Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Viking Adult (2012), Edition: First Edition, Hardcover, 592 pages
Description
A follow-up to the best-selling A Discovery of Witches finds Oxford scholar and reluctant witch Diana and vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont in Elizabethan London, where Diana seeks a magical tutor and Matthew confronts elements from his past at the same time the mystery of Ashmole 782 deepens.
User reviews
LibraryThing member mckait
A Discovery of Witches is the first novel of the All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness. This is a hard
Lucky for me I had Shadow of Night, which is the second book of the trilogy at hand, right after finishing Discovery of Witches. In this book, Harkess picks up right where she left off in
Knowing that they were returning to Matthew's own past life made the journey even more dangerous and they had to be extremely careful not to make any changes that would affect the world we live in today. Especially, nothing that would affect their own lives. Much happens on this trip, More than they had ever expected. Diana meets many of those whose lives she has studied over the years.
This too, is a fascinating story with a very surprising ending, a bit of a cliffhanger in fact. This makes perfect sense as the author wants to finish telling her tale. I know that I want to be one of the first in line to read The book of Life where all of the threads will be woven together as will the lives of the characters that are so appealing. I look forward to seeing what will happen next! If you haven't read these two books, I encourage you to do so, so that you will be ready to see how their adventures end in the final bool
Lucky for me I had Shadow of Night, which is the second book of the trilogy at hand, right after finishing Discovery of Witches. In this book, Harkess picks up right where she left off in
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Discovery of Witches, and Diana and Matthew are soon whirling back through the threads of time. This has become necessary because Diana has discovered that she is one of the most gifted of the Bishop witches, and that even though she has remained untaught, and was in fact unable to control her powers due to an event that occurred before her parents died when she was seven years old. Much has changed in the world since their deaths, including Diane's view of magic. Her association with her soulmate, Matthew is partly to blame for their flight into the past. Knowing that they were returning to Matthew's own past life made the journey even more dangerous and they had to be extremely careful not to make any changes that would affect the world we live in today. Especially, nothing that would affect their own lives. Much happens on this trip, More than they had ever expected. Diana meets many of those whose lives she has studied over the years.
This too, is a fascinating story with a very surprising ending, a bit of a cliffhanger in fact. This makes perfect sense as the author wants to finish telling her tale. I know that I want to be one of the first in line to read The book of Life where all of the threads will be woven together as will the lives of the characters that are so appealing. I look forward to seeing what will happen next! If you haven't read these two books, I encourage you to do so, so that you will be ready to see how their adventures end in the final bool
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LibraryThing member booktwirps
I feel as if I had to wait forever for this book, but it was well worth the wait! I fell in love with these characters in A Discovery of Witches and I was dying to know what the future held for Diana and Matthew. (Warning, this review may contain minor spoilers from A Discovery of Witches.)
Shadow
In this installment, Diana finds herself in Elizabethan England, and though she is a history professor and has studied this period thoroughly, she is totally unprepared to actually live in it. Roughly the first quarter of the book deals with Diana acclimating to the culture, and meeting some very famous people she has always been fascinated with. Her ability to fit in is also hampered by the fact that she needs to find a witch who can help her with her powers, but she’s visiting a time period where witches were burned at the stake. While this part of the book was a little slow for me, it was fun to see Diana’s reaction and how she acclimates to her new lifestyle. It’s also apparent that Ms. Harkness, a history professor herself, reveled in writing these scenes. They are a lot of fun to read.
When the action moves past the “acquaintance” stage and the action ramps up, the reader is carried to various locations including France and the Roman Empire as Diana searches for the answers she needs while uncovering a few more mysteries to deepen the plot along the way.
I love that these books have a bit of everything: mystery, action, intrigue, paranormal creatures and a believable romance. (For those of you anxious for a hot and heavy love scene between Diana and Matthew in the first book — your prayers are answered in this installment.) While I did get a little confused in a few spots (mainly regarding who was who and what their significance to the overall story was), I really enjoyed this one. I love the richly drawn characters and settings, and the story itself is top-notch.
This is a great series and I can’t wait for the next book. I would highly recommend this to any urban fantasy fan. Though it is adult fiction, I would recommend it to YA lovers and older teens, especially if you’re a fan of The Mortal Instruments.
Shadow
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of Night picks up immediately following the cliffhanger ending of A Discovery of Witches. Diana and Matthew have traveled back in time in hopes of uncovering the secrets of Ashmole 782, the mysterious book that holds the history of witches, vampires and daemons. Diana, a reluctant witch, managed to somehow conjure the elusive Ashmole in the first installment which led to her being the target of some very evil people, and landed her a hot and heavy (though strictly forbidden) romance with the alluring vampire, Matthew Clairmont.In this installment, Diana finds herself in Elizabethan England, and though she is a history professor and has studied this period thoroughly, she is totally unprepared to actually live in it. Roughly the first quarter of the book deals with Diana acclimating to the culture, and meeting some very famous people she has always been fascinated with. Her ability to fit in is also hampered by the fact that she needs to find a witch who can help her with her powers, but she’s visiting a time period where witches were burned at the stake. While this part of the book was a little slow for me, it was fun to see Diana’s reaction and how she acclimates to her new lifestyle. It’s also apparent that Ms. Harkness, a history professor herself, reveled in writing these scenes. They are a lot of fun to read.
When the action moves past the “acquaintance” stage and the action ramps up, the reader is carried to various locations including France and the Roman Empire as Diana searches for the answers she needs while uncovering a few more mysteries to deepen the plot along the way.
I love that these books have a bit of everything: mystery, action, intrigue, paranormal creatures and a believable romance. (For those of you anxious for a hot and heavy love scene between Diana and Matthew in the first book — your prayers are answered in this installment.) While I did get a little confused in a few spots (mainly regarding who was who and what their significance to the overall story was), I really enjoyed this one. I love the richly drawn characters and settings, and the story itself is top-notch.
This is a great series and I can’t wait for the next book. I would highly recommend this to any urban fantasy fan. Though it is adult fiction, I would recommend it to YA lovers and older teens, especially if you’re a fan of The Mortal Instruments.
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LibraryThing member 4fish
It's difficult to describe the plot of this novel without making it sound like another Twilight clone, but it's so much more than that. In A Discovery of Witches, the first book in the series, Diana Bishop, historian and failed witch, requests a book from the stacks of the Bodleian Library at
With complex characters and lots of fascinating literary and historical references, this is an outstanding read.
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Oxford and suddenly finds herself the focus of every "creature" (witch, vampire, daemon) in the area. They all want that book, but Diana doesn't have it anymore. Matthew de Clermont, vampire and scientist, protects Diana from the other creatures and they fall in love. At the end of the book, they flee back in time to the England of Elizabeth I, in order to find a witch who can help Diana harness her newly awakened powers. In Shadow..., Diana finds a whole coven to help her, and she and Matthew also make progress tracking down the missing book before they have to return to their own time, once again pursued by other creatures.With complex characters and lots of fascinating literary and historical references, this is an outstanding read.
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LibraryThing member MikeRhode
I've enjoyed these two books, but in this one, I'm having trouble with the gaping logistical hole - namely, Matthew and Diana go back in time, to Matthew's home in Elizabethan England. As a result, the Elizabethan Matthew pops out of existence for the time that they spend there... ummm, dodgy. And
Aside from that, the settings are neat, the main characters a little too cute, and the witches powers too fuzzy, just like the first book.
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then, the two keep talking about not changing history, but literally run and ride all over Europe proclaiming they're married - a marriage that won't exist for 4 centuries, and one that is prohibited at the time by the Congregation. Harkness 'resolves' Elizabethan Matthew's problem by having Modern Matthew leave him a letter explaining what's been happening. To me, this is why one shouldn't write time travel stories, unless one has read a lot of them. All of Matthew's friends and relatives from the Elizabethan time now know he's married sometime in the future, but none of them mention it for 500 years?Aside from that, the settings are neat, the main characters a little too cute, and the witches powers too fuzzy, just like the first book.
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LibraryThing member jmchshannon
As the second novel in Deborah Harkness’ All Souls’ Trilogy, Shadow of Night fills a necessary role in Diana and Matthew’s story. The threat of the Congregation and Peter Knox fades somewhat as the need to find Ashmole 782 and help Diana learn more about her powers takes center stage.
It is important to note that Shadow of Night starts out right where A Discovery of Witches ends. There is no summary descriptions of past experiences, no narrative that would refresh the memory of a reader. It is expected that readers will know and remember the first story clearly. Having just finished a re-read of the first novel prior to starting this one, the transition was seamless. Had there not been that re-read, the story would have been more difficult to follow as one would struggle to remember key story threads and events that occurred but might not have been considered important enough to recall. In other words, this is one series where reading the first novel right before starting this one is essential. Even the most mundane events become important in Ms. Harkness’ world, and being able to recall them is crucial to following a fairly complicated plot and an entirely new cast of characters.
While A Discovery of Witches was all about Diana’s world and fitting a vampire into it, Shadow of Night focuses on Matthew’s past world. This time, Diana is the one who has to find her way through this unfamiliar era. The historical references Matthew mentions throughout the first novel were some of what made him such an endearing character, and it is with complete relish that a reader will enjoy this glimpse into Matthew’s past. Seeing him navigate his way through Elizabeth I’s court as well as banter with such key figures as Sir Walter Raleigh and Christopher Marlowe is absolutely fascinating. Ms. Harkness has a way with words that brings the past to life, no matter how gruesome, unclean, or confusing it may seem to modern readers. The result is a story that will fascinate history lovers while satisfying the need for magicks within fantasy buffs.
Understanding more of Matthew’s past is just as important to the story as is setting the stage for their future. In addition, Matthew and Diana obtain some much-needed rest and a chance to solidify their relationship that would not have been possible had they stayed in their own time. Shadow of Night provides the entire series with much-needed character development, as Matthew grows out of his stereotypically vampiric broodiness and Diana develops from bumbling academic to a very powerful witch and strong partner against Matthew’s moodiness. The love remains but also evolves into something that is less otherworldly and more realistic. They too must overcome their past, their jealousies, guilt, insecurities, and worries about their future. They must learn more about each other as only couples can in order to decide whether they truly want to make it work. It is definitely not a plot-driven story but rather a character-driven one, and no matter how magical Diana is or mythological Matthew is, their love story is heartbreakingly real.
While her performance of the first novel was excellent, Jennifer Ikeda’s performance in Shadow of Night is award-worthy. The number of male characters to voice far outweigh the number of female characters, something that can be tricky for narrators of the opposite sex no matter how talented. Ms. Ikeda not only manages to distinguish between them all, her characterization of each is believable and distinct. There is no strain in her voice as she narrates gruff male voices, and she handles the Latin, English, French, German, Czech, Spanish, and other languages with dexterity. Even more amazing, each character maintains their own separate identity, complete with unique accent and tonality. Every character comes to life under her ministrations, making a fantastic story even more special.
While not as exciting as A Discovery of Witches, it is the proverbial calm before the storm. Its importance to the story is undeniable as it brings closure to unanswered questions and sets the stage for what should be a thrilling conclusion. The chance to get to better know and understand Matthew and Diana, as well as its detail-oriented romp through Europe in 1590 and 1591, focuses the reader’s attention with laser-sharp precision. While some readers may bemoan the relatively slow pace of the story, fans will again appreciate Ms. Harkness’ attention to detail as well as her careful construction of each element of the story. One knows that each secret revealed and every action made by the main characters will be vital for understanding the overarching mystery and the potential battle brewing. A worthy sequel to a breathtaking debut, Shadow of Night will leave a reader more than a little anxious to see how all of the threads will weave together. It promises to be one heck of an ending.
Acknowledgments: Thank you to Penguin Audio for my review copy!
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Throughout it all, Matthew and Diana must navigate the tumultuous waters of a new relationship. Interspersed throughout their search through the past are intriguing flashes to the present, as readers get glimpses of what the other familiar characters are doing in their absence and lay hints about the impact on the future Matthew’s and Diana’s timewalking will ultimately have. It might not have life-or-death scenes of action and drama but Shadow of Night keeps the story moving towards its conclusion, answering certain questions and raising others, all the while allowing readers the opportunity to better understand the main figures in the drama and building ever-mounting tension for their return home.It is important to note that Shadow of Night starts out right where A Discovery of Witches ends. There is no summary descriptions of past experiences, no narrative that would refresh the memory of a reader. It is expected that readers will know and remember the first story clearly. Having just finished a re-read of the first novel prior to starting this one, the transition was seamless. Had there not been that re-read, the story would have been more difficult to follow as one would struggle to remember key story threads and events that occurred but might not have been considered important enough to recall. In other words, this is one series where reading the first novel right before starting this one is essential. Even the most mundane events become important in Ms. Harkness’ world, and being able to recall them is crucial to following a fairly complicated plot and an entirely new cast of characters.
While A Discovery of Witches was all about Diana’s world and fitting a vampire into it, Shadow of Night focuses on Matthew’s past world. This time, Diana is the one who has to find her way through this unfamiliar era. The historical references Matthew mentions throughout the first novel were some of what made him such an endearing character, and it is with complete relish that a reader will enjoy this glimpse into Matthew’s past. Seeing him navigate his way through Elizabeth I’s court as well as banter with such key figures as Sir Walter Raleigh and Christopher Marlowe is absolutely fascinating. Ms. Harkness has a way with words that brings the past to life, no matter how gruesome, unclean, or confusing it may seem to modern readers. The result is a story that will fascinate history lovers while satisfying the need for magicks within fantasy buffs.
Understanding more of Matthew’s past is just as important to the story as is setting the stage for their future. In addition, Matthew and Diana obtain some much-needed rest and a chance to solidify their relationship that would not have been possible had they stayed in their own time. Shadow of Night provides the entire series with much-needed character development, as Matthew grows out of his stereotypically vampiric broodiness and Diana develops from bumbling academic to a very powerful witch and strong partner against Matthew’s moodiness. The love remains but also evolves into something that is less otherworldly and more realistic. They too must overcome their past, their jealousies, guilt, insecurities, and worries about their future. They must learn more about each other as only couples can in order to decide whether they truly want to make it work. It is definitely not a plot-driven story but rather a character-driven one, and no matter how magical Diana is or mythological Matthew is, their love story is heartbreakingly real.
While her performance of the first novel was excellent, Jennifer Ikeda’s performance in Shadow of Night is award-worthy. The number of male characters to voice far outweigh the number of female characters, something that can be tricky for narrators of the opposite sex no matter how talented. Ms. Ikeda not only manages to distinguish between them all, her characterization of each is believable and distinct. There is no strain in her voice as she narrates gruff male voices, and she handles the Latin, English, French, German, Czech, Spanish, and other languages with dexterity. Even more amazing, each character maintains their own separate identity, complete with unique accent and tonality. Every character comes to life under her ministrations, making a fantastic story even more special.
While not as exciting as A Discovery of Witches, it is the proverbial calm before the storm. Its importance to the story is undeniable as it brings closure to unanswered questions and sets the stage for what should be a thrilling conclusion. The chance to get to better know and understand Matthew and Diana, as well as its detail-oriented romp through Europe in 1590 and 1591, focuses the reader’s attention with laser-sharp precision. While some readers may bemoan the relatively slow pace of the story, fans will again appreciate Ms. Harkness’ attention to detail as well as her careful construction of each element of the story. One knows that each secret revealed and every action made by the main characters will be vital for understanding the overarching mystery and the potential battle brewing. A worthy sequel to a breathtaking debut, Shadow of Night will leave a reader more than a little anxious to see how all of the threads will weave together. It promises to be one heck of an ending.
Acknowledgments: Thank you to Penguin Audio for my review copy!
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LibraryThing member KrystiMeyer
In the sequel to A Discovery of Witches, Deborah Harkness once again creates a tale that is a magical blend of fantasy and historical fiction. In order for Diana to understand and learn how to control her new-found powers, she and husband Matthew de Clermont time walk back to the year 1590, a time
Harkness brings together a stunning cast of characters featuring such great historical figures as Sir Walter Raleigh, Queen Elizabeth, and William Shakespeare. The way in which she portrays them is not only believable but also gives her readers a fresh perspective and desire to learn more about those characters and the time period in which they lived. Harkness’s attention to historical detail is mind blowing. The scientific inventions, minor characters, and historical events that she touches on are presented in such a way that not only is the reader able to enjoy an entertaining work of fiction, but they also feel like they are learning something in the process.
The downfall of this novel is that it is so focused on details and the large cast of characters that it doesn’t advance the plot quite as much as expected. While Diana and Matthew travel across the Europe of 1590 and encounter many different people and important events, nothing really happens. The goals of the main characters as they set out on their adventure are for Diana to learn to control her magic and also to find the rare book Ashmole 782. While they are eventually able to check both these items off the to-do list, and one other very important event in the plot does occur, these things could easily have been done in less than 300 pages. The remainder of this 592 page tome is spent on filler items, that while interesting, make for a slow read.
Hopefully what seemed like fluff in this book will prove to be important in book three of the All Souls Trilogy, making Shadow of Night an important installment in the series. Anyone that enjoyed A Discovery of Witches and fell in love with the story of Diana and Matthew, as I did, should certainly read this sequel if nothing else but for preparation of book three which promises to be as action packed as the first book of the series.
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period in which her vampire spouse is quite familiar with, but she, on the other hand, sticks out like a sore thumb. Not only will Diana need to be trained on how to use her rare magical gifts, but she will also need to learn how to blend into Elizabethan England life.Harkness brings together a stunning cast of characters featuring such great historical figures as Sir Walter Raleigh, Queen Elizabeth, and William Shakespeare. The way in which she portrays them is not only believable but also gives her readers a fresh perspective and desire to learn more about those characters and the time period in which they lived. Harkness’s attention to historical detail is mind blowing. The scientific inventions, minor characters, and historical events that she touches on are presented in such a way that not only is the reader able to enjoy an entertaining work of fiction, but they also feel like they are learning something in the process.
The downfall of this novel is that it is so focused on details and the large cast of characters that it doesn’t advance the plot quite as much as expected. While Diana and Matthew travel across the Europe of 1590 and encounter many different people and important events, nothing really happens. The goals of the main characters as they set out on their adventure are for Diana to learn to control her magic and also to find the rare book Ashmole 782. While they are eventually able to check both these items off the to-do list, and one other very important event in the plot does occur, these things could easily have been done in less than 300 pages. The remainder of this 592 page tome is spent on filler items, that while interesting, make for a slow read.
Hopefully what seemed like fluff in this book will prove to be important in book three of the All Souls Trilogy, making Shadow of Night an important installment in the series. Anyone that enjoyed A Discovery of Witches and fell in love with the story of Diana and Matthew, as I did, should certainly read this sequel if nothing else but for preparation of book three which promises to be as action packed as the first book of the series.
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LibraryThing member ltcl
I think Deborah Harkness has outdone herself with this sequel to the interesting Discovery of Witches.
We meet up with vampire Matthew De Clairmont and his lovely witch wife Diana as they travel back to Elizabethan England in search of the mysterious book, Ashmore 782, with hopes that Diana will be
We meet up with vampire Matthew De Clairmont and his lovely witch wife Diana as they travel back to Elizabethan England in search of the mysterious book, Ashmore 782, with hopes that Diana will be
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able to understand her powers. Of course there are those who would like to see the two split up (just about everyone!) due to the covenant that strictly forbids interoccult relationships. The idea of there being vampires, witches and daemons in Elizabeth's court was an interesting avenue to wander down and the author will introduce the reader to a Sir Walter Raleigh, Kit Marlowe, Queen Elizabeth and other famous historical people in a setting that we have not seen them in before. Matthew is seen as spy, friend and ally to the Queen but can be blindsided when it comes to the love of his very long life, Diana. For those devoted fans of Diana Gabaldon I give you the same richness of character and storyline that we have all appreciated in the Outlander books with the fascination of alchemy and the occult. Make no plans for the evening of July 10th when this book hits the shelves because you will be up all night finishing in one sitting! Show Less
LibraryThing member Headinherbooks_27
In Shadow of Night, Harkness took us to another whole level compared to A Discovery of Witches. It is packed with historical details! While reading I felt like I was taking a crash course of European History. It was a bit confusing at times with the "present-time" chapters and this novel is a tiny
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bit slower than book 1. Nevertheless, the plot is incrediblly thorough, it is filled with wonderful grown-up paranormal and supernatural fantasies, and Harkness did an amazing job crafting the historical and magical aspect of the story. Overall, Harkness continues to surpassed my expectation and I'm eager to know what she has in store for us in the final novel of this trilogy. Show Less
LibraryThing member TheLostEntwife
I loved A Discovery of Witches. I haven't enjoyed a romance/paranormal book like it since I read Outlander back in the day. So, I was thrilled that when I got into it I had this one standing by, ready to be read. However, I have to say it did not live up to its predecessor. Let me tell you
First, there are a lot of sidekicks in this one, y'all. Lots of people get added to the story in a dizzying mess of names and personalities. In fact, it's so dizzying that at one point, I think you could easily swap three of the names of people in the text and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
Second, the historical names. Don't get me wrong, I love those little peeks we get into the lives of famous historical people, but I enjoy them more when the book is centered around them and when they are not used as props. I don't want to spoil the book for any reading this, but I will say this - finish the book and see if you agree that the story would have been just fine (possibly even better) with anonymous names. And by the story, I mean the main course of the story, not the sides and extras.
And that main course is what kept me picking up the book. Those two are just two of many small annoyances I had with the book (how much can a couple moon over each other?) but when you get down to the nitty gritty, the story was still there and it was still solid. I love how Deborah Harkness builds her world of magic. The descriptions of the witches magic working was thrilling and I devoured those passages like no ones business. The introduction of more family of Matthews was also quite thrilling, as were other fictional appearances in the book. Those are what made the book enjoyable for me, not the implication that in order for things to get done, they must be done with the highest of the high.
Frankly, I'm a little torn on whether or not I pick up the next one when it comes out. I hope that Deborah goes back to what she did with the first book and really gives us solid, fictional characters and... dare I say it? Maybe Matthew and Diana will cool down a little bit too.
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why:First, there are a lot of sidekicks in this one, y'all. Lots of people get added to the story in a dizzying mess of names and personalities. In fact, it's so dizzying that at one point, I think you could easily swap three of the names of people in the text and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
Second, the historical names. Don't get me wrong, I love those little peeks we get into the lives of famous historical people, but I enjoy them more when the book is centered around them and when they are not used as props. I don't want to spoil the book for any reading this, but I will say this - finish the book and see if you agree that the story would have been just fine (possibly even better) with anonymous names. And by the story, I mean the main course of the story, not the sides and extras.
And that main course is what kept me picking up the book. Those two are just two of many small annoyances I had with the book (how much can a couple moon over each other?) but when you get down to the nitty gritty, the story was still there and it was still solid. I love how Deborah Harkness builds her world of magic. The descriptions of the witches magic working was thrilling and I devoured those passages like no ones business. The introduction of more family of Matthews was also quite thrilling, as were other fictional appearances in the book. Those are what made the book enjoyable for me, not the implication that in order for things to get done, they must be done with the highest of the high.
Frankly, I'm a little torn on whether or not I pick up the next one when it comes out. I hope that Deborah goes back to what she did with the first book and really gives us solid, fictional characters and... dare I say it? Maybe Matthew and Diana will cool down a little bit too.
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LibraryThing member shewolfreads
First, let me say this was a good book. It really was a good read. The second book in the All Souls Trilogy, Shadow of Night is the much-anticipated follow-up to the first book in the series, A Discovery of Witches. I read A Discovery of Witches before I started this blog and if I were to go back
One of the novel’s strongest points is the development of the relationship between Diana and Matthew. Using Diana’s skill as a “timewalker”, they are thrust back to Elizabethan England where Matthew had powerful ties to the Congregation, the Knights of Lazarus, and Queen Elizabeth herself. Diana comes face to face with the layers and layers of secrets and tragedy that make up Matthew’s dark past. They face these obstacles together, learn to truly trust one another, and become a stronger couple. It was wonderful to finally learn more about the mysterious Matthew and see his relationship with Diana deepen.
There was a great moment where Harkness gives a wink to the genre by acknowledging the recent craze for vampire romances. Diana tells Matthew about the way vampires are depicted in popular fiction – sex, blood, and overprotectiveness. Matthew can’t understand the appeal of being manhandled and then making love. Diana says,
“You’ve manhandled me, as you so charmingly put it. I seem to recall being hoisted into your arms at Sept-Tours on more than one occasion,” I pointed out.
“Only when you were injured!” Matthew said indignantly. “Or tired.”
“Or when you wanted me in one spot and I was in another. Or when the horse was too tall, or the bed was too high, or the seas were too rough. Honestly, Matthew. You have a very selective memory when it suits you. As for making love, it’s not always the tender act that you describe. Not in the books I’ve seen. Sometimes it’s just a good hard---“
Before I could finish my sentence, a tall, handsome vampire flung me over his shoulder.
“We will continue this conversation in private.”
"Help! I think my husband is a vampire!” I laughed and pounded on the backs of his thighs.
It was a great light moment between Matthew and Diana who are usually so intense you want someone to crack a joke. And I love the nod to the genre that helped create this world.
Another strong point is the secondary cast of characters. We finally meet Phillipe, Matthew’s father, the fearsome but quite generous man whose ghost looms heavily in the first book. We also meet Gallowglass who was one of my favorite characters. If anyone deserves an All Souls Trilogy novella, it's Gallowglass. He is Matthew’s nephew with a past of his own, loyal and willing to put himself on the line for his uncle and “auntie’s” safety. I loved his ferocity and his strength in standing up to Matthew when he needed it. Harkness created a great enigmatic character in Gallowglass and I hope to see more of him in the next book. Another wonderfully creepy creation is Father Hubbard – the vampire godfather of supernaturals in Elizabethan England. He believes in vampires, daemons, and witches living as one big family. To do so he requires allegiance and a taste of blood. And don’t think of setting foot in London without his permission. He and Diana strike a bargain at the end of the novel that makes me think we will see more of him in the next. And, finally, Benjamin, Matthew’s son, was only hinted at in this book. But he casts a big enough shadow that I think we will see more of him in the future. All of these new characters were fantastic additions to the All Souls cast and as sides are being taken for the final showdown in the next book, I really look forward to seeing what Harkness does with these wonderful creations.
I also loved the brief chapters that take the reader back to the present. Matthew and Diana can't go back in time and not expect to impact the future. Ysabeau and Marcus make efforts to collect all the evidence that places Matthew and Diana back in 1590 – portraits, books, a telescope. Not only was it fun to see where these objects from 1590 ended up in the present, but it was nice to have moments with favorite characters from the first book.
For me, the book's weakest point was too big to ignore. Diana and Matthew go back in time in order to achieve two goals – to teach Diana how to control and call upon her substantial power as a witch and to find Ashmole 782, the mysterious and powerful manuscript that started this whole adventure. But the novel spends very little time on either of these activities. I expected to go back in time with the couple and watch while Diana learned how to wield her power while also learning more about Matthew and his past. I thought they would have a more thrilling experience as they searched for the manuscript. Instead, I would say these things take up maybe 20% of the book while the majority of it centers on Diana grappling with becoming a woman of the time, interacting with famous personages from history, meeting new people, and taking care of the household. Harkness is a scholar and a historian. I am sure putting her two main characters in 1590 England was like being a kid in a candy shop. We meet Christopher Marlowe, Sir Walter Raleigh, Queen Elizabeth and Rudolf II the Holy Roman Emperor just to name a few of the famous historical figures in Shadow of Night. And while these interactions are fun and clever…I cared less about them than seeing the overall plot develop with regards to Diana as a witch and the manuscript itself. Perhaps if the scope of the book were less ambitious, the novel would have been more successful. For me, Shadow of Night would have been more successful had the focus been on what made the first book so wonderful – Matthew and Diana and their struggle to uncover the secret of the manuscript.
Shadow of Night is a good book – well-written, erudite, and with a wonderful cast of characters. However, it misses the mark in that it spends too much time on historical detail and not enough time on the overall plot of the trilogy. That being said, I can’t wait to get back to Matthew and Diana in present day Sept Tours as the family gathers for the final showdown with the Congregation. I have faith that the final installment in the trilogy will take me back to what I loved about A Discovery of Witches.
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in time and post a review, I would give it 4.5 howls. I really did love the story of a reluctant witch and her forbidden romance with a centuries old, yoga-practicing vampire. The world was a fantastic blend of the supernatural and the academic, and it had a cliffhanger of an ending that left me desperately wanting to read the next book in the series. My expectations were sky high and the only reason I am giving Shadow of Night a lower rating is that, perhaps, those expectations were too high. While Shadow of Night has me, once again, desperately wanting to read the next book, as an individual novel, it felt more like a bridge intended to join together the exciting beginning with what I hope will be a thrilling conclusion.One of the novel’s strongest points is the development of the relationship between Diana and Matthew. Using Diana’s skill as a “timewalker”, they are thrust back to Elizabethan England where Matthew had powerful ties to the Congregation, the Knights of Lazarus, and Queen Elizabeth herself. Diana comes face to face with the layers and layers of secrets and tragedy that make up Matthew’s dark past. They face these obstacles together, learn to truly trust one another, and become a stronger couple. It was wonderful to finally learn more about the mysterious Matthew and see his relationship with Diana deepen.
There was a great moment where Harkness gives a wink to the genre by acknowledging the recent craze for vampire romances. Diana tells Matthew about the way vampires are depicted in popular fiction – sex, blood, and overprotectiveness. Matthew can’t understand the appeal of being manhandled and then making love. Diana says,
“You’ve manhandled me, as you so charmingly put it. I seem to recall being hoisted into your arms at Sept-Tours on more than one occasion,” I pointed out.
“Only when you were injured!” Matthew said indignantly. “Or tired.”
“Or when you wanted me in one spot and I was in another. Or when the horse was too tall, or the bed was too high, or the seas were too rough. Honestly, Matthew. You have a very selective memory when it suits you. As for making love, it’s not always the tender act that you describe. Not in the books I’ve seen. Sometimes it’s just a good hard---“
Before I could finish my sentence, a tall, handsome vampire flung me over his shoulder.
“We will continue this conversation in private.”
"Help! I think my husband is a vampire!” I laughed and pounded on the backs of his thighs.
It was a great light moment between Matthew and Diana who are usually so intense you want someone to crack a joke. And I love the nod to the genre that helped create this world.
Another strong point is the secondary cast of characters. We finally meet Phillipe, Matthew’s father, the fearsome but quite generous man whose ghost looms heavily in the first book. We also meet Gallowglass who was one of my favorite characters. If anyone deserves an All Souls Trilogy novella, it's Gallowglass. He is Matthew’s nephew with a past of his own, loyal and willing to put himself on the line for his uncle and “auntie’s” safety. I loved his ferocity and his strength in standing up to Matthew when he needed it. Harkness created a great enigmatic character in Gallowglass and I hope to see more of him in the next book. Another wonderfully creepy creation is Father Hubbard – the vampire godfather of supernaturals in Elizabethan England. He believes in vampires, daemons, and witches living as one big family. To do so he requires allegiance and a taste of blood. And don’t think of setting foot in London without his permission. He and Diana strike a bargain at the end of the novel that makes me think we will see more of him in the next. And, finally, Benjamin, Matthew’s son, was only hinted at in this book. But he casts a big enough shadow that I think we will see more of him in the future. All of these new characters were fantastic additions to the All Souls cast and as sides are being taken for the final showdown in the next book, I really look forward to seeing what Harkness does with these wonderful creations.
I also loved the brief chapters that take the reader back to the present. Matthew and Diana can't go back in time and not expect to impact the future. Ysabeau and Marcus make efforts to collect all the evidence that places Matthew and Diana back in 1590 – portraits, books, a telescope. Not only was it fun to see where these objects from 1590 ended up in the present, but it was nice to have moments with favorite characters from the first book.
For me, the book's weakest point was too big to ignore. Diana and Matthew go back in time in order to achieve two goals – to teach Diana how to control and call upon her substantial power as a witch and to find Ashmole 782, the mysterious and powerful manuscript that started this whole adventure. But the novel spends very little time on either of these activities. I expected to go back in time with the couple and watch while Diana learned how to wield her power while also learning more about Matthew and his past. I thought they would have a more thrilling experience as they searched for the manuscript. Instead, I would say these things take up maybe 20% of the book while the majority of it centers on Diana grappling with becoming a woman of the time, interacting with famous personages from history, meeting new people, and taking care of the household. Harkness is a scholar and a historian. I am sure putting her two main characters in 1590 England was like being a kid in a candy shop. We meet Christopher Marlowe, Sir Walter Raleigh, Queen Elizabeth and Rudolf II the Holy Roman Emperor just to name a few of the famous historical figures in Shadow of Night. And while these interactions are fun and clever…I cared less about them than seeing the overall plot develop with regards to Diana as a witch and the manuscript itself. Perhaps if the scope of the book were less ambitious, the novel would have been more successful. For me, Shadow of Night would have been more successful had the focus been on what made the first book so wonderful – Matthew and Diana and their struggle to uncover the secret of the manuscript.
Shadow of Night is a good book – well-written, erudite, and with a wonderful cast of characters. However, it misses the mark in that it spends too much time on historical detail and not enough time on the overall plot of the trilogy. That being said, I can’t wait to get back to Matthew and Diana in present day Sept Tours as the family gathers for the final showdown with the Congregation. I have faith that the final installment in the trilogy will take me back to what I loved about A Discovery of Witches.
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LibraryThing member justabookreader
In Shadow of Night, we pick up with Diana Bishop, now Diana Clairmont, and her new husband Matthew in 1590 Elizabethan England. Having time walked back to 1590 to find a witch capable of understanding Diana’s magic and who can teach her how to control her powers, the two soon get caught up in
In only a few months, Diana and Matthew have to find Ashmole 782, the mysterious book that brought them together months ago in their present time at the Bodleian Library at Oxford University. Hoping it may still be intact in 1590, they’re both somewhat optimistic that Diana’s burgeoning powers can help them understand who they are, what they are, and what will happen to their families. All the while they are dealing with Matthew’s past, well-known historical figures --- Queen Elizabeth I anyone? --- famous playwrights, witches, family drama, and weddings. Diana and Matthew not only have to figure out how to be married but also how to be a witch and vampire married to each other while looking for a book that they hope holds the answers to their future.
Matthew is still his controlling self --- he’s a vampire but it’s still hard to ignore this annoying trait of his --- but Diana is finally starting to understand what her witch heritage means, how to control her powers, and starts to stand her ground. Once reluctant to accept witchcraft, she finally begins using it and accepting it as part of who she is. Something her husband, a man who wants to control everything, struggles with as well. Their relationship becomes more of a partnership in the second book. These two obviously have picked a strange road to follow and one that many don’t see ending happily. I felt this second book in the All Souls trilogy (Shadow of Night is the second book in the series following A Discovery of Witches) had a bit less mystery for me but a lot more intrigue. I enjoyed the numerous strange characters that appeared and we finally get a look at Matthew’s past. Getting to meet Matthew’s family and friends explains his sometimes irrational mood swings and what both he and Diana will be facing in their life together.
I’m a series reader and am happy to say that Shadow of Night kept up with A Discovery of Witches. Book two in a trilogy can sometimes feel like a place holder, and while Diana and Matthew’s questions aren’t answered, their lives do move on and I liked seeing their relationship change. They both wonder about their intrusions on the past and how their actions will alter their futures and the past. Diana finally accepts witchcraft as part of who she is but there are few precious hints at what it will hold for her future self. Matthew’s history hits him full on in 1590 and Diana understands for the first time why her husband falls into such dark places.
In short, time walking, famous dead people, more vampires, witches, and daemons, and lots of magic shape book two in the All Souls trilogy. And yes, I’m now sitting and hoping Deborah Harkness writes faster because I’m anxious to know what happens to Diana and Matthew.
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16th Century English politics and court intrigue. It’s a particularly fascinating place for Diana, being the scholar that she is, but for Matthew the new setting brings on a fresh set of problems and emotions. Matthew, a vampire who once hunted down witches, now has to reconcile his old role as witch hunter which is more than difficult now that over 400 years later, he finds himself married to a witch. He also must come to some understanding with his father --- a man he knows as dead in his present.In only a few months, Diana and Matthew have to find Ashmole 782, the mysterious book that brought them together months ago in their present time at the Bodleian Library at Oxford University. Hoping it may still be intact in 1590, they’re both somewhat optimistic that Diana’s burgeoning powers can help them understand who they are, what they are, and what will happen to their families. All the while they are dealing with Matthew’s past, well-known historical figures --- Queen Elizabeth I anyone? --- famous playwrights, witches, family drama, and weddings. Diana and Matthew not only have to figure out how to be married but also how to be a witch and vampire married to each other while looking for a book that they hope holds the answers to their future.
Matthew is still his controlling self --- he’s a vampire but it’s still hard to ignore this annoying trait of his --- but Diana is finally starting to understand what her witch heritage means, how to control her powers, and starts to stand her ground. Once reluctant to accept witchcraft, she finally begins using it and accepting it as part of who she is. Something her husband, a man who wants to control everything, struggles with as well. Their relationship becomes more of a partnership in the second book. These two obviously have picked a strange road to follow and one that many don’t see ending happily. I felt this second book in the All Souls trilogy (Shadow of Night is the second book in the series following A Discovery of Witches) had a bit less mystery for me but a lot more intrigue. I enjoyed the numerous strange characters that appeared and we finally get a look at Matthew’s past. Getting to meet Matthew’s family and friends explains his sometimes irrational mood swings and what both he and Diana will be facing in their life together.
I’m a series reader and am happy to say that Shadow of Night kept up with A Discovery of Witches. Book two in a trilogy can sometimes feel like a place holder, and while Diana and Matthew’s questions aren’t answered, their lives do move on and I liked seeing their relationship change. They both wonder about their intrusions on the past and how their actions will alter their futures and the past. Diana finally accepts witchcraft as part of who she is but there are few precious hints at what it will hold for her future self. Matthew’s history hits him full on in 1590 and Diana understands for the first time why her husband falls into such dark places.
In short, time walking, famous dead people, more vampires, witches, and daemons, and lots of magic shape book two in the All Souls trilogy. And yes, I’m now sitting and hoping Deborah Harkness writes faster because I’m anxious to know what happens to Diana and Matthew.
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LibraryThing member LaBibliophille
Shadow of Night is the second book in the All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness. It follows the immensely popular A Discovery of Witches.
Shadow of Night picks up where A Discovery of Witches leaves off. The witch Diana Bishop and her husband, vampire Matthew deClermont, have time-travelled from the
Diana is surprised to find that Matthew's circle of friends in 1590 includes Sir Walter Raleigh and playwright Christopher Marlowe. The couple are both surprised that it is not so easy to find a witch eager to share knowledge with Diana. Soon after their arrival in Oxford, Matthew is summoned by his father Phillippe to Sept-Tours, the deClermont family home in France.
The journey to Sept-Tours is difficult. And Diana is not initially warmly received by Phillippe, who is disappointed that Matthew's bride is a witch.Phillippe's acceptance of Diana is helped by the fact that Diana wears Ysabeau's ring. Even in France it proves difficult to find a witch to tutor Diana. Eventually, the couple and their household travel to London, where much of the action in this novel occurs.
Shadow of Night is a fitting sequel. It is not the page turner that ADofW was, but it really explains much more about the creatures that inhabit the world. There are some great new characters introduced, and we learn more of Diana's background and ancestry. And it is a great set-up for the final book of the trilogy.
Unfortunately, there is no information available about the third book. And the only negative I have to say about Shadow of Night is that it has been too long coming. I should have re-read at least parts of ADofW to refresh my memory of the characters and the plot. I think it would be great to read these books back to back.
Shadow of Night picks up where A Discovery of Witches leaves off. The witch Diana Bishop and her husband, vampire Matthew deClermont, have time-travelled from the
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present day United States to Matthew's Oxford, England home, the Old Lodge, in the fall of 1590. They have done this so that Diana may safely study her supernatural powers. They also hope to locate the mysterious book Ashmole 782, which began Diana's journey in ADofW.Diana is surprised to find that Matthew's circle of friends in 1590 includes Sir Walter Raleigh and playwright Christopher Marlowe. The couple are both surprised that it is not so easy to find a witch eager to share knowledge with Diana. Soon after their arrival in Oxford, Matthew is summoned by his father Phillippe to Sept-Tours, the deClermont family home in France.
The journey to Sept-Tours is difficult. And Diana is not initially warmly received by Phillippe, who is disappointed that Matthew's bride is a witch.Phillippe's acceptance of Diana is helped by the fact that Diana wears Ysabeau's ring. Even in France it proves difficult to find a witch to tutor Diana. Eventually, the couple and their household travel to London, where much of the action in this novel occurs.
Shadow of Night is a fitting sequel. It is not the page turner that ADofW was, but it really explains much more about the creatures that inhabit the world. There are some great new characters introduced, and we learn more of Diana's background and ancestry. And it is a great set-up for the final book of the trilogy.
Unfortunately, there is no information available about the third book. And the only negative I have to say about Shadow of Night is that it has been too long coming. I should have re-read at least parts of ADofW to refresh my memory of the characters and the plot. I think it would be great to read these books back to back.
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LibraryThing member thehistorychic
Read from June 14 to July 19, 2012
Read for Fun/
Got a Papercopy from Publisher but choose to buy the Audiobook instead!
Overall Rating: 5.00
Story Rating: 4.75
Character Rating: 5.00
Audio Rating: 5.00 (Not Part of the overall Rating)
NOTE: I am addicted to the audio version of these books! Seriously
First thought when finished: The history lover in me loved this book! The Discovery of Witches fan was equally as impressed! :)
What I thought of the Characters: Deborah Harkness has a wonderful way with characters. You love them, you hate them, and you love reading what they are up to. Often times I felt like I was watching through a window as these people went along in their daily lives. All of the characters that were introduced in Shadow of Night from history were fascinating and very well flushed out. I was so caught up that at the end I really wanted a story about their back stories. I know I am being greedy but it is true! I also loved the continuing stories from Discovery of Witches. Diana is coming into her own (love her story arch) and she is my favorite character. Matthew is working through who he is as his past and future collide (so to speak). Diana and Matthew's relationship is epic and at the core of their characters. I wouldn't have it any other way!
What I thought of the Story: I would say that Shadow of Night is slightly slower than Discovery of Witches. It has a different pacing until about halfway through when Diana really starts getting into who she is as a witch. At that point, the story was off and running. I was listening to it every spare moment I had and still couldn't devour the book fast enough. I am pretty sure I had what my friends Tara and Amanda call P.A.B.D. (Post Awesome Book Disorder). I mean I listened to the last hour---twice! I wanted the next book now!!!!
What I thought of the Audio: Narrated by Jennifer Ikeda at a running time of 24 hrs and 30 mins, Shadow of Night was well worth it! I can't say enough of Jennifer's narration! She manages to get the pacing, emotion, and characterization just right! If you can listen to long audiobook, I highly recommend this one!
Final thought: I am a huge fan of this series! I highly recommend it!
Read for Fun/
Got a Papercopy from Publisher but choose to buy the Audiobook instead!
Overall Rating: 5.00
Story Rating: 4.75
Character Rating: 5.00
Audio Rating: 5.00 (Not Part of the overall Rating)
NOTE: I am addicted to the audio version of these books! Seriously
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y'all--it is so darn good!!! First thought when finished: The history lover in me loved this book! The Discovery of Witches fan was equally as impressed! :)
What I thought of the Characters: Deborah Harkness has a wonderful way with characters. You love them, you hate them, and you love reading what they are up to. Often times I felt like I was watching through a window as these people went along in their daily lives. All of the characters that were introduced in Shadow of Night from history were fascinating and very well flushed out. I was so caught up that at the end I really wanted a story about their back stories. I know I am being greedy but it is true! I also loved the continuing stories from Discovery of Witches. Diana is coming into her own (love her story arch) and she is my favorite character. Matthew is working through who he is as his past and future collide (so to speak). Diana and Matthew's relationship is epic and at the core of their characters. I wouldn't have it any other way!
What I thought of the Story: I would say that Shadow of Night is slightly slower than Discovery of Witches. It has a different pacing until about halfway through when Diana really starts getting into who she is as a witch. At that point, the story was off and running. I was listening to it every spare moment I had and still couldn't devour the book fast enough. I am pretty sure I had what my friends Tara and Amanda call P.A.B.D. (Post Awesome Book Disorder). I mean I listened to the last hour---twice! I wanted the next book now!!!!
What I thought of the Audio: Narrated by Jennifer Ikeda at a running time of 24 hrs and 30 mins, Shadow of Night was well worth it! I can't say enough of Jennifer's narration! She manages to get the pacing, emotion, and characterization just right! If you can listen to long audiobook, I highly recommend this one!
Final thought: I am a huge fan of this series! I highly recommend it!
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LibraryThing member busyreadin
Not a bad read but too many characters to keep track of. My history of the time period is limited, and some of it was quite confusing.
I did enjoy the relationships between Diane, Matthew and their assorted friends & relatives.
I did enjoy the relationships between Diane, Matthew and their assorted friends & relatives.
LibraryThing member cinnamonowl
I have been working up to this review all morning. It is such a huge book, length and breadth, that I am finding it intimidating to review. I am going to treat it like most of my reviews; I don't usually do a play by play of events, but really talk more about my impressions, and what stood out,
Diana and Matthew are in Elizabethan London at the book's beginning, and meet Matthews old friends in the School of Night, including Christopher "Kit" Marlowe, who is a demon in this book. Except demon is spelled old englishy as daemon. I have always loved reading Marlowe's poetry, although I haven't read any of his plays, and enjoy hearing theories on his life. Like Shakespeare's plays were really written by Marlowe, etc. I am not a believer of that, I feel Shakespeare did write his own plays, but I do like to read about it. Shadow of Night touches on this, as well as the thoughts/facts that Marlowe was an atheist and homosexual. I like that Matthew is part of the School of Night in the book, and that Kit is in love with Matthew. And it is very important in the advancement of this book.
So, Diana and Matthew end up moving to London proper, and Diana is in search of a witch who can teach her how to be a witch, and to learn exactly what her powers are and why they have changed now that they have changed the time they live in. On the way (I think, the characters moved around so much I have a hard time keeping track of the timeline in my head) they stay with Matthew's father, Phillipe, also a vampire. Who I completely loved and adored!! I want a book all about Phillipe. Anyway, they live with him for awhile, and he accepts Diana into his family totally and fully, even marking her forehead with blood in a ritual making her his daughter. Matthew and Diana have a wedding there, then hell breaks loose a little, and they move on.
So, back to the London parts, Diana is learning how to be a witch, and they find out the she is a little fire witch, a little water witch, and a time spinner. Just like her dad. Diana learns more about her parents and her life when she was little, and more witchy stuff, while Matthew is dealing with vampire politics and government politics. Here the book starts to become a little slow for me, and they go off to Prague and I thought that was almost unnecessary - but then a lot more happens with the Ashmole 782.
One thing I like about this series is the combination of history and science. My degree is in History, with a minor in Literature, so that could be one reason I like these books so much, especially this one. I like that Diana is all about the past and history, and Matthew is all science. And I like that the Ashmole is a little of both.
A few negatives: I have to admit, I didn't remember a whole lot from Discovery of Witches apparently, so I was lost a little at first. But that is my fault, and if you are rusty on Discovery of Witches, you might want to reread it before reading this one. I also thought the book skipped around locations too much, and there were a ton of characters. So many in fact, there is a list in the back explaining them all. I wish I had spotted that before I read it, not after. And Matthew is tight with all the major names in history - I found that a little annoying. I guess maybe some would be ok, but all was crazy. Then finally, there is the whole question of the time travel. The 16th century Matthew was poofed away when 21st Century Matthew popped back in time- when 21st Century Matthew goes back to his own time, then 16th Century Matthew will pop back. This hurt my brain - where did 16th Century Matthew go? And won't he be confused when he comes back? And won't people wonder where Diana went?
Anyway, this book was pretty good, athough you could could get lost if you don't remember the first well. Make sure you look at the chart of people - I could have used this while they were in Prague - I had a difficult time paying attention to that part of the book. But I liked this book more than the first, I felt there was instant action where the first one seemed to me to really just be setting the stage for this book. I like historical fiction, so that worked for me too. I will definitely read the next in the series, for the negatives to me were minor enough to warrant it. And I want to know more about Ashmole 782, and what it means to the witches and vampires. We learned a bit, but I want to know more. I also want to see what it unlocks.
*One final thought - did anyone else think of Jamie and Claire Fraser from the Outlander series while reading this? I kept thinking about them! I think I need to reread that series now. Jamie Fraser is one of my all time favorite characters.
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what I liked and disliked. And try not to give too many spoilers, although that might happen. So, that being said, here I go tackling it. Diana and Matthew are in Elizabethan London at the book's beginning, and meet Matthews old friends in the School of Night, including Christopher "Kit" Marlowe, who is a demon in this book. Except demon is spelled old englishy as daemon. I have always loved reading Marlowe's poetry, although I haven't read any of his plays, and enjoy hearing theories on his life. Like Shakespeare's plays were really written by Marlowe, etc. I am not a believer of that, I feel Shakespeare did write his own plays, but I do like to read about it. Shadow of Night touches on this, as well as the thoughts/facts that Marlowe was an atheist and homosexual. I like that Matthew is part of the School of Night in the book, and that Kit is in love with Matthew. And it is very important in the advancement of this book.
So, Diana and Matthew end up moving to London proper, and Diana is in search of a witch who can teach her how to be a witch, and to learn exactly what her powers are and why they have changed now that they have changed the time they live in. On the way (I think, the characters moved around so much I have a hard time keeping track of the timeline in my head) they stay with Matthew's father, Phillipe, also a vampire. Who I completely loved and adored!! I want a book all about Phillipe. Anyway, they live with him for awhile, and he accepts Diana into his family totally and fully, even marking her forehead with blood in a ritual making her his daughter. Matthew and Diana have a wedding there, then hell breaks loose a little, and they move on.
So, back to the London parts, Diana is learning how to be a witch, and they find out the she is a little fire witch, a little water witch, and a time spinner. Just like her dad. Diana learns more about her parents and her life when she was little, and more witchy stuff, while Matthew is dealing with vampire politics and government politics. Here the book starts to become a little slow for me, and they go off to Prague and I thought that was almost unnecessary - but then a lot more happens with the Ashmole 782.
One thing I like about this series is the combination of history and science. My degree is in History, with a minor in Literature, so that could be one reason I like these books so much, especially this one. I like that Diana is all about the past and history, and Matthew is all science. And I like that the Ashmole is a little of both.
A few negatives: I have to admit, I didn't remember a whole lot from Discovery of Witches apparently, so I was lost a little at first. But that is my fault, and if you are rusty on Discovery of Witches, you might want to reread it before reading this one. I also thought the book skipped around locations too much, and there were a ton of characters. So many in fact, there is a list in the back explaining them all. I wish I had spotted that before I read it, not after. And Matthew is tight with all the major names in history - I found that a little annoying. I guess maybe some would be ok, but all was crazy. Then finally, there is the whole question of the time travel. The 16th century Matthew was poofed away when 21st Century Matthew popped back in time- when 21st Century Matthew goes back to his own time, then 16th Century Matthew will pop back. This hurt my brain - where did 16th Century Matthew go? And won't he be confused when he comes back? And won't people wonder where Diana went?
Anyway, this book was pretty good, athough you could could get lost if you don't remember the first well. Make sure you look at the chart of people - I could have used this while they were in Prague - I had a difficult time paying attention to that part of the book. But I liked this book more than the first, I felt there was instant action where the first one seemed to me to really just be setting the stage for this book. I like historical fiction, so that worked for me too. I will definitely read the next in the series, for the negatives to me were minor enough to warrant it. And I want to know more about Ashmole 782, and what it means to the witches and vampires. We learned a bit, but I want to know more. I also want to see what it unlocks.
*One final thought - did anyone else think of Jamie and Claire Fraser from the Outlander series while reading this? I kept thinking about them! I think I need to reread that series now. Jamie Fraser is one of my all time favorite characters.
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LibraryThing member hazel1123
I enjoyed the book. Unlike some other reviewers I found the characters interesting with a believable mix of strengths and faults. As for the time travel - if you are a reader that needs to have a reasonable understanding of how things work! you probably will be frustrated with this book. If you are
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more like me and don't care too much about how the 21st century witch and vampire got back to Elizabethan England it will work for you. After all it is about a witch and a vampire. How much realism can you expect? Show Less
LibraryThing member bachaney
A Shadow of Night is the second book in Deborah Harkness' All Souls Triology. The novel starts off right where a Discovery of Witches left off--with Matthew and Diana landing in 16th century England. Diana and Matthew quickly discover that their journey into the past won't be quite the fun history
I really enjoyed this second installment in the All Souls Triology. If you were a fan of Discovery of Witches, you were probably anxiously awaiting this book, with good reason, since Discovery ends with quite a cliffhanger. For me, this book satisfied some of the questions that were left at the end of Discovery, while developing the story enough to set up for a satisfying third book. The book also develed a lot deeper into the two central characters of the series, Diana and Matthew, and their relationship, which I felt had been glossed over in the fast paced Discovery. Finally, I really enjoyed this romp through the past and the fictionalization of many historical figures. Anyone who has read a lot on Elizabethan England is likely to enjoy this element.
All around, I thought this was a great second novel in the trilogy. I can't wait for the third installment!
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field trip they had imagined--Diana sticks out like a sore thumb, and Matthew can't remember all of the details of his life 400 years in the past. After an adjustment period, the two are off on a journey through the past to help Diana learn to manage her skills as a witch and to find more information on the illusive Ashmole 782.I really enjoyed this second installment in the All Souls Triology. If you were a fan of Discovery of Witches, you were probably anxiously awaiting this book, with good reason, since Discovery ends with quite a cliffhanger. For me, this book satisfied some of the questions that were left at the end of Discovery, while developing the story enough to set up for a satisfying third book. The book also develed a lot deeper into the two central characters of the series, Diana and Matthew, and their relationship, which I felt had been glossed over in the fast paced Discovery. Finally, I really enjoyed this romp through the past and the fictionalization of many historical figures. Anyone who has read a lot on Elizabethan England is likely to enjoy this element.
All around, I thought this was a great second novel in the trilogy. I can't wait for the third installment!
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LibraryThing member sithereandread
SHADOW OF NIGHT, by Deborah Harkness, starts off with Diana and Matthew arriving in 1590 searching for the mysterious document, Ashmole 782, which explains a prophecy revolving around them. We meet many predominant historical figures (where the glossary in the back of the book helped...a lot) along
I found it hard to write my review due to the fact that most of the book was thick with historical events and people and I am no way a history buff. I found myself bogged down with important events, people, and dates that I tried to keep straight but at times I felt lost. A friend and I read this book at the same time and I found myself referring to the "sideways plot". Imagine the book is a tree (which is fitting to the book as well) Diana and Matthew finding Ashmole 782 is the tree trunk and every other scene was a branch. This tree was full of branches that sometimes interconnected back to the plot but since I am not a huge history buff I didn't really appreciate most of the scenes without the main course being discussed. I found Diana and Matthew complacent at times to just live back in 1590 versus trying to get home as soon as they could. Also I did have an issue with the time travel. That is something I scrutinize a lot when reading. Time travel is very tough to pull off successfully in books and I worried about that a lot in this one. Little snippets of the present were shown in some instances of big events that Diana or Matthew changed in the past, which was interesting to see, but I felt there would be a lot more changes (which may or may not be explored further in the next book, so I really can't put that against my review).
While I didn't feel bogged down with the history, I really enjoyed the book. We find out a lot about Diana's heritage and just how powerful she really is. And I really loved how Diana and Matthew's relationship grew so much in this book. Where DOW was the getting to know you stage, this book went way past the honeymoon stage. Matthew had to come to grips with a lot of issues that plagued his mind and Diana was his rock, which I appreciated.
I don't want to give too much away because a lot did happen in this book to further the story. I did like DOW a little better than this book due to the intense history lessons but just because I am not interested in history I would not give this a bad review. I think those who enjoy history will love this book (my friend who read it is adored the book, although it took her longer to read because she kept Googling events in the story to explore the history further), but without that aspect I truly enjoyed it and am looking forward to the final book.
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the way while these two navigate looking for answers yet trying not to influence history too much with their actions. During a dangerous time where witch hunts are on the rise, Diana and Matthew's relationship is challenged by his past and her discovery of her lineage.I found it hard to write my review due to the fact that most of the book was thick with historical events and people and I am no way a history buff. I found myself bogged down with important events, people, and dates that I tried to keep straight but at times I felt lost. A friend and I read this book at the same time and I found myself referring to the "sideways plot". Imagine the book is a tree (which is fitting to the book as well) Diana and Matthew finding Ashmole 782 is the tree trunk and every other scene was a branch. This tree was full of branches that sometimes interconnected back to the plot but since I am not a huge history buff I didn't really appreciate most of the scenes without the main course being discussed. I found Diana and Matthew complacent at times to just live back in 1590 versus trying to get home as soon as they could. Also I did have an issue with the time travel. That is something I scrutinize a lot when reading. Time travel is very tough to pull off successfully in books and I worried about that a lot in this one. Little snippets of the present were shown in some instances of big events that Diana or Matthew changed in the past, which was interesting to see, but I felt there would be a lot more changes (which may or may not be explored further in the next book, so I really can't put that against my review).
While I didn't feel bogged down with the history, I really enjoyed the book. We find out a lot about Diana's heritage and just how powerful she really is. And I really loved how Diana and Matthew's relationship grew so much in this book. Where DOW was the getting to know you stage, this book went way past the honeymoon stage. Matthew had to come to grips with a lot of issues that plagued his mind and Diana was his rock, which I appreciated.
I don't want to give too much away because a lot did happen in this book to further the story. I did like DOW a little better than this book due to the intense history lessons but just because I am not interested in history I would not give this a bad review. I think those who enjoy history will love this book (my friend who read it is adored the book, although it took her longer to read because she kept Googling events in the story to explore the history further), but without that aspect I truly enjoyed it and am looking forward to the final book.
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LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
I don't know what didn't click with me with this book but I found it hard to get in to and didn't really engage me as much as I'd like.
Diana and Matthew go back in time, meet with a lot of historical Elizabethan characters and try to work out why Diana's magic is problematic. And I did want to
Interesting things happened and the characters have moved on in their relationships and I intend to read the next book in the series, I just wasn't as sucked in by this one as by the first.
Diana and Matthew go back in time, meet with a lot of historical Elizabethan characters and try to work out why Diana's magic is problematic. And I did want to
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like it, I enjoyed the first book of the series, I just wasn't really sucked into this one. Interesting things happened and the characters have moved on in their relationships and I intend to read the next book in the series, I just wasn't as sucked in by this one as by the first.
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LibraryThing member WeeziesBooks
In this second book in the ‘All Souls Trilogy’ by Deborah E. Harkness, Matthew and Diane have time traveled back to the 1500’s, to a time where they believe they will be safe as they continue their search for a book called “Ashmole 782”. As discussed in the first book, “The Discovery of
When they reach the new time and place through time travel, Diana receives her first significant training as a witch and understands more about her powers and it responsibilities both good and bad. Diana’s relationship with Matthew and his friends in the 1500’s hold joy and danger and their love and loyalties are tested again and again.
I impatiently waited for this book and enjoyed it though not as much as “Discovery of Witches”. I look forward to the final book of the trilogy that I hope will be published early next year. I recommend both of these books.
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Witches”, this book is believed to be magical and but has been “bound” by witches of the past, It is important for them both as the belief is that it the book holds the answers and hope for survival for all demons, witches and creatures that live with the warm-bloods in the real world. Their survival and that of the ‘creatures’ futures may depend upon understanding the text of the messages of this book.When they reach the new time and place through time travel, Diana receives her first significant training as a witch and understands more about her powers and it responsibilities both good and bad. Diana’s relationship with Matthew and his friends in the 1500’s hold joy and danger and their love and loyalties are tested again and again.
I impatiently waited for this book and enjoyed it though not as much as “Discovery of Witches”. I look forward to the final book of the trilogy that I hope will be published early next year. I recommend both of these books.
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LibraryThing member arielfl
The new novel picks up right where the last one left off. Matthew and Diana time walk back to Elizabethan England. There they mingle with the School of Night and Diana looks for witches to teach her more about her powers. They meet a ton of people and Matthew is as possessive and controlling as
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ever. Diana also has her damsel in distress moment. For someone who is supposed to be very intelligent she seems to lack all common sense and keeps wandering off with those who wish her harm. There were some bright points but overall I wished that could have cast a spell that tightened the plot and edited out about 200 hundred pages. Show Less
LibraryThing member riverwillow
I gave Discovery of Witches a 3 star review, mainly because I thought it was Twilight for adults with a smattering of the Da Vinci Code and the only reason I’ve read Shadow of the Night is because I was curious as to how Harkness, an academic specialising in the Renaissance, depicted Christopher
Its quite hard to write a review of Shadow of the Night as I found it both interesting and deeply frustrating. There’s a lot of information about the sixteenth century in this book which is the root cause of both my interest and frustration as its definitely too much information for a work of fiction, and some of it seemed completely unnecessary, but, as I’m interested in sixteenth century England I found Harkness’s interpretation of the period quite fascinating although overly long and complicated. As for Marlowe, she didn’t make him an overtly modern gay, atheist James Bond, which I’d feared, but she does portray him as in love with Matthew, a member of the School of Night – there isn’t any evidence that Marlowe was ever a member of the School – with all members of the School, including Matthew, being spies.
The other frustration, for me at least, is that Harkness sticks closely to her formula, Matthew is still unbelievably perfect in that Edward Cullen stalker/potential wife beater way, and Diana is clearly going to heal the world in some unexplainable way. I also found the flash-forwards to the twenty first century perplexing and couldn’t see quite how they moved the narrative forward.
Having said all of that and not wanting to write spoilers, I liked the way Harkness enabled Diana to connect with her parents and these scenes were the most compelling of the book.
I’m not gagging to read Book 3, as I’m fairly confident that I know what will happen. However I will look out for Harkness’s academic works, as I may find these more satisfying.
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Marlowe, as my dissertation for my MA was all about Marlowe.Its quite hard to write a review of Shadow of the Night as I found it both interesting and deeply frustrating. There’s a lot of information about the sixteenth century in this book which is the root cause of both my interest and frustration as its definitely too much information for a work of fiction, and some of it seemed completely unnecessary, but, as I’m interested in sixteenth century England I found Harkness’s interpretation of the period quite fascinating although overly long and complicated. As for Marlowe, she didn’t make him an overtly modern gay, atheist James Bond, which I’d feared, but she does portray him as in love with Matthew, a member of the School of Night – there isn’t any evidence that Marlowe was ever a member of the School – with all members of the School, including Matthew, being spies.
The other frustration, for me at least, is that Harkness sticks closely to her formula, Matthew is still unbelievably perfect in that Edward Cullen stalker/potential wife beater way, and Diana is clearly going to heal the world in some unexplainable way. I also found the flash-forwards to the twenty first century perplexing and couldn’t see quite how they moved the narrative forward.
Having said all of that and not wanting to write spoilers, I liked the way Harkness enabled Diana to connect with her parents and these scenes were the most compelling of the book.
I’m not gagging to read Book 3, as I’m fairly confident that I know what will happen. However I will look out for Harkness’s academic works, as I may find these more satisfying.
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LibraryThing member susiesharp
I must admit I didn’t enjoy this one as much as I enjoyed A Discovery of Witches. This one bogged down big time in the middle and by the time it did pick back up I was ready for a conclusion. That being said I will read the next installment just to see how it all ends. I just hope it will be
Also I would say the ending was unsatisfactory after all the time spent in the past, then no questions answered when they got back to the present but what we got at the end was Shakespeare? Ok I will try to be more succinct. Sometimes the past story felt like a who’s who and at times it got to be a little much. Plus as I said it really bogged down and almost lost me in the middle I think if I hadn’t been listening to this on audio it would have been easy to put the book down and step away.
So my dislikes were the middle and the ending…hmm…. That doesn’t make it sound like I liked this at all but I did… I like the story, but there are hopefully going to be some answers in the next book like what happened in the present while Diana & Matthew were gone…What happened when the 16th century Matthew came back to his life? This one seems like a biggy because of all the who’s who in history they met and the changes to his own past & personality at the time Matthew made how could he not find out what happened in those months he disappeared. Where did he go? Did he just cease to exist for those months?
So hopefully the 3rd book in this trilogy will answer my questions and get back to what I loved about the first book. I will read the next one.
Jennifer Ikeda does a good job again at the narration however there was one voice that annoyed me every time and that was the Duke of Northumberland his voice was so odd it just bothered me, also she did accents for some people and no accent for others, which as a listener I found an odd choice either do all accents or none at all not just wily nilly.
3 Stars- (Good Book but some things didn't connect with me)
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worth it.Also I would say the ending was unsatisfactory after all the time spent in the past, then no questions answered when they got back to the present but what we got at the end was Shakespeare? Ok I will try to be more succinct. Sometimes the past story felt like a who’s who and at times it got to be a little much. Plus as I said it really bogged down and almost lost me in the middle I think if I hadn’t been listening to this on audio it would have been easy to put the book down and step away.
So my dislikes were the middle and the ending…hmm…. That doesn’t make it sound like I liked this at all but I did… I like the story, but there are hopefully going to be some answers in the next book like what happened in the present while Diana & Matthew were gone…What happened when the 16th century Matthew came back to his life? This one seems like a biggy because of all the who’s who in history they met and the changes to his own past & personality at the time Matthew made how could he not find out what happened in those months he disappeared. Where did he go? Did he just cease to exist for those months?
So hopefully the 3rd book in this trilogy will answer my questions and get back to what I loved about the first book. I will read the next one.
Jennifer Ikeda does a good job again at the narration however there was one voice that annoyed me every time and that was the Duke of Northumberland his voice was so odd it just bothered me, also she did accents for some people and no accent for others, which as a listener I found an odd choice either do all accents or none at all not just wily nilly.
3 Stars- (Good Book but some things didn't connect with me)
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LibraryThing member indygo88
I'm almost embarrassed by how much I'm beginning to love this trilogy. I'm really not the vampire/witch/daemon type of reader, but I find myself getting sucked into this story, and I liked this 2nd installment just as much, if not more, than the 1st. Yes, it's maybe a little lengthy and a little
Once again, Jennifer Ikeda does a superb job with the audiobook. If you have a choice, definitely go with the audio on this one!
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slower-moving in parts (as was A Discovery of Witches), but despite that, I didn't want it to end. I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy a time jump back into Elizabethan England, but I did. Books with time travel always fascinate me & play havoc with my rational mind, but in the end I almost always enjoy them, and this one was no exception. I hated to see this one end, both for the fact that I'd invested so much time with these characters and will miss them, and because that as of now, there's still no release date for the third book in the trilogy. I guess it goes without saying that I'll be anxiously awaiting book #3....Once again, Jennifer Ikeda does a superb job with the audiobook. If you have a choice, definitely go with the audio on this one!
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LibraryThing member jrw114
I did not like this as much as the first one. Very scattered and even the characters felt different.
Original publication date
2012-07-10
ISBN
0670023485 / 9780670023486