Synopsis: "A Discovery of Witches introduced Diana Bishop, Oxford scholar and reluctant witch, and vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont, two otherworldly beings who found themselves at the center of a battle over a lost, enchanted manuscript known as Ashmole 782. Drawn to each other despite long-standing taboos, and in pursuit of Diana's spellbound powers, the two now embark upon a timewalking journey.
Book two of the All Souls trilogy plunges Diana and Matthew into Elizabethan London, a world of spies and subterfuge, and a coterie of Matthew's old friends, the mysterious School of Night. The mission is to locate a witch to tutor Diana and find traces of Ashmole 782, but as the net of Matthew's past tightens around them, they embark of very different journey, one that takes them into the heart of the 1500 year old vampire's shadowed history and secrets. For Matthew Clairmont, time travel is no simple matter; nor is Diana's search for they key to understanding her legacy" (SoN book jacket).
Book two of the All Souls trilogy plunges Diana and Matthew into Elizabethan London, a world of spies and subterfuge, and a coterie of Matthew's old friends, the mysterious School of Night. The mission is to locate a witch to tutor Diana and find traces of Ashmole 782, but as the net of Matthew's past tightens around them, they embark of very different journey, one that takes them into the heart of the 1500 year old vampire's shadowed history and secrets. For Matthew Clairmont, time travel is no simple matter; nor is Diana's search for they key to understanding her legacy" (SoN book jacket).
Review: Shadow of Night picks up exactly where the first book left off and it's a wild ride through history. Note: if you are not a fan of historical fiction or reading about history - particularly the Elizabethan Age, then this book is not for you. But as I love history and the EA period is one of my favorite times in history, I loved every moment of Diana and Edward's trip to 1590-91. For me, this book is actually better than book 1 of the series.
The book is a masterpiece of blending paranormal fantasy, historical fiction, and romance all into one seamless being. Readers are immediately sunk into Elizabethan England, and meet many actual historical characters, which can almost make the reader dizzy! The execution of said historical figures (i.e., Christopher Marlowe, Elizabeth I, and Walter Raleigh) and how they are presented within the story is both plausible and enlightening at the same time. Harkness's research is flawless and she manages to bring the sixteenth century to life with a rich, vibrant sense of reality that rarely appears in works of fiction. She does this without giving the feeling that she is giving a history lesson or writing a textbook. Instead she simply recreates the past in a vivid tapestry that should excite any reader who is unfamiliar with the period, while making those of us who do know it feel like we are revisiting a familiar city after having been away from it for a while..
While recreating history, Harkness also tells a good story. The characters travel a great deal in this book - from Woodstock, England, then on to Lyon, France, moving on to London, then to Prague, and finally back to London in a truly epic historical journey. Along the way, Diana and Matthew experience when their marriage hits snags, their secrets, heartbreaks, and lies. In addition to our lead characters journey into the past, we are given snippets of what events are unfolding in the future and how their timewalking in the past affects future events. These brief views in the future are both sad and enlightening, giving the reader knowledge that Diana and Matthew are not privy to.
It should be noted that, just like ADoW, Shadow of Night is not a book for those who are looking for a fast-paced action-fantasy, nor for those looking for a romance novel. The plot unfolds slowly and carefully and the book's strength lies in the development of characters and relationships as much as in the plot itself.
As with A Discovery of Witches, I think there could have been a little editing to some of the passages and even though there isn't an true ending to this book, it didn't quite leave the bad taste in my mouth the way ADoW did. All in all, it is a solid second novel and one well worth reading.
The book is a masterpiece of blending paranormal fantasy, historical fiction, and romance all into one seamless being. Readers are immediately sunk into Elizabethan England, and meet many actual historical characters, which can almost make the reader dizzy! The execution of said historical figures (i.e., Christopher Marlowe, Elizabeth I, and Walter Raleigh) and how they are presented within the story is both plausible and enlightening at the same time. Harkness's research is flawless and she manages to bring the sixteenth century to life with a rich, vibrant sense of reality that rarely appears in works of fiction. She does this without giving the feeling that she is giving a history lesson or writing a textbook. Instead she simply recreates the past in a vivid tapestry that should excite any reader who is unfamiliar with the period, while making those of us who do know it feel like we are revisiting a familiar city after having been away from it for a while..
While recreating history, Harkness also tells a good story. The characters travel a great deal in this book - from Woodstock, England, then on to Lyon, France, moving on to London, then to Prague, and finally back to London in a truly epic historical journey. Along the way, Diana and Matthew experience when their marriage hits snags, their secrets, heartbreaks, and lies. In addition to our lead characters journey into the past, we are given snippets of what events are unfolding in the future and how their timewalking in the past affects future events. These brief views in the future are both sad and enlightening, giving the reader knowledge that Diana and Matthew are not privy to.
It should be noted that, just like ADoW, Shadow of Night is not a book for those who are looking for a fast-paced action-fantasy, nor for those looking for a romance novel. The plot unfolds slowly and carefully and the book's strength lies in the development of characters and relationships as much as in the plot itself.
As with A Discovery of Witches, I think there could have been a little editing to some of the passages and even though there isn't an true ending to this book, it didn't quite leave the bad taste in my mouth the way ADoW did. All in all, it is a solid second novel and one well worth reading.
Rating: 4.5 out 5
In a little more than 2 weeks, the third book in this riveting trilogy, The Book of Life, will be released (July 15, 2014). I hope it lives up to its predecessors.
2 comments:
Slow your roll. I'm still slogging through The Alienist. You are making me look like a novice.
LOL!! I literally spent 90% of yesterday's waking hours reading. Sad, but true.
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