I love Sebastian’s work and this was an enjoyable read for the most part, but I felt like there was something missing.

I enjoyed it but I was expecting more. I will continue with the series

3.5. This was pretty well written but I felt like there was something missing. I enjoyed quite a few aspects of it and I think the writer is talented.

Another fantastic book from de Castell, set in the world of the Greatcoats. This one follows the narrative of an actor who uses his talents to delve into the past and learn secrets that have an impact on the present.

De Castell's masterful writing weaves an impressive tale with a fantastic plot, intriguing characters, and wondrous storybuilding. Another masterpiece from one of my favourite authors! I can't wait until the next one.

"I'd like to take a moment to express my sincere appreciation to Qureces and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced review copy of this book. To be completely honest, I found it quite challenging to get into the story due to the narrative being told through a play format. Admittedly, this is a spin-off, and I feel that I may have missed out on some of the backstory by not having read the original.

That being said, this adult fantasy book is definitely a unique format from what I'm used to reading. However, it is well-written, and the plot is quite intriguing. For me, however, the book had a slow start. Nevertheless, I found that there were numerous mysteries that were uncovered from the stage as the story progressed, which kept me engaged throughout.

Overall, I appreciated the writing style and the author's ability to develop the characters and plot in such a unique way. While it may not have been my usual preference, I'm glad I stuck with it and found it to be a worthwhile read."

This was brilliant. Superb.

Sebastian de Castell is back in the world of the Greatcoats, and honestly, I just love everything about the world and stories within it.

This really is nothing like the previous Greatcoat series in terms of the story telling or even the story itself. It does, however, have enough links and connections to the Greatcoast series to make it feel a connected series. I love that we didn't just get another book with the same characters (despite loving Kest, Basti, and Falcio) and that we got to explore events through a new main character.
We got to live through our new hero?!? 🧐 Damelas


Damelas Chademantaigne, is the grandson of two Greatcoats but a rubbish sword hand, and his story starts when he escaps the wrath of the Vixen, the most feared duellist in the entire city, by tricking his way into the Operato Belleza and its company of actors.

The story then takes some unexpected turns, and because I want to avoid the spoiler of what drives this story, I'll say no more.

All I will say is that this is more than an honourable inclusion to the Greatcoat series. Deep characters, phenomenal world building, politics and intrigue, and what we have come to expert from SdC incredibly written prose, full of sarcasm, wit, and humour

I have to nail my colours to the mast here straight away. I am a huge fan of Sebastian De Castell, so I am afraid this is going to be a very biased critique of this, the first book in what I am delighted to say is a new series by him.
Play of Shadows has all the trademark, theatrical elements of
novels, the irony being that, for once, the tale is, in fact set in a theatre.
With more than a hint of Shakespeare in Love, the story involves a young man, seemingly nothing and no one significant, who joins a troupe of actors simply to save his own skin when he is running awayfrom having to fight a duel with The Vixen..a duel he easily brought about by his own actions. Only when we realise that he drew The Vixen's wrath onto himself, so that she turned away from fighting a duel with his grandfather, only then do we begin to realise that we have a solid gold hero on our hands..From the first page, the story rattles into action, with plots and sub plots, fighting and vengeance, heroism and deceit,loyalty and treachery, and love and laughter. All the elements of the very best the theatre can offer, and true to the Shakespearean similarities, there is even a ghost demanding his spirit and memory be avenged.
If you are looking for a swashbuckling adventure with a dash of romance and a leaven of humour, then go out and get a copy of thus book, and then, like me, wait impatiently for Book number two in the series to be published!
Thank you NetGalley and Quercus for a great read in this e arc in return for an honest review

**advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
A deft and intriguing story which builds on and significantly adds to the world already established in the original Greatcoats series. It’s often a concern that, having loved an original series so much, any “spin offs” won’t meet the same grade - but there’s nothing to fear here with De Castell, who knows the world he’s created and continues to create, and fills it with characters and stories that feel incredibly real to the reader.
I particularly enjoyed a cameo from a well loved character, and felt it was well handled - genuinely a cameo which enhanced and made sense in the story, rather than just harking back to something readers already liked for no reason.
I look forward to more in this series, and more from De Castell.

’Rest, Rabbit, rest. It's really for the best! There's nowhere left to hide - besides, It's long past time you died!'

O, what wit. What depravity. What deceit. What plots.
3.75🌟

Damelas Chademantaigne, the grandson of two Greatcoats but a rubbish sword hand, only escaped the wrath of the Vixen, the most feared duellist in the entire city, by tricking his way into the Operato Belleza and its company of actors.

However, it appears that there is long-buried truths regarding the current foreign Duke who has commissioned a play that can only be described as treasonous by portraying the duchy's most notorious usurper and child-killer as a hero.

De Castell has a magic with words. A genius with beautiful prose and cutting wit. His main character is always a multitude of emotions, conflict, and tension. He writes drama with such thrill, he describes battle with such vigour, he describes human nature with pessimism sprinkled either hope.

’I can never quite tell if you're a timid person who pretends at times to be brave, or a brave one who's been trying to convince himself for far too long that he's a coward.'

You can feel the absolute passion de Castell has for performance, for all kinds of art.

Sometimes his prose can feel pretentious, out-of-place, indulgent. But this isn’t my first rodeo with his adult fantasy, so I went in knowing what to expect and was delightfully bemused.

’Love is an onion, my boy. Leave it too long and the heart of it will rot.
So you've got to carefully peel back the layers until you find beneath something so beautiful it brings you to tears.'

Thank you to Quercus books for providing the arc in exchange for a review.

I shall preface this by saying I've not yet read the Greatcoats trilogy which shares a universe with this book, but having finally finished it I may have to check it out. I'm certainly looking forward to more in this series. It is something of a slow burner at first, and didn't really pull me in until the second half. The first half gave me similar vibes to The Red Queen's War trilogy by Mark Lawrence, but the main character is actually much more likeable as the story goes on.

It's not a heroic tale in the sense of travelling through 'space' as many fantasy tales do, where the hero must go on a quest to save a city. The action all takes place in one city, and throws back to previous Greatcoat trilogy lore without the reader having to have prior knowledge of it. The plot twists are well written and not immediately obvious, and the supporting cast thoroughly believable.

Using the theatre as a stage for magic is something I've not read a lot of before. It certainly worked well in this case, in my opinion.

This was n0t quite the book for me. I enjoyed some aspects and will of course be trying the Greatcoats series. I struggled however with this one to connect to the story and writing style.

I received an eARC of this book courtesy of Quercus Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Play of Shadows is a Renaissance Era novel told through the lens of a play. It was so different to anything I have ever read and I am not sure if I enjoyed it at all or not. My mixed feelings aside I will try to review this very weird book.

Damelas Shademantaigne foolishly challenges Vixen, the most feared duellist in the entire city to a judicial duel, but instead of facing it head on he flees to Operato Belleza and tricks his way into the company of actors. An archaic law allows him safehaven and he slowly becomes an integral part to the company until one night he is inhibited by a strange malady wherin he fumbles his lines, inadvertently blurting out a dreadful truth: the city’s most legendary hero may actually be a traitor and a brutal murderer. From there the story really takes on a reenactment of history, unveiling the many truths of major figures from the city’s history.


‘”… You keep trying to play the part instead of becoming the character. You let the script control you, when the lines should be no more than servants to your perfromance.”‘

There is so much mystery and so many revelations uncovered in the unfolding stageplay that drives the story forwards. Everyone is out to get Damelas as he shows a side of the city’s hero that drives everyone to anger, including a ruthless band of bravos known as the Iron Orchids. He becomes inhabited by the man he portrays on stage, a man who is out to antagonise everyone. This leads him to constant run-ins with the Vixen and the Black Amaranth, two of the standouts in the wide cast of supporting characters.

‘”…This is why the gods created the theatre; Art in the service of Chaos! Actors giving shape to the truth until it shakes the very foundation of the world!”‘

What I enjoyed about this book was the brief moments where the characters weren’t on the stage. When Damelas was portraying Archduke Corbier I did not have a good time at all. So when the story escaped the theatre it escaped the monotony. I welcome more of this and perhaps that’s my fault for having different expectations for a book with ‘play’ in the title.

This was my first taste of Sebastien’s books and I wouldn’t write off my chances of trying his Greatcoats series if I can get the books cheaply. If you enjoy Renaissance Era stories and a lot of melodrama this may be the book for you. For me it just didn’t fit into my tastes quite enough.

Rating: 2/5

This is my first book by this author and I have to say I’m quite impressed by his storytelling. I had so much fun reading this book it completely transported me to another world and made me forget about my problems lol. loved the drama, the duels and the characters, will definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a good fantasy read.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley with thanks

This was an interesting and very fun tale, featuring the adventures (okay, misadventures) of an incredibly reluctant hero. Rather than honour a pre-determined duel, he decides to become a player in an actor's troupe. The world-building was really well done and the prose is scattered with humorous moments. This is a fun and rollicking read.

This was so much fun! At times the story flirted with the ridiculous but always so skillfully it made perfect sense for the story. Our main character runs away to become a player rather than satisfy an honour duel. Which should have been the perfect escape except that apparently fate has other plans and intends to drag him kicking and screaming into the role of a hero. I don't want to include spoilers but suffice to say I devoured this and enjoyed every second.

‘I can never quite tell if you are a timid person who pretends at times to be brave, or a brave person who’s been trying to convince himself for far too long that he’s a coward’.

Never before has the term reluctant hero described someone so accurately than it does to describe our rabbity main character Damelas. To escape from a honour duel Damelas flees and invokes a loop hole in the law that excuses players of the theatre from conscription and duels. Unfortunately, Damelas is also not much of an actor until the long dead spirit of the cities villainous archduke processes him in and begins to tell his side of history. Some how this leads to the current duke demanding the story be told, while a band of nationalistic radicals attempt to stop it and take control of the city. With many twists and turns this story will always keep you guessing right until the last page! There genuinely funny moment between the found family of the knights of the curtain, sorrowful moments that will make you shed a tear and hope that the under dogs will see through to the final curtain. The only thing this story really lacked was credible romance, while we are meant to see the flames between our lead player and the assassin, I barely see a spark. Hopefully this will be remedied in the next chapter of this delightful drama.

Play of shadows by Sebastien de castell
Release date 28th March 2024
Rating 5 stars

This book has been the longest book I have ever had on preorder so to finally to have been reading it my heart was full of so much emotion and that was just getting the approval for the arc.

And then I opened the first page and it had me from the first line and I do not say this lightly some may say well of course it did it is Sebastien de castell and it’s the greatcoats world and you love that, but it wasn’t that although yes it played a part but it was the fact how amazing it started and how straight from the gate my heart was racing and I was already rooting for the main character. At this point I knew nothing except I decided I was going to die for him. Damelas Chademantaigne is a character who has the weight of a legacy on his shoulder and when everyone expects him to be something and it is mentioned many times in the book, but he does not want that life.

I loved his development in the story from his reluctance to acceptance of the fate he has been given himself and how he is going to navigate this for all. I was hit with such an emotional impact from what he was trying to do, to the moment when he was scared, and not sure of anything to taking the lead. If you loved this series before you will not be disappointed.

There is also a moment towards the end of the book that had me screaming with excitement I will not spoil it but it gave me the biggest smile at the end and it was truly lovely to see in this book. I cannot wait to yet again scream and talk about this book to all the people who love Sebastien’s books because as normal it was everything I needed and more and how much I needed to read this at this time. I am now waiting eagerly for our lady of blades but am sad I have to wait over a year but this book was everything that you come to expect from a greatcoats world book- swashbuckling, emotional rollercoaster, a hero to route for and a great cast of characters some you will love and some you will hate.

Thank you to Jo fletcher books and @netgalley for allowing me to read this book.

This is a quite fast-paced and action-packed novel with an interesting gallery of characters. For once the blurb did not lie. I enjoyed the setting in a theatre. It felt very fitting to the story which was quite mysterious. I wanted to know more of the world (Italian inspired?) because I feel like there’s interesting lore there.