The Mask Falling, despite being book four of a series, still only falls somewhat in the middle. At least to the best of my knowledge - and yet I still find it can be so addicting walking the streets of Scion with these characters I've come to care so much about.

I had put this series down for a little while after reading Mime Order and recently did a huge reread just before book 4's release. Something that strikes me about each reread of this series is that I enjoy it more each time though. It being at least my third time reading book 1 at this stage.
I don't know if it's finding more intricacies within Shannon's writing craft or falling more in tune with the characters, but either way I'm not complaining.

Oh, Paige, Dear, Paige. Each and every book I wonder how things can get worse for this girl and how yet I think by the end of this book she seems further up shit creek than she's ever been. We've gotten so many answers we've been craving for so long and yet so many more have been raised. Some alliances have been stabilised and yet fresh unbelievable betrayal still stings. (That one really hurt Samantha Shannon...jus' sayin')

We got to leave the streets of London for a little while and see what Paris was like under the Scion anchor.
I absolutely loved the amount of French influence that was weaved throughout. That if you have any background in the language or if you take the little time to look into the names of people and places you glean so much more. Please do take that extra time with it I highly recommend it!)

Paige is a character we've seen go through so much and go through many metamorphoses. She's in such a desolate place at the end of this last instalment. So, until book five, my heart hurts for her.

The Characters:
I loved seeing more of some of favourite characters from the series, especially Paige, and I loved meeting some new, very interesting characters. There were so many difficult moments for Paige in this book, but I thought that the way her character has developed and changed throughout the books, and especially in this book, has been really well done. Paige's development shows how certain events haven't been forgotten or brushed over, and although they were difficult to read, were written really well. I've loved seeing how much characters have changed so much from the first book to the fourth book, and I can't wait to see how much they change by the end of the seven book series!

The Story:
I loved this story and the way it developed. The setting of Scion Paris was so interesting to read about after having spent the first three books in other locations. It was really nice to explore a new city and see all of the secrets it held. The city was written so well that I really felt like I was there. As I mentioned above, Paige faces some difficult moments that were written really well, and this really added to the story. I felt so many emotions in this book, it was excellently written and I couldn't put it down. I had so many moments where I was going to read one more chapter...we all know it's never just one chapter!

Final Thoughts:
Overall I gave this book a 5 star rating (unsurprisingly). I absolutely loved reading this book and I cannot wait for the next books in the series. I had to have a moment once I had finished The Mask Falling to just sit with the book because of everything that happened in it and everything that could happen in the next 3 books.

After the ending of The Song Rising I knew this book would be a wild ride and would more than likely break me, and I was not wrong. This follows on from two weeks after the events of The Song Rising with the novella, The Dawn Chorus that fills in that 2 weeks between the two books.

I love Paige's character, she's been through so much and is still such a powerful, strong person, but here we get to see her overcoming what she sees as a weakness, but is actually the trauma from the torture she had to endure in the previous book. The pain, both physical and mental, was heartbreaking to read, but I think Samantha Shannon wrote it brilliantly. There was no quick fix to the trauma - like with real life, coming to terms with any type of traumatic experience takes time and it is hard, and this was really well reflected with Paige, as throughout the book she would have flashbacks and had triggers to remind her of the torture she endured. I loved seeing how Paige and Arcturus' relationship developed and I absolutely love them to pieces (even more than before).

This is the first book in the series set in a different country (not counting Paige's flashbacks from when she was a child in Ireland) and it was refreshing to see a different setting. As well as seeing Paris, we got to meet new characters, see how Paris deals with Clairvoyants and hear more about the other countries and how they are suffering and also trying to fight back. The whole ending of this book has left me in shock, I did not see the ending coming at all and I know the wait for book five is going to be painful, but I cannot wait to see how Paige deals with the events that happen in The Mask Falling because... wow.

I have to say I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked some parts and some not so much. I enjoyed the slow burn of Paige and Warden’s relationship. I think in this book we finally get to see their relationship develop as they have the chance to actually discuss how they feel.

I liked seeing other parts of this world and what’s happening outside of England and the characters we are introduced to and some characters we had previously met made an appearance again but I really missed Nick and Eliza. I hope we get to see them again in the next book! They were y favourite side characters and I truly think this book was weaker without them in it with Paige.

I had issues with the pacing and how slow the book was. It took me a while to get through it as I would put it down and not pick it up for days but the ending was more interesting. A lot happens at the end and I wish we could have gotten more of that instead. We get lots of revelations that have been building up in the last two books and it was interesting to get some answers of some of the mysteries and revelations of who was pulling the strings behind the scenes.

I’m still not sold on Paige and Warden as a couple though. I still think we don’t know much about Warden and how he feels and thinks outside of Paige’s perspective and it just meant that I couldn’t really connect with him despite being four books in. We get some more information about the Rephaim but they are still very much a mystery. By this point it made them less interesting as characters especially as we barely see them in the book. Also I feel a bit annoyed by the fact that some Rephaim have names like Arcturus and Terebell and yet the antagonists have PoC sounding names like Nashira and Suhail.

This book deals a lot with Paige’s recovery and how she manages after being tortured and the PTSD she has. I thought it was dealt with quite well seeing her struggle and freeze because of it. The lasting effects it had on her body physically. I really liked seeing that in the book.

When we first met Paige I really loved her and I loved how much she grew in the Mime Order but since I have felt she has become more reckless and runs head first before thinking things through which resulted in a lot of problems in this book and I just felt that someone who is supposed to be running a revolution needs to be less reckless. I think that’s why I missed Eliza and Nick a lot too because I felt they grounded her and guided her to be less reckless and think things through. The ending especially regarding Warden and how Paige dealt with it was something I wasn’t a fan of because we see them develop and yet Paige easily believes what happens at the end without questioning it until it is too late.

Overall I liked this book but I do have some issues with pacing and Paige’s arc (or seemingly lack thereof). I feel like there wasn’t a lot of progress in the book as to her goals to lead a revolution. It takes her the whole book to make the alliances necessary. I am hoping that the next book will have some more progression and we will hopefully see the characters from previous books again.

Thank you so much for my review copy!

The Mask Falling is the very eagerly anticipated third book in ‘The Bone Season’ series, which is expected to have seven books.

I was so excited to receive a copy of this book, thank you!

Samantha Shannon’s writing as usual is nothing short of gorgeous.

Set after the fast paced ending of ‘The Mime Order’, we are now following Paige and Arcturus as they are now in the Scion Citadel of Paris.

Paige has narrowly escaped death, and the recovery process Paige goes through after being tortured is difficult to read at times and I felt my heart go out to the character so many times.

I loved the descriptions of Paris, it’s a city I’ve only been a few times but I’ve always loved and I so enjoyed visiting through Paige’s eyes!

The romance between Paige and Arcturus is frustrating and adorable at the same time.
Arcturus starting to give a bit of sarcasm and humour was one of my favourite things about this book.

The ending, omg. I was not expecting it to be so....abrupt!
I don’t want to give any spoilers but oh my goodness, I need the next book!

I can’t wait for the next instalment in ‘The Bone Season’ and will be eagerly awaiting!

This book was fantastic! Such a great continuation of the bone series- I couldn’t put it down! And as for the ending, I was blown away. I can’t wait for the next book!

The Mask Falling is the long-awaited fourth instalment to The Bone Season series, and I'm glad to announce it was worth the wait. This brilliant series combines the breadth of high fantasy alongside more traditional dystopian developments to create a truly unique, richly detailed world that I can't get enough of. The Mask Falling expands the setting outside of the UK and delves into the political mechanisms of Paris. A book that tackles both deeply personal and large scale conflicts; it's my favourite of the series so far, and I wish Samantha Shannon could give me more immediately.

If you love books that will make both you and the characters suffer, this series is for you. Paige Mahoney is not only recovering from excruciating torture, trauma, and physical illness but also large scale threats she cannot ignore. Giving herself no time to rest, she throws herself into dangerous situations again and again; she's reckless, brave, and idiotic all wrapped up into a selfless bundle. I love her character so much, and it broke my heart to witness the gruelling journey The Mask Falling sent her on. I say this in the best kind of way; this book broke my heart.

Don't think that this book gives you a chance to rest either, plot twist after plot twist, near-death experience after near-death experience; I was on the edge of my seat the entire ride. Especially that ending! No spoilers, but I am absolutely destroyed by the reveals, how much it twisted and turned, how much it changed everything. I will never forgive Samantha Shannon for not immediately releasing the next book in the series, give it to me, don't leave me like this.

That being said, my favourite moments in the book were the slow, intimate times Paige and Arcturus shared together. The way their relationship developed, the strength of their bond, of their understanding blew me away. I have so many big feelings about the two and their character growth. This book was both the most romantic of the series so far, and the most emotionally complicated.

I'm scared to see where the rest of this series will go, every book ups the stakes even more. The way the series started on a relatively small scale and slowly built up into a true epic increases the stakes without it feeling forced. More and more of the inner-workings and extent of the conflicts are revealed through each book. It's as if new parts of the world, new factions, new villains are consistently stepping forward from the shadows. Once you know, you realise they've always been there.

Samantha Shannon doesn't lose grasp on the smaller, personal conflicts the Paige faces. Her relationship with Arcturus, what it means to her, what she wants. Her recovery from the torture she suffered in the third book, incorporating both her physical weakness and mental trauma. As the world expands, Paige is the readers rock, she's our tie to the rest of the series, and her struggles are given just as much page time as the wider conflict. I love that Paige is allowed to be weak, the impacts of her trauma affect her, as much as she wants to she can't ignore the horrible events she's lived through. The Mask Falling further cements Paige into a multi-dimensional character who truly feels alive.

As you can tell, I loved this book a lot. From the characters to the high-stakes plot, from the betrayals to the intimate moments, it was brilliant. I'd highly recommend picking up this series, and I'm eagerly awaiting the next book (and crying I don't have it yet).

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Mask Falling tries to do too much. Too many locations, too many capture/rescue missions, too much war (and not enough clairvoyant action).

After the finale of The Song Rising I was ridiculously excited to read this, and I was... Disappointed. I felt like it was a bit of a slog to get through. The slow burn romance between Paige and Warden at this point just felt incredibly irritating and honestly he didn't even seem all that much like a romantic interest in this book.

The Bone Season remains one of my favorite books—I love the quiet atmosphere of Magdalen, Paige’s slow-but-steady sleuthing, and the distinct, purposeful, and developed secondary characters. The Mask Falling lacks all of these for me. The plot felt frantic, and I often felt that the characters made choices only to advance the plot. (The Paige/Warden twist at the end, UGH! She has more agency and intellect than that chapter grants her.)

The final chapter sets up how the next book will begin, and I’m hoping it focuses on one or two plot developments so Paige can find her footing again.

The Mask Falling took its sweet time to get published (not complaining), but it was worth waiting for!

It took me a little bit of time to get me back into the story, but I guess it’s because it’s the fourth book in the series and the last installment was published back in 2017. So I forgot a lot of things that happened, but the memories slowly came back and that’s when I became fully involved in the story.

And what a story! I found this one way more action-packed than the previous installment, but it might be because I have read them a while ago and don’t particularly remember. Nevertheless, there isn’t one chapter that feels like the story is dragging. The pacing is on point and Paige is letting the reader no peace. I’m not going to dive too much into the plot since this book is part of an on-going series, but Shannon still manages to make me guess what’s going to happen next. She always surprises me, and my predictions are never correct.

Characters-wise, I can safely say that Shannon writes my favorite villains ever! I love them and I’m so excited when they finally appear. Even though I wish the main antagonist was more present, we barely see them. To be honest, there isn’t one character that I don’t like (which never happens!), they are all so well-crafted and it’s even more clear in this one. As we discover the Republic of Scion France, we are introduced to a whole new cast of characters while meeting once again some characters we already know which I yearn to see again.

I cannot end this review without talking about Paige and Warden. Their relationship evolves so much, and Warden was so sweet to Paige throughout the book that I just couldn’t deal with it! (Yes, at that point, it’s just me fangirling). I like that Warden is always there to support Paige in whatever she is doing even though he doesn’t always agree with her ideas. I wish more books would portray healthy relationships like theirs.

I can’t wait for the sequel especially because of all the revelations that happened at the end of the book! I’m willing to wait for 10 years if it means each sequel will be as awesome as this one.

On a side note, I appreciated the fact that they added a character list at the end of the book which recaps what occurred in the previous books, so don’t worry if you don’t remember everything (just like me!), the recap is there for you.

The Bone Season series is one that continues to keep growing with every instalment and The Mask Falling was no exception. The world opened up, giving us a glimpse of another City crippled by Scion as Paige joins a covert network of spies trying to take down the government from the inside.
Paige continues to remain true to her impulsive nature while also taking the time to process the events of the last year and rebuild relationships that have suffered as a result of the constant turmoil of her life.

The pacing in here is a well balanced mix of slow-burn character development & dynamic action scenes with shocking plot twists. The twist that this book ends on should honestly be a crime.

I loved getting closer to the truth of the Bone Season world throughout this instalment. 4 books deep and there are still a lot of mysteries to unravel and I enjoyed inching closer with every chapter.

Overall The Mask Falling just further cemented The Bone Season as one of my favourite series of all time and I am eagerly anticipating book 5.

What can I say about The Mask Falling that hasn't already been said. This series is one of my favourites and it is one I highly recommend to people.
The fourth book does not disappoint. The plot is as engaging, thrilling and in places, devastating as its predecessors and leaves you hungry for the next instalment.

I received this book from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

This series continues to hit for me and the tension I continuing to rise, even when you think it can't possibly go any higher! It's truly a testament to Samantha's amazing writing.

Paige is such a great main character - in this book she is seriously suffering, and we go through that with her. We see her doubts and her strengths and it is glorious. She has her moments of being a complete idiot (I was screaming at her by the end of the book!) but it's not hard to see why she could believe things that none of us want to be true, given her history. It also makes her more human. Paige is far from perfect, and makes many mistakes. But she keeps trying and making headway in her fight, and this is what makes me love her.

This book really ramps up the stakes by taking things international. I love Paris, and it was great to see it come to life in the same way Samantha has brought Oxford and London to life in previous instalments. I found it really intriguing to see differing views from the French, both in the underworld and in the government.

And that ending. Wow. The wait for the next book will be so hard.

All this said, there were a couple of things that dragged down my rating a little, despite my love of the rest. The first is that it's a little wordy - possibly not a surprise as each book has been getting longer, and there is a lot crammed in here. But I wasn't sure if it could have been sped up in a couple of places to stop it feeling a little slow. The second is the sex scene. I know people who LOVE it and think it's great, so this is obviously a personal thing, but it felt sort of awkward to me.

As I said, I do love this series, and I love Paige (even when she's being dumb), so this high 3.5 star rating is more reflective of what I hoped for I think. I definitely still recommend you pick it up!

The Mask Falling destroyed me a bit.

I'm not going to do into too much detail, as this is the kind of book people should know as little about as possible when they go in, but if you're at book #4 of a series, you know the basics: Paige Mahoney lives in the Republic of Scion, a tyrant dystopian regime that hides a corrupt, dangerous centre. She's gone from prisoner, to become an Underqueen who launches a rebellion, to a fugitive on the run and drafted into a spy operation in France.

One of the things I loved about this instalment is that it's a quieter book, in some ways, to its predecessors. A lot has happened over the past ten months in three novels, and Paige has had little time to come to terms with it. Having being tortured in the last book, she must acknowledge and come to terms with it, both physically and mentally.

A LOT happens in this book, seeds that were sown in the very first book finally bloom, and a growing sense of dread that's been building throughout finally explodes towards the end. We're left with an absolute cliffhanger of an ending, and I can't wait -- and also dread, a little -- for what's in store. Only three books are left, and the stakes have only become higher.

This was one of my most anticipated books of 2021, and I am very happy to have been able to read it early thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.

I love the world Samantha Shannon has created and the characters are all well fleshed out. However this volume fell just a bit flat for me. The distress and recovery of Paige was excellent, and that was a strong point. But the amount of times that girl is captured and then escapes or is rescued felt like it took up all of the book. She makes some very silly choices and follows reckless ideas which normally wouldn't be an issue but felt out of place in this book because of the recent events and her subsequent reactions to them. There was just something missing.

I would still recommend this book and will read the next one because I am 100% invested in this series but for me this was not as strong as the previous 3 books.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you Bloomsbury & NetGalley for providing me with the e- arc of The Mask Falling by Samantha Shannon. I’ve tried to provide a spoiler free review that is honest & unbiased.

I had to catch up on the series first, which had been on my TBR for far too long, but this book is set 10 months on from the first with a prologue set at the end of The Song Rising.

By this point Warden and Paige are both fugitives, no distinction, just two equals on the run in a new citadel, which provides more opportunity for Paige to learn about the Rephaim and more opportunity for us to learn more about that and see their relationship develop.

We also find out more about this new citadel and the survival of the vayan to population, plus a host of new characters - and of course the rebellion itself!

Add in the world-building, the diversity of characters and the minds blowing action...trust me, there is no lack of action and Samantha Shannon does it again. I can’t wait to see where we go next, but I will be honest in saying I’m still she’ll-shocked by the ending!!!

An amazing read that had left me gripping in for dear life as I await the next chapter!

4.5 stars

THE MASK FALLING is a triumphant return to the world of THE BONE SEASON. After a four year gap since the last book (and aren't I glad I only started reading this series in 2019, lol), Paige returns and Samantha Shannon takes us to Scion Paris.

It is a fast paced and full of twists and turns. There is so much packed into this book - action and quiet moments - as well as a whole new city to explore. I gulped this book down, hooked by the action and intrigue, unsure how it would all play out.

The French Inquisitor (Menard) is such a good character, and after hearing a lot about him behind the scenes in previous books, it was so fun to see him in person - have him and Paige interact. This is the book where you can really see how big the world and story is, so many little hints trickling through and building up as clues slot into place - and then you realise just how much more there is to come.

I really appreciated the time taken to acknowledge and engage with the fact that Paige does have sever PTSD after everything she's been through. She isn't magically well, but physically weak and dealing with the mental and emotional consequences.

I was lucky enough to attend one of the launch event, and Samantha Shannon mentioned that writing PRIORY in third person had allowed her to unlock a deeper descriptive side to Paige. Having just read all THE BONE SEASON instalments back to back (which, I have to say, I enjoyed the earlier books much more in this the 2nd or 3rd read!), I can really see what she meant. The descriptions are still sparse in this book, being in keeping with Paige's voice, but they are written with gorgeous turns of phrase. They are particularly good when it comes to describing light - there is a very lyrical quality to those.

There is a chapter that has particularly been asked (by the author) for people not to share spoilers for. The spoiler-y thing was the one bit that felt overdone in this book for me - overdone and unlikely. Which made Paige's reaction and emotions in the following chapters until the second half of the revelation seem like she was missing the obvious. The approach I'm taking is that it's the affects of everything she's been through - particularly Jaxon and Suhail in THE SONG RISING - that makes her react that way.

Bring on the next book! I can't wait to see what locale we go to next. Bulgaria? Athens? Sweden? Into war-torn Spain and Portugal? All these places seem to have been set up over the last few books, so maybe?

The highly anticipated fourth book in The Bone Season series which picks up as Paige and Arcturus are hidden in the Scion Citadel of Paris.

This has quickly become my favourite book in the series slow to build at first as you get to know Scion Paris once it picks up it sent me on a roller coaster if emotions where you can't predict where this series is now headed or who Paige can and cannot trust.

Writing this review will be hard. Not because I can’t find words but because I have found so many of them and have to put them in a shape that makes sense. To be honest, this review could be simply a gigantic „AHHHHHHHHHHH“ and it would express my feelings perfectly because in that scream every single emotion could be found. And believe me, reading The Mask Falling really had me going through every. single. emotion. I apologize in advance in case something doesn’t make sense but I cannot express how hard this book hit me. But I guess I have to start somewhere.

The book starts out rather quiet. Not slow, but quiet. It gave me something I have craved for 3 books: domestic Warden and Paige. And it was so well executed, two people who have gone through so much living together, things between them they can’t put into words. But there was such a gentleness and I am not lying when I say I would read five books of just Paige and Warden being domestic, walking around a house and not having to care about anything but themselves. That said, I loved their whole relationship throughout the book. It was just so well written, so on point. How they accept each other, how deeply they understand each other. It really was a beauty to read about.

But every single character is just written so well. *chef’s kiss*. Everyone has a backstory that made them what they are, each of them has their pack to carry and a certain set of abilities and knowledge. I can’t say in mere words how much the whole cast of characters means to me. In my opinion, the trauma was extremely well written. The characters, and especially Paige, act out of what has happened to them, they carry trauma and they act according to it. It is hard and painful to read, but it also feels like as if those characters lie down their souls to the reader.

I really, really enjoyed the new characters. They’re different from the characters we already know, but I have to admit that I took an immediate liking to them. There is so much to explore yet. There are so many questions and theories in my head right now when it comes to Paige’s new friends but also her new foes.

The setting of Paris was also truly a delight to read about. Paris is one of my favourite cities so I knew a lot of places Samantha Shannon was writing about and I could picture them in a Scion-world very well. I also enjoyed that not every single French word was translated but was allowed to stay for itself. I love seeing other languages in books, it makes them more real. And The Mask Falling is definitely no exception to that, oh no. The French made it richer.

And the plot. Oh, so much happened. There was so much action, so much happening and I was just sitting there, eyes glued to the page except for those moments I couldn’t take it anymore and had to put the book down and take a breath. I loved the action scenes that had a few quiet moments inbetween, before the next scene of drama came. Please, give the characters a break. And give me a break because my heart can’t take it.

I haven’t felt this much about a book in a very long time. I am deeply invested in the characters and their story, and this book, while it was so full of action, also furthered character development so much and so well. There was a lot of plot, yes, but for me the focus was always on the characters and how and why they act the way they do. Samantha Shannon managed to find the perfect middle of characterization and plot and I will forever be in awe over that. The Bone Season series is not one of my all time favourites for nothing and The Mask Falling just proved it yet again. I stand by what I said: an „AHHHH“ would be the only way to correctly express myself and until I have stopped yelling, I urge everyone to read this series so I have more people to yell with.

I’ll start by saying that this book is super dark. Anyone who may have read The Dawn Chorus novella likely knows exactly what I’m talking about here, but the book is very much centred around Paige coming to terms with the traumatic events of the last novel, and about how that trauma impacts on her position as the figurehead of the fight against Scion. I really liked that Shannon examined this side of Paige in great detail, and that it felt like the impact on Paige was actually addressed. It’s something I see quite often in fiction, where major trauma and upheaval are an issue for a handful of pages and then they’re no longer a thing. I think it was refreshing to see a novel really delve into the physical and psychological impact on a character were not just a trivial plot device, but were actually part of an ongoing journey towards recovery. While it got very heavy and uncomfortable at some moments, it didn’t feel like any of these scenes were included just for shock value either, and I totally love Samantha Shannon for handling such a difficult and painful subject matter with delicacy and empathy.

That being said, there were some moments in the book where Paige’s character annoyed the heck out of me, and I know my friends felt frustrated at the same scenes. Paige has always been a touch daring, and she often throws herself into her plans without real concern for her safety. At the same time, she comes across as quite calculating, and while she seems willing to risk her own neck for her missions, there’s never been a sense that she does it without purpose. I guess what I’m trying to say is that she’s often bold with her plans, but rarely completely reckless. I had wondered, given the consequences of her sacrifice in The Song Rising, whether or not she would be a bit more hesitant to put herself and the people around her into dangerous situations. I will say that she does think about it, pretty frequently, but there are definite moments where she seems to be very reckless, and does things without seeming to think about them too much. It seemed a bit out of character for Paige, although Shannon has proven herself to be a brilliant writer on so many occasions, that I’m willing to give her series the benefit of the doubt here, because I wonder if there’s more going on that the reader can’t see yet. Anyway, I’m holding out hope on this front.

That benefit of the doubt also includes the very confusing moment towards the end of the book. I can’t give away too much as it is absolutely a spoiler, but there’s a moment when Paige overlooks something very obvious, that hints towards another character’s motivations. Again, I think there’s some aspects of this un-Paige like behaviour that make a certain amount of sense, especially given the lingering trauma she faces.

As ever, the descriptions in this book are beautiful. While Scion London will always be an amazing setting, and I loved seeing the Mime Order, I did appreciate getting to see a whole new setting unfold throughout this book. One of the brilliant things Shannon does so well as an author is the attention to research and the weaving of knowledge into her writing. I was fascinated by the Court of Miracles and the underground world of Paris, and the glimpses of Parisian landmarks that we’re given in the novel. The book really brings Paris to life, and the setting acted almost like a whole extra character in the background. Even though I really hold out hope that we might one day get to see Paige returning to Ireland, this adventure in Paris was rich and exciting. My favourite scene of all was a brilliantly choreographed fight in a very famous building. Again, I can’t say too much, but Shannon really knew how to bring out the dramatic elements of that fight by using the setting to play up the tension. So so good.

The new characters are also well developed and I feel like they’ll add a lot as the series goes on. I can’t wait to learn more about government in Paris, as well as the Court of Miracles and the part they might play. What’s great is that the reader is frequently made to feel like Paige, constantly questioning the intentions and trustworthiness of the people she’s working with, or even her enemies from time to time. Shannon doesn’t pull any punches here, and the politicking behind a lot of the motivations in the book is deliciously complex, leading to a lot of tension and twists and turns in the plot.

There are some moments when I thought The Mask Falling fell a bit short of my high expectations. As I said before, this book is chunky, and there were plot points in there which felt a bit unnecessary. Again, I can’t say much owing to spoilers, but the same plot goal happens several times throughout the book, and it just felt quite back and forth by the end and a little bit predictable on that front. Which was a shame because, as I mentioned, the characters were so complex, and I didn’t know who Paige should trust, and that could have been even more exciting if the plot hadn’t been quite so easy to guess in places.

Overall, I’d give The Mask Falling an 8.5/10. I think it is another great entry into a phenomenally brilliant series, and it has definitely increased my excitement for the next instalment. And I thought Shannon did a great job of exploring a whole new city and bringing it to life as well as introducing some characters that I’m dying to see make an appearance in the next book. There were a few moments that fell a bit short of my expectations, and which felt frustrating, mostly because Paige (and other characters) behaved in ways that felt out of character and it seemed like some choices were made to advance the plot, rather than because they fit with what the characters would have done. It didn’t ruin the book for me (obviously, I loved it) but I do hope that the next novel is a little bit more nuanced with that, and perhaps delves even deeper into characters’ motivations for their actions.

How to review The Mask Falling.... I read this book cover to cover in a very brief amount of time, and the second I reached the last page, I swallowed hard and immediately turned back to the very first page to read this exceptional novel all over again. Every moment of the four year wait for the fourth instalment of Samantha Shannon’s Mime Order septology is forgiven once you start reading. The Mask Falling is the perfect midpoint for the series, anyone who has stayed with Paige this long will experience every possible emotion right along with her and the final chapter is a gutting knife twist which will make the ensuing wait for Book 5 truly agonising.