A discovery of chick-lit meets fantasy.

Look, I don' t know what to make exactly of Deborah Harkness' "A Discovery of Witches." Is it a bold mix of standard fantasy tropes (vampires, witches, magic powers) and romance novel cliches? Yes. Does that mean it's nothing more than "Twilight" for grown-ups? I don't think so. But even if that is the case, it is, bear in mind, for grown-ups. There's no sex for grownups- but that is the only area the book is not adult. There is a knowledge of the academic world that sets the story in a decidedly adult world. Can I recommend it strongly? No, but I want to. There is an amazing creativity here and some original stuff. There is a command of history involved here that is delightful. It works well in spite of reading like a romance a bit too often, and being afraid of anything that's more erotic than a kiss with a bit of tongue. Rating: 24 out of 42 Richmans. Recommended but with a bit of hesitation.