A Discovery of Witches
The gripping first novel in the spellbinding All Souls series
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4.5 • 694 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
THE NO. 1 INTERNATIONAL AND SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
*NOW A MAJOR SKY TV SERIES. Read the novel Season 1 is based on*
It begins with absence and desire. It begins with blood and fear. It begins with A Discovery of Witches . . .
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Reasons to read A Discovery of Witches and the ALL SOULS series:
'A bubbling cauldron of illicit desire' DAILY MAIL
'Intelligent and off-the-wall . . . irresistible to Twilight fans' SUNDAY TIMES
'You will be enchanted' LEIGH BARDUGO
'Rich, thrilling . . . A captivating and romantic ripping yarn' E. L. JAMES
'I could lose myself in here and never want to come out . . . Utterly enchanting on every level' MANDA SCOTT
'Exciting amounts of spells, kisses and battles, and is recounted with enchanting, page-turning panache' MARIE CLAIRE
'A wonderfully imaginative grown-up fantasy with all the magic of Harry Potter and Twilight' PEOPLE
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A world of witches, daemons and vampires.
A manuscript which holds the secrets of their past and the key to their future.
Diana and Matthew - the forbidden love at the heart of it.
When historian Diana Bishop opens an alchemical manuscript in the Bodleian Library, it's an unwelcome intrusion of magic into her carefully ordered life. Though Diana is a witch of impeccable lineage, the violent death of her parents while she was still a child convinced her that human fear is more potent than any witchcraft. Now Diana has unwittingly exposed herself to a world she's kept at bay for years; one of powerful witches, creative, destructive daemons and long-lived vampires.
Sensing the significance of Diana's discovery, the creatures gather in Oxford, among them the enigmatic Matthew Clairmont, a vampire geneticist.
Diana is inexplicably drawn to Matthew and, in a shadowy world of half-truths and old enmities, ties herself to him without fully understanding the ancient line they are crossing. As they begin to unlock the secrets of the manuscript and their feelings for each other deepen, so the fragile balance of peace unravels . . .
Fall under the spell of Diana and Matthew in the stunning first volume of the No. 1 internationally bestselling ALL SOULS series.
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Readers love A Discovery of Witches:
'A masterpiece' Reader Review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'Bewitches you and doesn't set you free' Reader Review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'One of the best books I have ever read' Reader Review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
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Read the ALL SOULS series in full:
Book 1: A Discovery of Witches
Book 2: Shadow of Night
Book 3: The Book of Life
Book 4: Time's Convert
Book 5: The Black Bird Oracle
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Historian Deborah Harkness takes the familiar setting of Oxford University and infuses it with magic, intrigue and a dash of romance. The first book in her All Souls trilogy follows scholar and witch Diana Bishop as she accidentally unleashes a curse during her research and embarks on a journey to lift it. Harkness has studied the history of science, medicine, alchemy and magic, and her knowledge of arcane details enriches the story. A Discovery of Witches will delight not only fantasy lovers, but also readers who enjoy epic dramas rich in historical detail. We’re thrilled that Harkness’ series has inspired a BBC drama.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In Harkness's lively debut, witches, vampires, and demons outnumber humans at Oxford's Bodleian Library, where witch and Yale historian Diana Bishop discovers an enchanted manuscript, attracting the attention of 1,500-year-old vampire Matthew Clairmont. The orphaned daughter of two powerful witches, Bishop prefers intellect, but relies on magic when her discovery of a palimpsest documenting the origin of supernatural species releases an assortment of undead who threaten, stalk, and harass her. Against all occult social propriety, Bishop turns for protection to tall, dark, bloodsucking man-about-town Clairmont. Their research raises questions of evolution and extinction among the living dead, and their romance awakens centuries-old enmities. Harkness imagines a crowded universe where normal and paranormal creatures observe a tenuous peace. "Magic is desire made real," Bishop says after both her desire and magical prowess exceed her expectations. Harkness brings this world to vibrant life and makes the most of the growing popularity of gothic adventure with an ending that keeps the Old Lodge door wide open.
Customer Reviews
Just the best
Great fun to read. Really enjoyed the plot, characters and creatures! What a great book to read!
The
Finally a supernatural that can stand on it's own, without the obvious comparisons to "that" movie series. A great base novel to set up the coming series.
Couldn't put it down
Twilight for adults? Well maybe a very loose comparison, but if we must, Discovery is exponentially better written. There is a respectable depth and intelligence in the characters and their lives. Deborah writes in a way that I had clear and vivid pictures in my head, all the while expecting the book to translate easily and well to film. I fell in lust with Matthew and grew to admire Diana, the heroine. I have to say, the worst part about reading this book, particularly so quickly was that it inevitably had to end and the wait for the next installment is torture....so I've just read this one three times while I wait!