A Discovery of Witches

How it reads

A Discovery of Witches is fantasy (paranormal fantasy romance, specifically), and its dominant mood is romantic. The relationship is the engine of the story. The pace is moderate — neither a page-turner nor a slow burn — so it holds up whether you read it in long sittings or short ones.

It's set in an international setting, in the present day, told in the third person, staying close to one character. Its central concerns are love, identity and power and politics. In weight it's light and escapist — easy to fall into.

It opens a series. It ends on a cliffhanger, so have the next book ready. At 592 pages it's a real commitment. It's a mega-bestseller — the book everyone seems to have read.