The very first thing we need to do and acknowledge is the beautiful cover on this book. I am ecstatic to say that the images were the first things to draw me to the story. The second was the description, because I love the supernatural world (and believe that it explains a lot) but this had alchemy, history, mystery, and a romance. I was smitten.
Diana Bishop, scholar, historian, and witch, has discovered an alchemical manuscript that appears to be enchanted. Instead of digging deeper to uncover its secrets, however, Diana sends it back into the stacks of the Bodleian Library. But Ashmole 782 has been found, and awoken, and representatives from the supernatural world have arrived disrupting Diana's carefully magic-free life. One such creature, a vampire named Matthew Clairmont, is a renown geneticist and brings his own agenda. But Matthew and Diana must come to terms with each other and their wants and desires before something, or someone, discovers that Diana and Ashmole 782 might be more than what they seem.
First off, this is my second time reading this and I still feel the same as the first. I love, love, love this book. Diana starts off as such an independent, successful woman who feels that magic has no place in her life, but by the end she is a strong, fierce, successful, powerful witch with so much love in her that you wish she was real, and she was your friend. The beginning made Diana relatable, because be honest how many people wish to be different, independent, and successful from their families? I know I did. It takes "growing up" to make us understand that we can be all of those things and still be similar to our families. But it also takes "growing up" for us to see that they weren't perfect nor were they the worst. I have had to learn when to say no, not out of anger, but out of love and respect for myself. Diana "grew up" to understand that magic wasn't at fault, but that outside forces, and outside creatures were what assisted the decisions that affected her so deeply.
Second off, the magic and history were phenomenal. I was so enraptured by the history of alchemy that I actually went and bought a couple of books on the subject. I wanted to know more and understand it at the level Diana and Matthew understood it. I, especially, want to find a copy of Aurora Consurgens just so I can see these beautifully illustrated pictures that Harkness describes. As a former art student, I was captivated by the thought of science being told through colorful artwork. History, I can see and understand as there are examples all over the world, but science? The thought gave me such a thrill.
Finally, I (OBVIOUSLY!!) rated this novel 5 out of 5 stars, and absolutely cannot wait for the tv show to begin. However, I am a bit wary of the tv show because sometimes they can be such a sad disappointment. I can't see this being the case as I adore Matthew Goode and Alex Kingston. As far as I can tell the casting looks great and the trailers are making me super excited. HURRY UP AND SET A RELEASE DATE!! Starting the second book, Shadow of Night, right now. READ THIS BOOK!!
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