Book Review - A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

I have seen this book so many times on Amazon… so many times and now it has turned into a trilogy and the last book of the trilogy is due out next month. All the times that I have seen it on my recommended list I look at it and then pass. Actually I look at the brief description and move on immediately. It starts with “a witch and a vampire”.

Oh GEEZ… another vampire?? The twilight series completely burned me out on the vampire plot, probably for the rest of my life. I trudged through those books, questioning my intelligence and feeling like I had insulted myself by reading such basically and elementary written pages. I did like the second one… but that is it… finished the series and still wonder why.  No vampire compares to Lestat, he was my first, and you combine that with my love for New Orleans and no other vampire stands a chance. (thank you Anne Rice)

Since I had a gift card and it wasn’t really MY money I was wasting on this book I decided to give it a whirl. I am one third through it and felt that I could at least give it a decent review. I like this 1500 year old vampire. He has a vulnerability similar to Lestat. He wants to be good, he is beautiful (yummy beautiful) and he smells good which is always a plus. He has the capacity to love and love deeply. The heroine – Diana Bishop, a supreme witch in denial, has such endearing qualities you can’t help but like her.

So far I am enjoying this book. And I somewhat agree with the reviewers that she could have shortened this book by about 200 pages (it is 615 pgs) but so far I don’t mind the long descriptions and technical ramblings.  But as I inch towards page 450 I understand the need for the lengthy explanations of certain things.

I am now finished with this book…. I love love love the enchantment of the Bishop house. The descriptions of the house itself, ghosts and how the house reacts to the people in it or the ones coming. They know visitors are coming because the house will literally add a room in preparation. The house will present a needed object from cracks in the walls or floors, it will hide things for hundreds of years, it creaks, sighs, moans, rattles, slams doors and is the resting place for many of the deceased Bishop witches of the past.

This isn’t your usual vampire story. This is a love story/mystery doused in history and magick. I am amazed to say this book has restored the damage done by the twilight series. I just downloaded #2 in the series. By the time I finish it the third one will be out and when I am done with the series by darling Prince Lestat will be released.

LOTS of good reading going on this summer my friends!!!