The Book of Life

All Souls, Book 3

By: Deborah Harkness

Narrated by: Jennifer Ikeda

Length: 23 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

The number one New York Times best-selling series finale and sequel to A Discovery of Witches and Shadow of Night.

Look for the hit TV series A Discovery of Witches, streaming on AMC Plus, Sundance Now, and Shudder.

Bringing the magic and suspense of the All Souls Trilogy to a deeply satisfying conclusion, this highly anticipated finale went straight to number one on the New York Times best seller list. In The Book of Life, Diana and Matthew time-travel back from Elizabethan London to make a dramatic return to the present - facing new crises and old enemies. At Matthew’s ancestral home, Sept-Tours, they reunite with the beloved cast of characters from A Discovery of Witches - with one significant exception. But the real threat to their future has yet to be revealed, and when it is, the search for Ashmole 782 and its missing pages takes on even more urgency.

©2014 Deborah Harkness (P)2014 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Weaving an extraordinarily rich story of magic and science, history and fiction, passion and power, secrets and truths, Harkness delivers an unforgettable and spellbinding finale that's not to be missed." (USA Today)

"Juicy and action-packed.... Even at 561 pages, this is one hardcover no one will mind lugging to the beach." (People)

"Pure escapist summer fun." (Jodi Picoult, Parade)

It was a good ending to the trilogy

I love the All Souls Trilogy but man, the narrator “doing” Miriam’s voice was awful. Truly awful.

Absolutely Consuming!

Riveting, suspenseful, and satisfying! I am living in this masterful world created by Deborah Harkness. Moving on to Book 4 immediately!

Complex and Engaging

The story line was so complex that it kept me engaged throughout. It was so masterfully narrated that it was difficult to stop listening. Superb!

I love the 3 book series as a whole.

If Jennifer Ikeda had narrated the last 2 books I would have bought them too

Best Audio Book Experience Ever

If you could sum up The Book of Life in three words, what would they be?

It was a great pleasure to experience a series so engaging. I found myself swept up in the entire series, so much so, I don't think I stopped for air. This author is gifted beyond expectations, and when teamed up with the narrator - they make an unbeatable team. I would purchase anything either of these two are a part of.

The story in this final book of the trilogy did not disappoint. It kept the characters consistent, wrapped up everything in a neat package and left you wanting the story to never end, though the conclusion was very satisfactory.

I fell in love with each of the main characters from the beginning with the Discovery of Witches, and they felt close enough to be real by the conclusion. Details were exceptional, and I HIGHLY recommend the audiobook series.

What other book might you compare The Book of Life to and why?

Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night - this is the conclusion of the All Souls Trilogy.

Which scene was your favorite?

Honestly, there were so many...to name just one is difficult. I must say, it is even more difficult to describe without ruining the story. Let's just say the part where Diana overcomes something she has hidden throughout the series.

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

ABSOLUTELY!!

Any additional comments?

Just do yourself a favor, and listen to this series. I would love to see this in the theater, but I am afraid they would never be able to produce it effectively as to not taint the experience.

By far, the best series I have ever listened to in audio format.

I hope this isn't the end of the series.

Another great book by Deborah Harkness. I have to admit the first in this series I thought was wordy and I didn't care much for the character Diana Bishop, but I kept going. Book 2 I was hooked and now with book 3 I don't want it to end. So many twists with characters who live forever, who knows who, when did they meet, what grudges do they hold. There are some characters that you just want to hear more from, sure there are others that could be killed off and you wouldn't mind but not too many.
Great job, so worth the wait.

Last book in a compelling trilogy!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Book of Life to be better than the print version?

Yes. I read the first book in the trilogy and listened to the last two. I enjoyed listening the most.

What other book might you compare The Book of Life to and why?

I don't read a lot of fantasy. I did read Outlander which also involves time travel and much preferred this one.

Which scene was your favorite?

I can't pick a favorite scene. I liked the rich descriptions of the various residences of Matthew's family as well as the appearance of well known historical figures.

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

Not a moment, but more of an unfolding. I liked Dianna's coming into her power. I also very much enjoyed the appreciation of and growing respect for Dianna by Matthew and all the other vampires.

Any additional comments?

I was skeptical, at first, about the theme of witch/vampire marriage - pretty far fetched, even if you can suspend your disbelief in either of the two. Amazingly Deborah Harkness pulls it off with great skill and flair. I've now read all 3 books in the trilogy and feel they just kept getting better!

Beautiful End

I really loved this whole series and this end was so good! The mixing of science, magic, mystery, thriller, and justice was absolutely fantastic!

FANTASTIC

great series. good character development, nice love story without to much fluff.
five star read

Fantastic read

Absolutely loved the books. Great characters and storyline and definitely worth the read. Highly recommend.