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)

Love love love

Absolutely in love with this book. Have to start the next one right now, but so worried about the series ending :(

great book, good imagery!!

this was a really good book, performed very well, great imagery and storyline! definitely recommend

An amazingly fascinating story!!!

I wasn't too sure about listening to this book at first, because I'm usually into murder mysteries but I do love fantasies with imagination type creatures but this has been amazingly fascinating story that kept me wanting more and to listen to it constantly! definitely not boring which I thought it was going to be in the beginning!

Enchanting

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

I'm new to audiobooks and this ranks at the top.

What did you like best about this story?

Everything.

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

She was absolutely amazing. At first I wasn't sure, but she did such an amazing job with all of the characters' voices and all of the accents and there were a few. She did a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life. I actually did the e-book/audible mix so I went back and forth between reading and listening. I'm usually more of a reader, sometimes I read a paragraph a couple of times, or sometimes I skim, but a lot of the time I was actually enjoying listening to the audio version more because I thought she did such a great job with the characters' voices and expression.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The whole book moved me.

Any additional comments?

I started out very skeptical of both the book and the narration. There were some things about the book that I thought were a little cheesy, sometimes I thought something was dragged out a little longer than necessary, I was reminded of a number of other books along the way that I thought she was influenced by, but I think it was a wholly original work. I truly lost myself in the story and about halfway through I thought "wow, I feel bewitched and enchanted like she's put a spell on me." That sounds corny and I hate corniness but I really felt that way. I absolutely loved it, and in moments of tension when I didn't know what was going to happen, I was beside myself and heartbroken. I'm just hoping I like the next two as much and that I'm not disappointed. I am SO relieved and ecstatic that Jennifer Ikeda reads the next one as well. I hope she'll also read the third.

good story + performance

compelling story. honestly, more interested in what happens to diana than in the love story which became tedious in the wake of the couple’s co-dependence typical of vampire novels. regardless, the story is irresistible- an effect made ever more acute through the lens of the talented reader who lends her ear for inflection, accents + languages to this novels list of bright attributes.

Great book, very well written!

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

One of my favourites!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Those who love romance & suspense.

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

Great voice & delivery!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

How the heroin survived torture and was able to come out stronger.

Looking forward to the next book

What made the experience of listening to A Discovery of Witches the most enjoyable?

It was a little slow getting started but I would recommend it my friends and family. I'm looking forward to the next book, eager to know what happens next.

Yes!

Yes, it's a romance! Yes, it's reminiscent of Twilight with a more mature set of characters. Yes, it's a little contrived. Yes, I thought about the characters Harkness so richly described long after I stopped listening at the end of my daily commute. Yes, the narrator deserves an Audie for her performance. Yes, in my opinon, it is well worth the single credt for hours of listening enjoyment.

Wonderful story!

Really a fun tale. Great voices and accents, sounds as though a sequel could be in order and I'm all for it!

Good not Great

Any additional comments?

It am not a fan of the Twilight books as I find them offensive. The lead character is weak and annoying and the love scenes are boring and far too chased, lets not even get into the bedazzled vampires. This is better then that as the lead character is stronger and the love story a bit more interesting but not as fun as say a Sookie Stackhouse novel which I really enjoy. I have read all the Stackhouse novels and am on a search for something I like as much. This book is good and I enjoyed it. I would read or listen to more form Deborah Harkness but I did find the main character to be a bit annoying, she is like the witch in the old show bewitched, all this magic and doesn't use it, stupid. The love story a little slow and chased for my taste but until there are more Sookie books this will do.