A review by cwilsongarry
A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon
5.0
I had one of the best reading experiences with this book. I loved Priory of the Orange Tree, but I loved this even more.
Set roughly 500 years before the events of Priory of the Orange Tree, this story follows a similar format: four narrators navigate different cultures and communities in Shannon's sprawling world.
Glorian, a young princess, struggles with her destiny as Queen of Inys - a role which requires her to govern a queendom, marry and have children. Wulfert Glenn, a young man with mysterious origins, dreams of rising in the ranks from housecarl to knight. Dumai, a mountain-dweller, comes face-to-face with a fate she does not expect and Tunnuva, a grieving mother, must protect the Priory which she serves as tombkeeper.
All of the narrators are rich and layered and Shannon's worldbuilding is top notch. An unexpected theme of this book which I enjoyed - to the point of tears! - was family and parenthood. Against a backdrop of battles and high-stakes political manoeuvres this book manages to hold up the role of a parent for examination from all angles. What makes a good parent? Do we repeat the mistakes our families did? It goes beyond the usual queer found family trope into a wider look at how humans make and care for other humans. I came for the dragons, queens and swords, but I stayed for the really touching examinations of life and heritage itself.
Many have likened Shannon to Tolkein and I'm drawn to the same comparison in Tolkein's desire to create a new mythology. Shannon's ability to take ideas from different cultures, heritages, stories and mythologies and use them to create a whole new world is incredibly elegant. I adore how cultures change and clash against each other. Again, despite it's fantasy leanings, it feels like a very real look at how history moves, and is moved by, people.
I love the fact these are two standalone books so whether you want to read them in publishing order or chronologically in the worlds of the book, both work. Doubtless, you'll find good company in a world of rich setting, intimate characterisation and broader questions about life, history, love and legacy.
Endless thank yous to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the eARC!
Set roughly 500 years before the events of Priory of the Orange Tree, this story follows a similar format: four narrators navigate different cultures and communities in Shannon's sprawling world.
Glorian, a young princess, struggles with her destiny as Queen of Inys - a role which requires her to govern a queendom, marry and have children. Wulfert Glenn, a young man with mysterious origins, dreams of rising in the ranks from housecarl to knight. Dumai, a mountain-dweller, comes face-to-face with a fate she does not expect and Tunnuva, a grieving mother, must protect the Priory which she serves as tombkeeper.
All of the narrators are rich and layered and Shannon's worldbuilding is top notch. An unexpected theme of this book which I enjoyed - to the point of tears! - was family and parenthood. Against a backdrop of battles and high-stakes political manoeuvres this book manages to hold up the role of a parent for examination from all angles. What makes a good parent? Do we repeat the mistakes our families did? It goes beyond the usual queer found family trope into a wider look at how humans make and care for other humans. I came for the dragons, queens and swords, but I stayed for the really touching examinations of life and heritage itself.
Many have likened Shannon to Tolkein and I'm drawn to the same comparison in Tolkein's desire to create a new mythology. Shannon's ability to take ideas from different cultures, heritages, stories and mythologies and use them to create a whole new world is incredibly elegant. I adore how cultures change and clash against each other. Again, despite it's fantasy leanings, it feels like a very real look at how history moves, and is moved by, people.
I love the fact these are two standalone books so whether you want to read them in publishing order or chronologically in the worlds of the book, both work. Doubtless, you'll find good company in a world of rich setting, intimate characterisation and broader questions about life, history, love and legacy.
Endless thank yous to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the eARC!