A review by bisexualwentworth
A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon

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.
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