Shadow of Night, by Deborah Harkness, is the second novel in the All Souls Trilogy. In the first novel (A Discovery of Witches), Diana Bishop, a Yale history scholar, discovers that she is a witch with extraordinary magical abilities. She is inexplicably and romantically drawn to Matthew Clairmount, a 1,500-year-old vampire geneticist. Both embark upon a timewalking journey to understand the secrets inside a lost and enchanted manuscript known as Ashmole 782, which may hold the origins of otherworldly beings--daemons, witches, and vampires.
Diana and Matthew travel back into the final years of Elizabethan London (1558–1603) with two goals: 1) to find the traces of Ashmole 782, and b) to locate a witch who can help Diana gain control of her spellbound powers. They find themselves plunged into a world of spies and subterfuge as well as Matthew's old friends, the mysterious School of Night. However, their journey takes a drastic turn that pulls them closer into Matthew's darkest secrets and other unexpected dangers. Whatever actions they leave behind in the past will certainly impact the future.
When I finished the A Discovery of Witches, I enjoyed it so much that I had to obtain the Shadow of Night from my local library. English literature was never my favorite subject in high school, yet Harkness' writing style captivated me so much that I wanted to learn more about Elizabethan England. Diana and Matthew are a match made in heaven even though their love is forbidden. Readers will be pleased to learn that this book explores their ancestries. In the end, both become stronger individuals mentally-wise given what they encountered during their journey. Although this book is 575 pages, I never came across a dull moment. That's how much I enjoyed this series.
In the sixteenth century, monarchies (England, Spain, Portugal, France, etc.) were the dominant form of government in Europe. The Protestant Reformation had occurred, which was a huge blow for the Roman Catholic Church. The English were in the beginning stage of exploring North America. It had not established colonies in the present-day United States. You will also run across some famous names in the novel. I won't spoil it so you must see for yourself in this novel.
The All Souls trilogy has become so popular that it may become a film series! From the author's website:
Warner Brothers Pictures has secured the film rights to the All Souls Trilogy. Work is currently underway to adapt the first book, A Discovery of Witches, for the screen. Denise DiNovi and Alison Greenspan are producing the film. Playwright David Auburn, who has received both a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award, has been hired to write the screenplay.
Stay tuned for the final novel in the trilogy, The Book of Life. It will be released on July 14, 2014!
1 comment:
Great review of one of my favorite books! Anyone with a love of history or travel will love these books - they have the paranormal element, but are so much more than that too. I always felt as though I was in the most fascinating history class - Professor Harkness is captivating. I'm very excited about the prospect of this being made into a movie. I can't imagine anyone else besides Richard Armitage as Matthew Clairmont though! You should check this out: www.armitage4clairmont.com or www.facebook.com/armitage4clairmont
Post a Comment