This book totally blew me away! Samantha Shannon masterfully weaves together the stories of four incredible women, each with their own fierce courage and struggles, set in a richly imagined world full of dragons, politics, and ancient mysteries. The way the past shapes the future here is so compelling—I couldn’t put it down. If you love epic fantasy with strong, complex characters and a gripping plot, this one’s an absolute must-read!

It was just shy of 4 years ago that I immersed myself in The Priory of the Orange Tree while on vacation in Cuba. It didn’t matter that it was a nearly 900-page hardcover that weighed more than everything else in my bag combined. I toted it back and forth to the beach every day, and then literally raced through the last pages as we sat on the tarmac back home, desperately hoping it would take just a little longer to disembark from the plane so I could finish it.

At the same time, I didn’t want it to end. I wanted more of Sabran, Ead, and Tané. I wanted to explore beyond those final chapters and experience just as much of what comes next as what came before.

A Day of Fallen Night is all about the before, taking us back to the story before the story, exploring the history and mythology of the world we’ve come to love through the eyes of a new group of women. Given the timing, I held off on reading this as soon as it was released because I knew it would be this year’s beach read, another massive hardcover to relax with on our long-awaited return to Cuba.

Generally, I’m not a fan of prequels. They’re so often devoid of any tension or any drama because we know already how the story ends. Go back far enough, however, and prequel becomes history . . . becomes mythology . . . and how it ends is no longer an issue. Samantha Shannon does just that here, offering us a complete story in the cycle of myth, establishing a saga a story that spans generations. By taking us 5 centuries into the past, with a whole new cast of characters, she has free reign to establish the same kind of dramatic intrigue and family dynamics that made the first book so amazing.

Once again, this is female-fronted epic fantasy, and one that’s as much about feminine power, love, friendship, and family as politics, religion, or magic. Make no mistake, those other aspects are here, and they are important, but it’s women who make (and save) the world. There’s an underpinning to the tale that explores the misogyny of mythology, the ways in which women’s contributions are discarded or disguised, and the manner in which it is ultimately subverted, with revelations that set up the conflicts of Priory, is wonderful to behold.

Tunuva’s thread was the least interesting to me, perhaps because it overlaps so much with what we’ve read and seen in the first book. There was a bit too much angst there, too much emotional back-and-forth, and many of her choices were questionable, often bordering on selfish. That said, my edition was an Indigo exclusive, with a bonus chapter at the end that provides a little backstory, and it softened my opinion of her somewhat.

Glorian’s thread that started a bit weak, but it grew on me as the story evolved and her personality developed. She is, in many ways, the epitome of the story, and the choices she’s forced to make because of bloodlines, history, and ruling expectations are what shift the story from just another epic fantasy to one that’s deeply meaningful. Dumai’s thread is something of a parallel, but it’s how and where the expectations of her differ that give her story power. I loved both of these women deeply, and I would argue their sacrifices are more noble than any warrior, king, or sorcerer in the genre.

With my appreciation for the first book growing over time, making me consider new aspects or elements each time I think back on it, my expectations for A Day of Fallen Night were high – and Shannon delivered on all of them. It starts out a little slower, and it takes time to warm up to the 3 POV characters, but overall I felt the pacing was better, the themes better established, and the emotional aspects more layered and intertwined. Another wonderful read that has me excited for more.

Almost 900 pages and I could still read more!

There’s so many characters to keep track of, and I loved following and getting to know all of them.

I’m a huge fan of series, but this is such an epic standalone (technically prequel, but can be read alone) it feels like a whole series in one.

It’s full of twists and turns and it was hard to put the book down (minus the fact that it’s a bit heavy ha ha)! I need to read all of Samantha Shannon’s books!

My rating is solely my own fault.
I drove into High fantasy without taking the time to get used to it and find my footing before getting into the world of 'The Priority of the orange tree'.

My attention, my understanding and my enjoyment weren't here, which is no fault of the book.
I even when to read the technically first book and found the same.

With multiple POV, a complicated political climate and rich world building, A Day of Fallen Night is a worthy follow up to Priory (though technically a prequel) and follow the lives of many of Priory's ancestors.
Well written, masterfully out together, Day is an amazing, though weighty at nearly 900 pages, that you may have to put some effort into, but it is well worth it!

This book had a lot of heart, and I genuinely enjoyed it. The characters were relatable, and the story unfolded at a steady pace that kept me hooked. While it didn’t completely wow me, it had enough charm and entertainment value to make it worth the read. I’d definitely recommend it to fans of the genre looking for a solid, enjoyable experience.

The prologue of A Day of Fallen Night kicks us off with three momentous births. Some of the infants were of import from their first breath, but all three would make their mark as women.

As a partner story to The Priory of the Orange Tree, we see a return to the different compass points of a familiar map, but one where the weight of centuries has not yet descended. In the East, we meet Dumai on Seiiki. Born of a dragon-blessed woman and an Emperor, she lives on the mountain where her mother once spirited her to safety. She's been dedicated for 30 years to temple life, but imperial politics have found their way to her mountain. Unmasked, her life will never be the same. In the West, Glorian was born to a queen keen on spreading her religion and on saving her kingdom from generations of royal misuse by her forebears. What makes her a focused queen doesn't exactly make her a warm mother, and Glorian yearns for more time with her kingly father, who can only travel from the North for sporadic visits. In the North, that very King's retinue includes Wolf, a young man desperate to prove himself and escape the whispers around his mysterious birth. Discovered by his adoptive fathers beside the old witch's wood, it's enough to tarnish his reputation in a kingdom dedicated to one Saint, afraid of all ancient magics. In the South, Tunuva holds an important position in the Priory and spends her days with the woman she loves, the future Prioress. Despite these joys of sisterhood and serving a higher cause, she can't help but silently nurture her grief. She grieves the son she lost in infancy and worries over the girl who bears her name and now seems hellbent on self-destruction in her teenage years.

An epic of this proportion takes my breath away. Expect great, wearying odds and existential threats. In this part of the cycle, The Nameless One remains in his slumber, but his minions are awing at a time when no one thought to see creatures rise from under the mountain again. Unprepared and largely unprotected, the world descends into violent chaos. It will take perseverance, fortitude, and the arrival of a comet to put this threat to rest.

This book is an example of multiple POVs keeping me more engaged rather than less. The constant motion and multiple plots make a behemoth-sized book feel suddenly more than reasonable despite how intimidating it looks on the shelf. The emotional aspects of each plot also contributed to my rapt attention. Stories about motherhood, community, and friendship hold roles just as deep and carefully considered as the many excellent romantic relationships. Thus, there are plenty of ways to get attached to each character and their situation because they're these well-rounded people with many competing concerns and connections with the broader world. And don't expect basic tropes to prop up sketches of interpersonal conflict. These are winding, twisted stories with shades of gray and deliberate framing. The emotional beats landed hard with this reader, especially where it concerns friendship plots and those about family. Several parent/child relationships were particularly hard and/or amazing for me to read depending on the moment in question. The number of times I cried was actually absurd even given the fact that it's a giant book with many happenings.

Shannon gets women and court intrigue (not wholly separate, to be fair) like no one else. I saw it in The Priory, and this book is no different. One way she makes this a book about and for women in a real way is by paying particular but casual attention to feminine rhythms with regard to menstruation, menopause, pregnancy, etc. It comes up as a part of characters' daily experiences, affecting travel, relationships, and moods, but also just existing and not needing to be a big deal. Beyond the emphasis on menstruating people and their experiences, I like the variety of ages of the protagonists. Adventures and momentous decisions aren't just for the youths. I also think Shannon expanded her mandate on gender from her earlier work, including trans folx in this story in multiple ways. It's yet another example of how the author makes the series a safe space for queer characters and readers to live full lives. Plus, there's the Sappho quote to lead into the last section?? Like hi. And I specifically want to shout out the aroace battle queen (let's be friends), not only because of my personal stake in her representation but also because her story exemplifies a more general pattern in the book of disentangling different types of intimacy. While there are definitely great romances here to write home about, there are also many relationships where physical intimacy stems from friendship and/or is undertaken to get the specific outcome of a child. As a necessary evil or just as a limited-time connection, it can be a purposeful, non-romantic endeavor, depending on the people involved. This is a book for women and queer folk, showing all the beautiful relationships and connections we're capable of.

Writing a prequel must be so hard because I frequently find them hard to enjoy as a reader. With an endpoint already known, the plot can be limited or lacking in its own, contained meaning. This book doesn't fall into that trap. Themes, institutions, and even a familiar face connect this book with the first, stretching across the centuries. The depth of history and lore are impressive and far-reaching, but the similarities between the two volumes stop before they become repetitive and onerous. New characters have as much to offer as the original cast, giving us yet more people to attach ourselves to. While you can see certain points connecting directly to what's to come, it doesn't steal any value from these characters' journeys and struggles. Somehow both traumatizing and hopeful, A Day of Fallen Night stands as its own masterpiece, a full partner to The Priory of the Orange Tree rather than a supporting character. Thanks to Bloomsbury for my copy to read and review!

Four stars for the book portion that I read this is one that I ended up putting down for now but plan to pick up again later

I knew going in this book would be dense but boy oh boy was I not prepared for how dense the first 200 pages or so were. I love Samantha Shannon's writing and stories, but this felt like the first quarter of the book just dragged on. Overall, I enjoyed it and once the action picked up in the last quarter of the book I flew through. The characters were compelling and the plot was truly epic in scope.

A richly done prequel to Priory of the Orange Tree. It was an absolute delight to return to Shannon’s world, and many questions I didn’t know I had were answered!

A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon is a captivating read for fans of high fantasy and LGBTQIA+ literature, particularly those who delight in epic stories of adventure, self-discovery, and the struggle for power, as this standalone prequel to The Priory of the Orange Tree weaves together intricate world-building, complex characters, and thrilling action to create a rich and immersive experience.

A Day of Fallen Night was gorgeously written and very immersive. There was everything you could want in a fantasy--romance, political intrigue, war, and dragons!

*spoiler alert*
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Books like this are why I am forever and forever ever ever everrrrr only able to enjoy fantasy that is feminist and queer with women characters that have actual depth (in comparison to certain popular fantasy authors *ahem Sanderson *ahem). I adore the way this author builds out her worlds and the complex relationships her characters have not only with each other, but with themselves.

It is almost impossible to choose any favorite characters, as each of the characters this author writes are so unique and independent and evolve in many ways. In particular, one main theme the characters of this novel struggled with was their bodily autonomy and wishes to have/not have relationships and children. This was a unique and fascinating theme for a fantasy novel.

I loved Tunuva and Esbar, both past middle age but still powerful warriors in the Priory and with such a beautiful queer relationship (do you even know how rare it is to read about happy older lesbian couples in general, much less in fantasy when they are also both badass warrior nuns like I could cry!). Tunuva's softness towards Esbar's child, Siyu, was heartbreaking, as was her depiction of the lasting trauma of the loss of her own child years before.

Dumai's story is also close to my heart, and we follow along with her as she becomes a dragon rider and princess of her kingdom in the East, while simultaneously figuring out that she might only be interested in women, and one dangerous woman in particular. If you are a fan of court drama and enemies-to-lovers tropes, then you would love her storyline as well.

Sabran, the queen in the North, and her daughter Glorian Shieldheart's stories were maybe my least favorite storyline, if I had to choose, but only because the theme of bodily autonomy is soooo strong in her story, and very dark and sad as she becomes forced to have a child by prophecy, though she says herself if it were up to her, she would never be with anyone in any way her whole life long. However, her friendship with Wulf was lovely and in general Wulf was one of my favorites! His storyline was quite a puzzle and he travels more than other characters so serves to connect many threads together. I also adored his relationship with Thrit and how it evolved, ohhhh my god maybe the most wholesome part of the whole book tbh!

In general, as with The Priory of the Orange Tree, this was a huge book and it starts off a bit slow because there are so many stories happening simultaneously, and the author takes her time to really flesh them all out before bringing them together in the end. This book was deeper and more sad for me than Priory, and also a bit less exciting/adventurous. I think I liked Priory a bit more, but would definitely recommend this! Shannon is the queen of good, complex fantasy!!!

I loved my time reading ADOFN. An epic fantasy mixed with slow moments, lovable characters and engaging plot. A much slower burn that Priory, this one took a bit to get into, but was rewarding overall!

There is such intricate world-building in this world, to expand the story into different areas of the world with such unique culture, characters and lore, something Shannon excelled at in Priory as well as ADOFN.

The characters were all so unique. I was fully invested in each one, and I think Shannon handled the representation in this book very!

My biggest complaint is just the length of this book, similar to Priory, so much was saved for the end and I would have liked it if the pacing was spread out a bit throughout. Nonetheless, another great story in this world!

It pains me so much to give it such a low rating. I absolutely loooved the Priory when I first read it years ago.
I started this book in February, it's May now and I'm still just halfway through. I can't seem to get into it and it feels like I'm just waiting for the pace or events to pick up a bit. I love the writing style but I struggle loving or being attached to the characters. I know tough that a lot of people enjoyed it, but I just can't seem to get into it :(

I normally stay far away from doorstop books. They give me anxiety. However, after forcing myself to give Priory of the Orange Tree a try, I knew I could trust Samantha Shannon again. If possible, A Day of Fallen Night was even better. Tunuva was my favorite.

What a compelling book from Samantha Shannon! I absolutely loved priory of the orange tree and was very nervous/excited for this installment in the world of priory. Shannon has a way that just fully immerses the reader in her fantasy worlds with lush world building and dynamic characters.

No words could ever describe the love I have for this book. I genuinely tear up thinking about how much I loved it and the characters within it.

It was 800+ pages and I would have gladly read another 800 more. I just fell in love with every single character. I cried so many times. The writing destroyed me.

Tunuva and Esbar and their quiet lifelong understanding. Glorian is the most badass motherfucker I’ve ever read about and grows so much throughout the book. Dumai’s deep deep distrust of everyone.

God. It’s just all so good. I loved it even more than priory, even though it was definitely less plot-focused. I personally could not care less.

Another great read by Samantha Shannon! Despite being extremely long it didn't feel as daunting because of Shannon's writing. Will definitely be recommending it.

The Priory of the Orange Tree was epic, and all of the characters and world building were phenomenal (the book is huge for a reason! And well-worth the long read). A Day of Fallen Night is harder to get into and lacks the interest that readers of the Priory of the Orange Tree stuck around for.