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BOOK
ILLUMINATIONS
From Debbie Wiley Book Reviews
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A Discovery of
Witches
by Deborah Harkness
Dr.
Diana Bishop does not use magic. Despite being descended from a line of
powerful witches, Diana studies history and ignores the lure of magic.
A manuscript called Ashmole 782 changes everything….
Diana’s study of alchemy has led her to Oxford’s Bodleian Library where
she discovers the long lost enchanted manuscript, Ashmole 782.
Unfortunately, Diana’s discovery draws the attention of other
supernatural creatures and she now finds herself surrounded by witches,
vampires, and daemons. One vampire, Matthew Clairmont draws her
attention, but is he friend or foe?
Deborah Harkness crafts a world where the magical seems real. Her deft
literary style draws the reader in, as the past and present collide.
Diana’s own desire to avoid her magical heritage only makes it all the
more realistic as Ms. Harkness does a marvelous job at character
development.
A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES is both a journey of understanding for Diana as
well as a tale of superstitions and prejudices. The pace is deceptively
slow in the beginning, lulling the reader with the mixture of history
and romance. However, as the tale unfolds, the rich historical context
of the storyline begins to merge with universal issues such as
intolerance and bigotry. Even more impressive is the philosophical
underpinnings of the tale. Where do the witches, vampires, and daemons
come from and how did they develop differently from humans? The
parallels to Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution are quite
fascinating, especially against the backdrop of Diana’s own study of
alchemy.
A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES is an enthralling tale that captivates even as
it makes the reader think. Deborah Harkness has crafted a story that
weaves together past and present to create a whole new world here in
our midst. Outstanding!
Publisher: Viking (February
2011)
Author
website: http://deborahharkness.com/
Reviewed
by Debbie, Debbie Wiley Book Reviews
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