Why we still crave magic when science finds itself wanting
In short: Why does the supernatural persist in our modern imagination? For historian Deborah Harkness, the answer lies in our human need for enchantment. Her debut novel, A Discovery of Witches, explores this tension by blending rigorous academic research into alchemy and history with a hidden world of supernatural co-existence.
Deborah Harkness, a scholar of the history of science, conceived A Discovery of Witches as a 'thought experiment.' While observing a modern obsession with vampires and magic at an airport bookstore, she theorized that our enduring interest in the supernatural stems from a desire for possibility. To Harkness, magic serves as a sanctuary for wonder, flourishing in the spaces where scientific explanation reaches its limits.
The narrative is deeply rooted in Harkness's own academic life. The protagonist, Diana Bishop, is a history of science professor whose life is disrupted by the discovery of Ashmole 782—a real alchemical manuscript that has been missing from the Ashmole collection for over 150 years. Harkness drew directly from her own extensive research in the Bodleian Library and her study of the occult since 1983 to ground the fantasy in historical reality.
Unlike many paranormal romances, the novel incorporates specific historical figures and authentic processes. It references real alchemical texts and the works of figures from the Medieval and Renaissance periods. By weaving in the scholarly details of incunabular boards and medieval inks, Harkness creates a 'literary' fantasy that bridges the gap between the academic study of the past and the imaginative escapism of the present.
The book's success was immediate, debuting as a New York Times Best Seller in 2011. While some critics found the pacing slow or the plot trite, many praised it as a sophisticated alternative to mainstream fantasy. It successfully balanced the 'star-crossed' romance of a witch and a vampire with a meticulous exploration of how supernatural species might coexist within a human world.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: A Discovery of Witches
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