By The Book: Samantha Shannon’s Feminist Retellings Have Sold Over One Million Books

The Priory of the Orange Tree has become a must-read in fantasy spheres. Now the high fantasy novel has sold over one million copies and Samantha Shannon is a New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author.

It’s not something she could have ever imagined when she sat down to tell her “feminist retelling of Saint George and the Dragon”.

If you scroll through BookTok, you will see everyone recommend this novel as a foundational text in the fantasy genre. What started as a stand-alone novel has birthed two prequels, including her most recent novel, Among The Burning Flowers.

We spoke with Samantha about the success of her novels, diversity and inclusion as well as her favourite books throughout her life.

Tell us a bit about your new novel, Among The Burning Flowers.

It’s set about two years before the beginning of The Priory of the Orange Tree. Unlike the other two Roots of Chaos books, which are real doorstoppers, it’s fairly slender. It follows Marosa Vetalda, the isolated princess of the wealthy Kingdom of Yscalin. When her city falls under the control of a cunning dragon named Fýredel, Marosa must keep hope alive – but she soon learns that something worse than a dragon is lurking in her family home. There are two secondary narrators, Melaugo and Aubrecht, who bring different perspectives to the Fall of Yscalin.

Your book, The Priory of the Orange Tree, is so beloved. Could you have imagined it being such a staple fantasy book when you first published it?

Absolutely not – I thought it was going to be quite niche. I was genuinely surprised when it went viral on TikTok, which changed the course of my life and career.

Is there a pressure to continue that high as you keep releasing?

Definitely. I’m a perfectionist who always strives to improve my art – and of course, I always hope my readers will enjoy whatever I write next.

The representation of queer women in your books is so important, especially in the fantasy genre. When you set out to write it did you know that you wanted to disrupt the genre?

I’ve always tried to put a lot of representation into my books to reflect the diversity of the real world, but for Priory, yes, there was a degree of intentionality. I wanted to write a classic quest fantasy about defeating a rising evil, but to keep the lens on people who have historically been pushed to the margins of the genre. Not doing that would have meant I had failed to robustly critique an Elizabethan version of Saint George and the Dragon I had encountered during my research process, which is full of contempt for people of different races and religions, as well as for women.

What’s the first thing you do when you sit down to write?

Before I even sit down, I like to go for a brisk walk and have a coffee. After that, I’ll often read back over what I wrote the day before, to get back into the flow.

What is that childhood book that you still think about to this day?

Sabriel by Garth Nix. It’s an incredible book, with such a great protagonist and a magic system based around necromancy, where bells can be rung to exercise various powers. I feel very privileged to have discovered Sabriel as a teenager, as it rekindled a love of fantasy that I almost lost as a child.

 

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Who are three authors that inspire you?

N. K. Jemisin, Tasha Suri, and Laini Taylor – all phenomenal writers and worldbuilders.

What’s a book that you’ll never forget?

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. It was essentially my introduction to feminism and one of my gateway books into the dystopian genre.

Who is the favourite character you’ve ever written?

Arcturus Mesarthim, the love interest from my Bone Season series. He’s been with me since I was fifteen – I’ve lived longer with him than I have without him – and it’s such a joy to still be able to write about him.

If you could go into a book universe, which would it be?

I wouldn’t survive most of the worlds I read about, as they’re often riven by war, but I do love the magical and beautiful world of Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan.

Is there a book you wish you could read again for the first time?

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor. It’s an extraordinary book that reminded me of the sheer power and beauty of the fantasy genre. Taylor has an exquisite style – lyrical and evocative without tipping into purple prose.

@mickeyisreading Spoiler-free review of the Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon 📖🍊🐉 This book has everything- high fantasy, dragons, strong female protagonists, queer representation, stunning writing… it is definitely one of my favourite books of 2024 so far! #booktok #bookrecs #fantasybooktok #fantasybookrecs #prioryoftheorangetree #highfantasybooks #lgbtqbooks #queerbooktok #wlwbooks #dragonbooks #bestfantasybooks ♬ Lofi/NightTempo/10 minutes(1463898) – nightbird_bgm

Forget dinner party guests, what are the three books that define you?

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, The Escapement by Lavie Tidhar and Katabasis by R. F. Kuang.

What is your most prized possession – book-wise or otherwise?

A necklace I inherited from my late grandmother. She wore it every day and it always reminds me of her.

Do you read reviews?

Generally no, because they’re subjective. One review will say a book was too fast, and the next will say the book was too slow – there’s not much you can do with that. There’s also that old saying that too many cooks spoil the broth, and I do think you have to limit the number of cooks in the kitchen when you’re an author. Instead of seeking feedback from reviews, I work closely with my editors. Having said all of this, I did look at a few reviews for my Bone Season series when I made the decision to revise it in 2023, as I wanted to see if there were any specific places where readers had been struggling with the original version.

What is your favourite genre to read? Is it the same one you write?

Yes, I mostly read fantasy. It’s important to read widely in your genre.

Among The Burning Flowers by Samantha Shannon is published by Bloomsbury Archer and is available now.

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