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More Thoughts on "A Discovery of Witches" by Deborah Harkness

 This review contains no spoilers or trigger warnings. Thank you so much for contributing your review, Taya! *smiles* 

-Melanie 

FINICKY FYCTION STAR RATING SYSTEM

* Ugh. I just cannot with this book!

** Oy – not a fan. DNF’d before page 50. 

*** It’s a good story in general.

**** Great read – highly recommend! 

***** OMG I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH I WANT TO LIVE IN IT!

 

Finicky Fyction Book Reviewer Rating: ****4/5****

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Book 1 – The All Souls Trilogy

A wonderful, forbidden love story with no hint of a sparkle.

*Minor Spoilers

I truly loved A Discovery of Witches. A fresh, expansive urban setting with a forbidden paranormal romance between a vampire and a witch.

This had a definite adult feel to it, rather than the Young Adult romance we are used to. Vampires, witches, and daemons all existing within modern human society, but governed by higher laws and all with dwindling powers makes for an enjoyable and tension-filled read.

Harkness writes Diana, a witch who refuses to use her powers in first person, while Matthew, the vampire with the darkest of pasts and a deep need to find the truth is written in third, giving the story a different feel to many. Their love story is epic and a joy to watch unfold.

The academia side, where the author prattled on about DNA and the book of life was overdone, but I think that happens when they know the subject too well. It was an interesting concept and gave the series great subplots, but over the trilogy it becomes too much. A little more trimming in that area would have kept the concept thought-provoking, but alleviated the glazed look I had to fight off on occasion. This is why it has four stars.

*Book 1 ends with a cliff hanger.

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