“For me, change is difficult. It is paralyzing. It makes me feel vulnerable…I love in fear of making the wrong choice, because I have seen how badly that can go,” (Shannon 122).
Marosa Vetalda awaits the day of her wedding to her betrothal Abrecht Lievelyn, of Mentendon, as she is a prisoner in her own home by her distant father who may or may not have had something to do with her mother’s death. While Aubrecht awaits for his wedding to Marosa, he rules over the kingdom of Mentendon in every way but name as he watches his great uncle fail to help his people in ways he know he can. Estina Melaugo hunts the sleeping dragons, dreaming of a different life with her lover. But now the great beast Fyrdel has awoken, and the world is in danger.
It’s been a few years since I’ve read The Priory of the Orange Tree, so my memory is a bit hazy on the many (many, many) characters and plotlines that happened throughout the novel. I was of course excited to learn that Samantha Shannon was adding another book to the series, but unlike A Day of Fallen Night that takes place a few hundred years before The Priory of the Orange Tree and can be read as a separate novel, Among the Burning Flowers is a direct prequel, give or take a few years (maybe even months?) before the events of The Priory of the Orange Tree, so it is very necessary to read that book before Among the Burning Flowers, which I have done but had I known how closely their stories were I might have at least attempted to re-read the 800 beast of a novel that that is.
I still enjoyed Among the Burning Flowers, it’s beautifully written as all of Shannon’s novels are, and I enjoyed getting to know more characters and worlds in the Roots of Chaos universe. Marosa was a fantastic character who I only remember a little about from The Priory of the Orange Tree, but I loved how her story explored the “Princess Stuck in a Tower” trope. Similarly it was nice to learn more about Aubrecht since he’s a pretty big character in The Priory of the Orange Tree, but he was not as interesting as Marosa. I was disappointed by Estina. I thought her story and character was very interesting and wanted to follow her more but her story just abruptly ends. I can only assume it’s because her story continues in The Priory of the Orange Tree but if I’m honest she’s one character I don’t remember from the book.
A great addition to the series, but it’s much smaller page count leaves readers begging for the tomes of it’s predecessors. Still, it’s fun, just make sure to read Among the Burning Flowers after The Priory of the Orange Tree, it definitely fills in some gaps!
Publication: September 16 2025
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 288 pages (Hardcover)
Source: Library
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Queer
My Rating: ⛤⛤⛤.75
Summary:
It has been centuries since the Draconic Army took wing, almost extinguishing humankind.
Marosa Vetalda is a prisoner in her own home, controlled by her cold father, King Sigoso. Over the mountains, her betrothed, Aubrecht Lievelyn, rules Mentendon in all but name. Together, they intend to usher in a better world.
A better world seems impossibly distant to Estina Melaugo, who hunts the Draconic beasts that have slept across the world for centuries.
And now the great wyrm Fýredel is stirring, and Yscalin will be the first to fall . . .
Sarah O'Connor 