Rating: 4🌈
It took me a while to get into the storyline and connect with the characters. Alice Winters is a favorite author of mine and one of her trademarks in writing is the types of high energy characters and their roles within her narrative structure. There’s always one that has a certain amount of overpowering verbal quality and quirky character. He is often the most dangerous player, impetuous, charming, chaotic, unpredictable and often quixotic.
Here he’s mysterious , murderous,and borderline abusive towards Bastian , the Caster he kidnaps. And we don’t know why. That’s potentially a big problem. Because he’s not charming enough yet to overcome that . Not at the beginning.
I’m talking about Andras, a dark magic user who can take over dead people’s bodies. A interesting element in itself because Winters is asking the reader to connect and develop feelings for an entity whose body can be deposed of. I really like this factor. And as the plot plays out, the character too.
But the chitter chatter snappy dialogue and constant murderous tone/thoughts that Winters uses in her other books and characters ,in fact , made Andras less attractive in the first part of Cast In Shadows, the storylines more dense, because the verbiage was distracting.
Especially when on the other side was a young man who was already being abused by his cult like family and domineering father. That’s Bastian, who is at the bottom rung for everyone, on both sides. Except the reader, who feels sorry for him. Bastian is an appealing figure and one who’s easily the most engaging for the reader.
Because he’s being beaten down by everyone and everything here. We emphasize with him. Constantly.
On the other hand, it’s a challenge to understand the chemistry between the Andras who’s kidnapped him and Bastian, who hates his life. Unless it’s a case of Stockholm syndrome.
Eventually, a wider plot and a mysterious revenge motivation is revealed, but not necessarily completely. This is a “tip of the iceberg “ sort of world building scenario where only bits and pieces get scattered around for the reader to gather up and process.
I’ll admit there’s some interesting and fascinating stuff here. And the hints being thrown around look towards some whoppers of future revelations. That second book should be great. But you have to read through the sometimes murky mess that’s the Cast In Shadows, especially at the beginning.
So I’m recommending this for fans of the author, the genre, and for the really interesting elements Winters has in store for the characters and series.
Shadow’s Lure:
✓ Cast In Shadows #1
◦ Casting Light #2 – Sept 19, 2023
Buy Link:
Cast in Shadows (Shadow’s Lure Book 1)
Blurb:
Andras
When the light-magic users known as Casters took everything from me, I vowed to make them pay.
Little did I know the perfect opportunity would show up in the form of a sweet Caster the moment I took his arrow to the heart… literally. Bastian knows that I’m made of dark magic, the very thing he’s been taught to destroy. But instead of turning away from me, he takes a chance on me, leading me behind the walls of the group out to kill me.
Bastian makes me remember that there’s more to life than revenge—although I can’t help but love the look he gives me when I cause chaos. But what I don’t realize is there’s someone who’s been watching me, someone only Bastian can help me fight.
Bastian
How is it that a man wielding dark magic is the only one who can save me?
Even though Andras goes against everything I fight for, I can’t stop myself from drawing him into my life.
What’s worse is that it’s clear he wants something from the Casters, but when he makes me laugh and feel like I’m living for the first time in my life, it’s impossible to turn him away.
When I find myself caught in a web of lies between those I trusted and those I feared, I realize the only one I can rely on is the one person who’s forbidden.
Cast in Shadows contains an antihero with no filter and a strange obsession with chili, a “pet” who sleeps through all the excitement, and possibly the least romantic movie date ever.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 