A review by cxrriemc
Play of Shadows by Sebastien de Castell

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

 *Arc received from Netgalley. All opinions are my own*

TLDR: Play of Shadows will be an acquired taste for some, especially if they're not used to de Castells worldbuilding and storytelling. Despite not being a fan of this type of story I absolutely loved it (despite the slow beginning) and think that most people would find Play of Shadows to be a worthwhile read.

I’m unsure why I requested Play of Shadows as it isn’t my typical kind of story to read but it was a great accidental find! The beginning is definitely a little slow to get going but if you can push through the initial first chapters you’ll find a very homely book with a very strong sense of “found family” and well fleshed out characters who each, despite the small parts some play, have big and distinct personalities. 

I can’t speak to how well this ties in or moves on from the other books in the Greatcoats world, but for a first time reader, I didn’t feel like I needed to read previous books or felt lost in any way.

I am aware that this is part of a new series, however, despite liking Play of Shadows, I am unsure of whether I will read the next instalments as the ending is quite neatly tied up for the most part. I will have to wait and see when the next book is out to  see whether I'll follow on with the story, but for now, I’m happy to have had the chance to Play of Shadows and would definitely recommend it to anyone that likes the sound of the blurb.