Finished "Shadow of Night" - *MAJOR SPOILERS*

[AJL]

Has anyone else finished it?

I didn't find it as thrilling as the first book. I sort of felt like things were a bit more docile, not as edgy. Matthew was less likable this go around and I knew from the last book that Hamish told Diana that he would be different in Elizabethan England, but I didn't really like their relationship.

I thought that last third of the book was the most interesting. I wish that her father had popped in earlier. I wish there was more interaction with the other witches and Diana. I was disappointed that there wasn't much to do with the Congregation. No real threats.

Queen Elizabeth was an Elizabethan biotch. I had a hard time with her because I didn't know to imagine Cate Blanchett or Judy Dench.

With regard to Diana's family, I feel like there was a whole chunk missing about what happened to Emily. It's assumed she's dead and died protecting the child of the two daemons (Nathaniel and Sophie), but I don't know how and under what circumstances.

Anyone else what to discuss?

[er2125]

I've been waiting for someone else to finish and want to chit chat I didn't like this one as much as Discovery of Witches, but it had some high points.

With this novel, I feel like it was much more obvious the story was being written by a history professor, and at times I felt like maybe the author was trying a little too hard to make the story 'fit' into established history. I read a lot of the asides and tidbits like she couldn't help but give us cliffnotes on historical accuracies. Lots of details and descriptions that at points I felt like I was skimming.

That being said, still a fun story. I felt like Matthew's personality had some pretty significant changes from the first book and I also didn't like him quite as much this time around, but he's still OK in my book. The dynamics of their relationship did seem to change more than expected too. I felt like I was reading Outlander with some of the light bickering (reminded me of the Jamie and Claire growing pains in a way) I really wish we would have spent more time with the witches/vampires/daemons in the present, I missed their story. And I really wanted them to look a little closer at the Congregation in the present and how they were trying to find Matthew and Diana in history, I would have loved a sneak preview into THOSE closed door meetings

Her father was also a highlight of the story for me. Just like with a Discovery of Witches (my favorite part was the last third of the book when they returned to Diana's 'haunted' home and all of the fun witchy stuff) I wanted them to spend more time showing her training, progression and time with the 16th century witches. Seeing her develop her talents is my favorite part of the story and I think some of it took a backburner to developing her relationship with Matthew and traveling around Europe looking for the book.

[duckduck]

Hey girls! I finally finished it. It was slow going for me but it's due back at the library today.

I enjoyed the historical aspects of it-- particularly the portrayal of Elizabeth's court. I'm a Tudor nut and did a lot of research and reading in high school about Elizabeth I, and I must say that I think Harkness probably nailed it. The historical stuff throughout was actually the saving of the book for me-- I agree that it felt Outlander-growing-pains-ish at times, but I just do not get the spark between Matthew and Diana that I do between Jamie and Claire. It was like Outlander if Jamie and Claire were sedate college professors instead of hotheads who've spent their whole adult lives on battlefields. It reminded me a bit of the first year of MY marriage, actually-- we had stuff to work out and had some scraps, but we're both low-key people and even our fights are quiet and not very exciting.

Diana's dad was my favorite part. I wish that there's been more time with him.