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Shadow of Night
- A Novel
- Narrated by: Jennifer Ikeda
- Series: All Souls Series, Book 2
- Length: 24 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Fantasy
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The Book of Life
- All Souls, Book 3
- Written by: Deborah Harkness
- Narrated by: Jennifer Ikeda
- Length: 23 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Bringing the magic and suspense of the All Souls Trilogy to a deeply satisfying conclusion, this highly anticipated finale went straight to number one on the New York Times best seller list. In The Book of Life, Diana and Matthew time-travel back from Elizabethan London to make a dramatic return to the present - facing new crises and old enemies. At Matthew’s ancestral home, Sept-Tours, they reunite with the beloved cast of characters from A Discovery of Witches - with one significant exception.
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Exceptional! Sincerest thanks.
- By Anonymous User on 2019-10-12
Written by: Deborah Harkness
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A Discovery of Witches
- A Novel
- Written by: Deborah Harkness
- Narrated by: Jennifer Ikeda
- Length: 23 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Deborah Harkness’s sparkling debut, A Discovery of Witches, has brought her into the spotlight and galvanized fans around the world. In this tale of passion and obsession, Diana Bishop, a young scholar and a descendant of witches, discovers a long-lost and enchanted alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782, deep in Oxford's Bodleian Library. Its reappearance summons a fantastical underworld, which she navigates with her leading man, vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont.
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Absolutely Amazing!
- By Trevor on 2018-10-06
Written by: Deborah Harkness
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Time's Convert
- A Novel
- Written by: Deborah Harkness
- Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
- Length: 15 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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On the battlefields of the American Revolution, Matthew de Clermont meets Marcus MacNeil, a young surgeon from Massachusetts, during a moment of political awakening when it seems that the world is on the brink of a brighter future. When Matthew offers him a chance at immortality and a new life, free from the restraints of his puritanical upbringing, Marcus seizes the opportunity to become a vampire.
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Performance issues...
- By Anonymous User on 2019-10-14
Written by: Deborah Harkness
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The World of All Souls
- The Complete Guide to A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night, and The Book of Life
- Written by: Deborah Harkness
- Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld, Deborah Harkness, Steve West, and others
- Length: 15 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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A Discovery of Witches introduced Diana Bishop, Oxford scholar and reluctant witch, and vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont. Shadow of Night and The Book of Life carried Deborah Harkness's series to its spellbinding conclusion, and the trilogy has now sold more than two million copies in the United States and appeared in 38 editions around the world. All Souls fans have been captivated from the start by the many sources of inspiration Harkness draws on in her novels. Here, with her signature historian's touch, she offers an encyclopedic look at the series.
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Probably better as a book
- By Lisa Jack on 2020-09-28
Written by: Deborah Harkness
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The Witch's Daughter
- Written by: Paula Brackston
- Narrated by: Marisa Calin
- Length: 13 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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In the spring of 1628, the Witchfinder of Wessex finds himself a true Witch. As Bess Hawksmith watches her mother swing from the Hanging Tree she knows that only one man can save her from the same fate at the hands of the panicked mob: the Warlock Gideon Masters, and his Book of Shadows. Secluded at his cottage in the woods, Gideon instructs Bess in the Craft, awakening formidable powers she didn’t know she had and making her immortal. She couldn't have foreseen that even now, centuries later, he would be hunting her across time, determined to claim payment for saving her life.
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Phenomenal story
- By Sarah B on 2018-09-19
Written by: Paula Brackston
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House of Sky and Breath
- Crescent City, Book 2
- Written by: Sarah J. Maas
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Evans
- Length: 27 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar are trying to get back to normal - they may have saved Crescent City, but with so much upheaval in their lives lately, they mostly want a chance to relax. Slow down. Figure out what the future holds.
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This book had me screaming
- By Anonymous User on 2022-02-19
Written by: Sarah J. Maas
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The Book of Life
- All Souls, Book 3
- Written by: Deborah Harkness
- Narrated by: Jennifer Ikeda
- Length: 23 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
-
Story
Bringing the magic and suspense of the All Souls Trilogy to a deeply satisfying conclusion, this highly anticipated finale went straight to number one on the New York Times best seller list. In The Book of Life, Diana and Matthew time-travel back from Elizabethan London to make a dramatic return to the present - facing new crises and old enemies. At Matthew’s ancestral home, Sept-Tours, they reunite with the beloved cast of characters from A Discovery of Witches - with one significant exception.
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Exceptional! Sincerest thanks.
- By Anonymous User on 2019-10-12
Written by: Deborah Harkness
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A Discovery of Witches
- A Novel
- Written by: Deborah Harkness
- Narrated by: Jennifer Ikeda
- Length: 23 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Deborah Harkness’s sparkling debut, A Discovery of Witches, has brought her into the spotlight and galvanized fans around the world. In this tale of passion and obsession, Diana Bishop, a young scholar and a descendant of witches, discovers a long-lost and enchanted alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782, deep in Oxford's Bodleian Library. Its reappearance summons a fantastical underworld, which she navigates with her leading man, vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont.
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Absolutely Amazing!
- By Trevor on 2018-10-06
Written by: Deborah Harkness
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Time's Convert
- A Novel
- Written by: Deborah Harkness
- Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
- Length: 15 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On the battlefields of the American Revolution, Matthew de Clermont meets Marcus MacNeil, a young surgeon from Massachusetts, during a moment of political awakening when it seems that the world is on the brink of a brighter future. When Matthew offers him a chance at immortality and a new life, free from the restraints of his puritanical upbringing, Marcus seizes the opportunity to become a vampire.
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Performance issues...
- By Anonymous User on 2019-10-14
Written by: Deborah Harkness
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The World of All Souls
- The Complete Guide to A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night, and The Book of Life
- Written by: Deborah Harkness
- Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld, Deborah Harkness, Steve West, and others
- Length: 15 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
A Discovery of Witches introduced Diana Bishop, Oxford scholar and reluctant witch, and vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont. Shadow of Night and The Book of Life carried Deborah Harkness's series to its spellbinding conclusion, and the trilogy has now sold more than two million copies in the United States and appeared in 38 editions around the world. All Souls fans have been captivated from the start by the many sources of inspiration Harkness draws on in her novels. Here, with her signature historian's touch, she offers an encyclopedic look at the series.
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Probably better as a book
- By Lisa Jack on 2020-09-28
Written by: Deborah Harkness
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The Witch's Daughter
- Written by: Paula Brackston
- Narrated by: Marisa Calin
- Length: 13 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
-
Story
In the spring of 1628, the Witchfinder of Wessex finds himself a true Witch. As Bess Hawksmith watches her mother swing from the Hanging Tree she knows that only one man can save her from the same fate at the hands of the panicked mob: the Warlock Gideon Masters, and his Book of Shadows. Secluded at his cottage in the woods, Gideon instructs Bess in the Craft, awakening formidable powers she didn’t know she had and making her immortal. She couldn't have foreseen that even now, centuries later, he would be hunting her across time, determined to claim payment for saving her life.
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Phenomenal story
- By Sarah B on 2018-09-19
Written by: Paula Brackston
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House of Sky and Breath
- Crescent City, Book 2
- Written by: Sarah J. Maas
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Evans
- Length: 27 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
-
Story
Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar are trying to get back to normal - they may have saved Crescent City, but with so much upheaval in their lives lately, they mostly want a chance to relax. Slow down. Figure out what the future holds.
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This book had me screaming
- By Anonymous User on 2022-02-19
Written by: Sarah J. Maas
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From Blood and Ash
- Blood and Ash, Book 1
- Written by: Jennifer L. Armentrout
- Narrated by: Stina Nielsen
- Length: 19 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure. Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. But the choice has never been hers.
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HOLY BURNING HELL
- By kayla sue on 2020-09-21
Written by: Jennifer L. Armentrout
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A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire
- A Blood and Ash Novel (Blood and Ash, Book 2)
- Written by: Jennifer L. Armentrout
- Narrated by: Stina Nielsen
- Length: 24 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Everything Poppy has ever believed in is a lie, including the man she was falling in love with. Thrust among those who see her as a symbol of a monstrous kingdom, she barely knows who she is without the veil of the Maiden. But what she does know is that nothing is as dangerous to her as him. The Dark One. The Prince of Atlantia. He wants her to fight him, and that’s one order she’s more than happy to obey. He may have taken her, but he will never have her.
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Like really bad fanfic
- By Meliah on 2020-11-13
Written by: Jennifer L. Armentrout
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The Crown of Gilded Bones
- Blood and Ash, Book 3
- Written by: Jennifer L. Armentrout
- Narrated by: Stina Nielsen
- Length: 25 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Poppy never dreamed she would find the love she’s found with Prince Casteel. She wants to revel in her happiness but first they must free his brother and find hers. It’s a dangerous mission and one with far-reaching consequences neither dreamed of. Because Poppy is the Chosen, the Blessed. The true ruler of Atlantia. She carries the blood of the King of Gods within her. By right the crown and the kingdom are hers.
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It was too much repetition
- By NurseLisa on 2021-04-27
Written by: Jennifer L. Armentrout
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House of Earth and Blood
- Crescent City, Book 1
- Written by: Sarah J. Maas
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Evans
- Length: 27 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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Story
Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life-working hard all day and partying all night - until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She'll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths. Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose - to assassinate his boss' enemies, no questions asked.
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Tought start, worth pushing through
- By Red on 2020-04-05
Written by: Sarah J. Maas
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The Jewel House
- Elizabethan London and the Scientific Revolution
- Written by: Deborah Harkness
- Narrated by: Kate Reading
- Length: 14 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Best-selling author Deborah E. Harkness explores the streets, shops, back alleys, and gardens of Elizabethan London, where a boisterous and diverse group of men and women shared a keen interest in the study of nature. These assorted merchants, gardeners, barber-surgeons, midwives, instrument makers, mathematics teachers, engineers, alchemists, and other experimenters, she contends, formed a patchwork scientific community whose practices set the stage for the Scientific Revolution.
Written by: Deborah Harkness
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The War of Two Queens
- Blood and Ash, Book 4
- Written by: Jennifer L. Armentrout
- Narrated by: Stina Nielsen, Tim Campbell
- Length: 26 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Casteel Da’Neer knows all too well that very few are as cunning or vicious as the Blood Queen, but no one, not even him, could’ve prepared for the staggering revelations. The magnitude of what the Blood Queen has done is almost unthinkable.
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Pls read this review before spending $ or credit
- By Gigi on 2022-03-22
Written by: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher's Summary
The number one New York Times best-selling sequel to A Discovery of Witches, book two of the All Souls Series. Look for the hit TV series A Discovery of Witches, streaming on AMC Plus, Sundance Now, and Shudder. Season Two premieres January 9, 2021!
Picking up from A Discovery of Witches' cliff-hanger ending, Shadow of Night takes reluctant witch Diana Bishop and vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont 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 - the lost and enchanted manuscript whose mystery first pulled Diana and Matthew into one another's orbit - deepens and Diana seeks out a witch to tutor her in magic, the net of Matthew's past tightens around them. Together they find they must embark on a very different - and vastly more dangerous - journey.
What the critics say
"A captivating and romantic ripping yarn, Shadow of Night confirms Deborah Harkness as a master storyteller, able to cast an addictive tale of magic, mayhem and two lovers." (E.L. James Chicago Tribune)
"The joy that Harkness, herself a historian, takes in visiting the past is evident on every page.... A great spell, the one that can enchant a reader and make a 600-page book fly through her fingertips, is cast.... Its enduring rewards are plenty." (Entertainment Weekly)
"Fans of Harkness’s 2011 debut A Discovery of Witches will be delighted.... Harkness delivers enough romance and excitement to keep the pages turning. Readers will devour it." (People)
More from the same
What listeners say about Shadow of Night
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Trevor
- 2018-10-16
excellent!
a wonderful wonderful book and performance. i would recommend this series to every fan of paranormal romance fiction.
2 people found this helpful
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- fultsy
- 2020-08-11
Great Sequel
My only complaint is the french pronunciations as they weren't quite what thry should be. As a french speaker it was only thing that took me out of the story
1 person found this helpful
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- Courtney Parker
- 2018-09-28
Historical Fiction! Woo-hoo!
Good Historical Fiction book. Seems to follow historical events well. I enjoyed this book more than the first in the series. I don't love this reader.
1 person found this helpful
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- Libellule
- 2022-05-19
Book 2 of 3
I know it is most of the time NOT a good idea to look at the movie or mini-series before reading a book, but I must say that in this instance I think it was the perfect decision for me. It allowed me to put faces on characters, have the costumes and sets into my mind and it helped a lot because I find the descriptions of wardrobe, and interiors as well as exteriors very dense and having seen the mini-series, I could bring up a picture in my mind.
I loved this book, rich in documentation, history, twists and turns even though some things are different from the film and kept me on my toes to concentrate in order not to loose track.
Most of the book is spent in the past with Diana and Matthew, but I was very happy with the few hops in the present with the other characters which I missed a lot.
On to the third.
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- Kristyna Snook
- 2022-02-15
Amazing
The narrator for this series is unbelievable. She gets the voices down amazingly well and is so entertaining.
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- Caroline Turcotte
- 2022-01-13
J'adore la série et la narratrice est excellente!
L'histoire se poursuit dans ce 2e livre de la série et c'était encore une fois excellent. Je suis impressionnée par les performances de la narratrice et ses différentes interprétations variées propres à chaque personne, ça permet de bien s'y retrouver, surtout quand l'anglais n'est pas ma première langue!
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- Norman
- 2021-09-28
Historical fantasy with teeth
I had hoped to read this before watching season 2 of "A Discovery of Witches." I failed. Nevertheless, I found I was able to listen to this without experiencing any spoilers, which means I have to watch the TV series AGAIN!
I was strongly reminded of the Outlander novels (which I am also following on Audible), in terms of the dramatic presentation, and the level of historical detail presented by the author.
Because this is a continued story, I reserve judgement on the narrative's conclusion.
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- Anonymous User
- 2021-09-18
great sequel but too many characters
I enjoyed many aspects of the book but there were too many characters and too many time periods to stay on top of Willing to give the third novel a try as I enjoyed the first Narrator is great
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- Stefanie
- 2021-07-01
as good as book one
Every bit as good as the first book and the narrator is fantastic. Can't wait to start book 3!!
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- Lara
- 2021-06-18
Meh
I can't get past what an ass Matthew is. He is controlling, childish and jealous. For mainly that reason, this book was not enjoyable to me. I was constantly annoyed. Also, the story was a bit slow in this book. It felt a bit like fluff just to get to the third book - which I don't feel very inspired to read.
I wasn't a huge fan of the narrator.
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- J. Lunsford
- 2012-07-15
Recommended, however....
Any additional comments?
I have read and listened to “A Discovery of Witches” more than a dozen times over the past year. I waited for “Shadow of Night” like a child eagerly anticipates Christmas. In this new book, Deborah Harkness weaves a beautiful story as the main characters escape into the past. The new characters in the story are refreshing and endearing. Once again, Jennifer Ikeda does a marvelous performance of every character. Also, as a history major in college, I found the detailed information on the Elizabethan era of England interesting. With all of that said, I missed some the “magic” found in the first book. I felt the detailed historical information slowed the storyline. Matthew’s point of view is rarely provided. I missed the quick wit exchanges between characters, the faster pace to the storyline, and the peaks and valleys in the storyline of the first book. While I recommend the book and, once again, eagerly await the third volume, I am hoping that the full magic that Harkness has the ability to provide in her writing will be found in the next book.
142 people found this helpful
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- Kit
- 2019-05-29
they solve each argument with sex.
ugh, how many times can he "slip inside her"? yuck. This book romanticizes abusive, narcissistic relationships. The bones of the story are good, but their relationship dynamic is awful.
19 people found this helpful
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- SLAllen
- 2019-04-22
A.D.D.?
Writer/ author forgot what story she was telling, and as a reader, so did I.
12 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 2015-06-04
Doing Time Travel Badly
Would you try another book from Deborah Harkness and/or Jennifer Ikeda?
I really liked Ms. Ikeda's narration.
Would you ever listen to anything by Deborah Harkness again?
Probably because I am compulsive and I hate myself.
What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?
Sadness and disappointment
Any additional comments?
First of all, the narrator does a fabulous job with this hot-buttered garbage heap of a book. She provides a distinct voice for many of the characters and does a great job of trying to bring those wooden puppets to life.
As with A Discovery of Witches the main issue us Deborah Harkness's inability to weave a compelling plot. A lot could be forgiven if her books flew along upon wings of adventure, or dragged the reader forward on tenterhooks of terror; instead the plot instead the plot is stretched across a meandering series of vignettes that tend to repeat the same character beats again and again (Matthew is broody and secretive, Diana will get him to open up through the magic of love).
Matthew and Diana seem to forget there was a plot as much as the author does, spending endless pages faffing about with costume drama rather than accomplishing any of their goals. When they do get close to doing something, Harkness hands Matthew the idiot ball to derail it and force a change of scenery so the process can start again. If course none of these villains or circumstances ever truly feel threatening or as if they have any weight to the reader as they are often forgotten in the next chapter.
The plodding, repetitive plot is helped little by the author's uncanny ability to choose the least interesting path whenever there is a glimmer of a good idea. For example, in a running B-plot the characters in modern times must cover up the strange ripples in time caused by Matthew and Diana. Rather than spin this as a nerdy thriller where the b-squad has to match wits with the Congregation, it j st turns into n to Harkness deciding an artifact has shown up and Matthew's family throwing their seemingly limitless vampire wealth at it. Even when the congregation does find something it has seemingly no impact and builds zero tension so I was left wondering why anyone cared?
Maybe the plot could be forgiven if there were engaging characters? Unfortunately we have no such luck.
As noted above, Matthew and Diana are dull, flat characters. Matthew is a broody vampire with a mysterious past (yawn) and Diana could probably be replaced with a lamp. On paper they are Mary Sues of the first rank (he is a super rich immortal secret agent that knows everyone from history and she is a young, really pretty tenured Yale professor with magic hair, special eyes and is also the best witch ever). On paper they are both idiots: instead of being cool and rational as Harkness says, Matthew is impulsive. possessive and emotionally abusive with zero self-awareness. Diana Smith s supposed to be a strong, independent woman (with a photographic memory) but Harkness writes her as a dewy-eyed milksop, a teenaged heroine from a particularly bad YA romance.
Other characters are simple sketches that seem to lack an inner life that does not revolve around Matthew and Diana, which is odd because the couple spends most of the time being dreary homebodies (the Tudor equivalent of the couple that sits around the couch in sweatpants watching Netflix) to the point where even the author gets so bored with them that she has another character force them to go for a night in the town.
I suppose Marlowe has some depth, though unrequited sexual jealousy really is not a profound character motivation. his continued presence in their inner circle after an early betrayal is especially glaring (did I mention how dumb Matthew is s?), and he is yet another historical name drop.
Harkness tries to make up for a lack of quality with quantity. It does not work. Historic characters seem to be there mostly for their names and do little to explore any themes, personality or story.
and the quality if writing is serviceable - it neither enlivens nor greatly offends. Harkness still suffers from the same bad habits she had in the first book, telling us rather than showing. She also does little to conjure the world of the sixteenth century for the reader beyond a numerous tedious descriptions of furniture and clothing She also carries on her quirk of assigning characters seemingly random combinations of scents, apparently taking at least one piece if advice for new writers to heart (in the most ham-handed way).
Apart from these looming structural problems, there are divers little things to make your eyes roll into your skull so much that they could power a small city.
* Diana and Matthew adopt a quirky young urchin who serves no real purpose other than being an annoying kid sidekick.
* Our heroes track down their mystery book, but because of contrived reasons they learn little from it (rendering half of their purpose pointless).
* Diana gets a dragon (sorry, fire drake) as a pet because she is a super special witch.
* Also, she learns about magic but barely does anything if interest with it, because she is terminally dull.
* There was time travel, but it is just an arbitrary narrative contrivance for Harkness to write bad historical fiction
* Matthew and Diana finally bone, but it is not sexy. And for all Matthew's petulant winging about how he is dangerous and could hurt her, it only makes their relationship stronger and more special (until Harkness gets bored about that and starts Matthew brooding again)
* There is a pointless coda with Shakespeare. it does not really relate to the rest of the book in any way.
* Weaver magic (Diana's special magic) consists of girl scout knot tying and shitty rhyming.
* Why does Matthew continue to put up with Christopher Marlowe’s presence, he’s a shitty friend and tried to get his special waifu tossed onto the pyre as a witch pretty early on in the book.
***SPOILERS***
* Diana miscarries her first ubermensch child, but Harkness mostly breezes over that (apart from Matthew not wanting to fuck her for a chapter or two). She has s pregnant again by the end of the book (with twins) so the whole episode could have been excised with the book the better for it.
* Diana's aunt Emily, who seemed really nice, was arbitrarily killed off screen to inject some angst. This is not explored or explained.
* Matthew reveals he has some kind of vampire disease called "blood rage." His eyes turn all black and he becomes more of an asshole. As always he claims this will make him hurt Diana if she gets too close, but it dies not because she is his special waifu and these books are awful.
And now I will say something nice…
It really seemed like the author was making up a lot less about her world as she went along this time (at least on big things). Still there were no good set ups or call backs that came naturally, but Harkness did seem to lay groundwork for a future conflict!
Overall this is another did spoiled by the author's lackluster characters and poor story instincts. It doesn’t even rise to the level of camp or so bad it’s good.
11 people found this helpful
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- Moon
- 2012-07-11
Even better than A Discovery of Witches
This is a beautifully written series so far. Deborah Harkness takes you right into the 16th century. The plot is complex but not confusing, and the narration is excellent. The variety of accents Jennifer Ikeda conveyed was impressive without being overly theatrical. This is a vivid, enchanting story. The array of personalities was engaging, each character seemed well thought out and had a depth that was really refreshing. If you liked the first book you will certainly enjoy this one.
110 people found this helpful
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- Pauline
- 2012-07-25
Harkness is an amazing story teller!
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Absolutely, yes! The subject of magic occurs in more than just the plot, the author casts a wonderful spell in telling this tale of an intellectual professor who tries to deny her gifts and a mysterious research professor who convinces her to acknowledge them while they both plow through ages of adventure in search of a book...
What did you like best about this story?
I liked the way this story was spun the most, and that it's author appears to acknowledge that her readers really can deal with an intellectual heroine.
Which scene was your favorite?
Phillipe's visit to the grove with Diana...
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes!
Any additional comments?
I am reading this book in hard cover and will be listening to my audible version right after because I pick up things I hear in the audible version I missed in the written book and vice versa. The two together make for a fuller experience of the story.
19 people found this helpful
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- Mel
- 2012-07-17
Absence and Desire...for another year
Whew; I liked this, but it took perseverance to get to *liking.* I don't just mean because of the 600 pages (24.5 hrs), and I'm not alone with my endurance problem -- even some of the professional critics confessed to wanting to skip ahead, jump over some of the fettering details. They justified their confessions by, in the end, giving Shadow of the Night a shining review. For me, that was the trick to *liking*...sticking it out to the end. I almost unplugged half-way through, which would have been regrettable. So, before you get discouraged by: the mass of characters (so many that the text book includes a glossary of characters), or the tediousness of tea and wine (Harkness at one time wrote a blog about wine), or the seemingly pointless conversations, the contrived events, and other minutiae of Elizabethan England...Hang in there.
When they say this one picks up where A Discovery of Witches left off -- they aren't kidding. If you have not recently read (or reviewed) the first book (D of W) you will probably be lost in a torrent you can't get out of. Diana the "reluctant witch," and Matthew the "vampire-scholar," continue their urgent quest for the ancient alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782, which is said to contain critical secrets about the inhabitants of this book: vampires, witches and demons/daemons (tomato/tomahto - I googled it). The as-of-yet-unwed couple time travels (by way of Diana's limited witching abilities) to 1591 -- a troublesome landing spot -- Matthew is a devout catholic in Protestant England, and next door in Scotland they are burning witches. Diana, in and out of a yards of petticoats, stealthily searches for a much needed witch-tutor (Goody Alsop was great), while Matthew attends to one of his many secret roles; their actions constantly watched by dangerous cabals and covetous eyes. There are 3 sections to this book: Matt and Di's actions in 16th century England, France, and Prague, with a brief (and sudden) jump back to the 21st century at the end of their hunt in each location, to explain the impact of their actions (in the *past*) on the present. This little section also updates the present-time reactions of the Conventicle and the Congregation to either defend or thwart the couple's progress in finding Ashmole782.
The title refers to an actual 16th century poem by George Chapman that referrences the heretical The School of Night, and several prominent historical figures, William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Sir Walter Raleigh, even Queen Elizabeth I (does Harkness hint at a royal relationship years earlier with Matthew?). Harkness, a professor of history at USC, uses her knowledge and writing skills to embellish the story with copious details and some clever alterations of some of the significant historical figures. Obviously a great amount of research and attention went into this book. Still, even appreciating the authentic rich scenes and the new presentation of history, the overreliance on details becomes very weighty, and some good editting would have easily helped keep the middle from dragging without cutting any of the story. As for plot...aside from some pretty hot vampire on witch action between shopping, lessons, and secret missions--there isn't much, which is understandable if you look at this book as setting the stage for the final installment (boy, it had better be phenomenal!). I especially enjoyed Matthew's father, Phillipe, and hope to read more about him, as well as SOME of the interesting characters introduced in this book.
They find Ashmole, (not a plot spoiler) no fanfare, still missing 3 pages. Some questions are answered, some vexing new ones presented. Matthew's personality is a little lost in the past, but Diana's is expanded; the couple becomes more joined. The tension between the witches and vampires builds. All in all a great set-up. Jennifer Ikeda does a noteworthy job of reading so many accents and characters. She was clearly familiar with the characters and story, and gave an enjoyable, sophisticated performance. If you have read that this is "Harry Potter for adults," or a "grown-up version of Twilight," toss those epithets aside; there is much more here than comparisons. On it's own, Shadow of the Night is intelligently written adult fare. In an interview, author Deborah Harkness stated, "There are a lot of adults reading YA books, and for good reason...I wanted to give adult readers a world no less magical, no less surprising and delightful, but one that included grown-up concerns and activities. These are not your children's vampires and witches." If you liked Discovery of Witches, if you can appreciate carefully setting up the final act--you'll like this. In hind-sight, after the final book is released and so many details justified or explained, I'll probably like it even more, but since I can't time travel back and change my rating, I'll stick with a glowing 3* for now and hope for 5* with a fantastic conclusion of the All Souls Trilogy.
129 people found this helpful
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- Wendy
- 2012-07-21
This Book Isn't For Everyone
Which scene was your favorite?
The scene when Matthew and Diana are talking about how vampires are depicted in modern day romance novels. Hysterical! It's like she put that scene in just to stick it to all the readers whom complained about the lack of sex in the first book.
Any additional comments?
I can see why some people do not like this story. It's really not that suspenseful, there are no hot and heavy sex scenes every other chapter, and it's slooooooow.
Having said that, I still loved this book. These books are not nail biting page turners, and they are not vampire erotica hidden behind a plot. This story is a long, slow stroll down a road filled with beautiful scenery. Harness does a fantastic job of putting the reader in 16th century England, I found myself looking up many of her characters on Wikipedia just to get more background on them.
If you want a roller coaster experience, you will not like this book. Personally I loved the slow, lazy tide of the story.
The narrator was fantastic!
32 people found this helpful
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- Stephanie Tutt
- 2019-02-21
Super Boring NO ACTION... I'm so disappointed!
Super Boring NO ACTION... I'm so disappointed. I kept waiting for the vampire to kill someone or the witch to attack her enemies. But it NEVER picked up.
7 people found this helpful
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- Mitchell
- 2016-09-03
Sophomore Slump
The second book got a little lost, "meandering through time" if you will. I loved the additional characters from history but they were not put to the best of use within the story. More forced backdrop than substance. I will be finishing the trilogy so here is hoping the story picks back up with book 3.
7 people found this helpful
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- Mae Ferron
- 2022-01-20
So good
Seriously so so good, can’t stop listening to this series, I’m utterly hooked! Great job to all involved!
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- Marie
- 2019-06-02
Passionnant ! Captivating :)
Livre délicieux, chaque seconde est savoureuse à souhait !
I enjoyed thoroughly each and every second of this delightful story !