A Discovery of Witches

I love vampire fiction. The problem is, it seems that so much of what comes out these days, is silly vampire fiction. While this can be fun, I appreciate a well-written, intelligent vampire novel and this seems much harder to come by. Deborah Harkness's soon-to-be-published debut novel, A Discovery of Witches fits the bill.

Diana Bishop is a descendant of Bridget Bishop, the first witch hung in Salem. Although Diana has inherited the Bishop powers, she refuses to use them and instead has become a well-known scholar. When she discovers a long-lost manuscript with magical powers in the Oxford library, she immediately catches the attention of other witches, as well as vampires and daemons. One particular vampire, Matthew de Clermont takes an interest in Diana and is determined to protect her from the other creatures who are willing to do anything to get their hands on the book and Diana, whose powers are stronger than she realizes. The two quickly begin a romantic relationship but are threatened by the Congregation, the ruling body of all creatures, which will stop at nothing to prevent a relationship between a witch and a vampire. The two are determined to fight the Congregation and unlock the secrets of the mysterious manuscript, despite the threat of starting a war between all creatures.

This was an enjoyable story with an intriguing plot, fast pace, and a sizzling romance. Harkness includes an interesting storyline on the genetics and genealogy/history of witches and vampires which I really liked. My only criticism is that the book is a tad long. I could have done with about 100 less pages, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. The unresolved ending leads me to hope that there may be a sequel.