The Book of Life: A Novel

Deborah Harkness

Jul 2014 · All Souls Trilogy Book 3 · Sold by Penguin

About this ebook

The #1 New York Times bestselling third installment in the All Souls series, from the author of The Discovery of Witches and The Black Bird Oracle.

Look for the hit series “A Discovery of Witches,” now streaming on AMC+, 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 #1 on the New York Times bestseller 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.

Ratings and reviews

After finding the first two books I was afraid that was it. Then I accidently (hum) found the third one. This along with the other two are some of the best reads I have had for some time. I was happy to see the herbs were correctly used and how the different bloodlines all came to be. My thanks to Debra for her detailed research and ability to make truth and fiction so real. Thank You!

And long-winded. Highly convenient plot twists, not once was I surprised. Likable characters and moments of delightful banter. Unfortunately, you have to wade through a lot of smaltzy behavior and grandiose proclamations to get there. Not as bad as the second book, not as good as the first. That being said, the writing is good enough that I stuck with the series..I think it needs just a bit more grit, it seems a bit too easy. Maybe next book. ...

I loved the first book in this series but found each book after that to become more drawn out. This in particular dragged on for me. There were elements of interest and chapters I flew through but many more I had to force myself through. I do however like the detail the author paints into the scenes and find the unrequited love between Matthew and Diana sweet, if not cliche.

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.