T. K. Elliott (Tiffany)'s Reviews > A Discovery of Witches

You can definitely tell that this book was written by a historian - and an academic at that. Not only are there lots of bits of history in it, but the author's love of learning, of acquiring knowledge, shines through. Not simply because Protagonist 1 (Diana) is an academic, and a historian of science at that (just like the author!), but Protagonist 2 (Matthew) is a centuries-old vampire. Interestingly, the author doesn't chart his long life in terms of money, or power, or sex, but in terms of scholars known and books read and/or acquired. Similarly, Diana's reaction to old manuscripts is entirely believable.

Many people don't seem to like the amount of detail in this book - myself, I loved it. I loved the way Diana and Matthew discuss history, alchemy, genetics, the eating habits of wolves... It was a real treat to read two protagonists who are highly intelligent, very well-educated, and have an insatiable desire to learn.

The plot - well, there are two. The love story between Diana and Matthew, and whatever is going on with Ashmole 782. The first got rather more advancement than the second - I expect Books 2 and 3 will have more about the mysterious manuscript. If you are looking for a fast-paced plot with lots of excitement, this book is not for you. This is a slow-burn sort of book, and I expect the story will play out with a lot of finding of information, and putting together of puzzles, rather than explosions and car chases.

Urban fantasy done with academics.

I love it. :-)