It follows Diana Bishop, a history of science professor at Yale University, as she embraces her magical blood after finding a long-thought-lost manuscript and engages in a forbidden romance with a charming vampire, Matthew Clairmont.
It appears, however, that her discovery had already caught the attention of other creatures, which results in a series of events that slowly brings her witch heritage and family back into her life.
[3] The writing of the novel took place in the early mornings "in the blissful quiet before [she] switched on [her] email" while she also continued teaching at the University of Southern California during the day and blogging about wine in the evenings.
Rating the novel a B+, Entertainment Weekly's Karen Valby was positive in her review, labeling it an "extraordinarily fun debut" and remarking that "Harkness writes with thrilling gusto about the magical world.
Though she thought the novel dragged for a bit, "the pages turned faster, almost as if on their own" as the action picked up and "by the most satisfying end, Harkness had made me a believer.
"[8] Parade gave the novel a glowing endorsement, writing, "Harkness’ sure hand when it comes to star-crossed love and chilling action sequences in striking locales makes for an enchanting debut.
"[9] O, The Oprah Magazine listed "A Discovery of Witches" as one of its 15 Books to Watch for in February 2011, deeming it "romantic, erudite, and suspenseful" and noting "Harkness attends to every scholarly and emotional detail with whimsy, sensuality, and humor.
"[10] In a starred review, Library Journal judged "A Discovery of Witches" to be an "enchanting novel... an essential purchase" and that Harkness "is an author to watch".
Although not a nail-biting cliffhanger, the finale skillfully provides a sense of completion while leaving doors open for the possibility of wonderful sequel adventures.
The San Antonio Express-News described it as a "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.
"[12] Nisi Shawl of The Seattle Times noted that "though the quality of 'Discovery's' prose remains no more than clear and serviceable, its erudite references to the leather-bound boards of incunabulae and secret ingredients in medieval inks make it a welcome relief.
"[13] Margot Adler of NPR called A Discovery of Witches "a tour de force, an artful and unusually skilled blending of hard science, history and the supernatural.
"[14] A 'Best Book of the Month' for February 2011, Amazon.com described the novel as "a mesmerizing and addictive read, equal parts history and magic, romance and suspense...
This smart, sophisticated story harks back to the novels of Anne Rice, but it is as contemporary and sensual as the Twilight series with an extra serving of historical realism.
"[16] Elizabeth Hand, writing for The Washington Post, criticized the subject matter and wrote that "this novel's pacing is so torpid that readers may feel that aged, too.
"[17] Comparisons have been made between "A Discovery of Witches" and other popular fantasy series — namely Twilight, in the dynamics of Diana and Matthew's relationship, and Harry Potter in the co-existence of magical and non-magical creatures.
[20] The film was in the early stages of development, with few details released beyond the signing-on of playwright David Auburn to pen the screenplay and producers Denise Di Novi and Allison Greenspan who have worked on Little Women, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and Practical Magic.