A Discovery of Witches

A Novel

By: Deborah Harkness

Narrated by: Jennifer Ikeda

Length: 23 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

Book one of the New York Times best-selling All Souls Series—"a wonderfully imaginative grown-up fantasy with all the magic of Harry Potter and Twilight” (People).

Now “[a] hot show that’s like Twilight meets Outlander” (Thrillist) airing on AMC and BBC America, as well as streaming on Sundance Now and Shudder.

Deborah Harkness’s sparkling debut, A Discovery of Witches, has brought her into the spotlight and galvanized fans around the world. In this tale of passion and obsession, Diana Bishop, a young scholar and a descendant of witches, discovers a long-lost and enchanted alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782, deep in Oxford's Bodleian Library. Its reappearance summons a fantastical underworld, which she navigates with her leading man, vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont.

Harkness has created a universe to rival those of Anne Rice, Diana Gabaldon, and Elizabeth Kostova, and she adds a scholar's depth to this riveting tale of magic and suspense. The story continues in book two, Shadow of Night, book three, The Book of Life, and the fourth in the series, Time’s Convert.

©2011 Deborah Harkness (P)2011 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“A wonderfully imaginative grown-up fantasy with all the magic of Harry Potter or Twilight.... An irresistible tale of wizardry, science and forbidden love.” (People)

“Romantic, erudite, and suspenseful.... Harkness attends to every scholarly and emotional detail with whimsy, sensuality, and humor.” (O, The Oprah Magazine)

“A thoroughly grown-up novel packed with gorgeous historical detail and a gutsy, brainy heroine to match.... Harkness writes with thrilling gusto about the magical world.” (Entertainment Weekly)

Great story & the narrator is phenomenal

Deborah Harkness really created a new and unique story like nothing I've ever read. Her characters are all rich and well developed. The super natural parts of the story are done really well and with lots of new and interesting twists. The narrator, Jennifer Ikeda, could not have been more prefect. She is an amazing talent.

nice discovery

If you could sum up A Discovery of Witches in three words, what would they be?

REALLY slow starting but worth the wait, once it got moving it was very enjoyable. Though the ending was disappointing it did leave the reader looking forward to the next novel.

What did you like best about this story?

A nie twist on traditional lore.

What does Jennifer Ikeda bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I really enjoyed the narrator’s portrayal of the various characters.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Not a chance!

AMAZING!!!!

One of the best books in a long time.. Loved it! Can't wait for the next one.

Great Story! Even with the Vampires and Witches!

I was prepared to be disappointed in this book, but luckily I wasn't at all disappointed. The story was very well written, descriptive, and intriguing right away. I'm not usually a big vampire fan, but I found that the characters were so well developed that I didn't really think about them being different "creatures". Great fun!

Very entertaining

Although there were moments when i thought the writer dragged a little, I enjoyed the book and found it very entertaining. A good thing to escape to the imagination with.

Great story

Heard about this from a friend and they didn't steer me wrong, very good book.

Magical

I was hooked from the very start. Very well written and the narrator was great. Going to download the 2nd book now.

A Discovery of a New Obsession

This is everything I needed now...a cross between the love story of Twilight and Dan Brown's books, it's everything that a history buff and cheesy romance lover could want in a book. People can say what they want about the Twilight series but it was an enthralling page turner and this sits just like that but with real historical backbone and research and care.

Loved the narration. Always feel odd about one person doing all the voices in a character heavy series...it can get tangled but Jennifer Ikeda is superb, her regular voice the best kind of Narrator for a fairytale like this.

Amazing story that takes you to many places

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, the story is very good by itself, but the audiobook brings the characters to life. It also enhances the feelings of the characters. When I read the story there was so much involved that sometimes I would miss how the characters related to each other.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Matthew since he was very protective of Diane, but he seem to be the adult of the relationship. It was also interesting everything he had experienced in his life and how he kept going.

What does Jennifer Ikeda bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She brings the flavors of the story to life. You feel the depth of the charaters experiences

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Sophisicated and spell binding. supernatural romeo and juliet.

What will happen next?

What did you love best about A Discovery of Witches?

The love story and the "discovery" (not going to say more...it would be a spoiler)

What did you like best about this story?

The sisterhood of the witches.

Which character – as performed by Jennifer Ikeda – was your favorite?

I liked all of them...don't make me choose!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, but I could not. So, I listened more than once.