"The Black Bird Oracle" invites readers into a rich tapestry of magic, family ties, and hidden truths as Diana confronts her past and embraces her extraordinary future.
Author: Deborah Harkness
Publication Date: July, 16th 2024
Series: All Souls, Book 5
Genre: Fantasy
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 0
Official Description:
Diana Bishop journeys to the darkest places within herself - and her family history - in the highly anticipated fifth novel of the beloved Number One Sunday Times bestselling All Souls series.
The first shadows fall on a Friday afternoon when a single, dying raven lands on the pavement in front of Diana Bishop, harbinger of an invitation that reads, 'It's time you came home, Diana'.
Diana is a witch and scholar; her husband Matthew Clairmont, a vampire. Their intense love for one another awoke the dark powers within her and dissolved the Covenant between the three species - Witch, Daemon and Vampire - that live alongside humans. Now, the governing Congregation has decided it must test the magical powers of their seven-year-old twins, Pip and Becca. Concerned with their safety, Diana decides to forge a different path for her family's future and travels to Ravenswood, the Proctor family home.
There, Diana begins a new era, becoming her great aunt Gwyneth's pupil in higher magic. It's time to confront her family's past - and her own, inescapable desire for greater power.
Warning: This article contains spoilers!
the black bird oracle deborah harkness all souls
Initial Thoughts
I’ll admit, I was a bit saddened by the number of negative reviews for The Black Bird Oracle. Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, but I believe many may not have taken a step back to consider how this book fits into the broader context of the series.
For me, The Black Bird Oracle was an absolute win—but I do want to start by saying that this is definitely a "bridge" book. The last installment came out in 2018, so there’s naturally some gap-filling to be done here. The more I reflect on it, the more I appreciate how Deborah Harkness took this opportunity to reset the stage. She reintroduces us to the characters, catches us up on the intervening years, and also starts laying down the groundwork for where the series might go next.
What I think some readers may have missed is that this book doesn’t just pick up right where the last one left off. There’s a fresh plot developing, and a ton of rich new details to digest—new characters, background information about the families, and even the resolution of a few lingering questions from the earlier books. If you approach it with that understanding, it’s a different experience entirely.
It wasn’t a fast-paced read by any means, but that didn’t bother me. The slow build felt necessary to fully immerse myself in the new layers of lore and character development. I actually took my time—three days to finish it, in fact—because I wanted to savor each new revelation and really let it sink into the larger story.
Higher Magic
One of the major themes introduced in this book is higher magic, which some mistakenly refer to as Dark Magic. The concept is so intriguing—rather than simply "dark" or "light," higher magic encompasses light, shadow, and darkness. There’s a certain wisdom in this, an acceptance that all of these forces coexist within us. Diana learns that it’s about balance, and I found the metaphor of "staying in the shadows" particularly powerful. It suggests that even when the darkness feels overwhelming, there’s a way to navigate through it.
Diana’s discovery of her own connection to higher magic was a compelling journey. She finds out she’s the chosen bearer of The Black Bird Oracle, an ancient force that helps guide her through tarot-like cards only she can interpret. As she delves deeper into her family’s history—especially the Proctor side and their connection to Salem’s witches—so much more is uncovered, from ghosts of ancestors to memory bottles hidden away by her mother. This exploration makes the book feel rich with history and mystery.
Characters & Relationships
First off, I absolutely loved getting to know Becca and Pip. They’re such fascinating characters in their own right. Their personalities are distinct, yet they’re still incredibly close. Becca’s adventurous, brave, and always eager to learn, while Pip is more reserved—preferring to observe first but just as determined when he chooses to act. I found it so interesting to see how their powers are manifesting, especially as they’re reaching that critical age where the Congregation becomes keen to test their abilities.
I also appreciated seeing how they each inherit different traits from their parents. Becca, on the surface, seems to take after her father with her vampire genes, but her magical abilities and quick learning curve remind me more of her mother. Pip, the only child with a familiar, seems to carry the weaver gene—just like Diana. It’s hard not to compare them to Diana when she was that age, and we know how that story unfolded.
Surprisingly, Matthew doesn’t play a huge role in the first part of the book, but when he does appear, the tension in their relationship becomes evident. And honestly, I liked this. Their love isn’t portrayed as an untouchable, perfect ideal. They argue, they worry about each other. Matthew is understandably concerned about Diana’s pursuit of higher magic, and there’s a moment in the maze that reveals how her ambition sometimes clouds her judgment, to the detriment of their relationship. But it’s in these struggles that their relationship feels real, grounded, and human. They’re fighting for each other, and that, in its own way, is even more powerful than the idea of a perfect, unshakable love.
The Bigger Picture
Looking back on it all, I truly admire the fact that this is a bridge book. At first, it may not seem entirely comprehensive, but that’s the beauty of it. Deborah Harkness used this installment to expand the world she’s created, giving us so much more context and so many more characters to consider. What started as a familiar story has suddenly become bigger, richer, and full of exciting possibilities for what’s to come.
We’re not just in it for the action anymore—this is about building out a legacy, exploring family ties (hello, Philippe!), and deepening the magic system we thought we knew. And with the doors now open for more mysteries, revelations, and suspense, I can’t wait to see where this world takes us next.
Additional Notes & Open Questions
I loved the fact, that Philippe still plays such a big role in the series. It seems that even beyond his death, he is still pulling the strings. There is so much more to uncover and I am really here for it.
Absolutely ADORE the ghosts and their wisdom. Why didn't Stephen appear as a ghost, however? And what are the rules? Can everyone appear as a ghost or is it conditioned somehow? What about Emily??
How does Diana's other / new grandfather fit into the overall story? I am so curious about that.
I think Gallowglass is still my favourite character within the entire series. He only had one single mention, but that completely opened up new possibilities for future books. I am also curious to see if we will experience him with Becca in future instalments? I really hope the series will go on for many many more books and years, so that we can experience the children as adults as well.
My biggest disappointment is no surprise, I believe: Sarah. We have already gotten to know her as very opinionated and maybe sometimes a bit difficult? But the contempt she showed, especially towards her sister, Rebecca, was shocking. The way she withheld so many secrets from Diana is just infuriating. I don't know how this will play out because it seems that Diana will forgive her... but I find it hard to digest. Maybe Emily will appear in future books and help Sarah get on the right path again. One can only hope.
I am still not entirely in the clear about the children's abilities and their "genes", as Diana & Matthew aren't as well. When Satu, however, mentioned "what will the witches do when they find out about Pip" - it got me thinking. It's suggested that Becca will have higher magic in her, while Pip will become the new weaver in the family. But what if he also inherited blood-rage from his father? What if, that is what Satu hinted at. But wasn't Becca the only one who had vampire dominant in her genes?
the black bird oracle deborah harkness all souls
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