However, I did enjoy it. The back stories of both witches and, better still, the vampires were well done and gave the characters both depth and mystery. I would have liked to see more of the daemons in the story (although that would have made the book even longer), but perhaps they will be given their chance in the later volumes.
On the other hand, it was never quite clear to me what a centuries old vampire saw in a slightly confused (if academically very clever) witch with more or less no powers, especially since relationships between the two species are forbidden by the all powerful Congregation, a group of witches, daemons and vampires who are the official opposition to Matthew, Diana and their friends and family.
Deborah Harkness has written academic books before but this was her first published novel (you never know what earlier attempts lurk on the computer, never to see the light of day). It will be interesting to see what improvements she can make in writing (and editing) when the second volume appears.
Article comments
1 - Cowtown Pattie
I totally agree with your assessment. I, too, wanted to really really love this book (it had me at the librarian highbrow-ness), but it never quite hit its stride.
Harkness would lead the story into really deep historical waters just to change course and inject some silly fluffiness.
Like you, I am hoping her skills improve because I would like to discover more about the two mistmatched "others" lovers.