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A review by books_and_cocktails_afterhours
Play of Shadows by Sebastien de Castell
4.0
How have I not heard of Sebastian De Castelo until now? I’m honestly shocked, as it appears there is a Greatcoats series that I’ve now added to my TBR as it sounds amazing.
Alas, let’s talk about Play of Shadows, which I read as a standalone. I’m not sure how this book fares as a continuation of a series, but for me it was a wonderful addition to the fantasy genre. It has everything to make a great fantasy novel (and a beginning of a series), from the world building, dueling, complex characters and conspiracies… mixed with the art of theatre. It added a dramatic and over the top layer that, somehow, works beautifully.
Our main character is a man, descendant of Greatcoats and of whom much is expected because of that, that takes refuge in a theatre after running away from a duel. Eventually, he finds out that he has a rare talent that allows him to re-enact scenes of the past and to discover that history, as it is known, is a lie. So he is swept in a conspiracy based on historical events that transpired one hundred years before.
The only less positive thing I have to point out is that the beginning felt a bit slow. But eventually picked up the pace and became fast paced and exciting.
The characters are incredibly flawed but charming, with a sense of humor that made me laugh out loud in some scenes. The eccentric theatre troupe and their attempts to survive violence, danger, the judgement of their audience and political threats, while always keeping hope and sight of what is right, made this such an enjoyable read for me.
I am definitely continuing this series, as I expect that the next book will be even better as it will expand on the mystery and adventure with this cast of wonderful characters.
Thank you very much Quercus Books, Jo Fletcher Books and NetGallery for providing me this ARC.
Alas, let’s talk about Play of Shadows, which I read as a standalone. I’m not sure how this book fares as a continuation of a series, but for me it was a wonderful addition to the fantasy genre. It has everything to make a great fantasy novel (and a beginning of a series), from the world building, dueling, complex characters and conspiracies… mixed with the art of theatre. It added a dramatic and over the top layer that, somehow, works beautifully.
Our main character is a man, descendant of Greatcoats and of whom much is expected because of that, that takes refuge in a theatre after running away from a duel. Eventually, he finds out that he has a rare talent that allows him to re-enact scenes of the past and to discover that history, as it is known, is a lie. So he is swept in a conspiracy based on historical events that transpired one hundred years before.
The only less positive thing I have to point out is that the beginning felt a bit slow. But eventually picked up the pace and became fast paced and exciting.
The characters are incredibly flawed but charming, with a sense of humor that made me laugh out loud in some scenes. The eccentric theatre troupe and their attempts to survive violence, danger, the judgement of their audience and political threats, while always keeping hope and sight of what is right, made this such an enjoyable read for me.
I am definitely continuing this series, as I expect that the next book will be even better as it will expand on the mystery and adventure with this cast of wonderful characters.
Thank you very much Quercus Books, Jo Fletcher Books and NetGallery for providing me this ARC.