Review: Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

       

600 pages later, I completed Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness. Applause is appropriate here at the completion of this history tome of witch/vampire lore.


IT BEGAN WITH A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES. Historian Diana Bishop, descended from a line of powerful witches, and long-lived vampire Matthew Clairmont have broken the laws dividing creatures. When Diana discovered a significant alchemical manuscript in the Bodleian Library,she sparked a struggle in which she became bound to Matthew. Now the fragile coexistence of witches, daemons, vampires and humans is dangerously threatened.

Seeking safety, Diana and Matthew travel back in time to London, 1590. But they soon realise that the past may not provide a haven. Reclaiming his former identity as poet and spy for Queen Elizabeth, the vampire falls back in with a group of radicals known as the School of Night. Many are unruly daemons, the creative minds of the age, including playwright Christopher Marlowe and mathematician Thomas Harriot. Together Matthew and Diana scour Tudor London for the elusive manuscript Ashmole 782, and search for the witch who will teach Diana how to control her remarkable powers...(GoodReads).

I will be the first to admit that 1- this book is nutso, like 100% crazy, but also 100% impossible to put down.  I can't decide if the writing was good, but the continuation of the story kept the reader going and then just like last book- left us waiting for resolutions.

• Originality: 9.  For a sequel this may shock you but if you thought Discovery of Witches was nutty, GET READY.  Still, if you have not read the first book you are doomed to follow the plot in this one.
• Absurdity: 10.  We travel back in time to Michael's European escapades so Diana can learn to tame her magic.  Sounds simple enough but there is a wild range of vampires, court etiquette, ripped bodices, food, fashion, and famous personalities. NEVER MIND the millions of friends and secrets of Michael's that he keeps getting caught in.  Also, there is not enough discussion of their impacts on the future, lord knows they are creating a mess in history.
• Level of Paranormal Romance: 8.  Maybe I had just forgotten, but is there a lot of smoldering vampire/witch moments in here ( see previous mention of  ripped corsets).
• Level of Harry Potterness: 6. Ok, truth, I couldn't stop turning pages, but Diana, seriously, pull yourself together- you and Michael have the same fight over and over about keeping secrets, trusting each other, accepting each other's nature... blah blah blah.  Also, you are a foreigner in the past -stop being saucy to the royalty.  Editorial note: I can't even imagine the details that didn't make the editors cut.. sheesh.