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)

Book of life third in series.

Enjoyed listening to this third book in series. The audible version gives character depth that enhances the book. Do yourself a favor and read books one and two first or you will miss out on a lot of character development and huge plot sections will be missing. As the main character is female I enjoyed the female narrator. She did well for the entire series. Only thing that could be better is a male to read the "guy" parts. But that is personal preference and I still give five stars all across the board.

Wow

My Goddess what a rollercoaster of enjoyment from book 1 to 3. This would make a great movie!!!!

Favorite

I truly enjoyed this trilogy, my favorite vampire/witch books yet! The travel back in time, the magic, I loved it.

Loved it!

It exceeded my expectations.

I liked the character development the most. I liked the diversity of creatures, cultures, and races. I liked the "art of war". I would love to read more stories of what comes next! What happens when to other Bright Ones? Marcus? Chris? Margaret!!!

Paranormal History

What made the experience of listening to The Book of Life the most enjoyable?

Once I was able to sort out all the many different characters, I fell in love again with this story. It wasn't bad having all of these characters, it is just been a while since I read the last book. My mind isn't as young as it once was. I just love the interesting story line, so much different then the typical paranormal fiction out there. Harkness really knows her history and brings a realistic element to her books. The bad guys are really wicked and her good guys are scary, fun and sexy. Who could ask for more. Harkness is able to through everything into her books, excluding a kitchen sink, and make it a true adventure.

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

The Book of Life is a combination of Charlaine Harris, meets Dan Brown. You have interesting and charismatic characters in the story, plus historical details. The Book of Life brings you on an adventurous ride like a Dan Brown novel too.

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

It's a tie between Glasgow and Fernando. Ikeda can really accents, and I find a Scott's and Spanish accent very sexy.

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

Weaver, because this book and series of books introduces a new type of which, a Weaver. The Book of Life shows you in colorful detail just what a Weaver is.

good... not as good as the others.

This book is good... a lot more time consuming and long winded than the other too, but it neatly ties up all the loose ends.

Wonderfully captivating trilogy!

What a wonderful and fascinating love story of differences & unity read beautifully by an amazing narrator!! Her ability to bring each of the charters to life in this intricate trilogy was a delight!

Sad the story is over

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

Yes and No. I love hearing an actors take on how the character would sound in real life and how it differs or how close it is to what I had in my imagination. But I have always loved having a book in my hand and turning the page in anticipation of what's to happen next.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Book of Life?

Jack's return. I had hoped we had not seen the last of him.

Any additional comments?

I want to know if Diana and Matthew have more children. I want to see who Phillip and Rebecca grow up to be. Will Jack find someone to love. Will Phoebe become a vampire. So many questions still, I want answers! I want more of this story. I've always found that the best kinds of books, leave you wanting more, long after the author is done telling their story.

Amazing audiobook

I am so glad I chose to listen to the audiobook instead of reading the physical copy. Jennifer Ikeda did an amazing job, I am impressed by all the voices and dialects she does in this. Thank you for the most perfect reading (listening) experience! :)

Love this relationship

Loved the conclusion to this story. Everything wrapped up with just a few ribbons left for the author to tug, to create more stories in this world.