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Shadow of Night - Deborah Harkness


Michelle

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Today is publication day, so I wondered how many were buying this in hardback? I have to say that I preferred the first book, but there was plenty in this one, and I remain excited about the final book in the trilogy.

 

I haven't written a proper review, but Shadow of Night is all set back in 1950, and the focus is more on Diane, and her developing witch powers and abilities. It's obviously very much a historical novel, with lots of historical people and names cropping up.

 

To start off the thread, I have a few questions which Deborah took time out of her hectic schedule to answer. All other info can be found on her website... http://deborahharkness.com/

 

If you haven't bought it yet - Go do so now!

 

 

Q. How much research has gone into your books and the historical aspects, and have you visited any of the various places mentioned?

 

A. I’ve been studying history since 1982, and have been a professor of history since 1994—in other words, I’ve done a lot of research. I just didn’t know that it would get used in a novel one day. I’ve lived in London and Oxford, and visited Prague and the Auvergne. It’s easier for me to write about places I know.

 

Q. When writing about the various creatures, did you know what powers and features they would have from the outset, or did they develop during writing?

 

A. I knew what the creature characteristics wouldn’t include fairly early on, but other aspects of daemons, vampires, and witches evolve as my understanding of the characters evolve.

 

Q. When you started writing, did you know that there would be a trilogy, or did you find you simply couldn’t fit their story into one book?

 

A. I knew the story of Diana and Matthew would be in three parts. Two months into the writing, I knew there would be more than one book needed to cover those three parts.

 

Q. And finally, when you’re not writing, what do you like to do to relax?

 

A. I love to garden and cook—those are my favourite forms of domestic recreation. And I’ve recently climbed up onto a horse again after a seventeen-year hiatus. I’m finding that incredibly relaxing.

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If it weren't for my TBR reading, I would definitely have bought the Kindle version as soon as it was available, but as it is, I'm waiting for now. It will, however, be very close to the top of my wishlist as soon as I start buying books again. I'm already looking forward to it! :smile2:

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Wow, what a fantastic read! This was well worth the wait. I have to admit it was a bit slow to start but in retrospect, a lot of characters were introduced so the detail was warranted. Beautifully written, it's a wonderful tale of magic and history interwoven into a story filled with drama and mystery. I'm really looking forward to the third installment and hope it doesnt take too long! :)

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I re-read the last 100 pages or so of ADOW to refresh my memory on the story and now am about 150 pages into Shadow of Night. I LOVE it! I'm so excited over the historical aspect and the characters that Harkness has introduced that I just hate to put it down. I can't wait to see what the rest of it has in store and I'm really pleased that others here liked it too! :D

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  • 5 weeks later...
  • 1 year later...

I see where the third book of the trilogy, Book of Life, is the #1 read locally here in Greensboro, NC.

 

I believe I will start with the first book in the Trilogy soon (A Discovery of Witches), that is if you all recommend the trilogy as a good read. :)

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  • 1 month later...

I am about 44% through (kindle) A Discovery of Witches and am enjoying it so far. I am surprised at the amount of history in the book, pleasantly so. I am somewhat anxious to see what direction the remainder of the book takes.

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I just finished ADOW and LOVED it! I literally finished it yesterday. I have spent so much time on the road lately that I decided to do the audio version and it was absolutely beautiful. The reading was one of the best voices I've heard to date. I was so enthralled that I returned it late (almost a week late but in my defense, I checked it out in another county!)

 

I started reading Shadow of Night last night and plan to delve into it through the rest of the week (I hope!)

 

The author is so detailed because she's an actual historian and has several fellowships. I was amazed at the amount of knowledge she has. Can't wait to dig in and finish this trilogy.

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