A Discovery of Witches: The gripping first book in the magical All Souls series

Before i bought the book i saw 1st 3 episodes of the series based on this book. I searched thoroughly about the trilogy and decided to abandon the series and read the book instead. Now that itself says something about the book.So I bought the book and couldnt wait to fininsh it.Yes its a fantasy novel, yes its about vampires, witches, daemons and an ancient book which is at the centre apart from the love story between Diana and Mathew, which is extraordinary because these people are not teenagers. Nowdays all fantasy romance novels are like young adult.so i particularly dont buy them.but this is a story for all ages and its so mesmerising. I loved every bit of it. The history part, the detailing,the characterisation,plot setting, everything is brilliant. Now this is a trilogy so i already ordered the next one and cant wait to read it.

Although i received a white cover one the book was remarkably well packed and it was an extraordinary read. i love it

Such a good story can’t stop reading this

Good read.....excellent writing

good product

Synopsis:Dr Diana Bishop feels at home in the Bodleian Library. When her work as a historian requires her to study the Ashmole 782 manuscript, she feels her witch heritage call to her. A life she has given up ever since the death of her parents when she was seven, though she does use witchery for solving one or two minor problems from time-to-time. She feels an unnatural pull towards the manuscript and on opening the book discovers that not only is it a palimpsest, but that it is also bewitched.Professor Matthew Clairmont, a vampire geneticist, is on the lookout for the same manuscript for a long time. A really long time. And so are other creatures. Ashmole 782 is said to contain the secret of the very origin of life, and may also explain why creatures are slowly dying out. Creatures being the vampires, witches, and daemons who exist alongside with the humans in the world.Review:Ever read a book that is as fantastical as it is precise? As enchanting as it is based on a solid foundation? A Discovery of Witches is such a book and then some. While there are magic and witchcraft, there is also science and logic."I'd renounced my family's heritage and created a life that depended on reason and scholarly abilities, not inexplicable hunches and spells."Diana is thirty-three to Matthew's thirty-seven (plus some fifteen hundred years, give or take). It was such a delight to see them grow from strength to strength and also to see them warring – what with Diana's ideals of feminism compared to Matthew's ideals which can be said to be as old as time. While their romance is the cornerstone of the trilogy, the story is about so much more. At the centre is an old manuscript, Ashmole 782, which is being sought after by a number of strong-willed individuals for a long time, some of them even ready to kill for it. Not only has it been declared missing since 1859; but when Diana inadvertently gets her hands on it she sees that the first three pages are missing, rendering the remaining pages as unintelligible.Narrated in the first person by Diana, this makes for a compelling read. I can definitely say that it is a genre-defying book. Of course, there is the romance between a vampire and a witch, coupled with their affinity to their respective fields of study which encompasses – among other things – history, alchemy, genetics, biochemistry, literature. There's also politics in the form of the Congregation, which governs the lives of the creatures. There are also a few chapters which have been narrated from either Matthew or Sarah's (Diana's aunt) point of view, though in the third person."I keep forgetting how much history you know. You put even vampires to shame."I love how the author has structured the novel. It has a tight-knit plot. This book is like a dream come true. While I enjoyed all the YA vampire stories that I have read till now, this adult fantasy is a class apart. I adore all the clichéd romantic scenes (like the vampire watching the witch sleeping), but what I loved more was their scholarly disposition. The author has injected humour as well. What more can I say except that it is a well-constructed novel with the entire series appearing to me as an epic!There are quite a large number of characters (I also made a Cast of Characters list for my own convenience) who complement each other and are introduced at strategic points all throughout the story. Spanning a period of a little more than a month – from 21 September 2009 to 31 October 2009 and set in quite a few countries, this story of an American witch and a French vampire who meet in the United Kingdom will keep you in its thrall. Making the vampire fifteen hundred years old was the highlight of the story for me. Being the history-junkie that I am, I couldn't read the books in this trilogy fast enough to find out all the nuggets that the author spouted through the character of Matthew. I mean, how exciting would it be to have lived through everything. Though it may have been quite irritating if we think of it from Diana's POV – an all-knowing vampire. While the time span may seem too little for a romance to develop, the sheer volume of the book and the text rich in details make it appear to be a slow build-up which is very sweet. The bonding between Diana and Ysabeau, Matthew's vampire mother, is something that I will always cherish."It is a blessing as well as a burden to love so much that you can hurt so badly when love is gone."The author has beautifully blended the old and the new in this fantasy. She is herself a historian of science and medicine and has also studied alchemy, magic and the occult. There is quite some likeness between the author and the character of Diana and that is what I think has made this story more powerful and wonderful. Her play with words in certain instances was lovely. The author doesn't let you forget the reality though, in the midst of the fantasy. With the repeated mention of 'the vampire' throughout the text, it seems there is a hint provided to not romanticise a vampire before knowing about them more. It seemed to warn-off that even if it may appear to be so, this is not a fairy tale, something that the second and third book attests to.This book is also a gourmet's delight. Especially for wine-lovers. All the descriptions made me want to taste it! Meanwhile, the history of it all kept me chortling, for example, one of Matthew's houses was built in1536 on the land given to him by Henry, why – King Henry VIII, of course."Marthe belonged to the sustenance school of crisis management."I would recommend this book to everyone, especially if you love history and if you love magic.I am not going to say it ends on a cliff-hanger because the entire trilogy is out there:A Discovery of WitchesShadow of NightThe Book of LifeP.S. I know I am going to have a gala time re-reading this book, especially with side-by-side reads of the factual history occurring in it. Also, I wasn't aware of it earlier but there is a free e-book (available on Kindle) called "The All Souls Real-Time Reading Companion". The next time I read the book, I am going to be consulting this simultaneously as it contains interesting details, dates, images, etc relating to the book.Next on my reading list is The World of All Souls: The Complete Guide to A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night, and The Book of Life, which should have been another simultaneous read I guess.I see Cat's @coffeecoffeecat Instagram Stories, where she posts 'Goode Morning' every day (you have to see it in order to know what I'm talking about!). Haha...But from there only I came to know about Matthew Goode, followed by Matthew Clairmont (now I also want a Matthew, preferably a vampire). Then I saw the first season of A Discovery of Witches and understood what all the obsession was about! And that obsession led me here! To finally reading the books, the All Souls Trilogy! How could I not? A grown-up, mature romance between a witch and a vampire, a fantasy twined with history which combines science and mythology too! Oh, what's not to like. While I do love YA, sometimes the young love becomes too overwhelming and this mature heart of mine craves mature romance. And this came as an answer to all my prayers. The show is brilliant in its own way, but of course – the book is always the best, especially if you are a book lover. So … Thank you, Cat! (I have bugged and spammed you enough. Haha!)Originally posted on:My Blog @ Shaina's Musings

A beutiful story that leaves you spellbound.

Start is too boring and very slow. In end book gets more interesting and you crave for more. Looking forward to read its next part hope it's more interesting then this one

I found the entire series thoroughly gripping. I initially bought it on Kindle, but now decided that I wanted the actual books and give it a third read. I loved the story, the characters and the lore, especially when mixed with actual historical figures and facts. I even bought the TV series on DVD's and have watched them more than once. If you like stories involving witches, vampires and daemons, you will enjoy this series.

The spine and the cover are a bit damaged but apart from that the rest of the book is ok. Books being damaged during shipping because they are poorly protected is a very common problem when buying books from Amazon. I think booksellers and Amazon should look into it and work to have it resolved. I can't wait to read this book, I've watched both seasons of the tv series and I highly recommend it. I might write a book review after I finish it.

C'est devenu l'un de mes livres à relire tellement il est bon !

After watching the series on tv, I decided to buy the books. As always the books are always more descriptive. If you are a fan of witches and vampires you will enjoy these books. Great read.

Haven't read the book yet. Arrived yesterday. Luckily it's not a gift as it looks used.