Thursday, May 30, 2013

Review: SHADOW OF NIGHT by Deborah Harkness


4 of 5 stars

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. 


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