A Discovery of Witches (All Souls, #1)

Title: A Discovery of Witches (All Souls, #1)

Author: Deborah Harkness

Published in: 2011

Date read: 30th May 2022

Score: 4/5

Genre: Fantasy, Supernatural, Fiction

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"A Discovery of Witches" centres on Diana Bishop, a brilliant historian and reluctant witch who has long suppressed her magical heritage. While researching in Oxford's Bodleian Library, she inadvertently calls up Ashmole 782, an ancient, alchemical manuscript long thought lost. This act draws the attention of creatures – daemons, vampires, and other witches – who have been searching for the manuscript for centuries, believing it holds secrets to their origins and future.

Among those drawn to Diana is Matthew Clairmont, a mysterious and ancient vampire geneticist. Despite the deep-seated animosity and mistrust between witches and vampires, Matthew and Diana find themselves irresistibly drawn to each other. As they navigate their forbidden romance, they must also contend with powerful forces seeking Ashmole 782 and the knowledge it contains, as Diana's inadvertent discovery sets off a chain of events that threatens the fragile peace among the creatures and forces her to confront her own magical destiny.

Comments:
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Although I am very interested in stories involving witches and vampires, I was nervous about this being all about romance. I am pleased with the result...so much so that I moved onto the others!

Books that we've read by Deborah Harkness (3):
A Discovery of Witches (All Souls, #1) (2011), Shadow of Night (All Souls, #2) (2012), The Book of Life (All Souls, #3) (2014)