This is the fifth book in the All Souls series. The fourth book was published in 2018 so there was a gap between books due to the author's illness.
A quick reread of the series before beginning this book would have helped with my confusion about the characters and backstories, but I don't feel that I should have to do that. A recap would have been nice due to the length of time since the last book.
Caveat: Please start with the first book in this series. This is not a stand-alone book.
OVERALL REVIEW: 4.0 stars
Writing: 4.0 stars
Deborah Harkness is a skilled historian and author. But it felt like something was missing in this book.
There were a lot of SAT words that I could not find definitions, lots of French and Italian terms, and lots of witchy terms that I didn't understand. A glossary of terms would have been a really nice addition. The various languages and unknown words slowed down my reading.
Character development: 4.0 stars
There was a genealogy of the three families in the book: de Clairmont (vampires), Bishop (witches), and Proctor (witches); but, it was hard to read on Kindle and was not detailed enough to answer many of my questions.
The two main characters are Matthew (a Vampire with blood rage) and Diana (a Weaver witch). They are a mixed couple in the magical world which is highly unusual and irregular.
There are a lot of secondary characters including Becca and Pip (Matthew and Diana's children), Gwenyth (Diana's paternal great-aunt), Sarah (Diana's maternal aunt), Ysabeau (Matthew's mother), and assorted family members from all three sides of the interwoven families.
The tertiary character is Ravenswood. It is the ancestral home of the Proctor family and an enchanted place.
Storyline: 4.0 stars
This book felt disjointed and not fully explored. There was so much going on within the three families that it was like multiple stories combined into one book. Some characters were not mentioned much at all like Becca and Pip.
This book felt like it was written to setup the next book(s) in the series which was disappointing.
The main locations are Ipswich, Massachusetts; New Haven, Connecticut; and Venice, Italy.
Memorable/Informative: 3.5 stars
There isn't much that really grabbed me in this book. But there were some strange parts with Matthew and Diana in the forest and in the labyrinth - I didn't like either.
Book cover: 4.5 stars
Pretty.
Book title: 4.5 stars
On point!
DEFINITE recommend
BOOK INFORMATION
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow (ebook)
The Black Bird Oracle (All Souls #5) by Deborah Harkness
446 pages
Ballantine Books
Release date of 07/16/2024
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
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