emthsyl 's review for:

Among the Burning Flowers by Samantha Shannon

4.0

---

This is a novel drenched in sorrow, chronicling the last days before the world we meet in Priory begins to fall to the awakened wyverns in earnest.

Again I believe Shannon to have made a smart decision in her choice(s) of voice; the narrative is split between three characters across the land, their third person limited perspectives close enough to the heart of the action & complexities of interiority, yet far enough that the reader is never bogged down, trapped in one head while the great world -- and it is great, comprising many countries & people & a history that stretches back over a thousand years -- spins beyond reach.

This has been billed as a standalone prequel to Priory, & while it technically can be, it has also clearly been crafted with those already familiar with the series in mind; I cannot imagine picking AtBF up with no prior knowledge of the world or events that have/will take place & still retaining the same reading experience. Aubrecht's chapters especially benefit (in quite a bittersweet manner) from knowing what is to come. In this retrospective of sorts, he becomes a much more tragic, fleshed-out character, in a way Priory was largely unable to do for him.

Donmata Marosa's perspective will be, I imagine, the one most readers lean toward, both in terms of relatability (as nebulous as that is) & in relation to Priory. If you know what is to come, you'll be interested in a more specific detailing of Marosa's life up to that point; & if you have no idea whatsoever as to her ultimate fate, you'll rush to read Priory to find out. Another great choice by Shannon.

Probably the weakest link in the perspective chain is Melaugo, so much so that she completely disappears in the second half of the novel, Aubrecht rising to take her place. If Marosa is the true throughline of the novel, & Aubrecht most connected to her, showing another side of the royal coin, then Melaugo is....there. She's there. She was a blip in Priory & she's a blip here. It's a nice addition to see the perspective of a (somewhat) common citizen as all hell breaks loose, but that's about it.

Overall, a solid installment in the RoC series, though its marketing as a more accessible entry point to the series falls apart upon closer inspection. That is not under Shannon's control, obviously, & what she does deliver with her own power is something needed & eminently enjoyable: additional time spent with characters only somewhat touched upon, comparatively, in Priory.

A great thank you to Goodreads & Bloomsbury Publishing for providing a physical arc for review.