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)

A slow start but good!

Would you consider the audio edition of A Discovery of Witches to be better than the print version?

Yes

Who was your favorite character and why?

Love them all

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

The voices she uses are great!

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

Yes

Any additional comments?

A little slow at first but loved it by the end!

love!!

I love this series and have read or listened to it multiple times. never gets old!

Superbly Written

Where does A Discovery of Witches rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

My favorite books are series books the longer the better. A Discovery of Witches is in my top 3 series. I look forward to the publishing of Ms. Harkness's 3rd book in this All Souls series.

What did you like best about this story?

The characters are well developed and believable. I felt as though I was part of their retinue throughout the story. The time periods the novel took place in was fascinating and realistic. The 16th century time period (the later years of Queen Elizabeth's reign) extremely informative. I enjoyed Diana's and Matthew's 2009 sojourn in Oxford, New York and France.

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

Jennifer brought the story to life. Her characterizations were excellent. There are a lot of characters in this tome and that she was able to differentiate and act them out was unreal.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I ran the gambit of emotions, from happiness, laughter, to sadness and anger, it was a wonderful experience.

Any additional comments?

I have become a devotee of audio books. The mind's imagination brings the stories and characterizations to life better than any movie or the actual book. It's a journey that propels me to a different dimension. The emotions that one experiences during the storytelling is phenomenal.

Instant Fan!

Twilight for adults. Still PG, but Diana is a mature woman. Deborah Harkness does a wonderful job drawing in the audience with her beautiful picutres. Only problem is book #2 isn't out yet! This is one book I'll read over and over! Is it too much to hope for a movie, or even a series?

More Than Once

Would you listen to A Discovery of Witches again? Why?

Yes. There is just so much to catch. The story line has a lot of details woven into it. It takes more than once to see what was said in one encounter and then how it plays into another encounter.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Discovery of Witches?

When Matthew saw what had been done to Diana by the Finnish Witch.

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

She does a wonderful job on how Matthew's accent changes from Oxford English to French English as his emotional state changes.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No.

Any additional comments?

I kept trying to figure out what really was

Wish I had known it was the first of a trilogy!

I enjoyed this book, but nowhere in the description does it say it is the first book of a trilogy, with parts 2 and 3 yet to be written. Now that I'm hooked, the wait is a disappointment. Let the wait begin....

Witches, Vampires and History.

I haven’t finished yet, I’m at 65% percent tonight.I previously skimmed through my library copy of the book. I wasn’t impressed by the slow pace and every single
wordy detail. Audible to the rescue. I’m entranced by the story, by the characters and yes, even the history. I now have all three of The All Souls Books in Audible form. Thanks to Audible for making my books portable.
AUDIBLE 20 REVIEW SWEEPSTAKES ENTRY

Great book!

Great book!! Fans of Outlander and fans of supernatural romance will enjoy this book. Can't wait to listen to book 2.

Exceptionally read!!!

I loved it. Can't wait to start the next one. It's very exciting and in great detail.

An Entertaining Listen....

I listen to roughly fifty novels a year, and I really enjoyed listening to this one. The pace is a bit slow at times as the author develops characters and explains backstory, but it quickens in the final third of the book. The ending is a real cliffhanger, but sets up the second book impeccably. I'm hooked....