A Discovery of Witches

“Rowing was a religion for me, composed of a set of rituals and movements repeated until they became a meditation. The rituals began the moment I touched the equipment, but its real magic came from the combination of precision, rhythm, and strength that rowing required.” 

Exercise helps Diana cope with her panic attacks—built into her binding spell by her mother Rebecca—but also reveals how she can access her magic. Diana’s magic emerges when she cuts off conscious thought: letting her body take over in physical exercise, or letting powerful emotion take control. That Diana calls rowing a “religion” involving “magic” shows that she has substituted a human activity for her Wiccan practice. 

“For someone so smart, you really are clueless.” 

Diana’s colleague Chris points out Diana’s lack of awareness of her physical beauty and appeal when he bets that Matthew will ask Diana on a date. The statement also applies to Diana’s approach to life: She has book learning but lacks self-knowledge and awareness of others.

“A little book can hold a big secret—one that might change the world.” 

Agatha Wilson is the first to give Diana insight on what revelations Ashmole 782 may hold. Matthew, the witches, and the daemons want to possess the secret of Ashmole 782, which threatens the Congregation and impacts the future of all the creatures.

“I suppose I need to know why I’m here.” 

Matthew’s need to answer why vampires exist drives his studies of wolves, genetics, DNA, and Darwin. Diana notes that he is “consumed” by this pursuit (255). It is also the motivation behind Matthew’s interest in Ashmole 782.

“We’re here tonight to learn to manage our energy. We spend our time striving and straining to be something that we’re not. Let those desires go. Honor who you are.” 

The witch Amira fosters an inclusive atmosphere in her “mixed” yoga class. Her advice is apt for all creatures that must hide from humans, but especially apt for Diana, who has yet to accept who she is.

“The king just sits there, moving one square at a time. The queen can move so freely. I supposed I’d rather lose the game than forfeit her freedom.” 

Matthew explains why he continually loses at chess, but the words also apply to his relationship with Diana. He would sacrifice himself to protect her.

“When creatures refused to use proper names, it was a way of denying that those who were not like you were your equals.” 

Peter Knox, who views vampires as “animals,” will not speak Matthew’s name or title. He reveals his own feeling of species superiority as well as the ingrained prejudices that most creatures hold against one another.

“It was over in a matter of seconds, but as I knew from using magic to get Notes and Queries off the Bodleian’s shelf, a few seconds was all it took to change your life.”

At the end of their first dinner date together, Diana quickly kisses Matthew on the cheek. Her impulsive action moves their collegial friendship towards a romantic relationship.

“Alchemy is the story of creation, told chemically. Creatures are chemistry, mapped onto biology.” 

Matthew believes that Ashmole 782 is an alchemical text that holds the secret to the philosopher’s stone—the secret of life and creation and the biological key to the future of the different creatures.

“Somewhere in the center of my soul, a rusty chain began to unwind. It freed itself, link by link, from where it had rested unobserved, waiting for him. My hands, which had been balled up and pressed against his chest, unfurled with it. The chain continued to drop, to an unfathomable depth where there was nothing but darkness and Matthew. At last it snapped to its full length, anchoring me to a vampire.” 

Diana has kept her emotions and feelings repressed almost as tightly as her mother bound her magic. Matthew offers her love and safety and she can be herself with him. The chain represents their emotional bond. 

“She is sweet and repulsively green, like spring.” 

Ysabeau’s initial reaction to Diana reveals her cutting disdain for all witches.

“Matthew would willingly turn his back on creatures he has known for centuries to protect your right to be whatever you imagine you want to be in your fleeting life.” 

Ysabeau is maternally protective of Matthew and thinks his infatuation with Diana has caused him to lose sight of his ties to family and friends. In this comment, she obliquely criticizes Diana’s weakness as a witch, her lack of self-insight, and her mortality.

“You don’t know yourself.” 

When Diana insists that she understands the darker side of Matthew’s vampiric nature, Matthew retorts that she is so lacking in self-awareness and self-acceptance that she can’t know him.

“The Congregation will try to stop me, but they won’t tell me who to love.” 

This quote reveals Diana’s stubborn nature, her love of Matthew, and her willingness to fight for him. It also reveals her dislike of being told what to do.

“He has always loved fragile things, as I told you” 

In many ways, Diana is not fragile: she is brave and headstrong, unlike the other women Matthew loved, like Blanca and Eleanor St. Leger. Diana’s mortality, however, makes her fragile and makes Matthew vulnerable to the Congregation’s punishment. Ysabeau tries to persuade Diana to become a vampire to solve these problems.

“With that kiss you have broken every rule that holds our world together and keeps us safe. Matthew, you have marked that witch as your own. And, Diana, you have offered your witch’s blood—your power—to a vampire. You have turned your back on your own kind and pledged yourself to a creature who is your enemy.” 

Matthew and Diana’s long kiss makes them husband and wife and shatters the covenant. Both have crossed species lines, and there is no going back. Ysabeau outlines the ramifications: The result of their union will be war.

“’Of course, Matthew,’ Ysabeau murmured. It was her favorite noncommittal response.” 

Ysabeau has learned to live with Matthew’s controlling, possessive manner by quietly seeming to agree with him. Diana must find her own method of coping with his behaviors, or work with him to change his habits.

“Ysabeau was right. My weakness—my ignorance of who I was and how to defend myself—had landed me in serious trouble.” 

Kidnapped by Satu, Diana realizes that by denying her heritage she has crippled herself. Diana does not know how to use her powers to protect herself against another witch.

“Magic is in the heart, Diana […] Don’t forget.” 

Diana’s father gives her this advice to help Diana reach her magic and escape the oubliette. Diana learns that her magic stems not from conscious thought, but from feeling and emotion.

“Nothing will hide you from this magic—not science, not willpower, not concentration. It will always find you. And you can’t hide from me either.” 

After generating a microcosm of her magic, Diana still fears her power. Matthew echoes the words of Diana’s parents, telling her the magic is inside her regardless of anything she does to repress it. Similarly, Matthew will always be with her. 

“And happiness is always louder than sadness. There hasn’t been enough happiness in this house.” 

Saying that it has been quiet since Diana and Matthew left Sept-Tours, Ysabeau maternally affirms that Diana is one of her children and part of the family. She alludes to the happiness Diana has already brought them and the possible future happiness of Diana’s children.

“All my life I’d lived for myself alone, pushing away the obligations of family and tradition. Even now part of me wanted to return to the safety of independence and leave these new burdens behind.” 

Diana is open to the idea of having Matthew’s children, but feels overwhelmed by her new responsibilities. Her love for Matthew has resulted in the loss of some of Diana’s autonomy and made her more accountable to others. Diana misses the freedom of her past life.

“Honor and long life.” 

After Matthew toasts his fellow Knights of Lazarus—Marcus, Nathaniel, and Hamish— Miriam comments that she hasn’t heard this ancient phrase in a long time. The toast indicates the bond between the men and the seriousness of their endeavor.