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aimeemg155's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Death, Blood, and Kidnapping
midnightgremlin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Torture
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence
Minor: Sexism
atxshopgirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
The main character wasn’t super relatable at first and felt kinda like a Mary Sue, but as the plot really picked up, a lot of the exposition and first-person voice that I found somewhat annoying at the beginning fell away and I really began to enjoy the way the plot unraveled and the way all the characters were interacting with and growing with one another.
The book was a bit slow to start, but once many of the other characters were introduced the pace picked up quite a bit and I found myself wishing there had been MORE content established with those characters, and more depth, despite how long it already is.
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Stalking, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Emotional abuse
helenferg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Blood
linesiunderline's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Did I think I would really enjoy this one so much, to the point that I put the second audiobook on hold before I finished the first? I did not. But Vampire Matthew has quite a presence. So does Oxford and all of the witchy atmospheric business. I’m all in.
If you are an Outlander fan, this one is for you. I have to go watch the TV series now.
Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Stalking, Violence, and Xenophobia
katielaine_w's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Medical content, Murder, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Violence
readwithde's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
This is a book of 3 stories, really: first, Diana and Matthew finding each other and choosing love over the rules of the Congregation. This is the primary plot and takes the most space, as it should. We do get early POV chapters from Matthew that glimpse his secrets, but as a reader, I didn't appreciate being kept in the dark so much, especially as he tends to keep literally everything a secret.
The romance is interesting at first, then picks up and becomes intense and truly lovely,
The second story is about Diana's parents and their choice to get married and have a family
This story is revealed in bursts, and is often confusing to follow. While I find it interesting and evocative, it leaves quite a few plotholes that are never directly answered. In fact, many important rules about magic and powers are handed out nonchalantly, making it easy to be confused if you don't pay close attention.
Finally the third story involves Ashmole 782 and the people who want to use it,
The whole series seems to be centered on this book, but it is never explained why it is so dangerous, vital, or anything else other than what it may contain in an alchemical sense. It makes it hard for me to care who wants it or why when no one knows what is inside or why it's dangerous. A definite problem that is only obvious when not distracted by Diana and Matthew's romance or some disgruntled friend, ally, or enemy.
Overall, I love the concept, but it didn't need to be so detailed, so cerebral, or so lengthy. Likewise, the final 50 pages add two brand new characters from out of nowhere; they end up causing upheaval to the entire plan and structure. Some better pacing could fix many of these issues and smooth out the extra plotlines.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, and Alcohol
Minor: Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Religious bigotry
meganpbennett's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A Discovery of Witches had a witch scholar of alchemy find a rare alchemical text, and - unaware of the significance of the text - return it to the spell that kept it safe for centuries. Almost immediately, the Vampires, Daemons, and more witches show up.
The book take a long time to change from 'academic scholar researching old manuscripts' to the paranormal suspense novel it is, with vampires, daemons, and witches. And it's rarely "suspenseful" in the strictest sense, where you have to know what happens next. It's just mildly interesting. I'm not completely sold on a lot of things in the novel - from how Matthew behaves to how it ends - but maybe the (longer) second one will be more interesting.
Graphic: Torture, Blood, Death, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Grief, Confinement, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, and Gore
lilifane's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Kidnapping, Medical content, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Violence
yaelaed's review
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
Graphic: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, and Violence