3.5 stars. This book felt more disjointed than the series did, it was more like pieces of three stories thrown together. I felt like the author really wanted to write about Marcus' past, which is fine, but then threw in some stuff about Pheobe, and Diana and Matthew to keep those story lines going but it didn't feel cohesive. The ending felt a bit rushed too. ( )

This wasn't at all what I expected based on the blurb. While there is a lot of Marcus' history, and wonderful world building in seeing Phoebe's first days as a vampire, there is a lot of Diana and Matthew and the twins (which is what I really wanted).

It's not as fast paced as the previous, but the world building and history felt like a wonderful extended epilogue and gave me exactly what I was curious about!

Can't wait for more books in this series/world!! ( )

I am an unrepentant fan of A Discovery of Witches and the rest of the All Souls Trilogy, but this one didn't hit that same sweet spot for me, although in some ways it was better than I'd hoped for.

Set in the same world as the All Souls books, with all the same characters, this book focuses on Matthew's vampire son, Marcus, and his soon-to-be-mate Phoebe, as she goes through the process of becoming a vampire. This is the excuse/framework Harkness uses to delve into Marcus' story, one rich in American Revolution history and personal tragedy.

Told in 3 alternating points of view, Phoebe's present day (3rd person) narrative of her transformation was the part of the book I liked least. It involved a lot of vampiric tropes that felt a bit tired, and there was a cat introduced that damn near ended the book. The cat is not harmed, but I'm not at all satisfied with the role it plays in Phoebe's new life; it felt like Harkness was purposefully screwing with readers and the unwritten rule of 'don't harm pets'. Either way, I just wasn't that invested in Phoebe - though I did like Freyja.

The second point of view was Marcus' flash-backs into his life before and after becoming a vampire. This was, if not a more enjoyable tale, one that was a hell of a lot more interesting. Rich in historical backdrops and characters, these sections were vivid and heartbreaking. The occasional small gaps in story flow were almost invisible, overwhelmed by the rich storytelling. It also helped that these were the parts that involved Gallowglass, my personal favorite character in the books.

The final point of view was, for me, the best, because it was told in first person present day by Diana and involved almost all the old characters I know and love from the trilogy. Here are Diana, Matthew, Marcus, Sarah, Ysabeau and the rest, spending the summer in the south of France, listening to Marcus tell his tale while Phoebe is in Paris learning to be a vampire and not properly appreciating her pets. Diana and Matthew's kids provide some scope for funny antics, and the overall relaxed plot of this book means it's easier for Harkness to indulge in scenes involving the kind of family dynamics everyone thinks are hilarious in other people's families. I enjoyed the humor woven through these sections almost more than I did any other part of the book.

The story is complete, but there are subtle hints that more books about the other characters may be forthcoming. Baldwin seems the most obvious choice, though I'm holding out for Gallowglass to get his 15 minutes. A girl can hope, anyway. ( )

This book, much like the other three, was a marvel of woven historical threads. This book explored Marcus' past and Phoebe's becoming a vampire. It was such an interesting juxtaposition. Now I just need a Gallowglass novel!! DH, don't leave me hangin! ( )

If I didn't enjoy history so much, I probably wouldn't have enjoyed this book at all - holy history lessons, Batman! Also, I found the switching between 3rd-person POV and 1st-person POV quite disconcerting - but maybe that's just me.

I wouldn't recommend starting with this book if you haven't already read all 3 books in the All-Souls Trilogy. ( )