Before officially meeting, do you think Matthew and Diana ever just casually passed each other while on campus? Cause I'm imagining Gallowglass watching from an undetectable distance, seeing Diana cross a courtyard, going in the opposite direction of Matthew and Gallowglass is just simultaneously panicking and relieved.

Gallowglass: Oh my God, it's happening! They're going to finally meet! After centuries of waiting and decades of watching, Diana will finally be- Wait! Why is she walking away? Auntie! Turn back right now! Matthew! Turn around and go meet your wife!

They both continue on their way, completely oblivious to who they just walked past.

Gallowglass, unable to decide if this was a good or bad thing: Ok, they didn't meet this time. So, I don't have to leave her yet. But it'll be sooner rather than later now. At least she'll be happy when they do meet...

Sorry, the Cullens Are Not the Best Vampire Family

These vamps are in a league of their own. (Baseball pun intended.)

Collider Sept 24, 2023

Deborah Harkness, author of A Discovery of Witches, was inspired to write the series after seeing the popularity of paranormal romance novels and wondering why these creatures still captivate us.

 The de Clermont vampire family in A Discovery of Witches is more complex and intriguing than the Cullen family in Twilight, offering a fresh and intimate perspective on vampire dynamics.

 Ysabeau and Philippe, initially distrustful of their vampire son Matthew's witch partner Diana, eventually gain respect and even affection for her, showcasing the power of love and acceptance within the family.

On the surface, it might seem as though A Discovery of Witches draws heavily from the human-vampire romances that preceded it. That assessment's only half-true. Deborah Harkness, author of the New York Times bestselling All Souls trilogy upon which A Discovery of Witches is based, didn't read any vampire literature before penning her novels. But her creativity was sparked in 2008 after seeing the sheer wealth of paranormal romances adorning bookshelves. "It seemed to me much bigger than what had happened with Anne Rice," Harkness explained to The Los Angeles Times in 2011. "As a historian of science, […] I thought, Why do these creatures still exert such a pull on us?" Furthermore, Harkness "[ wondered] if there really are witches and vampires, what do they do for a living?" Her resulting All Souls trilogy is a delightful enterprise and not a copy of Twilight, True Blood, The Vampire Diaries, or any popular supernatural saga. In the paranormal romance world, certain story beats naturally tread similar ground. Harkness, a decorated historian, scholar, and university professor, weaves the forbidden love story of historian witch Diana Bishop (Teresa Palmer) and vampire scientist Matthew Clairmont (Matthew GoodE) together with magic, philosophy, metaphor, and detailed historical accuracy. That convergence makes for a fascinatingly fresh perspective on the genre while never losing sight of its romantic heart. With that said, there's a specific unintentional similarity A Discovery of Witches shares with Twilight — that awkward feeling when your in-laws are vampires. The Cullens of Twilight might welcome you into the fold with a baseball game, but A Discovery of Witches has the better vampire family by a home run mile. Sorry, not sorry.

GIF: mine

More on the de Clermonts in A Discovery of Witches

Can we appreciate Gallowglass a bit more?

Gallowglass turned wide blue eyes on Matthew. The younger man was wearing a black T-shirt adorned with a skull and crossbones. Something had slashed the back, rending it from left shoulder to right hip. The holes in his nephew's jeans looked to be the result of wear, not war, and his hair was shaggy even by Gallowglassian standards.

(-Chapter 2, The book of life, All souls trilogy by Deborah Harkness)

He is basically described as a harsh looking blue eyed man, with metal shirts and ripped jeans, which is not just his 'personal sense of style' since all the tears are from wear. And yet, despite his appearance, he has the personality of an angel. Think of how he picked on the wax residue on the kitchen table when he was nervous. He honestly seems like a gentle giant. Please romanticise him with me.

Shadow of Night Read Along Ch21

‘No offense taken, Goody Alsop. But if you take this matter to your elders, Diana’s identity will be known across London.’ Matthew stood. ‘I can’t allow that.’

‘Every witch in the city has already heard about your wife. News travels quickly here, no small thanks to your friend Christopher Marlowe,’ Goody Alsop said, craning her neck to meet his eyes. ‘Sit down, Master Roydon. My old bones no longer bend that way.’

To my surprise, Matthew sat.

Matthew is throwing his cranky weight around with the subtelty of a bulldozer but Goody Alsop is having none of it. She is the boss. You show him Goody.

📷 Sky/Bad Wolf A Discovery of Witches (2021) s2:02 my edits

♡ ULTIMATE SHIPS MEME ♡:  Current OTP's

↳ Marcus Whitmore & Phoebe Taylor in A Discovery of Witches (2018 - 2022)

“But here’s the thing, Phoebe.” Whitmore lowered his mouth until it was inches from her ear and dropped his voice to a whisper. “Unlike the men who have taken you out to dinner and perhaps gone back to your flat for something afterwards, your propriety and fine manners don’t frighten me off. Quite the contrary. And I can’t help but imagine what you’re like when the icy control melts.”

Introducing…

couples (matthew and diana version i)

decadent. sophistic. hard fall. simple. academics falling in love. quite luxury. brave. private. adoring.

All Souls series by Deborah Harkness.

Matthew, you slut

“Memories were short and history unkind. It was the way of the world.”

Deborah Harkness, Shadow of Night

No longer a solitary meteor moving through space and time, I was now part of a complicated planetary system. I needed to learn how to keep my own center of gravity while being pulled this way and that by bodies larger and more powerful than I was.

Deborah Harkness “Shadow of Night”

📚 Reading Update 📚

You know what I want? A little novella from Philippe's perspective. Can you imagine how funny his inner monologue must have been after Matthew and Diana time walked?

Like, it's been a few months since they left. The other Matthew is now back at Sept-Tours and makes a comment about how he will forever hate witches, and Philippe has to stop himself from laughing.

Or whenever he and Ysabeau hear that Matthew has taken a new lover, Philippe is hopeful for a moment and then gets really disappointed because, "That's not Diana!"

He must have had so much fun making little passing, vague comments to Matthew over the years.

Verin: I'm starving! Let's go hunt.

Baldwin: Just have some wine, I never find much when I hunt around here.

Matthew: Really? I always find more than enough whenever I hunt in this area.

Philippe, with a little smirk: That's because the Goddess of the chase truly loves you.

Centuries later, Matthew sits up in bed, eyes wide.

Diana: Matthew? Are you alright?

Matthew, whispering: The Goddess of the chase truly loves me.... Oh my God!

So Gerbert in ADOW is based on the man Gerbert of Aurilliac (Pope Sylvester II). The dude is credited as introducing the Arabic numerical system into Europe (the one we use today), re-introdicing the abacus and armillary sphere (old astronomical tool) to Europe, and inventing the first mechanical clock. Basically this French bishop-turned-pope was OBSESSED with learning things and traveled to Muslim Spain because he knew they knew things he didn't know and was DESPERATE to know them.

Meaning you could make an argument that the reason Gerbert wasn't really as huge of a villain in ADOW as Knox or Benjamin is because part of him kinda wanted to know what would happen. Part of his need to have The Book of Life could've been because he just wanted to know what it said for knowledge's sake.

Like he probably stops Diana after Council meetings like "What does the Book say about *insert topic here*?"

Shadow of Night Read Along Ch4

‘Do not play games with me,’ he said shortly. ‘You do not want me as an enemy, Widow Beaton.'

Matthew and Diana are trying to get a witch to help with her magic.

When asking nicely doesn't work, just look mean and threaten. Grrrrr

Although sadly, Diana's magic is as temperamental as Matthew is.

🎶 I See Red - by Everybody Loves An Outlaw (IG music library)

📷 Sky/Bad Wolf A Discovery of Witches (2021) s2:01 my edit

Reel with music

Link to song

Book!Marcus and Phoebe

TV!Marcus and Phoebe

Welcome! These are a few of my favourite things...♡

Bare min starter-pack to get to know a bit about me :)

she/her. 26 y/o lives in the UK.

My favourite hobbies are reading, dreaming, drinking coffee and obsessing over pets.

My favourite movies tv shows: Blue Eye Samurai, LOTR, Arcane, Haunting of Bly Manor/Hill House and the Office.

I work in the legal profession.

My guilty pleasure is reality shows...

I read fanficton of my fav novels every night to sleep and to wake and have for the past decade.

If you like:

Fitzloved (Realm of the Elderlings; Of Cats and Closed Doors)

Shadowhunter Chronicles;

18th 19th century classical literature;

Mauraders & Drarry Era (specifically, jegulus & wolfstar, rosekiller etc.);

All Souls series.

Relevant Posts/Essays ͙͡★

My Love Letter to OCACD and Fitzloved

Magnus Bane is the best Downworlder

Wessa is the Best!!!!!

Tessa Tessa Tessa

Ranking of SHC Novels

My response to Booktok turning the book community into fast fashion

Top 5 in the Shadowhunter Characters, Ships

I also love to make moodboards for the All Souls universe by Deborah Harkness which you can find: here !

Please let's be moots and friends :D Have a lovely day scrolling 😊

Gorgeous art by pandyals_art on instagram