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Harkness, Deborah; Shadow of Night (All Souls Trilogy #2) -Buddy Read- Start Date August 19 2013 **REVISIT** Date June 19, 2018
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Lisa Kay
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rated it 5 stars
Aug 29, 2013 08:09AM
Drawings of the moon by British cartographer Briton Thomas Harriot.
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2008-Spyker-C8-Spyder - the car Marcus leaves for Matthew and Diana in Amsterdam.
Sir Walter Raleigh oval portrait by Nicholas Hilliard.
Elizabeth "Bess" Throckmorton - Raleigh's Love Interest& maid of honor to the Queen
The infamous mental hospital of Bedlam stood on three London sites. The last is now the Imperial War Museum.
Medieval picture of a Knight of St Lazarus of Jerusalem.
Lisa Kay’s Questions for Chapters 36 – to end.
74. What did you think of Hubbard’s offer of help when Diana decided to go to the asylum? Well, we now know who fills the insane asylums; mostly daemons. Comments.
75. BOOK QUOTE: “I asked you to stop denying your instincts, Matthew, not become a slave to them.” Were you surprised over Diana’s compassion towards Kit and Louisa, if somewhat conditional?
76. Diana’s father! Did you like the scenes between Stephen Proctor and Diana? Corra now has a name; and Diana knows it, thanks mainly to her father. Did you expect more conversation between Matthew and Steven? Did anything else of Steven Bishop’s visit stand out to you?
77. Ah. Goody Alsop. I’ve really liked her; she and Henry Percy were my favorites (he has a bit of a speech impediment on the audio). I’m glad Jack went with him. Who were your favorite characters in this volume?
78. Whoa. Sorry, I just did NOT understand the whole Father Hubbard thing. Why would Diana give him any of her blood, frozen or not; surely she had other options, like Henry Percy, or Mary Sidney to care for the children. What long-range consequences will his having “tasted” her blood have?
79. BOOK QUOTE: “The past has changed us, Matthew. Why should we not change it, too.” What consequences will Thomas Harriot’s telescope have on the modern day world? Conversely, 10 year-old Rebecca White now has Ysabeau’s earring. Isn’t this Diana’s insurance that future will be unchanged? Comments.
80. Ah! Phoebe and Marcus. Sarah and Em. Baby Margaret. Twins! Happiness and tears. Did you like how the book ended, with Annie and Shakespeare? Too many unanswered questions, or just right?
81. What did you rate the book? Did you like it better than the first? Will you continue the trilogy?
I don't know which is hotter, that Spyder or Sir Walter Raleigh! ;)Answers to Lisa Kay’s Questions for Chapters 36 – to end
74. I can't quite wrap my brain around Hubbard. Is he a bad guy or just a nuisance? The Bedlam scenes were so awful. Nothing gets me queasier than thinking about health care in the olden days. Ew ew ew. And so sad.
75. I think Diana is a compassionate and forgiving person by nature, so it made sense that she wouldn't stand by and watch them torture Louisa and Kit. The world would be a better place with more Dianas in it.
76. How exciting and bittersweet to see Stephen! I was not expecting that at all. I'm glad that he was able to provide Diana with a bit of peace, and get her to relax and accept her own practice of witchcraft. I'm so glad Corra has a name and is getting along well with Diana.
77. I think Goody Alsop and Jack were my favorite characters, too. I will miss them terribly.
78. I'm with Lisa Kay. I didn't get why she would strike that deal with Hubbard. Did she think freezing her blood would make a difference or was she just trying to hurt him? Either way, he still wins! Another *facepalm* moment for me.
79. I like how the Harriot reveal gave another clue to the present that things were wrapping up and that they were still alive, but it seems irresponsible. As a historian, shouldn't she want the past to stay as it was? I thought it was neat that she met Rebecca and gave her the earring.
80. So many reveals at the end of this one! Did we know about Em? If we did, I had forgotten. And twins are so exciting!
81. I gave it 3 stars. It was enjoyable, but as with the first, at times it can get tedious. I'll definitely read the third.
Lisa Kay’s Questions for Chapters 36 – to end. 74. What did you think of Hubbard’s offer of help when Diana decided to go to the asylum? Well, we now know who fills the insane asylums; mostly daemons. Comments.
I thought he was going to do something bad to her along the way or trap her when she got there. I was surprised that he was actually there to try to help.
75. BOOK QUOTE: “I asked you to stop denying your instincts, Matthew, not become a slave to them.” Were you surprised over Diana’s compassion towards Kit and Louisa, if somewhat conditional?
Not really. She seems to be a person who would rather see the good side of people than the bad. I think she also had a tendency to ignore the bad stuff hoping it will go away and she won't have to deal with it, but that has been changing through these two books.
76. Diana’s father! Did you like the scenes between Stephen Proctor and Diana? Corra now has a name; and Diana knows it, thanks mainly to her father. Did you expect more conversation between Matthew and Steven? Did anything else of Steven Bishop’s visit stand out to you?
I want to know if he took the book somehow and hid it on their night out. He disappears without seeing them again after saying they can't take the book with them. Did I miss how it disappeared again?
77. Ah. Goody Alsop. I’ve really liked her; she and Henry Percy were my favorites (he has a bit of a speech impediment on the audio). I’m glad Jack went with him. Who were your favorite characters in this volume?
I liked Goody Alsop also. She was one of a few people who wasn't afraid of Diana or trying to get something from her for personal reasons. She really only tried to help her. I also liked the impishness of Jack who brought lightness to what could have been a very dark book. It allowed both the good and bad sides of characters to be displayed to balance out the book.
78. Whoa. Sorry, I just did NOT understand the whole Father Hubbard thing. Why would Diana give him any of her blood, frozen or not; surely she had other options, like Henry Percy, or Mary Sidney to care for the children. What long-range consequences will his having “tasted” her blood have?
I don't know, but I did not like this either. I think he will show up again in the third book.
79. BOOK QUOTE: “The past has changed us, Matthew. Why should we not change it, too.” What consequences will Thomas Harriot’s telescope have on the modern day world? Conversely, 10 year-old Rebecca White now has Ysabeau’s earring. Isn’t this Diana’s insurance that future will be unchanged? Comments.
The time continuum in this book is very confusing. Some of the things that happen in the present seem to be precipitated by what Matthew and Diana have done in the past, which they hadn't done yet in the present? One of those imponderable questions, which comes first-the chicken or the egg? It seems to me they changed a lot in the past, but the present hasn't been affected too much, if the short glimpses we got of it are accurate.
80. Ah! Phoebe and Marcus. Sarah and Em. Baby Margaret. Twins! Happiness and tears. Did you like how the book ended, with Annie and Shakespeare? Too many unanswered questions, or just right?
Too many unanswered questions for my liking, but I guess if they weren't there, there wouldn't be that third book.
81. What did you rate the book? Did you like it better than the first? Will you continue the trilogy?
I gave the book 4 stars, but I think I enjoyed the first book a little bit better. There were parts of this book that dragged for me and I just wanted the action to start again. It could have to do with the fact that historical fiction is a bit more difficult for me to get into. And keeping track of all the characters was more difficult in this book. I will definitely read the third book when it comes out though.
@ Logan#74 – I’m in the same boat as you, Logan. I can’t figure him out. And, yes, olden day insane asylums really push my shivers button. So sad. A terrible example of man’s inhumanity to man.
#76 – Yes. Bittersweet is the right word. Love that we now know Corra’s name.
#77 – Oh, yes. Nimble little Jack wormed his way into my heart, too.
#78 – Ditto the facepalm!
#80 – I don’t think we knew about Em. That part was really left unfinished. I just know she was killed; I’m assuming by Knox’s raid on Sept-Tours? And that Diana and Matthew don’t know about it yet, either.
#81 – I gave it 4½ stars. I gave the first one five. I was enjoying this one more than the first, but it really lost me at times towards the end. But, doing it as a “buddy read” made it tons more fun.
74. I thought it was pretty brave of her. I hate reading about ancient insane asylums. It always makes me sad. 75. Not at all. Diana is a pretty compassionate person. It made sense that she would forgive them to an extent.
76. I love that Diana got to have some time with her father. I think it gave her a little bit of peace. I also really liked how it helped her with her magic. Corra has a name!!! Plus it's cute name. I think it will be good for Diana now that she and Corra have come to an understanding.
77. Goody Alsop and Gallowglass were my favorites. Although I really loved Jack too.
78. I didn't understand her motivation here. Maybe it will be something important in the third book. I can only hope that since Father Hubbard hates the congregation that this will be beneficial to them in the present.
79. I thought this part was really interesting. I can't imagine it will have too much of an impact on the future. Not in any earth shattering way. I like that Diana gave the earring to Rebecca. It will explain how the earring came to be in the Bishop house in the future.
80. I like the ending. There were unanswered questions but there always are in the middle of series. If there wasn't why would we bother reading the next book? Lol. I'm so sad about Em! I wonder if Harkness will catch us up on what happened to the Sept Tours group while Diana and Matthew were in the past. TWINS! How much fun will that be?
81. I rated it 4 stars. I would have rated 4 and 1/2 but I couldn't figure out how to get a half star. Lol. I did enjoy it more than the first book mainly because I love historical novels. I will definitely be reading the third book.
I've enjoyed reading the book with everyone. It definitely made it more fun!
@ Turtlecollector#74 – Yes, that surprised me, too. Maybe he is falling under the Diana spell, too?
#76 – No, you didn’t miss its disappearance. I’m a bit lost, too. You could very well be right; it could be Dr. Proctor took it. I’m not exactly sure where it went. I guess Dr. Dee? BOOK QUOTE: “knew it had to go back to the alchemist’s enormous library so that Elias Ashmole could acquire it in the seventeenth century.” I know Matthew kept the page that sprouted from the tree in the Bishop House, though I have no clue as to why!! Nor why Matthew thinks this proves that Ashmole 782 is safely hidden in the Bodleian Library. DH lost me there.
#78 – Yes, I don’t think we’ve seen the last of him.
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Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado
(last edited Aug 29, 2013 02:42PM)
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rated it 3 stars
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74. What is with this guy? Good or bad? As the ohers have said, very sad place to be
75. Very. I think she needs to be as an opposite to Matthew. Ying and Yang!
76. I loved this. I had hoped at the end of book 1 this would happen and then hadn't thought about it at all this book. I think it would've helped her parents to know they did the right thing when they go to do it in the future
77. Goody Alsop and Jack were great characters. We needed some nice people among the rest of the crowd!
78. I didn't understand that either. She was obviously trying to protect Jack and Annie, but I'm not sure why Jack would need his protection as he is a human. This will have consequences in the next book I suppose
79. I'm with turtlecollector, the time travel bit of the book wasn't really explained well (how does 16th century Matthew just re-apear in life not knowing about Diana? I know they tried to explain this, but it seems weird to me he would never come across someone that would mention her)
80. I didn't really like the Shakespeare ending. It seemed a strange place to end on. Did we know about Em? I can't remember that. I did like that they were back in Sept-Tours
81. I gave it 3 stars. The first 2/3 of the book was a 4 star book for me as I love the time period and her descriptions. Once they went to Prague I started to get a bit bored and it could've done with a better edit there. I would've liked a little bit more in the ending too - it fell flat for me. I did enjoy this more than book 1 and will be waiting (patiently?) for book 3 to be completed!
Lisa Kay’s Questions for Chapters 31 – 35 62. Is Pistorius going to cause trouble? Or has Gallowglass taken care of him? Or did I miss that?
I think that I missed the whole Pistorius thing as well. I do think that Gallowglass is the "enforcer" or "cleaner" of the de Clermont family. Also, Gallowglass refers to elite mercenaries from Scotland who had Norse-Gaelic background, which is appropriate given his role in the family.
63. **gasp** Diana just came right out and asked to see the book! Brave of her. But, why was the book quite when Diana touched it in the King Rudolf’s presence? Was that a time-travel thing? Where it recognized her in the future, but not in the past?
Diana was told that she had to ask for it so I'm not sure that it was really brave vs her fulfilling what she was told to do. Technically this is her first meeting with the book so the book doesn't know to react to her ;-)
64. Eep! Ashmole 782 is made of the skins of many daemons, vampires, and witches. I’m with Gallowglass; the Book of Life stinks of death. And it talks back! Comments.
I was pretty grossed out by the thought of this --- I didn't realize that vellum was made out of animal material.
65. Jack be nimble! The little thief had the ring of keys King Rudolf’s menagerie! Too convenient, or just too funny? What of what Matthew said to him about being bad?
Jack has lived on the streets his whole live so I think trying to "civilize" him is a losing battle.
66. They’ve got the book! Alas, it is missing three pages? And they’ll go back to the future to try and find them. Does this make sense to you?
This was a bit convoluted to me --- I guess they need to leave something for the next book ;-)
67. Diana’s pregnant again?! Did you like Matthew’s statement, at the end of chapter 32, about making a difference? Will this pregnancy be viable, especially now that they’ve found the book?
Let's hope so ..... I didn't her losing the first baby and it was a bit of an emotional blow. I'm hoping they won't do that again. I'm not sure if having the book is the reason.
68. Oh, dear! Knox is on the track of one of the missing pages. Any bets as to who will find it first: him or Matthew and Diana? Or possibly Gerbert? A raiding party on the de Clermont stronghold doesn’t sound good. Comments.
At first I didn't like the snippets at the end of the sections --- but I am starting to like them more --- if anything, it is showing how life is continuing for other characters even though Matthew and Diana are not around.
69. Is it wise that Diana lied to the Queen about having the book? Lying to a queen is never a good idea. Since Matthew is a Queen's favorite (and dentist to boot), the Queen could also be jealous of Matthew's feelings for Diana and then really do some damage.
70. Man-oh-man! How could Diana go off with Kit? **Lisa Kay’s mind boggles** Especially after pushing Kit’s buttons over his poetry?
I agree --- it actually seemed a bit out of character for her to go off with him, especially knowing that he was a drug addict.
71. It is about time Diana’s firedrake made a fortuitous appearance. Of course, now everyone knows of the babe. You thoughts?
I was wondering what the role of the fire drake would be.....
72. What of the prophecy that Gerbert shared with Ysabeau?
So, I think it explains why everyone was jumping on Diana in the first book and also explains Ysabeau's wariness about her (besides the fact that she is a witch)
Lisa Kay’s Questions for Chapters 36 – to end. 74. What did you think of Hubbard’s offer of help when Diana decided to go to the asylum? Well, we now know who fills the insane asylums; mostly daemons. Comments.
I think that Hubbard is an interesting character. I was surprised at the offer of help, but it was good that he was there.
75. BOOK QUOTE: “I asked you to stop denying your instincts, Matthew, not become a slave to them.” Were you surprised over Diana’s compassion towards Kit and Louisa, if somewhat conditional?
I was a little surprised given that they were "toying" with her. Diana is a compassionate person though so it's not really out of character for her to stand up for them in the end --- maybe because she knows their futures which are pretty grim.
76. Diana’s father! Did you like the scenes between Stephen Proctor and Diana? Corra now has a name; and Diana knows it, thanks mainly to her father. Did you expect more conversation between Matthew and Steven? Did anything else of Steven Bishop’s visit stand out to you?
I was really surprised that we got to meet him --- surprised and touched. I loved how Matthew explained that her father was an observer (anthropologist) vs a questioner (historian). It was nice that we got to meet both of their fathers. I did find it a bit sad that he left without saying good-bye.
77. Ah. Goody Alsop. I’ve really liked her; she and Henry Percy were my favorites (he has a bit of a speech impediment on the audio). I’m glad Jack went with him. Who were your favorite characters in this volume?
I also liked the two of them --- I liked Mary Sidney as well. I loved the interplay between the School of Night characters --- it added a lot of humor. My favorite though is Gallowglass --- I hope that we see more of him in the next installment.
78. Whoa. Sorry, I just did NOT understand the whole Father Hubbard thing. Why would Diana give him any of her blood, frozen or not; surely she had other options, like Henry Percy, or Mary Sidney to care for the children. What long-range consequences will his having “tasted” her blood have?
Also didn't get this. I guess I was surprised that Jack and Annie couldn't just stay with Pierre and Francoise --- both had taken a liking to them and they were under the protection of the de Clermonts. Or maybe the 20th century Matthew should have written a note for the 16th century Matthew :-D
79. BOOK QUOTE: “The past has changed us, Matthew. Why should we not change it, too.” What consequences will Thomas Harriot’s telescope have on the modern day world? Conversely, 10 year-old Rebecca White now has Ysabeau’s earring. Isn’t this Diana’s insurance that future will be unchanged? Comments.
There in lies the time travel paradox --- I think it was nice how things lined up. I also loved that Diana got to meet her relatives in the end. I don't think you want to question this too much.
80. Ah! Phoebe and Marcus. Sarah and Em. Baby Margaret. Twins! Happiness and tears. Did you like how the book ended, with Annie and Shakespeare? Too many unanswered questions, or just right?
I thought it was interesting that most of the sections ended in the present, but in the last, because Diana and Matthew were back in the present, it ended in the past. I think it was a good ending point. I think that the Annie and Shakespeare section just showed that there was a lot more humor in this book.
81. What did you rate the book? Did you like it better than the first? Will you continue the trilogy?
5 stars ---- liked better than the first book and I will continue with the series ---- I just wish we knew when the book was coming out.
So --- on DH's website, she mentions a movie.Casting call --- who should play Diana and Matthew??
Mod
Casting call --- who should play Diana and Matthew??"
Oh! Hard one.
Amy Adams is my Diana
Matthew is difficult. I think Stephen Moyer is who I imagine, but I'm sure with his True Blood work he doesn't want to be a vampire *again*
I can't think of anyone who play a good Diana or Matthew. Not anyone who is a blockbuster star anyway. Maybe some lesser known actors would be good.
I like Amy Adams as Diana --- hadn't thought of her.Maybe the guy that played Loki in Thor could be Matthew. Stephen Moyer is a bit short as I see Matthew being taller. I think that the picture from DH's pinterest was a bit more feminine than I picture him.
Amy Adams and Loki! Love it!
@ Karen#77 – Actually, there are a lot of characters in this book that are among my favs; much more than the first book.
#79 – Completely agree with you on this. Someone would surely slip.
#80 – Nope. Nothing outright explained with regards to Em; just eluded to.
@ JoLene#62 & #77 – Good point about Gallowglass; he is also one of my favs.
#66 – True. But I didn’t understand why the tree at the end sprouted a page of the book.
#76 – I liked the comparison between anthropologist vs historian, too.
#78 – Yes, I was wondering about Pierre and Francoise being guardians, too.
Oh, Karen! I love the idea of Amy Adams as Diana. Good casting.
A lot of people on Pinterest have posted Richard Armitage as Matthew.
I was talking to a friend of mine who just finished reading A Discovery of Witches about the movie. She said that she thought Emily Deschanel from Bones would be perfect would Diana and that Henry Cavill would be good for Matthew (she thinks Henry Cavill would be great for anything). I agree about Emily Deschanel as Diana not so much about Henry Cavill.@Lisa Kay I don't think I've seen Richard Armitage act in anything but he certainly looks close to the Matthew I have envisioned.
Oh, Henry Cavill. He is the actor who did the recent Superman movie. You know, I had a hard time finding the right picture to post because he really looks different depending upon the angle the photo is taken, don't you think?
Hmmm... He could work I guess. He certainly is attractive.
I think he might work for Matthew in the first pic; not so sure about the rest.
I can't figure out how to put post pictures (I've only recently joined goodreads) but if you look him up in The Tudors it makes it a bit easier to picture him as Matthew.
Just FYI, our GoodReads 101 Folder might help you, Leslie. There is an alphabetical listing of helpful things. Add a Picture
Add an Image or Picture the Size You Desire
Even there, he looks so different.
Thanks! He does look so different. He seems pretty versatile.
Mod
Ok, Totally Amy Adams as Diana and Henry Cavill as Matthew *swoon*
yes --- Henry Cavill would be a good choice.Another a bit off the mark but could be interesting is Matthew Bomer, if he darkened his hair.
Another red head that might be interesting is Emma Stone.
Mod
I think a movie version will be interesting - makes me think of DaVinci Code which I thought the movie was well done how they kept the "core" of the story even though they couldn't include everything from the book
Deborah Harkness announced that the third book will be titled The Book of Life and that it will be released July 15 2014
Woohoo! Thanks, Leslie! I'll mark my calendar. LOL!
Not too long of a wait! So exciting!
Mod
Yippeee!! But I'm sure I will need to read the first 2 again, oh darn!!
Well, I'm sure I'll have to re-read these Qs & As!
I know! I'm so excited.
Will there be a buddy read for The Tree of Life?? I'm excited!
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Karen ⊰✿, Fiction Aficionado
(last edited Jun 23, 2014 03:19AM)
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When should we read it?
Ohhhhhhh. I might be interested. Love this series.
I would like this, but I don't think I could get the book until August. There are already several holds on it at my library.
Good point, Turtlecollector.
Hello all. I would love to have a buddy read on this but it would be ok to hold off until everyone can get a copy of the book.
Nothing But Reading Challenges
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