Among the Burning Flowers by Samantha Shannon
Most readers I know, myself included, long for additional insight into some of their favorite stories long after they finish the first page. Samantha Shannon‘s The Priory of the Orange Tree is a thousand-page masterpiece but had me yearning for more details on some of the secondary characters and storylines.
Enter the third installment of the Roots of Chaos series, Among the Burning Flowers. We dive behind enemy lines into Yscalin, where the Draconic Army first makes its mark and paves the way into the story we know and love in Priory of the Orange Tree.
A Prequel That Illuminates the Shadows
For years, Marosa Vetalda has been a prisoner in her own home. Since her mother passed away tragically, she’s been imprisoned under the weight of her father’s eye. Always watching, she dumbs herself down so he doesn’t view her as a threat. Or worse … disposable. She’s engaged to Aubrecht Lievelyn of Mentendon, and together they hope to transform the world into a better place for all.
However, when the mountain starts rumbling and the Draconic army reemerges after centuries of quiet, all hopes of a brighter future vanish. King Sigoso becomes the Flesh King of Yscalin, and danger lurks around every corner as Marosa tries her best to keep the faith and do what is right for her people.
This prequel is the perfect addition to this series, taking place about 2 years before Priory of the Orange Tree begins. It shows us what went on in Yscalin during the Draconic Army takeover and sheds light on one of the most mysterious characters in Priory: Marosa.
We know from the first book that she is working to help save Yscalin and resisting, but we don’t know much about her as a person. Who she is at her core, and most importantly, why she is resisting.
We also get deeper insight into the politics of the time, and Fredyl, the great wyrm leading the charge. We only saw a few exchanges with him in Priory, and here we get a lot of insight into how he rules, how he uses humans to do his bidding, and some exposure into his thought process and his hatred of the human race.
An Entry Point as Captivating as the Saga Itself
It’s a gift to be able to see different sides of this same story, especially what led to the events in Priory of the Orange Tree. It wasn’t just King Sigoso being a turncoat and the rest of the world breaking their alliances (as it seemed to me in book one), but in fact it was a swift takeover with a long game of politics, terror and manipulation of Yscalin and all of its subjects.
Marosa is so intelligent, brave and resilient and, more importantly, loyal. She has followers who have been biding their time until she is reigning queen, but they are working with her and protecting her during this terrifying time. Helping her to ensure the safety of her subjects, create small but mighty acts of rebellion and ultimately step into her power. She has had to say goodbye to the life she thought she would have and welcome in a new era, but she’s adapted flawlessly.
For those who have felt nervous to dive into this world, given the length of Priory of the Orange Tree, Among the Burning Flowers is an amazing entry point. It doesn’t spoil anything that you’ll read in the other books, but provides a manageable story that immediately captures your attention and will set you up for the world and intricacies of this broader story.
This world that Samantha Shannon has built is so beautiful and incredibly intricate; it is amazing that we get the chance to explore different parts of this story. She is a vivid storyteller with the ability to make every character, no matter how small, have purpose. You’ll find a lot of connections between minor characters in Priory and significant characters in this story.
It was a fantastic prequel, and I can only hope that any future installments give us this type of insight into other parts of this amazing universe!
About Samantha Shannon:
Samantha Shannon is an award-winning New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling fantasy author.
Born in London in 1991, Samantha studied English Language and Literature at the University of Oxford from 2010 to 2013.
In 2013, at the age of 21, she published The Bone Season, the internationally bestselling first instalment in a seven-book series of fantasy novels. Her first book outside the series, The Priory of the Orange Tree, has sold over a million copies in English worldwide. Its prequel, A Day of Fallen Night, hit shelves in February 2023, becoming an instant #1 Sunday Times bestseller.
Her most recent book is Among the Burning Flowers, published on 16 September 2025.
