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Description
The 1 New York Times bestselling second 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! Picking up from A Discovery of Witches’ cliffhanger ending, Shadow of Night takes reluctant witch Diana Bishop and vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont on a trip through time to Elizabethan London, where they are plunged into a world of spies, magic, and a coterie of Matthew's old friends, the School of Night. As the search for Ashmole 782—the lost and enchanted manuscript whose mystery first pulled Diana and Matthew into one another's orbit—deepens and Diana seeks out a witch to tutor her in magic, the net of Matthew's past tightens around them. Together they find they must embark on a very different—and vastly more dangerous—journey. “A captivating and romantic ripping yarn,” Shadow of Night confirms Deborah Harkness as a master storyteller, able to cast an “addictive tale of magic, mayhem and two lovers”(Chicago Tribune). Read more
Publisher : Penguin Books
Publication date : May 28, 2013
Edition : Reprint
Language : English
Print length : 592 pages
ISBN-10 : 0143123629
ISBN-13 : 20
Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
Dimensions : 1.4 x 5.4 x 8.3 inches
Book 2 of 5 : All Souls
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Top Amazon Reviews
Format: Hardcover
After first hearing about A Discovery of Witches, I embarked on a journey with Diana and Matthew that was completely a enthralling, once in a lifetime experience. I have since read ADOW 3 times and have been impatiently waiting for the second book in the trilogy to surface. After getting my hands on a borrowed ARC, I was able to skip ahead of line just a teensy bit.. Suffice to say, it was worth the wait. If you haven't yet,BUY THESE BOOKS! Shadow of Night continues that amazing journey and picks up right where ADOW leaves us, and still leaves me burning with extreme impatience (already) for the third and final book in the trilogy. The book is a masterpiece of blending paranormal fantasy, historical fiction, and romance all into one seamless being. We are immediately sunk into Elizabethan London on the hunt for Ashmole 782, and thrown so many actual historical characters it can almost make the reader dizzy! The execution of said historical figures- Christopher Marlowe, Elizabeth I, etc and how they are presented to us within the story is both plausible and enlightening at the same time. It is clear that Ms. Harkness did significant historical research in the creation of this novel (as she is, in fact, a true historian after all) and in how these characters would integrate into the lives of Diana and Matthew. We follow the lead characters from The Old Lodge, back to Sept Tours, back to London, to Prague, and then back to London again in a truly epic historical journey. Along the way we learn, alongside Diana and Matthew when their marriage hits snags,secrets, heartbreak and lies, in addition to watching Matthew learn to forgive himself for the past and Diana learn the truth about herself as well as her parents. In addition to Diana and Matthew's journey into the past, we are given snippets of what events are unfolding in the future. For example,minor changes during their timewalking adventures (jewelry, simple journals,etc) are having immediate future effects. These brief views in the future are both sad and enlightening, giving the reader knowledge that Diana and Matthew are not privy to. Through their journey, they answer many of the questions asked in ADOW, but we are left with just as many new questions that gathered along the way. The book ends with the lead characters safely back in the present where they belong, but as this is only the second book in the trilogy, the problems are far from over with Ashmole 782 and the Congregation. As stated before, I may be a little biased about these books. I am a historian of science, as well as a huge book/romance/paranormal sap. But it confuses and concerns me to read other reviews that state the book has no plot. Certainly, not everyone will enjoy every single book they come across, or not like the story, or the historical aspects, or the characters.. but clearly, how anyone can even read 3 chapters into the book and state the book has no plot is simply ridiculous in my opinion. Ultimately, huge congratulations to Ms. Harkness on continuing this amazing story in epic form. Sometimes, the second book in the series can be weak. But, with a Shadow of Night, I was not disappointed at all. The worst part in all of this is I know I will have to wait just as long if not longer for book 3! For me, these books rank right up there with Harry Potter. This is a story to be enjoyed over and over, with new things to learn each time and lessons that we can all learn from and apply to our daily lives in some fashion. Thank you, again, Ms. Harkness!
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Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2012 by L. Propper
Format: Kindle
In Shadow of Night, Deborah Harkness weaves a magical tale of history, discovery and redemption. It is beautiful to behold. She continues with the story of Diana and Matthew which takes them on a tumultuous journey of pain and self-discovery. I felt this was Matthew's book where A Discovery of Witches was Diana's. Ms. Harkness gave us some great insight on who Matthew was, is and will be all while Diana tries to develop her magical powers. They are taking separate journeys but in the end they come together as one. Matthew is an extremely secretive and dark character. His past life is filled with tremendous pain and suffering. By going back in time, he has to face his past demons and not let those demons destroy him. He must come to terms with the death of his father, wife and son and deal with his guilt over each. He receives forgiveness and acceptance from, to him, unexpected places. During his journey, Diana is ever present at his side. She can now fully understand him and accept him as he is. Their love story is written beautifully. You feel that they can defy whatever obstacles that they might face to be together forever. Diana continues to struggle with being a witch. Throughout the book, she tries to learn the basic spells but, then, comes to discover that she is a truly special witch. She is the subject of prophecies and lore. Witches have been waiting long time for to arrive to save them. Diana thrives on structure and reason. Being a witch, she has to move beyond reason and rigidity and focus on faith and flow. Like Matthew, she must also face her past. She receives an unexpected visitor while a blessing, it brings great heartache. Again, Ms. Harkness writes beautifully about pain and strength that you feel deeply for Diana. What I liked the most was the Diana is finally able to control her fears and become a confident and powerful witch. Matthew's father, Philippe, is a tremendous character. He is larger than life. The relationship between father and son is heartbreaking and joyous. I'm so glad that his character was included. He gave a lot of depth and insight into Matthew and you can understand why Ysabeau was completely devastated by his death. I loved meeting all the historical figures of Elizabeth England. As a historian, Diana was so overwhelmed with each introduction. For instance, when Diana first met Queen Elizabeth I, I thought she would literally pass out, as would I. I enjoyed the different view that Ms. Harkness gave to some of the characters. Christopher Marlowe was not what I expected but that character fit well in the overall story. All the characters really jump off the page. I did miss all the wine references that were throughout A Discovery of Witches. The sight and smell of each wine gave the book so much texture. I really missed that in Shadow of Night. There were parts of the book that I found a little silly. I had a difficult time imagining Diana and Matthew performing in a Goddess of the Moon masque. I, also, found Rudolf II a little tedious with his outpouring of affections. Overall, I loved this book. I can't wait for the third and final installment. It is such a beautiful story and I can't wait to see how it ends.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2012 by Kinx's Book Nook
Format: Paperback
For those of us who have read and reread the first two of Deborah Harkness' All Souls Trilogy novels, I am guessing that like me, you yearn for the third in the series and check her website often. But that kind of quality cannot be rushed so we wait and some of us reread them. These novels are packed with details and character depth that they warrant rereading. I hardly ever reread a book no matter how good the book, nor how bored I am. But there are always exceptions to the rules and I do love those exceptions. Even if you do not like novels with witches and other creatures, even if you would never read Tolkien's books or Harry Potter or anything with magic in it, make an exception and read these. She has an amazing understanding of people (for what does it really matter if a character in a book is somewhat different as her characters are; we are all different in some manner). And she has a way of finding the healthy and loving solutions we would all like in our lives and rarely find in our reading. Deborah Harkness has created a world within our world which is intricate, and exciting; with in-depth characters you love and those you do not; but all of them are believable. As you read you will find that the species of her characters is much less import than their ability to love even when it is difficult and to face their fears and desires. This novel picks up exactly where the last ended and I was lucky for it was available when I finished Discovery or Witches. In this one there are more and delightful characters added. Together they make a whole and set the stage for the third and last book. If you have ever found yourself less than happy with who are, if you have ever known great joy or fear or deep sorrow, if you struggle to master yourself or have problems loving yourself or trusting others, you will find the same struggles within the novels' characters and even better: the hope and joy we all want. In fact, Harkness writes so well that they are more than characters; you may find yourself or friends within her pages. I enjoy historical novels with some mystery within them. There are many authors I can recommend but none do as wonderful a job. Deborah Harkness is an historian and a very, very gifted writer. No wonder she needed to branch out into novels. While I liked historical settings, until these books, I never realized what wealth history can add. These books are not just set in an historical time, they involve real people who she threads through her stories; albeit she takes some artistic license with a few of them yet still gives us something believable. Her approach makes it all the more enjoyable. She writes so well that I actually bought one of her history books. History can be fun if told by an excellent storyteller and Deborah Harkness is that. I should know for I am a story teller and a poet and very difficult to please. "It began with absence and desire, it began with blood and fear, it began with The Discovery of Witches", which is the title of the first book. Long ago, I wrote poems about the same forces in life for desire, blood and fear are central concerns no matter what else comes our way. Oh and few more notes: aside from her first novel debuting at #2 on the New York Times Best Seller list, being named one of the best books of February 2011 by Amazon, and selling in at least 34 countries another tidbit which may interest you is that Warner Bros bought the movie right and hired David Auburn (Lake House) to adapt the stories. And you can bet those of us who have loved her novels are anxiously awaiting the first movie. Check out You Tube for more on that.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2013 by Sioban Lanigan
Last week I was mostly MIA... Well that's thanks to the fact I had started this book. It's a hefty read just like its predecessor was, and just like the final installment will be I'm sure. Once again I was transported into a world of humans, witches, vampires, daemons and more... And once again I LOVED it. This book picks up right where book one left off. We find Diana and Matthew at the destination of their time walking... the year 1590. Elizabethan England. I am someone who has a lot of love for anything to do with history. I love reading about past eras, whether in fact or fiction. So I was excited to follow this story and devour every single detail I could, not just about the characters but also about the setting... There is a lot of detail packed into these pages. For me I love a book with a heavy dose of detail as long as it adds to the story being told and in this case it was certainly warranted. There is no way the author would've been able to paint such a vivid picture of the Elizabethan era if she didn't spend the page space on building up every little detail from the clothing, the food, the buildings, the etiquette right down to the smells and strange little quirks of the period. I LOVED the detail that Deborah Harkness went into. I didn't begrudge one single sentence of her world building. It was beautifully done. I really enjoyed that the same level of care that Harkness took in the first book with describing the scientific aspects of the story was also paid to the historical aspects in this installment. For me I think what really highlighted the almost unimaginable alien feel of the time period was that we were seeing it through Diana's eyes. Through her very modern, current day eyes. For as much as she is a history buff, she is still from our way of life. Having her deposited into 1590 highlighted just how much the world has changed. Time traveling can be a very tricky plot to both write and follow as a reader. I really enjoyed the authors take on this subject... that said, there is always going to be some threads of the story that do raise question marks and it's certainly no different here. I do wonder about the 'old' Matthew who reappears with apparently no knowledge of the events his future self participated in after Diana and 'current' Matthew return back to the current day. Think about it too hard and there are a lot of 'what if's' there. Also the creatures that are let in on the secret of the time traveling have their future completely re-written, just by the fact they know what they know. But the implications of all of this can't ever possibly be fully covered and explained. On the other hand, the fact that the characters need to be careful about altering history is brought up quite a few times and this is actually one of the parts of the time traveling storyline I really enjoyed. How the author focused on the seemingly smallest things (the set of miniatures for example) and linked through them to chapters set in the current day was the perfect way to tie the story together and keep the pace and story going in the here and now as well as in the past. I loved that we got to check in with characters such as Marcus, Em, Sarah, Ysabeau and Sophie as well as some characters that weren't familiar from the first book but I'm sure will be by the end of the last. This last point also goes for the characters introduced in the past. I loved getting to meet the people from Matthews past that I had heard of, I loved following Matthew and watching him be able to see people that he had lost long ago. There were some very poignant reunions; the chapters spent on their visit to Sept-Tours were my absolute favorites of the whole book. The plot-lines covering the manuscript and Diana's powers all progressed at least in part. As far as Diana's learning of her craft, even though I felt like it was a bit stop/start on the whole, I still really loved the direction this storyline ended up taking. There were some unexpected surprises and reveals about Diana and her powers and it was so satisfying that by the end of this book she had actually moved forward in learning about and managing her powers. The manuscript had a lot of writing time spent on the hunting of it. The actual acquiring of it...Not so much. But that doesn't at all reduce the shocking discovery about its nature and I'm very interested to see where this particular storyline heads next, it's gotten steadily creepier and creepier and I'm sure there's much more of that to come. Finally...The love story. As much as this is a story about creatures, magic and time travel, it's just as much a story of a romance. The relationship between Matthew and Diana is the crux of this series. Everything comes back to them and their connection and in this book everything is taken up a few notches and we start to see exactly what is riding on this love story. Both characters develop and grow along with their relationship and I love that there is progress in this respect. Nothing drives me crazier than a love story that's stagnant. Probably my biggest hope for Diana and Matthew is that they get some form of HEA once all is said and done. I'm still unsure what that HEA will look like, but I am staying optimistic! So yes, this is a long read. Yes, this has A LOT of detail, historical and otherwise and yes it is based on a romance. I feel that all of these aspects make it work as a brilliant second installment in this trilogy. It feels like we are hurtling towards all of these threads of stories being tied into finality and I literally cannot wait until July 15th when the final book is released... I can guarantee I won’t be sleeping much that week... I have big hopes.... huge hopes!
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Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2014 by Charm (Once Upon a Book Blog)
Format: Hardcover
Shadow of Night (All Souls Trilogy #2) By: Deborah Harkness Narrated by Jennifer Ikeda Length: 24 hrs and 30 mins. Hardback: 592 Published: July 10th 2012 by Viking Adult & Penguin Audiobooks "Together we lifted our feet and stepped into the unknown"--the thrilling sequel to the New York Times bestseller A Discovery of Witches Deborah Harkness exploded onto the literary scene with her debut novel, A Discovery of Witches, Book One of the magical All Souls Trilogy and an international publishing phenomenon. The novel introduced Diana Bishop, Oxford scholar and reluctant witch, and the handsome geneticist and vampire Matthew Clairmont; together they found themselves at the center of a supernatural battle over an enchanted manuscript known as Ashmole 782. Now, picking up from A Discovery of Witches' cliffhanger ending, Shadow of Night plunges Diana and Matthew into Elizabethan London, a world of spies, subterfuge, and a coterie of Matthew's old friends, the mysterious School of Night that includes Christopher Marlowe and Walter Raleigh. Here, Diana must locate a witch to tutor her in magic, Matthew is forced to confront a past he thought he had put to rest, and the mystery of Ashmole 782 deepens. Deborah Harkness has crafted a gripping journey through a world of alchemy, time travel, and magical discoveries, delivering one of the most hotly anticipated novels of the season. Of the two books this is my favorite. I love that Harkness has been able to use her background as a historian of this specific era, showing it to us in a different light. I have to admit that I was a great history student and have had my own romance with this era. I did verify the facts that she used in the story and she is accurate with a twist. Roydon was a mysterious character of the School of Night brat pack. Marlow did meet a dubious death, and Shakespeare's love was named Annie. All the historical figures were represented well and their lives made more human as well as entertaining. We open the cover and delve into a world filled with, intrigue, romance and a magic carpet ride through the late 16th century. Diana and Matthew slowly grow into their relationship over coming many obstacles while hidden the apparent safety of the past, or so they think. The past is proven to be as tricky and as dangerous to navigate as their present. Harkness adds details that I would've never thought of, like that of relearning how to write with quill and ink, the different articulation of the English language and the very dependence of a woman on her husband and respect for the social rules. These minor details pose a great challenge to Diana and the possibility of the endangerment of their lives if she is unable to grasp them. Luckily Diana meets certain characters that offer assistance and knowledge in not only dealing with Matthew but also with the difficulties that she might meet in this rearward century. This is also the time where Diana explores herself, finding out her true self and her errant abilities. The story ends with cliffhangers and several loose strings. I am looking forward to Harkness neatly tying them all up in a pretty magical bow. Shadow of Night is a spectacular read. It does start a bit slow but it quickly picks up speed as the 16th century unravels before our eyes allowing us to see what we could never have seen with Harkess's special brand of magic. Adding to the magic is Jennifer Ikeda, who reprises her role as narrator, with a spotless accurate performance of each character. I can't wait a whole year for the last in the trilogy; it has a lot to live up to and promises to deliver. Movie rights for the Trilogy have already been sold to Warner Brothers with production by, Denise DiNovi and Alison Greenspan. All Souls 3(Title not yet available) is expected to be released in 2013. The Oracle (Maria Mercedes) All synopsis are published by Amazon or Goodreads. The Oracle Reviews: [...]
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Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2012 by Maria
Format: Kindle
Warning! This review contains minor spoilers for the first book in the All Souls Trilogy, A Discovery of Witches. Shadow of Night is one of those books that is very hard for me to review. I really enjoyed it, but there is so much to talk about with the historical details, the large cast of intriguing characters, and the overall experience that I don't want to overdo the gushing. The last time readers saw historian and witch, Diana Bishop, and her vampire husband, Matthew, they were off on a journey to 16th century England. The reason for this time travel adventure is to find a witch to help Diana learn about her unique powers and to find clues to the location of the missing manuscript, Ashmole 782. Like with A Discovery of Witches, Diana and Matthew are the center of the book and they pretty much control the success of the story. Thankfully, both of them are interesting characters who are a great combination of likable and flawed. They each have their own journeys to complete and do so with a unique spin. I will admit that I had a few issues with Matthew's overbearing nature and Diana's recklessness, but these instances were rare and they did always learn from their mistakes. The romance (while not the main storyline) is interesting and fun. These two may have declared their love for each other in the first book, but it becomes obvious that their relationship is still new and continues to grow. Most of the book takes place in the 16th century which is a fun difference than the first book. Readers get to meet a ton of historical figures and see them interact with Diana and Matthew. Some of my particular favorites were Christopher Marlowe, Edward Kelly, Emperor Rudolf II, Mary Sidney, and, of course, Queen Elizabeth I. Diana and Matthew travel from England to his father's keep in France and even to the Holy Roman Empire. I am a history geek so this was an absolute blast for me. I also enjoyed the introduction of Matthew's nephew, Gallowglass, and that we finally got to meet Matthew's father, Philippe. Some of the book does take place in the present-day with Ysabeau, Marcus, and others finding hints of the time travel in the current time which was interesting. As I mentioned, there is a lot going on in this book and I don't want to give much more to avoid major spoilers. I will say that it takes some time to get used to the writing style and readers do have to go through quite a bit of detail, but the story is so well-crafted that it is worth the time and effort. I also will say that this would not make a good stand-alone story due to the worldbuilding and character development. I was impressed though with how easy it was to slip back into the series after going more than a year between books. I highly recommend this series and can't wait to see how it ends with The Book of Life which was just released this month.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2014 by Jennifer
Format: Kindle
Another amazing installment of the All Souls Trology. Shadow of Night was everything I expected. After reading Shadow of Night, I decided to read a few reviews. Although, some of the reviewers expressed that it wasn't what they expected, I thought it was even better than the first. I have read a lot of books and personally always appreciate and enjoy when I learn something new. I remembered when I was younger and in school, like most kids, I didn't always retain what I had to learn about history. Now as an adult who enjoys reading it's refreshing to read a book like Shadow of Night and the All Souls Trilogy. I actually learned a lot from this book. I have to say, Deborah does know her history. Diana describes everything she sees so well, it's almost like I am there or was there and living through it. It was explained so well that she didn't make it boring. I never felt like I was in school being forced to read historical facts or information. It was written so that the reader could not only learn a little about the past but also enjoy a great story. Now I know most readers have expressed disappointment because they wanted to read a story with a lot of action, and although it wasn't fast paced, it did have a story that was not only interesting but compelling. I enjoyed seeing the stresses that both Matthew and Diana go through trying to fit into a time period that Diana had never studied and Matthew had originally gone through but now went through with a different mindset. It was interesting reading what Diana had to go through with learning how to fit in with regards to clothing, mannerisms and etiquette, at the same time trying to search for witches that could help her learn her magic and who she is, and finally learning about Matthew's past and secrets which gradually get revealed. Matthew goes through his own challenges in this book too. The first time he lived through these times, his mindset was so much different, especially his attitude and feelings about witches. Now, he's reliving this time with Diana, making his feelings very confusing. His vision and feelings of witches have now changed due to Diana and he's reliving his original mistakes trying to fix them without altering history too much. It's stressful in itself and on top of that trying to keep Diana safe, having his secrets revealed and facing his father is at times almost impossible for Matthew to deal with. Matthew's going through so many emotions that he's never felt before. Guilt, love, sorrow, and especially fear. With all of that going on, in addition to unexpected betrayals, Michael and Diana's relationship is also tested. There were a few parts that were so emotional to me. Diana's relationship to Matthew's father and also her meeting her father in the past. Both were well written and very emotional. I also loved the emotional ride with Matthew and his seeing his father again. Many questions were answered in the second installment such as: What were on the 3 missing pages of Ashmole 782? Who has the missing pages? What type of witch Diana is and what type of powers she has? And who Matthew really is? On top of that additional questions have been revealed which set up the last installment of the All Souls Trilogy. Amazing story, I can't wait for the last installment. One recommendation for new readers is that this is not a stand-alone book. You need to read A Discovery of Witches before reading Shadow of Night. It will set up and give you the details that you need to understand Shadow of Night.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2012 by Olimpia A. Padula
Format: Paperback
This book is a bloated, inconsistent, almost plot-less beast of a novel that all in all, is surprisingly readable - thus it does get three stars. Middle-aged lovers Diana and Matt have just time-walked back to 1590 at the start of the book. They have three very clear purposes. 1) to be safely hidden 2) to find Ashmole 782 in its intact form in the past to bring it back to the present. 3) to find a knowledgeable witch who can teach the hapless Diana how to use her powers. Once tasks 2 and 3 are accomplished, they will return to the present. Diana and Matt's witch and vampire family (and the daemons) back in the present all are apparently in some danger while Matt and Diana figure things out. But that does not really hurry Matt and Diana, aka the most oblivious and self-important couple in the world's history, along in their quest. Some spoilers ahead - It takes about half of the long, long book before they even have Diana meet a witch willing to help her. And it's not because they have been exhaustively searching. They don't even look for the All-important Ashmole-782 at all, but ask one of Matt's Renaissance friends to look for the book and basically forget about it while the couple gets lost in Renaissance-nostalgia. Matt, of course, used to live in the Renaissance since he is an old vampire so it is literally a walk down memory lane for him. Diana (and the author) are similarly wrapped up in too much obscure Renaissance detail. Dress, speech patterns, writing things in a journal correctly, etc. Far worse, however, than the endless Renaissance minutiae and poor pacing of the story are the inconsistencies. Matt is supposed to be this brilliant scientist and shrewd political figure. He is the head of like 50 top secret government and religious societies (not really much of an exaggeration). However, he is an incompetent, mentally deranged boobie in this book. We learn he has lots of trauma from the past. We learn he has a genetic condition called blood rage. In this book, Matt cannot make a good decision. Going to 1590's England to hide from witch persecution? Hmmmm. Having no plan to disguise his marriage or stay in hiding with Diana, though secrecy and hiding was one of the reasons for going back in time? Matt's friend Christopher Marlowe (yes, THAT Christopher Marlowe!) hates Diana, and endangers her several times. But the supposedly psychotically overprotective Matt does nothing about it until about the tenth time. Then what he does makes no sense. About the only time he makes sense is when he wants to go back to the present when Diana is pregnant (for modern medical care). But then she reveals to that she actually cannot travel forward in time cuz she hasn't learned that yet. But she did this several times in the last book you ask? Look - a tree! Diana made it in an alchemical lab with her historically significant best friend, Lady Pembroke. Also Benjamin is in this book! Remember everything you read about him. I promise you will thank me if you go on to read the next book (Pssst.... Benjamin is called Herr Fuchs in this book about 99% of the short time he is even mentioned). Diana's witch-teacher(s), when they finally arrive in the story, reveal that Diana is.... a weaver. What is a weaver you might well ask? It is a witch that can create new spells (by weaving them), but cannot carry out any existing spells. Phew! Diana has yet one more explanation for her lifetime of incompetence. We learn weavers were almost all killed due to being feared by witches around the world. Yet all these witches are delighted with Diana as she can make new spells for them to use. They don't yet know about her procrastinating habits. Diana also has lots of fire, water, earth and wind and can do magic without spells. She uses colored thread to make knots. One knot, two knots, three knots, four. With any luck, she will get up to 9 knots (of course she will get 10). The knots are really important for some badly explained reasons. And it is hard to tell if it is real thread or some kind of mystical, ephemeral thread. And it is impossible to tell how the thread relates to spells. Diane participates in a big séance where she creates a dragon (really a fire-drake but c'mon) familiar that hides in her ribs and - Oh look another tree! It's a super-meaningful Rowan tree Diana made with magic! One branch of the tree remained and was used to make a box for her thread. The box was so well crafted that no nails were needed for the joints. A tree was carved on it. I was pretty lost at this point and decided not to try to understand Diana's witch powers. All you need to know is that Diana is the most special and powerful witch ever, but she still has a lot to learn. (Note - the same philosophy also helped me deal with the logistics and technicalities of time-travel in this book. I decided not to try to understand it after a while and just accepted that it didn't make sense). Anyways during all of this, Matt and Diane travel to France and Prague and meet all kinds of historical figures. They meet Matt's dad (a character I liked overall, but was a long digression from the main plot). They get married (yes, they are already married like 3 times, but they do it again), they get pregnant, miscarry, buy mousetraps and adopt two street-urchins. They stay months and months in the past, building a life. Finally they meet Diana's dad who was a time-walking witch too. He abruptly says Matt and Diana are being idiots and messing with the space-time continuum by staying so long in the past. They decide it's time to head back to the present, but do so at a leisurely pace. Ashmole 782 (remember that?) is left in the past because it would mess up the time stream or something to bring it back intact (GRRR TEETH ACTUALLY GNASHING AT THIS POINT). Someone completely unrelated to anything in the book invents a telescope and that is important enough to get several pages and a chapter devoted to it. The two poor street urchins are left in the past without a word, and minimal help for the future (couldn't Diana have given Annie some money to set up as a seamstress??) Oh yeah, an important and beloved character is dead in the present. Oh look - a tree! It grew out of the fireplace in Diana's present-day home and seems pretty magical. Hope that turns out to be important. I should apologize for this long, meandering review, but it sort of fits the novel. Yet I read all three books in the series and go back to them sometimes when I want something mindless and familiar to read before going to bed. The plot is a tried and true formula, and it is somehow better than the sum of its parts, though admittedly not by much. I wish Harkness had a better editor, but then maybe the books would be less original and more formulaic. Anyways, I think this one earns three stars. It's OK, but not good.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2015 by MJ