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A review by elcademia
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
3.0
2.5? 2.75? honestly, i'm not sure
i feel like this book could've been condensed from its almost 600 page-length to something more around the 300 area. at first, the story was interesting with the mystery behind why all these creatures want ashmole 782 and why diana was the only one able to retrieve it after it being lost for years. but, this story is a romance first and a fantasy second, and there was just alot with the romance that didn't sit right with me.
first, it's insta-love and their relationship moved WAY too fast (like they got married after knowing each other less than a month and then started talking about having kids). i get they're soulmates n whatever but it was just off-putting how easily diana went from "this vampire is dangerous" to "i would DIE for him".
matthew's entire alpha-male attitude about everything just irked me too. there were moments where he demanded diana obey him and stated that only he was capable of protecting her. also, some descriptions made me just shudder with cringe. the story describes matthew's protective nature as wolf-like...like very wolf-like. honestly, i'm convinced if you switched the words "vampire" with "werewolf", the story really wouldn't have changed.
i feel like alot of my issues regarding the story is mostly because i'm reading this over 10 years after it was published, and times have changed when it comes to what we believe a man's role should be in a romantic relationship. if i'd read around the time it was published, i would've definitely rated it higher, but matthew just gives me the ick.
overall, i feel meh about this book—i don't regret reading it but i also could've done without. not sure if i'll continue with the series because i saw subsequent books are around the same 600-page length.
i feel like this book could've been condensed from its almost 600 page-length to something more around the 300 area. at first, the story was interesting with the mystery behind why all these creatures want ashmole 782 and why diana was the only one able to retrieve it after it being lost for years. but, this story is a romance first and a fantasy second, and there was just alot with the romance that didn't sit right with me.
first, it's insta-love and their relationship moved WAY too fast (like they got married after knowing each other less than a month and then started talking about having kids). i get they're soulmates n whatever but it was just off-putting how easily diana went from "this vampire is dangerous" to "i would DIE for him".
matthew's entire alpha-male attitude about everything just irked me too. there were moments where he demanded diana obey him and stated that only he was capable of protecting her. also, some descriptions made me just shudder with cringe. the story describes matthew's protective nature as wolf-like...like very wolf-like. honestly, i'm convinced if you switched the words "vampire" with "werewolf", the story really wouldn't have changed.
i feel like alot of my issues regarding the story is mostly because i'm reading this over 10 years after it was published, and times have changed when it comes to what we believe a man's role should be in a romantic relationship. if i'd read around the time it was published, i would've definitely rated it higher, but matthew just gives me the ick.
overall, i feel meh about this book—i don't regret reading it but i also could've done without. not sure if i'll continue with the series because i saw subsequent books are around the same 600-page length.