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Shadow of Night (All Souls Trilogy #2)

by Deborah Harkness (Goodreads Author)

3.99 of 5 stars 3.99 · rating details · 40,225 ratings · 6,994 reviews

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, daemon...more

ebook, 592 pages

Published July 2012 by Penguin (first published June 21st 2011)

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Jul 31, 2012 Kristina rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: masochists

Recommended to Kristina by: no one. I was dumb enough to tell myself to read it.

Shelves: brain-candy, fiction, nook-book, hated-em, vamps-werewolves-zombies-angels, suck

Because this is such a long book (too long), I'm going to give periodic reviews--every 100 pages or so--then write an overview of the book that wraps everything up about the book I hate. I already say hate because it's apparent from the first 97 pages I've read that Harkness makes all the same mistakes/repeats all the same themes from the first book. Warning--my review will have spoilers. I mean, I will try not to divulge really important events (if they actually happen, ha ha) but I may discuss...more

187 likes · like · see review

Jan 23, 2013 Sanette rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite-reads, vampires, witches, strong-females, time-travel, favorite-authors, female-pov, favorite-series

"You gave your life to me Diana Bishop. It's time to make use of it."

This is a hard review to write. How do I sum up all the intense emotions and thoughts that this book conjured in me? So please forgive me if this review is not worthy of the book for this was truly an incredible story and like the first book, one I will have to read again and again.

The book starts off exactly where A Discovery of Witches ended, Matthew and Diana have traveled back to Oxford 1591 in search of a witch powerful...more

106 likes · like · see review

Feb 08, 2013 Bonnie marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, romance, pn-vampires, pn-witches, adult, owned-arc, ongoing-series-to-read

This? Totally made my day. Or year.

________________________________

Update: *cries really flipping hard* I got my hopes all up and everything.

**This title is currently available for librarian, bookseller and long lead media requests. All other requests will be approved closer to the publication date.**
________________________________

On Netgalley!

I think I'd offer up a kidney in exchange for this if I thought it'd do any good.

58 likes · like · see review

Jul 19, 2012 Merrie rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Worst. Sequel. Ever. I loved Discovery of Witches and couldn't wait to dive into the sequel, particularly now that they have traveled back in time to Elizabethan England. Unfortunately, this outing started out bad and just got worse. Harkness punishes readers with endless dialogue between Matthew's incredibly boring friends, who there are, like six of and all six of them are interchangeable and awful. Totally unnecesary characters could have been reduced to one or two friends, since they all hav...more

90 likes · like · see review

Jul 27, 2012 M rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book was unbearable. I wrote a really lengthy review then lost it before saving, but I have so many problems with this book that I honestly don't feel like writing them up again.

I'm just going to lay out some general reasons why you shouldn't read this book:

Most of the new characters are either boring or annoying. Matthew also becomes immensely annoying with his constant desire to keep secrets and treat her like she is incapable of understanding him.

If a character is annoying the author wil...more This book was unbearable. I wrote a really lengthy review then lost it before saving, but I have so many problems with this book that I honestly don't feel like writing them up again.

I'm just going to lay out some general reasons why you shouldn't read this book:

Most of the new characters are either boring or annoying. Matthew also becomes immensely annoying with his constant desire to keep secrets and treat her like she is incapable of understanding him.

If a character is annoying the author will make sure they appear often.

The treatment of time travel is so illogical that I can't look past it no matter how much I wanted to like this book. First, Matthew's former self simply disappears from the past when they arrive. This would imply that going back changes the past such that when they return, things will be dramatically different. They then proceed to do countless things that would seriously alter the future. Despite that, nothing appears wrong when they return way too late into the book (only two chapters of them back in the present). Add on top of that, the fact that they could have time traveled to another period the second the setting no longer seemed favorable but didn't was ridiculous. Instead, they proceed to do a massive number of unnecessary things that could have been avoided if any character in the story had simply been smart enough to remember that the main character can time travel whenever she wants to.

Furthermore, the book doesn't stay true to the characters. The fact that Matthew didn't kill Kit on multiple occasions throughout the book was completely untrue to the character. Especially the final time when he kidnaps Diana and talks about how he wants to cut out her eyes. Which further highlights how Harkness was fighting to find things to fill the pages when this book would have been better if it was shorter.

The main character may grow stronger in terms of controlling her power, but she remains mentally weak. That's fine for a first book, but it's a really bad sign for a second book. This lack of development also shows up through Matthew's constant withholding of the truth. On top of that, for some reason her magic is different when she travels back in time. The fact that the time travel likely caused this is mentioned often, but I still can't grasp why such a change was in any way necessary or for that matter desired for any reason beyond extending the plot when it was already so out of whack.

On top of that, the author didn't spend enough time making sure the plot made sense. There was no reason for them to stay in the 16th century. This isn't some "the portal will open only on this day so and so months from now" book. The main character can time travel whenever she wants to, to whatever time or place she wants to if she has the right items. The fact that they didn't leave makes about as much sense as the fact that she can't time travel to the present that she left so as to avoid any time from passing in the present. Instead, when they return roughly a year has passed. But, I guess that does enforce the trend of Harkless being consistent in her attempts to make sure that time travel makes absolutely no sense at all in this book.

Please do not read this book. Read the next one when it comes out. Put this at the end of the list. If you're desperate, it's okay for you to read it. If you're not, just don't.

This is only one of three books I have reviewed of the 250 on my read shelf. The rest I only rated. That is how much I dislike this book. I'm also going to remove it from my kindle and am legitimately weighing whether or not to permanently remove it from my kindle account so I never have to see it again.(less)

40 likes · like · see review

Aug 12, 2012 Terri ♥ (aka Mrs. Christian Grey) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audio

Quick review:

Cover: Okay
Rating: R
Steaminess: Steamy
Thumbs Up: 4
Overall: The pacing was better. The story more interesting.
Characters: Well written
Plot: A step back in time to hopeful help the future.
Page Turner: Yes
Series Cont.? Yes
Recommend: Yes
Book Boyfriend: Matthew

SUMMARY (50 words or less)
Again the story was long but length wasn’t the issue here. The research details didn’t bog us down but I found myself missing them. The story wasn’t as predictable as the last. However, there were...more

16 likes · like · see review

Aug 17, 2012 Samantha rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-fiction, historical-fiction, fantastic-real-world

As soon as I finished A Discovery of Witches, I immediately went online to find out when I should expect the sequel. It was a long wait, but completely worth it. Harkness' view of Elizabethan London and Europe is just awesome, and the trip to Prague was an added bonus that I had not expected. Not only did the plot line get more compelling, but Harkness was also able to weave in the difficulties of the newly wed. I savored every minute of this novel, and I can hardly wait to get it on audio.

Audio...more

33 likes · like · see review

Nov 02, 2012 Melinda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, audible

This book is an excellent follow up to A Discovery of Witches. I was afraid that the sequel would not live up to my expectations that have been building for a year since I read the first one. Luckily, that fear was incorrect.

Shadow of Night starts immediately where Discovery left off and begins to weave in various historical figures throughout the book right up until the end. In the first book there were many descriptions about the food and wine with great detail, in this one the detail is in th...more

20 likes · like · see review

Jun 08, 2012 Erica K rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, books-about-books, fiction, historical, international, paranormal, romance, witches-n-magic, sci-fi-futuristic

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley, thanks to the helpful comments from friends here on GoodReads. Following is my review of the book.

This story begins at the same point where A Discovery of Witches left off, with Diana & Matthew landing safely in Elizabethan England. Diana is enthralled with the idea of “living” the historical events she has spent her life studying, and is a bit nonplussed by the fact that even with all her knowledge of the times and people, she is w...more I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley, thanks to the helpful comments from friends here on GoodReads. Following is my review of the book.

This story begins at the same point where A Discovery of Witches left off, with Diana & Matthew landing safely in Elizabethan England. Diana is enthralled with the idea of “living” the historical events she has spent her life studying, and is a bit nonplussed by the fact that even with all her knowledge of the times and people, she is woefully unprepared for the smaller details of daily life. Not to mention, it is obvious to everyone around that she is not from there and does not belong (though they assume she is from another place, not another time). It takes her awhile, and not a few missteps, to become more familiar with customs and habits, but with the help of friends and family she eventually passes for a woman of the times.

Of course, what good romance novel would be complete without a little relationship drama, and this is no exception. Though they have known each other only a short time, and were married only a few days before traveling back in time, Diana believes she knows Matthew better than anyone else. She assumes he will remain the same man she knows from modern times, and is surprised by the changes in his personality and behavior in this period. This provides for some drama-filled scenes of major mis-communication, but also allows for the relationship between the two of them to grow and mature, ultimately bringing them closer.

I will admit, I found it difficult to immediately delve into the story, as the first several chapters introduce new characters based on historical figures some of whom I am only dimly aware, but who I felt I should know better based on how they were presented. I was reading the galley on my Nook, so it wasn’t until I finished reading the whole thing that I found there is a glossary of characters included at the END of the book. Of course, when you're reading a digital copy, you rarely think to skip all the way to the end to see what's there (that feels like cheating!), so I didn't know about it when I needed it.

However, this detail aside, I enjoyed the twists and turns in the plot, and the development of continuing characters as well as newly introduced ones. I soon sorted out who most of them were and what their roles were, though there were still some places where my brain would have trouble keeping some of the tertiary characters straight. Also, there is a short scene of amusing meta-fiction towards the middle of the book that will give fans of paranormal romance something to chuckle over.

There were a few plot lines that were not totally cleared up and tied nicely in a bow at the end. I was left with questions. But I have faith in Harkness’ ability to do again as she did here and pick up the story where she left off, answering all my queries in the third installment. May it come soon, for I am not exactly known for my patience (especially when it comes to really good books)!(less)

43 likes · like · see review

Nov 28, 2012 Crystal Bennett rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Marked this book "To-Read" because A Discovery Of Witches was a good book that I had a hard time putting down. It was entertaining and engaging, well written, and though it wasn't "the greatest book I've ever read" so-to-speak... It left me wanting July 2012 to get here quickly, so I can read the second book in the All Souls Trilogy, Shadow Of Night.

4 likes · like · see review

Sep 07, 2012 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've read some of the comments and "reviews" on here for the book and I just have to start out by saying that with the advent of blogs, review pages, etc, there have been many folks who believe that they would make excellent book reviewers. I have to say the long commentary on here of them moaning and groaning and being annoyed by an author makes me want to go stick a pencil in my eye.

That being said apparently many people believe that the cosummation section of the book should have been in deta...more

60 likes · like · see review

Nov 04, 2012 Kyla rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-junkies-book-challenge-2012, 2012

I wish I could give this book more than 3 stars. To be honest it's receiving three only because I it piqued my interest just enough to finish it.

I was so excited to read the second installment to Diana and Matthew's journey after reading The Discovery of Witches a couple of years ago and absolutely adoring the first book!

This book, I found, was too long with too many unnecessary characters. Yes I became aware after reading the book that there is a glossary in the back of the book....but on a Ki...more I wish I could give this book more than 3 stars. To be honest it's receiving three only because I it piqued my interest just enough to finish it.

I was so excited to read the second installment to Diana and Matthew's journey after reading The Discovery of Witches a couple of years ago and absolutely adoring the first book!

This book, I found, was too long with too many unnecessary characters. Yes I became aware after reading the book that there is a glossary in the back of the book....but on a Kindle you do not see that glossary or know about it until you reach the end of the book! LOL

The first third of the book I found to be incredibly slow. It involved the 2 main characters sitting around with other members of history simply spending time in a house babbling and arguing over "what to do next?" over and over while the author kept adding in more and more tid bits of history that did not advance the plot or build characters at all. It began to read much like a history text book.

The plot I found disorganized throughout the book, it always felt like there was something that I missed somewhere along the way. It almost felt like rules kept getting changed as the author wrote the book so to suit her needs and the "plot's" needs which left everything choppy and disjointed. I may very well be wrong, but that was the feeling I had while reading.

I also became frustrated with the lack of character growth with Diana and Matthew. There was a few cliched and contrived "profound" moments, but they felt forced and a little bit eye-rolling in a way.

The way things were described became slightly repetitive after awhile, if I have to read "and my witch's third eye opened" again I will cringe lol and I always pictured a literal eyeball opening up in the middle of her forhead...weirdness!! Along with the whole world being draped with embroidery floss and bits of ropes and string, it became more ludicrous than anything else to me. I understand that it was maybe a way to write something different that no one has really written before in regards to vampires/witches/time travel etc, but it came across as more funny than effective. Too many ideas written weakly than focusing on one or two and creating a really strong atmosphere throughout the book.

Sadly overall I was disappointed with the book. It was far too long with too much "extra writing" that did not have anything to do with characters/plot which could have made the book far shorter and faster paced. (I know, I know, please don't throw stones! LOL) it's just my opinion, and only that, I did truly love the first book!

The redeeming character in this book was Phillipe and I do wish he had played a bigger part or that there is some way to re introduce him in the third book. Somehow?
and kudos to the author as it did hold my interest long enough to want to know ultimately what happened and read through to the ending. (less)

20 likes · like · see review

Apr 25, 2013 Sarah-Lambert Cook rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: curl-up-and-get-cozy-reads

I read Deborah Harkness' "A Discovery of Witches" on a whim last summer and really enjoyed it. The story was quickly paced, the characters interesting and with plenty of chemistry, and the plot played out fairly well. When I heard the second in her series was coming out soon I was pretty excited! Unfortunately, that excitement quickly dissipated once I started reading...

First off, if you haven't read the first book in this series very recently, you may want to give it a glance as a refresher. "S...more I read Deborah Harkness' "A Discovery of Witches" on a whim last summer and really enjoyed it. The story was quickly paced, the characters interesting and with plenty of chemistry, and the plot played out fairly well. When I heard the second in her series was coming out soon I was pretty excited! Unfortunately, that excitement quickly dissipated once I started reading...

First off, if you haven't read the first book in this series very recently, you may want to give it a glance as a refresher. "Shadow of Night" picks up RIGHT where "A Discovery of Witches" left off and never bothers to refresh the readers memory about anything. I don't mind that at all, but it did mean going back and playing catch-up. If you're new to the trilogy then you must start with book one. There is no jumping on the bandwagon in the middle with this one.

***Warning: beyond this point there are a few spoilers.***

One of my biggest peeves with a lot of time travel fiction is when the primary characters are constantly meeting historically famous people to an unrealistic point. It's like the author sensed this might start making the reader say, "Come on! Gah!" because she even peppered in a couple of thoughts by the protagonist expressing astonishment that her ancient vampire spouse knew Every Famous Elizabethan Person. It might have just been a nuisance easily overlooked, but most of the dialogue between the primary characters and historical figures was bland and failed to give us a sense of the character. These were REAL people, for goodness sake, at least try to flesh them out a teeny-weeny bit.

My second peeve with the time travel scheme was how poorly it was executed. The main two characters go back into the past to a point in time which one of them has already lived through and his "self" from that time period just happily vanishes to chill in limbo? How convenient for them that they don't have to constantly hide a vampire from his former self (that would have made the story so much more interesting). Even more ridiculous is the notion that when these two get back to the "present" he will come back and everyone will just go about their merry way without ever noting any changes or mentioning to him, "Hey, whatever happened to your wife, ole what's-her-witch?" .... What?!

It seemed like everything that had me excited about "A Discovery of Witches" was non-existent or stunted in "Shadow of Night." The character development throughout was pretty poor, the story would drag impossibly slow through some times and then suddenly skip quickly over others, and the plot seemed to lose its way sometimes. Too many characters were introduced and too many cliches used in the main couple's relationship (to the point where it was becoming all too predictable).

One of the most disappointing encounters in the book came near the end. What should have been a really rich reunion of two people was hurried through and never given much substance. It was pretty unfortunate.

To Harkness' credit, she did keep me just interested enough to still enjoy the book some and happily get through it. Since the third will once again be set in modern times, I'll probably end up reading it. Hopefully, Ms. Harkness will take more time with this one and present a work much closer resembling her original offering. A trilogy that began and ended well will be worth coming back to even if I have to overlook the sad-sack middle piece. (less)

3 likes · like · see review

Apr 11, 2012 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-mt-bookpile

As with A Discovery of Witches, this book is overlong and studded with references to famous people and events. There were many times I found myself thinking "that paragraph could go... so could that sentence" - if the third book is the same, the series will be over 1500 pages long.

At times it might have made more sense (and tightened the writing) to not have so many famous names involved. For example, the scenes with Queen Elizabeth (the first, not the current Queen) required much set-up, yet it...more

7 likes · like · see review

Jan 21, 2013 Lisa added it · review of another edition

I am going to refrain from rating Shadow of Night. I absolutely adored Discovery of Witches and couldn't wait to dive into the sequel, so barely being able to get through this book pains me to no end. For me, the plot just dragged on and on and seemed endless. I got so tired of reading the endless dialogue between Matthew's friends. I had a hard time keeping anything straight and found it all hard to follow. All in all, Shadow of Night was simply not a book for me. Admittedly, I ended up skimmin...more

13 likes · like · see review

Jan 31, 2013 Kristen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: best-paranormal-fiction, strong-female-characters, favourite-series, favorites

I adored the first book in this trilogy, "A Discovery of Witches" and waited impatiently for this second part. It in no way let me down, as it was completely as intelligent, intriguing, expansive and wonderful as the first.

After realizing that all the creatures want Diana, and that there is nowhere they can be safe in the present while Diana learns to use her magic, she and Matthew time-walk back to 1591, where Matthew is close with the erudite movers-and-shakers of the day: Sir Walter Raleigh a...more I adored the first book in this trilogy, "A Discovery of Witches" and waited impatiently for this second part. It in no way let me down, as it was completely as intelligent, intriguing, expansive and wonderful as the first.

After realizing that all the creatures want Diana, and that there is nowhere they can be safe in the present while Diana learns to use her magic, she and Matthew time-walk back to 1591, where Matthew is close with the erudite movers-and-shakers of the day: Sir Walter Raleigh and Kit Marlow, among others, and a courtier to Elizabeth I.

They create a new life in London, while Diana searches for a teacher, and Matthew continues to try to come to terms with his own internal demons. They also continue to search for Ashmole 782, and try not to do anything that will materially change the future, which is a big challenge, given who they are.

This book focuses more directly on Diana and Matthew's love story, as they both slowly and with many difficult missteps, become more capable of trusting one another and accepting that despite the fact that they *shouldn't* be together, they are together, and both of them want to be together.

That doesn't, of course, change the fact that many, maybe even most of the rest of the world, present, past and future, would rather they weren't, and many of the characters from the first book as well as new ones here show up in the story making various attempts to rip them apart.

But the story isn't just about Diana and Matthew in love, anymore than the first book was. Deborah Harkness is quite obviously a devoted lover of history, philosophy, art, science, politics and many other things, and all of these are woven skillfully into the larger story in such a natural way, you might almost forget that you are reading fiction. That makes this so much more than just a paranormal fiction or romance story. I consider this as much historical fiction as many other books I've read, even though, yes, it has witches, vampires and daemons in it.

Both Diana and Matthew are able to come to terms with things in their lives that have created scars in their present, and the reader really feels a sense of vicarious closure for both of them as we watch them heal past wounds so they will be strong enough - both on their own and together - to face the battle they know lies ahead.

I utterly loved this book! Many times, I went back and re-read passages because they were so wonderful. If you read "A Discovery of Witches" and liked it, you must go get book two immediately. The only down-side is that we now have to wait however many months it will take for Harkness to write and publish the final installment in Diana and Matthew's story. I can't wait!!(less)

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Jul 19, 2012 Katherine rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: vampires, top-shelf-fantastic-reads, witches-magic, books-that-own-me

I was so overwhelmed with emotions and thoughts in my head when finishing this book, that I wanted a day to sleep on it, before writing a review. It was the first thing on my mind when I woke this morning. I wish that I could recall my dreams, because I am sure that the characters were in them, and will be for weeks to come.

First, I love that the author continues the story right where the first book left us. Diana and Matthew traveling back in time. Right away we are thrown into Matthew's life...more I was so overwhelmed with emotions and thoughts in my head when finishing this book, that I wanted a day to sleep on it, before writing a review. It was the first thing on my mind when I woke this morning. I wish that I could recall my dreams, because I am sure that the characters were in them, and will be for weeks to come.

First, I love that the author continues the story right where the first book left us. Diana and Matthew traveling back in time. Right away we are thrown into Matthew's life at that time. All of his friends and cohorts are a bit to deal with and remember, but as we get to know them through out the story, most of them I can remember fondly, except for one that does not have Diana or Matthew's (despite what he might think) best interests at heart. What's interesting about these people is that they are fairly well known in history, as artists, scientists, and historians. Having Diana keep her composure when meeting Shakespeare and Queen Elizabeth made me proud, because I don't think I could have done that! I also like that Diana wants to just blend right in with everything around her, but struggles to do so. As Diana learns about what life was like back then for women and witches especially, she learns about her true self and gifts in the process.

Second, Matthew de Clermont, or Roydon in most of this book. He is by far, the most complex and interesting characters that I've read in a long time. Who ever gets to play him in the movie, will have quite a challenge a head of them. (I see Henry Cavill myself) We get to see him in a different light in the past. The rules are different, and he struggles to keep his relationship with Diana the same as it was in the present. His relationship with his father, Phillippe, was difficult to read at times, because I would forget that vampire families aren't like human families. Phillippe is not his maker, he is the husband to his "mother" Ysabeau. It was interesting to read about some of Matthew's siblings/relatives and see Diana interacting with them, learning to love them in her own way. At any rate, one of my favorite lines in the book comes from Matthew, "After all my searching, I discover that I am who I always was: Matthew de Clermont. Husband. Father. Vampire. And I am here for only one reason: To make a difference." I am not sure that any male character I read about going forward, is going to be able to remove this amazing man off of the top of my favorite list. At this point, I am FINALLY saying, Edward who?

Third, Deborah's talent for writing like her readers are intelligent people, pleases me so much. She understood that with each event that Diana experiences or changes, it is going to change the future in some way. I loved the chapters that would reveal how the family left behind, deals with tidbits of information that would reveal itself. My favorite would have to be Marcus' interaction with Phoebe, an assistant at Sotheby's. UST to the max there. Can't wait to maybe read more about those two in the next book.

Lastly, Romance. I had thought that maybe I had missed something, when almost half way through the book, nothing was hinted at or mentioned about Diana and Matthew's physical relationship. Apparently, having sex with a vampire, no matter what book you are reading, is going to be dangerous, and if left up to the male, might not ever happen. As funny as this sounds, it is Phillippe who brings attention to the fact, they had not consummated their "marriage". So he is the one who encourages Matthew to make it happen, so that the rest of the world will know that Diana is his. Deborah does not disappoint when things do take their proper course, and I love that she takes it to a different level later on. Matthew warns Diana about what would happen if they crossed that line, and he doesn't hide his possessiveness for long. One aspect of their relationship is never completely forgotten. Matthew's desire for Diana to know herself and her magic. He expresses it so clearly in this passage, "You tell me that magic is just desire made real. Maybe spells are nothing more than words that you believe with all your heart. He loves you. Forever. So do I." Diana's thoughts, "His words wove through the threads that connected us, witch and vampire. They carried the conviction of his feelings with them: tenderness, reverence, constancy, hope."

Not sure, there is much more to say after that. I do want to say to Deborah, thank you so much for creating this amazing world, and sharing the incredible relationship between these two very powerful and intelligent people. It has been quite the ride, and I am not ready to get off it just yet. (less)

9 likes · like · see review

Oct 11, 2012 Tammy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

This series is beyond anything I've ever read! I've been totally drawn into this world since March - It consumes me! It probably doesn't help (or does it?) that I'm a part of a great All Souls group that are all just as obsessed as I am. Deborah packs so many 'Easter Eggs" into her books, we will probably never find them all, but we are sure up to the challenge of trying! I've learned, from this book, so much about Elizabethan England and Europe, than I never knew before. I feel like the main ch...more This series is beyond anything I've ever read! I've been totally drawn into this world since March - It consumes me! It probably doesn't help (or does it?) that I'm a part of a great All Souls group that are all just as obsessed as I am. Deborah packs so many 'Easter Eggs" into her books, we will probably never find them all, but we are sure up to the challenge of trying! I've learned, from this book, so much about Elizabethan England and Europe, than I never knew before. I feel like the main characters, Diana and Matthew, are personal friends of mine!

So anyways, Shadow of Night is #2 of the All Souls Trilogy (#3 title has yet to be announced...)and it continues right where the first story left off - with our friends literally stepping into the year 1590. Deborah weaves a wonderful spell with her attention to history, and her hidden eggs of information that you can research to find (hint: Google everything! All the names, anything that is particularly described... EVERYTHING!) One shining strand, which is the historical characters we meet (Walter Raleigh, Christopher Marlowe, Henry Percy and Thomas Harriot are just the first of a long line up...) is cleverly intertwined with original threads of a paranormal, romantic, adventure timetravelling, bodice-ripper that happens to include strings of witches, vampires and daemons. And they are bound together in a knot so complex, I had to read the book twice in a row to 'get' it all!!

I am in the process, just like I did for A Discovery of Witches, of building a pinterest board of many of the hidden eggs that I and others have found, and I'm also including many other links to places and objects that are found in the book - just because I wanted to actually see what, for example, a farthingale bum roll was, or what the streets of Elizabethan London looked like in 1590... Visit my pinterest page here :)

http://pinterest.com/tlmfarmgirl/shad...

- Did I mention the Deborah Harkness drops in every once in a while to leave me comments and hints or to tell me if I'm off track? I'd love to hear your comments on pinterest.... See you there!!

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Aug 22, 2012 Angela rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If you were infatuated with A Discovery of Witches (and if you weren't I seriously wonder about you), you will be head over heels in love with Shadow of Night. SON picks up right where ADOW left off with Matthew and Diana landing in Elizabethan times (1590s). Diana is shocked when she learns that Matthew, who goes by Matthew Roydon in this time period, was a player in the elusive School of Night (Marlow, Raleigh, Chapman, Harriott) as well as friend to Shakespeare. Diana has quite a time trying...more If you were infatuated with A Discovery of Witches (and if you weren't I seriously wonder about you), you will be head over heels in love with Shadow of Night. SON picks up right where ADOW left off with Matthew and Diana landing in Elizabethan times (1590s). Diana is shocked when she learns that Matthew, who goes by Matthew Roydon in this time period, was a player in the elusive School of Night (Marlow, Raleigh, Chapman, Harriott) as well as friend to Shakespeare. Diana has quite a time trying to learn the speech patterns and vocabulary of the time as well as getting used to the itchy clothing. But perhaps Diana's biggest surprise is when she learns that Matthew is a spy for the Queen.

While Diana is busy learning how to actually live in a time that she has very intimately studied, Matthew is trying to reacquaint himself with Elizabethan Mathew and at times that is complicated. But he does not lose focus on why they time walked and seeks to find Diana a tutor to learn how to harness her magic. Since this is a time period in which those expected to be witches are persecuted - painfully - they must be careful in attempting to seek another witch to train her.

Matthew and Diana also continue their search of Ashmole 782 which takes them to Prague and John Dee's doorstep. What they learn in their quest is fascinating and Diana's inquisitive mind makes use of every morsel of information they gather.

We also get to meet Matthews 'father', which you can imagine is a bittersweet moment for Matthew. While Diana tries to gain his father's respect, Matthew deals with his emotions in knowing what will happen to his father in the future. The reader gets a very clear picture of what life was like in the de Clermont household.

I absolutely adored this book, as cumbersome as it was at times with the amount of characters and historical detail. Matthew gets more swoonworthy (as if that's possible!) and Diana grows more powerful and sure of herself. Even more exciting to me is that many of the events that take place in SON are real events in history, albeit with a fictional twist to the details and characters. More fascinating than that is that Matthew Roydon indeed was a real historical figure who was rumored to have been a spy for the Queen and indeed was in many of the locations that Matthew and Diana visit during that time in history. The history buff in me went hog wild researching after I finished, completely ensconced in learning more about the events and characters and utterly amazed that Harkness is able to weave such an intricate tale around real events in history. (less)

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Jun 18, 2012 Kimba (Caffeinated Book Reviewer) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-buddy-want-list

The tale literally picks up right where Discovery of Witches left off. Diana and Matthew find themselves landing back in Elizabethan London. Diana is thrilled to be able to visit a period she has studied but finds herself woefully unprepared. She quickly realizes that even with her education she is completely out of her element. From her speech to her mannerism it is obvious to all; she isn’t from around here. With the aid of Matthew’s eccentric friends, they will work to assist Diana with these...more The tale literally picks up right where Discovery of Witches left off. Diana and Matthew find themselves landing back in Elizabethan London. Diana is thrilled to be able to visit a period she has studied but finds herself woefully unprepared. She quickly realizes that even with her education she is completely out of her element. From her speech to her mannerism it is obvious to all; she isn’t from around here. With the aid of Matthew’s eccentric friends, they will work to assist Diana with these skills, secure a witch to train her and find the lost copy of Asmole 782. The tale that unfolds is absolutely breathtaking, filled with suspense, romance, danger and iconic characters throughout Elizabethan history.

The characters in the All Souls Trilogy are flawed, fleshed out and I absolutely adore them. Diana finds herself out of her element. Her witchcraft is acting all sorts of bonkers. She is living in a time when witches are burned at the stake, the clothes are barbaric and women have no rights. In this novel we get to see tremendous growth in Diana. Her love and understanding of Matthew grows. She becomes more confident in her own skin and continues to be loyal, fearless and stubborn. I loved watching her discover her talents as a witch. This provides both funny and frightening scenes as her inability to control them creates mayhem. Then of course there is Matthew *swoons*. In this novel we learn so much about him and what has molded the modern day version. His history is both fascinating and sad. We get to see a darker side of Matthew as he confronts his past. He loves Diana but things are holding him back. I loved discovering his inner-workings. Diana peeled back his layers, bringing them closer together. The soft, tender side of Matthew was beautiful. There are a few flash forwards to present time and the characters we love. This provides insight into how Matthew and Diana are changing the future. We spend most of the novel in the years 1590 and 1591. This affords us the opportunity to witness history, attend the queen, and meet many historical characters. Harkness did a fantastic job of weaving them in the tale and giving them voice. I adored getting to know Gallowglass and Matthew’s father. The Queen and other characters gave me the chills and I feared for Diana.

Harkness has an incredible gift for world-building. She brought the Elizabethan era to life. Her interpretation of the queen, the atmosphere, and the smells of London lifted the tale right from the pages and I become completely immersed. It is immediately evident that a tremendous amount of research went into writing this novel. I was delighted by the historical accuracy and believability. From the buildings, merchants and furnishing, Harkness's imagery was enthralling. The characters she introduced were fleshed-out, and my feelings toward them reflected that. Shadow of Night held my attention and kept me up late two evening in a row, but it was worth every sleep-deprived minute. Harkness spun twists and turns into the plot that completely captivating me. We travel all over Europe and I loved all the little details. The fear of discovery and the atmosphere of the times, especially towards witches made this tale very suspenseful. The romance between Diana and Matthew was genuine and beautifully portrayed. There was coupling and it was done beautifully. Even the most delicate reader won’t be offended. Watching their growth as a couple kept me spellbound. Together they share loss, love, fear, jealousy and a binding that will last forever. I found myself completely invested in their story. While I am once again drooling for the next book, it is also bittersweet for me. The knowledge that its publishing will bring this tale to an end is a sad one. I am not yet ready to let go of Matthew and Diana. While it did not end on a huge cliffhanger you are left knowing things are developing and this tale is far from over.
I want to thank Viking/Penguin publishing for providing this finished copy in exchange for my unbiased review.
You can see more of this and other reviews on my blog:Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer (less)

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Jul 11, 2012 Julie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shadow of Night is "Act II" in the All Souls Trilogy, and it is just as wondrous and well written as the first book, A Discovery of Witches. Deborah Harkness has woven her knowledge and love of history into this magical work of fiction.

The story transports the reader back in time along with the main characters. The vivid descriptions will make you feel like you are also in Elizabethan England! The loved characters from A Discovery of Witches all have rolls in this book, albeit smaller ones. The...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Jenn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi, highlyrecommend, vampiresupernatural, romance

I loved nearly every minute of this novel! I loved the first book in the series and this one did not disappoint. The vivid detail put me right into the time period - most of the time it takes place in the 16th century - and the characters - both real and fictional - really came to life. Much of the plot takes place in my favorite city - London - and I reveled in it! The details of Diana learning to use her magic were also intriguing and that part of the novel - meeting the London witches and wor...more I loved nearly every minute of this novel! I loved the first book in the series and this one did not disappoint. The vivid detail put me right into the time period - most of the time it takes place in the 16th century - and the characters - both real and fictional - really came to life. Much of the plot takes place in my favorite city - London - and I reveled in it! The details of Diana learning to use her magic were also intriguing and that part of the novel - meeting the London witches and working with those delightful characters - as well as her and Matthew's interactions with people from his past (I really, really loved Gallowglass and Henry Percy, in particular) - were what riveted me the most. The humor and light touches were fun - I especially enjoyed their exasperation over integrating the young scamp, Jack, into their household, and chortled with delight over Diana's explanation of 21st century vampire literature to Matthew - some fun parody moments! So, why not five stars? Well, this is a looooong novel, and while I happily immersed myself in the carefully researched detail, some sections I felt were unnecessarily long. I also felt there were some annoying, repetitive issues in Matthew and Diana's relationship. Also, I was extremely frustrated that one of the major traumatic events (no spoilers here, just a hint) that had happened in the 21st century was only barely mentioned. I assume that it will be touched on more in the next novel, but with so much detail given to other, less emotionally signficant flash-forward? chapters, I was disappointed to only have a teaser. But, the biggest difficulty I had was Matthew and Diana's lack of a sense of urgency with accomplishing their goals in the past - I know that part of the reason they are there is to regroup with all the dangers facing them in the 21st century, so it's a good place to hide, yet the longer they stay in the past, the greater the chance for creating dangerous problems changing or impacting the future. I appreciated that towards the end of their stay, this was pointed out to them and hastened their return, but it caused me a lot of stress that for a historian, Diana seemed less concerned than I felt she should be over creating lasting historical impacts. Overall, though, I did NOT want the novel to end and I can't wait for the next one!(less)

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Jul 14, 2012 Lauren rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I was fairly eager to read Shadow of Night after reading Discovery of Witches. I didn't hate it. I didn't love it. While I certainly had my qualms about the first book book (you can read my review to see about that), my review of Shadow of Night is equally ambivalent, but for different reasons.

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

First, the good:

- Harkness finally utilizes her skills as an Elizabethan historian for more than painting a sentimental picture of Oxford. Taking her characters into Elizabethan England w...more

49 likes · like · see review

Sep 01, 2012 Natalie rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Cannot believe this book has 4 stars??? Have you read the same book I just suffered through?? (actually listened to as a 24 hour long audiobook!! should have been my first warning) I don't even want to read the 3rd book I'm so turned off by this LONG, confusing sequel. I can't imagine how she will be able to close the MANY loose ends she has floating out there. And by the way, did anyone else follow that crazy weaver business? Two more of many pet peeves about this was the lame jack be nimble, j...more

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Jun 29, 2012 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: all-time-favorites, copy-received-for-review, fantasy, history, europe, paranormal

Every so often, a book comes along. It’s everything you imagine a great fiction to be. It evokes the tremendous joy of just being able to read, to immerse yourself in a book so fully, to jump into a journey where every sense in your body is heightened, and your mind stimulated. Then the last page is turned, you sigh with sadness since you know you will not be able to find another book like this for a long, long time.

Shadow of Night is such a book.

I wrote these in my review of the first book of...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Marg rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

To say that I have been anticipating this book is an understatement. I loved A Discovery of Witches - it was one of my favourite reads of last year, so I have been waiting what seems a very long time to get my hands on this book. That kind of anticipation does lead to pretty high expectations which may have never been going to be met.

This book is the sequel to A Discovery of Witches, and it really assumes that you have read the first book. To be honest, I am not sure that I wouldn't recommend a...more

3 likes · like · see review

Nov 07, 2012 Christina White rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-fantasy, love-stories, historical-fiction

The second book in the All Souls series wasn't as good as the first book. I enjoyed it because I was already attached to the characters from reading about them in A Discovery of Witches. I loved all of the details Deborah Harkness put into the novel that transported her readers effortlessly into the past. In the beginning the massive amount of new characters was overwhelming, but since most of them were historical icons it was easy to keep up with them. This story introduced too many minor plots...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Talk Supe Blogspot rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Full review at Talk Supe

The core of SHADOW OF NIGHT was exciting and the story DHarkness is telling is truly wonderful. Matthew and Diana's forbidden romance provides all the dramatic trappings one expects from a typical PNR and all the opposing forces and insistent nay saying is enough for me to root for them. The historical background was accurate and even the liberties she took with Queen Elizabeth, Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare were plausible once you remove the supernatural as...more

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Apr 09, 2013 Kay rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, magical-realism, popcorn-books

I think I even like this one better than the first! I'm a sucker for historical fiction, particularly of the speculative variety. Harkness has such a great ability to breathe life into her characters, even ones that--if I'd heard a description of them out of context--I'd otherwise expect to be bored with. Her lush descriptions of landscape and scene are great without being overwhelming. And yet again, she manages to write witches convincingly without falling back on shitty-stupid stereotypes or...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Patricia Slovinsky rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Starts off a little slow, but I guess you need to built the structure, but an excellent book none the less. I can't wait for the final book in this trilogy. A must read trilogy~

4 likes · like · see review

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About Deborah Harkness

My life has been a series of left turns that nevertheless took me in the right direction (though it didn't always seem so at the time). I went to college to be a theater major and ended up studying the Renaissance. I went to grad school to become a college administrator and loved to teach so much I became a college professor instead. I thought I wanted to be a Tudor-Stuart historian, and found mys...more

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Books by Deborah Harkness

A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy, #1)

The Jewel House: Elizabethan London and the Scientific Revolution

John Dee's Conversations with Angels: Cabala, Alchemy, and the End of Nature

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Quotes from Shadow of Night

“Memories were short and history unkind. It was the way of the world.” — 29 people liked it

“With knot of one, the spell's begun.
With knot of two, the spell be true.
With knot of three, the spell is free.
With knot of four, the power is stored.
With knot of five, the spell with thrive.
With knot of six, this spell I fix.” — 26 people liked it

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Shadow of Night (All Souls Trilogy #2)

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