A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

When A Discovery of Witches was published a year ago, it spent some time on the bestsellers list. This of course prompted me to put a hold on the book and it went to the top of my "to be read" list. At a daunting 579 pages, A Discovery of Witches slowly began to fall to the bottom of that list. However, as the first book in the All Souls Trilogy I decided that I needed to read book one before book two, Shadow of the Night, comes out this July.

Diana Bishop is a witch. She comes from a long line of witches on both sides of her family. Her mother, Rebecca, was descended from Bridget Bishop who was hung July 10, 1692 in Salem. Her father, Stephen, was descended from Elizabeth Proctor, another accused witch in Salem. In 1986, when Diana was 7, her parents went to Africa and never came back. Diana was raised by her aunt Sarah. Sarah and Diana are the last of the Bishop line but after Diana's parents die she decides she does not want to be a witch and makes and effort to suppress her magic.

Diana is a brilliant scholar and has published several books on alchemy. Her studies take her to Oxford where she spends her time in the library examining one ancient text after another. Diana's life changes when she requests a manuscript written by a man named Elias Ashmole. Simply known as Ashmole 782, Diana knows there is something magical about the manuscript the minute she touches it. In fact the book refuses to open until she lays her palm on the cover to introduce herself to the book. Diana discovers that there are three pages missing from the book and that there seems to be additional text moving underneath the regular text. Frightened by the power she feels in Ashmole 782, Diana returns it to the library archives. By opening Ashmole 782, Diana has now attracted the attention of the other "creatures" in the library and beyond. There are four races in the world, humans, witches, vampires and daemons. As a rule the four races do not mix and the humans pretend to not know the other three exist. Witches hate vampires, vampires hate witches and they both look down upon daemons.

The day after opening Ashmole 782 Diana meets Matthew Clairmont, a 1500 year old vampire who has been looking for Ashmole 782 for over 100 years. Even though vampires and witches don't mix, Matthew decides to help Diana out by protecting her from all the attention she is getting from the other creatures. It seems that Diana is the only one to see or touch the book since it went missing from the library in the 1850s. Unfortunately when Diana decides to call Ashmole 782 up again it is again listed as missing. Now Diana's life is in danger from the creatures who want to know what kind of magic she possesses that allowed her to call and open the book. Each race believes that the Ashmole 782 holds some secret that is essential to the survival of their race and each race believes that Ashmole 782 belongs to them. Among other things, Matthew is a doctor and has been studying the origins of each race through their DNA. He believes Ashmole 782 holds the key to the origins of each creature. What ensues is a lot of talk about history, alchemy and DNA sequencing. Diana and her magic seem to be the key to discovering the origins of all the creatures. Over the course of the book it becomes clear that Diana needs to embrace her considerable magic because ignoring her power only puts her in more danger. Her relationship with Matthew sets off a sequence of events that could start a war between the creatures and drastic steps must be taken to protect Diana until she can learn to control her power.

Despite bogging down the story with the discussions of history, DNA , alchemy and quoting a few too many ancient texts, Harkness creates an intriguing story that made me want to know what happens next to Matthew and Diana. Do they discover the secrets contained in Ashmole 782? Does Diana learn to control her magic and why is she so important? Do Matthew and Diana succeed in stopping the war between the creatures? There is a lot (and I mean a lot) of background information in this book. It makes sense that there are so many unanswered questions when you remember that there are two more books to come. With the second book out in a few months, I'm glad I waited until now to read book one. If you are a fan of magic, mystery and history, A Discovery of Witches is the book for you.

~ Amy, Adult Services

Read Alike: Deborah Harkness

Historian Deborah Harkness's first novel, A Discovery of Witches, proved to be very popular with readers, despite the seeming glut of quirky paranormal novels and romantic vampires. An academic world with a magical twist populated with intriguing characters, a historical mystery that opens in Oxford's Bodleian Library, this book is more than a steamy romance.

Frustratingly, as you can read in Amy's review, A Discovery of Witches ends on a shocking cliffhanger. Happily, the sequel, Shadow of Night, has arrived on the shelves of Carnegie-Stout (or at least the Hold Shelf!). If you've found yourself waiting for A Discovery of Witches or Shadow of Night, you can kill the time by looking through Deborah Harkness's website (deborahharkness.com) or looking through the publisher's Pinterest Board for the series, and while you're on Pinterest, you can follow Carnegie-Stout!

Or if you've already devoured both books and are anxiously awaiting book three, you might enjoy one of these titles:

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
First published in 1991, Ms. Gabaldon's popular Outlander series features time travel, complex characters, romance, and a suspenseful plot. Her writing is beautifully descriptive, and if you find a series where the shortest book is still more than 500 pages daunting, the audiobook versions are top notch. The series starts with Outlander, Claire Randall, a nurse, is on a trip to the Scottish Highlands in 1945, when she finds herself thrown suddenly into the Scotland of 1743, and the attention of soldier James Fraser

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
Ms. Clarke seamlessly blends history and fantasy in her richly detailed and intricately plotted novel, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. Set in an early 19th century England, where magic is a serious, but strictly academic, course of study. However magic's more practical applications, and the danger involved in such practice, are rediscovered by Mr. Norrell and his apprentice, Jonathan Strange who displays a remarkable natural talent. Though this book lacks the more romantic focus of Ms. Harkness's writing, readers will find much to enjoy in this fully realized alternate world, right down to the footnotes.

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe
Ms. Howe's first novel is the story of Connie Goodwin, Deliverance Dane, and the Salem witch trials. Connie is a doctoral candidate in Harvard's history department, but her studies are interrupted by the need to sort through her deceased grandmother's belongings. While sorting, Connie stumbles onto the mystery of Deliverance Dane, whose life in the 17th century is told in alternate chapters. This compelling page-turner explores historical research, herbal lore, the strength of family ties, and the fear of magic with a touch of romance.

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
Ms. Kostova writes novels of psychological suspense with a gothic atmosphere, as she explores the darker side of humanity. Her stories are fast-paced and filled with detail, her characters are well drawn and often academics. Try The Historian, set in the Cold War Europe of the 1970s, where a teenage girl stumbles across hints in her father's library that Dracula might not be so mythical after all.

Even more books worth checking out:
Morrigan's Cross by Nora Roberts
Ghostwalk by Rebecca Stott
Possession by A.S. Byatt
The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
The Alchemyst by Michael Dylan Scott

Please stop by the Recommendations Desk on the first floor, check out NoveList Plus on the library's website, or visit W. 11th & Bluff next week for more reading suggestions. Or submit a Personal Recommendations request, and we'll create a reading list just for you!

Staff Review: The River of No Return by Bee Ridgway

I do not understand why The River of No Return doesn't have a dozen people on the hold list. Sure, this is Bee Ridgway's first novel, and you probably don't spend a portion of your work and free time tracking new books, seeing what's getting good advance reviews, judging the cover art for books that won't be available for sale for months, etc. etc.

Maybe this is the first you're hearing about The River of No Return. That's fair, but now you need to place a hold on the library's copy or go out and buy your own because this is a book worth reading.

Let me walk that back a little. I usually wait a few weeks before posting a book review on the library's blog, and I only just finished this book on Saturday, so I'm maybe still bubbling over with those good book emotions. So! Walking it back, you need to check out The River of No Return, at your earliest convenience, if you are the sort of reader who enjoys:

• Time Travel
• Globe Spanning Conspiracies and Secret Societies
• Love Stories
• Characters Who Aren't Dimwits
• Complicated Morality

In 1812, Lord Nicholas Falcott is presumed dead at the Battle of Salamanca, but instead he finds himself transported into the distant future and the welcoming arms of The Guild. Left in the past is Julia Percy, granddaughter of the Earl whose estate borders Nick's own, and with her grandfather's death in 1815, Julia is truly an orphan. How their paths come to cross again, and all of the manipulation and complications that requires is where the story lies.

If, like me, you enjoy historical romances, you won't be disappointed there. I wouldn't be surprised if Ms. Ridgway hasn't read her share of Julia Quinn's, Mary Balogh's, and all the other authors whose books have "duke" in the title. Never fear, a prior love of steamy romance novels is by no means a must to pick up this book, but if you find you enjoy the love story, you might want to browse around our Romance collection!

My only complaint is that the book ends with a couple of dangling plot threads. On the one hand, I'm happy for the idea that I might get to explore this world of time travelers again in some future sequel. On the other hand, I'm going to be wondering... Well, that would be a spoiler, so go! Read the book, and come back and we can discuss what we think is going to happen next!

Other books to read, in case I succeed in creating a wait list for The River of No Return:
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (read alikes for Outlander)
The Rook by Daniel O'Malley (staff review for The Rook)
Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (staff review for Discovery of Witches) (read alikes for Deborah Harkness)
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig

Best Books of 2012 - Staff Picks, Part II

Welcome back! Last week we gave you some of our favorite books of 2012, and since we're all such voracious readers, we have even more!

Allison, Adult Services:

Code Name: Verity by Elizabeth Wein. Of all the great books I read this year, Code Name: Verity stands out as the most engrossing, well written and moving of them. Taking place during World War II, the story is told in two parts each from the perspective of the two main characters. One is an undercover Scottish (not British, mind you) spy for the Allied Forces, the other, a pilot. On a mission over Nazi-occupied France, their plane crashes and what follows is a gripping story of friendship, loyalty and war. The novel, especially the ending, stayed with me for days afterwards. While it's not for the faint of heart, it is an amazing read.

Kristen, Circulation:

American Nations: a History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America, by Colin Woodard. As a lover of history and a family genealogist, this book really helped me to imagine what the lives of my early American ancestors were like and what was important to them. It also gave me some insight as to why different areas of the country have such differing social, economic, and political views to this day.




Michelle, Circulation:
My most favorite book of the year was The Street Sweeper by Elliot Perlman. I think I liked it more than most of my “bookie” friends, but again, I loved the writing and got totally caught up in the story of these interwoven lives and really wanted to find out how they were all connected and how it all turned out. The descriptions of the concentration camps were very hard to read, but in the end I was not disappointed.  (Michelle also enjoyed Sacre Bleu: A Comedy d'Art by Christopher Moore and Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver.)

Michelle, Adult Services:

My two favorites for 2012 are Eowyn Ivey’s The Snow Child and Louise Erdrich’s The Round House. I listened to the audio versions, and the narrators are splendid. I haven’t finished Erdrich’s book yet; I have 3 disks to go. Gary Farmer is the reader, and he is Wolf Clan Iroquois which adds to the authenticity of the story. He is also an actor. I want to go back and re-watch Smoke Signals and figure out which character he portrays. His narration has a mesmerizing cadence.


Mary, Youth Services:

I enjoyed reading Sandra Dallas’ books True Sisters and Alice’s Tulips. Both are historical fiction. I also enjoyed Diary of a Mad Fat Girl by Stephanie McAfee; it’s humorous chick lit.







Sharon, Youth Services:

I absolutely loved An Unquenchable Thirst: Following Mother Teresa in Search of Love by Mary Johnson – I thought it was wonderful and really enjoyed meeting her when she was at the library. One book I didn’t want to put down.





Brian, Information Technology:

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. From the jacket: "Orphaned by the Border Wars, Alina Starkov is taken from obscurity and her only friend, Mal, to become the protegé of the mysterious Darkling, who trains her to join the magical elite in the belief that she is the Sun Summoner, who can destroy the monsters of the Fold."




 Angie, Circulation:
A few books I read and enjoyed this year were: A Discovery of Witches, by Deborah Harkness. Audio book read by Jennifer Ikeda - fabulous listen, great narrator. Literary, but easy to read. The Passage, by Justin Cronin. Both the book and and the audio (narrated by Scott Brick) were great. The end of the world as we know it, scary and disturbing, yet Cronin doesn't forget to show us some humanity in the midst of the chaos. Big read, but epic in a good way. The Mark of Athena, by Rick Riordan - Exciting, clever, fun, dramatic. Great third book in Heroes of Olympus series, Riordan seems to get better with each book.

Laura, Circulation:

Hannibal, by Thomas Harris - Yes, as in Hannibal Lector. A lot like the movie, only much, much better. The first time you see him "on-screen," it's like you're right there. Also, An Echo in the Bone, by Diana Gabaldon - The latest in a series about a woman thrown back in time 200 years to the Scottish highlands, where everything is an adventure and she tries hard not to fall in love. With wonderful characters and lots of action, the latest book describes one family's reluctant involvement in the American Revolution. Don't expect the story to be resolved, though; you'll be anxiously awaiting the next book in the series.

Barb, Circulation:

I just finished Make Believe: an Edna Ferber Mystery, by Edward Ifkovic. I thoroughly enjoyed it not only for the historical fiction aspect about Hollywood but also because it was extremely eloquent.






So what was your favorite read of 2012? Tell us in the comments below, or on Facebook, G+ or Pinterest, and happy reading!