BOOK REVIEW
I have a bit of a love hate relationship with this one. I heard the TV series was coming out which prompted me to add this to the front of my to read list. It was amazing how highly ranked this series was but the thing about this one, I feel like there is just as many that hate as there are that love it.
The first book I enjoyed, I did find the beginning extremely slow passed. She spent soo much time studying in the library and it was just juxed with the occasional run in with Matthew. It was a different take on the witch, vampire and daemons and how they all began. The heart at what Discovery was about, was truly a origins story from the basis of history and biology. Both of which are massive aspects of the entire series, I’ll be honest it wasn’t be favourite part, I did find that aspect interesting, but it was so heavily tied to the story, I didn’t enjoy every aspect.
The one thing that frustrated me to no end, particularly bad in the first book but eased up in the final two. Was Matthew’s possessive nature over Diana – I completely understand the whole wolf guarding their young analogy (which is what vampires were a likened too) but I found it soo manipulative and vindictive. Coming from a 500 year-old vampire born in a different age, is somewhat tolerable but every time he denied or his anger over a situation prevailed, the feminist in me, I didn’t know existed was crying out.
The relationship arc between Diana and Matthew is beautiful, it didn’t happen as quickly as I would have liked. But Matthew was undoubtably captivated with Diana from the beginning.
I also found Claire and Jaime (Outlander) vibes at times, when I think about their relationship. The magic element to the book was the fun theatrics I enjoyed. I felt like I was watching Sabrina the Teenage Witch – when you meet Diana’s family for the first time (and yes I loved that show). Their family home is the house we all wished we lived in, with rooms and doors that appear out of thin air. The magic element particularly takes off in book two, with the imagery of threads, string and dragons (aka Firedrake).
The story by the end of the first book well and truly picked up with soo many unanswered questions, the second book takes off in full swing. If you love the old history of London, then this is for you! I didn’t particularly know anything about the history/governmental figures soo it didn’t do much more than confuse me at times, but the story in Shadow of Night is beautiful. It is where my one true love Gallowglass makes his first entrance, he is like the Adrian (Vampire Academy) of Discovery of Witches. He’s Matthews edgy Brother with a heart of gold, he was my favourite character in the series by far. It’s in this book that Diana & Matthew’s relationship brings them to more equals than ever before, he finally no longer treated as nothing more than his subject. Last but not least of course there is Lucas the beautiful little boy and let me tell you, it was happy tears I cried when he appeared in the final book.
I enjoyed the first two books immensely aside from the occasional boredom, but I think the Book Of Life is where I hit my stump. I struggled to find the motivation to pick it up at times, but I did finish. Overall, it’s a lovely story, it wasn’t for me a grappling, thrilling story but a beautiful character and historical display of adventure.
I then watched the TV show and it is one of the best book renditions I have seen. The scenery is perfect and they stuck to the story nearly everywhere, which isn’t something you can normally say (I’m talking Shadowhunters – we all know what a misrepresentation that did to the books).
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