A Discovery of Witches
Powerful witches, libraries, ancient books, Matthew Goode, non sparkling vampires… some of my favorite things right there.
I read A Discovery of Witches ages ago and but enjoyed it enough to want to watch the show. The sequel as well though I don’t think I ever finished the series.
Luckily Sundance was offering a seven-day free trial and there’s only 8 episodes. It’s quick and addictive so I managed it. (Yeah, I know. Taking total advantage of the system there!)
Anyway Diana Bishop (Theresa Palmer) is a witch that doesn’t want to do witchcraft. She’s in Oxford researching when she inadvertently calls up a book that vampires, demons and other witches have been looking for. One that’s supposedly been lost for hundreds of years.
Diana doesn’t know how or why she was able to do it but she’s suddenly in a whole lot of trouble. Enter sexy vampire Matthew (Matthew Goode.)
The show is beautiful… it made me want to go to Oxford, Venice (where the covenant sits and judges) and little villages in France. I also really liked Theresa Palmer as Diana, Malin Buska as questionable and super powerful witch Satu, all the supporting vampires and Diana’s Aunts (Alex Kingston and Valarie Pettiford.)
But as much as I liked the series I never entirely bought the relationship at least from Matthew’s POV. It felt like Theresa Palmer was doing all the heavy lifting. It doesn’t help that she seems to do a 180 on him with a kiss to her palm. But for him it comes off even more like…
Diana: Matthew I love you! Let’s screw the world and be together for eternity despite the danger cause this is love!
Matthew: Got to go bye.
(Actually leaves her in another country.)
Miriam: Diana might be the most powerful witch we’ve seen since the 11th century.
(Speed Racer’s back to France.)
Matthew: Let us be one.
Plus there are a couple of scenes where he’s trying a little too hard to be intense and smoldering.
So while the show in the romance department wasn’t perfect (it was still less eye rolling than Outlanders romance for me) I enjoyed seeing Diana come to understand her powers. I liked the mythology, the mystery, the locations and the diverse supporting cast. The show will also be very different in the second season though that gets into spoilers. Suffice it to say A Discovery of Witches wasn’t perfect but it was a nice ride and I’ll be watching season two. Likely even without a free trial..
Grade: B
Recommend: Overall yes. Especially if you like witches, vampires or demons.
Ooh! Sundance is having a free trial? I’ve been really wanting to watch this. Guess who’ll be gaming the system as well?😏
They make it so easy 😉
Once I get control of the 3 billion shows I’ve started and not finished, I’m gonna binge this! I’ve heard it doesn’t quite live up to the books but shows and movies rarely do.
Right? I feel like my show list is out of control which makes it especially nice to finish one 🙂
I’m looking forward to watching this!! I need to find a week when I have a chance. I did read all three books and enjoyed them.
I need to read the 3rd but I definitely remember 2 being my favorite so I’m super excited for next season!
I really enjoyed the show and actually watched all of season 1 before reading the books. I have since read book number one and believe them to be a lot better and more detailed. I think the romance side of things makes more sense in the book!
I really want to reread them now. I definitely think the show was trying to hurry to fit everything into 8 which they did a pretty good job of but yeah you can still see the holes.
Ha! I don’t watch Outlander for the romance, I just REALLY love the scenery and costumes (all those knitted clothes! *swoon*), so this might be perfect. 😀
The Outlander clothes are gorgeous especially when they were in France! So underrated. You may really like season 2 of witches when that’s out just because its definitely very Outlander at that point 🙂
Reblogged this on LIVING THE DREAM.
When i saw the book, i decided i won’t read it. Way too long on a subject matter i don’t find particularly intriguing.
Now that there’s a series version tho, i might give in. Doesn’t look too bad! And i need something running in the background 😀
P.S. I also wanna visit Oxford. I live so close and i’ve never been :/
It’s so pretty in the show! Like I know it’s probably not as shiny in real life and Matthew Goode’s not hanging out in any library but you never know 🙂
I’ve been seeing the book everywhere. I need to finally break down and read it!
I actually remember the first two really well (rare for me considering how long ago I read them.) They were very fun books.
I hope to get to them soon!
I want to watch Discovery of Witches so badly ! But I don’t it’s available in the US yet 🙁
It’s on Sundance and Shudder in the states at least when I watched it at the end of January early February Sundance was doing a 7-day free trial. It’s a pretty quick watch if you have a couple of nights or a day sometime 🙂 (I did it in six.) But yeah I’m surprised considering the interest I’ve seen in it that they aren’t making it more widely available.
Oh ty for letting me know!! ❤️
OMG I love fantasy and witches and Goode and I still didn’t get my shit together to watch this. This may wait for when I have few days off, Goode requires a lot of recovery time
We get some very nice shots of him 😉 Though I couldn’t help think they definitely could have gone more Outlander with the sex scenes!
Sounds fun! I’ve always thought the premise of this was pretty cool with the missing forbidden book and all that.
That was always my draw before I started with the vampires thirsting! Old libraries and missing ancient books what could be better for a bookworm 🙂
Hmmm…I think I’ll give this a go. Never heard of it until now…but sounds worth a shot…
Hope you enjoy it!
😊
Yes! So happy you got to it, too. I read the first book, saw the series, read the second book and now I’m on the third. I agree, the show wasn’t as great, but then again, I feel some books are meant to stay on page and not go on screen because it doesn’t translate as well. This is one example. Although I love Matthew Goode, he wasn’t the most convincing vampire or lover here, but I think it’s because of the script (the building romance wasn’t that believable in the books, either). I can’t wait to see the second series, too, because I loved the Elizabethan age, but let’s be honest, it was pretty boring (action- plot wise). Still, will definitely see it!
I still have to read the 3rd book. I think I may read the whole series again this summer 🙂
I’m not sure what this means, but I think I’d prefer my vampires sparkly.
I definitely had fun with this too!! Great review!