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

by Deborah Harkness

‘You are not going to sling me over your shoulder like a victorious medieval knight making off with the spoils of battle.’

Like witches, vampires are safer when they’re part of a community who knows what they are but doesn’t ask too many questions.’

‘Coco Chanel didn’t meet with Ysabeau’s approval. You may be aiming a bit high.’

The rooms had been designed as if he needed to protect himself from his own family.

‘We’re making your master nervous, and he’s started reciting obscure bits of poetry written by mad Italian clerics.

‘You knew him!’ My tone was accusing. ‘Was he a daemon?’ ‘One who crossed the madness-genius divide rather too frequently, I’m afraid.’ ‘I should have known. He believed in extraterrestrial life and cursed his inquisitors on the way to the stake,’ I said, shaking my head.

for it is notorious how commonly members of even the same subgroup have different habits. ’

I like that you’re not a vampire, Diana.’ ‘And I like that you are a vampire, Matthew.’

Turn to me with all your heart. Do not refuse me because I am dark and shadowed.

Watch for me. See me. And if you find another who is like me, I will give him the morning star.’

She will roll away the stone from the entrance of my tomb and give me the wings of a dove so that I might fly with her to the heavens to live forever and be at rest.’

‘You come here, to my house, uninvited. What would your mother say if she knew you behaved in such a fashion?’

‘I’m a predator, Diana.’ He said it with the seductiveness of a lover.

‘Witches don’t have centuries to fall in love. We do it quickly.

‘To make it harder, of course. He has always made things harder. For him. For everyone else, too.’

I’m sure I was an ordinary human. They have their visionaries, too. It’s not only creatures who are blessed and cursed in this way.’