Elizabeth (Plant Based Bride)'s Reviews > A Day of Fallen Night

Well, folks, Samantha Shannon has done it again! A Day of Fallen Night is a deeply immersive reading experience, enhanced in every way by Shannon's lyrical prose. The intricately developed world-building I came to expect after devouring Priory of the Orange Tree managed to evolve to a brand new level here - delving deep into the various countries, political systems, societal norms, religions, folktales, styles of dress, gender roles, and so much more and adding many much-appreciated layers of complexity to the narrative. Shannon *knows* this world inside and out, and I love that she shared so much of it with her readers because it is endlessly fascinating!

Multiple point-of-view characters offer diverse perspectives, and while each and every one was compelling in their own way, Tunuva and Wulf stood out as particularly intriguing. Tunuva, in particular, was a lovely change of pace from most fantasy protagonists - a middle-aged lesbian warrior in a 30-plus-year relationship who was as kind and maternal as she was utterly badass. I loved her chapters most of all and found the emotional beats of her story by far the most moving.

I also absolutely adored the varied LGBTQIA+ representation amongst the protagonists and many secondary characters, from lesbian to bisexual to asexual, trans, nonbinary, and more - the inclusion and thoughtful representation of these identities was a breath of fresh air. Shannon managed to portray a world that feels open, accepting, and inclusive despite some remaining heteronormativity that is tied to the exploration of hereditary monarchy, which was only one facet of one of my favourite aspects of this book-exploring different possible iterations of matriarchal societies.

Grief was a prominent theme, as well, and I found catharsis in those moments as I worked through my own grief after the passing of a family member that coincided with my reading of this book. The exploration of loss offered a poignant counterbalance to the intricate plot and character dynamics, and despite its length, this book served as both a distraction and a source of comfort during challenging times.

Exploring themes like enduring love, internal strength, women's place in society, bodily autonomy, motherhood, grief, and more, A Day of Fallen Night thoroughly exceeded my sky-high expectations. I cannot recommend this book more to fans of epic fantasy, complex characters, and beautifully constructed worlds, and I can't wait to read anything and everything Shannon writes next!


Watch me read and review the book here (both spoiler-free and spoiler reviews): https://youtu.be/p05Qpz3oa48


Representation: Several MLM & WLW relationships, POV characters are asexual, lesbian, and bisexual, respectively, nonbinary & trans secondary characters


Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, violence, war, blood, gore, death, loss of parents, loss of an infant, animal death & cruelty, suicidal ideation, grief, slavery, kidnapping, pandemic, misogyny


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Original Review:

This blew me away... I somehow love it even more than Priory! Watch the reading vlog here: https://youtu.be/p05Qpz3oa48

Written review to come shortly.