Shadow of Night was met with generally positive reviews from literary critics. Sherryl Connelly of the
New York Daily News described the novel as "rich, period fun, particularly delightful in its witty characterization of historical immortals." Both Memmott and Margot Adler of
NPR expressed excitement and anticipation for the next novel in the series.
Entertainment Weekly also praised the novel, giving
Shadow of Night a B+: "The joy that Harkness, herself a historian, takes in visiting the past is evident on every page. […] Like any love affair,
Shadow of Night has its rough patches. But its enduring rewards are plenty." Many critics pointed out that the novel was too complex, Paula Woods of
The Los Angeles Times said
Shadow of Night is "overstuffed but entertaining."
Elizabeth Hand, who previously criticized
A Discovery of Witches as being too slow, said that
Shadow of Night "proceeds at a snail's pace" and is "overstuffed with secondary characters and plot elements that never quite earn out." However, Hand wrote: "Fortunately, Harkness makes up for a lack of narrative thrust by weaving a tapestry of 16th-century European life." Sarah Willis of
The Plain Dealer felt similarly: "The many details of place and time are lush, and every opportunity to describe clothes, furniture, buildings, even a mousetrap, is indulged. But the plot wanders as much as the characters do, and the first 250 pages are slow." ==Historical references==