Review: The Book of Life

It's been an age since my last review, I know.  But I finally found the time to read The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness.  The third book in Harkness’ All Souls Trilogy was one that I had eagerly awaited for the best part of a year, and on the whole it certainly did not disappoint.  I know the title makes it sound a bit philosophical; I can assure you, though there is a strong focus on origins and morals, humanity and belonging, the book is anything but.  As the third in a series, I should probably expand a little on the trilogy as a whole.  The series begins with A Discovery of Witches, and as the title suggests, it’s clearly fantastical in genre.  But, as the trilogy has gone on and developed, I feel as though it is less securely seated in that genre, and actually falls into three different categories simultaneously.  While the books are set (primarily) in modern day, the past is featured prominently in the books.  The heroine of the trilogy, witch Diana Bishop, is a historian and scholar who therefore provides much of the focus on history and helps introduce the books as historical novels.  The third genre, romance, comes to the fore much more in the second novel, Shadow of Night, and in the subsequent book.

Obviously, featuring supernatural beings, with a romance between a vampire and a non-vampire to boot, the All Souls Trilogy bears a remarkable resemblance to The Twilight Saga.  During the first two books, this wasn’t very bothersome – the differences between the two series were big enough that I didn’t actually notice how similar Harkness’ work was until I began reading The Book of Life.  While plot-wise the main similarities are limited to the romance between the series protagonists, Matthew de Clairmont (a vampire) and Diana Bishop, and the difficulties that come with different creatures living side-by-side (the wolf pack and the Cullens, anyone?), I did notice that Harkness also had a love triangle much like Edward, Bella and Jacob – no clues as to which unlucky characters are involved in the relationship in the All Souls Trilogy though.  For many in the generation of Twilight readers, I’m sure this has been a common theme they have come across in various works.  I find I’m a little bit fed up of love triangles if I’m honest.  Luckily, the love triangle in The Book of Life doesn’t form as much of the plot of the All Souls Trilogy as it does in Stephanie Meyer’s books.

Despite the semblance to The Twilight Saga, as novels aimed at adults rather than teenagers, the All Souls Trilogy is much subtler in dealing with the typical ‘dark fantasy’ issues that come from love between two people who aren’t from the same species.  Over the course of the three books, this occurs alongside other storylines, the most important of which are finding and understanding an historical manuscript known as Ashmole 782 and helping Diana to use her magic.  Because these other plots form such a large part of the narrative, the angst-love issues are much less overbearing, leaving what romance remains as quite charming. With my main criticism taken care of, let’s take a look at my biggest praise: the clever way Deborah Harkness has woven history into her novels.

Historian, Diana Bishop, studies medieval alchemical texts.  That alone is quite an unusual theme in the majority of fantasy novels, or at least in those that I have read.  What's more though, is that the alchemical principles Harkness' protagonist studies and explains, are actually integral to the plot of the trilogy as well as creating the interesting world us readers find ourselves in.  The importance of these scientific, alchemical details are seem to be an influential factor in the design of the book jackets.  Even the British cover of The Book of Life resembles a DNA helix.  As amazing as these covers look (even if I am more partial to the British ones that I have in my collection), remember not to judge a book by its cover.  Harkness' trilogy is far more than an account of alchemical procedures.

SPOILER ALERT

One of the things I really enjoyed through the series as a whole was how it almost felt timeless.  Although the main events of Shadow of Night are thoroughly dated due to Diana and Matthew's trip into the 1500s, the parts of the trilogy that take place in modern day feel like they could have taken place five years ago or in five years time.  The fact that Diana Bishop has the ability to timewalk, leaving readers wondering what other times she may eventually take a tour through - the future, perhaps? - only adds to this feeling, along with the numerous settings throughout the trilogy.  Courcelles-de-Touraine (France), Oxford (UK), New Haven (Connecticut, USA), London (UK), Prague (Czech Republic), Venice (Italy) and Madison (Wisconsin, USA) are just a few of the stand-out places Diana and Matthew visit, keeping the novels fresh and exciting, with a host of different characters and atmospheres.  Sept-Tours (the castle at Courelles-de-Touraine) and the use of old educational institutions such as Oxford University and Yale University help to base the trilogy in the past, bringing a sense of elegance and exclusivity.

A second surprise was Harkness' incredibly forward thinking, featuring gay relationships, depicted in non-stereotypical ways.

On the whole, Harkness' trilogy feels sophisticated, a perfect amalgamation of various themes and issues.  I've not read widely in the dark fantasy genre, but The Book of Life certainly feels more light-hearted than the books I am familiar with.  This series is one that would most likely appeal to any fans of Twilight, the House of Night books or the Night World series, with which it is certainly comparable.