A Discovery of WitchesA Discovery of Witches
Score Modern
What it's about
When historian Diana Bishop opens an alchemical manuscript in Oxford's Bodleian Library, magic intrudes on her carefully ordered life. Though she's a witch of impeccable lineage, she has kept magic at bay for years. Now she has exposed herself to a world of powerful witches, daemons and long-lived vampires.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 47 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It launched the All Souls series, later a TV series.
You'll love it if you liked
Outlander
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
The Night CircusGood to know
It's long and leisurely, full of history and romance. It's the first of a trilogy.
By the numbers
- Readers13 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller78 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #157 of the 233 romances we rank
- #296 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #1066 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1973 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, Dark
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Quick answers
Is A Discovery of Witches worth reading?
Yes. It spent 47 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #1,973 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 64.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is A Discovery of Witches about?
When historian Diana Bishop opens an alchemical manuscript in Oxford's Bodleian Library, magic intrudes on her carefully ordered life. Though she's a witch of impeccable lineage, she has kept magic at bay for years. Now she has exposed herself to a world of powerful witches, daemons and long-lived vampires.
How long does it take to read A Discovery of Witches?
About 14 hours (579 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after A Discovery of Witches?
If you liked it, try Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke or The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.