All Souls Creature Test: I’m a Witch!

Are you a witch, vampire or daemon? As an ardent fan of Deborah Harkness’ All Souls Trilogy, it’s hard not to wonder which character fits you best, so we did a little self-reflection creature test to find out once and for all.

Vampire, daemon or witch. It’s hard to read Deborah Harkness’ All Souls Trilogy and not ponder which creature category best describes you. It was during my first read of A Discovery of Witches that I found myself pausing frequently to decide whether, like Diana Bishop, I might be a witch. Her traits, quirks, preferences, behaviors, mannerisms, you name it, all rang true and eerily familiar.

For once, I wished one of those ridiculous algorithm-based quizzes would pop up in my Facebook feed teasing me with “which All Souls Trilogy creature are you? Click to find out!” Answer a few nonsense questions, click submit and bam! Your creature fate is decided.

Low and behold, such a quiz exists, as promoted through Deb Harkness’ website. I took it, and so can you. After answering 10 short questions, I was greeted by this message: “You’re a witch!” It then went on to flatter me by calling me a natural creature who values family more than anything and takes great pride in forming friendships with people who, in turn, look to me for worldly knowledge.

That’s one heck of an algorithm. But was I taking the easy, technological way out from really exploring my true creature nature? I decided to take a more old-school approach by cataloging all the ways in which I recognized myself through the eyes of my new favorite witch to settle whether the quiz had it right.

Diana’s propensity for getting hangry and others’ ability to recognize and address it: In my family, it’s genetic (with some carrying the gene more noticeably and scarily than others) and elicits a Defcon 1-like response to right the low blood sugar fallout STAT with any means necessary.

Her need to control adrenaline surges and stress with exercise, even if it was erroneously prescribed to her as a child as a way to keep her powers hidden: She goes as far as to call exercise a “religion for her,” which matches how I would describe the soulful role running always served for me before I had to hang up the shoes.

Diana’s recognition that for every mile run or rowed to balance her brain, yoga is just as potent a tool: While I’m not a graceful yoga gal, I subscribe to its benefits and am damn partial to the pants.

Her love of a fresh cup of hot tea as an accompaniment to the calmer moments of the day: I’m a “but first coffee” person, but I view the beverage as no more than a vehicle to serve a functional need. Something meant to spike my brain into activity in an attempt to multitask every moment of every single day. Tea is its perfect opposite. It pats me on the back, rubs my shoulders and says, “maybe not today. You’ve done enough. And that’s okay. Just lean into me, sit quietly and be at peace.”

Diana’s insistence on tackling all of life’s creatures and challenges while sporting a pair of leggings and a soft shirt: Because there’s nothing — from the menacing to the mundane — that you can’t conquer in a pair of well-worn leggings. Similarly…

Her messy bun getting it done with little to no makeup other than chapstick: Because real life isn’t network TV and we don’t always conquer daemons in full stage makeup with a perfect blowout. At least that’s what I’ve found to be true in my own life.

Diana’s trouble sleeping with any modicum of consistency: I’ve resigned myself to the idea that, like the hanger, this downfall in my overall wellness might be genetic (with a touch of the self-induced). But much like Diana, when I do sleep… boy do I sleep. That see you in a couple days kind of sleep.

Her awareness that spooning up to her man helps bring on sleep: This might explain why I’ve long fought the battle of marital bed sizes… and in a queen we remain.

Diana’s ability to both aptly control and, when necessary, completely lose her verbal filter, in equal parts: There’s only so long one can play the peace-keeping diplomat, said from experience, or toss in a well-placed Southern “bless your heart.”

Her magic is tied to her true desire, and it can’t be elicited by someone else’s: Just because you want her to, doesn’t mean she can or will. Speaking for a friend.

Diana’s indispensable, soulful relationship with her aunt(s): May we all have one of those and/or be one of those. It’s one of the strongest bonds I’ve enjoyed in my own life.

Her love of books – sure, from a place of necessity given her career, but also from a place of sensory enjoyment, too: The sight of them in volumes, the rich colors of the covers, the aroma of paper aged by time and use — it’s something an e-reader can never match.

Diana’s desire to learn new things, no matter how challenging — from horseback riding to magic to bundling: I love how she’s always a student, never content to settle in her knowledge.

Her fondness for smells, including a particular blend of cinnamon and clove: this evokes for me the nostalgic magic of a cool fall morning spent on my grandma’s porch swing watching the leaves change color, almost before my very own eyes.

Diana’s resistance to taking a compliment or acknowledging that what others see in her might be true: I don’t believe things about myself readily, even if people see them as clear as day. I’m my own worst enemy when it comes to believing in myself… until you challenge my protective nature of those around me, then watch my inner Wonder Woman take over.

Even after all this, I can’t say with any level of certainty whether I’m a witch or not, but what I can say with complete certainty is that this little exercise in self-reflection only underscored the true gift I’ve felt from Deborah Harkness’ immersive writing. Her words bring to life rich characters, like Diana, whose struggles, triumphs, loves and losses are so relatable that it’s hard to know where their fictional life ends and your own real one begins. And any author that can do that is the most important creature distinction of all.

Which character do you relate to most? And would consider yourself a witch, daemon or vampire?