72 pages • 2 hours read
Deborah HarknessThe Book of Life
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2014A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Chapters 32-36Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 32 Summary
Diana, Matthew, and their families return to Sept-Tours to christen Philip and Rebecca and induct them into the Knights of Lazarus. Concerned about Rebecca’s constant hunger, Diana tries supplementing her breast milk with blood, worrying Matthew due to the risk of blood rage. Baldwin surprises and concerns everyone by signing the paperwork declaring Diana a member of the de Clermont family.
Ysabeau gifts Diana and Matthew with a nearby castle, Les Revenants, to celebrate their one-year anniversary. The family moves, and Diana becomes absorbed in sorting through Philippe’s old documents.
The christening is a grand event attended by over 100 people, including the Knights of Lazarus members. For Diana’s comfort, Matthew divides the event. The traditional witch’s naming ceremony is held at the temple of the goddess, while the christening takes place in the church. Both ceremonies proceed smoothly until the end of the christening when Baldwin unexpectedly enters the church.
Chapter 33 Summary
This chapter alternates between Diana’s first-person narration and third-person point of view from Matthew’s perspective. Matthew restrains Baldwin and demands that Baldwin accept the establishment of his scion. Baldwin initially refuses, citing the difficulty of controlling the blood rage, prompting Matthew to admit his tainted blood. After a brief argument, the vampires present acknowledge that Matthew, despite his disease, effectively led the Knights of Lazarus. Baldwin remains obstinate until Diana offers to spellbind any vampire who succumbs to blood rage. Baldwin agrees under the condition that Diana proves her capability, essentially accepting the scion on probation.
Benjamin leaves his stillborn daughter in the church with another threatening letter. Concerns arise about who might be leaking information to Benjamin. Matthew discovers a letter in Philippe’s papers revealing Benjamin’s disturbing history, his search for the Book of Life, and his connection to Gerbert.
The family gathers for Christmas, exchanging thoughtful handmade gifts. Ysabeau gifts ponies to the twins, and Diana receives Ysabeau’s horse, Rakasa. Jack creates a new standard for the Bishop-Clairmont clan, blending the de Clermont serpent with Diana’s firedrake.
Matthew shares Philippe’s letter with Diana, and they decide to separate again. Matthew will hunt Benjamin in Hungary and Poland while Diana returns to Oxford to retrieve the book.
Chapter 34 Summary
Andrew and Linda rendezvous with Diana, Fernando, and Sarah at the Old Lodge. Andrew arranges for the group to access the Bodleian Library at night using his extensive connections. Meanwhile, Matthew contacts Diana, who reminds him of the goddess’s warning that obtaining Ashmole 782 would require a sacrifice.
Diana’s group struggles to locate Ashmole 782 within the library’s vast collection. Sarah suggests using Corra to find the book, but Diana hesitates due to the potential damage the firedrake could cause. Diana steps outside for fresh air, where Gallowglass delivers troubling news: Benjamin has captured Matthew.
Realizing that she must obtain the book to save Matthew and fulfill her part of the bargain, Diana lets go of her fear. She calls upon Corra and offers the firedrake her freedom in exchange for Ashmole 782. Corra complies, handing Diana the book, which contains a wealth of knowledge, including information about Bright Born, the lineage of vampire-witch hybrids. The book lists Diana’s children under Jack’s emblem as part of the Bright Born lineage. The book then vanishes, becoming a part of Diana herself.
Chapter 35 Summary
This chapter shifts to third-person point of view, following Matthew’s perspective. Benjamin captures Matthew using an illusion of Diana, skillfully created by Peter Knox. He then restrains and tortures Matthew, broadcasting the ordeal to Matthew’s family. However, Matthew willingly entered this trap, hoping to uncover Benjamin’s sinister plans.
During the captivity, Benjamin unveils his plot for vengeance against the de Clermont family, his determination to extract Diana and Matthew’s secrets via Matthew’s blood, and his involvement in Philippe’s torture and eventual demise.
Chapter 36 Summary
Diana returns to Sept-Tours, transformed by the book. Her eyes turn white and flash with letters and symbols that cascade down her arms whenever someone asks a question. The symbol of a tree appears down her back and extends past her hairline. Diana visits her children and demands to see Matthew’s live feed.
Matthew proves the strength of his control by refusing blood despite being mad with blood loss, pain, and the drugs Benjamin keeps feeding him. Matthew sings to distract himself from the pain and give his family a clue. Ysabeau makes the connection that Benjamin tortured Philippe, and the family speculates as to Matthew’s location.
Baldwin sends Diana to the Congregation in his place so she can argue against the covenant, and he can join Ysabeau and Verin in the hunt for Matthew.
Chapters 32-36 Analysis
Navigating the complexities of power presents multiple challenges for the characters in this section. Acquiring, retaining, safeguarding, and sharing power poses significant dilemmas for the characters in The Book of Life, thus highlighting the theme of The Challenges of Power.
One often underestimated aspect of wielding power is the art of showcasing it effectively. Matthew exemplifies this skill. While Diana perceives the twins’ christening as a mere tradition, Matthew transforms it into a powerful political statement. By intentionally inviting Baldwin and over 100 Knights of Lazarus, he secures the protection of the Knights for his children. The induction of the twins into the Knights further solidifies their safety. When Baldwin finally arrives, Matthew and Baldwin come to blows. However, Matthew exercises restraint, keeping Baldwin captive until he sanctions the establishment of Matthew’s scion. Matthew deliberately withholds unconsciousness from Baldwin, emphasizing his control over the situation.
For Matthew to gain power, Baldwin must relinquish some, illustrating yet another facet of power dynamics. Baldwin officially acknowledges Diana as Philippe’s daughter in a last-ditch effort to maintain some influence over Matthew. This move subjects Diana and her children to Baldwin’s authority under vampire law rather than Matthew’s. Additionally, Baldwin attempts to undermine Matthew’s authority by exposing his blood rage to the Knights of Lazarus. Regrettably for Baldwin, this ploy fails. After the christening, Baldwin adopts a more reasonable stance, agreeing to endorse Matthew’s scion, albeit on a provisional basis. While Baldwin fights Matthew for power at every turn, he willingly cedes it to Diana. Specifically, he delegates his seat on the Congregation to Diana, or rather, thrusts the role upon her, leaving her little choice.
Benjamin, mirroring Baldwin’s tactics, continually seeks greater power. He seeks power through procreation, intelligence gathering, and violent means. Benjamin relentlessly torments Matthew, ensuring that Matthew does not forget his fury. His disturbing message, leaving a stillborn child at the church for Matthew, exemplifies Benjamin’s efforts to unnerve him. Benjamin’s quest for the book and Diana’s capture aligns with this quest for power. Diana represents a potential power source due to her demonstrated ability to carry a vampire child to term. Benjamin intends to breed these hybrid children, with Diana as his prime candidate. Benjamin’s relentless pursuit of the book spans centuries and includes cruel acts such as torturing witches and slicing them open to find the book. As the witches claim, “They search within us for the Book of Life” (1568). These power struggles, and of course, Diana’s own immense power, demonstrate The Challenges of Power, as it is always chased, leaving those who hold it in constant danger. Matthew, too, has needed to embrace a measured approach to the use of his own power in order to secure the safety of his children and finally defeat Baldwin.
Benjamin’s ruthless tactics may seem excessive until Diana successfully absorbs the book, introducing a new set of challenges for her and again highlighting The Challenges of Power. Diana still struggles with controlling her firedrake powers when she strikes a deal with Corra, freeing the firedrake from servitude. However, despite their separation, Corra’s powers remain an integral part of Diana. Within moments of releasing Corra, Diana unintentionally absorbs the Book of Life. While Diana can somewhat manage Corra’s abilities, the Book of Life presents an entirely different challenge. It completely engulfs Diana’s body, adorning her back with the image of a tree that traces her spine and neck, extending past her hairline. A mere hint of a question causes Diana’s eyes to illuminate with white light, displaying symbols that travel down her arms. Diana is unsure of the book’s powers and how to harness them effectively. While many in the novel seek power, Diana ultimately seeks to understand and be worthy of it.
Additionally, Diana has a sudden influx of political power amid her struggle to comprehend and harness her newfound supernatural powers. She formally becomes a member of the de Clermont family, which grants Diana and her children some power and protection within the vampire world. Reluctant to wield this power, Diana fears its implications. Furthermore, Baldwin assigns her his key and Congregation seat, asserting that the Congregation has already summoned her and that she would excel in advocating for the dissolution of the covenant. Thus, Diana grapples not only with new supernatural powers but political ones as well, presenting even greater challenges and pressures for Diana to perform perfectly.
Amid these power struggles, Diana undergoes a transformative experience where she finally gains complete control over her abilities. She discovers that her fear has hindered her from effectively tapping into her powers. By relinquishing this fear, she attains greater mastery over her powers. This liberation from fear empowers Diana and relieves her of a significant burden, and it is perhaps the most significant instance of power in the book.
Indeed, power is undeniably central in this story section: Characters struggle to acquire, manage, and retain it. The power dynamics between Baldwin and Matthew culminate, with Baldwin reluctantly ceding some authority to Matthew. Benjamin’s relentless pursuit of power is laid bare, while power is thrust upon Diana at every turn. This section explores the challenges of seeking, preserving, and wielding power, as well as the theme of The Challenges of Power.
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