[review] A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (2011)

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alchemy, book, book review, books, paranormal, psychics, romance, science, spells, vampires, witchcraft, witches

A Discovery of Witches (2011)
by Deborah Harkness
Hardcover Edition
Published Date: December 27, 2011
Publisher: Penguin Books
buy a copy via Amazon.
synopsis via Goodreads.

Deep in the stacks of Oxford’s Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

My Thoughts:
I wonder if I picked up a copy of Twilight fanfiction by mistake because A Discovery of Witches felt like Twilight posing as an adult novel minus the werewolves. Actually, I daresay that Twilight was a better novel–at least you could finish the thing in two days, and the pacing was fine. A Discovery of Witches takes slow pacing to a whole new level (though I have to admit the writing was a lot more refined), and Bella can’t hold a flame to Diana’s annoying personality (before today, I didn’t even think it was possible.) I don’t even know how this made New York Times Bestseller lists. But if a forced love story between wimpy, annoying witches and extremely possessive, handsome vampires are your thing, this is your book.