Synopsis
Shadow of NightPicking up from A Discovery of Witches’ cliffhanger ending, Shadow of Night takes Diana and Matthew on a trip through time to Elizabethan London, where they are plunged into a world of spies, magic, and a coterie of Matthew’s old friends, the School of Night. As the search for Ashmole 782 deepens and Diana seeks out a witch to tutor her in magic, the net of Matthew’s past tightens around them, and they embark on a very different—and vastly more dangerous—journey.
The Book of Life
The #1 New York Times bestselling series finale and sequel to A Discovery of Witches and Shadow of Night
Bringing the magic and suspense of the All Souls Trilogy to a deeply satisfying conclusion, this highly anticipated finale went straight to #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. In The Book of Life, Diana and Matthew time-travel back from Elizabethan London to make a dramatic return to the present—facing new crises and old enemies. At Matthew’s ancestral home, Sept-Tours, they reunite with the beloved cast of characters from A Discovery of Witches—with one significant exception. But the real threat to their future has yet to be revealed, and when it is, the search for Ashmole 782 and its missing pages takes on even more urgency
Audiobook Review
All the stars for this trilogy
I don’t know how to begin this review.
Maybe saying that I barely took notes while listening to book 2 and didn’t take any for book 3 of this trilogy?
That made for more than 50 hours nearly without thinking about jotting down anything helpful for my reviews.
Not smart but that’s how enthralled I was by this story.
While Shadow of the Night centered around time travelling, the Book of Life is all about family.
The very few notes I still took when reading Shadow of Night were these ones:
“Engrossed. Moving (both dads). Enlightening (history). Interesting and “real” (how would you time walk? Not altering the past? How can you stand to say goodbye all the time (Jack and Annie).
Matthew’s nephew who stayed silent for centuries till he met Diana again
Betrayal (Kit)
Loss (babies)
Amazing (Diana learned with the witches)
Elizabeth (Monarch) and Emperor of Austria (enamored with Diana)
Just incredible!”
Cryptic much? Yes and yet saying everything in just key words!
In The Book of Life, I was sad to say goodbye to these characters.
Matthew and Diana’s love outshines everything and Diana had an amazing growth. Gone is the witch afraid of her powers, she now will embrace them and use them like the Goddess would.
You have everything: loyalty, love, courage, dedication, nobility, friendship, family, ordeals ….
This trilogy is what would happen if the Da Vinci Code and the Pillars of the Earth had a kid with What the Wind Knows.
You have a ROMANCE in capital letters, between a vampire and a witch. This is an epic romance. The one you read only in books and even on like that is hard to find.
You have a quest and a mystery to solve: chasing the Ashmole 782 through the centuries and countries. You follow the clues, discover horrifying secrets and are hunted by elusive yet mad vampires.
You also have tons of academic references and learn a lot about HISTORY and witches. That was truly fascinating for an avid and curious reader like me. I have read some find this series tedious and boring, I found it FASCINATING.
You have an outstanding SUPPORTIVE CAST of characters! From Isabeau, gorgeous yet lethal, to Myriam prickly and deadly to Gallowglass (I loved his brogue and am still hoping he’ll find happiness), going through unruffled best human friend Kris and Jack plus so many more.
You have impeccable writing and perfect pacing. I honestly think Deborah Harkness has mastered her craft!
I can’t thank Bex @mummyisreading enough for making me read this amazing trilogy as she never stopped gushing about it!
I just wish that I could have a book about Gallowglass because he deserves his own HEA.
Have you read this series? Because you should! And listen to the audiobook as the narrator is just perfect!
Thanks for reading!
Sophie
I still haven’t read Book of Life but as I’m getting more into audiobooks, I might just get all three.
Thanks for reminding me about it, Sophie. x
This sounds like such a fun series!!
Shadow of Night was definitely my favorite book in this series. I loved the timey-wimey bits, how you can maybe change history but it would be dangerous to change too much. How she did so without creating an alternate universe. Loved that. Didn’t care for The Book of Life as much. Too much drama.
Great review! I really want to pick up this series, and now I think I might try out the audio!
(www.evelynreads.com)
I really need to read A Discovery of Witches, I love how it sounds!! ✨✨✨✨
From the comments here, I think that listening to the books is going to be much better than actually reading them, as it sounds like a lot of the minutiae makes reading slow. Definitely one to enjoy as a performance.
I think so too Alex!
I don’t think I ever read the third book. Maybe because I read the first two as they were released and then just wasn’t as interested when book 3 came out. But it sounds like the audio was brilliant!
It was Tammy!
Oops! Drinking a cup of tea, not “during.”
I have to be honest and admit that A Discovery of Witches was a rare dnf for me. Despite my interest in the characters and storyline, there was so much minutiae that I gave up at the halfway point when it took at least five pages to describe Diana during a cup of tea. I keep wanting to go back though and try again, and after reading your wonderful review of the audiobooks I’m wondering if I should try those.
Kim I think the audiobook might help you. I have read that some find it boring but that’s not how I experienced it at all.
Maybe I was in a mood.♀️
I might have to listen to these! I’ve been getting really into audiobooks recently. I love listening to them while I’m on my way to work. I really love history and witches so this sounds like its right up my street!
I hope you’ll love it !!!