Content levels
Trigger warnings
Positive tags
Hero archetypes
Heroine archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Themes
Synopsis
Book one of the New York Times bestselling All Souls series, from the author of The Black Bird Oracle. Look for the hit series “A Discovery of Witches,” now streaming on Netflix “A wonderfully imaginative grown-up fantasy with all the magic of Harry Potter and Twilight” (People). 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. Harkness has created a universe to rival those of Anne Rice, Diana Gabaldon, and Elizabeth Kostova, and she adds a scholar's depth to this riveting tale of magic and suspense. The story continues in book two, Shadow of Night, book three, The Book of Life, and the fourth in the series, Time’s Convert. See the world of All Souls come alive in the incredibly lush eponymous TV series, starring Teresa Palmer (I Am Number Four, Hacksaw Ridge) and Matthew Goode (Match Point, The Imitation Game).
Is A Discovery of Witches appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 16 and up.
This adult paranormal romance features a witch-vampire relationship with moderate violence (including references to parental death) and steamy romantic content. The lengthy narrative blends historical research, magical politics, and forbidden love.
What to know going in
This book has moderate violence, steamy sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include death of parent, violence, and blood.
Who'll love this
Teens who love magical worlds, bookish heroines, and sweeping supernatural romances set against academic Oxford will be captivated by this witch-vampire love story.