This book was a very enjoyable read! I really loved the complex world building.
It was really nice to return to the setting that I loved in Priory of the Orange Tree. Every character’s arc felt pretty well-developed, and I enjoyed the pacing of this book more than I did with Priory. Overall, an excellent book! Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.

I absolutely loved Priory of the Orange Tree, so I was slightly worried going into A Day of Fallen Night because my expectations were so high, but Samantha Shannon absolutely slayed.

I will say that this one was a bit slower to start for me, and it took me a little while to truly feel like I was connecting with all of the different storylines. However, once I did, I couldn't help but be swept away by the rich imagery, beautiful prose, and epic plot. A Day of Fallen Night is (as reflected in the covers) a lot darker than Priory, but I still really enjoyed it. I definitely want to reread Priory now with all of the additional context and history A Day of Fallen Night brought, but I definitely need some time before my brain is ready to process more epic fantasy.

Thank you Bloomsbury for the advanced copy on NetGalley!

Though it’s a prequel it can easily be read as a standalone. One that will have you gripped from the start as you are immersed into the beautiful world Samantha Shannon has built. Set five centuries before THE PRIORY, it follows four women, each with their own story to tell, and how a series of events ultimately shape the course of the lives of all in their world.

I loved this story as it was enriched in themes of motherhood, strength, and the bonds of love and devotion to each other. Dragons, magic, and a powerful sisterhood, it has all the elements for a phenomenal fantasy that will sweep you off your feet. Thank you Samantha for creating these magnificent stories and sharing them with us all!

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

A Day of Fallen Night revisits the much beloved world of Priory (just 500 years prior to the events in Priory).

I found this book was a lot easier to initially get into, as I had already be introduced to the world in Priory of an Orange tree. I personally find the character storylines actually more interesting! I really enjoyed the book and Im so thankful I was given a change to read an advanced copy!

When I think back on Priory of the Orange Tree, the details are fuzzy. So much so that I looked for a recap before I dove into this one. To be clear: that isn’t necessary. I just wanted a reminder of that world. But frankly, the recap just doesn’t do it justice.

A Day of Fallen Night is everything I wanted from Priory that fell short. This one builds up slowly for sure, but that slowness lets you get to know the characters and the world so much better than I felt Priory achieved. I didn’t hate Priory (I rated it 4 stars), but I definitely struggled through it at times. In contrast, I savored this prequel. I didn’t want to finish almost as much as I wanted to finish, eager to know the story but not ready for it to end.

Were there still issues? Sure. I’m not sure I’ll ever remember every detail Shannon weaves in her web. To be fair, I’m not sure you have to. The details show the care and thoughtfulness and planning that went into this. Still, at some points I did wish for fewer details so I will acknowledge that.

But looking at the novel as a whole, I was wholly satisfied. I enjoyed finding the nods to Priory I was able to recognize (a testament, perhaps, that some of those details do stick). I also fell in love with these characters. Every one of them.

Plain and simple: this one is stunning. Savor it to the last word.

Thank you to Bloomsbury for providing me with an arc of this novel via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

A Day of Fallen Night is another epic female-centered tale by Samantha Shannon.

The prequel takes place 500 years prior to The Priory of the Orange Tree. There are rumors of destructive creatures having been released from Dreadmount, and each of the four different countries must decide how they will respond to this unleashed evil.

I am grateful that I read The Priory of the Orange Tree first as it established my affinity for the world. I was sucked in from beginning to end. A Day of Fallen Night is a slower burn. It took a while for the characters and places to develop, but once they did I was invested.

I’ve recommended The Priory of the Orange Tree to friends who grew up devouring Tamora Pierce and that recommendation holds true for this novel too.

Thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing for providing me with a digital copy to review.

I want to thank NetGalley, Bloomsbury & Samantha Shannon for the opportunity to let me read this book.

Let’s start off with the amazing cover. Whoever the cover artist is did an amazing job & with it being so cohesive with Priory.

I enjoyed how many povs there were. I feel like so many books would be better if we got more povs & this one just was dont perfectly.

I do wish that I had read priory first even though i know i didn’t have to. I think finding connections, especially since this is a prequel, would have been so exciting.

This book is high fantasy so if that’s not you vibe then i suggest finding something else. World building can be super tough for those who don’t typically read these types of books. I’d say about 200 ish pages of world building in the beginning but it’s definitely worth it.

I love the representation that the author brings to the book of people with all backgrounds. It’s wonderful to see authors including everyone.

I don’t want to give anything away because if i start talking I’ll spoil it for everyone.

Thank you again!

I was so incredibly excited to get back to the world from Priory of the Orange Tree. I originally read that book two years ago and was amazed by the world and the characters Shannon created. It was the ultimate peak of high fantasy that was led by the most badass of women. When I think of some of the "most popular" high fantasy, women authors and women characters are sorely lacking but Shannon is here to say "hold my beer" and puts them all to shame.

And that is how I felt about Priory of the Orange Tree but it holds exactly true for A Day of Fallen Night, as well. This is not a fan-service sequel, this is a beautifully crafted work of art.

If you take one thing away from my review, it would be this epiphany I had at about 70% of the book. There are four of what I would consider "major" POVs (Tunuva, Glorian, Dumai, and Wulf) and a handful of other major characters who have the occasional section. I realized I never once had an "I wish it wasn't /this person's/ POV right now" moment and not that books have bad POVs but there is always either one that is your favorite, one that is your least favorite, or one that just comes at a time when you're DYING to know what happens next somewhere else. This book? No such thing. I accepted each POV and said, "thank you, Shannon" because they were all so great and tense and moved the story along, even in ways I wasn't expecting.

Also, with this standing at just under 900 pages, there is so much going on in this book. It feels a bit more political that Priory as both Glorian and Dumai are navigating various degrees of hostility within the courts of their respective areas. There are heavy topics and themes around womanhood and motherhood (again, within courts with expectations of heirs but also the joy of choosing motherhood which was balanced really nicely). The price of duty and loyalty (to yourself, your people, your title). There are dragons and wyrms and magic. Lots of battles. It was very intense and very gripping. I read it quite slowly, usually around 100 pages per day, but it never dragged. If anything, there were parts I wish were longer.

My only regret? I do wish I had reread Priory before starting this one. Purely for selfish reasons because I am so curious how the events of Fallen Night are referred to in Priory and just the extra bit of context to how they lined up. But realistically, this would still act as a great standalone.

I really hope we continue to see books in this world because I will be reading them.

I didn’t know it was possible that I could love an epic fantasy as much as I loved Priory. In the beginning of 2020, I picked the book up and lived in it, breathed it, hid in corners and positively devoured it. It was the perfect place to escape into; a true feminist fantasy, completely self contained and ready to invite anyone in if they were only willing to move past its density. I find myself nearly three years later still trying to get people to pick it up, and many do! It’s such a lovely thing to be able to talk to others about Priory and muse on the lore.

Now. What if I were to tell you that A Day of Fallen Night is even better? Better pacing, stronger characterization, more depth and feeling? Would you believe me?

I took this one on slowly, and I regret putting this review out into the world so late, but I wanted to be sure it was out there before release day tomorrow.

Taking place 500 years before the start of Priory, A Day of Fallen Night has a few familiar faces, but is mostly new and fresh. We learn far more about other parts of the map, unexplored before, and the lore is extraordinarily organized, answering many of the questions I had been holding on to for a long time now. The world prior to the Grief of Ages is a very different one from the one we come to know in Priory, and watching it come undone as the Dreadmount erupts is devastating… but as devastating as it is, watching each of the protagonists tackle it in their own way was so satisfying. I can truly say I cared a great deal for each of the protagonists, and can’t say enough good things about Shannon’s pacing and character progression in this book.

I know I haven’t said a great deal here, but I’m keeping this review mostly vague on purpose. I knew very little of what to expect jumping in, and truly think this is the best way to experience Fallen Night. The book is a masterpiece, and I can’t wait for everyone to have it in their hands tomorrow!

Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with a free digital copy of Fallen Night!

I realize I‘m one of only a handful of people (at least on Goodreads) panning the latest book by Samantha Shannon, A Day of Fallen Night. But after attempting to connect with it for six weeks and 55 percent of the book, I‘m tapping out.

Here‘s why. I didn‘t connect with or enjoy more than one character. That one character only makes up a small portion of the book. The writing is ponderous, lugubrious, and dull. I‘ve considered DNFing since about 20%. Around 25%, I thought the pace and action would pick up, but it just hasn‘t for me. Life is too short to read books I don‘t enjoy.

I enjoyed two other books by Samantha Shannon, so it isn‘t her imagination or world-building overall. It‘s just that this prequel is not worthy of the later book, The Priory of the Orange Tree. I will certainly try more books by the author in the future. As always, YMMV.

Thanks to NetGalley, Bloomsbury Publishing, and the author for a digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for this honest review. The expected publication date for this book is 28 February 2023.

As a huge fan of Priory of the Orange Tree, I simply could not wait to get my hands on this next installment set in the same wonderful universe. I was worried that A Day of Fallen Night would not live up to its predecessor, which gave us brilliant characters, storytelling, and world-building, but I need not have been concerned because Samantha Shannon outdid herself with this prequel.

Taking place about 500 years before Priory, A Day of Fallen Night provides even deeper insight to this world while following a new set of characters. There are four main POV characters, and though I oftentimes find myself with a preference for certain characters over others in multiple POV stories, I was fully enraptured by each character's storyline and the ways they intertwined. I also loved the diversity of all the characters - it is something I especially enjoyed in Priory and I think it is handled even better in ADOFN.

Similar to when I first read Priory, I found ADOFN a bit slow to get into due simply to the amount of world-building needed to craft an epic fantasy of this caliber, but it was well worth the work needed to understand it. By page 150 I was absolutely hooked, totally drawn in by Shannon's beautiful storytelling, which manages to be both incredibly intricate and strangely comforting. I truly didn't want this story to end and even though it surpassed 800 pages, I honestly think I could have read 800 more. Alas, I will just have to hold out hope for a third installment!

Thank you Bloomsbury for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Total confession, I read this before Priory of the Orange Tree and I absolutely loved it. Shannon is the master at fantasy world building, so I don't think readers will be confused starting with A Day of Fallen Night. I was extremely interested in the characters from the get go and the writing is masterclass. I cannot wait for the release of the audiobook so I can experience it all again. Also, just a huge thank you to Samantha Shannon for writing LGBTQA+ characters that feel so authentic. Truly, this is everything I have ever wanted in a fantasy series! Dragons, political intrigue, magic, diversity... the list goes on.

Shoutout to the cover artist, because you can't tell me this isn't the most beautiful book cover!

Thank you Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for letting me read and review this book. I was so excited to get the chance to read A Day of Fallen Night! After reading Priory of the Orange Tree I knew I had to pick up another book set in this world. Shannon does a stunning job with world building, and creating complex and relatable characters. I think it is best to read Priory of The Orange Tree first, especially since A Day of Fallen Night is more complex with its politics and has more characters in it. It might be even more overwhelming just jumping straight into Fallen Night, without having read Priory first. Read whichever you want first of course. But I think it is more enjoyable because I read Priory first.

The cover is so beautiful! This story is set 500 years before The Priory of the Orange Tree, and is set around amazing, strong women. I loved the writing style, and am glad that this book was longer than the previous book. The ending didn't feel rushed. There are a lot of places, people and things to remember, so it can be overwhelming. I took notes and highlighted a lot in the ebook arc. I knew coming into this book that it would be a complex read where I would have to take notes, but knew it would all pay off. Shannon makes you care about each character, and envelopes you into this world of dragons, politics, and amazing queer characters.

I was instantly hooked from the beginning. The fact that this surrounds strong women, has great lgbtq+ representation, and has dragons was enough to draw me in! A Day of Fallen Night surrounds four women: Tunuva Melim, Sabran, Glorian, and Dumai. They are all intriguing and interesting characters to follow. I like seeing how their paths intertwine with each others, and with others throughout the book. I love the lgbtq+ representation. The characters are relatable and fun to follow. The story was a little slow at points, but overall it was full of interesting information and scenes. The build up to the ending had a better pay off than the previous novel. I can't wait for the next books in this series! I know Shannon didn't originally plan on this being a series, but I am glad it will be. Glad that we get to dive deeper into this fantasy world. The world-building is stunning. I loved learning about the lore, the characters, and the different religions in the different kingdoms. This book was even better than the first. I think Shannon's writing will just keep getting better and better as the books go on.

I can't wait to read the next installment in The Roots of Chaos series. She did say on Goodreads that it takes about three years of research and work to make these books, but it will be worth the wait!

Pages: 880 pages
Author: Samantha Shannon
Published: 2/28/2023
Stars: 5 out of 5 stars

‘A Day of Fallen Night’ is the prequel to Samantha Shannon’s ‘The Priory of the Orange Tree’. It’s the most epic of epic fantasies, reading like a story you’re being told around a campfire. This book is almost 900 pages but you hardly notice because there’s such a steady progress and movement from one plot to another. Samantha Shannon has such a way with worldbuilding—this book isn’t just a fantasy with dragons. It’s a generational story about mother and daughters and their bonds through years and history. Split into multiple POVs, the story splinters out, creating and connecting so many storylines that lead us to what will happen in ‘The Priory of the Orange Tree’ five hundred years later. Immersive and captivating, a must read for fantasy fans.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Reading this book as the initial first book to what looks like an amazing series, the world building and characters keep you wanting more. I haven't read the first book yet, "Priory of the Orange Tree", because I wanted a different experience in reading this saga.

Samantha Shannon is on to something with this universe. As a bookseller, these books are going to be compared to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, and possibly challenge them for reigning fantasy novels.

A day of fallen night

This is the prequel to the Priory of the Orange Tree. However, it can be read first or as a stand alone novel. My review is based on reading it this way (having never read the priory).

The first 200 pages or so are primarily world building and I mean WORLD BUILDING. I have never read such a high fantasy before. The plot, characters and world were so developed you could tell why it is an 800 page novel.

This is the longest book I’ve read and I think that should say something about how it can hold your interest! The beginning, middle and end all packed a punch with so many plot points surrounding the dragon war. However, there were many political insights spread throughout each kingdom that you could make present day references too.

I absolutely loved this one! RE-READ WORTHY. I think I might have to in order to digest everything. Thank you for the ARC Bloomsbury in exchange for an honest review! I will post my full review on my Instagram page on publication day.

Https://www.instagram.com/homebodyreads

I adored my time with A Day of Fallen Night. This is epic fantasy at its finest, with a story spanning years and continents and dozens of characters. While I enjoyed The Priory of the Orange Tree, I found A Day of Fallen Night to be even stronger in its storytelling. I fell in love with each of these characters and didn't want the book to be over—and as I came to the end, I actually cried.

I also want to note how well the representation was handled in this novel. Samantha Shannon clearly took so much care and research to depict a whole swathe of cultures and sexualities and genders, and all of it felt vital and essential to the story. This is how it's done.

I am so grateful to have read this book, and though I'm sad to say goodbye to the characters, I know it isn't forever, because I'll be rereading very soon.

Thank you to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for an early review copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

as a HUGE fan of "the priory of the orange tree," I was stoked to have gotten a chance to read an ARC of this prequel! it has all the aspects that'll have high fantasy readers completely in love with the story and its characters, from the characters themselves to the dragons to the world politics. I went in with high expectations and the goal to have zero comparisons to 'the priory' considering this is a prequel set 500 years before 'the priory' takes place, but I just wasn't too invested. I felt really overwhelmed with the characters and the vague introductions to each of them as well as the sloooow pacing (the first 100-175 pages was so hard to get through which is understandable considering this book is almost 900 pages). I was definitely struggling to keep up with the slow story and the characters that just weren't catching my attention. but a major aspect of this book that kept me reading was the world building/politics and samantha shannon's writing!!!! I may not have vibed too well with this one, but I'll never say a bad thing about samantha shannon's ability to create a world like this one and do it WELL.

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 decide 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.

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