention that whole part of them being mates and his "children" becoming "their children" - it was just too much for me to handle. I rolled my eyes when I read those scenes. Overall, I'm over the mating aspect of paranormal romances because they're simply not my thing, which may be a reason why I couldn't click with that in this novel.
However, despite my intense annoyance with the main characters, I have respect for the fact that Deborah Harkness is passionate about the subject. Because the author is a professor, her knowledge clearly bleeds into the history she weaves carefully through the novel. I liked that; it just wasn't enough to save the book for me.
Will I continue this series? Yes simply because I own the trilogy. Hopefully, the frustrations I have will either get remedied or at the very least, forgotten.
This book was a frustrating one for me. I bought the trilogy because I loved the show, and after reading reviews about it, I thought to myself why not. An urban fantasy, elements of historical fiction, and a forbidden paranormal romance? Sounded great in theory - but sadly, it was not executed well. I tried to keep in mind that this book was written over a decade ago, so writing trends and books trends are so different now - but even then, this book fell flat for me.
On paper, Diana's relationship with Matthew seemed great. However, that illusion was quickly shattered because Diana, a mature adult working woman with a Ph.D. and a professor, someone who is an expert in her field, acts like a child. I'm sorry but I was absolutely beyond annoyed with her. Every complaint, every action, I was just so frustrated with her! She acted like a pushover teenager to be honest, which only cemented my dislike for her.
And Matthew. Oh, Matthew. I had to remind myself not to be fooled by Matthew Goode because Matthew de Clairmont is perhaps one of the most toxic, unlikeable love-interests I've ever had the displeasure of reading- and that's saying something. He's controlling, possessive, and quite frankly, insane. He basically kidnaps Diana and she lets him too - all the while, she's also refusing to acknowledge that hey, you're not human. You're a witch! Stop bringing others into your issues! I felt like screaming at her so many times throughout the novel because of this. She doesn't act like her age which only served to frustrate me beyond belief.
Not to mention that whole part of them being mates and his "children" becoming "their children" - it was just too much for me to handle. I rolled my eyes when I read those scenes. Overall, I'm over the mating aspect of paranormal romances because they're simply not my thing, which may be a reason why I couldn't click with that in this novel.
However, despite my intense annoyance with the main characters, I have respect for the fact that Deborah Harkness is passionate about the subject. Because the author is a professor, her knowledge clearly bleeds into the history she weaves carefully through the novel. I liked that; it just wasn't enough to save the book for me.
Will I continue this series? Yes simply because I own the trilogy. Hopefully, the frustrations I have will either get remedied or at the very least, forgotten.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
This was just meh to me. Not thrilled to continue listening to the audiobook.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
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:
Complicated
wowie I can’t Believe I haven’t read this masterpiece untill now, I know that this story Isn’t perfect, there are definitely inconsistencies and the main chcharacter is op BUT, I just really enjoyed this story and that’s all reading comes down to
- the romance was amazing, it isn’t the basic and toxic enemies to lovers but an instant attraction that was a pleasure to read
- I enjoyed that they didn’t romanticise vampires and showed the deep and dark places of them
- the plot was incredibly well thought out and compelling
- I enjoyed the pacing alot, it wasn’t a lot too fast and it had some wonderful slow moments
- I liked the characters and their personalities
- it was interesting to see Diana’s powers, and to see her abilities
⚠️Spoilers⚠️
- I enjoyed the intellectual aspect of it all, I’m tired of dumb school children and having dumb love triangles and dumb dumb. But these characters are smart, educated and driven.
- I enjoyed the way that Diana accepted Mathew, a lot of stories go
“I know you’re a vampire but I love you anyway”
Character dose something vampiric
“WhY WoUlD YoU Do tHat?”
But Diana understands, and I know a lot of people can call her lovesick or whatever but I just didn’t perceive it that way. It’s just really hard for me to hate on this book
- the plot was insane and I never expected any of it.
- ending had me wanting more!
- the romance was amazing, it isn’t the basic and toxic enemies to lovers but an instant attraction that was a pleasure to read
- I enjoyed that they didn’t romanticise vampires and showed the deep and dark places of them
- the plot was incredibly well thought out and compelling
- I enjoyed the pacing alot, it wasn’t a lot too fast and it had some wonderful slow moments
- I liked the characters and their personalities
- it was interesting to see Diana’s powers, and to see her abilities
⚠️Spoilers⚠️
- I enjoyed the intellectual aspect of it all, I’m tired of dumb school children and having dumb love triangles and dumb dumb. But these characters are smart, educated and driven.
- I enjoyed the way that Diana accepted Mathew, a lot of stories go
“I know you’re a vampire but I love you anyway”
Character dose something vampiric
“WhY WoUlD YoU Do tHat?”
But Diana understands, and I know a lot of people can call her lovesick or whatever but I just didn’t perceive it that way. It’s just really hard for me to hate on this book
- the plot was insane and I never expected any of it.
- ending had me wanting more!