Among the Burning Flowers is a beautifully crafted prequel to The Priory of the Orange Tree, delivering everything I love about Samantha Shannon's writing - rich worldbuilding, fierce female characters, and a story that lingers long after the last page.

This book follows three key characters in the years before Priory, offering deeper insight into events only hinted at before. Marosa, in particular, is a standout - her strength and resilience make her journey unforgettable. The multiple perspectives weave together seamlessly, immersing you in different corners of this vast, intricate world.

Though shorter than Shannon's other books, Among the Burning Flowers doesn't sacrifice depth. It's a story of quiet defiance, love, and survival against overwhelming odds. Fans of Priory will adore the expanded lore, while newcomers can use this as a more accessible entry point (though I'd still recommend reading Priory first for full emotional impact).

With its lush prose, heartbreaking stakes, and masterful storytelling, this is a must-read for fantasy lovers. Samantha Shannon has done it again. I'm already desperate for more!

4.5⭐️ Samantha Shannon did it again!

Among the Burning Flowers is a perfect prequel to The Priory of the Orange Tree and a long-time Roots of Chaos fan like me.

It followed Marosa Vetalda of Yscalin, Estina Melaugo, and Aubrecht Lievelyn of Mentendon in the couple of years before the events in Priory. It was not a fun read, considering the dark and desperate events depicted, but it showcased Shannon's brilliant writing, valiant female characters, and head-spinning worldbuilding (politically, culturally, mythologically) that left you wanting more. Despite being relatively short, it made me care about the characters in no time at all.

It's a great starting point into the series if Priory's length intimidates you: reading this book left you with many questions want answering. However, I don't think calling this book a standalone story (like A Day of Fallen Night) is appropriate. It's a prequel.

BUT. AS A FAN. I WAS VERY HAPPY. So many nods to so many things from Priory and ADoFN. I think regardless of what order you read these books in; it's so satisfying because they are so deeply interconnected!

Advanced Reading Copy courtesy of NetGalley and Bloomsbury UK & ANZ.

I don't think this works as a standalone - you definitely need to have read Priory of the Orange Tree to have any idea whats going on. I haven't read it in a couple of years and I was struggling a bit to connect the dots, but it motivated me to reread it next!

Writing as always really good, but I don't think it quite reaches the highs of A Day of Fallen Night. LOVED the characters and each of the plot threads, and I hope my reread of Priory satisfies my need to remember what happens to them.

The only thing is I wanted more of the lesbians. Where did they go!!!!! If they're in Priory I completely forgot about them.

4,25 out of 5 stars

Among the Burning Flowers is perfect to fill in what happened before the events of Priory. Marosa was an incredible protaganist who we didn't see a lot in Priory, this story delved into what happened to her before we meet her in Priory. We also read from two other POV's; Aubrecht who we also meet in Priory, just not as a POV, and Estina Melaugo (mostly referred to as Melaugo).
I quite enjoyed reading from all the different POVs, seeing what happened, how different areas acted and how everyone responded differently. The only downside for me was that one POV suddenly disappears about halfway through the book and we no longer get to read about their struggles. But overall, an incredible Prologue to the world of Priory.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for this e-arc copy. They have not in any way influenced my review.

Sized like a normal book it felt like a short story compared to the other books in the series. I love that Samantha Shannon keep giving us bits and pieces of her wonderful, dragonplagued universe.

This is a story about resistance, bravery and love. A story about finding small means of resistance. Of being braver than you really are.

And I loved every bit of it. Keep writing Shannon! I want more. Every nook and corner of this world is worth to explore.

Rich with the complex worldbuilding that characterised the Priory of the Orange Tree, yet still novel and engaging, Among the Burning Flowers made an enthralling addition to the Priory-verse. This is set in an age where wyrms are awakening, kingdoms slipping into despair, and power shifting - yet Shannon makes this one a page-turner while still having subplots layered over each other. I really enjoyed this, and if you liked the others in this series this is definitely one to read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review galley. I enjoyed this in that it did fill some of the missing pieces in the events leading up to Priory of the Orange, fleshing out the fantastic world that the author has created. I cannot help but feel that this would have worked better if it had focused on just Marosa's story. I did enjoy Melaugo's chapters, but these are finished by around the half way mark and only very briefly connects again with the later chapters. I personally would recommend that this be read after the other books, I am not sure that this works well as a standalone or entry point.

I bow down to the genius that is Samantha Shannon - I absolutely devoured this book!

I read The Priory of the Orange Tree a couple of years ago, and I was so excited for the chance to dive back into this world. And Samantha Shannon delivered with Among the Burning Flowers.

Starting a few years before the beginning of Priory, ATBF has the rich and complex world-building that I love about Samantha's books. We follow multiple characters that are mentioned in Priory, and I loved seeing them come to life in this book.
I adored Melaugo and Liyat and their relationship. Melaugo is such a fun character in Priory, and it was exciting to get her backstory! I was a bit sad that we didn't get to see much of them in the second half of the book. Marosa was also such a well-rounded character. Reading about the fall of Yscalin from her perspective and seeing her resilience in the face of the horrible circumstances she finds herself in (a lot of which are caused by men) - it's why I love women written by women.

Despite the rich world-building of this book, it felt like a more accessible gateway to the incredible world of Priory because it focuses on a smaller set of characters and is mostly contained to Yscalin. If the size of Priory ever stopped you from picking it up, this book is the perfect starting point. And for anyone who has read Priory, this ATBF adds so much depth to the characters and the world, it feels like coming home.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves epic fantasy, incredible world-building, strong female characters and dragons (of a different kind)! Thank you so much to Bloomsbury for letting me review an eARC.

An exquisite prologue that lights the fuse beneath a world soon to burn. 🔥

🌸 A princess trapped. A hunter haunted. A dragon stirs beneath the earth… 🐉

Samantha Shannon delivers a slow-burn stunner in Among the Burning Flowers — a novella steeped in dread, beauty, and the first flickers of a coming fire.

Set generations before The Priory of the Orange Tree, this prequel follows three characters on the brink of transformation:
🔸 Marosa Vetalda, a princess caged by her tyrant father in the lavender-soaked kingdom of Yscalin.
🔸 Aubrecht Lievelyn, her reformistic betrothed, caught in the delicate dance of diplomacy.
🔸 Estina Melaugo, a dragon hunter who senses what others won’t admit: something ancient is waking.

This isn’t a story of battlefield glory or fiery romance. It’s quieter — a tale of legacy, politics, and slow-building dread.
We’re watching the fuse burn… and when the wyrm Fýredel finally stirs beneath the mountains, Yscalin will be the first to fall. 🐲

If you crave atmospheric, emotionally rich fantasy with subtle stakes and haunting imagery, this one’s for you.
★ ★ ★ ★ — Poetic, patient, and devastating in its stillness. A must-read for Priory fans.

Thank you Netgalley and Bloomsbury for the ARC.

This is a prequel to The Priory of the Orange Tree, so this theoretically should work as a standalone, though there were many points where I felt I was missing important contextual information because I couldn't clearly remember the events and people from the original novel. So obviously I had to go back and skim PotOT to refresh my memory! That definitely enriched the experience of reading the prequel, so my recommendation is - if you have read nothing from Shannon yet - start with Priory. I feel the 'hook' is stronger with that book than this one, to get you invested in the world, though if you're feeling intimidated about starting such a thick book, this prequel is still a great jumping in point.

Among the Burning Flowers certainly expands on certain characters who didn't make much of an impression on me in the original novel, but now adds an additional layer of tragedy. It's also a far more reasonable length compared to Shannon's other novels! Shannon is still brilliant at crafting compelling characters and world-building... still great at ripping your heart out.

Most interesting about this book is that it will have illustrations by Rovina Cai. She's a wonderful artist with a beautiful style, so I'm really looking forward to buying the published copy to see the final product.

*I received an eARC via Netgalley*
Receiving an arc for a Samantha Shannon book is quite literally a dream come true. The Priory of the Orange Tree captivated me the first time I read it, and Among the Burning Flowers had a similar affect. Something I have always loved about Samantha Shannon's writing is the heavy/complex world building. She always paints a picture with her words, and I loved reading this book for that reason. Considering the length of this story and the complex world building, the plot progresses quickly from even the first page. I loved the characters and I believe I will be thinking about this story for a long time. If you liked The Priory of the Orange Tree you will love this, and if you haven't read Priory yet and are intimidated by the size, Among the Burning Flowers is a good place to start.

Among the Burning Flowers delivers a beautifully imagined world, and I really enjoyed the unfolding story between Marosa and Prince Aubrecht. Their dynamic pulled me in with just the right balance of intensity and tenderness. The concept of the book felt rich and vivid, and it’s clear Samantha Shannon knows how to build a layered, emotional fantasy. I genuinely enjoyed the book and look forward to seeing how the rest of the story develops. Fans of romantic fantasy with political undercurrents will likely find a lot to love here.

This is the perfect prequel to priory of the orange tree. It sets up the story so well and left me wanting more about every single plot thread (even though I’ve already read priory and know what happens). I honestly don’t think anyone writes characters and creates worlds like Samantha Shannon. The way these stories have been brought to life is incredible, especially over such a short number of pages for this one! I just want to keep reading and stay in this world forever.

Among the Burning Flowers is a prequel novella to The Roots of Chaos series. It takes place before the events of The Priory of the Orange Tree so you can definitely read this book without having first read that one. Let’s face it, The Priory of the Orange Tree is quite chunky and reading this novella may encourage you to read that amazing book. One thing for sure about this world is that Samantha Shannon can create an amazing worldbuilding. The detail and complexity of her world captured my interest from the very first page. I highly recommend it, and Among the Burning Flowers is an excellent introduction to the series. Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I'll post my review closer to the publication date.

Another brilliant foray into the Priory world. Shannon's world is thoroughly fleshed out through the previous two, but this smaller installment fulls in the blanks of the remaining awakening of dragons with a complex and heart wrenching tale of grief and steadfastness in an impossible situation. On my way to reread Priory now.

as a huge fan of the roots of chaos series, this was a delicious slice of world building, expanding on the tragic downfall of yscalin that is somewhat of a mystery in the priory of the orange tree. donmata marosa is so strong and interesting and brave.

i know the series too well to adequately judge if this would be a good place to start the series but i will strongly recommend it to those who haven't mustered the courage to crack into all 800+ pages of priory. i think it will successfully ease readers into it, removing that initial tough patch as they wade through the early chapters learning about the world.

Wow this was absolutely beautiful 😭🫶

I love that we got insight on the events before priory starts and we learn a lot more information leading up to the wyrms awakening.

Wow Marosa is my fave character now and I love that we could sympathise with her situation in Priory but we get the full picture in this novella and we can truly appreciate how strong of a character she is 😭🙌

Also love that we get more insight into Aubrecht, who was Sabrans husband in the Priory, and that he and marosa where engaged with a beautiful friendship forming there.

I absolutely loved to see the origins of these side characters in the Priory and now it makes me want to reread just to read about them again 😆

This was a spectacular novella and this world is one of my all time favourites!! I cannot wait for what else Shannon has in stock for the Roots of Chaos universe 🤩

And miss Shannon just know how to write like the queen she rightfully is 😮‍💨🤌 I swear I’d read her grocery list and still be amazed

Also whenever I read “full illustration here” “half page illustration here” I was like GIVE ME THE ART NOW!! But I’ll be patient and wait for my copy I guess 😙
Honestly so excited to see the final illustrations 🤭

As always thank you to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review 🫶🫶 you guys made my day with being able to read this masterpiece early, forever grateful 😘🫶

As a big fan of Samantha Shannon already I went into this both excited and apprehensive - would a novella read the same way, would she capture the same magic and would I feel lost at sea without having recently read Priory. Without fail she absolutely captures the same brilliant of the other roots of chaos, my only complaint is of course I wish we got more. To start with I was trying to match up the characters to my hazy memory but I decided to let that go and just read and enjoy it as a new story, with that perspective it didn't take long to get hooked once again. As I read I remembered and it was brilliant to see a part of the world I knew but from another perspective. I think this would be a great starting point for those with big book fear as you are thrown straight in and it will leave you wanting to read on to Priory. This is definitely a novella though and does finish in a way that will make you want more - but that's it's purpose and where it sits in the Roots of Chaos series. It's a perfect little snack for those of us desperately waiting for the next full size novel and a good little starter to those who haven't yet fallen in love with her storytelling.

She's done it again!! as always the gaming prose made me forget were I was! I can't wait to buy it physically!

Samantha Shannon has the amazing talent of writing massive books that go by so fast!
I devour this book in a couple of sitting.
The narrative arc was not my favorite and felt maybe a bit redundant (but that is my general opinion regarding prequels as a whole). But regardless It was fun being back in this world and the reading experience was really nice.