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Shadow of Night
(All Souls #2)
by
Picking up from A Discovery of Witches’ cliffhanger ending, Shadow of Night takes Diana and Matthew 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 deepens and Diana seeks out a witch to tutor her in magic, the net of Matthew’s past
...more
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Hardcover, 584 pages
Published
July 10th 2012
by Viking Adult
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Start your review of Shadow of Night (All Souls, #2)

Jul 15, 2012
Kristina
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
masochists
Recommended to Kristina by:
no one. I was dumb enough to tell myself to read it.
Shelves:
omg-this-book-is-so-dumb,
fiction,
suck,
brain-candy,
supernatural-creatures,
hyped,
hated-em,
nook-book,
wtf
Request to Readers of This Review who LOVED the book
Please stop NOW & do not read this review. Based on the ridiculous & repetitive comments left by lovers of this trilogy, many of you cannot handle opinions that do not conform to your own & feel the need to call me stupid, tell me I have no right to read this book, & other nonsense. If you feel that way, FINE. Just stop telling me! I don't care! I don't troll lovers of this trilogy & tell them they are morons for liking the books, so I'd ap ...more

"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 powerf ...more
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 powerf ...more

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

So imagine you’ve written a story about vampires and witches who hunt for a mysterious book full of power and life. The story is set in the modern day with much of the action taking part in the city of Oxford along with many memorable scenes occurring in the Bodleian library. It all sounds pretty decent.
Your central character slowly falls in love with a vampire: the feelings are returned. The two decide to pool their resources as they are both working for very similar aims. Their hunt for the b ...more
Your central character slowly falls in love with a vampire: the feelings are returned. The two decide to pool their resources as they are both working for very similar aims. Their hunt for the b ...more

A few non-spoilery things (if you’ve finished the first one) you’ll want to know before beginning this (or things I wanted to know and needed my future self to tell me):
1. 95% of this takes place in the past.
There are a few chapters that update you on what’s going on in the present, but those were kind of dull, sooooo...
2. The time traveling will never make sense.
It’s best to just let this go. The 16th century Matthew disappears while present day Matthew is there with his present day wife. When ...more
1. 95% of this takes place in the past.
There are a few chapters that update you on what’s going on in the present, but those were kind of dull, sooooo...
2. The time traveling will never make sense.
It’s best to just let this go. The 16th century Matthew disappears while present day Matthew is there with his present day wife. When ...more

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Shadow of Night picks up immediately after A Discovery of Witches ends (and I do mean immediately with little to no refresher. This was my second attempt at reading and I attribute my success at completing it solely because of this recap I found online which was an immense help.) with Matthew and Diana traveling back into the past to search for Ashmole 782 and to seek Diana help with her powers. For those that don’t remember: Ashmole 782: the bewitched alchemical ma ...more
Shadow of Night picks up immediately after A Discovery of Witches ends (and I do mean immediately with little to no refresher. This was my second attempt at reading and I attribute my success at completing it solely because of this recap I found online which was an immense help.) with Matthew and Diana traveling back into the past to search for Ashmole 782 and to seek Diana help with her powers. For those that don’t remember: Ashmole 782: the bewitched alchemical ma ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

I'm bored out of my mind and just can't read another page. I've been reading this book for over a week, hundreds and hundreds of pages, and virtually nothing has happened. There has been so little forward progress, it's astonishing. Too many boring, insignificant characters have been introduced. The amount of historical information and intricate detail is remarkable, but also mind-numbing. So many times I wanted to scream "Just get on with the story already!". Farewell Diana and Matthew. I hope
...more

Sep 23, 2021
Ahmad Sharabiani
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
fantasy,
historical,
literature,
paranormal,
magic,
united-states,
21th-century,
fiction,
thriller,
romance
Shadow of Night (All Souls #2), Deborah Harkness
Shadow of Night is a 2012 historical-fantasy novel by American scholar Deborah Harkness, the second book in the All Souls trilogy.
As the sequel to the 2011 A Discovery of Witches, it follows the story of Diana Bishop, a historian who comes from a long line of witches, and Matthew Clairmont, a long-lived vampire, as they unlock the secrets of an ancient manuscript.
Diana and Matthew travel back in time to 16th century London during the Elizabethan ...more
Shadow of Night is a 2012 historical-fantasy novel by American scholar Deborah Harkness, the second book in the All Souls trilogy.
As the sequel to the 2011 A Discovery of Witches, it follows the story of Diana Bishop, a historian who comes from a long line of witches, and Matthew Clairmont, a long-lived vampire, as they unlock the secrets of an ancient manuscript.
Diana and Matthew travel back in time to 16th century London during the Elizabethan ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

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 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

What a wonderful, vibrant, rich exciting thriller/mystery/love story this is.
Loved how the supernatural is woven through the story as Diana and Matthew journey through Elizabethan Europe.
A cracking read, and a worthy sequel to DoW. Can't wait for the next one.
...more
Loved how the supernatural is woven through the story as Diana and Matthew journey through Elizabethan Europe.
A cracking read, and a worthy sequel to DoW. Can't wait for the next one.
...more

Oct 23, 2011
Erica
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
arc,
time-travel,
books-about-books,
international,
witches-n-magic,
paranormal,
romance,
historical,
fiction
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 woefu ...more
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 woefu ...more

Re-read 12/17/17
I didn't dislike this novel any on a re-read. Indeed, knowing what's going to occur in the next novel actually improved the overall plot for me.
I originally came to the conclusion that most of the historical plots were relatively inconsequential. After all, aren't we playing tourists with the time-travel bits? But no. The plots and the carry-through with a large cast of characters both vampire and other feels entirely justified on the re-read.
Other than that, I pretty much sque ...more
I didn't dislike this novel any on a re-read. Indeed, knowing what's going to occur in the next novel actually improved the overall plot for me.
I originally came to the conclusion that most of the historical plots were relatively inconsequential. After all, aren't we playing tourists with the time-travel bits? But no. The plots and the carry-through with a large cast of characters both vampire and other feels entirely justified on the re-read.
Other than that, I pretty much sque ...more

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
Shadow of Night is such a book.
I wrote these in my review of the first book of ...more

My Diana and Matthew:

Wow, what a sophisticated and remarkable story! Shadow of Night was like nothing I have ever read before and it surpassed all my expectations. This book offers the most amazing mixture of romance, history, paranormal and action. It was equally good (if not better) as first book and I enjoyed reading this book immensely.
Shadow of Night is that kind of book which you cannot put down because you need to know how things are going to end up. Simultaneously, you are trying to ...more

Wow, what a sophisticated and remarkable story! Shadow of Night was like nothing I have ever read before and it surpassed all my expectations. This book offers the most amazing mixture of romance, history, paranormal and action. It was equally good (if not better) as first book and I enjoyed reading this book immensely.
Shadow of Night is that kind of book which you cannot put down because you need to know how things are going to end up. Simultaneously, you are trying to ...more

www.melissa413readsalot.blogspot.com
I'm not even sure where to begin. I didn't like this book as much as the first one. I loved the first one! I'm not sure what happened... my mood..the book itself. I do believe the last book in the trilogy will be as good as the first and I can't wait to read it.
There were so many people in this book, but the author listed in the back of the book who everyone was in case you got lost. Some of the things seemed to drag on but I can see where the author needed t ...more
I'm not even sure where to begin. I didn't like this book as much as the first one. I loved the first one! I'm not sure what happened... my mood..the book itself. I do believe the last book in the trilogy will be as good as the first and I can't wait to read it.
There were so many people in this book, but the author listed in the back of the book who everyone was in case you got lost. Some of the things seemed to drag on but I can see where the author needed t ...more

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
Audio ...more

Jan 17, 2012
Angela
rated it
it was ok
Shelves:
2-stars,
arc,
magic,
read-in-2012,
adult,
vampires,
demons,
witches,
mindless-indulgence,
frustration-inducing
Historical detail & slow pace drags down sequel
Though I had a rocky experience with Harkness' first novel, A Discovery of Witches, I began reading Shadow of Night with hopes that its setting in the past would add intrigue and excitement to the unfolding story. Unfortunately, it did not, and the story became more plodding and convoluted in this installment.
Shadow of Night suffered most from its almost obsession-like focus on detailing every aspect of the historical period in which it was set. ...more

Apr 24, 2019
Éimhear (A Little Haze)
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
owned-or-preordered
This book isn't great.
It's too long.
It's got some illogical thought processes from the main characters considering their supposed knowledge of all things historical.
It reads like the author wanted to show off everything she knew about this time period.
It's got far too many characters whose identities blur together.
It's got some dodgy AF sexual interactions.
And nothing much really happens despite the book's length.
But..... I give zero fucks about all of this because I had a blast. I am pure tras ...more
It's too long.
It's got some illogical thought processes from the main characters considering their supposed knowledge of all things historical.
It reads like the author wanted to show off everything she knew about this time period.
It's got far too many characters whose identities blur together.
It's got some dodgy AF sexual interactions.
And nothing much really happens despite the book's length.
But..... I give zero fucks about all of this because I had a blast. I am pure tras ...more

I FINALLY finished this darn book - thank heavens. It was a struggle and I was so disappointed. It was OK in the very beginning, then got totally lost in all of the non-directional padding and finally had some of the earlier pizzazz in the last 10 pages. I'm sure I'll read the last one, but not with any of the excitement that I had while waiting for #2. When I turned over the last page I was furious to find that while I was struggling to keep all of the characters straight in my mind...they were
...more

Buddy read with Ruthie
Shadow of Night was a disappointment, it hurts because I have low expectations for this book, this book would have been better if it was 150-200 pages shorter.
This book started just where A discovery of Witches ended with Matthew and Diana travelling to the past, the year 1590. The writing is fun in some parts and other times boring and repetitive.
Even though this book this book is written in Diana a female's POV, this book is not diverse, the romance was cool, I love the ...more
Shadow of Night was a disappointment, it hurts because I have low expectations for this book, this book would have been better if it was 150-200 pages shorter.
This book started just where A discovery of Witches ended with Matthew and Diana travelling to the past, the year 1590. The writing is fun in some parts and other times boring and repetitive.
Even though this book this book is written in Diana a female's POV, this book is not diverse, the romance was cool, I love the ...more

thank god that's over!!!!!
it took me 2 months to make it barely 30% into this book because i was so miserably bored. it's long, nearly 600 pages with small font, and every time i felt i had been reading it for a long time, i'd look up and realize i'd only gotten through about 10 pages. i very, very nearly gave up, but blessedly was able to find it on audiobook instead, which i've recently been getting back into.
so then naturally i listened to the other 70% of this book in one day. don't ask me ...more
it took me 2 months to make it barely 30% into this book because i was so miserably bored. it's long, nearly 600 pages with small font, and every time i felt i had been reading it for a long time, i'd look up and realize i'd only gotten through about 10 pages. i very, very nearly gave up, but blessedly was able to find it on audiobook instead, which i've recently been getting back into.
so then naturally i listened to the other 70% of this book in one day. don't ask me ...more

This is the second book in the All Souls trilogy and mostly takes place in 1590/1591 after Diana and Matthew have time-walked there to be safe from the congregation, find the manuscript of Ashmole 782, as well as a witch capable of teaching Diana about her strange magic.
It is thus that we meet characters like Walter Raleigh, Christopher Marlowe, Elizabeth I and even Matthew's father Philippe, who has quickly become my favourite character (along with Matt's nephew Gallowglass).
The book takes ...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
...more

October 2017: Changing my rating to 5 stars. When settling in to reread this one, all I could remember is that they were going to the past. There were so many things I was delighted to be surprised with, so many characters I loved, and a few I wanted to junk punch. I will definitely be starting book 3 right away.
Original review
4.5 stars
I definitely enjoyed it more than the first book. Love where it starts, where it ends and everything in between. I can't wait to see where book 3 is going t ...more
Original review
4.5 stars
I definitely enjoyed it more than the first book. Love where it starts, where it ends and everything in between. I can't wait to see where book 3 is going t ...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
...more

I had high hopes for this book after hearing about all the interesting places Diana Bishop (witch and historian) and Matthew (her vampire husband) would visit using time travel. Unfortunately, what resulted in between the hefty 600 pages, was a lot of frustration, boredom, and just a general feeling of "make it stop".
The Discovery of Witches, the first in the series, had so much potential but just ended up having too much of a resemblance to Twilight and too much irrelevant waffle. Shadow of Nig ...more
The Discovery of Witches, the first in the series, had so much potential but just ended up having too much of a resemblance to Twilight and too much irrelevant waffle. Shadow of Nig ...more

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
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
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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2022 Reading Chal...: Shadow of Night (All Souls #2) | 2 | 12 | 2 minutes ago | |
What happened to Emily? | 22 | 1420 | Jul 22, 2022 08:15PM | |
Goodreads Librari...: Please update page count | 2 | 30 | Jul 15, 2022 04:34AM | |
Addicted to YA: Shadow of Night | 2 | 199 | Dec 12, 2021 08:52PM | |
Addicted to YA: Discussion Leader Sign Up: Shadow of Night | 3 | 95 | Dec 04, 2021 05:19AM | |
Play Book Tag: Shadow of Night / Deborah Harkness - 3*** | 1 | 6 | Jul 08, 2021 08:31AM | |
French Language L...: Le livre de la mois: février discussion | 19 | 33 | May 10, 2021 12:53AM |
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Deborah Harkness is a #1 New York Times bestselling author who draws on her expertise as an historian of science, medicine, and the history of the book to create rich narratives steeped in magical realism, historical curiosity, and deeply human questions about what it is that makes us who we are.
The first book in Harkness’s beloved All Souls series, A Discovery of Witches, was an instant New York ...more
The first book in Harkness’s beloved All Souls series, A Discovery of Witches, was an instant New York ...more
Other books in the series
All Souls
(4 books)
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“Memories were short and history unkind. It was the way of the world.”
—
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“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.”
—
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More quotes…
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.”