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Shadow of Night

(All Souls #2)

Deborah Harkness (Goodreads Author)

4.06 · Rating details · 218,683 ratings · 17,950 reviews

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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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

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Sep 10, 2011 Wine Country rated it it was amazing

Shelves: vampires, demons, favorite-reads, witches, time-travel, adult-romance, strong-females, female-pov, favorite-authors, 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 powerf ...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Natalie rated it did not like it

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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Aug 08, 2014 Sean Barrs rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: 1-star-reads, fantasy, darkness-horror-gothic, love-and-romance

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 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 book appears difficult with many people getting in their way. The two appear dangerously close to achieving their aims and the plot feels like it is actually moving forward in a steady direction. Such was the first novel A Discovery of Witches, a novel that had an interesting plot but was drastically hindered by its lacklustre characters and the lifeless romance.

So, as a writer, how do you make this even worse?

Randomly send the couple back in time, of course. The plot went shooting down the toilet at a dramatically high speed. For some reason it takes a huge sweepingly random back-step and transports the characters to the 16th century England under the reign of the Tudors.

I felt like the story was pushed to its absolute breaking point here. It’s like she wanted to write a historical novel about the Elizabethan times, but had already started a fantasy series, so she tried to combine the two. It was weird. It was random. And it really didn’t work. There was little suggestion that such a thing was even possible in the first book and the reasoning for it here, though painstakingly explained with caution and consideration, felt more like a justification than an actual logical reason. It was like she was trying to persuade me for the necessity of such a thing.

Trashy writing, and poor plotting

The series had some potential if Harkness tightened up her writing and gave us a little bit more substance. For me, it was a massive case of telling us how powerful and dangerous her characters were without actually showing it to us. Again, Matthew the all-powerful vampire had a chance to show us his worth which he failed so miserably at in A Discovery of Witches. He was a spy in a former life, supposedly cunning and delightfully skilful at subterfuge. He shows us none of these abilities. All he was good for was his knowledge of living in the Tudor times because he had already done it before, which only gave Dianne another reason to follow him around like a long lost puppy. So she's not the kind of woman I like to read about: she's her man's shadow.

There is also too much going on and as she tries to wrap up her story it’s like one massive juggling act where all loose ends are forcibly tied off and made clean. There was no need to complicate what was a very straightforward narrative. It doesn’t make the writing better. Instead, it just dragged out the story for another book. Personally, this would have been a stronger story if it had been contained to one book.

*************
I read this back in 2014 and I’m still bitter about it. At that time I was still a little unsure about what books I liked, I’d not read much, but reading books like this helped steer me on the right direction into the kind of books I rave about on here today. So, as much as I disliked this book, it was not an entirely wasteful experience. ...more

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Apr 27, 2019 • Lindsey Dahling • rated it liked it

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

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Jun 13, 2011 Bonnie rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, romance, pn-vampires, time-travel, pn-witches-wizards

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

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Jul 14, 2012 Frances rated it liked it

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

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Dec 05, 2011 Kristi rated it did not like it

Shelves: 2012

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

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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

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Jul 14, 2012 M rated it did not like it

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 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. ...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Kyla rated it liked it

Shelves: 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 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. ...more

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Sep 01, 2012 E.L. James rated it it was amazing

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

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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 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)! ...more

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Dec 05, 2014 Bradley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fanboy-goes-squee, urban-fantasy, fantasy, romance

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 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 squeed all over again because of the mightily researched and loved past of 1590. Add a ton of real personages and give them so much life and verve and it feels like I just nerded out.

And the straight UF experience is only enhanced. :)

Oh, and let's be honest here. It's a romance. No matter how I try to deny it, it's all romance. :)

Original Review:

The inner English Lit fanboy in me went squee many times as I read this one. I was teased and thrilled and thoroughly amused by being plopped into Elisabeth's England and Austria and France, meeting all of the fascinating characters of the time. Shakespeare was always an inconsequential flop in the background and Kit was suddenly thrust into the limelight like I thought he always ought to have been.

The novel took a sharp turn from urban fantasy into historical fantasy, rich and detailed and a pure delight to behold. And yet, we all know language is always going to be a problem so I didn't really mind that late middle English was seamlessly translated into the modern English. It allows us the joy without any of the hardships. Indeed, the whole novel was some of the easiest complicated tales I've ever had the pleasure of staying up all night to read. I loved the first novel, but this one tickled a lot of fancy bones for me.

The plot in this or the previous novel is relatively inconsequential. The people are much more important, and the care and detail put into them is pure magic. Of course, magic is fun while the stormclouds slowly encroach upon the sunny day, but we can feel the raindrops forming and the time for preparation is slipping away.

I'm a big fan of this novel. Magic isn't much of a crutch, but the developments are enough to push the reader through a few of the snags. That being said, I had a great time reading it and have no regrets about the directions it has taken. I'm thoroughly invested. ...more

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Jun 19, 2012 Karen Ng rated it it was amazing

Shelves: medical, copy-received-for-review, europe, history, fantasy, all-time-favorites, travel, parallel-universes

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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Apr 17, 2012 Lucia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, historical, favorites, 5-stars-read, bookshelves-owned

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 My Diana and Matthew:

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 read it slowly because you never want to finish it.

Shadow of Night is eventful book, there is no single boring part since something is happening all the time. It was really fascinating to read about Diana's encouters with famous historical figures and her attempts to merge into world in 1590. And while first half of the book was interesting, second half was absolutely exciting and thrilling because of all that magical things Diana learnt about herself.

"But it is the stone that best captures who you are: bright on the surface, fiery within and impossible to break."

This book is full of new characters which I grew fond of immediately. Especially the Matthew's father and nephew. What is it about the men from de Clairmont family? It is impossible to resist them. Matthew in particular! And the bond that Diana and Matthew developed in this book was so beautiful and it made their relationship perfect in my eyes.

Shadow of Night answered plenty of questions about Diana's magical powers, Ashmole 782 manuscript and de Clairmont family. But one questions remained unanswered - how I am going to handle the waiting for the final book?

"“Philippe told me that mating was destiny. Once I found you, there would be nothing to do but accept fate’s decision. But that’s not how it works at all. In every moment, for the rest of my life, I will be choosing you—over my father, over my own self-interest, even over the de Clermont family.”"

MORE REVIEWS ON MY BLOG Reading Is My Breathing ...more

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Jun 16, 2015 Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin rated it liked it

Shelves: own, fantasy-all

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

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Jun 19, 2012 Samantha rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction, adult-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

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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.

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. From particulars about the floor coverings to the convenient inclusion of almost every notable figure of the time, I felt bogged down in the details and the name-dropping. Character development also progressed in fits and spurts and ultimately stalled. Though Matthew and Diana have some "breakthrough" moments in their relationship, Diana remains relatively incompetent and reckless and Matthew continues to be controlling and possessive. Slow pacing made the first 80% of the novel drag, and very little time or attention was given to the threats or worries of the present day. When action or plot movement did occur, it provided little tension or excitement. The couple's impetus to be in the past - to hone Diana's magic and to find Ashmole 782 - often got lost among historical notes and unrelated intrigue. The mythology regarding time travel and Diana's magical skills was also unclear and seemed to contradict itself at times.

Even though Shadow of Night didn't work for me, this book might be an enjoyable read for those who love history and detail. The time spent exploring Diana's magic and her special capabilities was interesting, as was the information revealed toward the end of the novel about Ashmole 782 and its related prophecy; I finished the book wanting to know more about each. The story also provided some insight into Matthew's character and how his past and his family had shaped him. Chapters set in the present day that were interspersed between sections also provided glimpses into what was happening in the present-day world and moved things along for the secondary characters. Of all of the different parts in the book, I enjoyed these infrequent additions the most.

While I can appreciate the ambitious nature of Harkness' series, I left this second book of the trilogy feeling unmoved again by the story or its characters. Even such, I will likely read the final installment when it comes out to see what happens to Diana, Matthew, and all those connected by Ashmole 782. As she wraps up her story, I hope that Harkness provides readers with faster pacing, clearer world building, and more character development.

Note: This review refers to an advance review copy. ...more

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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

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Jul 29, 2012 Laura rated it did not like it

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

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Jun 04, 2020 Deborah Obida rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: adult, paranormal, historical-fiction

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 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 world building, it's one of my highlights of this book.

Diana was annoying and naive in most part of the book and other times she was fun. The worst part was that she acts like a child most of the time, she's 33 years old, a grown adult woman. Her relationship with Matthew had a lot of rocky parts in this book, the Matthew of the 16th century is different from the one she knows.

Matthew was equal part cool and equal part annoying, he lost himself in that century. Matthew's multiple secrets and lives made their visit into the past harder than it ought to be.

Jack an eight years boy is my favourite character in this book. I just wish the author invested more in his character. This part broke my heart.

“Master Roydon?” Jack sidled closer to Matthew. His chin was trembling. Matthew’s hand shot out and grabbed him by the collar, stopping him before he could get too close to me. Jack didn’t flinch. “Are you having a nightmare?”
Matthew’s hand dropped, releasing the boy.. “Yes, Jack. A terrible nightmare.”
Jack slid his hand into Matthew’s. “I will wait by your side until it passes.” My eyes pricked with tears.

Gallowglass is another cool character that I can't wait to meet in the 21st century. He is Matthew's vampire nephew.

The school of night is cool, I like Matthew's friends. Philippe was a character I did not expect to like, he's such a smart and intelligent man who loves his family.

The plan was to go to 1590, find someone to teach Diana how her magic works and find Ashmole 782. The plan has way too many holes, they didn't anticipate the troubles that they found. Most due to Matthew's arrogance and a few Diana's naivety. They spent seven months in the past which is not good at all. ...more

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Oct 01, 2021 Whitney Atkinson rated it it was ok

Shelves: read-in-2021, audiobook

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 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 why or how.

i much preferred this book on audio. i'm still mourning the fact that i liked book one a lot and this one was such a downgrade on so many levels. a discovery of witches had the perfect structure with setting up a mystery and this main character's tragic backstory while also acquainting you with the world of "magical" creatures and giving you a whole rivals-to-lovers romance, complete with supernatural angst and a tinge of forbidden love.

this book, by comparison, seemed like the author's (failed, boring) attempt to flex as much historical knowledge as she could throw at you. the main plot of this book was diluted with SO many side plots and characters that it felt aimless for its entire duration. at some points i appreciated it for what it was trying to do, using real people as characters in a magical world, especially thrust back in a century that i don't think i've ever read in fiction before. but more often than not i wished the author would have quit overexplaining history to me when i was just there to read about witches and vampires and solving the main mystery. this book only stuck to that for about 50 pages total.

personal preference here, but i also just hate books with (view spoiler) so this was a BIG ol struggle, but that's just one of the side effects that comes from the full romance arc between diana and matthew occurring in book one. and, i guess, reading an adult fantasy as opposed to YA. but after book one tied up the romance so perfectly ((view spoiler)), the drama and angst of their relationship felt really low-stakes in this volume, excluding the times when matthew's vampire instincts emerge when he defends her from other men or gets her out of danger. (side note: which in a book about diana being such a badass independent woman, those two concepts really go head to head.) i do like that the couple confronted secrets they'd been harboring from one another and truly got closer to each other, but i'm not going to lie, some of their romance felt melodramatic and i was left feeling like their most iconic scenes are already past. (view spoiler))

my whole experience of this book is total disappointment. i'll never forget that after i finished book one, i RACED to my local independent bookstore to pick up the last two books, convinced i was going to love it. but to be honest, i just read the synopsis for book three and it seems like you can pretty much exclude this book from the series and it wouldn't change much other than some character development and the 16+ hours you'll lose off your life by deciding to read it. but if you love history and have a much bigger attention span, you might've had a vastly different experience than me. ...more

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Dec 20, 2017 Trish rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

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 place in London (Blackfriars), France (Sept-Tours), and Prague - as well as some modern places few and far between.

Once again, it is remarkable how much research has gone into the authenticity of the settings and Deborah Harkness has brought all the places to life in an uncanny way. I liked especially how she acknowledged and therefore incorporated the difficulties a time-traveller would definitely have to face, no matter how many history books one might have read. Too often in fiction people just travel back, wear the right clothes and all is well. Here, even the vampire who has lived through these times before has difficulties, let alone his modern-day wife, which only made the frame of the story more realistic.

It's therefore also no surprise that many things go wrong and it is once again friends and family Diana and Matthew have to rely on in order to survive - a theme already established in the first book that I adore as it also means the family you make, not just blood relatives.
It emphasized the point that history is not an exact science (no matter how much Diana would like it - and magic - to be just that) but rather one day after another just as in our lives and that the two protagonists have to improvise in order to get what they want and need. It's a process that makes them both learn about themselves as much as the world they live in and there are some sneaky similarities to the scientific mystery they are trying to solve.

One of my absolute favourite bits about this book was Goody Alsop and the coven of witches she assembled and how they taught Diana - so atmospheric, giving the reader this warm and comfy feeling! Just like Philippe did in his time's version of Sept-Tours! I really love that man.
The other thing I've come to really appreciate is the author's love for details. While the German dialogues (spoken at the court of the Emperor in Prague) were atrocious and the Spanish weren't much better (which made me wonder about the Latin bits - I really wish I had had Latin in school), there are many details added through the names of places or people such as the falcon named Šárka after a folklore character or Gallowglass having been an order of mostly Scottish mercenaries between the 13th and 16th century that lend their name to one of the best characters here because of that character's roots and personality. Even Peter Stubbe made an appearance through a newspaper article!

There is certainly heartship in here such as (view spoiler) and I expect there to be at least as much in the next book, but there are light and funny moments in here as well. These moments being so pronounced because every single character, main and secondary, is fully fleshed out and distinctive.

It might have taken me a while to read this but that is in no way the book's fault. While it is quite thick and dense with information and events, it is never boring and the audio version was, once again, very good. ...more

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Jul 27, 2011 ☕️Kimberly rated it it was amazing

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 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.
...more

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Apr 08, 2012 Stacee rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-in-2012, read-in-2017, title-in-the-story

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

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Aug 24, 2020 angela rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

What a journey this book brings us on. A fun at times yet a serious book, I enjoyed it very much. Who would have thought finding a book would be so dam hard. I can’t wait to find out exactly what’s in the bloody book lol. I hope it’s worth it in the end.

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Nov 28, 2011 Angela Cone rated it it was amazing

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 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. ...more

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Jul 21, 2012 Jeann (Happy Indulgence) rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, witches, buddy-reads

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

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Aug 07, 2012 Terri ♥ (aka Mrs. Christian Grey) rated it really liked it

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

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About Deborah Harkness

Deborah Harkness

27,450 followers

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

Other books in the series

All Souls (4 books)

Books by Deborah Harkness

The World of All Souls: A Complete Guide to A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night, and the Book of Life

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Quotes from Shadow of Night

“Memories were short and history unkind. It was the way of the world.” — 97 likes

“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.” — 82 likes

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