A Discovery of Witches - Deborah Harkness

I admit that I am easily influenced. Especially by people and things that I trust. I mean, if Entertainment Weekly  tells me a book is good, chances are I’m gonna read it. That’s why A Discovery of Witches  by Deborah Harkness has been sitting on my “To Read” Goodreads shelf for so long.

Having read some reviews, and the dust jacket, I knew the story centered on a witch and a vampire. But somehow, I was not really ready for the amount of supernatural stuff going on. Not that I am complaining. It’s just odd when you expect one thing and get another. Like when you think Magic Mike is going to be a fluffy fun movie about male strippers and it turns out to be a (pretty good) movie about the dirty reality of life as a male stripper. Again, not complaining. I’ll take any chance I can get to watch Channing Tatum, Joe Manganiello, and Adam Rodriguez strut around in their underpants.

Anyway…

Basically, A Discovery of Witches is what would happen if The Da Vinci Code  and True Blood had babies. And I mean that in the best way possible. The story centers on Diana Bishop, noted historian with a specialty in alchemy. She’s also the last in a long line of powerful witches, even though she refuses to use her gifts. She comes across an ancient and powerful text called the Ashmole 782 (I have to admit, I giggle every time I read the word Ashmole – looks way too much like asshole! I am such a child!) and that’s when all hell breaks loose. The discovery of the text triggers all sorts of strange events and also brings out all sorts of supernatural beings.  In this world, there are four types of creatures roaming the earth; humans, witches, vampires, and demons.  Each wants access to Ashmole and is willing to use any means to get to Diana since she seems to be the only person who can summon it.  

Its 600 pages of Diana coming to terms with the knowledge that humans are not alone and learning that in order to survive in this new world, she has to embrace the magic within herself she’s been stifling since childhood. But really, at its core, A Discovery of Witches is the love story between Diana and Matthew Clairmont – the vampire that she falls in love with despite warnings from everyone that witches and vampires shouldn’t mix.

And here’s where my beef starts. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed this book. The writing is great and really engaging. The pacing is strong and moves you through all sorts of twists and turns quickly. I’m on board with this world and all the magic craziness that’s in it and I’m sure I’ll read the rest of the series.

But. The whole time I was reading, I couldn’t help but be a little annoyed.  The whole vampire thing is still beyond me. I don’t really understand the draw. I mean, what modern woman wants to be controlled and dominated by a thousand year old dude? Harkness does a good job of showing us Diana’s reluctance to give in to Matthew’s controlling ways. But for the most part, the ancient vampire with all his old school views of the world gets his way. Diane spends a lot of time being led around, settled into chairs, carried onto couches, placed in seats. And even though she protests and makes a show of claiming to be a modern independent woman, she pretty much hands her life over to Matthew.

As I read, I couldn’t help but wonder:  how come there are so many stories about the strong powerful male vampire and the women who fall for his charms, but no stories about the strong powerful female vampire and the men who fall for her?  What does it mean that the whole vampire – damsel in distress thing is such a cliché, but it doesn’t work the other way around?

Now I know this is just a work of fiction, but I can’t help but put on my English Major pants and say that this book says a lot about what it means to be a modern woman. Or at least it makes you think about what it means that it’s so easy to accept a story about a woman who so readily gives up her life for the man she loves.  And how come there are so few stories about a man willing to give up his life for the woman he loves.

I know this is way more thinking that needs to be done here. But again, that’s why I am such a book nerd. Even in a book like this about vampires, witches, spells and magic, you get a look into the real world around you and the real issues we face on a daily basis.