A Review of ‘Play of Shadows’ by Sebastien de Castell

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I got a copy of this book off Netgalley for free for the purpose of review. I read this 500 page book in a single sprint today, and this review is my off-the-cuff reactions. As you can tell by the fact I read a 500 page book in a single day, I really enjoyed this book. Mild spoilers below.

This is my first de Castell book. It is a swashbuckling adventure in the vein of ‘The Three Musketeers,’ but without any muskets. The protagonist Demalas is an actor who has become possessed by a long-dead ghost of a traitor to the crown. The only way for Demalas to be free of the ghost, is to re-enact the ghost’s death. MANY people will do anything to prevent this ghost revealing long forgotten sensitive political secrets, so now Demalas has a target placed on his head.

What follows is a race against time. With a city descending into chaos as nobles and gangs vie for power against a weak Duke, Demalas and his drama troupe must uncover the secrets of the past in order to save the present. I enjoyed the plot’s final reveal; the final battle felt compelling, even if it felt like it went on a bit too long.

I would compare this book’s setting to Pratchett’s Ankh-Morpork, but without the humor and magic; a medieval town where the rules governing society are a wee bit surreal. This book is not grimdark, even as dark things happen; this book is dark (characters die), but it’s not nihilistic. The characters like to quip mid-battle, a la Zorro or ‘The Princess Bride.’ This is the sort of book you want to read when you want an emotional pick-me-up. I enjoyed the author’s occassional use of wordplay.

I liked the side characters. Ellias takes method acting to a whole new level of madness; his personality so vivid he’s practically dripping off the page. I enjoyed the understated romance between Demalas and the Black Amaranth (an assassin who may or may not be ordered to kill Demalas). The antagonist ‘The Vixin’ was a delight for her ranting and raving, and also good fight scenes. Demalas himself has hidden depths which were delightful to read.

But it’s not perfect. If I’m being honest, only Demalas had a significant amount of personality interiority. (Interiority= 3D personality). The bad guys (called the Black Orchids) were not fully realized as characters; they felt primarily like bad guys who exist mainly to be killed guilt-free. And one character kinda got fridged.

However, by the end, I was emotionally invested in the fate of the Knights of the Curtain (the name of this theater troupe). MAJOR SPOILERS: When the theater burned down and several characters died, I’ll admit I shed a tear. The author successfully sold the found-family vibe amongst these characters. The setting was vibrant and colorful.

I don’t think this book will be good for everyone, but it will be broadly enjoyable for most people. This is VERY MUCH SO a swashbuckling romp, where good people go on an adventure to save the day. If you’re in the mood for some compelling fun, where actors must save the day by inspiring people through acting, check this book out.