Well, thank you SO much for this ARC. I absolutely love Samantha Shannon’s writing and this is no exception.

It’s a prequel to The Priory of the Orange Tree (taking place not long before Priory, rather than several hundreds year earlier like A Day of Fallen Night) so there are characters that will be familiar to you if you’ve already read Priory. Although if you haven’t read either of this series, Among the Burning Flowers could be a good place to start if the length of the other novels is a bit daunting since it’s just under 300 pages.

I was actually quite glad for a shorter read but I ended up wishing it was longer - I’d have gladly read more about any of the characters here, especially Marosa and I’ll probably pick TPoTOT up again soon.

Anyway, whether or not you’ve not the Roots of Chaos books, I’d recommend this (and if you haven’t read Roots of Chaos already, you’ll want to once you finish this). Easily 5/5

Another absolute winner from Samantha Shannon.

Burning Flowers is a brilliant entry point into the universe of The Priory of the Orange Tree. Though technically a prequel, it works beautifully as either a standalone or a starting place for new readers. At just under 300 pages, it’s far more digestible than Priory, and offers a rich introduction to the world, lore, and tone of the series without the initial intimidation of a doorstopper novel.

For returning fans, there's plenty to enjoy—familiar names, narrative threads that echo events in Priory, and a deeper look into characters who didn’t have their own perspectives in the main book. But what really impressed me is how effortlessly it stands on its own. The multiple points of view are handled with care, and the interwoven narratives lay compelling groundwork for what's to come. Finishing it left me itching to revisit the main novels all over again. Whether you're new to the series or a longtime reader, this novella offers a satisfying and engaging glimpse into a world well worth exploring.

I enjoyed this for many reasons.

It is a prequel to The Priory of The Orange Tree, and it really helps set up several events that happen, and gives you some backstory to characters who's POVs you don't get in Priory. However it's also a really approachable starting point for the series. Burning Flowers is a novella at about 300 pages, so it means that if the though of Priory is too daunting a place to start. This is a really good entry point as it sets up the world and can be read as a standalone, and you can get a feel for the history and writing style before going onto Priory.

I enjoyed it as there were links to things and characters we saw in Priory so I got something out of it as a long time fan, but it's also written in a way you can go into with no prior knowledge and it completely holds it own as a story. And I imagine had I read that first I'd have had to dive into Priory to see where it all goes from there!

I enjoyed all the different POVs and how they link and weave together to lay some amazing foundations, and it was so nice to dive back into this world again. It makes me want to go back and reread the other two again!

Among the Burning Flowers is another prequel to The Priory of the Orange Tree, but it is set very close to the happenings in Priory - contrary to the prequel A Day of Fallen Night, which takes place a few hundred years earlier.

We follow 3 POVs throughout this novella - Marosa Vetalda, the crown princess of Yscalin, Aubrecht, (soon-to-be) High Prince of Mentendon and Marosa's fiance, and Estina Melaugo, a culler living in Yscalin.

My favorite POV to follow is Marosa's. We see firsthand how the so strategically advantageous position of Carscaro is looking like a prison nightmare as soon as the dragons woke up. Her situation was so unique and her position during <i>Priory</i> is so much clearer now. I felt so sorry and bad for her throughout, seeing her dreams of escape from her controlling father being crushed again and again... and all her other hopes of getting news out, or help from outside being dashed.
The most memorable scene was of her in the cave with Fyredel - I saw in my eARC that we will get an illustration in this section, and i can just feel that this will be a stunning one!

Aubrechts history and perspective of the happenings are equally soul-crushing as Marosa's. The yearning for peace and his familys health and safety are palpable throughout. The novella takes place over a few years of time, and to see him try again and again to get help to Marosa, only to fail over and over... it was heartbreaking.

Estina's POV and story was quite a struggle for me to follow - at first I was not sure why her POV was included at all, since she was so removed from the happenings in Mentendon and Carscaro. It is the only section that kept this book from a full 5 star read.
Only towards the end of her section did I realized that was was the eye of the people of Yscalin, how they felt and experienced the rise of the Draconic Kingdom, and the overtaking. The love story between Estina and her lover, reuniting and rekindling their connection after so many years of estrangement and hurt was a balm on my crushed soul.

The writing in this novella was captivating! I finished it way too quickly in about 2 settings. Trying to spread it out over a longer time to really savour it did absolutely not work! I wish we could have seen even more of Marosa's POV from the timeline of the Priory, but I guess we do need some things left to our imagination.

Knowing what happens after does in no way diminish the enjoyment i had in this story. It is a great companion piece that slots neatly in.

I'm giving this fully deserved 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 for GR. An absolute must-read for fans of Roots of Chaos!

Wow! This had questions about Priory I didn't realise i had! It flows so well and explains what happens before the start of Priory Of The Orange Tree. I love how Samantha Shannon writes this series, all her characters are so fleshed out (pardon the pun) and the amount of lore and ties to all the different lands/characters link together.

Very much looking forward to my physical copy arriving in September to see what the artwork and map looks like

What a joy it was to return to the incredible world of The Priory of the Orange Tree. Among the Burning Flowers sees the first sparks of danger that threaten to consume the world in The Priory of the Orange Tree.
First off, I devoured this book so fast! It's just under 300 pages, and I flew through them. Samantha Shannon’s writing is once again absolutely phenomenal, lyrical, and so immersive that you can’t help but fall right in.

This is a story about resilience in the face of overwhelming odds and a deeply tragic tale. I especially loved uncovering more about the pasts of familiar characters like Aubrecht and Marosa. Learning more about Marosa in particular was fascinating. She’s such a layered, powerful character, and this book gives her the space she deserves.
Reading this has made me want to experience The Priory of the Orange Tree all over again. Everything feels even richer after reading Among the Burning Flowers. If you're wondering where to begin your journey in this world, I’d recommend starting with A Day of Fallen Night, then moving on to Among the Burning Flowers, before diving into The Priory. You'll appreciate all the depth even more.

Thank you netgalley for the e-arc!

Im new to the Priory world so this was a nice point to start, the other 2 books were always intimidating somehow to start.
But now, I just cant wait to start in the priory of the orange tree.
Definitely a recommendation for people who want to get started in the series.

The FMC got my attention right away , she got me pulled in her situation and I just wanted to dive in and not stop to see why this is happening and what will happen next. The worldbuilding even in the short book was already so good , also the characters were already well written

Im a big fan of The Bone Season but I guess this series will be on whole other level.

I could hear the lava crackling and feel the heat.... !

Among the Burning Flowers transports us into 500 years after the last Wyrms and Wyverns have been seen. People have formed new alliances, found new saints and maintained their prejudices all the same. Oh how quickly we forget what truly matters!

The main characters feel instantly "warm", as if we are listening to an old friend tell the tale of their life before meeting us. The plotting is impeccable and the character's trials and tribulations feel true.
It is a shorter than usual read, however, it holds the same magic and immersion we have gotten to associate with Samantha Shannon's craft.

This was an obvious 5 star read and I am going to read The Priory of the Orange Tree right after (again).. emotionally satisfying and you'd do yourself a favor in adding this to your list of "Things I need to buy" !

Thank you to Samantha Shannon, Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc for giving me these Burning Flowers !

(5/5⭐️) 📚 Thank you NetGalley for the eArc of ‘Among the Burning Flowers’ - the prequel to ‘The Priory of The Orange Tree’. I have always been fascinated to know Morosa‘s story within the Roots of Chaos series. It was clear the sacrifices she had to make in the first book, but to know the lead up and what sort of person she was before the second Grief changed her. What I didn’t expect was to become so invested in Aubrecht, only to slowly remember what happens in the next book…trying not to spoil here!🥲

I wished we got more chapters of Estina because her character was the most interesting due to her crazy Culler career but I understand that Morosa and Aubrecht’s stories are more relevant and help to ease reads into ‘The Priory of The Orange Tree’. I do agree this is a good introduction book, though you won’t hear from these characters until 25% through or more, so newcomers to this series, please remember what’s happened in this book when going into the next. There is so many more characters to come, so you’ll probably forget important information you learnt now haha.

The series is amazing, I’m so glad this novella is coming to make it more accessible to people. I still have ‘A Day of Fallen Night’ left to read, just need to build up to courage to have my soul destroyed.

Take your first steps into the epic.
Yscalin, land of sunshine and lavender, will soon be ablaze.
Exciting prequel to Priory of the Orange Tree we visit a few side characters in the main story before the fall of Yacalin. As usual the Writing is stunning and it felt amazing to be in this world again. I would read Samantha’s Shopping list if she wrote it herself!

This was my first book by Samantha Shannon, which I went into knowing it could be read as a standalone or part of the Roots of Chaos series. My point was to see if I liked her writing and the world before fully committing. My goodness, her writing style is amazing. I am now convinced and can't wait to read the other 2 books in this series. It's the perfect taster for those wanting to dip their toes in - but I wasn't left entirely clear on where this book sits within the timeline of the universe? I know there is some character crossover, but I don't think enough to spoil the rest of the series.

Getting to enter the world of the Roots of Chaos series again was nothing short of magical.

This book is a standalone taking place before the events of Priory of the Orange tree, and it's an excellent entry point for people who find the size of the other novels daunting.

Full of politics, world building, draconic mayhem, and intrigue, this book did an excellent job of keeping me on my toes. Furthermore, I love that it has such a cute sapphic love story embedded in it without being a full on romance novel. Honestly, I'd read a standalone novel for any of these characters (especially Marosa).

Well, Samantha Shannon has done it again, and let's face it, none of us are surprised. It's time to delve into the land of Yscalin, a beautiful place of sunshine and lavender, or at least it was.

Marosa Vetalda is a prisoner in a fortress ruled by her Father, the King. She can stand on a balcony and watch the beautiful city and the surrounding plains, but she can go no further. And it seems all for the crimes of her Mother. But when the ground begins to rumble and the nearby volcano erupts, life as Marosa knew it is gone, and a new horror is upon them. And while the Princess suffers, Estina Melaugo starves as she makes a living killing the dragonic beasts that are starting to wake after centuries. Fýredel is awake, and he is ready to take his revenge.

This book is a companion book that explains the state of Yscalin in the Priory of the Orange Tree, and it helps expand the beautiful world that Shannon has created. Once again, the characters are complex, morally flexible and sometimes horrific. It was created to read, to slip back into this world, almost like a cruel, warm, comfy hug where you are pulled along to see where the story will take you. A great addition!

4.5 ⭐️

I went into this book very excited, but also a bit wary of what story in this world could possibly fit in under 300 pages. I was pleasantly surprised by Samantha Shannon's pacing. She didn't try to stuff more into this book than the length could handle—it has 3 povs and isn't overly ambitious in its plot or themes.

ATBF reads like an extended prologue, and a very compelling one. We don't quite get to see follow-through to the end of the plot arc, and it leaves enough open to have me craving a Priory re-read. I can actually imagine this actually being a solid starting point for people just entering the series, although I'll always recommend publication order. I don't remember Priory well enough to know how many of my questions get direct answers, but I think this still sets up the conflict we see emerge in Priory really well.

Of the 3 perspectives, 2 are deeply intertwined, and one of them stands a bit alone. I found all of them very compelling, and was immediately invested in all of these characters. But in a 300 page book, there's only so much time to tie different threads together. This third perspective felt important, the only perspective not operating within a castle, and it showed an interesting perspective on the events taking place, but it doesn't necessarily connect in a way that makes it clear why this character's story was told alongside the other two. That being said, I still loved her and was glad she was there.

I honestly would have enjoyed another few hundred pages centered on these characters, but I really enjoyed getting to see what Samantha Shannon's shorter form writing looks like. Being so short, there's less room for the intricate plot and theme-exploration of the other 2 books, but I think this story does a really good job drawing the reader into this world and humanizing the history alluded to in Priory.

I went into this remembering very little about Priory of the Orange Tree and honestly I really think that this book stands well on its own. If anything I think that remembering less about the plot of Priory allowed me to enjoy some of the plotlines more because I didn't know how they would go. I would say that to get closure on a lot of the character arcs started in this book you do have to read Priory after though so this cant be treated as a true standalone in the way that Priory and Day of Fallen Night can be.

We follow the POVs of three secondary characters from Priory - Marosa (Princess of Yscalin), Melaugo (culler aka killer of monsters in Yscalin), and Aubrecht (Mentish Prince and Marosa's fiancé). Marosa's POV was definitely my favourite - her story was so sad but she was so determined and smart and when I reread Priory I just know that this novella will make me appreciate her character so much more. Marosa was also the character who got the most page space - the first half of the book is divided between Marosa and Melaugo whilst the last half is split between Marosa and Aubrecht. Although this sounds a little strange to not introduce one of the main POV characters until half way through the book I think that this worked quite well for each character's individual arc and for the overall plot of the story.

Also no Roots of Chaos book would be complete without a sapphic romance. The romance is pre-existing so we get some good angsty ex-girlfriend pining but given that this is a novella with two other POVs I'm really happen with the relationship development hat Samantha Shannon was able to fit in to such a short book.

I want more! This was such an interesting addition to the rest of the series, I didn't want to put it down. Also desperately need a copy of this with the illustrations!

Beauty still blooms in a realm torn apart by war and fire, but danger lurks in every petal. As dragons soar above scorched cities and ancient magic stirs beneath the ground, one woman uncovers a long-buried truth that could change everything. Her path leads through ruins, rebellion, and rising flame, as loyalty is tested and power redefined in a world where even the flowers burn with secrets. The scale of this story is huge, but it still feels personal. It's about fire and war, but also about what you carry with you when everything starts to burn. Intense in all the right ways.

The Roots of Choas series is my all time favourite, so I was overjoyed to learn we were getting another addition, this time set right before Priory takes place. As always, the world building is so vivid and rich, and the characters are all intricately complex. I can't fault a single element of this book besides wanting more of it!

Samantha Shannon has said a few times that this book being shorter will hopefully help those intimidated by the size of TPOTOT & ADOFN to enter the Roots of Chaos world, and it definitely will. I have friends who haven't picked Priory up despite my begging, just because of the size, and they now plan to start with this. Selfishly though, I wanted this to be longer, which comes as a surprise to no one. I'm so in love with this universe I'll never feel like it's enough.

Every time a name/place/reference came up to the events of the previous two books I was kicking my feet like i was in on a secret. I loved diving deeper into the fall of Yasclin, and seeing their decent into being under the nameless ones control. Seeing how Estina ended up on the Rose was something I didn't know I needed so badly, and now I've fallen so in love with her.

I'm super excited to pick Priory up again straight after this, and dive back into the world with all this extra info!! A no brainer 5 stars from me, and a top tier recommendation for anyone who likes high fantasy, well developed characters, and insanely good world building!!

#BBNI2025

I did not understand if this is the prequel, sequel, something in between...?
As always Shannon has a beautiful writing style and prose, but I was confused all the time

Although this is the weakest of the Priory-universe books, the old adage holds true: even a bad pizza is good. In this case, the character development and intrigue isn’t as strong (of COURSE there’s something dodgy going on with the extremely shifty king) and manouvering characters into where they need to be for the opening of Priory of the Orange Tree means that the ending feels rushed and abrupt. I did enjoy the world building- as I always do in these books- and you will find no finer writer for lush, vivid description. Worth a read but have Priory lined up for immediately after.