- Paperback: 480 pages
- Publisher: Headline (25 Jun. 2019)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1472237358
- ISBN-13: 978-1472237354
Synopsis
From human to vampire…
Marcus Whitmore was made a vampire in the eighteenth century. Over two hundred years later, he finds himself in love with Phoebe Taylor, a human who decides to become a vampire herself.
And with tradition enforcing separation from Marcus, Phoebe’s transformation will prove as challenging now as it was for Marcus when he first encountered Matthew de Clermont, his sire.
Review
I read The All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness last year and absolutely loved them, so I had to read her latest book Times Convert. This book is about Marcus’s and his girlfriend, Phoebe’s, transformation from human to Vampire. Marcus was made by Matthew de Clairemont and is his son, and his troubled past is hinted at in the All Souls Trilogy but in Times Convert we learn more detail his life before becoming a Vampire and his rebellion after. This book takes us from the American Civil War, to the French Revolution to the present day, and can be read as a standalone novel.
Reading Times Convert was an absolute joy for me. All the main characters from the trilogy are there and it was brilliant catching up with Matthew and Diana and their twins, whilst also learning more about Marcus and Phoebe. Deborah Harkness is a wonderful writer, whose descriptive writing and historical knowledge make her books such an amazing read. The same detail is in her characterisation, making them realistic which may seem strange as most are vampires and witches. Obviously there is also the fantasy side of this book, a magical and historical realism, that blends seamlessly together bringing the reality of our world but with the addition of witches, vampires and demons.
Marcus’s story is a really interesting one, he was part of the American Civil War before being made a vampire. Through him Deborah Harkness is able to bring the horror’s of the war, the injuries, death, into the story. What surprised me was the fact that Small Pox was feared as much, if not more so than the British Army, and killed many people, which resulted in many trying to vaccinate themselves by giving themselves a mild form of the disease. Marcus’s time in New Orleans is referenced a few times in the All Souls Trilogy as a period where he rebelled and caused a lot of trouble as he struggled with his vampire status, and in this book his decadence and fall from grace is told with more detail.
To contrast with Marcus’s story there is Phoebe’s transformation. Phoebe is being cared for by her maker Miriam and Matthew’s sister Freya as she transitions, which causes a few funny moments, like learning to walk again, and restraining her strength as she keeps breaking things with a simple touch. More light relief comes in the form of Matthew and Diana’s twins Philip and Rebecca who are half vampire and half witch, and even as toddlers cause trouble weaving spells an Phillip has a Griffin familiar called Apollo who causes mayhem.
Times Convert is an utterly fabulous read and a must for All Souls fans, but can be read as a standalone. When I finished the trilogy I felt bereft, and wanted to know what happened after especially with the twins, and this book fed that need for me. Brilliant writing, detailed historical storylines and very memorable characters make this a magical and fascinating read. Simply stunning, I want more.
Thank you for visiting my blog and reading my review.
