Reviews

Shadowplay by Joseph O'Connor

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eiridium's review

5.0

Shadowplay is a sumptuously stunning read full of fact and fiction that enlightens and engages the reader. O'Connor is a master of the setting, able to convey through such evocative and crafted prose a multisensory appreciation of both the external as well as the psychological inner worlds of his characters. Taking to Bram Stoker and his unique relationships with both Henry Irving and Ellen Terry, O'Connor creates a multi-layered exploration of the mind and the surrounding events and that led to the eventual creation of the novel Dracula. The author is careful to assure the reader that he has not been bound by facts in this novel rather than a biography and the reader has no sense that he is playing fast and loose with real history, but is more actively drawn to fact-check and investigate the real-life underpinnings of the tale.
The delivery is a smooth staccato that attempts to find the voice of Stoker himself, harkening to the idea that this is an autobiography (with researched interjections from other letters and memories shared by other characters) rendered in the third person - as the author cleverly reveals in a direct exchange between Stoker and Terry at the outset. The tale itself is populated with a collection of prominent historical characters of the time who all make their entrances on stage throughout and events that help to ground the tale in a swirl of Victorian circumstance and tragedy.
The author's references to eventual character names in Dracula draw the reader on throughout and it is this skilful narrative weaving that makes this a highly recommended read.

blue_arcane's review against another edition

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4.0

I bought the novel on a whim, after one of my teachers played us an interview of the author. I didn’t know what to expect of it, except for the structure, that I knew would resemble Dracula’s. And in the end, it was a good surprise. It contained everything that was promised, a love triangle, a little queerness, ghosts and vampires, a detailed atmosphere of the Victorian era… As said by the critics, it is a very entertaining book. London at that time is fascinating, and the abundance of details, O'Connor's writing just made it even more enjoyable. The novel plays with saying too much or not enough, silences, and the theatrality of life.

My only regret would be that it started slowly, then the action rose in the middle, very intense, and the end was slow again. Reading the beginning and the end had been a bit tedious for me, despite the beautiful note on which the novel ends. Apart from that, I eagerly read it in just a few days.

For those who read Dracula, you will find references about it throughout the whole novel. Little hints and winks that will make you smile as you gather the elements of Stoker’s work.

zara2404's review

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emotional mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

redheadonfire01's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

sonicboylee's review against another edition

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3.0

Enjoyed most of it with the very evocative atmosphere but I found the Coda at the end extremely boring and a slog to get through

smithnaomi's review

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dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes

3.5

The writing style of this was very atmospheric, invoking a strong gothic feel. I enjoyed this overall, but found the characters often frustrating and the plot a little dull. I thought the inclusion of so many cameos was nicely done and it definitely brought this time period to life for me really well. Having enjoyed Dracula, this was a great read to get more backstory, I hadn’t known much of Bram Stoker. I’d recommend if you like a historical fiction or a reimagining of real life historical figures.