A Discovery of Witches: A Novel

Deborah Harkness

Feb 2011 · All Souls Trilogy Book 1 · Sold by Penguin

About this ebook

Book one of the New York Times bestselling All Souls series, from the author of The Black Bird Oracle.

“A wonderfully imaginative grown-up fantasy with all the magic of Harry Potter and Twilight” (People).

Look for the hit series “A Discovery of Witches,” now streaming on AMC+, 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.

Ratings and reviews

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness is the first book in her All Souls Trilogy . The sensationally magical story of an American witch with no desire for her powers and the centuries old vampire that irrevocably changes her life. Diana Bishop is a witch with limited skill and prefers to think of herself as the scholar she is. Focused on historical Alchemy, she journeys to Oxford for work and somehow manages to get her hands on a magical manuscript. Unbeknownst to her at the time, it is a highly coveted, most sought-after, and elusive tome that no one has seen in centuries only to have her call it from the archives of the Bodleian with ease. Matthew Clairmont has been searching for this book for centuries believing it to be a book of origins of the vampire, witch and daemon species and hoping it has answers to why all the species are dying out and losing power. Learning that a young and inept witch has managed to call the text forth from the archives and going to investigate is a life-changing event for him. Diana Bishop is everything his ancient soul never knew it needed and despite how badly he tries to deny his attraction to her their relationship evolves. But with an ancient like Matthew there are secrets - he has lived a hundred lifetimes and has a hundred lifetimes of secrets - but the depth of some of what he keeps from Diana may break them before they even have a chance to explore the bizarre dynamics of a witch and vampire relationship. Addictive! This series is quite possibly as addictive as Matthew's attraction to Diana! Now also a wonderful TV series on Sundance Channel, I was blown away with how entranced I was with these characters. The main characters, the secondary characters, the world-building. Definitely one of my best reads of 2019! Enjoy!

Deep in the recesses of Oxford’s Bodleian Library sits a leather-bound volume that was once owned and ‘operated on’ by a 17th Century book collector and alchemist. As far as the world of ‘unique’ beings is concerned, this book has been missing for a good, long time. In fact, in the communities of vampires, witches, and daemons - three factions that live in the human world each and every day - they believe that this book is long gone, although all of the factions wish to see it. Why? Because inside this book rests the key to why they all are who they are, the secrets behind their powers, the covenants and spells of the witches, even issues regarding the debate between science and religion - and every being would kill to get their hands on it. Dr. Diana Bishop is an extremely smart woman who raced through school at top-speed and ended up at the very top when it came to being a professor and all-out scholar. To say she is descended from witches is an understatement. In fact, her relative was one of the ‘witches’ who was hung from her neck in the legendary Salem, Massachusetts. Diana doesn’t even wish to study magic, nor does she ever think about the fact that she can feel certain powers within her and has the ability to do things that others simply can’t. After the hideous death of her parents, Diana has made sure to live a normal life - never once wishing to join covens, go to witch celebrations, or even play the slightest role in the magic world. One day, walking into the library, this long-lost mystery book ends up in Diana’s hands, as she takes notes for her dissertation. After this one moment in time, as she cracks the cover of the book and realizes that it is infused with a power that no one but she is able to break through, her life becomes an all out pain in the butt. From a powerful wizard that shows up at the library, a coven of witches who are nowhere near Diana’s friends, to daemons galore who want nothing more than to get that book they thought was lost - Diana’s quiet, simple life turns into an adventure of mammoth proportions. The one being who shows up in her life that throws her for a loop is a vampire by the name of Matthew Clairmont. Beautiful, yes, but a vampire who is extremely confused - torn between having this sudden urge to protect and watch over Diana so that no one can hurt her - to knowing full well that a witch and a vampire can not have any kind of relationship. As Matthew gets deeper and deeper into Diana’s life, taking her to odd yoga classes at the Olde Lodge that allow all mystical beings to attend, hiding her out in castles built on lands that he received from King Henry VIII, to bringing her home to meet his all-powerful mother - Matthew’s emotions go into overdrive as he falls deeply in love with a witch who has no idea the amount of power she holds within her soul. The characters are amazing and the action is non-stop. Even the description of the Oxford Library will have the ultimate book readers salivating, wishing they were sitting within those walls surrounded by such astounding history. If you missed the hardcover, this is one of the best paperbacks of the year! Remember, this is not a Twilight for adults…this is so much better! Quill Says: A true ’gem.’ You will NOT want to wait for Book II! (Reviewed by Amy Lignor for Feathered Quill Book Reviews)

Thoroughly enjoyed my first fantasy novel in a long time. The story is captivating and doesn't drag through the middle - it is perhaps a little overboard on the physical responses between the protagonists but nothing that detracts too much from the overall storyline. The end of the book left me wanting more, wanting to know what happens to all of the characters so I am eager to read the second book in the trilogy when it comes out in 2012.

About the author

Deborah Harkness is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the All Souls series, which includes A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night, The Book of Life, Time's Convert, and The Black Bird Oracle. A history professor at the University of Southern California, Harkness has received Fulbright, Guggenheim, and National Humanities Center fellowships. She lives in Los Angeles.