A Day of Fallen Night is an epic fantasy of monumental proportions, with Samantha Shannon’s usual incredible world building, characterisation, and plot.

500 years before the events of The Priory of the Orange Tree, and 500 years after the rise of the Nameless One, a scourge descends on the world, worse than anything its people have ever faced. The Priory remembers, the Priory remains. The line of the Queen of Inys stands unbroken. The newest links in the chainmail of virtudom endure. But no one is ready for the Great Sorrow.

A Day of Fallen Night is enormous, not only in length but in scope. It tells four stories, in four lands, with four main characters whose perspectives are each shown and masterfully woven together to create a wider narrative. The world building is gorgeous, and each land has its own unique character and feel which makes it very clear where you are at all times. The perspectives felt distinct, and it was equally very obvious when switching between them whose story I was now reading.

The characters themselves are very diverse. Samantha Shannon is known for Priory being sapphic, but in ADOFN we also see gay, bisexual, and asexual main characters, as well as non-binary and transgender characters. The main characters vary in age, gender, and sexuality, and yet all of them feel vivid and real as you read.

As with many epic fantasies, there is a lot of world building and character introduction necessary at the beginning of the book which I still found very enjoyable, however once the plot pacing sped up I simply could not put it down.

If you enjoyed Priory, you will adore ADOFN. A breathtaking example of modern epic fantasy, I have no doubt I will read it again in the future.

This is a very huge book, I think that the hardcover could be used to reinforce hand and arms. This is a fabolous book with a complex and rich world building, a true sense of epic and great female character.
I savoured the details , the different reigns, the great characters. The different religions, the magic system and the powerful female characters, nuanced and well written.
Samantha Shannon is a great storyteller: I fell in love with this book since I saw the gorgeous cover and suffered from a serious book hangover when I had to say good bye to this world.
An epic reading experience.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

Absolutely stunning and epic. Samantha Shannon knows how to spin a tale. However, this was just not for me. I lost interest and I do not think this author is for me. Highly recommend for fans of Priory.

Phenomenal. Breath-taking. Complex, and well worth both the wait and the work - well, it’s not really work to read this. It was all pleasure.

To say this book is wide-sweeping would be an understatement. Set 500 years before The Priory of the Orange Tree, A Day of Fallen Night encompasses a whole world, with different religions, traditions and cultures. The complexity of this book! And then there’s the fact that I didn’t for one moment feel confused. The style of writing in each Kingdom was so distinct, that I knew immediately where I was (no reading ahead and then back again to figure out where I was!).

Matriarchal societies, societies where homosexuality is accepted (and in fact is nothing extraordinary), dragons, magic, did I say dragons? Yes, OK, I did, but I cannot stress enough how much I loved the dragons.

There’s over 800 pages of action, fighting, adventure, romance, politics, love, betrayal, religion, dragons (have I mentioned the dragons?), magic, strong women, noble men. Ah, I could go on - I won’t.

If fantasy is your thing, you’ll love this. If you’ve read and enjoyed Priory, you’ll love this. I don’t think it matters which order you read the two books in, they’ve been written as standalones in the same world. And, if rumours are true, there will be more - AND I CAN’T WAIT!!!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for my ebook copy. And you’d better bet your life that I’ve bought a hardback copy. I mean, look at that cover! It’s glorious - beautiful!!

And if anyone knows where I can get a print of the cover to go with the one I have of the Priory, I’d be eternally grateful. They’d both look so pretty, framed in time for my 50th this year (hint, hint!!)!

4.5/5

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.

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?

Thank you Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

The easiest 5 stars I've ever given. Priory has been my favourite book for several years, and honestly i was concerned that whatever book came next, it wouldn't live up to how incredible book 1 was. I was clearly wrong.

Day of Fallen Night has a bigger cast of core characters and POVs this time around, but this added to the narrative and world building, allowing us to explore more of the Priory verse around their globe. Samantha Shannon has such a natural way of building the characters up that you just can't help but fall I love with them.

Glorian was an unexpected gift for me. From the premise I expected to enjoy Tuva and Ez the most, with them being older queer warriors there's literally nothing to not like, but as layered and complex as they were, they still come second to Glorian. Her strength and resilience is something else.

The prose of this book matches that used in Priory, and I know its not for everyone, but I love it. Not only does it enhance the world building and scenes, but it just uplifts the narrative.

I can not wait for future developments that may come from this, I don't care how long I wait, I need more Roots of Chaos stories!

I was so glad to receive this ARC. The Prioty of the Orange Tree was an incredible read and having the oportunity to read its prequel felt like a gift from the divine.

Okay, I have some things to say about this book. Firstly, Samantha Shannon freaking KNOWS how to write epic, mindblowing fantasy stories like no other. The world building alone is incredible. To actually be able to write several different settings/countries, each with their own lore, traditions, and customs is absolutely incredible all on its own. Then she goes on to create fascinating, authenitc characters, each with their own stories that come together in the most amazing way possible. The depth she provides for each character, their complexity, their human flaws...my mind was blown.

Also, there are dragons, I LOVE dragons!!!

If I had to complain about something it would be its incredibly slow pace. I almost fell into a reading slump several times while reading this book. Sure, epic world building and complex stories need a lot of exposition, and it is all enjoyable for the most part, but there is too much information being delivered, and it is all too hard to keep track of. I had a hard time following the story sometimes and I couldn't read more than a few pages a day because absorbing all that information was exhausting.

I wanted to wait before publishing this review, as I happened to be seeing Samantha Shannon in Conversation at Waterstones Piccadilly (and also because my Broken Binding copies shipped so I wanted a cute picture).

Now I am concerned about how exactly to write this review in a way that doesn't spoil things for people who haven't read Priory, however it seems that the books can be read as standalones where you can dive into either one and not have had to have read the other but I will keep this spoiler free and brief.

In Shannon's own words A Day of Fallen Night is longer and gayer than The Priory of the Orange Tree, taking place 500 years before, and I think I'm going to leave describing the book there.

From the first line, you're hooked, the imagery Shannon creates is beautifully; you truly feel immersed in the world. When Shannon said she spent hours at the British Museum researching what a hat would be made of in a specific time period - she meant it, her dedication to world building and every little detail shines through in ADOFN (and Rabbit is the answer).

Now ADOFN is thicker than Priory, and for good reason - we finally get to the North and explore the Priory! ADOFN focuses on four main characters: Tunuva, Glorian, Dumai & Wulf and spans several years. The storylines initially seems independent but as we go along we see how they all connect with each other. The age and hierarchical difference in the characters was done exceptionally well, especially Tunuva who is older and really isn't a character you see in popular literature - fantasy or otherwise. I do think with the characters you either love them or hate them. I liked Glorian from the get-go she is smart, self-assured and cunning and I was in a way hoping for world domination for her. The world building I cannot stress enough Shannon creates religions from the Godsingers to the Virtudom of the Queendom of Inys. ADOFN is a world you want to explore.

Now I would say it is chunky, so pace yourself if you need to, don't feel overwhelmed or intimidated by it's size ADOFN wants to be read, however you choose to read it. I do recommend perhaps Audio-booking this, just for ease.

Final words? ADOFN demands to be read.

Thank you to Samantha Shannon and Bloomsbury for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

There's no two ways about it, Shannon's Roots of Chaos books are an undertaking to read. This one was even longer than <i>The Priory of the Orange Tree</i> and while a book being a chonky boi isn't something that generally ever puts me off, I'm well acquainted with the author's writing; there is never a wasted word nor a moment where you can scan over a descriptive passage. She always asks you to engage with every moment. Your reward for this is a fully immersive fantasy experience unlike any other. But if you're in the mood for light, undemanding fare then this is probably not the book for you at this time.



I loved <i>The Priory of the Orange Tree</i>. I won't claim it was flawless but it was a perfect book for me - the sapphic fantasy novel I'd always wanted. <i>A Day of Fallen Night</i> recaptures that immersive experience and tightens the story telling. It took me a little while to get into - Shannon uses the first twenty per cent of the book to set out her stall and doesn't rush. However, the narrative is still engaging enough to draw you in if you give it the chance.



<i>A Day of Fallen Night</i> is a subtle, slow burn political fantasy novel which explores various themes (which I'll get into) and while it does have plenty of action, it's main purpose is an examination of character interactions set against a backdrop of helplessness in the face of impossible odds.



It's told from four disparate POVs and Shannon moves us skilfully through different corners of her world, managing the enviable feat of making all of her ensemble cast equally compelling. It seems initially as if at least three of these POVs are all on separate trajectories and are unlikely to meet in the main plot and part of the joy of the story is unravelling how these pathways will collide.



Let's talk themes. Perhaps one of the biggest is how we all deal with being helpless and what choices we make when under that kind of pressure. The dragons in this universe and especially in this book are more like stand-ins for natural disasters. We frail humans cannot generally stand in the path of an earthquake or a volcanic eruption and expect to emerge the victor, and it is the same with the wyrms or western dragons, and to a lesser extent the hybrid creatures who follow them. The point here is that if you cannot solve the problem by swinging an ordinary sword at it, what choices do you make? This plays nicely into an examination of the interconnectedness of all things. When a global disaster hits, you may be striving to survive and find solutions, but so are other people on the other side of the world - people you have never met and will likely never know about. You benefit from their courage and endeavour as they benefit from yours. Therefore no matter how hopeless a situation appears, it is always worth fighting on in whatever way you can. No man is an island and perhaps you won't succeed for yourself but you might just tip the balance for someone else.



Another theme is motherhood and parental/ child love. Honestly, this theme would normally turn me right off because there is far too much 'mothers are saints and can do no wrong; isn't it sacred and beautiful' crap out there. However Shannon skilfully examines the issue from all perspectives and from a variety of different approaches to parenthood. Even mothers who mean well can do harm and on the opposite end of the scale, motherhood can also be used in toxic ways to 'own' a child. There's a look at changing perspectives from being the child recipient of parental love to becoming a parent too. And the always gut wrenching 'this is the world I must bring a child into' aspect told with nuance and empathy.



Another major theme is power. Who deserves power, if anyone? Who is worthy of it? And how far will you go to obtain and hold it? There was an interesting pont where one character is politically outmanoeuvred. Ordinarily, the reader would then be treated to several chapters of them out scheming the opposition in turn. I love a good battle of wits but what Shannon did was more interesting IMO. She had her character reassess why she wanted power and whether she could do better elsewhere. Sometimes, choosing to surrender, even temporarily, in a bid to do the least amount of harm, is the best choice. Surrender is not necessarily to be conflated with weakness.



I could on about themes, about every bit of meaning I extracted from the story on just one read (I'm sure there's more) but I'd advise you just to read the book. The world building is phenomenal. The prose is intelligent and beautiful. There are several sapphic romances told with nuance and featuring fully formed characters and a range of other diverse representation which shows diversity of thought rather than being a tick box exercise. The story is gripping and so multi layered and clever, I'm not sure I saw everything even now. Best of all the characters completely engaging. I loved this book. Highly recommend.#

Breathtaking, awe-inspiring and above all, an incredible read.
Samantha Shannon’s world-building once again triumphs, as we find ourselves 500 years before the events of Priory.
The very heart of this book is the three women - Dunai, Glorian and Tunuva - and the way their stories tangle and weave together.
Couldn’t put it down and barely noticed the length of the book!

I'm not sure exactly how to talk about this book, partly because it's a prequel and don't want to spoil those who want to read Priory first. However Samantha Shannon wishes to keep the books as standalone and I think they work beautifully like that and no matter what order you read them in you would get to enjoy the well crafted relationship between the books.

To cut to the chase I had so much joy reading it. There were just so many things I loved; dragons, diversity, adventure, love, intruigue, the sensory descriptions, the fast pace, the links with Priory and the connection between everything in this world, the good, the bad, magic and nature.....

It's a read for those who love to be lost in another world, but also with a strong heart as the action seems to ramp up by halfway and just doesn't stop, till you're gasping for breath. The page length actually helped me enjoy it even more as I got to spend more time with these characters,

I am so grateful to have gotten a netgalley copy, thanks to all involved.

First of all let me start by saying that I haven’t yet managed to read The Priory of the Orange Tree and man do I wish I had now. I’ve seen in other reviews that there were Easter eggs in this book referring to priory and I just wish I’d had the opportunity to appreciate them!

Overall, the book was absolutely beautifully written and is incredibly well thought out. I did find it hard to get into but I often find this with long ebooks. I’m sure after I read the other book I will only appreciate this book even more.

Finally, thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC!

It is an honour to review this book. The Priory of the Orange Tree means so much to me and getting to dive back into the world was a joy. I am so happy to get to share this experience with all of you.

Though not as good as Priory (because what really could have been as good as Priory), A Day of Fallen Night is a beautifully written prequel. It picks up a lot of the same themes as Priory and takes you straight back into this world. While I was a little slow to get into it (which I put down to the lack of dragons in the first half ) it soon picked up and reminded me what I loved about Priory,

This book is an epic. It is long and detailed and you have to buckle yourself in for a big commitment. But while some books this size are long winded and honestly not worth the effort, that's not true for either Priory or A Day of Fallen Night. It is worth the commitment and doesn't feel nearly as long when you buckle in and get reading.

My favourite parts, I think were the parts with Tunuva and Siyu. I loved seeing more about the Priory and what it was like in a time of peace. But I also really liked the bits with Glorian a lot and obviously the bits with Dumai and the dragons. It was nice that we had such a scope of storylines, with lots of themes to explore but it was also nice to see them connect together at the end.

I would recommend reading Priory again first though. I didn't have time for a reread and though I did remember a lot of stuff as I went on, I got a little frustrated that I couldn't remember certain details.

In short, this series is amazing but do reread before you get stuck in!

Samantha Shannon did it again. I really didn't think she could top Priory, which is one of my favourite books of all time but oh she did. The characters were rich and well created, I am actually hurt by the endings for some of them/ I love the little easter eggs that nod towards Priory and how certain things occurred due to the events in Fallen Night.
Honestly such an epic fantasy, it is immersive and beautifully written. It took me like 3 weeks to read but it was so worth it.
Thank you so much for an ARC copy!

Shannon does it again. If you thought Priory was a sprawling triumph of world building and storytelling, just wait until you get your hands on A Day of Fallen Night.

I won't lie, the beginning is slow - but that is a feature, not a bug. You are introduced to the characters in a way that makes it easy to keep track of them because there are several different points of view in the story. And each one of them is so distinct, you never have to wonder which character you're with at that moment. I fell in love with Tuva - it's so fantastic to see an older woman be (one of) the main character(s) in a fantasy novel like this. It was badly needed (or maybe I just need to get better at finding stories featuring older women as protagonists).

Not sure what else I can say without spoiling you for what happens in the book. After a while, each chapter feels like you're both catching up with a dear friend you haven't seen in a while and a tense and immersive episode of the latest award winning tv show. This is not a book you're going to fly through, not with the amount of pages, plot, characters and plain old story to go through; enjoy taking it slower, it's most definitely worth it.

Five stars and you bet I'm going to recommend my colleagues to add this book to our adult fantasy catalogue!

First of all, a massive thank you to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for my advanced copy of A Day of Fallen Night - this was one of my most anticipated releases of 2023 and I am so grateful that I got the opportunity to read it beforehand✨

I was blown away when I read The Priory of the Orange Tree and this book was no different. Honestly, Samantha Shannon is out of this world incredible! Five stars for this epic, breathtaking fantasy book…

Even though this is a chunky book, at nearly 900 pages, I knew there was nothing to worry about because of how beautifully written Priory was. As usual, I was so captured by the writing that I wasn’t even paying attention to what page I was on.

The worldbuilding was done so beautifully; the descriptions and setting almost felt real. The way that Shannon (yet agin) has woven the characters and storyline together is utterly flawless. How she is able to convey characters and their choices, which in turn affect characters on the other side of the world, is phenomenal. No detail has been missed. I really enjoyed the use of multiple narrative voices and how we come to realise how everyone’s tale is woven together. We watch them grow, learn and face the wyrms that have returned into the world.

The characters are so complicated and deep. I loved all of the main characters: Tunuva, Glorian and Dumai! We travel along their respective storylines with them and slowly they begin to intercept each other.

Overall, an incredible fantasy book with exceptional worldbuilding and attention to detail. Highly recommend if you’re wanting a diverse read with powerful female characters!

A great follow up to the Priory of Orange, continuing the epic great story.
Samantha Shannon can certainly write a great story.

4.5⭐️ rounded

Please note, I have not read the Priory of the Orange Tree.

Set 500 years before Priory, A Day of Fallen Night is a beautifully written, politically & religiously dense novel full of intrigue & action.

The overarching plot was well thought out & it kept me reading late into the night. I liked how the different POV’s were used to control the pacing & to give you better insight into the background & how the different areas are woven together. The pacing was pretty slow, but I knew that going in & my investment in the story more than made up for it!

I really liked all the main characters, especially Tunuva! Due to her character’s age, she felt the most well developed & her backstory absolutely broke my heart! (Would also not say no to an ichneumon of my own). Parts of Glorian’s storyline were definitely uncomfortable to read, however everything was handled with great care. Dumai & Wulf we’re both great, strong characters. I appreciated Shannon not shying away from tough topics with all the cast, it payed off very well.

Starting out without the base knowledge I assume you would have from Priory was definitely confusing! I would say I felt extremely confused about everything for the first 15-20% of the book, but after that initial set up, everything was fine! This is an extremely well thought out, complex world with a lot of different cultures & backstories, but Shannon never drops the ball & having that context later on in the book makes the masses of world building worth it.

Despite this being an 880 page book, I flew through it without ever really struggling. This is definitely a testament to Shannon’s writing, it is filled with beautiful prose & plot that made me want to keep going! The short chapters & switching POV’s definitely helped too.

Clearly I don’t really have any faults with the book, but 1/2 a star off the full 5? Only because I was very very slightly disappointed with how everything came together! 3 of the 4 different storylines came together in a relatively satisfactory way, if not in a pretty convoluted way, to be honest for me the Tunuva part was the bit that was stretched a bit too thin! But I was mostly disappointed in the way the Dumai storyline was interwoven, I really feel like there could have been something more substantial there & maybe a missed opportunity! But it’s such a minor issue in an overall great book!

Thank you to Bloomsbury and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.

A Day of Fallen Night is the long-awaited second instalment in Samantha Shannon’s Roots of Chaos Series. This is, in fact, a prequel, set just under five hundred years before Shannon’s original book, The Priory of the Orange Tree. It is possible to read the series (so far, at least) in any order. Although I have read Priory, my memories of both plot and characters were hazy going into this novel.

This book is very much one to add to my “books I expected to like, but inexplicably didn’t” shelf. I found it incredibly difficult to get into and the various characters difficult to distinguish and remember. Please note, however, that there is an extensive glossary of characters, terms and geography at the end of the book - not so easy to access when you’re reading an e-ARC! I also felt that the plot lost some of its momentum as the book progressed. The pacing was also somewhat strange at times - events which I would have expected to take many chapters were resolved unexpectedly quickly. Perhaps that is an inevitable consequence, however, of this being a single-volume tale rather than a muti-book saga.

I suspect that I will be in the minority with my reservations. Most people who enjoyed The Priory of the Orange tree will, I imagine, adore this book. Taking a step back and reviewing the book objectively, there is much to admire. It is refreshing, in such a male-dominated genre, to see so many strong and interesting female characters. This is very much a feminist tale. Those looking for Sapphic fiction need also look no further.

Not a book perhaps that resonated with me, but A Day of Fallen Night is sure to thrill other fans of the author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Circus for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In some ways, there are no words. The words "epic" and "breathtaking" get thrown around an awful lot with this type of book, but they are, quite simply, true. I was blown away by Priory of the Orange Tree. I thought it was amazing and the type of work that defines an author for the rest of their life. Fallen Night was even better and I was *not* expecting that.

The same flawless word building and well-defined characters were present, but there were also fantastic improvements in pacing, descriptions, word usage, imagery, and flow. It was magnificent. Some people are alarmed by the size of this book (and Priory), but I raced through it. It didn't feel like slow or like I was trudging my way through an endless tome.

I felt parts of Priory laboured over some of the politics and I remember finding it dull. There was none of that in Fallen Night. It was gloriously feminist, queer, beautiful, sweeping, romantic, and full of the most gorgeous prose. I also loved looking back at Priory and fitting some of the bits together. It is the kind of book that haunts. I find myself thinking of it, even though I've finished it.

Samantha Shannon has more than delivered with this absolute masterpiece.