GeekDad: ‘Play of Shadows:’ A Book Review

Last year I reviewed Sebastien De Castell’s Malevolent Seven and very much enjoyed it. This was a standalone novel but I knew De Castell had also written at least two acclaimed series. Court of Shadows is a new series set in the same world as his Greatcoat novels. De Castell’s UK publisher, Arcadia, kindly sent me the first book, Play of Shadows to review. It promised intrigue, skulduggery, and wise-cracking theatrics. Boy did it deliver! 

What Is Play of Shadows?

I’m not at all familiar with the Greatcoats universe and I made a deliberate choice not to investigate before setting out on this new journey. If this is your first foray into Sebastien De Castell’s books, I am pleased to report that no prior knowledge is needed. It is not important to know what a Greatcoat is or what they do; enough information will be given. You never feel like you are playing catch up.  

As one might expect from the mask on the cover and the word “Play” featuring in the title, the novel is set in a theater. An unusual setting for a fantasy novel, but one we’re all familiar with. Setting a book inside a theater invites readers to certain preconceptions: Preconceptions that De Castell happily exploits. The troupe in the book is somewhat on its uppers when our narrator crashes into its midst and this (seemingly) hapless bunch reminded me of the players in The Play That Goes Wrong, and the work its cast later performed with the BBC. 

“I am the ‘Di-rec-TOR.”

My initial thoughts about the world in which Play of Shadows is set was that it was all rather arbitrary. There’s a Duke and a couple of dashing (and lethal) swashbucklers who are hunting down our narrator, Damelas. Damelas narrowly avoids execution at the hands of said swashbucklers by diving into the Operato Belleza and claiming sanctuary as an actor. Actors are, it seems, immune to prosecution from the more blood-thirsty elements of the dukedom’s law enforcement. This seemed a convenient contrivance, that on the surface does little more than provide an excuse for the novel to exist, but by the end of the book any artifice was forgiven. 

Why Read Play of Shadows?

Play of Shadows has lots to recommend it. The story does take a little while to get one’s head around, with twin timelines and a complex ducal succession plot, not to mention the myriad interpersonal relationships of the cast and crew of the Operato Belleza. There are also shadowy (not surprising, given the novel’s title) figures in the background pulling the strings (Are our players actors or marionettes? Discuss after reading!) 

There are a couple of interesting devices used in the novel, not least of which is the concept of “Veristors.” Actors who go beyond merely saying their lines but essentially live and breathe the characters they play. The spirits of history live out the stories inside the bodies of the actors. The plays put on by the companies in the city of Jereste are akin to Shakespeare’s history plays; they retell classic tales of rivalry between the city’s powerful lords; putting the current ruling house in the best light, of course. 

Demelas may or may not be a Veristor, giving him a twin dilemma. Firstly, the Knights of the Curtain (the Operato Belleza’a players) already have a Veristor and he’s a boorish oaf, who fights first and doesn’t even bother to ask questions, later. He’s also an accomplished fencer and Demelas, a self-avowed coward. Second, the spirits inside of Demelas want to tell a story different from generally accepted history. They want to tell a story that borders on heresy and one likely to get its tellers killed. Worse than that, the Duke of Pertine is very keen to see this version of events played out. 

Play of Shadows is a complex and enthralling 500 pages of fantasy novel. It’s artfully constructed with excellent chapter and section titles, that have us entirely convinced that “the play’s the thing.” I don’t remember reading a novel so dedicated to its theme.

Much as with the Malevolent Seven, the novel’s characters are expansive and full of verve. De Castell has a knack for comedic dialogue, with characters that are larger than life. Over the course of the novel, we will grow to love the Knights of the Curtain, and, as the novel draws to its close and a deeper plot is revealed, we will root for them as they defend their city from tyranny.

The first book in a new series, the culmination of the novel leaves us wanting more, with plenty of untied threads that will no doubt wind their way into the second novel, Our Lady of Blades. On the strength of Play of Shadows, I can’t wait to find out what will happen next.

In the meantime, I have to decide whether I have time to go back to read the original Greatcoat novels. At the very least, I ought to pop back to read Crucible of Chaos, designated as a prelude to the Court of Shadows. The book is due in paperback during the summer, so I’ll be looking out for it. 

If you would like to pick up a copy of Play of Shadows you can do so here, in the US, and here, in the UK. (Affiliate Links)

If you enjoyed this review, check out my other book reviews, here. 

I received a copy of this book in order to write this review.

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