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micaelamariem's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I was so excited to dive back into the All Souls universe. I had adored the original trilogy and when I found out that there were two more books, I was ecstatic. Though, I was a little nervous because, in my experience, books that continue after the original series end tend to not be as good. Still, I dove into Time's Convert by Deborah Harkness, published by Penguin Books, with nervous expectations.
Deborah Harkness is more than just an author. Her novels have a historic quality because she spent a lot of her life as a history professor and she spent her PHD studying the history of magic, where a lot of the story's inspiration came from.
In Time's Convert, the novel is mainly focused on Marcus and Phoebe with a few updates from Diana and Matthew. Phoebe has decided to make the transition to vampire and become Marcus's mate. In order to do so the traditional way, they must spend ninety days apart while Phoebe makes the transition. During this time, Marcus stays with Matthew and Diana at Sept-Tours and is nostalgic for his own transition in the midst of the American and French Revolution.
My initial misgivings proved to be correct--this book was not as good as the original trilogy. It wasn't bad, per se, but I didn't find it as enjoyable. I'm having a hard time deciding how to rate it, so bear with me as I talk with you all about what I liked and didn't like to process it!
As far as characters go, there wasn't really anything new added to them. The most interesting aspect, in my opinion, was getting to know Phoebe better. But, honestly, she seemed to just be an art version of Diana and Marcus is a more naive version of Matthew.
Atmosphere, though, was the best part of the novel. As always, Harkness did a beautiful job at describing when and where the setting was--important in a book that splits timelines. She painted the Revolutions and modern day in a way that activated all the senses and really included the reader. The vivid descriptions made my heart soar.
Version 1.0.0
Similarly, the writing style was beautiful. I totally understand that her writing style isn't for everyone, but if you enjoyed the initial trilogy, you'll also like the writing style here. It's sophisticated and vivid.
As for the plot, I wasn't as interested. It was fascinating to see Phoebe's transition, but as for wading through Marcus' memories, I didn't care much for. I already knew the formula--trauma, transition, make mistakes or be evil for a while, be redeemed. Perhaps being set in a historic period I didn't care much about anymore didn't help. I did also enjoy Diana's chapters and getting to know her children.
I also didn't think there was much intrigue to the book. There weren't a lot of plot twists--I kind of already knew how things would turn out. Nothing besides a new familiar really kept me turning the pages or kept me up at night.
Logically, most things made sense. We had the same tradition yielding vampires and witches keeping them on their toes. The one thing that made me yield was the one scene in which Matthew (in the past) was with Juliette and didn't say anything as she had slaves to feed from. That does not sound like Matthew to me, not like anything he'd stand for. It was Past Matthew but I still lost a lot of respect.
Overall, I enjoyed Phoebe's and Diana's chapters but, unfortunately, the majority of the book was Marcus' memories and I just could not get into them. I read for the women, I guess, and the writing descriptions.
With that in mind, I think I'll be giving this book three stars. It was okay, but I wouldn't have missed anything if I hadn't read it. Will I read Black Bird Oracle? Yes, because I can't abandon the characters now. But I don't have high expectations for it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Child abuse and Cursing
Minor: Bullying, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment
rexpostfacto's review against another edition
4.0
ily Marcus Raphael Galen Thomas Chauncey de Clermont
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail
lucyatoz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Time's Convert is an intriguing prequel and sequel to Deborah Harkness All Souls trilogy that, at times, it was difficult to keep a track of the narrative with it jumping between Marcus Whitmore's backstory and the present for Diana Bishop and Matthew de Claremont and their children and Phoebe Taylor, a human warmblood and Marcus' mate as she becomes a vampire.
It does not capture my imagination in the same way that A Discovery of Witches did, however it was still worth reading just to get the history of Matthew's son, Marcus and how they become fledgling vampires!
It does not capture my imagination in the same way that A Discovery of Witches did, however it was still worth reading just to get the history of Matthew's son, Marcus and how they become fledgling vampires!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Medical trauma, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Alcoholism
darquedreamer's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Not my favorite, but I still loved it. I sometimes got a little lost amidst the historical portions of the story, but I loved delving into Marcus's story and having a continuation of Diana and Mathew's stories!
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content
ka_ke's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A good comfort read. If you have not read the All Souls trilogy, do not start here. Times Convert is a welcome look into the life of Marcus, Matthew’s son and the journey to becoming a vampire, in this universe’s version anyway.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Terminal illness, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Medical content, Grief, and Classism
Minor: Sexual content, Slavery, and Xenophobia
beccaand's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and War
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Medical content
keepcalmblogon's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I know it’s meant to have been a spin-off, but Diana and Matthew really do not relinquish the spotlight all that easily. Time’s Convert brought to further attention the biggest flaw in the series: Diana’s stubbornness about magic. By book four, one would expect Diana to have grown into this aspect of her character after battling with it and then learning to harness and control it, but it’s as if she regresses in this book, and, honestly, after hundreds of pages of her hesitancy I was pretty over it.
In the end, Marcus and Phoebe do get their chance at center stage and I loved learning about Marcus’ past and joining Phoebe on her baby-vampire journey!
In the end, Marcus and Phoebe do get their chance at center stage and I loved learning about Marcus’ past and joining Phoebe on her baby-vampire journey!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Sexual content, Violence, Murder, and War
melissaschultz's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Ooof. What a slog. I had to force myself to finish this one because I wanted to be caught up on Diana and Matthew for the next All Souls book.
This book had several problems. First, it reads like a placeholder book between the first three books and whatever comes next, meaning literally nothing happens in the way of conflict/rising action/resolution. Everyone just hangs out and thinks about Marcus’ past (where nothing much happens either).
The flashbacks to the past were written in such a predictable and amateurish way, I had a hard time believing Harkness actually wrote this book when compared to the previous three. And Marcus’ sections were boringgggg. Multiple scenes went like this:
*A mild conflict occurs and everyone else tries to solve the problem*
No one:
Marcus: *Picks up random artifact from mantle* this reminds me of the time in my past when…
And repeat throughout the book. One thing is for sure, Harkness doesn’t do write well when everything is going great for her characters.
This book had several problems. First, it reads like a placeholder book between the first three books and whatever comes next, meaning literally nothing happens in the way of conflict/rising action/resolution. Everyone just hangs out and thinks about Marcus’ past (where nothing much happens either).
The flashbacks to the past were written in such a predictable and amateurish way, I had a hard time believing Harkness actually wrote this book when compared to the previous three. And Marcus’ sections were boringgggg. Multiple scenes went like this:
*A mild conflict occurs and everyone else tries to solve the problem*
No one:
Marcus: *Picks up random artifact from mantle* this reminds me of the time in my past when…
And repeat throughout the book. One thing is for sure, Harkness doesn’t do write well when everything is going great for her characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and War
Moderate: Child abuse and Murder
cluckieduck's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I was really looking forward to this book since Marcus is one of my favourites from the original DoW trilogy, but this book is a bit of a slog to get through, and mostly underwhelming.
First of all, it’s more like 3 stories in one that bounce around the following POVs:
1 - Phoebe and her journey as a baby vamp
2 - Marcus and his backstory/history through the American & French Revolutions, as both warmblood and vampire
3 - Diana and the trials raising her Bright Born twins
Though there is attempted cohesion between the 3 storylines, it’s not executed well. Each perspective would have benefited as their own novella with a bit more fleshing out (separate from my next point), because they just seem to go nowhere.
Secondly, this book suffers from almost too much detail of non-importance. I understand that Ms. Harkness is a historian and revels in describing European history, but it gets to the point of rambling sometimes that doesn’t lend to plot or character development.
Thirdly, what is up with Phoebe?! I felt a disservice to her characterization was made - I don’t remember her being so petulant, and making her so for the sake of being a “baby vamp” missed the mark.
First of all, it’s more like 3 stories in one that bounce around the following POVs:
1 - Phoebe and her journey as a baby vamp
2 - Marcus and his backstory/history through the American & French Revolutions, as both warmblood and vampire
3 - Diana and the trials raising her Bright Born twins
Though there is attempted cohesion between the 3 storylines, it’s not executed well. Each perspective would have benefited as their own novella with a bit more fleshing out (separate from my next point), because they just seem to go nowhere.
Secondly, this book suffers from almost too much detail of non-importance. I understand that Ms. Harkness is a historian and revels in describing European history, but it gets to the point of rambling sometimes that doesn’t lend to plot or character development.
Thirdly, what is up with Phoebe?! I felt a disservice to her characterization was made - I don’t remember her being so petulant, and making her so for the sake of being a “baby vamp” missed the mark.
Content Warnings
Minor: Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Medical trauma, and War
laineydunne's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content