The Book of Life (Movie Tie-In): A Novel (All Souls Series)

'The Book of Life' is breathtaking and amazing. It's everything that was incredible about the last two books (excepting, of course, the historical fiction aspect of 'Shadow of Night'), with the added benefit that finally, all the questions are answered, and most of the loose ends tied up. I loved it without reservations. There are so many things I want to share about the book and my reactions to it, but I can't tell you some of the best parts because, well, spoilers.

The first few chapters start off slowly, as Diana deals with her grief over a missing character and she and Matthew adjust to the world to which they've returned. Soon the pace quickens, and the revelations start piling up, one discovery upon another. Plot twists and surprising turns abound, making for a thrilling read; I could hardly turn the pages fast enough in my eagerness to see what came next.

Many old friends and enemies appear, several of them quite unexpectedly, and there are a few terrific new additions to the cast of characters (well, new or expanded; some of them had cameos in the first book.) Diana and Matthew occupy center stage, of course, joined by various members of their expanding family as well as allies. The complexities and challenges of vampire family life, particularly in the de Clermont family, drive some of the plot, as do the politics of the Congregation. The race is still on to find the missing papers, locate Ashmole 782 and discover its secrets, but there are other threats and challenges to meet as well.

Harkness is an articulate, intelligent, and insightful author, and her scholarly training and meticulous research are evident throughout -- nowhere more so than in the scenes set at Yale and in Oxford. Genetics plays a big part in the novel, as does historical research. Harkness also excels at bringing her world alive, whether it's the sixteenth-century London of 'Shadow of Night' or the Yale, Oxford, London, New Orleans, and Venice of 'The Book of Life' (to name but a few of the book's many settings.) It's clear that she's been to these places; she provides vivid, evocative details that never overshadow the scene's main focus.

And while Harkness has always had a sense of humor, it is more evident in this novel. Not that the book as a whole is comic; on the contrary, it's suspenseful, touching, exhilarating, heartwarming, and chilling by turns. But the comic moments, when they appear, are funny enough at times to have startled shouts of laughter out of me. (I thought of quoting one, but I don't want to ruin the fun of stumbling across them.) She has even put herself in the book! There's a marvelous but almost throwaway line when Diana is recalling the people who had access to a particular manuscript (not Ashmole 782), and one of them is a writer of popular fiction with an interest in alchemy.

'The Book of Life' enthralled me from start to finish. It's one of the finest series enders I've ever read: satisfying on every level, yet leaving me wishing for more. I can't wait to see what Deborah Harkness does next. For now, I'll have to settle for reading the whole trilogy again.

Back in their present, Matthew and Diana must deal with grief, the realities of becoming parents, and the complex and dangerous dynamics of creature politics and vampire families; Diana must embrace her weaver magic, and Matthew must deal with his blood rage.

(Though reviews are inherently subjective, I prefer to provide some organization to my opinions through the use of a personal rubric. The following notes may contain spoilers.)

Plot and Setting: 4.8 -- Plot is engaging from start to finish. Has many unique elements, no major holes, and a sense of focus. Setting is clear and believable. Timeline may be a bit hard to follow. Again, a story with many facets, tied together by Diana and Matthew's relationship and the difficult things they each must learn to accept about themselves, particularly as they become parents and as they navigate the dangerous waters of creature politics. True love, danger, sacrifice, and all that good stuff. Good landmarks to keep track of time passing, but quite a few larger leaps through time, which is a bit disorienting.

Characters: 5 -- Relatable, realistic, interesting, dynamic characters. Even minor characters have depth, as do the relationships between characters. All the characters continue to be complex and brilliant. They grow and develop and challenge and help each other, and it's great. Diana is interesting in this one: her unusual, supernatural characteristics take over in more and more ways, and yet she is still very much herself most of the time. And of course there are babies, and people relating to babies, which is always a chance for adorableness and deep emotion.

Mechanics and Writing: 5 -- Few, if any, typos, punctuation issues, or word errors. (<3/100pgs) Intelligent use of POV. Skillful writing that adds to the story. I actually only spotted one error in the entire book, and it was a trivial one. POV is mainly 1st-person Diana, with some scenes (mostly when Diana is not present to narrate, but not always) in a sort of universal 3rd-person narrative, dipping into the thoughts of whoever is needed to tell the important details. The POV in this one did start out a little strangely, as it took a little while to get back to Diana's familiar narration, and sometimes we are shown Diana from someone else's perspective, which was a bit disconcerting.

Redeeming Value: 3.2 -- Partially focused uplifting themes or lessons. Drugs, alcohol, violence, etc, are not glorified, though there is definitely shaky ground. Several mildly explicit sex scenes. Implied moral guidelines for behavior. This one feels darker and more violent; Benjamin is truly evil and depraved, using rape, torture, and murder to further his own agenda, or just for the fun of it. And Peter Knox is right up there with him. Several sex scenes between Matthew and Diana, but again, they may be fairly explicit, but not gratuitous. Strong themes of honesty and acceptance, bravery and love.

Personal Enjoyment: 4.5 -- I loved it. Highly enjoyable and very entertaining, with perhaps an issue or two that tempered my pleasure. I’d enjoy reading it again.