I love Samantha Shannon and loved the bone season, i hadn’t realized that the season had continued so don’t think I appreciated this book as much as I might have. Need to catch up.

Jaw-dropping has never described a book more accurately than The Mask Falling. Samantha Shannon manages to combine a complex story with lyrically descriptive writing and her books are always a pleasure to read. This has been my favourite instalment of The Bone Season series so far!

4.5 stars.

This ebook was sent to me via Netgalley in order to provide an honest review. Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for sending this to me.

WHAT JUST HAPPENED. WHAT JUST HAPPENED. WHAT JUST HAPPENED.
I NEED THE NEXT BOOK AND A HUG. In that order please.

WOW. I loved this book so so much. I am very new to The Bone Season series, having only started it in November. I have been hooked ever since starting the first book. i cannot get enough of this series and the characters. Samantha Shannon is the only author that can confuse the absolute crap out of me, but still make me fall in love with everything about her writing.

I really loved being back with Paige and the rest of the characters. I like that we started where we left off and got straight back into the action. This world is so so complex, and so amazing. I absolutely love everything about how unique the magic system is. The Mask Falling is the first book where I feel like I have a real understanding of the world and the magic and it helped me enjoy he book so much more.

I dont even know what to say without spoiling it. If you have enjoyed this series up until this point this book will not let you down. It is a strong contender for my favourite book in the series and you can be assured that I will be rereading this beauty as soon as my physical copy arrives.

I have so so many unanswered questions and confusing thoughts. I dont know who is meant to be good or bad, or who is even alive. Thats how intense this book is! THE ENDING. I JUST CANT. I need the next book and I cant believe I have to wait so long.

For full context, I read The Mask Falling having pretty recently re-read the rest of the series and having read The Dawn Chorus which is a novella that falls between The Song Rising and this fourth book. I don’t think you’d need to read the novella but it might be a bit of added info if you’re really keen on the series – and it might make certain things have a tiny bit more impact. I do recommend at least refreshing your memory on the series as there are a lot of things that happened in book two that have implications in this book. Here at the halfway point of the series it can’t hurt to have a quick reread.

Overall, I enjoyed reading The Mask Falling, it’s interesting to see how Samantha Shannon’s writing has come on since The Bone Season and alongside that what hasn’t changed about this series. While I think some elements of the book have become a bit more broad and a bit less ‘one woman against the world’ the core of the story is still focussed in on Paige.

And does she have a time of it.

I’m not sure if it was the fact that I read all four books in close succession or if it was because that was on my mind while reading this but Samantha Shannon doesn’t cut Paige any slack (particularly if you choose not to read The Dawn Chorus). For pretty much the entirety of the book Paige is either recovering from one hurt or being hurt in a different way. I think in this book it was particularly prominent because the emotional anguish was really evident. I think it’s a matter of personal preference as to how much ‘bad vs good’ moments a book has. I personally prefer it when a book has more good than bad in it – and that’s not true in this case. At least not with how I read it. That’s not to say those emotional (and physical) moments aren’t well written, but there are a lot of them. I suppose my advice in that instance would be to chose carefully when to read this book, pick a time when you’re in the mood for that kind of story.

But this book is a compelling read. I would have thought by book four (and seven years on from the original publication) this world and this story might have run out of steam. But I think the fact that through each book you get to see a different aspect of this world really helps to keep things fresh. In this case we see Scion-Paris (and some of the surrounding area). I really liked seeing how things were different from Scion London and the other parts of the UK we’d seen so far, it definitely helps to give that sense of quiet resistance against assimilation which I think is an important theme in these books. I am also a person who thinks The Mime Order is the strongest book in the series because we get to see the most of the criminal underworld – so to get to see those elements of an entirely different city was really interesting. I was a little bit concerned that this would start to feel like a strange ‘Paige Mahoney goes to [Insert Country Here]’ kind of story but I shouldn’t have doubted Samantha Shannon’s commitment to detailed worldbuilding.

I think those that enjoy the series will really like this book – and if this is the trajectory the series is taking in terms of themes and ideas I think I’m down for it, provided Paige gets a little bit of downtime. I maintain that book two is still my favourite but I think this comes second.

My rating: 4/5 stars

I received a free digital review copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The Mask Falling publishes January 26th!

I feel like this series could have been a trilogy or quartet, as it never really got to the heights of the first book in the sequels.

The Mask Falling was different in that it brought Paige and Wardern together for a long period of time, longer than book two or book three. I liked this, watching their relationship develop even more as they deal with their respective trauma.

Honestly, I just wasn't a fan of the twists. I get tired of the will they won't they thing, especially for this many books. The book is strongest when Paige and Warden are together.

It was good to be introduced to new characters as well as bringing back some old, though it is getting a bit difficult to keep track of through one point of view.

Overall, a really long book that didn't need to be. It was good to see Scion Paris. I wonder where the series will go next.

(Also I detest cliffhangers like that)

OH MY GOD, SAMANTHA SHANNON HAS DONE IT AGAIN.

EXCUSE ME WHILE I JUST??? SCREAM ????

On a more serious note;

The Mask Falling (TMF) picks us right back up after the events of the 3rd book where our lovely Paige and Artecus have travelled to the Scion Citadel of Paris.

TMF is not your usual "fourth filler" book - there's plenty of story and worldbuilding in Shannon's evergrowing dystopian future!! These things made me smile, but they also made me go "nooo, what do u mean this is the end of the book??!!!".
Shannon made heart soar, but then very brutally ripped it out and set it on fire. Truly, signs of a wonderful author.

TMF is an insanely good instalment within The Bone Season series and I can't wait to see what happens next (I'll just be crying until then)

“For the syndicate. For the revolution”

The Mask Falling ties many loose ends from the previous books in the series. In a way, Samantha Shannon revisits book one in this instalment (just as she does with The Dawn Chorus), improves upon it, and reminds us why the series is called The Bone Season in the first place.

The most subtle hints scattered throughout the previous instalments find their way back into The Mask Falling. We see some familiar faces return. Questions will be answered. More questions will follow. You can feel the author enjoying every second of her writing.

Truth be told, I can really rip into narratives when reviewing, but, in this case, I was simply enjoying the mental movie playing in my head, conjured by the author’s words and imagination. It also took me longer than usual to read it because I didn’t want the narrative/movie to end.

This is one of the books that has truly sung to me (a little reference to a conversation in the story; not, technically, a spoiler). If you enjoyed the previous instalments, The Mask Falling will heal your heart post the almost four-year wait, then shatter it to pieces, and leave you craving for more. Happy reading, O my darlings!

This is the fourth book in The Bone Season series, and as she goes along Samantha Shannon is getting better and better. The first book was excellent but as the story progresses Shannon has managed to up the stakes on both a personal and wider scale. I want to review this without spoilers, so I can't give too much away but I swear I felt the final quarter of this book in my soul.

The visceral representation of Paige's trauma throughout was so powerful and really was the final thing that tipped me over into "I would do anything for this character" levels of devotion. It's still always such a thrill to me to read strong female leads who are also vulnerable and flawed, who are strong despite and even because of their weaknesses, not because they have none. Paige is such a well-developed and shaded character, she's one of my favourite female characters I've read.

As with all the books, the world-building continues to astonish in its depth and clarity. The story moves to the Scion Citadel of Paris in this installment and exploring Scion in a new city adds a new dimension to the world that I really enjoyed.

My only possible negative feelings about this book are how desperately I wanted it to go on forever. I loved it.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review,

Rating: 4/5

After waiting so long for this book, I had high expectations and thank God I was not disappointed. I will not spoil it for those who haven't read this series yet. What I can say is that this book is as action packed as the other ones. The new setting is stunning and the author managed to expand the universe even more. Plus the characters and their relationships were even more developed and I loved every minute of it.

It was hard for me to decide the rating, because even though I really enjoyed it, I'm not sure I understand some of the authors choices for some characters, but we'll see more about that in the next book (Only God knows when it will come out).

If you love fantasy and haven't read this series yet, I don't know what you're doing with your life.

The Mask Falling is the middle book, four, of Samantha Shannon's Bone Season series of 7 books, so you'd be forgiven for thinking its going to be a mid-series filler - you know, a bit like Empire Strikes Back.

Well, you'd be wrong. Dead wrong.

The Mask Falling picks up exactly where the previous book, The Song Rising, ended, with Paige and Warden on board a ship to Paris to a) escape Scion and b) establish relations with the Paris-based syndicates, and further the Mime Order. Paige had succeeded in destroying Senshield, but at great personal cost. She was captured, tortured and beaten half to death before escaping so she is physically and mentally damaged (we'd call it PTSD) and the early part of the book is about her slow recovery, as well as her ongoing relationship with Arcturus. She also deals with the guilt of abandoning her role as Underqueen of the Mime Order.

The book deals exquisitely with Paige's recovery, with her relationship with Arcturus, and Shannon describes Scion Paris in as much loving detail as she did London. The story arc is developing nicely as new allies and protagonists appear and new challenges face Paige and her compatriots. I assume Shannon has a full wall of Post-Its to keep track of the web she's weaving. Plots and sub-plots become ever more complex as the story develops, so its certainly one for dyed-in-the-wool fans. I devoured my ARC (thanks Netgalley) in under three days which is good going for me.

The Mask Falling is definitely NOT a mid-series filler and fans will not be disappointed.

And those last 100 or so pages - well! All I can say is, hurry up with book 5!

I really enjoyed getting back into the world of Paige Mahoney - absolutely love this series, and it just keeps getting better and better! I do wish I'd reread the previous books before starting The Mask Falling, and may try to reread them from The Bone Season through to The Mask Falling ahead of publication in January.

This is the fourth book in the bone season series, and it still manages to grip and captivate! Full of action and twists and turns. Highly recommend this series as a whole

After nearly 4 years, The Mask Falling, book four, in The Bone Season series is due to be released in 2 months. It's definitely been worth the wait!

Recuperating in a safe house in Paris, Warden and Paige spend some time together as she recovers from the horrors she endured at the mercy of the Rephaim. I loved the first quarter of the book where Warden and Paige play house, with Warden attending to Paige's needs, bringing her heat pads, hot drinks and generally taking care of her. Their relationship further develops and grow. I've been rooting for Paige since The Bone Season, she has suffered a lot but still continues to fight for what she believes in.

In terms of plot the stakes are even higher in The Mask Falling. We see Paige as she attempts to ally The Mime Order with the French syndicate in order to take down Scion. She also has the mysterious Domino Programme to deal with. I enjoyed the Parisian setting and exploring a different Scion controlled country. The picture Shannon painted made me want to visit Paris, something I've only done when I was younger but feel would appreciate more now that I'm older. I remember being skeptical when I first heard that it was going to be a seven book series, unsure if that many books were needed as I tend to prefer trilogies. The reason being because I find that the story drags and I lose interest. However, I see now why they are needed, the world Shannon has created is extensive and begs to be further explored.

Overall , The Mask Falling is another great addition to the series. I can't wait for my signed pre-order to arrive, so I can add it to my book shelf.

It’s hard to find the words when a book exceeds all your expectations in the most wonderful way. The Mask Falling was my most anticipated release of 2021, and I am forever grateful to have it early. Paige and Arcturus have such a special place in my soul, and I treasure every moment with them. Samantha Shannon crafts a beautiful, epic fantasy, that will leave readers furiously turning the page. Dark and dangerous, The Mask Falling left me breathless, gaining a place in my heart as one of my favourite books of all time.

While The Mask Falling kicks off where The Song Rising ended, it is vital to read the short novella, The Dawn Chorus, to truly grasp the depths of this book. Paige suffers from PTSD, and it’s depiction was handled with such care that Samantha Shannon must be praised for her beautifully authentic depiction of mental health and trauma. Her relationships too, are written with such elegance that the slow burn feels real and honest, as though the characters involved are real, human, and not fragments of the readers imagination.

With trauma comes character development, and there is an abundance of it. We see Paige, now twenty-years-old, grow into a determined young woman, who will not let anyone extinguish the fire inside of her. Having recently re-read the first two books, it’s nice to see her growth, as well as the areas she still has to work on. The Mask Falling belongs to Arcturus, as much as Paige. He is given a lot of space within this book to grow and evolve, and we finally get a lot of questions answered. His character is complex, and each aspect of his personality is fully flushed out. I really appreciate the extra time given to him.

There is a lot of new information in this novel, evenly spread throughout. The reader is offered different clues and insights into how the world works, and what secrets have been hidden beneath. It opens up a whole new realm of possibilities, and I look forward to seeing them explored further.

What can readers expect? New and familiar faces, truths to shatter the world and a relentless plot. This book made me cry, laugh, swoon, gasp. It was an experience to read it, and one I will treasure. I have often said The Mime Order is one of the best books written – I have a tattoo for it, after all – but The Mask Falling just became my favourite book in this series, and with three more still to come, I can only imagine that we should start bracing ourselves for heartbreak now.

The Mask Falling is the fourth book in The Bone Season series and it was one of my most anticipated releases of 2021. Once again, Samantha Shannon didn't disappoint me. Every time, she's able to create a complex story with an incredible worldbuilding and with a lot of action, twists and emotional moments.

The Mask Falling picks up where The Song Rising left off, with Paige and Warden headed to Paris to accomplish this new assignment for the mysterious Domino Programme. I'm not going to spoil anything, you have to read and devour every single word but be ready for anything. The stakes are higher and each chapter will lead you to the last one that will leave you speechless and hollow, like you're getting kicked in the stomach. Every time I think about that ending... I don't know how I'm goint to survive 2/3 years for the next book.

Needless to say how much I loved Paige and Warden. Two strong characters, and yet both vulnerable. Their relationship grew through the story and you can't help but love them even more. One chapter in particular was absolutely perfect and my heart couldn't handle all the feels I had in that moment.

So, if you haven't started this series yet, what are you waiting for? I highly recommend it!

This is the fourth installment of the bone season saga and one I have been eagerly awaiting and, I can safely say, it did not disappoint. If you haven't read the previous books the backstory is covered enough that it works as a standalone novel. This book is action packed, tense, nail biting, spine chilling and full of so many twists and turns that keep you guessing right to the end. I could not put it down and cannot wait for book five.

TW for the book: aquaphobia, mentions of torture, death of a parent (before events of TMF)
TW for the review: aquaphobia
Representation: LGBTQ+ characters (demisexual main character)

The Mask Falling (TMF) was one of my MOST anticipated releases for 2021. I knew I would absolutely love this book and I did. Samantha Shannon has a way with words that compels you to keep reading and makes it extremely hard to put the book down. I should know, as I binged this in one 16-hour sitting finishing it at 3.30am. While I may have had an emotional spiral thanks to that ending the next day, it was beyond worth it. Every emotion you could possibly feel was felt in this book and to be honest The Bone Season (TBS) series as a whole. TMF had me on edge the entire time, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Making me second guess EVERYTHING someone says or does and that in itself really puts you into Paige’s shoes after all she has been put through in the past 3 books.

Some things that I loved about TMF was Paige’s continued character growth on her own. It is hard to forget that Paige is now 20 years old in this series and has had to grow up quickly because of Scion. Shannon finds that balance between being a young leader making the hard, right and wrong choices and trying to survive as a fugitive. And all of that takes a toll emotionally and physically. Paige’s journey is far from over and there is still a lot for her to process from previous events and now the events in TMF.

Writing about trauma and phobias in any form is difficult to get right and with care. The aquaphobia that a character has developed because of trauma experienced in the previous book is not glossed over within the first few chapters as if it did not exist or was easily overcame, which is unrealistic. Shannon put this character into mundane situations where that aquaphobia does realistically affect them. Like drinking water, trying to take a shower, or having a bath. Reading these parts were sometimes difficult because my heart was breaking for them and how they were struggling.

Slow burn relationships (SBR) are something that I have a love/hate relationship with. Paige’s character growth and SBR with a certain character has organically developed more deeply because of their close proximity and they have had the time to do that in and around the events of TMF. But how Shannon has written how the 2 characters have come to care for one another not just platonically but also romantically has me loving the SBR and hungry for more.

Paige’s menstrual cycle being talked about openly and in a matter of fact way in an adult fantasy/dystopian/sci-fi is rare to find. I just loved that it was included.

TMF has a lot of travelling and new places to figure out. The back and forth between places and where characters were going was difficult to follow at times. Because as this is an unfinished review copy it does not have a map that can help navigate. When we do have maps in the final copies, personally I think this will make it much easier to follow

Now. The last 100 pages that cemented TMF as a 5-star read for me. I knew from past experience with this series that Shannon will give us small moments of happiness and then proceed to rip out our hearts and stamp all over them. I was not prepared for the 100-page emotional rollercoaster at the end in anyway and it makes me terrified for the next 3 books in the series and how Shannon will wrap up this story.

Final thoughts are: this book has exceeded any expectations I had for it both on what was going to happen and how emotionally destroyed I was going to be when I finished it. Bring on TBS5

By the end of book three, The Song Rising, Paige has succeeded in destroying the core of the Senshield, and with it, Scions’ capacity to detect voyants in the streets of London. The Mask Falling opens in Paris: Paige has escaped from Scion with Arcturus, but she is physically and psychologically devasted from the torture she experienced at the hands of the Rephaim. As she recovers, she finds herself torn between several different political factions with different aims and approaches to challenging Scion and their shadowy Rephaim overlords. Paige feels a responsibility as the ‘Black Moth’, Underqueen of the Mime Order left hiding underground in London, to make an alliance with crime syndicates of Paris and form an army capable of taking on Scion. But her sponsors, the mysterious Domino Programme, have other plans for her, involving Menard, the Grand Inquisitor of France and the establishment of Sheol II in France.

The Mask Falling is another thrillingly exciting, pulse-pounding instalment the saga. The stakes continue to rise and the story rockets along at a relentless pace—poor Paige hardly gets to take a breath before she sprints off into another perilous situation. There are also some momentous revelations, some betrayals, some major-league arson, and a little bit of romance. I really admire Samantha Shannon’s capacity to plot a series on this epic scale, while maintaining this level of fastidious detail. There is an overwhelming amount of characters with bewildering variety of gifts, titles and back stories, but thankfully there is a character guide in the back of the book to remind the reader exactly who everyone is.

When I first started reading this series, I wondered how Samantha Shannon was going to spread this story out over seven books—my question now is how on earth is she going to wrap it all up in just seven books? I can’t wait to find out.

Beautifully written and incredibly addictive. My favourite book in the series so far, I didn't want it to end. I keep rereading it.