The #1 New York Times-bestselling sequel to A Discovery of Witches, book two of the All Souls Series. Look for the hit TV series “A Discovery of Witches,” streaming on AMC Plus, Sundance Now and Shudder. Season 2 premieres January 9, 2021! Picking up from A Discovery of Witches’ cliffhanger ending, Shadow of Night takes reluctant witch Diana Bishop and vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont on a … and vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont on a trip through time to Elizabethan London, where they are plunged into a world of spies, magic, and a coterie of Matthew’s old friends, the School of Night. As the search for Ashmole 782–the lost and enchanted manuscript whose mystery first pulled Diana and Matthew into one another’s orbit–deepens and Diana seeks out a witch to tutor her in magic, the net of Matthew’s past tightens around them. Together they find they must embark on a very different – and vastly more dangerous – journey.
“A captivating and romantic ripping yarn,” Shadow of Night confirms Deborah Harkness as a master storyteller, able to cast an “addictive tale of magic, mayhem and two lovers.”
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Book 2 of the All Souls Trilogy takes us back into the past. I was afraid I wouldn’t like the book because of the historical twist, but Harkness pulled me in with twists and turns of the creatures we knew from our history books.
Cozy fans will enjoy the world building and the large community as well as the historical references.
This is the second book of the All Souls Trilogy and easily my favorite. Diana and Matthew are on the run and escape to the past. This give Diana time to work on her magic as they search for a special book in the past. This is a wonderful trilogy and please don’t discount it just because there are witches and vampires!
This book is certainly a must read. The characters are endearing, and the scenery is full of historical insights and view into other worlds and lifestyles. I have read all three books. Highly recommend.
Re-reading the 2nd book in this amazing series right now! I rarely re-read things, but this an exception.
This series just dragged me in, kicking and screaming. My sister recommended this series to me. I typically don’t read much in the way of vampires, daemons and witches, but I had to wait for the 2nd & 3rd installments and seriously had reading withdrawals…ha! Ha! Ha! Debbie Harkness writes with a fluidity that is not unlike watching a movie, but with much more! Try it…will not disappoint!
Book 2 is definitely better than book 1. History geeks and mundanes (such as myself) will enjoy the walk through history and the friendships Matthew once had. The duo once again find themselves in some interesting situations and again with family, both familial and chosen. The characters are likable & interesting and the storyline is entertaining.
Very well researched and well-written book. I think I do it a disservice by giving it 5 stars unless I drop nearly all of my other reviews by 1 to 3 stars. This series sets a high bar. I did err in not reading the second book right away. I let months pass before I bought the second book (hoping it would go on sale). I’ve already purchased the last book in the series (believe me, they’re worth the price) so I can read it right away! This is great for lover’s of fantasy, witches and vampires, with a heavy dose of interesting history. Many books about vampires talk about their long lives. This one dives into the past of a long lived vampire. Great characters and story, I highly recommend it.
5 Stars. Takes a minute to get through, it’s very in depth, but extremely well written.
This was a good sequel to the first book, and I really enjoyed it. There were a couple of places where the text read a little too much like a history book in places where the history didn’t necessarily serve the plot. Also, about halfway through I started to get annoyed with the issues Diana continues to have that really, at this point, should have been resolved. I also started to wonder about certain scenes where reactions or outcomes didn’t seem logical given Diana’s level of ability. On the other hand, the author’s handling of the time anomalies was well thought out and avoided a lot of the usual pitfalls. All in all, I enjoyed the book and love the characters. Can’t wait to read the third book.
Such a good book to keep the amazing series going. I loved this book! I love the series as well! The story of Diana and Matthew, two different creatures, that have fallen in love with each other. She is a very strong witch who is just now coming into her magic after being bound by her parents to save her from others who may want to hurt her, or use her. They have escaped the present and went to the past to hide and find a teacher for Diana. While there they also have to see Matthew’s father, who decides to throw a wedding for the couple. Diana starts learning more and more magic after she discovers that she is in fact a weaver and makes her own spell/magic. She is a very strong witch. In all of this craziness, they are dealing with some other really strange characters. It also shows what the family and friends are going through in the present, and how the bad guys are still looking for them. This is such a good book and I would recommend it to anyone who wishes to read a great love story that entails a lot of mystery.
Season two of the tv show started and I knew I had to read Shadow of Night before watching it.
This book is better than the first. The first now feels more like an introduction to me. This one was exciting from beginning to end, and it literally picks up where the first story leaves off.
We learn so much more about Diana. We see what a beautiful relationship her and Matthew have, and how tightly woven their bond really is. You also get a glimpse of things you didn’t see coming.
I have to admit, I wonder if the conclusion can keep the momentum going? Oh, I am excited to learn!
I’m not much of a historical fan but this is one series that I can’t get enough of!
A great follow up to A Discovery of Witches. The historical aspects were excellent as they were woven into the story. Definite interest holder.
A favorite series
I was never a big fan of fantasy but after reading this trilogy, that I thoroughly enjoyed, it opened up a whole new genre for me. A very good read indeed.
5
What a journey this book brings us on. A fun at times yet a serious book, I enjoyed it very much. Who would have thought finding a book would be so dam hard. I can’t wait to find out exactly what’s in the bloody book lol. I hope it’s worth it in the end.
The entire first half of the second book is more about Matthew de Clermont and his vampire family than about Diana Bishop, the witch. After they timewalk together to the sixteen century, Matthew (who is known then as Matthew Roydon) reunites with old friends and family. We meet his father, Philippe de Clermont—the fierce lord of Step-Tours—who is still alive in 1590. We also learn of Matthew’s history as a member of the famous School of Night (or Atheism), which includes Sir Walter Raleigh, Christopher (Kit) Marlowe—a daemon, George Chapman, and Thomas Harriot—also a daemon. These are not the only historical figures we meet. William Shakespeare, Queen Elizabeth I, and King Rudolf II also make an appearance. While Diana tries to fit in and cope with Matthew’s compelling need to possess and protect her, she learns that vampires have complicated rules and traditions, and also a fierce loyalty to their own. Still searching for the allusive Ashmole 782, Matthew and Diana travel from England to France, then to Prague, and back to England again. During this time, Diana learns to blend in but still attracts the attention of every creature she encounters. Finally, she finds a group of witches that take her under their wing, and she begins her training as a weaver—a rare and special witch. As I read this, I felt emerged in the smells, tastes, and traditions of life as it must have once been in this long-ago century. This second book in the series was definitely a time-walk to another place filled with history, danger, and unsettling liaisons. The author has laboriously included the tiniest details of life in Elizabethan England. I almost forgot I was sitting in my 21st-century living room.
In this second book of the All Souls Trilogy, Matthew and Diana travel back in time to 1590 in the hopes of finding a teacher who can unlock the secret of Diana’s magic and to find the elusive Ashmole 782 manuscript. Trying to pass as an Elizabethan woman proves challenging for Diana and she begins to attract unwanted attention. Matthew is more than a mere noble during this time and he finds it a challenge to balance his responsibilities to family, friends and the crown.
This book was a pleasant surprise especially as I thought the first book was disappointing. The story moved along nicely as the author wove in historical events. I do think that it was a bit much that Matthew was friends or knew every major figure of the time. There was a lot of history included and that may turn off some readers who are not enamored with the Elizabethan period. I enjoyed the romance between Matthew and Diana as they learned how to navigate the joys and pitfalls of marriage. Of all the characters, I absolutely loved the old witch Goody Alsop and Matthew’s nephew Gallowglass. They both added much to the story line.
As this is a trilogy, this second book ends on a cliffhanger with many major story lines yet to wrap up. I hope it’s not too long before the final volume is published. I’m looking forward to what hopes to be an exciting conclusion to this story.
I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
History, magic and love.
I had the kindle and the BARD audio. Much harder to coordinate when it’s not a kindle audio! But, again, I enjoyed the details and savored every word. It has been Very easy to leave the covid-19 world behind with these books!
Good series
Spoilers Ahead.
You’ve been warned.
Okay, so I almost lost my temper when Diana was pregnant with a vampire baby. Come’on! I get how that goes with the storyline, but damn it. There’s a reason the All Souls Trilogy is nicknamed the “Adult Twilight.”
But then there’s a twist and as usual, I happily lose myself in the story yet again.
Book 2 of The All Souls trilogy goes back in time and I really enjoyed that premise. I’m usually not a fan of any time travel genre, but this wasn’t topsy turvy time travel. It was time travel with purpose and flavor.
I’m already on The Book of Life, book 3 in the trilogy and will probably read every single book Harkness writes. She’s got a new and for now, devoted fan.