youcancallmefi's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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? It's complicated
4.25
Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.
I was yearning for a long time to have courage to read 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙿𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙾𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎 𝚃𝚛𝚎𝚎 and having it gifted on Christmas, I dove to it straight away and to this prequel arc immediately after. I do think this had a big impact on how much I loved the story. I had the concepts, lore and mysticism already present in my head but much like the storyline, I kept switching in thinking if I would have preferred to read this first or not. I still am not sure of the answer.
To start, AOFN takes place 500 years before the events in 𝙿𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙾𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎 𝚃𝚛𝚎𝚎 which brings some familiarity and a satisfying resolution to the cataclysms that we already know of.
The author sticks to the same formula as in Priory, either you love it or not: multiple POV that keep switching, strong diverse characters, a feeling of impending doom - all laced together with imaginative and interesting lore.
The language and writing style used is amazingly descriptive which contributed to having an immersive experience whilst reading this story. But saying this, there were some instances where the surroundings were not explored equally and the imagery I had in my head suffered a crack from this. For instance, I would have loved to know more about the North realm and instead, this location was only used as a political device (which made sense, I would have liked just a bit more about it).
I felt there was a disproportionate ratio of moments where things felt not as interconnected as it should to moments that made me gasp with the twist. I feel that this was more seamlessly done in Priory. The plot pacing felt off at times but massively improved halfway through it as I expected it would, but I think some people will struggle with this aspect.
The characters are wonderful, passionate and immensely humanized, despite some having incredible supernatural powers, and the author does paint a beautiful ode to women and diversity. This had my heart swell in pride and joy and is the main reason I put Roots of Chaos on a pedestal.
Surprisingly enough, and as much as I loved her character, 𝚃𝚞𝚗𝚞𝚟𝚊 was not my favourite. 𝙶𝚕𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚊𝚗 was such a fantastic character to follow from the start of the book and her complexity and growth were out of this world. The power and holiness of House Berethnet were challenged with the good, the bad and the ugly and her flaws and strengths felt more raw than any other character.
This book is epic, enriched with complex politics, incredible lore (DRAGONS!). It’s witty, smart and incredibly feminist, respecting wisdom and representation, touching on motherhood, aging and choice.
I am very honoured to have read such a fascinating tale and I will definitely re-read this one, alongside Priory.
samwhitewrites's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
daniwantsalibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
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? Yes
4.5
Three words to describe this book: adventurous, sweeping, dragons
Three things I loved:
The characters - each of the POV characters had such a unique voice and such vastly differing story lines. I know I’ll find new bits to love about them on each reread as pieces fall into place. I especially loved Tuva’s relationship with Esbar, Glorian coming into her own, Dumai’s banter with Nikeya, and just everything about Wulf, to be completely honest.
The world - Being back in this world felt like coming home. Even though each of the Roots of Chaos novels is a stand-alone, this brought the world even more to life, especially with little hints of what’s to come in Priory as well as character cameos.
The heartbreak - without any spoilers, Samantha Shannon continues to rip my heart out, stomp on it, and hand it back, and I continue to say, “Thank you, please do it again.” It’s an epic fantasy, set in a time of plague and looming conflict with literal dragons, so….yeah.
One thing I didn’t love:
The book takes place over the course of three years, and even though it was very clear that time was passing, at some points, it felt like the slightly stretched timeline decreased the sense of urgency that I prefer to see in stories.
Overall, I loved this book. I’m a sucker for dragons (did I mention there’s dragons?) and badass ladies doing badass things, and A Day of Fallen Night absolutely delivers on both fronts. I’d recommend it to any fans of high fantasy!!
Three things I loved:
The characters - each of the POV characters had such a unique voice and such vastly differing story lines. I know I’ll find new bits to love about them on each reread as pieces fall into place. I especially loved Tuva’s relationship with Esbar, Glorian coming into her own, Dumai’s banter with Nikeya, and just everything about Wulf, to be completely honest.
The world - Being back in this world felt like coming home. Even though each of the Roots of Chaos novels is a stand-alone, this brought the world even more to life, especially with little hints of what’s to come in Priory as well as character cameos.
The heartbreak - without any spoilers, Samantha Shannon continues to rip my heart out, stomp on it, and hand it back, and I continue to say, “Thank you, please do it again.” It’s an epic fantasy, set in a time of plague and looming conflict with literal dragons, so….yeah.
One thing I didn’t love:
The book takes place over the course of three years, and even though it was very clear that time was passing, at some points, it felt like the slightly stretched timeline decreased the sense of urgency that I prefer to see in stories.
Overall, I loved this book. I’m a sucker for dragons (did I mention there’s dragons?) and badass ladies doing badass things, and A Day of Fallen Night absolutely delivers on both fronts. I’d recommend it to any fans of high fantasy!!
lit_slinger's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
chemicallykat'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 feel like I’m going to be thinking about this book for weeks
reading_fixations's review
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
I thought this book was completely amazing but also one of the biggest commitments I’ve made outside of my career.
The book follows four perspectives: Glorian Berethnet; future queen (and later queen) of Inys, Wulfert Glenn; a member of the royal guard, Dumai a godsinger from the east, and Tunuva; a member of the Priory of the Orange Tree. The story takes place 500 years before Priory, and follows the characters as the sudden rise of wyms appear all across the land.
I took at least 20% of the book to feel like I wasn’t reading a foreign language, and as someone who has read priory before this book, I thought I was going to have a better understanding as to what was happening. Once I had committed to the story though, the second portion of the book flew past me without much energy on my part.
However, the advantage of how long the book is, was the depth with which the characters were felt and also how much you grew to know every single narrator. I was so in love with Wulf and I loved his character so much, I desperately wanted more of him and his relationship with Glorian.
I would thoroughly recommend this book, but I understand why such a large piece may be intimidating to many readers.
fadingapple's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Thank you so much NetGalley for the ARC of one of my most anticipated reads of 2023!
Samantha Shannon is a master wordsmith and storyteller, providing epic tales and stunning world-building, rich characters and heart-and-gut-wrenching twists and turns. A Day of Fallen Night is an incredible addition to the already spectacular Roots of Chaos universe.
How do you eat an elephant? A bite at a time. That’s how it feels to consume and further describe this book - it’s large in size and content, following several characters across the world whose stories intertwine in expected and shocking ways. For those of us that read Priory first, we know in general how things turn out but it never takes away from wondering how it happens or what fate will befall these specific characters. The characters are rich and real, evoking deep emotions; hatred, joy, hope, confusion - they feelings are real because the characters feel real.
As she describes the mountains, the sea, the snow….you can almost feel and see them; the tapestries and stonework, the gnarled trees and magical beings - they all seem so lifelike as if you’ll see them outside your window if you only knew where to look.
And the plot - romance, betrayal, heart break, political intrigue, grief, heroism, the power of discovering who you are….Samantha Shannon weaves it all together beautifully to where there is something for everyone, from lovers of magic and battle to those that crave intimacy and politics.
There are few authors that can accomplish what Shannon does - few can write sweeping epic tales that approach 900 pages and keep people’s attention. It speaks to her intelligence, planning, practice, and ability that she’s been able to do it not once, but twice with the Roots of Chaos books (I’ve yet to read Bone Season but they’re on my shelf).
Highly recommend, though readers should make sure they have a wrist support if reading a physical copy!
Samantha Shannon is a master wordsmith and storyteller, providing epic tales and stunning world-building, rich characters and heart-and-gut-wrenching twists and turns. A Day of Fallen Night is an incredible addition to the already spectacular Roots of Chaos universe.
How do you eat an elephant? A bite at a time. That’s how it feels to consume and further describe this book - it’s large in size and content, following several characters across the world whose stories intertwine in expected and shocking ways. For those of us that read Priory first, we know in general how things turn out but it never takes away from wondering how it happens or what fate will befall these specific characters. The characters are rich and real, evoking deep emotions; hatred, joy, hope, confusion - they feelings are real because the characters feel real.
As she describes the mountains, the sea, the snow….you can almost feel and see them; the tapestries and stonework, the gnarled trees and magical beings - they all seem so lifelike as if you’ll see them outside your window if you only knew where to look.
And the plot - romance, betrayal, heart break, political intrigue, grief, heroism, the power of discovering who you are….Samantha Shannon weaves it all together beautifully to where there is something for everyone, from lovers of magic and battle to those that crave intimacy and politics.
There are few authors that can accomplish what Shannon does - few can write sweeping epic tales that approach 900 pages and keep people’s attention. It speaks to her intelligence, planning, practice, and ability that she’s been able to do it not once, but twice with the Roots of Chaos books (I’ve yet to read Bone Season but they’re on my shelf).
Highly recommend, though readers should make sure they have a wrist support if reading a physical copy!
kanagok's review
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
queenmackenzie's review
adventurous
dark
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
This book utterly consumed me. I fell in love with The Priory of the Orange Tree back in 2019 and have since been thrusting it into the hands of anyone who wandered too close to the fantasy section of my bookshop, so I was more than excited to find out Shannon was working on another book set in the same world. I was worried I wouldn’t take to it as much, though, because none of the characters I loved before would be around. A Day of Fallen Night is set centuries before the original narrative, and there is potential for confusion. But do not fear, dear readers, for you are in safe hands. With A Day of Fallen Night Shannon has created something epic, ambitious, and fresh, and she pulls it off remarkably. I had the sense while reading it that I was discovering a real and ancient history, and it was utterly absorbing.
The point of view characters span the map, which comprises concentrated areas of land to the east and west, divided by a vast and dangerous ocean called the Abyss. Glorian, the young princess of the Queendom of Inys is in the west; Dumai, a temple resident awaiting her gods’ awakening, is in Seiiki to the east; Tunuva, a sister of the Priory, is in the lands of Lasia to the south; and Wulf, retainer to the king of Hroth, is in the north, though he is the character that travels across countries and continents the most throughout the story. These four lead an impressive cast of characters, and though I found myself getting confused between people and places at first (it’s been a while since I read Priory), their focused narratives kept me gripped to the story and slowly unravelled the complex politics and history of this vast world.
Similarly to the first book in the Roots of Chaos series, A Day of Fallen Night is an epic in one volume, and there is so much going on that it’s hard to give it a concise summary, but the main event in this book is the eruption of the Dreadmount, the volcano that first brought forth the Nameless One generations before, and the effect this has on each country. The Queendom of Inys was founded on the belief that their first (and only) king defeated the Nameless One and that the blood of his descendants –all daughters with the same features spanning generations– are the only thing keeping the enemy chained in his prison, and so the spawning of new dragons fills the people with doubt and endangers political alliances. In the south, the Priory finds they may not be as prepared as they believed despite all their years of training to slay wyrms. And in the east, the arrival of fire-breathing dragons makes the people even more desperate for their gods –the great dragons of air and water– to wake from their slumber.
In amidst cataclysmic events and twisting politics of shadow courts, lost heirs, and secrets from the past, Shannon deftly weaves magic and myth, and ties it together with incredibly compelling character interactions. Though I wanted to see things unfold on a grand scale, what kept me turning pages long after bed time was the push and pull between people, both point of view characters and others; the romance, the deceits, the betrayals, the rekindled friendships… it was all brilliant and balanced very well with the moments of action. Plus, there is plenty of excellent representation to be had.
As I said at the start, reading this book felt like uncovering a lost history, and part of that is the sheer attention to detail, not only with the people and events, but all the elements that comprise the world. Clothing, landscape, hair and jewellery traditions, fighting styles, city structures… every culture was clearly defined, and they made the moments in which two or more bleed into each other more satisfying. I did notice a lot more that the different cultures do draw quite significantly from some of our real-world ones, whereas while reading Priory I saw the influences but they didn’t feel like imitation, and that was the one thing that occasionally brought me out of the narrative a bit, but everything was done respectfully and fit with the story. I found that having read The Priory of the Orange Tree first was beneficial in understanding the intricacies of this prequel, but it is not strictly necessary to do so. Though, if you haven’t read The Priory of the Orange Tree I highly recommend you give it a chance; these books may be big, but they are definitely worth the time and heavy-lifting!
ashleym10148's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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