Shadow of Night

I really enjoyed this book. I marvel at all of the research required to even contemplate a story like this. I would love an opportunity to discuss the author's writing process.

More than 90 percent of this book takes place in the 1500s, and while I preferred the world built in A Discovery of Witches, this book really explores some of the central questions of the book and helps move Diana along in her development as a witch.

A few things that I found a bit problematic are time continuity/continuum and the fact that the very reason for going back to the 1500s was pretty significantly downplayed. That being said, I can't wait to get started on book 3!

I thought this was pretentious and overly complicated. I was not a fan.

I enjoyed this book more than the first one. It was long at times and still with a lot of characters but the story picks up right after the firt one and it was well written and fun to read.

It took me ages to get into this book. I'd picked it up before but never got past the first 3 chapters. So much new information, names and things to learn, I just couldn't. But, I'm glad that I picked the book up after watching the TV-Show for the second time. It was so good! Loved the setting, Diana and Matthew were great, so much going on. It was truly a great read.

Finished the second book after the second season of the tv show. I loved it, so much more details.

It's a solid book, but it's overly long. It takes quite a long time to get to, what I assumed was, the major story of the book–finding a magic teacher for Diana. When this subject is finally touched on, I found it fascinating, but the author leaves it quickly. There are a few pleasant subplots towards the beginning that kept my attention, but about halfway through it became a chore to read the book (and I even put it down for a month). The author also delights in exploring historical characters; however, I tired of this quickly as I felt they didn't add much to the story.

I loved A Discovery of Witches but had to drag myself through a lot of this one. The middle bit was particularly dull with the wedding and her integrating herself into Elizabethan society, and that took me ages to get through. I originally liked the book because I found it different and quite intelligent, but this one reminded me a bit too much of middle-aged Twilight. It has the aspects that I particularly disliked like the sudden amazing ability to become pregnant and the obsession with no sex before marriage. Thankfully, Diana hasn't become quite as irritating as Bella (yet). I don't really have a problem with people playing around with vampires, but I think there should be some sort of downside to it, not that everything is wonderful and the couple are just so amazing they defy the very laws of nature so that the author can make life absolutely perfect for them in time. I didn't like the bit where he took her blood to ‘discover all her secrets' either, that was a bit creepy and controlling.
Anyway, hopefully the final book will be better and it'll get back to the manuscripts and less about the romance and their dull family life.

This is where the annoying stuff has started to override the enchantment. It was fun for a while but by halfway through I was pretty sick of these two aimless main characters who start off with plans and then do anything else other than execute their plan, all the while having stupid arguments and then making up with kisses and fervent “I love you”s. These books could have been waaaay shorter.

Specifically I hate non-consequential magic systems (i.e. magic is ‘free' and therefore can be used to do anything, at any time) since every book I've ever read that has them (Strange and Norrell, Harry Potter etc) has the problem of lots of pointless magic being done for fun and then all of a sudden there's no magic whenever a problem arises. There's no consistency, other than that which is demanded by the plot. It's dumb. This series suffers from the same problem.

Meanwhile we have time travel that seems to work concurrently, it doesn't make any sense. If you can go anywhere in the past or future, then surely when you come back, you can go back to the moment you left, as if you hadn't gone at all? No, in this world, when you go back in the past, for every day you spend there a day passes in “your” time. So when Diana's father visits Elizabethan England for 2 weeks he can't stay longer because his wife is expecting him - he is going to arrive 2 weeks after he left! Huh? When Diana and Matthew return they have been gone 7 months. Meanwhile the things they do only affect history on the same day in their “real” time that they did it in the past? What? None of it makes sense.

No doubt I'll wade through the third book to see how it all ends but I can't say I'm looking forward to it.

The Book is Better!

The second book in the All-Souls Trilogy picks up where the other left off with our heroes traveling back in time. Most of the story takes place around 1590 but the future (or present) is never too far away. What I liked most about this story; it never lets you forget that everything happening in the past was connected to the current or present struggle. I also loved that the magic and the study were present in this one as well since that was my favorite aspect of the first book.


So, we have Diana and Matthew taking on vampire clan relatives, the School of Night and other London societies, witch covens, and even creation. A lot is happening in the story, but not a lot happening for long periods of time. This story seems to focus on the universal theme of relationship drama, which usually boils down to communication issues. Diana with all her magic and Matthew with all his might, the two of them get caught up in a lot of drama that could have been avoided. But that is the story being told and if you love these characters, it all sucks you in.

In this book, I found that many of the side and supporting characters were my favorite parts. I loved the collaboration of like minds despite their faiths. Seeing the cooperation between Pagan, Christian, Jewish, and more was refreshing.

Where the first book teased you with sensuality without leaving you wanting, the second book takes you into the bedroom of a deeply committed couple and holds nothing back. While not suitable for teens and below, this isn't an explicit romp of ‘how much can the author get away with?'

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story, but there was still something, not quite tangible, that kept me from loving it. In any case, I must finish this series at some point. Now that I have finished the second book, I can watch season two of the show and see how I feel about it. For now, in my opinion, the books are better than the show.

I needed this book in this period of my life. Although there were a few things that baffled me a bit, I enjoyed the journey through Elizabethan Britain and Europe.

Although I enjoyed this book, like many series, I found the first book was more engaging. This one didn't hold my interest as well and I spent a lot of time wishing they would just get back to the present day.

Loved this book. It was a bit hard to get into at first due to the amount of historical references that I wasn't fully knowledgeable on but once I looked up the information and understood more the book took off. I like how it takes place in many different settings and loved the new characters that were introduced. If you a lover of history this book (this trilogy) is a must.

No. No. Just f-ing NO!

I couldn't finish this piece of crap. Yes, I call it a piece of crap. You liked it, fine, I didn't. That's fine also. There's enough books in the world so that not everyone need to like the same books.

I managed to read 5 first chapters. I suppose that's about 112 pages.
Deborah Harkness hasn't done much research of the time she has set her book in AND WHICH SHE CLAIMS TO LOVE. “I thought I wanted to be a Tudor-Stuart historian”, she says. 8-[
I am pretty forgiving, but there are things that just... I can't.
So - if you want to write historical fiction, remember that there is a thing called SCA. In most Western cities there's a chapter of the Society of Creative Anachronists, who REALLY are passionate about these things, and they will have studied the normal, everyday things, like what people ate for breakfast, and they know exactly what people were wearing and they have made replicas of these clothes as close to the original as possible. They are also very nice people, so if you are an author, you can contact them and ask them to help you with your research and live a day as if you were living in the time period you write about. And there are people out there who are interested in EVERY DAMN PERIOD OF TIME like this. It would have been EASY for Deborah to go find someone to help her with historical re-enactment, so that she would have actually known how much the Elizabethan dress limits you. (Not much. Might take a little time to adjust and get used to it, but in reality it doesn't limit on much. It doesn't make curtsying in any way difficult, because you don't bend at the waist (even though you could with the Elizabethan stays) when you curtsy, and it's quite easy to walk in curves and around furniture. Which she would know if she actually knew what historical clothes are made of and had worn one. )

They invent a background story:

The characters included dead French parents, avaricious noblemen who had preyed on a helpless orphan (me), and aged lechers intent on stripping me of my virtue. The tale turned epic with my spiritual trials and conversion from Catholicism to Calvinism. These led to voluntary exile on England's Protestant shores, years of abject poverty, and Matthew's fortuitous rescue and instantaneous regard.

“A working knowledge of Elizabethan currency had not been covered in my graduate education. Nor had household management, the proper order of donning undergarments, forms of address for servants, or how to make a medicine for Tom's headache. Discussions with Françoise about my wardrobe revealed my ignorance of common names for ordinary colors. “Gooseturd green” was familiar to me, but the peculiar shade of grizzled brown known as “rat hair” was not. My experiences thus far had me planning to throttle the first Tudor historian I met upon my return for gross dereliction of duty.”

sigh

Definitely an in-between book loved the first in the series when I read it a while back and was disappoints the next in the series wasn't out. The second doesn't disappoint with travel to another time, with deeper understanding of the characters and introduction of other intriguing ones. I can't wait to delve into the 3rd book now!

A dynamic journey full of history, secrets, magic, and fate that spans centuries.

At it's core, this is a book about tough love and character development. Diana has a lot to understand with her unpredictable magic as well as her deepening relationship with Matthew (and his lifetimes of secrets). Matthew has to come to terms with the actions of his past in light of his newly shifted priorities. Despite getting a break from the pursuit of the Congregation, danger still surrounds them. It's only by trusting each other that they can survive.

There's a lot to like about this one. It's full of historical easter eggs, found family, suspense, and mystery, but where it really shines for me is the gift of having more time. More time for Diana to master her magic. More time for them to understand their relationship. More time with old friends and loved ones.

Without going into detail, there are strong themes of forgiveness, bittersweet happiness, and closure that bring me to tears every time.

Often book two in a series can feel a little slow, especially if it's essentially one big training montage, but I think this book avoids that. It overcomes some of the more obvious obstacles in progressing the plot in a way that doesn't feel tedious or like time wasted.

Loved this one as much as the first! I can't wait to read number three!!

Shadow of Night is easily my favorite book in the All Souls Trilogy. Deborah Harkness doesn't just transport us to Elizabethan England—she makes it breathe. From the bustling streets of London to the quieter corners of the countryside, every scene is dripping with detail. You can almost smell the ink on parchment, hear the whispers of spies in shadowed alleys, and feel the chill of Matthew's world closing in around Diana.

Picking up right where A Discovery of Witches left off, Diana and Matthew dive headfirst into 1590 on their hunt for Ashmole 782, but this isn't just a treasure hunt. It's a deep dive into Matthew's past and a crash course in Diana's future as a witch. The stakes are higher, the danger more immediate, and the emotional punches? They hit harder.

One of the best things about this book is the growing cast of characters. Gallowglass, Matthew's nephew, steals the show with his larger-than-life presence and fierce loyalty—he's the kind of guy you'd want in your corner during a bar fight (or a witch hunt). Then there's Jack, an orphan who tugs at your heartstrings and adds a softer, more tender note to the story. And let's not forget the School of Night. Christopher Marlowe, Sir Walter Raleigh, and other historical heavyweights bring a sharp edge to the plot, reminding us just how dangerous this time and Matthew's past can be.
Diana's journey is just as captivating. Watching her wrestle with her powers and learn under the guidance of a formidable ancestor is like seeing a phoenix rise—messy, fiery, and absolutely worth it. Her struggles to fit into Elizabethan society lead to moments that are both hilarious (corsets, anyone?) and deeply reflective.

What makes Shadow of Night so special is how seamlessly Harkness weaves it all together. It's not just a historical fantasy, or a romance, or a mystery—it's all of those things at once. The historical details are so rich they ground the story, making even the most magical moments feel like they could be real. And the romance? Diana and Matthew's bond only deepens, balancing tenderness with tension as they face new challenges.

The quieter, domestic moments really stuck with me, too. Whether it's Diana navigating Matthew's complicated family dynamics or their little makeshift family growing with Jack and Gallowglass, these relationships give the story so much heart.

If you're a fan of intelligent fantasy with a hefty dose of history, Shadow of Night will absolutely knock your socks off. It's the kind of book you want to savor—but let's be honest, you'll probably devour it and then wish you could read it again for the first time. 

I am in love with gallowglass!!!

I loved the historical elements to this book

This book is shorter on action and longer (much longer) on history that the first, which isn't a bad thing, but I did find myself hoping for an epic battle scene to break up the dry bits. I bet that comes in the final book, for which I will now begin the long wait.

While I listened to the first volume of the trilogy on Audiobook, I read this one. I am willing to believe that the different format accounts a bit for how many stars I gave each book. While listening to a book being read aloud necessarily means that I am listening to a voice actor's interpretation of the tale, reading on my own makes me focus my attention differently. Given that I'm not reading these for research, I am more than content to let the audio interpretation of Discovery of Witches influence my own understanding of the work. Left to my own devices reading this volume, I found myself noticing dropped threads, hurried passages, and superfluous plot elements. It felt like Harkness crammed too much into volume two and had to work to insert plot elements around Matthew and Diana's relationship in the crevices in her historical novel. I rather like the historical novel, so I won't gripe too much.

Upon my re-read as an adult, I'm bumping this up one star.Okay, so I had to bring the rating down after a bit more thought.Here's the thing- this book suffers from some serious middle book syndrome. If I wasn't so enamored by the characters, setting, and story, I would have been bored out of my mind. Why? Well... nothing exactly happens at all in this book. Of course, I'll keep reading. Hands down still one of my favorite trilogies- this little baby just fell a little flat. But [b:The Book of Life 16054217 The Book of Life (All Souls Trilogy, #3) Deborah Harkness https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1389281784s/16054217.jpg 21839080]? Boy do I have faith in that sucker. The s*** is going to hit the fan and I couldn't be more excited!I ultimately ended up bringing this rating from 4 stars to 3 stars due to an extremely unsatisfactory character death. Like... I wasn't even sure this individual died at first. We don't get a death scene. Nope. All we get is some sympathetic “it won't get easier but you learn to live with it” speech.What the heck???? If a major character is gonna get killed off, KILL THEM OFF. Give me blood, give me dying declarations- don't give me “they ded hehe”. Disappointed but not losing faith. Deb is a queen and she'll come back from this.

Just bored as all hell. I read book 1 of the series in a day. But this stinker has been sitting on my Kobo bumming me out for three months. Gotta formally DNF it so I don’t feel repelled by my Kobo. I’m a history nerd and a witch, so it’s an absurd sort of miracle that a book about a witch in Elizabethan England could be this repellent.

A disappointing follow-up. Yet I still want to know what happens in book #3, so I'm hooked to some degree!