The Book of Life

The highly anticipated finale to the #1 New York Times bestselling trilogy that began with *A Discovery of WitchesAfter traveling through time in Shadow of Night, the second book in Deborah Harkness’s enchanting series, historian and witch Diana Bishop and vampire scientist Matthew Clairmont return to the present to face new crises and old enemies. At Matthew’s ancestral home at Sept-Tours, they reunite with the cast of characters from A Discovery of Witches—with one significant exception. But the real threat to their future has yet to be revealed, and when it is, the search for Ashmole 782 and its missing pages takes on even more urgency. In the trilogy’s final volume, Harkness deepens her themes of power and passion, family and caring, past deeds and their present consequences. In ancestral homes and university laboratories, using ancient knowledge and modern science, from the hills of the Auvergne to the palaces of Venice and beyond, the couple at last learn what the witches discovered so many centuries ago.With more than one million copies sold in the United States and appearing in thirty-eight foreign editions, A Discovery of Witches and Shadow of Night have landed on all of the major bestseller lists and garnered rave reviews from countless publications. Eagerly awaited by Harkness’s legion of fans, The Book of Life* brings this superbly written series to a deeply satisfying close.
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From BooklistDedicated scholar, reluctant witch, and seasoned time traveler Diana Bishop returns to wrap up the wildly popular All Souls trilogy. After a supernatural “meet-cute” in A Discovery of Witches, and a time-traveling adventure in Shadow of Night, Diana and vampire/scientist Matthew Clairmont return to the present, continuing their pursuit of magical alchemical manuscript Ashmole 782, aka The Book of Life; but before the secrets contained within the manuscript are revealed, Diana and Matthew must navigate the peculiarities of their essentially forbidden union. As the stakes grow increasingly higher, they prepare for a showdown in the demon world that could have direct—and possibly dire—­consequences for their own families. Harkness herself proves to be quite the alchemist as she combines elements of magic, history, romance, and science, transforming them into a compelling journey through time, space, and geography. By bridging the gaps between Harry Potter, Twilight, and Outlander fans, Harkness artfully appeals to a broad range of fantasy lovers. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: With the first two volumes in this trilogy selling more than one million copies, and the movie version of A Discovery of Witches currently in development, the conclusion of this paranormal adventure is guaranteed to fly off the shelves. --Margaret Flanagan
ReviewPraise for *The Book of Life*
“There is no shortage of action in this sprawling sequel, and nearly every chapter brings a wrinkle to the tale. The storytelling is lively and energetic, and Diana remains an appealing heroine even as her life becomes ever more extraordinary. A delightful wrap-up to the trilogy.”—Publishers Weekly
“Harkness herself proves to be quite the alchemist as she combines elements of magic, history, romance, and science, transforming them into a compelling journey through time, space, and geography. By bridging the gaps between Harry Potter, Twilight, and Outlander fans, Harkness artfully appeals to a broad range of fantasy lovers.”—Booklist
“The witch Diana’s and the vampire Matthew’s quests to discover their origins and confront the threats to their star-crossed union tie up as neatly as one of Diana’s magical weaver’s knots. … It’s still satisfying to travel with these characters toward their more-than-well-earned happy ending.”—Kirkus Reviews
“The adventure never lets up. … History, science, and the unpredictable actions of paranormal characters with hidden agendas all swirl together to create a not-to-be-missed finale to a stellar series.”—Library Journal
Praise for *Shadow of Night *
“Deborah Harkness takes us places we’ve never been before. … Readers time-travel as precisely and precariously as Diana and Matthew do. . . . Shadow ends as Discovery did, with promises of more to come. Lucky for us.”—USA Today
“Fans of Harkness’s 2011 debut A Discovery of Witches will be delighted. … Harkness delivers enough romance and excitement to keep the pages turning. Readers will devour it.”—People
“The joy that Harkness, herself a historian, takes in visiting the past is evident on every page. … A great spell, one that can enchant a reader and make a 600-page book fly through her fingertips, is cast. … Its enduring rewards are plenty.”—Entertainment Weekly
“Enchanting, engrossing and as impossible to put down as its predecessor, Shadow of Night is a perfect blend of fantasy, history and romance.”—Miami Herald
“Shadow of Night pretty much defines excellence. . . . Shadow boasts even more action than the first book—Elizabethan England, after all, wasn’t the best place to advertise your presence as a witch, what with the burnings and all. Harkness peppers the cast with intriguing cameos. … Adults who’ve sorely missed the wizardry, romance and adventure of the Harry Potter books or love The Hunger Games will find much to adore.”—Dallas Morning News
“Fascinating … Harkness immerses the reader in the historical and political milieu of late 16th-century London and Prague, where the search for the alchemical philosopher’s stone consumes royalty and commoners alike.”—Los Angeles Times
“A captivating and romantic ripping yarn.”—E. L. James, “Books of the Year 2012: Authors Choose Their Favourites,” *The Guardian*
Praise for *A Discovery of Witches*
“A wonderfully imaginative grown-up fantasy with all the magic of Harry Potter or Twilight … An irresistible tale of wizardry, science and forbidden love, A Discovery of Witches will leave you longing for the sequel.”—People
“Romantic, erudite, and suspenseful. … Harkness attends to every scholarly and emotional detail with whimsy, sensuality, and humor.”—O, The Oprah Magazine
“A thoroughly grown-up novel packed with gorgeous historical detail, with a gutsy, brainy heroine to match. … Harkness writes with thrilling gusto about the magical world. Whether she’s describing a yoga class for witches, daemons, and vampires or Diana’s benignly haunted house, it’s a treat to suspend disbelief.”—Entertainment Weekly
“Delightfully well-crafted and enchantingly imaginative … An enthralling and deeply enjoyable read, it has some of the same ineluctable atmosphere that made Anne Rice’s vampire books such a popular success.”—Miami Herald
“A scintillating debut … Harkness imbues Bishop and Clairmont’s romantic adventure with an odd charm, a sweet joy in the life of the mind.”—Seattle Times
“Readers who thrilled to Elizabeth Kostova’s 2005 blockbuster, The Historian, will note the parallels, but A Discovery of Witches is a modern Romeo and Juliet story, with older, wiser lovers. Blood will flow when a witch and a vampire fall for each other. Author Deborah Harkness, a UCLA history professor, brings vast knowledge and research to the page.”—Cleveland Plain-Dealer
“Enthralling . . . a rollicking mystery.”—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
“Harkness works her own form of literary alchemy by deftly blending fantasy, romance, history, and horror into one completely bewitching book.”—Chicago Tribune