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The Roots of Chaos #0
A Day of Fallen Night
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Fantasy (2023)In A Day of Fallen Night, Samantha Shannon sweeps readers back to the universe of Priory of the Orange Tree and into the lives of four women, showing us a course of events that shaped their world for generations to come.
Tunuva Melim is a sister of the Priory. For fifty years, she has trained to slay wyrms – but none have appeared since the Nameless One, and the younger generation is starting to question the Priory's purpose.
To the north, in the Queendom of Inys, Sabran the Ambitious has married the new King of Hróth, narrowly saving both realms from ruin. Their daughter, Glorian, trails in their shadow – exactly where she wants to be.
The dragons of the East have slept for centuries. Dumai has spent her life in a Seiikinese mountain temple, trying to wake the gods from their long slumber. Now someone from her mother's past is coming to upend her fate.
When the Dreadmount erupts, bringing with it an age of terror and violence, these women must find the strength to protect humankind from a devastating threat.
Tunuva Melim is a sister of the Priory. For fifty years, she has trained to slay wyrms – but none have appeared since the Nameless One, and the younger generation is starting to question the Priory's purpose.
To the north, in the Queendom of Inys, Sabran the Ambitious has married the new King of Hróth, narrowly saving both realms from ruin. Their daughter, Glorian, trails in their shadow – exactly where she wants to be.
The dragons of the East have slept for centuries. Dumai has spent her life in a Seiikinese mountain temple, trying to wake the gods from their long slumber. Now someone from her mother's past is coming to upend her fate.
When the Dreadmount erupts, bringing with it an age of terror and violence, these women must find the strength to protect humankind from a devastating threat.
868 pages, Hardcover
First published February 28, 2023
About the author
Samantha Shannon
27 books25.3k followersSamantha Shannon is the New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author, born in London in 1991. She studied English Language and Literature at St Anne's College, Oxford, from 2010 to 2013, specialising in the poetry of Emily Dickinson and Principles of Film Criticism.
In 2013, at the age of 21, she published The Bone Season, the internationally bestselling first installment in a seven-book series of fantasy novels. Her first book outside the series, The Priory of the Orange Tree, was a finalist in the Lambda Literary Awards 2020. Its prequel, A Day of Fallen Night, was an instant #1 Sunday Times bestseller.
She is currently working on The Dark Mirror, the fifth book in the Bone Season series.
In 2013, at the age of 21, she published The Bone Season, the internationally bestselling first installment in a seven-book series of fantasy novels. Her first book outside the series, The Priory of the Orange Tree, was a finalist in the Lambda Literary Awards 2020. Its prequel, A Day of Fallen Night, was an instant #1 Sunday Times bestseller.
She is currently working on The Dark Mirror, the fifth book in the Bone Season series.
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July 28, 2024Hi, Goodreads:
I’m so pleased to finally welcome you back to the world of The Priory of the Orange Tree. After more than three years of research, drafting and revising – mostly in secret – it’s a wonderful and surreal feeling to finally see the title and blurb on here.
As I'm less active on social media than I used to be, I just thought I'd answer a few questions in advance, to give you a clearer sense of A Day of Fallen Night.
-
What is this?
A Day of Fallen Night is a standalone prequel to The Priory of the Orange Tree. It’s set just shy of five centuries before Priory and covers the period known as the Great Sorrow, or Grief of Ages.
I haven’t read Priory yet. Should I read this first?
Theoretically, you can read either book first, though the potential reading orders will both give you a slightly different reading experience. Night is a little longer and more politically complex than Priory, with a larger cast and more settings, so you may find it easiest to build a layer of knowledge with Priory first – but it will mean you have knowledge of the future when you read Night. If you prefer to read in chronological order of events and have no spoilers whatsoever, you may want to jump straight into Night.
Does this mean Priory is a series now?
Yes, but with no set number of books, at present. When I wrote Priory, I originally intended it to be a one-off standalone, but the longer I sat with it, the more I came to realise that this world had a much larger story to tell. However, because each instalment seems to take me about three years to finish, I need to consider my schedule carefully before I jump into each one, especially since I have other ongoing projects.
It therefore made sense to me to mostly write standalones in this series, but to have them work together to tell an overarching tale that spans generations. My aim is for readers to be able to pick the books up in any order, and to know they’re getting a complete adventure each time. The series name is The Roots of Chaos.
Will we see any of the old characters?
Most of the original cast aren’t born yet, but some of the new characters are their distant relatives, which I hope will give you a sense of connection to them.
-
A content guide to the series can be found on my website here. I hope you enjoy returning to the world of Priory.
Love,
Samantha
I’m so pleased to finally welcome you back to the world of The Priory of the Orange Tree. After more than three years of research, drafting and revising – mostly in secret – it’s a wonderful and surreal feeling to finally see the title and blurb on here.
As I'm less active on social media than I used to be, I just thought I'd answer a few questions in advance, to give you a clearer sense of A Day of Fallen Night.
-
What is this?
A Day of Fallen Night is a standalone prequel to The Priory of the Orange Tree. It’s set just shy of five centuries before Priory and covers the period known as the Great Sorrow, or Grief of Ages.
I haven’t read Priory yet. Should I read this first?
Theoretically, you can read either book first, though the potential reading orders will both give you a slightly different reading experience. Night is a little longer and more politically complex than Priory, with a larger cast and more settings, so you may find it easiest to build a layer of knowledge with Priory first – but it will mean you have knowledge of the future when you read Night. If you prefer to read in chronological order of events and have no spoilers whatsoever, you may want to jump straight into Night.
Does this mean Priory is a series now?
Yes, but with no set number of books, at present. When I wrote Priory, I originally intended it to be a one-off standalone, but the longer I sat with it, the more I came to realise that this world had a much larger story to tell. However, because each instalment seems to take me about three years to finish, I need to consider my schedule carefully before I jump into each one, especially since I have other ongoing projects.
It therefore made sense to me to mostly write standalones in this series, but to have them work together to tell an overarching tale that spans generations. My aim is for readers to be able to pick the books up in any order, and to know they’re getting a complete adventure each time. The series name is The Roots of Chaos.
Will we see any of the old characters?
Most of the original cast aren’t born yet, but some of the new characters are their distant relatives, which I hope will give you a sense of connection to them.
-
A content guide to the series can be found on my website here. I hope you enjoy returning to the world of Priory.
Love,
Samantha
April 24, 2023
And its finally here... The prequel to 'The Priory of the Orange Tree'.
Rich in content, with real depth to the human emotion on display and personal passion portrayed through the characters. Wonderful for the tension and mistrust created through the political intrigue and daring in its ambition and depiction of such a vast expanse of worlds. Overall an impressive story of three powerful woman whose lives become entwined as Shannon breathes fire and life into this incredible story of survival, love, and honour.
A desirable and engrossing fantasy that is intense, dangerous, fascinating but compelling and also extraordinary.
A few Comments on the Plot
There is too much in this book to write a credible summary of the story and its plots. So here are a few snippets of what to expect..
The Priory’s existence is threatened, the dragons that have been asleep for a long time are awakening, Sabran the Ambitious has married the new King of Hróth, in the hope to save both realms from ruin, Dumai must awaken the gods and protect herself from the person intent on destroying her and when Dreadmount erupts these three women must be prepared and capable of protecting their people from its devastating threat of extinction.
A battle of minds, queens of strategy and a conclusion that must be decisive and fitting.
“A queen should learn the ways of watching. Like a falcon, she waits for her moment to strike. She also knows when she need not strike at all – when her shadow, her presence, is more than enough.”
Love, pregnancy, greed, ambition, betrayal, survival, war, dragons, magic, grief, chaos and adventure is what you get from ‘A Day of Fallen Night’.
✨✨✨✨✨ What I loved about this book
- The intricate world building mainly from the east to west was so impressive. This was such an ambitious tale that expanded the story into spherical regions with their own traditions, political landscape, religions and practices, myths as well as cultures.
- The three main female characters were all equally adorable, admirable, and deserving of a central role. All very different but it was how their lives became entwined was the main appeal for this book even though their story, independent of each other, was unique, eventful, but also powerful.
- The sheer effort and commitment in writing such a comprehensive book is to be commended, but it does not stop there because Shannon also provides the images of the global landscape, an explanation of the characters and their roles and even a glossary of terms to help the reader.
- There is a love story for everyone and as a strong feminist story this would appeal to all women.
✨✨✨ What I enjoyed less about this book
- Whilst I fell in love with many of these characters there was just too many to fully appreciate them all and quite a few added little to the overall story.
- It was just too long and at times overly complex. I say that but then I am obsessed with the extent and scale of the storytelling. Although I would suggest that it doesn’t take 850 pages to achieve that.
- I would have preferred more moments of drama and surprise in the middle of the book to lift things a little because it felt everything was being saved to the end and the conclusion of this series. In such a long book we needed more dramatic moments in the middle I feel. Kill off a few of those key characters for example, explode their world or introduce a scenario of checkmate.
In all epic. A multi cultured and multi-layered story that was so captivating, immersive, and dramatic. A world that was so intricately depicted but vast in its scope. A kaleidoscope of colours, traditions, and characters. A series of plots to enthral and captivate and written in a dream like way that was also compelling and believable. What more could a person want except less pages and more action in the middle. A wonderful fantasy.
And a quote that resonates with me .. .“We could start by not scorning one another for our beliefs, or lack of them."
Rich in content, with real depth to the human emotion on display and personal passion portrayed through the characters. Wonderful for the tension and mistrust created through the political intrigue and daring in its ambition and depiction of such a vast expanse of worlds. Overall an impressive story of three powerful woman whose lives become entwined as Shannon breathes fire and life into this incredible story of survival, love, and honour.
A desirable and engrossing fantasy that is intense, dangerous, fascinating but compelling and also extraordinary.
A few Comments on the Plot
There is too much in this book to write a credible summary of the story and its plots. So here are a few snippets of what to expect..
The Priory’s existence is threatened, the dragons that have been asleep for a long time are awakening, Sabran the Ambitious has married the new King of Hróth, in the hope to save both realms from ruin, Dumai must awaken the gods and protect herself from the person intent on destroying her and when Dreadmount erupts these three women must be prepared and capable of protecting their people from its devastating threat of extinction.
A battle of minds, queens of strategy and a conclusion that must be decisive and fitting.
“A queen should learn the ways of watching. Like a falcon, she waits for her moment to strike. She also knows when she need not strike at all – when her shadow, her presence, is more than enough.”
Love, pregnancy, greed, ambition, betrayal, survival, war, dragons, magic, grief, chaos and adventure is what you get from ‘A Day of Fallen Night’.
✨✨✨✨✨ What I loved about this book
- The intricate world building mainly from the east to west was so impressive. This was such an ambitious tale that expanded the story into spherical regions with their own traditions, political landscape, religions and practices, myths as well as cultures.
- The three main female characters were all equally adorable, admirable, and deserving of a central role. All very different but it was how their lives became entwined was the main appeal for this book even though their story, independent of each other, was unique, eventful, but also powerful.
- The sheer effort and commitment in writing such a comprehensive book is to be commended, but it does not stop there because Shannon also provides the images of the global landscape, an explanation of the characters and their roles and even a glossary of terms to help the reader.
- There is a love story for everyone and as a strong feminist story this would appeal to all women.
✨✨✨ What I enjoyed less about this book
- Whilst I fell in love with many of these characters there was just too many to fully appreciate them all and quite a few added little to the overall story.
- It was just too long and at times overly complex. I say that but then I am obsessed with the extent and scale of the storytelling. Although I would suggest that it doesn’t take 850 pages to achieve that.
- I would have preferred more moments of drama and surprise in the middle of the book to lift things a little because it felt everything was being saved to the end and the conclusion of this series. In such a long book we needed more dramatic moments in the middle I feel. Kill off a few of those key characters for example, explode their world or introduce a scenario of checkmate.
In all epic. A multi cultured and multi-layered story that was so captivating, immersive, and dramatic. A world that was so intricately depicted but vast in its scope. A kaleidoscope of colours, traditions, and characters. A series of plots to enthral and captivate and written in a dream like way that was also compelling and believable. What more could a person want except less pages and more action in the middle. A wonderful fantasy.
And a quote that resonates with me .. .“We could start by not scorning one another for our beliefs, or lack of them."
March 7, 2023
"Jesteś więcej niż spełnieniem moich najskrytszych marzeń"
Uwielbiam całym sercem...
Uwielbiam całym sercem...
July 3, 2024
Audiobook Experience
One of the top aspects of the audiobook is Shannon’s exceptional capacity to establish an atmosphere that is both familiar and fantastic. Shannon’s ability to create an emotive world is complemented by the narrator’s voice, which succeeds in conveying the dark lanes and hidden corners known for concealing both ancient secrets and current dilemmas.
Get the best experience by listening to this book: "Audiobook - A Day of Fallen Night"
A Day of Fallen Night includes Shannon’s meticulous charactercrafting which is another notable element. Protagonists must navigate supernatural dangers, as well as internal and emotional conflicts as well as the ethical and moral implications, adding layers of depth to the story. Through the alignment of each character's personal journey, it is possible to create a web of alliances, betrayals, and unexpected alliances that will keep listeners asking questions.
Shannon has woven a fascinating narrative with the novel, a blend of action and introspection. The novel interweaves discussions of power and identity in a world that mixes elements of fantasy with those rooted firmly in reality. With the variety of narrative arcs or unexpected alliances and character dynamics from Shannon's narrative, the novel is an immersive investigation of the power of any narrative of identity and power to define us when we experience adversity.
One of the most captivating and riveting audiobooks on offer for fans of urban fantasy or anyone interested in experiences that mix fantasy and reality. A Day of Fallen Night promises to be an interesting experience for those who are interested in Samantha Shannon.
One of the top aspects of the audiobook is Shannon’s exceptional capacity to establish an atmosphere that is both familiar and fantastic. Shannon’s ability to create an emotive world is complemented by the narrator’s voice, which succeeds in conveying the dark lanes and hidden corners known for concealing both ancient secrets and current dilemmas.
Get the best experience by listening to this book: "Audiobook - A Day of Fallen Night"
A Day of Fallen Night includes Shannon’s meticulous charactercrafting which is another notable element. Protagonists must navigate supernatural dangers, as well as internal and emotional conflicts as well as the ethical and moral implications, adding layers of depth to the story. Through the alignment of each character's personal journey, it is possible to create a web of alliances, betrayals, and unexpected alliances that will keep listeners asking questions.
Shannon has woven a fascinating narrative with the novel, a blend of action and introspection. The novel interweaves discussions of power and identity in a world that mixes elements of fantasy with those rooted firmly in reality. With the variety of narrative arcs or unexpected alliances and character dynamics from Shannon's narrative, the novel is an immersive investigation of the power of any narrative of identity and power to define us when we experience adversity.
One of the most captivating and riveting audiobooks on offer for fans of urban fantasy or anyone interested in experiences that mix fantasy and reality. A Day of Fallen Night promises to be an interesting experience for those who are interested in Samantha Shannon.
February 27, 2023
Almost 3 months ago I said I would come back "tomorrow" to write a review for this book and it's taken me this long to actually sit down and do it. My bad.
4.5 stars, I LOVE this book and my god what a reading experience it was. Samantha Shannon is a phenomenal epic fantasy writer. The world she builds, the sheer expanse of the story she tells, and the balance of large catastrophic world events with the smallest individual personal life experiences is incredible. If you liked Priory of the Orange Tree, I see no reason why you wouldn't like this book.
A Day of Fallen Night is a slower burn than Priory. The world building is even richer and more fleshed out and you spend more time really digging into details and getting a look at the world of Priory as it was 500 years before. There are differences in cultures and beliefs and alliances that will provide fans of Priory a good amount of time to speculate how and when certain changes occur.
As another multi-POV story, every single POV had me fully invested and I loved all the characters. You'll find no Niclays' here! (Whose story I appreciated and understood the use of in PRiory, but...we all hated that man). They are rich and distinct, they have compelling stories each of their own seperate from yet complemented by the overarching plot, and at no point did I turn to a new chapter and a new POV with a groan or a sigh just waiting to get back to one I cared more about.
And finally - because if I try to talk any less broadly I'll go on forever - the biggest theme of this book that has stuck with me for the last three months is that of Motherhood, which will probably surprise anyone who even vaguely knows me. Motherhood and pregnancy are topics explored with such care and so much purpose in this novel from so many different perspectives. There are characters in this book who love being mothers and everything that comes with it, others who fear it, others who resent the expectation of it, and so many thoughts in between. As someone who is childfree by choice and has known I would be from the earliest I can ever remember having a coherent thought on the matter, A Day of Fallen Night made me feel so seen. I've never seen the way I feel about pregnancy, birth, and motherhood represented so well, and in fact I used a specific passage from this book to explain it to my own mother (who fully accepts and respects my position but struggles sometimes to really understand it) and it shocked her to hear it and made her understand my position in a way she hadn't before.
All of which is to say that motherhood and childbearing and the different ways people feel about them are a STRONG theme across this book that's explored so well I still think about it all the time.
I'm so in love with this series and I can't wait to see what we get next. Samantha Shannon has mentioned that she has tentative plans for 5 in the Roots of Chaos series (one of which would be a direct sequel to priory tying all the prequels together) and I had a lot of fun speculating what other time periods we might get from this world.
4.5 stars, I LOVE this book and my god what a reading experience it was. Samantha Shannon is a phenomenal epic fantasy writer. The world she builds, the sheer expanse of the story she tells, and the balance of large catastrophic world events with the smallest individual personal life experiences is incredible. If you liked Priory of the Orange Tree, I see no reason why you wouldn't like this book.
A Day of Fallen Night is a slower burn than Priory. The world building is even richer and more fleshed out and you spend more time really digging into details and getting a look at the world of Priory as it was 500 years before. There are differences in cultures and beliefs and alliances that will provide fans of Priory a good amount of time to speculate how and when certain changes occur.
As another multi-POV story, every single POV had me fully invested and I loved all the characters. You'll find no Niclays' here! (Whose story I appreciated and understood the use of in PRiory, but...we all hated that man). They are rich and distinct, they have compelling stories each of their own seperate from yet complemented by the overarching plot, and at no point did I turn to a new chapter and a new POV with a groan or a sigh just waiting to get back to one I cared more about.
And finally - because if I try to talk any less broadly I'll go on forever - the biggest theme of this book that has stuck with me for the last three months is that of Motherhood, which will probably surprise anyone who even vaguely knows me. Motherhood and pregnancy are topics explored with such care and so much purpose in this novel from so many different perspectives. There are characters in this book who love being mothers and everything that comes with it, others who fear it, others who resent the expectation of it, and so many thoughts in between. As someone who is childfree by choice and has known I would be from the earliest I can ever remember having a coherent thought on the matter, A Day of Fallen Night made me feel so seen. I've never seen the way I feel about pregnancy, birth, and motherhood represented so well, and in fact I used a specific passage from this book to explain it to my own mother (who fully accepts and respects my position but struggles sometimes to really understand it) and it shocked her to hear it and made her understand my position in a way she hadn't before.
All of which is to say that motherhood and childbearing and the different ways people feel about them are a STRONG theme across this book that's explored so well I still think about it all the time.
I'm so in love with this series and I can't wait to see what we get next. Samantha Shannon has mentioned that she has tentative plans for 5 in the Roots of Chaos series (one of which would be a direct sequel to priory tying all the prequels together) and I had a lot of fun speculating what other time periods we might get from this world.
May 10, 2023
Samantha Shannon has done it again, with an epic fantasy that truly deserves that title.
This book is a beast at nearly 900 pages, but never does it feel its length. The world is rich and explored in such great depth that it’s impossible not to be enamoured. There is no shortage of history or stories to tell in this world, let alone in this very book.
On that note, there are a great number of characters we follow throughout, all of whom I loved. Each was so different, from beliefs to voice, and it was nothing short of a special reading experience to go through this massive journey with each of them.
I hope that there continues to be books put out from this world, because, as I said, I believe there to be many more stories to tell.
This book is a beast at nearly 900 pages, but never does it feel its length. The world is rich and explored in such great depth that it’s impossible not to be enamoured. There is no shortage of history or stories to tell in this world, let alone in this very book.
On that note, there are a great number of characters we follow throughout, all of whom I loved. Each was so different, from beliefs to voice, and it was nothing short of a special reading experience to go through this massive journey with each of them.
I hope that there continues to be books put out from this world, because, as I said, I believe there to be many more stories to tell.
June 5, 2024
My complete review is published at Grimdark Magazine.
A Day of Fallen Night is Samantha Shannon’s standalone prequel to her acclaimed feminist fantasy, The Priory of the Orange Tree.
Shannon introduces us to an entirely new cast of characters in A Day of Fallen Night, which takes place about 500 years before the events of Priory. As in Priory, Shannon excels at creating a strong cast of female characters with excellent queer representation.
The three lead protagonists represent each major region of the world—East, West, and South—which have very different religions, political structures, and cultures. In the East, the mountain-dwelling Dumai trains as a godsinger, establishing a connection between humankind and the dragons that her society worships. In the West, Glorian is the young heir to the queendom of Inys who struggles with her royal calling. In the South, Tunuva is a warrior from the mysterious Priory of the Orange Tree, a religious organization who follow the Mother and are committed to defeating the Nameless One, an enormous fire-breathing dragon.
While Samantha Shannon already shined at creating strong, emotionally complex female leads in The Priory of the Orange Tree, the male characters were underdeveloped by comparison. In A Day of Fallen Night, Shannon avoids this problem by introducing Wulf, a young man from the North who becomes the fourth main protagonist in the second part of the book. Wulf strives to find his calling in a world that underestimates him, proving to be a multidimensional character every bit as compelling as the three female leads.
The main story of A Day of Fallen Night concerns the reawakening of an ancient evil and its impact on each of our main protagonists and their respective lands. Through it all, Shannon keeps returning to two main themes: the importance of finding oneself and the power of love in all its forms. The author proves especially adept at depicting relationships among her characters, including several queer relationships.
The main problem with A Day of Fallen Night is its inconsistent pacing. After an exceptionally slow start, the plot sputters in fits and starts but never rises to the same level of intensity as in The Priory of the Orange Tree. Every time I felt like the story was gaining traction, it would be interrupted by an ill-timed chapter break and associated change in perspective. Rather than sequencing chapters to help build momentum or reinforce certain aspects of the story, the alternating perspectives give the novel a disjointed feel, compromising the flow of the story.
The latter part of the book becomes more exciting as the paths of our protagonists intersect. However, the payoff is not commensurate with the long time invested to reach that point. The ending of the book features several plot twists, but most of these were rather predictable.
Given that both The Priory of the Orange Tree and A Day of Fallen Night are standalone novels set in the same world, which book is the better place to start? Readers who prefer chronological order should start with A Day of Fallen Night, but otherwise my recommendation is to begin with The Priory of the Orange Tree, which offers a more accessible introduction to the world and a more engaging story.
Overall, A Day of Fall Night is a beautifully written epic fantasy full of nuanced character development, but it suffers from disjointed flow and fails to deliver a story that justifies its 880-page girth.
A Day of Fallen Night is Samantha Shannon’s standalone prequel to her acclaimed feminist fantasy, The Priory of the Orange Tree.
Shannon introduces us to an entirely new cast of characters in A Day of Fallen Night, which takes place about 500 years before the events of Priory. As in Priory, Shannon excels at creating a strong cast of female characters with excellent queer representation.
The three lead protagonists represent each major region of the world—East, West, and South—which have very different religions, political structures, and cultures. In the East, the mountain-dwelling Dumai trains as a godsinger, establishing a connection between humankind and the dragons that her society worships. In the West, Glorian is the young heir to the queendom of Inys who struggles with her royal calling. In the South, Tunuva is a warrior from the mysterious Priory of the Orange Tree, a religious organization who follow the Mother and are committed to defeating the Nameless One, an enormous fire-breathing dragon.
While Samantha Shannon already shined at creating strong, emotionally complex female leads in The Priory of the Orange Tree, the male characters were underdeveloped by comparison. In A Day of Fallen Night, Shannon avoids this problem by introducing Wulf, a young man from the North who becomes the fourth main protagonist in the second part of the book. Wulf strives to find his calling in a world that underestimates him, proving to be a multidimensional character every bit as compelling as the three female leads.
The main story of A Day of Fallen Night concerns the reawakening of an ancient evil and its impact on each of our main protagonists and their respective lands. Through it all, Shannon keeps returning to two main themes: the importance of finding oneself and the power of love in all its forms. The author proves especially adept at depicting relationships among her characters, including several queer relationships.
The main problem with A Day of Fallen Night is its inconsistent pacing. After an exceptionally slow start, the plot sputters in fits and starts but never rises to the same level of intensity as in The Priory of the Orange Tree. Every time I felt like the story was gaining traction, it would be interrupted by an ill-timed chapter break and associated change in perspective. Rather than sequencing chapters to help build momentum or reinforce certain aspects of the story, the alternating perspectives give the novel a disjointed feel, compromising the flow of the story.
The latter part of the book becomes more exciting as the paths of our protagonists intersect. However, the payoff is not commensurate with the long time invested to reach that point. The ending of the book features several plot twists, but most of these were rather predictable.
Given that both The Priory of the Orange Tree and A Day of Fallen Night are standalone novels set in the same world, which book is the better place to start? Readers who prefer chronological order should start with A Day of Fallen Night, but otherwise my recommendation is to begin with The Priory of the Orange Tree, which offers a more accessible introduction to the world and a more engaging story.
Overall, A Day of Fall Night is a beautifully written epic fantasy full of nuanced character development, but it suffers from disjointed flow and fails to deliver a story that justifies its 880-page girth.
August 19, 2023
Bardzo mi przykro, ale właśnie to jest najlepsza powieść Samanthy Shannon.
September 15, 2022
This sweeping, breathtaking prequel to the Priory of the Orange Tree completely blew me away.
Like Priory, ADOFN is a slow-building political novel set against the backdrop of a fantasy dragon war. Set 500 years before Priory takes place, it tells a fantastic story in its own right.
A Day of Fallen Night continues Priory’s themes of religion and the role of religion in defining history. If anything, Shannon uses this story to develop those themes even further, exploring the ways that religion influences the lives of every character in her world. Her characters all embody faith in different ways. Glorian Berethnet, the sole heir to her throne and the fifteen-year-old figurehead of her religion; Tunuva Melim, who has dedicated fifty years of her life to the Priory and to her goddess; and Dumai of Ipyeda, whose journey and relationship with the slumbering gods of the East will go on to define history.
These three women are the heart of the book. They are what made A Day of Fallen Night genuinely excellent; not one POV was less compelling. Each of them had a unique story arc that was woven together by the fabric of Shannon’s universe. I’m reluctant to say more, for fear of spoilers, but the ways that their stories intersected and referenced one another absolutely thrilled me. Even the short scenes that were from other points of view provided the story with some of its best moments.
The historian in me was absolutely thrilled by the attention to detail in this book. Five centuries is one hell of a long time, and the idea that a world can be so similar for five hundred years is in itself a stretch. Shannon acknowledges this in a great way - through tiny spelling changes, mostly of proper nouns. Changing spellings is so typical of ancient texts, and as you study the same thing over centuries it will be spelled in ten thousand different ways by anyone writing about it. In A Day of Fallen Night, the city that we know as Ascalon is referred to as Ascalun; Carscaro is Karkaro, and so on. It’s small, it’s subtle, but it’s so realistic that it made me extremely happy.
At its core, A Day of Fallen Night is a story about mothers and daughters, and that visceral, unbreakable connection. It’s a theme that resonates throughout the story’s disparate narratives, in multiple tiny ways, in storylines that will break your heart. It’s intergenerational, multiple POV, and stunning in a way that is still intimate, emotional and accessible. Samantha Shannon has truly outdone herself with her second book in the Roots of Chaos series. I can’t wait to read what is yet to come.
Sidenote: I also loved the casual queerness that exists in this world. It’s not a statement, it’s not central to the plot, but queer people are core parts of the story and an inextricable part of the world itself. Secondly: the fact that the Berethnet queens are all over six feet tall is my favourite tidbit from this book. Amazing.
Like Priory, ADOFN is a slow-building political novel set against the backdrop of a fantasy dragon war. Set 500 years before Priory takes place, it tells a fantastic story in its own right.
A Day of Fallen Night continues Priory’s themes of religion and the role of religion in defining history. If anything, Shannon uses this story to develop those themes even further, exploring the ways that religion influences the lives of every character in her world. Her characters all embody faith in different ways. Glorian Berethnet, the sole heir to her throne and the fifteen-year-old figurehead of her religion; Tunuva Melim, who has dedicated fifty years of her life to the Priory and to her goddess; and Dumai of Ipyeda, whose journey and relationship with the slumbering gods of the East will go on to define history.
These three women are the heart of the book. They are what made A Day of Fallen Night genuinely excellent; not one POV was less compelling. Each of them had a unique story arc that was woven together by the fabric of Shannon’s universe. I’m reluctant to say more, for fear of spoilers, but the ways that their stories intersected and referenced one another absolutely thrilled me. Even the short scenes that were from other points of view provided the story with some of its best moments.
The historian in me was absolutely thrilled by the attention to detail in this book. Five centuries is one hell of a long time, and the idea that a world can be so similar for five hundred years is in itself a stretch. Shannon acknowledges this in a great way - through tiny spelling changes, mostly of proper nouns. Changing spellings is so typical of ancient texts, and as you study the same thing over centuries it will be spelled in ten thousand different ways by anyone writing about it. In A Day of Fallen Night, the city that we know as Ascalon is referred to as Ascalun; Carscaro is Karkaro, and so on. It’s small, it’s subtle, but it’s so realistic that it made me extremely happy.
At its core, A Day of Fallen Night is a story about mothers and daughters, and that visceral, unbreakable connection. It’s a theme that resonates throughout the story’s disparate narratives, in multiple tiny ways, in storylines that will break your heart. It’s intergenerational, multiple POV, and stunning in a way that is still intimate, emotional and accessible. Samantha Shannon has truly outdone herself with her second book in the Roots of Chaos series. I can’t wait to read what is yet to come.
Sidenote: I also loved the casual queerness that exists in this world. It’s not a statement, it’s not central to the plot, but queer people are core parts of the story and an inextricable part of the world itself. Secondly: the fact that the Berethnet queens are all over six feet tall is my favourite tidbit from this book. Amazing.
January 17, 2024
let’s see how long it takes me to read this one haha
March 5, 2023
A Day of Fallen Night is just as epic as The Priory of the Orange Tree but takes a while to get going.
This prequel takes place 500 years before the events of The Priory of the Orange Tree. Each of the four geographical regions has its own historical, religious, and political beliefs. All of their beliefs are at odds with each other.
There are rumours that the Dreadmount has erupted, spewing forth wyrms and other destructive creatures. The Nameless One has not been a threat for centuries. Now, these creatures are wreaking destruction wherever they land. It’s up to each leader to find the best way to defeat these dreadful beasts before everything lies in ruin.
When I read Priory, the story immediately sucked me in, and I felt an instant attachment to nearly every character. I rooted for most of them every step of the way. However, with this book, it took a while for me to become invested in some of the characters’ lives. And there are a lot of characters in this chunky book (although there is a helpful character list at the back). I eventually came to cheer for all the big players and might have even been teary by the end. Wulf, Glorian, Nikeya, and Dumai all have wonderful character arcs.
The pacing wasn’t as consistent as Priory, either. In that one, it felt like things were always happening, so the book never seemed slow despite its length. But even though this one had a slow setup, it was totally worth it. Samantha Shannon knows how to hook her readers. The first major twist had me gasping; the story really took off from there.
Since this is a prequel, it can be read first or as a standalone. But, I’m glad I read Priory first for the context it provided. This one might have been a tad daunting without having some background on this world.
I don’t want this review to sound lukewarm because there were many instances where I was completely hooked and stayed up late to read it. It’s just hard to live up to the expectations set by the first book.
Nevertheless, let the wait commence for the next Roots of Chaos novel.
Thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing for providing me with physical and digital copies to review.
https://booksandwheels.com
This prequel takes place 500 years before the events of The Priory of the Orange Tree. Each of the four geographical regions has its own historical, religious, and political beliefs. All of their beliefs are at odds with each other.
There are rumours that the Dreadmount has erupted, spewing forth wyrms and other destructive creatures. The Nameless One has not been a threat for centuries. Now, these creatures are wreaking destruction wherever they land. It’s up to each leader to find the best way to defeat these dreadful beasts before everything lies in ruin.
When I read Priory, the story immediately sucked me in, and I felt an instant attachment to nearly every character. I rooted for most of them every step of the way. However, with this book, it took a while for me to become invested in some of the characters’ lives. And there are a lot of characters in this chunky book (although there is a helpful character list at the back). I eventually came to cheer for all the big players and might have even been teary by the end. Wulf, Glorian, Nikeya, and Dumai all have wonderful character arcs.
The pacing wasn’t as consistent as Priory, either. In that one, it felt like things were always happening, so the book never seemed slow despite its length. But even though this one had a slow setup, it was totally worth it. Samantha Shannon knows how to hook her readers. The first major twist had me gasping; the story really took off from there.
Since this is a prequel, it can be read first or as a standalone. But, I’m glad I read Priory first for the context it provided. This one might have been a tad daunting without having some background on this world.
I don’t want this review to sound lukewarm because there were many instances where I was completely hooked and stayed up late to read it. It’s just hard to live up to the expectations set by the first book.
Nevertheless, let the wait commence for the next Roots of Chaos novel.
Thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing for providing me with physical and digital copies to review.
https://booksandwheels.com
May 12, 2024
Well, folks, Samantha Shannon has done it again! A Day of Fallen Night is a deeply immersive reading experience, enhanced in every way by Shannon's lyrical prose. The intricately developed world-building I came to expect after devouring Priory of the Orange Tree managed to evolve to a brand new level here - delving deep into the various countries, political systems, societal norms, religions, folktales, styles of dress, gender roles, and so much more and adding many much-appreciated layers of complexity to the narrative. Shannon *knows* this world inside and out, and I love that she shared so much of it with her readers because it is endlessly fascinating!
Multiple point-of-view characters offer diverse perspectives, and while each and every one was compelling in their own way, Tunuva and Wulf stood out as particularly intriguing. Tunuva, in particular, was a lovely change of pace from most fantasy protagonists - a middle-aged lesbian warrior in a 30-plus-year relationship who was as kind and maternal as she was utterly badass. I loved her chapters most of all and found the emotional beats of her story by far the most moving.
I also absolutely adored the varied LGBTQIA+ representation amongst the protagonists and many secondary characters, from lesbian to bisexual to asexual, trans, nonbinary, and more - the inclusion and thoughtful representation of these identities was a breath of fresh air. Shannon managed to portray a world that feels open, accepting, and inclusive despite some remaining heteronormativity that is tied to the exploration of hereditary monarchy, which was only one facet of one of my favourite aspects of this book-exploring different possible iterations of matriarchal societies.
Grief was a prominent theme, as well, and I found catharsis in those moments as I worked through my own grief after the passing of a family member that coincided with my reading of this book. The exploration of loss offered a poignant counterbalance to the intricate plot and character dynamics, and despite its length, this book served as both a distraction and a source of comfort during challenging times.
Exploring themes like enduring love, internal strength, women's place in society, bodily autonomy, motherhood, grief, and more, A Day of Fallen Night thoroughly exceeded my sky-high expectations. I cannot recommend this book more to fans of epic fantasy, complex characters, and beautifully constructed worlds, and I can't wait to read anything and everything Shannon writes next!
Watch me read and review the book here (both spoiler-free and spoiler reviews): https://youtu.be/p05Qpz3oa48
Representation: Several MLM & WLW relationships, POV characters are asexual, lesbian, and bisexual, respectively, nonbinary & trans secondary characters
Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, violence, war, blood, gore, death, loss of parents, loss of an infant, animal death & cruelty, suicidal ideation, grief, slavery, kidnapping, pandemic, misogyny
You can find me on...
Youtube | Instagram | TikTok
You can join our book club over on Patreon...
PBB Book Club
Original Review:
This blew me away... I somehow love it even more than Priory! Watch the reading vlog here: https://youtu.be/p05Qpz3oa48
Written review to come shortly.
Multiple point-of-view characters offer diverse perspectives, and while each and every one was compelling in their own way, Tunuva and Wulf stood out as particularly intriguing. Tunuva, in particular, was a lovely change of pace from most fantasy protagonists - a middle-aged lesbian warrior in a 30-plus-year relationship who was as kind and maternal as she was utterly badass. I loved her chapters most of all and found the emotional beats of her story by far the most moving.
I also absolutely adored the varied LGBTQIA+ representation amongst the protagonists and many secondary characters, from lesbian to bisexual to asexual, trans, nonbinary, and more - the inclusion and thoughtful representation of these identities was a breath of fresh air. Shannon managed to portray a world that feels open, accepting, and inclusive despite some remaining heteronormativity that is tied to the exploration of hereditary monarchy, which was only one facet of one of my favourite aspects of this book-exploring different possible iterations of matriarchal societies.
Grief was a prominent theme, as well, and I found catharsis in those moments as I worked through my own grief after the passing of a family member that coincided with my reading of this book. The exploration of loss offered a poignant counterbalance to the intricate plot and character dynamics, and despite its length, this book served as both a distraction and a source of comfort during challenging times.
Exploring themes like enduring love, internal strength, women's place in society, bodily autonomy, motherhood, grief, and more, A Day of Fallen Night thoroughly exceeded my sky-high expectations. I cannot recommend this book more to fans of epic fantasy, complex characters, and beautifully constructed worlds, and I can't wait to read anything and everything Shannon writes next!
Watch me read and review the book here (both spoiler-free and spoiler reviews): https://youtu.be/p05Qpz3oa48
Representation: Several MLM & WLW relationships, POV characters are asexual, lesbian, and bisexual, respectively, nonbinary & trans secondary characters
Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, violence, war, blood, gore, death, loss of parents, loss of an infant, animal death & cruelty, suicidal ideation, grief, slavery, kidnapping, pandemic, misogyny
You can find me on...
Youtube | Instagram | TikTok
You can join our book club over on Patreon...
PBB Book Club
Original Review:
This blew me away... I somehow love it even more than Priory! Watch the reading vlog here: https://youtu.be/p05Qpz3oa48
Written review to come shortly.
Currently reading
December 5, 2022don’t hurt me samantha
April 30, 2023
If Priory of the Orange Tree is like a loaded potato, A Day of Fallen Night is like a Dodger Dog: Distinguished by its length, you can only eat so much before you run out of bun and condiments. In the end, you're just left with too much dog.
Long length seems to be becoming The Roots of Chaos' brand, which I don't necessarily dislike. There is a badge of pride and a sense of community that comes with completing such long books. But it comes down to quantity over quality. Does the story justify the length? Do the multiple POVs add or subtract? Do the character motivations make sense? Are they consistent or dynamic? Does it maintain its momentum? Is it balanced?
I can confirm these things about Priory to an extent (not fully, as Parts III and IV drag and Loth’s POV didn’t carry the same narrative weight as the others), but not this one. It hit one note for me, one flavor - just too much dog.
Also, it reads a bit like sitting over Samantha Shannon’s shoulder and watching her play tall in Crusader Kings 3 for hours on end. Not the worst thing, but tiresome after awhile.
Long length seems to be becoming The Roots of Chaos' brand, which I don't necessarily dislike. There is a badge of pride and a sense of community that comes with completing such long books. But it comes down to quantity over quality. Does the story justify the length? Do the multiple POVs add or subtract? Do the character motivations make sense? Are they consistent or dynamic? Does it maintain its momentum? Is it balanced?
I can confirm these things about Priory to an extent (not fully, as Parts III and IV drag and Loth’s POV didn’t carry the same narrative weight as the others), but not this one. It hit one note for me, one flavor - just too much dog.
Also, it reads a bit like sitting over Samantha Shannon’s shoulder and watching her play tall in Crusader Kings 3 for hours on end. Not the worst thing, but tiresome after awhile.
January 24, 2024
W legendarnej polski produkcji pt. "Gothic, Prawdziwa Historia", padło równie legendarne zdanie, które brzmi:
"Spoko, spoko, nie od razu Tusk zrobił cud gospodarczy".
Dla mnie jednak większym cudem jest to, że przetrwałem tę mordęgę.
Najgorsza książka 2024 znaleziona już w styczniu. Absolutnie aczytalna. Najgorszemu wrogowi bym jej nie dał.
FILMIKSER:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYQ-f...
"Spoko, spoko, nie od razu Tusk zrobił cud gospodarczy".
Dla mnie jednak większym cudem jest to, że przetrwałem tę mordęgę.
Najgorsza książka 2024 znaleziona już w styczniu. Absolutnie aczytalna. Najgorszemu wrogowi bym jej nie dał.
FILMIKSER:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYQ-f...
March 8, 2023
please don’t hate me for this review. as someone who loved priory of the orange tree, it pains me to rate a day of fallen night so low.
we’ll go straight in with the heavy stuff first:
my biggest issue with a day of fallen night is that things didn’t pick up until 350 pages into the book (that’s about 40%! where nothing happens!!). for contrast, priory of the orange tree didn’t pick up until about 250 pages in. both had slow starts but a day of fallen night was definitely dragged out longer.
i really struggled to like any of the characters in this book. while it took me a while to properly connect to anyone in priory, fallen night was significantly worse. of the characters (and there’s quite a few), i only really liked glorian. i liked her mother at the beginning, but she became boring and irritating the further in i read.
because of this, once the plot began to pick up, i really didn’t care what was happening to who. i didn’t care if someone died, as i didn’t like them in the first place.
again, comparing this to priory: the plot just wasn’t as strong. priory had so many good reveals in the second half that had be going “no way!” and “oh my god”. there was no such excitement in fallen night.
a day of fallen night, much like priory, was extremely slowly paced. this book took me over 3 weeks to finish. (for comparison, priory took me 2 weeks, and i was buddy reading it with a friend. i could’ve finished it much quicker but didn’t due to the buddy read). it was so unnecessarily tedious.
i guess that’s all the negative stuff i had to spew.
as for the positives, i fucking love the dragons! so many fantasy books these days don’t have any, but both priory and fallen night have plenty to fill that void.
as with priory, fallen night has lots of in-depth world building. there’s so much history and lore to learn, and shannon doesn’t skimp on the details.
i write this review with a heavy heart. i enjoyed priory a lot, and had high expectations. I’ve seen majority of the gr reviews are positive, do don’t let my opinion dissuade you. you might enjoy it more than i did! I’m in the minority with my thoughts here. if you liked priory, i still suggest trying it out.
we’ll go straight in with the heavy stuff first:
my biggest issue with a day of fallen night is that things didn’t pick up until 350 pages into the book (that’s about 40%! where nothing happens!!). for contrast, priory of the orange tree didn’t pick up until about 250 pages in. both had slow starts but a day of fallen night was definitely dragged out longer.
i really struggled to like any of the characters in this book. while it took me a while to properly connect to anyone in priory, fallen night was significantly worse. of the characters (and there’s quite a few), i only really liked glorian. i liked her mother at the beginning, but she became boring and irritating the further in i read.
because of this, once the plot began to pick up, i really didn’t care what was happening to who. i didn’t care if someone died, as i didn’t like them in the first place.
again, comparing this to priory: the plot just wasn’t as strong. priory had so many good reveals in the second half that had be going “no way!” and “oh my god”. there was no such excitement in fallen night.
a day of fallen night, much like priory, was extremely slowly paced. this book took me over 3 weeks to finish. (for comparison, priory took me 2 weeks, and i was buddy reading it with a friend. i could’ve finished it much quicker but didn’t due to the buddy read). it was so unnecessarily tedious.
i guess that’s all the negative stuff i had to spew.
as for the positives, i fucking love the dragons! so many fantasy books these days don’t have any, but both priory and fallen night have plenty to fill that void.
as with priory, fallen night has lots of in-depth world building. there’s so much history and lore to learn, and shannon doesn’t skimp on the details.
i write this review with a heavy heart. i enjoyed priory a lot, and had high expectations. I’ve seen majority of the gr reviews are positive, do don’t let my opinion dissuade you. you might enjoy it more than i did! I’m in the minority with my thoughts here. if you liked priory, i still suggest trying it out.
February 27, 2023
4.5/5
Mother, we are your daughters. We remember. We remain.
Samantha Shannon has done it once again! I enjoyed A Day of Fallen Night even more than The Priory of the Orange Tree, it was such an incredible read. In a book with such an epic scope it's hard to find a place to start when reviewing, but I will nevertheless attempt explaining how infatuated I am with this book in my mere words.
First of all, the world. The world is unconquerable, Shannon's skill and immense love of history shines in every structured choice she made whilst creating it. It is lush forests and desolate plains, ravaged by the ice of the North and the sun of the South, it boasts so many fascinating geographies, civilisations, religions and cultures. It's a sweeping tale that spans the Grief of Ages (a time Priory readers will recognise from the world's history) with perspectives from all across it's vast map.
Dumai is our perspective in the East. She's a godsinger on Mount Ipyeda, her world a world of snow, harsh winds and perilous climbs. She learns never to goad the mountain, to learn when to reach towards the sky and when to be mindful of the shifting ground beneath her feet. And, inevitably, this is the battle of Dumai's storyline; she is a kite meant to soar with the winds, yet she is tangled in the politics of a land she was not born to understand. She is a secret, she is a legacy, she is the whispering voice, she is the mountain climber, she is the wind, she is the godsinger.
We are lead across the East as we fly beside her, spectators to her momentous story. From the mountains, to court, to journeys Dumai could never dream possible, we haunt her like water ghosts as we traverse the mysteries that lie inside her.
Dumai holds engrossing relationships with all those around her, a devoted bond with her mother, a heart-warming friendship with Kanifa, a complex and entertaining relationship with the silver-tongued Nikeya. I adored every moment of her story, I think it was perfectly written.
In The South, we are introduced to Tunuva, a sister of the Priory. Tunuva is an older character with many established relationships and memories of the past. She's a brilliant character, kind and loyal to a fault, always there and ready to protect her family. Ultimately, this is Tunuva's weakness, her love and gentle heart. Although she is a great warrior, faultless with a spear as she fights alongside her ichneumon, Ninuru, her heart holds her family above all else. Esbar and Siyu, the child in her past, and all her family in the Priory mean everything to her.
I loved glimpsing more of the Priory itself and the people in it. Priory readers will recognise these characters as ancestors of ones we already know. It's a fascinating place to simply exist in, and I loved seeing more of the South. It was always riveting when we discovered places we have not yet been to in this world, as well as places that did not exist in Priory because of the changes throughout the world's history. The Republic of Carmentum was one of these compelling new discoveries.
Through Tunuva we see the most siden magic, a magic of heat and day and fire. I have always adored the careful balance of this world's magic system and was delighted to see so much magic throughout the different perspectives.
Wulf is our point of view in the North. He's such an engaging character, an intriguing man trying to escape the mysteries of his past. He serves as a warrior under King Bardholt, fighting against the rumours of the Haithwood, trying to be someone his family will be proud of. Wulf is also an incredibly loyal character, much like Tunuva, a fierce defender of those he loves, and a caring friend.
His childhood friendship with Glorian slowly became one of my favourites. Although I cannot say too much about the plot of Wulf's story, know that it is enrapturing, never ceasing to elude and devour you.
We trek the furthest in Wulf's perspective, seeing corners of the world we had not dared venture before. As I mentioned with the Republic of Carmentum, Hróth is another land we have not seen before, and (as a person who loves cold, icy lands) I treasured every moment inside of it. Hróth provided many unique obstacles and difficult terrain. It was a brilliant choice to establish so many varying geographies and cultures so that we could see how similar things affected each land differently and in which ways the lands each chose to combat them.
As hard as it was to decide, as I adored every single character with all my heart, I eventually decided on a favourite. We find that favourite within our perspective in the West, Glorian Hraustr Berethnet. She is strong and iron-willed, clever and defiant. She is the shield of Inys.
We know the long line of Berethnet queens from Priory, but there are very few who compare to Glorian. We even know a piece of Glorian's story, from the history of Priory, but there is still much that we do not know. Knowing this piece of her only draws tighter the chains that bind Glorian to her story, she grows evermore imprisoned as we read on and on. The role of queen is not one she desires, the eternal vine of Berethnets is not a destiny she wants to claim.
Here, Shannon explores the most important storyline of them all. Here, Shannon (with her passion for women in history blazing brighter than any flame) explores monarchy through the lens of what women in monarchies were forced to endure and provide to continue these bloodlines. Here, Shannon is at her best.
I could write essays upon essays just on this topic and how essential it is to be explored like this, but I fear I cannot without dragging huge spoilers from the depths of every part of this novel, so I won't. But know that it is done incredibly, with parallels that illustrate deeper these monstrosities, and profound moments that will wrench your heart from your chest.
Glorian's story is the story of A Day of Fallen Night for me. As important and entertaining as all the others are, Glorian's story is indomitable.
All of the characters are incredible, complex and alluring, and their plotlines are all captivating as they intertwine and parallel and subvert. Unlike Priory, you will be completely immersed in every single character's perspective as your love and adoration for each character only ever grows.
We will all be stories one day, and I'd want someone to believe we existed.
Shannon's writing is beautiful and efficient, it shows us each part of the world in lavish prose and clearly explains every action. You can tell how much her craft has improved, the very structure, the very bones of this story hold firmer as we move towards the end with a pace of perfection. It's a slower-paced, denser read than Priory, however I believe it to be the more entertaining and engaging.
A Day of Fallen Night is a standalone prequel to The Priory of the Orange Tree, you can read either one first. I would say Priory is the gentler read and is a softer introduction to the world, however ADOFN is (in my opinion) the better of the two. It is truly such a brilliant read and I now love Samantha Shannon and the world of Priory even more.
Priory is known as a sapphic fantasy staple, and I wholeheartedly agree with this. But A Day of Fallen Night boasts an even higher count of sapphic relationships, alongside it's other incredible representation. Out of our four main characters, two are sapphic, one is achillean, and one is aroace-spec. There are also several other queer characters as well as trans and genderqueer characters. Samantha Shannon could I possibly love you more?
Let us give the world a reason to remember us.
Thank you Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Mother, we are your daughters. We remember. We remain.
Samantha Shannon has done it once again! I enjoyed A Day of Fallen Night even more than The Priory of the Orange Tree, it was such an incredible read. In a book with such an epic scope it's hard to find a place to start when reviewing, but I will nevertheless attempt explaining how infatuated I am with this book in my mere words.
First of all, the world. The world is unconquerable, Shannon's skill and immense love of history shines in every structured choice she made whilst creating it. It is lush forests and desolate plains, ravaged by the ice of the North and the sun of the South, it boasts so many fascinating geographies, civilisations, religions and cultures. It's a sweeping tale that spans the Grief of Ages (a time Priory readers will recognise from the world's history) with perspectives from all across it's vast map.
Dumai is our perspective in the East. She's a godsinger on Mount Ipyeda, her world a world of snow, harsh winds and perilous climbs. She learns never to goad the mountain, to learn when to reach towards the sky and when to be mindful of the shifting ground beneath her feet. And, inevitably, this is the battle of Dumai's storyline; she is a kite meant to soar with the winds, yet she is tangled in the politics of a land she was not born to understand. She is a secret, she is a legacy, she is the whispering voice, she is the mountain climber, she is the wind, she is the godsinger.
We are lead across the East as we fly beside her, spectators to her momentous story. From the mountains, to court, to journeys Dumai could never dream possible, we haunt her like water ghosts as we traverse the mysteries that lie inside her.
Dumai holds engrossing relationships with all those around her, a devoted bond with her mother, a heart-warming friendship with Kanifa, a complex and entertaining relationship with the silver-tongued Nikeya. I adored every moment of her story, I think it was perfectly written.
In The South, we are introduced to Tunuva, a sister of the Priory. Tunuva is an older character with many established relationships and memories of the past. She's a brilliant character, kind and loyal to a fault, always there and ready to protect her family. Ultimately, this is Tunuva's weakness, her love and gentle heart. Although she is a great warrior, faultless with a spear as she fights alongside her ichneumon, Ninuru, her heart holds her family above all else. Esbar and Siyu, the child in her past, and all her family in the Priory mean everything to her.
I loved glimpsing more of the Priory itself and the people in it. Priory readers will recognise these characters as ancestors of ones we already know. It's a fascinating place to simply exist in, and I loved seeing more of the South. It was always riveting when we discovered places we have not yet been to in this world, as well as places that did not exist in Priory because of the changes throughout the world's history. The Republic of Carmentum was one of these compelling new discoveries.
Through Tunuva we see the most siden magic, a magic of heat and day and fire. I have always adored the careful balance of this world's magic system and was delighted to see so much magic throughout the different perspectives.
Wulf is our point of view in the North. He's such an engaging character, an intriguing man trying to escape the mysteries of his past. He serves as a warrior under King Bardholt, fighting against the rumours of the Haithwood, trying to be someone his family will be proud of. Wulf is also an incredibly loyal character, much like Tunuva, a fierce defender of those he loves, and a caring friend.
His childhood friendship with Glorian slowly became one of my favourites. Although I cannot say too much about the plot of Wulf's story, know that it is enrapturing, never ceasing to elude and devour you.
We trek the furthest in Wulf's perspective, seeing corners of the world we had not dared venture before. As I mentioned with the Republic of Carmentum, Hróth is another land we have not seen before, and (as a person who loves cold, icy lands) I treasured every moment inside of it. Hróth provided many unique obstacles and difficult terrain. It was a brilliant choice to establish so many varying geographies and cultures so that we could see how similar things affected each land differently and in which ways the lands each chose to combat them.
As hard as it was to decide, as I adored every single character with all my heart, I eventually decided on a favourite. We find that favourite within our perspective in the West, Glorian Hraustr Berethnet. She is strong and iron-willed, clever and defiant. She is the shield of Inys.
We know the long line of Berethnet queens from Priory, but there are very few who compare to Glorian. We even know a piece of Glorian's story, from the history of Priory, but there is still much that we do not know. Knowing this piece of her only draws tighter the chains that bind Glorian to her story, she grows evermore imprisoned as we read on and on. The role of queen is not one she desires, the eternal vine of Berethnets is not a destiny she wants to claim.
Here, Shannon explores the most important storyline of them all. Here, Shannon (with her passion for women in history blazing brighter than any flame) explores monarchy through the lens of what women in monarchies were forced to endure and provide to continue these bloodlines. Here, Shannon is at her best.
I could write essays upon essays just on this topic and how essential it is to be explored like this, but I fear I cannot without dragging huge spoilers from the depths of every part of this novel, so I won't. But know that it is done incredibly, with parallels that illustrate deeper these monstrosities, and profound moments that will wrench your heart from your chest.
Glorian's story is the story of A Day of Fallen Night for me. As important and entertaining as all the others are, Glorian's story is indomitable.
All of the characters are incredible, complex and alluring, and their plotlines are all captivating as they intertwine and parallel and subvert. Unlike Priory, you will be completely immersed in every single character's perspective as your love and adoration for each character only ever grows.
We will all be stories one day, and I'd want someone to believe we existed.
Shannon's writing is beautiful and efficient, it shows us each part of the world in lavish prose and clearly explains every action. You can tell how much her craft has improved, the very structure, the very bones of this story hold firmer as we move towards the end with a pace of perfection. It's a slower-paced, denser read than Priory, however I believe it to be the more entertaining and engaging.
A Day of Fallen Night is a standalone prequel to The Priory of the Orange Tree, you can read either one first. I would say Priory is the gentler read and is a softer introduction to the world, however ADOFN is (in my opinion) the better of the two. It is truly such a brilliant read and I now love Samantha Shannon and the world of Priory even more.
Priory is known as a sapphic fantasy staple, and I wholeheartedly agree with this. But A Day of Fallen Night boasts an even higher count of sapphic relationships, alongside it's other incredible representation. Out of our four main characters, two are sapphic, one is achillean, and one is aroace-spec. There are also several other queer characters as well as trans and genderqueer characters. Samantha Shannon could I possibly love you more?
Let us give the world a reason to remember us.
Thank you Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Want to read
August 18, 2022good god the cover is INSANE. to say that i anticipate this is an understatement
edit 08/17/2022: if my netgalley request is declined, i am going to be very, very upset (please bloomsbury i love you)
edit 08/18/2022: NOOOOOOOOOOOO
edit 08/17/2022: if my netgalley request is declined, i am going to be very, very upset (please bloomsbury i love you)
edit 08/18/2022: NOOOOOOOOOOOO
Want to read
April 22, 2022YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW BADLY I WANTED PRIORY TO BE A SERIES AND NOW IT’S FINALLY HAPPENING. THANK YOU, SAMANTHA SHANNON!!!!
Want to read
April 22, 2022i'm going to make this book my entire personality and there's nothing you can do about it.
January 7, 2024
7.86 on CAWPILE
Want to read
February 8, 2023Just preordered a copy in preparation for meeting Samantha Shannon on March 10th!
It better arrive in time or I will cry
****************************
Oh hell yesssssss!!!!!!!!
It better arrive in time or I will cry
****************************
Oh hell yesssssss!!!!!!!!
July 9, 2023
This is a "How to Give Yourself a Headache and a Reading Slump with 850 pages"
I am sorry, but what was the point of this book again?
When a book says "Prequel" and it is BIGGER THAN MY YEARLY BOOK BUYING RECIPT I am expecting it to shed light and give some history that explains the original book
It's like the author forgot about The Priory of The Orange Tree and just wanted to say, oh look! This also happened 500 years ago!
And do you wanna know how many characters are in this book? Just go the last 14 pages. The book graciously states over 100 insignificant characters who add absolutely nothing to the story
Look, this is a big ass book
And so far it's so boring
But like the naive dumb I am, I will believe, yet again, those who say "it gets better" after the 400 pages
So basically, you could divide the book into 2 parts: the first 400, and the last 442 pages
(So here is what I'll do
I'm reviewing the first 400 pages
Continue reading
Then come back to review the last 450 pages hoping the stars will be higher) did that
But in case you don't want to read 400 pages of absolutely nothingness here is a short recap
So
Spoilers ahead
In the south
Tunuva/ Esbar : Siyu! NO
Siyu: Yes
Tunuva/ Esbar : Siyu! NO
Siyu: Yes
In the north/west
Sabran: Gloriana, I sacrificed myself and married your father (yes he is the hottest man alive and worships the ground I walk on) but that is beside the point. You must marry and bare an heir even though you are 16
Oh, and I love you, and you must never leave the city, and your father and I are going on a ship because we don't have Disney in our world and never watched Frozen. So you can guess how that ended!
In the East
Unora: daughter, 27 years ago I fucked a man for months but never knew who he was or his name. Found out he is the emperor so I ran away with you. I don't have a tower but I hid you in the high mountains and your hair has magical powers when we sing to it
Just kidding!! 😅
But you are the Lost princess though
Finally
Fire breathing Wyrm
To be continued
The next part suddenly turns political and, I think, religious tolerance or something
Because the world is swimming with Wyrms burning down cities and people, and the Councils and politicians want to sit down and discuss the future of the kingdoms!!! And among all this chaos, the best solution that the 16-year-old Queen Dumai decides is to have an heir!!!
My mind was overwhelmed and I cannot recall one significant storyline that added to the book
and to top it all we get like 3 or 4 paragraphs about the history of the Priory!!!!!! It would have been better if Cleolind whatshername story was the prominent one in the first part then we jump 500 years later to see history repeating itself! Did we really need whole ass chapters of Siyu running away then brought back then running away then brought back!
The only story that I was excited in reading was that of Sabran and Glorian. The mother/daughter relationship and Glorian's connection to her teddy bear Dad.
I must hand it though to the writer, she has one wild imagination and superb memory to come up with unpronounceable names and forgettable story-lines
I am sorry, but what was the point of this book again?
When a book says "Prequel" and it is BIGGER THAN MY YEARLY BOOK BUYING RECIPT I am expecting it to shed light and give some history that explains the original book
It's like the author forgot about The Priory of The Orange Tree and just wanted to say, oh look! This also happened 500 years ago!
And do you wanna know how many characters are in this book? Just go the last 14 pages. The book graciously states over 100 insignificant characters who add absolutely nothing to the story
Look, this is a big ass book
And so far it's so boring
But like the naive dumb I am, I will believe, yet again, those who say "it gets better" after the 400 pages
So basically, you could divide the book into 2 parts: the first 400, and the last 442 pages
I'm reviewing the first 400 pages
Continue reading
Then come back to review the last 450 pages hoping the stars will be higher)
But in case you don't want to read 400 pages of absolutely nothingness here is a short recap
So
Spoilers ahead
In the south
Tunuva/ Esbar : Siyu! NO
Siyu: Yes
Tunuva/ Esbar : Siyu! NO
Siyu: Yes
In the north/west
Sabran: Gloriana, I sacrificed myself and married your father (yes he is the hottest man alive and worships the ground I walk on) but that is beside the point. You must marry and bare an heir even though you are 16
Oh, and I love you, and you must never leave the city, and your father and I are going on a ship because we don't have Disney in our world and never watched Frozen. So you can guess how that ended!
In the East
Unora: daughter, 27 years ago I fucked a man for months but never knew who he was or his name. Found out he is the emperor so I ran away with you. I don't have a tower but I hid you in the high mountains and your hair has magical powers when we sing to it
Just kidding!! 😅
But you are the Lost princess though
Finally
Fire breathing Wyrm
To be continued
The next part suddenly turns political and, I think, religious tolerance or something
Because the world is swimming with Wyrms burning down cities and people, and the Councils and politicians want to sit down and discuss the future of the kingdoms!!! And among all this chaos, the best solution that the 16-year-old Queen Dumai decides is to have an heir!!!
My mind was overwhelmed and I cannot recall one significant storyline that added to the book
and to top it all we get like 3 or 4 paragraphs about the history of the Priory!!!!!! It would have been better if Cleolind whatshername story was the prominent one in the first part then we jump 500 years later to see history repeating itself! Did we really need whole ass chapters of Siyu running away then brought back then running away then brought back!
The only story that I was excited in reading was that of Sabran and Glorian. The mother/daughter relationship and Glorian's connection to her teddy bear Dad.
I must hand it though to the writer, she has one wild imagination and superb memory to come up with unpronounceable names and forgettable story-lines
June 18, 2023
Another epic, sweeping fantasy from the mastermind behind The Priory of the Orange Tree and The Bone Season series.
Tunuva Melim is a sister of the Priory. Her calling is to protect the world from the inevitable rise of the Nameless One, a monster who sleeps in the fires of the Dreadmount.
Glorian Berethnet is the princess of Inys and heir to her mother's throne, in a long line of female monarchs whose bloodline keeps the Nameless One at bay.
Across the sea in Seiiki, Dumai has spent her life as a godsinger on Mount Ipyeda, a frigid and isolated world away from the politics of the throne room she may be destined for.
Samantha Shannon weaves the three stories together, along with a few additional characters in each perspective, beautifully. She thrives in giving us rich and interesting people to follow who aren't without their flaws. When read as a character-driven story, this book excels. I think the plot, especially for a nearly 900 page book, does drag at times, despite each chapter giving us some additional piece of the overall puzzle.
I enjoyed this book a lot, especially that it's a standalone prequel to Priory. Though I don't know if I *loved* it as much as I remember loving that one. I think there were certain perspectives in this story at times that got too much attention, while I would have preferred sticking to other storylines longer. I also found many of the plotpoints in this predictable and saw the 'twists' coming from a mile away. In fact, the plot to me is probably the weakest part of the story. Knowing it's a standalone, I assumed exactly how it would end from the start and it does just about that. Of course there are little moments here and there you don't necessarily know will happen until they do, but the overall arc of the story is pretty classic for fantasy.
Definitely worth the read, but not one I think I would revisit any time soon, if ever again. However, I love her world-building and it does make me want to revisit Priory to see how I feel about it now and to make the connections with the information we receive in this prequel.
Tunuva Melim is a sister of the Priory. Her calling is to protect the world from the inevitable rise of the Nameless One, a monster who sleeps in the fires of the Dreadmount.
Glorian Berethnet is the princess of Inys and heir to her mother's throne, in a long line of female monarchs whose bloodline keeps the Nameless One at bay.
Across the sea in Seiiki, Dumai has spent her life as a godsinger on Mount Ipyeda, a frigid and isolated world away from the politics of the throne room she may be destined for.
Samantha Shannon weaves the three stories together, along with a few additional characters in each perspective, beautifully. She thrives in giving us rich and interesting people to follow who aren't without their flaws. When read as a character-driven story, this book excels. I think the plot, especially for a nearly 900 page book, does drag at times, despite each chapter giving us some additional piece of the overall puzzle.
I enjoyed this book a lot, especially that it's a standalone prequel to Priory. Though I don't know if I *loved* it as much as I remember loving that one. I think there were certain perspectives in this story at times that got too much attention, while I would have preferred sticking to other storylines longer. I also found many of the plotpoints in this predictable and saw the 'twists' coming from a mile away. In fact, the plot to me is probably the weakest part of the story. Knowing it's a standalone, I assumed exactly how it would end from the start and it does just about that. Of course there are little moments here and there you don't necessarily know will happen until they do, but the overall arc of the story is pretty classic for fantasy.
Definitely worth the read, but not one I think I would revisit any time soon, if ever again. However, I love her world-building and it does make me want to revisit Priory to see how I feel about it now and to make the connections with the information we receive in this prequel.
Read
March 8, 2023Look. Was I really not gonna like this book? No. It’s 100% my shit, everything I wanted, it’s gay, it’s beautiful, it’s heartbreaking. A real leveling up from priory (which I also enjoyed) and everything I’ve been craving in fantasy.
Yes it’s big. So what? Read it anyway. It’s worth the time. Plus it’s like getting two books in one.
Yes it’s big. So what? Read it anyway. It’s worth the time. Plus it’s like getting two books in one.
April 3, 2023
—4.5 stars—
“I am no man’s weapon.”
————about the book————
Age: A (but could be enjoyed by all ages)
Genres: high fantasy, sapphic romance,
Cliffhanger: loose ends—can’t wait to see where Samantha goes next with this series!
Writing: 9/10
Quotes: 9/10
World building: 10/10
Characters: 8/10
Romance: 7/10
My rating: 9/10
‼️slight spoilers below‼️
———my thoughts———
Tunuva is a sister of the Priory, trained to fight wyrms.
Glorian is the daughter of two monarchs, but happiest in their shadow.
Dumai is a godsinger, who has spent her life trying to wake the dragons from their eternal slumber.
But when Dreadmount erupts, bringing with it an age of terror and violence, these women must find the strength to protect humankind...
I loved Priory, but I adored this.
I don’t know why, but I just felt so much more connected to characters, and loved them so much!
Characters tend to be what makes or breaks a book for me, and these characters definitely made it!
Glorian, Tunuva, Dumai, Esbar, and Nikaya, this cast of women were everything to me.
What I particularly love about this series, this world, and Samantha Shannon’s writing, is how she writes female relationships.
Not just the beautiful sapphic relationships, but also the grandmothers, the mothers, the sisters, adopted or birth, they were an absolutely stunning representation of how women can protect and help each other.
Glorian was my favourite character, and I was constantly flipping between being worried about her and wanting to hug her, to being astonished at how brave and fierce this 17 year old is!
She is in all ways, truly a queen.
How she cared for her daughter, how she cared for her people, her kingdom, was so powerful, and I loved her all the more for it.
Tunuva was my other favourite, and again, the relationship she had with Siyu is so wholesome and beautiful, in my eyes, she was a better mother than Esbar.
Samantha Shannon’s writing, as always, is incredible! The way she describes the world—I was completely immersed!
I stayed up reading this book until I was actually drifting off! Having to put this book down was so hard, especially as it’s better in large chunks, so you can get fully into it!
There’s this message I kept seeing throughout this book, these women trying to balance their relationships—be romantic or family—and the role the world has given them.
And they did it for the most part, but you can see how Esbar chose her people over her daughter a little, and how Glorian is desperately trying to do both.
The romance is probably the weakest part, but is in no way bad. Just a little quieter and more of a backdrop than I’d like, but the chemistry was very much there! I’d have loved to see a love interest for Glorian (because she’s my bby), but there was too much happening right now!
The plot, like Priory seemed all over the place and confusing at first, but it’s not. It’s just that there’s lots of different pieces in this world, and it takes some time to get used to them all.
So why not a five star you ask?
Well, a little like Priory the ending felt a little anticlimactic.
There was this sense of “that’s it?” But that’s also a testament to how much I loved it!
———characters ———
Glorian: brave and fierce, she’s my baby and I love her🥺
Tunuva: projective and caring, she’s so sweet!
Dumai: clever and never quite believing she was enough, she’s not my favourite, but I love how she’s not afraid to stand up for herself.
Wulf: I haven’t really talked (typed?) about him, because I was focusing on the women, but he’s one of my favourites! He’s so sweet, and I just wanted to hug him too!
————quotes————
“The world is not always kind. But we will try, as long as we can, all of us. All women can be sisters. We will be yours.”
”I will bear the fruit, I will be the unyielding vine, and then I will fight to the bitter end.”
“Each and every star appeared to splinter into thousands more, the dark sky dazzling with dragons.”
“When I was on the battlefield, I had to make hard choices, choices that meant life or death. Your mother does the same. The only difference is her battlefields are council chambers, her weapons are letters and treaties, and her armour is Virtudom itself.”
————song————
Empire -Neoni
Honey -Halsey
Victory -Kendra Dantes
———random extra thoughts———
Bonus quote (just because it made me laugh):
“Madam, that is a fish.”
Thanks for reading!❤️
“I am no man’s weapon.”
————about the book————
Age: A (but could be enjoyed by all ages)
Genres: high fantasy, sapphic romance,
Cliffhanger: loose ends—can’t wait to see where Samantha goes next with this series!
Writing: 9/10
Quotes: 9/10
World building: 10/10
Characters: 8/10
Romance: 7/10
My rating: 9/10
‼️slight spoilers below‼️
———my thoughts———
Tunuva is a sister of the Priory, trained to fight wyrms.
Glorian is the daughter of two monarchs, but happiest in their shadow.
Dumai is a godsinger, who has spent her life trying to wake the dragons from their eternal slumber.
But when Dreadmount erupts, bringing with it an age of terror and violence, these women must find the strength to protect humankind...
I loved Priory, but I adored this.
I don’t know why, but I just felt so much more connected to characters, and loved them so much!
Characters tend to be what makes or breaks a book for me, and these characters definitely made it!
Glorian, Tunuva, Dumai, Esbar, and Nikaya, this cast of women were everything to me.
What I particularly love about this series, this world, and Samantha Shannon’s writing, is how she writes female relationships.
Not just the beautiful sapphic relationships, but also the grandmothers, the mothers, the sisters, adopted or birth, they were an absolutely stunning representation of how women can protect and help each other.
Glorian was my favourite character, and I was constantly flipping between being worried about her and wanting to hug her, to being astonished at how brave and fierce this 17 year old is!
She is in all ways, truly a queen.
How she cared for her daughter, how she cared for her people, her kingdom, was so powerful, and I loved her all the more for it.
Tunuva was my other favourite, and again, the relationship she had with Siyu is so wholesome and beautiful, in my eyes, she was a better mother than Esbar.
Samantha Shannon’s writing, as always, is incredible! The way she describes the world—I was completely immersed!
I stayed up reading this book until I was actually drifting off! Having to put this book down was so hard, especially as it’s better in large chunks, so you can get fully into it!
There’s this message I kept seeing throughout this book, these women trying to balance their relationships—be romantic or family—and the role the world has given them.
And they did it for the most part, but you can see how Esbar chose her people over her daughter a little, and how Glorian is desperately trying to do both.
The romance is probably the weakest part, but is in no way bad. Just a little quieter and more of a backdrop than I’d like, but the chemistry was very much there! I’d have loved to see a love interest for Glorian (because she’s my bby), but there was too much happening right now!
The plot, like Priory seemed all over the place and confusing at first, but it’s not. It’s just that there’s lots of different pieces in this world, and it takes some time to get used to them all.
So why not a five star you ask?
Well, a little like Priory the ending felt a little anticlimactic.
There was this sense of “that’s it?” But that’s also a testament to how much I loved it!
———characters ———
Glorian: brave and fierce, she’s my baby and I love her🥺
Tunuva: projective and caring, she’s so sweet!
Dumai: clever and never quite believing she was enough, she’s not my favourite, but I love how she’s not afraid to stand up for herself.
Wulf: I haven’t really talked (typed?) about him, because I was focusing on the women, but he’s one of my favourites! He’s so sweet, and I just wanted to hug him too!
————quotes————
“The world is not always kind. But we will try, as long as we can, all of us. All women can be sisters. We will be yours.”
”I will bear the fruit, I will be the unyielding vine, and then I will fight to the bitter end.”
“Each and every star appeared to splinter into thousands more, the dark sky dazzling with dragons.”
“When I was on the battlefield, I had to make hard choices, choices that meant life or death. Your mother does the same. The only difference is her battlefields are council chambers, her weapons are letters and treaties, and her armour is Virtudom itself.”
————song————
Empire -Neoni
Honey -Halsey
Victory -Kendra Dantes
———random extra thoughts———
Bonus quote (just because it made me laugh):
“Madam, that is a fish.”
Thanks for reading!❤️
March 3, 2023
i’m going to need a minute to gather my thoughts but WOW that was incredible
November 30, 2023
The most beautiful book i've ever read. Period.
November 13, 2023
880 pages of pure unfiltered insanity. perfect in basically every way possible. not to be dramatic but my life is ruined and i will never be the same tunuva glorian dumai wulf i love u all more than life
_
if you see someone shaking and crying and falling to her knees in a walmart sorry that’s just me
_
if you see someone shaking and crying and falling to her knees in a walmart sorry that’s just me
March 19, 2023
Doskonała.
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