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beebeewin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Another great novel by Samantha Shannon within the world of the Priory of the Orange Tree! While I don't think this is my favorite fantasy book, I do like it better than Priory of the Orange Tree. I think Shannon's world building, character writing, and battles in this novel were fantastic. She really provided us deep character moments that made them feel so human and real. Especially, in a world so uncertain and full of natural disasters and disease, much like ours, Shannon made the characters and behaviors feel so true to life. As with her other books, I appreciate the queerness of the book and appreciated getting to see all kinds of relationships and sexualities represented. She pulled no punches and the ending destroyed me a little. I would say in comparison to the other book in this series, because everything was out in the open for every character in the beginning we got to spend more time with all of them and learn about their worlds. My only complaint is similar to the other book in the series, is that the ending felt a little rushed. I wanted to more in the battle and get to see the emotions and thoughts of all of our characters! I honestly might recommend this book more than Priory of the Orange Tree, especially of you are a little bisexual like me as there is plenty of cute love and intense emotionally wrecking action to go around!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, Blood, and Pregnancy
101mayas's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
5.0
A slow burn for sure, but the last ~55% had me so hooked I was reading every chance I got! 100% recommend if you enjoyed Priory
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Pregnancy, and War
ryssabean's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
priory of the orange tree set the world up beautifully and a day of fallen night built on that, even though we see 200 years into the past! the intertwining with priory’s future was really well done, and the inclusion of lgbtq+ folks into more of the story was incredible. TWO wlw relationship! TWO!!!! and one of them was comprised of OLDER WOMEN! it was fantastic.
the pacing was excellent, easing a person into the world again before taking off. relationships were complex and interesting, and a lot of anxieties the characters experience are so real and relatable.
anyhow! i loved this book!!!!!!!
the pacing was excellent, easing a person into the world again before taking off. relationships were complex and interesting, and a lot of anxieties the characters experience are so real and relatable.
anyhow! i loved this book!!!!!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Violence
Moderate: Death, Kidnapping, and War
There is a pretty graphic description of childbirth._persephone's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Grief, and War
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicide, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
latida94's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Death of parent
ofclumsywords's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A Day of Fallen Night is the second book in the Roots of Chaos series and takes place 500 years before Priory of the Orange Tree. In this book, we get to see first hand the events of the Grief of Ages, a year long war between the humans and Wyrms, something that was only discussed in minor detail in Priory of the Orange Tree. This book takes place over a four year period, following four characters located in different parts of this lush and beautiful world Shannon has created. Each character has their own story to tell while also being interconnected to the other main characters from the arrival of the dragons all the way through to the end of the Greif of Ages. This book is the very definition of an epic fantasy and stands out against all the other fantasy novels published before as something so unique and beautiful that I will never get tired of returning to this world.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
rachelh92's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
princessrory's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Colonisation
gardens_and_dragons's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Fabulous complex characters, great story beats that all wove together in a satisfying way, tense politics and awesome dragons.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Death and Abandonment
Minor: Child death
bisexualwentworth's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I adored A Day of Fallen Night even more than The Priory of the Orange Tree. The world is even richer, the pacing is smoother, and the action scenes are longer and more vivid. I loved exploring this era of this world. I loved every single one of the POV characters. I loved the parallels between Glorian and Dumai, the connections between Tunuva and Wulf, the friendship between Wulf and Glorian, and so much more. Lesbians of different ages are both riding and slaying dragons in this one. The political intrigue is excellent. The religious/magical/mythological elements are still a focus, but I'd say there are the main focus in Priory, whereas in ADOFN, the main focus is on motherhood and on the role of women in society.
There is definitely a slightly dissonance between the queernormativity of the world and the emphasis on heteronormative continuations of bloodlines, but it didn't bother me much.
Personally, I would recommend reading this one first. I think Priory would hit harder that way. I look forward to a reread in chronological order later down the line when the rest of the series is out, though Shannon has stated that they will all be designed to work as standalones.
There is definitely a slightly dissonance between the queernormativity of the world and the emphasis on heteronormative continuations of bloodlines, but it didn't bother me much.
Personally, I would recommend reading this one first. I think Priory would hit harder that way. I look forward to a reread in chronological order later down the line when the rest of the series is out, though Shannon has stated that they will all be designed to work as standalones.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Gore, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy
Additional content warning for childbirth.