The Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
Listening to this book, I wanted to know where the story was going but I also knew that there was going to be a long wait for the next book (promised next year) so it was bittersweet when the book ended. While a bit slow to begin with, you come to appreciate the author’s attention to detail and explanation, I am actually listening to the book again and can’t believe the intricacies in the plot which I missed the first time.
Diana, a young witch avoiding her magic, makes a strong heroine. At times the description of her running and rowing seem a bit tedious but they do enable the reader to understand her dedication and strength.
In Diana – Matthew, the dashing vampire with headstrong temper, finds himself a worthy mate.
The author cleverly balances romance, inter-race tension and supernatural with history, family life and tradition. It is well worth a read/listen and to be honest I can’t wait till they make it into a movie.
All week I have been thinking about who I would cast (see some ideas below)
As Diana
I firstly thought maybe Rachel McAdams but wonder if she is too wholesome – Diana needs a bookish innocence about her combined with an innate power and strength that would make her capable to lead an army.
Other ideas where Olivia Wilde or Emily Blunt
As Michael
This was tough, as needs to be tall and menacing, as well as a beauty. Ideas so far have been Patrick Dempsey (we’d need to sort his hair out), Jonny Depp or Jake Gyllenhaal (with some major styling changes)
As Sarah
Jodie Foster
As Em
Julianne Moore
As Ysebau
Marion Cotillard
The story is about Diana’s struggle with her powers, her growing feelings for a vampire and power struggles between the three supernatural groups. Diana and Matthew hold the key to understanding the origins of species and their romance comes to mean more than just crossing barriers for love but time itself.
A five-star read!
tomestunestones 