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The Mask Falling

(The Bone Season #4)

Samantha Shannon (Goodreads Author)

4.43 · Rating details · 198 ratings · 135 reviews

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Bone Season and The Priory of the Orange Tree, the stunning fourth novel set in the world of Scion.

Dreamwalker Paige Mahoney has eluded death again. Snatched from the jaws of captivity and consigned to a safe house in the Scion Citadel of Paris, she finds herself caught between those factions that seek Scion's downfall and ...more

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Hardcover, 528 pages

Expected publication: January 26th 2021 by Bloomsbury Publishing

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· 198 ratings · 135 reviews

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Oct 17, 2018 Samantha Shannon added it · (Review from the author) · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, uk-and-irish-2021, tall-female-protagonist

Hi, Goodreads:

Thank you for your immense patience in waiting for the fourth book in the Bone Season series. The latter half of 2019 was very difficult for me for personal reasons, which slowed things down a little, but I'm thrilled to reveal that the title is The Mask Falling and it will be out in January 2021.

There's also something on its way this summer to break up the wait, as I know it's been a long one.

I absolutely love this book – it's my favourite in the series so far, and I really ...more

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Jan 15, 2020 Kai (CuriousCompass) marked it as lost-interest · review of another edition

I have no interest in continuing this series, but I have something to say... It doesn't matter how long this takes to come out. It doesn't matter if before she writes and publishes this book, Samanta Shannon decides to go to the moon or mars with Elon Musk and Grimes, goes bungee jumping in every country in the world, and writes and publishes a series of vegan cookbooks before getting back to this series. It. Does. Not. Matter. You can be sad, you can be angry, but for the love of God, leave her I have no interest in continuing this series, but I have something to say... It doesn't matter how long this takes to come out. It doesn't matter if before she writes and publishes this book, Samanta Shannon decides to go to the moon or mars with Elon Musk and Grimes, goes bungee jumping in every country in the world, and writes and publishes a series of vegan cookbooks before getting back to this series. It. Does. Not. Matter. You can be sad, you can be angry, but for the love of God, leave her the fuck alone, and leave other writers alone too. I've genuinely seen people saying 'Hmmm, well, she is on Twitter a lot.'

SO WHAT?

Let this woman live her life. Let George R.R. Martin live his life. You do not get to pretend an author is a bad, selfish, or entitled person for how much time they're on social media, what they're posting on Instagram (Wow why is she at the museum when she could be writing my precious book?!) or anything else they're doing!

Short of coming into your house in a burglar outfit in the middle of the night, poisoning all your houseplants, and punching your mom in the face, you do not get to have an opinion on how this woman, or any other writer or artist, spends their time.

Let humans be humans and try to have some damn understanding that:

1) Writing is hard, hard work.

2) People are people and not robots who can work 24 hours a day.

3) Art and writing are not typical work, some writers can approach it as such, but for most of us we require time to think and ponder and plan and live and glean inspiration and, you know, the will to even exist in this world, before we can pour all that into the page.

4) Samantha Shannon has been far more prolific than most authors (especially considering her books are huge) and has had a pretty damn impressive run so far. I've been waiting for a new Arthur Golden book for more than a decade and you don't see my ass online bullying him. (I'm aware this book is never coming - he got that sweet, sweet Memoirs of a Geisha money and BOUNCED, and good for him.)

5) A series this long is a huge undertaking and most writers would want a break to work on other projects here and there as a creative refresher. The skills gained from those works will be put back into this series, no doubt.

PLEASE STOP TORMENTING WRITERS OR AGITATING THEM FOR HAVING A LIFE AND INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF PLEASING YOU.

Thank you, this has been a PSA. Now go plant some trees or Google which plants native to your area/region in particular are good for/attract WILD bee populations, and then go plant a bunch of them. We need them bees, y'all. ...more

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Dec 10, 2020 Ashleigh (a frolic through fiction) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: physically-own, sent-by-publishers

Everything hurts. Please bare with me through these trying times.

This book just blew this series onto a whole new level. Every page felt like a shift in the system as more was discovered, and I loved seeing the progression made. The combination of dystopian politics and spirit magic has always been my favourite thing, and this book really shows its strength in this aspect. Though introducing a lot of new power dynamics, mysteries, and problems to be confronted, not for a moment did it feel overw ...more

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Jan 16, 2018 Abbie (boneseasonofglass) marked it as to-read · review of another edition

I feel like the wait for the next book is going to go on forever D:

flag 45 likes · Like · see review

Nov 18, 2020 Maxwell rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc

[4 stars]
Thanks to Bloomsbury for sending me an early copy of this for review. All thoughts & opinions expressed in this review are solely mine.

Longer review to come closer to publication date. I think I might even read this one again in January before it comes out so I can give more proper thoughts. But boy oh boy is this a heck of an installment in the series.

flag 28 likes · Like · see review

Apr 20, 2017 Melissa (BookNerdMomo) marked it as to-read · review of another edition

4.20.2017
When it's been nearly two months since you read The Song Rising and all you can think about is how you really want TBS4 now. *wishes for a time machine*

8.8.2019
Finished rereading the whole series up to this point again. Is it 2020 yet!? I need this book. Dx

3.11.2020
YESSS! Finally a title and a blurb, now next a cover! I need it to be 2021 now please and thank you.

8.12.2020

WE HAVE A COVER AND IT’S GORGEOUS!! The excitement is building!! Is it February yet!? ...more

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Sep 03, 2020 Charlotte May marked it as to-read · review of another edition

February next year release date!!! Hell yeah!!! Maybe I can fit in a reread of the series before it comes out?

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Aug 17, 2018 Beatrice in Bookland marked it as to-read · review of another edition

1) The bone season ★★★★☆
2) The mime order ★★★★☆
3) The song rising ★★★★★

*distant sobbing*

So... is it 2020 yet?

flag 21 likes · Like · see review

Aug 12, 2020 Mary S. R. marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, dystopia-utopia, science-fiction, romance

So I might not be able to prove this with mathematics or geometry or whatever, but this cover is so aesthetically perfect it just changed the centre of gravity to my life. I’m actually falling sideways.

Or maybe that’s just me fainting. Interesting.

Okay, wait a sec I think I can prove it *picks up ruller and golden ratio*

Companions

Book series playlist: Spotify URL

Books in series:
⤷ The Bone Season (The Bone Season, #1) ★★★☆☆
⤷ The Pale Dreamer (The Bone Season, #0.5) ★★★★☆
⤷ The Mime Ord ...more

flag 20 likes · Like · see review

Nov 14, 2018 Melanie (TBR and Beyond) marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: tbr-ya, 2021

I will riot if she pushes this series back again! Don't be that person Samantha!!! ...more

flag 18 likes · Like · see review

Apr 26, 2020 Caylynn marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: tbr-sequels, lgbtq

Update: August 17th, 2020

LOOK AT THAT COVER!!

Me currently when I see that we're back to the OG design and not the mess that was The Song Rising's messed up changes-

-----------------------------------
Update: April 26th, 2020

What? The actual? Fuck?

When did this book get a title??? And an update from our beloved author herself??

January 2021??

WHERE ARE MY SUPPOSED FRIENDS AND WHY DIDN'T ANYONE INFORM ME OF THIS GLORIOUS UPDATE???

I NEED this book more than I NEEd air. But I'm also glad that Samantha ...more

flag 14 likes · Like · see review

Feb 09, 2017 Melanie marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, romance, paranormal, dystopian, young-adult

1.) The Bone Season ★★★
2.) The Mime Order ★★★
3.) The Song Rising ★★★★ ...more

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Oct 23, 2020 Gabriela Pop rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

how dare Samantha Shannon make a perfect series even more perfect? This is the literary equivalent of an emotional rollercoaster and you can picture me screaming throught this entire emotional journey it feels like I've embarked along with the characters. The stakes of this series always felt so high, yet Shannon keeps escalating and rising the bar, both on a personal microlevel and on a broader scale. Bravo, my metaphorical hat off to you Ms Shannon, it is an honour to have my heart stomped on ...more

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Apr 26, 2020 destiny ♡⚔♡ [howling libraries] marked it as finish-me-soon · review of another edition

Shelves: review-copies, owned-ebooks, owned-tbr

Oh shit... when did we get a release date and title?!?!

flag 11 likes · Like · see review

Aug 07, 2017 Marifer Castillo marked it as to-read · review of another edition

DO YOU SERIOUSLY EXPECT ME TO WAIT, O MY LOVELY, TWO YEARS??!!
U expect me to wait after my ship was LITERALLY SHIPPED to France?!
O MY LOVELY, DO NOT MAKE MISTAKES. I want this book NOW

flag 11 likes · Like · see review

Nov 17, 2020 Bright Star rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: best-of-2021

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

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 ...more

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Dec 02, 2020 Alexa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: flights-of-fantasy-2020, read-in-2020

I was unprepared for how stressful and incredible and compelling this installment of the series would be, and I am left feeling dizzy from the highs and lows of the emotional roller coaster of this experience.

Basically, THE MASK FALLING punched me (in the heart and head) and I would happily allow it to do so again. This installment? Brilliant.

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Nov 10, 2020 Sara marked it as tbr-next · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, fantasy, science-fiction, fiction, young-adult

ARC received in exchange for an honest review 🌛

flag 8 likes · Like · see review

Sep 07, 2015 R.K. Syrus rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I saw the 2* review by some wanker who had a bone to pick. Ms. Shannon's #4 will be the best one yet, I feel it...in my bones. 5*. Bam! ...more

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Nov 18, 2020 Nicole (Half Wild Books) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs-advanced-reader-reviews, series-i-haven-t-finished, 2021-releases

I have no words

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 I have no words

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. ...more

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Oct 17, 2020 Ethan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is a no spoiler review, however, Ms. Shannon if you happen to read this please know that I’m billing you for emotional damages.

It has been roughly seventy - three years since the release of the Song Rising, and receiving an arc of the Mask Falling was like pure serotonin - reading it, however, was something close to euphoria.

I could not put this book down (and I think it saved me from a reading slump) because I have truly missed the cruel world of Scion, and the trials and tribulations th ...more

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Dec 03, 2020 Bruna Oliveira rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020

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 ...more

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Dec 29, 2018 Gaia marked it as to-read · review of another edition

(07/03/20) THERE IS A TITLE?!?!?!??!?!?!?! MY PRAYERS ARE SLOWLY GETTING ANSWERED???? LET'S GO BEST BOOK OF WHATEVER YEAR THIS COMES OUT

---

pls have an option for the pretty hardcover i beg u ...more

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Nov 14, 2020 Ashleigh (ash_and_books) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: lgbtq, favourites

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 3.3 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
...more

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Dec 20, 2020 Lulai rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: wish-list, arc

-- I received this book through NetGalley against an honest review. --

I am so trash for The bone season serie it is absurd the amont of time I spent raving about it.
I was lucky enough to receive this book on NetGalley and it make my day.

Paige is in Paris just after the ending of The Song Rising with Warden for a new mission with the Domino Programme. What is it? I am not allowed to say but this book is full of surprises. Be prepared, it's a rollercoaster of emotions. Paige is in a bad state afte ...more

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Dec 13, 2020 booksalroond rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I recieved an arc from NetGalley in exchange of a honest review

I have been lucky enough to receive a digital arc of the 4th book of The Bone Season series by Samantha Shannon.
Christmas couldn’t have come earlier for me.

What can I say? I am blown away.

I have so many questions now, almost no answers and I am not even angry or disappointed.

The pace of this book is incredible. I wasn’t really drawn into it at the beginning, not as I was for the other novels. But pretty soon I dived into it, carri ...more

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Sep 08, 2020 J.A. Ironside rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favourite-authors, favorites, paranormal-supernatural, lgbtqai, fantasy, netgalley-edelweiss, most-anticipated-books-of-2021, irish-authors

ARC provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

Buddy read with Destiny

You know when you find an author whose style and method of storytelling just clicks for you? That's Samantha Shannon for me. It helps that she's a fellow word nerd and etymology nut, I think. I never read her prose and come away feeling unsatisfied. And I love how she layers her stories - both in terms of world-building and in terms of adding things that interest her but are clearly there for a reason.

I buddy re-re ARC provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

Buddy read with Destiny

You know when you find an author whose style and method of storytelling just clicks for you? That's Samantha Shannon for me. It helps that she's a fellow word nerd and etymology nut, I think. I never read her prose and come away feeling unsatisfied. And I love how she layers her stories - both in terms of world-building and in terms of adding things that interest her but are clearly there for a reason.

I buddy re-read all the previous books in preparation for this - something I rarely do but was well worth it in this case. The Mask Falling was everything I wanted after The Song Rising and then some. It also kicks you in the guts several times and adds a boot to the head when you're down at the end. This is the epitome of masochistic reading experiences and so good, you won't want to put it down.

Having destroyed Sen-Shield and escaped the tortures of the Tower, Underqueen of the syndicate, Paige Mahoney, is now recuperating in Paris with the Ranthen Warden, Arcturus Misarthern by her side. Dragging her battered body back from the brink, Paige wastes no time locating the French version of the Mime Order. In a bid for allies for her people, Paige also makes contact with the French Resistance. What follows is a cat and mouse game through historic palaces, rich residences, back streets and slums, and the voyant claimed catacombs. Shannon manages the difficult task of keeping all the plates spinning and the plot moving forward, while allowing Paige to be damaged by what has happened to her. If you're a Warden and Paige shipper, then there's plenty here for you too. No spoilers. The plot spirals through disaster and triumph before putting in that final brutal boot to the skull at the end. I read this almost a month ago and my head is still ringing from that blow. I got to the end of this book and all I wanted to do was go back to book 1 and start all over again, because I didn't want to leave the world. I can offer no higher praise for a book than that. Highly recommend this entire heart pounding, intelligent and nuanced series.

😭😭😭 ...more

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Oct 12, 2020 Imi (Imi Reviews Books) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020-fave-reads, diverse-characters, dystopian, kickass-heroines, lgbt, yes-okay-i-cried, mental-health, paranormal-supernatural, stayed-up-to-finish, 2020

Fuck absolutely everything.

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Apr 07, 2020 Eliza ☽ marked it as to-read · review of another edition

What a sexy and esoteric cover....the colour matches Priory too...

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Aug 12, 2020 Sam marked it as to-read

Shelves: 2021

I’ve only read The Bone Season so far but WOW this cover is otherworldly in its greatness.

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About Samantha Shannon

Samantha Shannon

9,919 followers

Samantha Shannon studied English Language and Literature at St. Anne’s College, Oxford. The Bone Season, the first in a seven-book series, was a New York Times bestseller and the inaugural Today Book Club selection.

Her next novel, The Priory of the Orange Tree, was published in February 2019 and became a New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller. Her work has been translated into twenty-six lang ...more