Time’s Convert
Phoebe Taylor and Marcus Whitmore (aka Marcus MacNeil) wish to be married. But first, Phoebe needs to be reborn—she’s to become a vampire like her fiancé. In keeping with tradition, after her rebirth she is kept from her family, her friends, and Marcus for a period of 90 days. In that time, Phoebe must learn to be a vampire, growing again through the terrible twos and into her teen years. While Phoebe adjusts to her new life, Marcus tries to come to amends with his past with the help of Diana Bishop, witch and wife to his vampire father. As a historian, Diana has a keen interest in the past, and after watching Marcus’ time threads darken she set out to help him come to terms with his past. All the while, Diana is trying to wrangle her own twins and their newfound magical powers. Flashing back to the American Revolution, we follow Marcus as he joins the Army at Breed’s Hill, moves south to Trenton and becomes a field doctor, and eventually meets Matthew de Clermont—his eventual vampire father—who is serving as Lafayette’s assistant.
Harkness’ prose is often long and meandering with much introspection. As a history professor, her careful attention to historical detail is what truly sets this book apart. The Revolutionary era field hospitals come to life in their gruesome and horrifying nature. Bouncing back and forth between present-day Paris and the American Revolution, Harkness’ fully developed characters keep this book from losing pace and interest. This is not a book for readers unfamiliar with her All Souls Trilogy, as there are many references to events from those books with no clarifying information and the large cast of characters can become overwhelming. A wonderful addition to this vampire series that Harkness fans will savor and enjoy.
