A Discovery Of Witches.

Hi all!

My name is Chiara and I am a bookworm.

So here we are, another book finished. This week’s read was A Discovery Of Witches by Deborah Harkness. It was very interesting read from beginning to end if in places a little heavy going.

You know on the back of books it say if you like such and such a book you’ll love this or it’s such a book meet such a book. Well, this book is Twilight meets Dan Brown. I have absolutely no other way to put it. If you love da Vinci code and you like the twilight series you’ll find something to love here.

The author must be a very clever, clever woman to be able to write about such academic topics with such finesse and knowledge. That or she is amazingly well read.

The characters were well … built (is that the right word to describe them?) manufactured, designed, created by the author. They all have their unique parts, their idiosyncrasies that make them relatable.

I can’t really decide whether my favourite character is Matthew or Diana. They are both amazing. But my honourable mention, character wise, has to be the Bishop House. That house has one huge personality. In fact I’ll give you one of my favourite passages from the book.

A ball of green wool and two knitting needles rocketed down the chimney and rolled across the hearth.

“Does the house think I should take up knitting?” I asked.

“That’s mine – I started knitting a sweater a few years ago, and then one day it disappeared. The house takes all sorts of things and keeps them,” Em explained to Matthew as she retrieved her project. She gestured at the sofa’s hideous floral upholstery. “Come sit with me. Sometimes it takes the house a while to get to the point. And we’re missing some photographs, a telephone book, the turkey platter and my favourite winter coat.”

I laughed so hard at that bit and read it to everyone I could.

On the other hand my only complaint for this book is the ending. I felt that the final climax happened to early and, if you imagine a rollercoaster, you just glided back to the platform at a regular speed. It’s like you came down that last hill all smooth and gentle and but somehow I’m still craving more. I want to go again. I want to pick up the next book.

I guessed I turned that into not much of a complaint.

The only other thing I think I would say, not necessarily a complaint, but something to mention, sometimes the author just … springs things on you. When I started reading I got a few pages in and then had to go back to check I hadn’t missed something. I was a bit like, ‘when was that established?’.

Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who asked about it, and I would also suggest you be determined with it. No matter how fast a reader you are you aren’t going to get through this quickly, and probably all the better for it. Take your time to savour it and enjoy it. You only read a book for the first time once.

I hope you enjoy today’s blog. Let me know what you think, if you’ve read it that is.

Once again, my name is Chiara and I am a bookworm.