Summary:
The world is not much changed from the one we know, but three types of nonhuman creatures live among humans in balanced harmony… sort of. Actually, the only thing the three creatures seem to agree on is that they cannot attract human attention. You’ll meet Diana, a historian and witch who has spent most of her life running from the magic in her family. During routine research, Diana comes across an old spellbound manuscript. As soon as Diana unwittingly breaks the spell, other witches, vampires, and daemons (creatures blessed with creative genius and often cursed with madness) flock to Diana from all over. Diana must figure out who has her best interest in mind and who would stop at nothing to gain access to the manuscript and her power. Can she trust her fellow witches, or must she side with the handsome, mysterious vampire? The adventure that ensues is one that will bring Diana closer to her magic and closer to other creatures than she ever thought possible.
Comments:
I took a reprieve from my usual reading to indulge in this book because my neighbor recommended to me. And I’m totally glad I did. This is not your run-of-the-mill supernatural romance. The entire book is peppered with rich history, scholarly wisdom, philosophy, and even genetic science. The characters are well-developed, although I got a little impatient with Diana at times, but I think that was the intention. And it’s extremely difficult not to fall in love with Matthew. There were only two odd things that made me hesitate for just a moment mid-read. One, in the beginning, witches seem to be synonymous with Wiccans, and for me, this is the first time I’ve ever been introduced to the idea that Wiccans are not human. This was soon clarified, though, as Wiccans were no longer referenced specifically and the genetic differences of witches were explored. Two, Diana practiced Yoga… which I accepted easily. But so did Matthew, a very old, intimidating vampire. I realize that Yoga has been around forever and as far as history goes, it makes sense that a vampire would be familiar with it. Regardless, it was a little hard to picture Matthew in downward dog.
The Point:
A Discovery of Witches is an excellent book. It’s tons of fun, but it doesn’t leave you feeling shallow like some romances. Harkness has weaved magic, romance, history, art, philosophy, and science together to create a work of fiction that is beyond stereotype and category.
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