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A review by sarah_cameron
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
I’m pretty torn about this book, and on the whole feel it just missed the mark.
There were some aspects that were really well done. I enjoyed the world-building and how Harkness was able to establish her own twist on the creatures including vampires, witches, and daemons in a way that was interesting and a bit unique. I also loved that she clearly put a lot of time into carefully researching history and science to create a foundation for the novel.
I struggled at times with some inaccuracies (e.g., diagnosing someone with tachycardia incorrectly) and the scientific discussions particularly around reproduction felt a little….eugenics-ey honestly. I really don’t feel that was the author’s intention but it gave me the ick.
Finally, I’m someone who gravitates towards character-driven stories. This was definitely not that, but rather set everything up for the plot that I assume kicks off in books two and three - seriously this is all build up, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing if it pays off with the future books, but the slow pace and length of this book did have me struggling.
Additionally, I didn’t really connect to any of the characters. I actively disliked a lot of the behaviour directed towards female characters (e.g.,’you married this man without being aware and were therefore unable to consent to that decision’, ‘you must always obey the head male of the household because he is old and wise and knows best’, ‘let’s throw in a torture scene that was unnecessary and doesn’t advance the plot or lead to character development’ ). We were also repeatedly told that the female protagonist was strong-willed and stubborn, despite her being constantly damseled and having practically no autonomy for the entire novel.
Additionally, I didn’t really connect to any of the characters. I actively disliked a lot of the behaviour directed towards female characters (e.g.,
I do own the trilogy, so I’ll likely read at least the second one at some point, but this one was a little rough off the bat. I’m hopeful now everything is set up that the pacing will be faster in the next one, and fingers crossed that now Diana has a stronger grasp on her powers we see her regain her autonomy and independence.