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Shadow of Night: A Novel Audiobook
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(4.39) - 56 listener ratings
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Synopsis
Deborah Harkness is a history scholar who took it upon herself to write a book of popular fiction. The result was the first book in the All Souls trilogy, A Discovery of Witches. The heroine, Diana Bishop, is an academic like the author but comes from a family of witches, a heritage that she tries to deny. However, when she discovers an ancient manuscript in Oxford's Bodleian library, she is besieged by witches, vampires and daemons. The alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782, which has been hidden for so long, might explain many things in the past and the future and everyone wants to get their hands on it, including vampire Matthew Clairmont with whom Diana ends up having a forbidden romance.
In book two of the series, Shadow of Night, Harkness once again thrills us with her knowledge of the past. She takes the two main characters back to Elizabethan times where they meet many important personages including playwright Christopher Marlowe and the queen's right hand man, Sir Walter Raleigh. Eventually, they even bump into Shakespeare who is depicted as a scrounger running after Marlowe looking for ideas to write about.
By going back into the past, Diana seeks to find someone who will help her control and use her powers as a witch. She and Matthew are also looking for the complete manuscript of Ashmole 782 in hopes that it may explain why vampires have become a dying species. But before they set about on their quest, they must first get used to being thrust into a different century. Diana can't help noting the difference between her and other women at the time. She speaks with an out of place American accent and is thinner than women in the late 16th century. With Matthew, the problem arises because, being a vampire, he has lived through this time period at a younger age and is constantly tempted to change the things he has done without altering the course of history altogether. Finally, Diana discovers what differentiates her from other witches—the fact that she can create spells instead of just casting them. Diana and Matthew also travel to the Holy Roman Emperor's court in Prague where Ashmole 782 is hidden.
Harkness has done a great job mixing the supernatural element with historical facts and it's amusing to see her take on historically great people. Although her books have been compared to the Twilight series and the Harry Potter books, Harkness says that she was not influenced by any of these. Instead, her depictions of the supernatural owe a great deal to Anne Rice whose fiction she devoured in the 80's.
Deborah Harkness grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia but went on to live in various parts of the U.S., finally settling in southern California. She also spent time abroad, in Oxford and London, which gave her the background she needed for the setting of her novels. She studied history at Mount Holyoke, Northwestern University and the University of California at Davis. She now teaches European History and the History of Science at the University of Southern California. She is also a wine connoisseur whose blog, Good Wine Under $20, has been favorably reviewed by Saveur.com and various wine and food magazines. Additionally her novels have both made it onto the New York Times bestseller list.
Download Shadow of Night from The Audio Bookstore for the perfect blend of historical accuracy and fantasy. This an audio book that has something for everyone—the history aficionado, the romantic, the fantasy geek and the adventure seeker.
"This is an adult series, but in a sense it is Twilight at Hogwarts. I was eager to read it since the the first installment was suspenseful and entertaining. This one is less so, but I still read it as quickly as I could. The characters and the situations are so thoroughly drawn that I was completely taken in. I cared about what was happening, and that is important because this is a long book. The author uses her expertise to add in historical, geographic, and even scientific knowledge. It is interesting detail, but requires the reader to do quite a bit of work to get into the story and keep up with it. That's why I gave 4 rather than 5 stars. I'm an avid reader, and this was work!"
— Joan (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Deborah Harkness takes us places we’ve never been before… Shadow of Night isn't just about wonderfully detailed descriptions of England in 1591, it's about being there. 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 -
“The joy that Harkness, herself a historian, takes in visiting the past is evident on every page…A great spell, the one that can enchant a reader and make a six-hundred-page book fly through her fingertips, is cast…Its enduring rewards are plenty.”
— Entertainment Weekly -
“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 -
“Harkness exudes her own style of magic in making the world of late 16th century England come alive…Enchanting, engrossing and as impossible to put down as its predecessor, Shadow of Night is a perfect blend of fantasy, history and romance. Its single greatest flaw is, after almost six hundred pages, it’s over. If you’ve already read and enjoyed A Discovery of Witches, picking up Shadow of Night is an absolute requirement. Otherwise, pick up both, and consider your summer reading list complete.”
— Miami Herald -
“Picking up where she left off in last year’s A Discovery of Witches, Harkness proves she’s not suffering from a sophomore slump with this addictive tale of magic, mayhem and two lovers.”
— Chicago Tribune -
“Rich, period fun, particularly delightful in its witty characterization of historical immortals…Shadow ramps up the supernatural suspense.”
— New York Daily News -
“This novel is as much a love story about a bygone era as it is about Matthew and Diana. It overflows with a colorful cast of characters, many of whom Harkness has plucked straight from the history books, and Harkness renders the late 1500s in exquisite detail… The writing is so rich, the characters so compelling…and best of all, Harkness manages to execute with aplomb the act of answering old questions while posing new ones that will intensify anticipation for the final installment. Readers who have been counting down the days, take heart: The wait was most assuredly worth it.”
— Bookpage -
A captivating and romantic ripping yarn.
— E. L. James, “Books of the Year 2012: Authors Choose Their Favourites,” The Guardian -
The joy that Harkness, herself a historian, takes in visiting the past is evident on every page. . . . A great spell, the 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 -
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 -
Deborah Harkness takes us places we’ve never been before. . . . Shadow of Night isn't just about wonderfully detailed descriptions of England in 1591, it's about being there. 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 -
Harkness exudes her own style of magic in making the world of late 16th century England come alive. . . . Enchanting, engrossing and as impossible to put down as its predecessor, Shadow of Night is a perfect blend of fantasy, history and romance. Its single greatest flaw is, after almost 600 pages, it’s over. If you’ve already read and enjoyed A Discovery of Witches, picking up Shadow of Night is an absolute requirement. Otherwise, pick up both, and consider your reading list complete.
— Miami Herald -
Picking up where she left off in last year’s A Discovery of Witches, Harkness proves she’s not suffering from a sophomore slump with this addictive tale of magic, mayhem and two lovers.
— Chicago Tribune -
Rich, period fun, particularly delightful in its witty characterization of historical immortals . . . Shadow ramps up the supernatural suspense.
— New York Daily News -
This novel is as much a love story about a bygone era as it is about Matthew and Diana. It overflows with a colorful cast of characters, many of whom Harkness has plucked straight from the history books, and Harkness renders the late 1500s in exquisite detail. . . . The writing is so rich, the characters so compelling . . . and best of all, Harkness manages to execute with aplomb the act of answering old questions while posing new ones that will intensify anticipation for the final installment. Readers who have been counting down the days, take heart: The wait was most assuredly worth it.
— BookPage -
A wonderfully imaginative grown-up fantasy with all the magic of Harry Potter or Twilight. . . . An irresistible tale of wizardry, science and forbidden love.”
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—People
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Romantic, erudite, and suspenseful . . . Harkness attends to every scholarly and emotional detail with whimsy, sensuality, and humor.”
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—O, The Oprah Magazine
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“A thoroughly grown-up novel packed with gorgeous historical detail and a gutsy, brainy heroine to match. . . . Harkness writes with thrilling gusto about the magical world.”
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—Karen Valby, Entertainment Weekly
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Harkness conjures up a scintillating paranormal story. . . . Discover why everyone’s talking about this magical book.”
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—USA Today
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Delightfully well-crafted and enchantingly imaginative . . . It has some of the same ineluctable atmosphere that made Anne Rice’s vampire books such a popular success.”
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—Miami Herald
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A debut novel with a big supernatural canvas . . . Its ambitions are world-sized, ranging across history and zeroing in on DNA, human and otherwordly. Age-old tensions between science and magic and between evolution and alchemy erupt as Diana seeks to unlock the secrets of Ashmole 782.”
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—Los Angeles Times
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Harkness, an eloquent writer, conjures this world of witches with Ivy League degrees and supernatural creatures completely—and believably—while maintaining a sense of wonder. . . . A Discovery of Witches is that rare historical novel that manages to be as intelligent as it is romantic. And it is supernatural fiction that those of us who usually prefer to stay grounded in reality can get caught up in. Pardon the pun, but Witches is truly spellbinding.”
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—San Antonio News-Express
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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.”
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—Cleveland Plain-Dealer
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Harkness works her own form of literary alchemy by deftly blending fantasy, romance, history, and horror into one completely bewitching book.”
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—Chicago Tribune
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“A Discovery of Witches becomes increasingly charming as it goes along. . . . A shrewdly written romp and a satisfying snow-day read for those of us who heartily enjoyed the likes of Anne Rice and Marion Zimmer Bradley. By the book’s rousing end . . . I was impatient for the sequel.”
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—NPR
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A captivating tale that will ensnare the heart and imagination of even the most skeptical reader. This fantastic first novel will leave you anxious for the next installment, and sad to leave the remarkable world Harkness has created. Simply put, A Discovery of Witches is literary magic at its most potent.”
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—Stephanie Harrison, BookPage
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Set in our contemporary world with a magical twist, this sparkling debut by a history professor features a large cast of fascinating characters, and readers will find themselves invested in Diana’s success at unlocking the secrets of the manuscript. . . . Harkness is an author to watch.
— Library Journal (starred review) -
Harkness creates a compelling and sweeping tale that moves from Oxford to Paris to upstate New York and into both Diana and Matthew’s complex families and histories. All her characters are fully fleshed and unique.”
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—Booklist (starred review)
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Harkness brings this world to vibrant life and makes the most of the growing popularity of gothic adventure with an ending that keeps the Old Lodge door wide open.”
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—Publishers Weekly
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A Discovery of Witches is a strange and wonderful novel of forbidden love and ancient spells that turns every preconception about magic on its head. Deborah Harkness has written one of the most exciting novels I’ve read in years. . . . I fell in love with it from the very first page.
— Danielle Trussoni, author of Angelology -
Deborah Harkness’s novel is a brilliant synthesis of magic and history. A gripping story of dangerous passion, intellectual intrigue, and fantastical beings.
— Ivy Pochoda, author of The Art of Disappearing -
A fleet-footed novel set in a vivid otherworld, richly peppered with scholarly tidbits. Huge fun—with serious underpinnings of history.
— Jane Borodale, author of The Book of Fires
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
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Selected for the July 2012 Indie Next List
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A USA Today bestseller
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Amazon Best Book of the Month, July 2012
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A 2012 Barnes & Noble Best Book for Fiction
Shadow of Night Listener Reviews
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Elayna, 3/18/2025
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Julie Erving, 12/8/2022
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Stephanie Jones, 12/3/2022
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Deborah, 11/2/2022
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Greg Costello, 9/27/2022
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Jeanann Schechter, 1/22/2022
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LA.YAM, 3/17/2021
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Sandy Pruett, 5/31/2020
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" Again Deborah Harkness with the amazing! "
— Keri, 2/16/2014 -
" The sequel is even better than the first book. Loved it and can't wait for the third book this fall. "
— Duncan, 2/7/2014 -
" Can't wait until she writes the third book in the series! "
— Lorie, 1/23/2014 -
" It could only have been better if I could read the third book NOW! :) "
— Heather, 1/20/2014 -
" I've just finished reading it, and already I miss reading it. I can't wait for the third book. "
— Mindy, 1/12/2014 -
" The second book in the All Souls trilogy was hard to get into. Wait until 120 pages in or so for anything exciting to start happening. Overall, good book. Can't wait for the release of the last book. "
— Cassondra, 1/7/2014 -
" Cannot put these books down. "
— Ruth, 12/21/2013 -
" I adored this book as much as the first in the series. Harkness kept the pace moving along while managing to infuse every scene with luscious details of the setting. Absolutely captivating. The only bad part? Now I have to wait until the final book in the series is published. Meh. "
— Victoria, 12/11/2013 -
" Middle book in the All Souls Trilogy. Another great read. They travel back in time and a good deal of the book is spent in Queen Elizabeth's England which is really fun and interesting. "
— Elizabeth, 12/2/2013 -
" i enjoyed reading it. Love the mix of history & magic . cant wait for the 3rd book . "
— Ynez, 11/2/2013 -
" Love this series. Waiting for the third and final book to come up. "
— Muriel, 8/22/2013 -
" I like the way Deborah Harkness writes, I just have a hard time with a book this big and the time traveling back and forth. She expects us to remember a character added on page 120 who doesn't show back up until page 650. Sorry I am not that good. "
— Suzy, 6/18/2013 -
" Almost as good as the first one, which is high praise because I usually think the second in a series is a let-down. Really looking forward to the third! "
— Lia, 6/3/2013 -
" Loved all the characters in this period piece, although the constant name dropping did get old after a while. Excited to see how this all ends. "
— Alexandra, 3/3/2013 -
" A good sequel with good backstory and important filling for what comes next, but I'm just hoping for that something extra in the last installment. Will read the next one for sure!! "
— Silje, 2/8/2013 -
" Historically it was very interesting. Loved the characters and setting. Wouldn't recommend for those that want a clean read. It wasn't descriptive, but there is violence and some sexual content. "
— Tressa, 1/27/2013 -
" Didn't like it as well as the first in the series "
— Rondi, 1/25/2013 -
" I'm glad Diana toughened up and finally stopped letting Matthew boss her around. I'm still not sure why but I prefer the historical aspects of this story to the romance. "
— Jen, 11/18/2012 -
" I really enjoyed this book. I find historical fiction fascinating and including vampires, witches, and demons in the mix makes for great entertainment! "
— Kelly, 10/31/2012 -
" I enjoyed reading more about characters from the first book and meeting new ones. There is a lot of historical people wrapped up in this tale. Can't wait for the next book. "
— Tammy, 9/28/2012 -
" Not nearly as good as Discovery of Witches. Long and tedious. "
— Crystal, 9/1/2012 -
" Great series. Can't wait for the third! "
— Heiderworld, 8/12/2012 -
" Every bit as good as the first! I loved it. "
— Katy, 7/24/2012
About Deborah Harkness
Deborah Harkness is the New York Times bestselling author of A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night, The Book of Life, Time’s Convert, The World of All Souls, and The Black Bird Oracle. She is a history professor at the University of Southern California and has received Fulbright, Guggenheim, and National Humanities Center fellowships.
About Jennifer Ikeda
Jennifer Ikeda has been narrating audiobooks since 2002. Among her readings are When My Name Was Keoko by Linda Sue Park; Just Listen by Sarah Dessen; and After the Wreck, I Picked Myself Up, Spread My Wings, and Flew Away by Joyce Carol Oates. She has won six AudioFile Earphones Awards.