Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

105 reviews

this__nerd's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

This book has a very good story. I was a fan of Ead and Tané. This book also has very good world building. The descriptions of the geographic locations were rich and detailed, and the descriptions of the dragons were lovingly depicted. This book doesn’t get a higher rating from me for two reasons: 1) there are characters who exist solely to create motivation for other characters and then are thrown away. I felt the way this was done was haphazard and unconvincing. 2) the pacing is very inconsistent. This book could not decide whether it wanted to move quickly or slowly so it simply switched back and forth. This makes it hard to spend time developing the relationships between characters while also pushing the plot forward. I feel like this should have been 2 five hundred page books rather than one 800 page book.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, Terminal illness, Grief, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, and Miscarriage

Minor: Confinement and Pregnancy

aisabel's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Infertility, Death, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Miscarriage, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Confinement, War, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Xenophobia, and Grief

jennyoli96's review against another edition

adventurous tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Blood, Death, Murder, Religious bigotry, and Confinement

Moderate: Grief, Miscarriage, and Infertility

lisa_m's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

This book is huge. That's why I was quite scared about even starting it. I finally did when I thought I had the time to finish it, but I was surprised by how slow the book starts off. I didn't know what to expect going into this book, I only knew that there are dragons and that there is a sapphic relationship.

Well like I said, it starts off quite slow and because of that it took me way longer to read it than I thought it would. I was interested in the world & characters, but still the book was a bit exhausting to read for the first 100-200 pages.
I absolutely understand why people would dnf this book, because there is so much information and worldbuilding and also there are 4 different POVs of people that do not have anything to do with each other (yet). You really have to be attentive while reading as well, because otherwise you will just loose the plot and interest in reading it at all.

Still I'm very glad I pulled through because this book is so amazing!! I don't think I have ever read a book with such excellent world building. There are so many storys in this universe that could be told and I'm honestly hoping that Samantha Shannon will write them all. I definitely would read them!

A backstory for Tané & Susa, or a story about Eadaz's upbringing in the Priory would be so fun to read about. The full love story between young Jannard & Nicklays I would definitly read. Even a sequel about Loth & Morgan and how they figure everything out, or about Eadaz's new life. And one of the storys that would interest me the most would be a backstory of The Unceasing Emperor & the Sea Maiden (I have my own suspicions of who she is, but I would love to read the full story!)

Anyways, I feel like this book is the introduction. It is the main story that has all the fighting and stuff. Now I just want to know more about the whole world! I honestly think that is a great compliment to the author, since I have just read 800 pages, for me to still want more says a lot.

I am definitely interested in reading Samantha Shannons other works now as well. :) I just hope they will be a bit easier to get into.

The writing in this book is also really good. I tabbed so many quotes and just great parts throughout. I would love to read a book of legends or something along those lines about the different parts of this world. I think Shannons writing would fit that very well, and also it would be super interesting to read (especially because I love myths and legends).

Another amazing thing about this book are the different themes handled in this book. I think I would have to reread it, to actually understand everything that is in here, but basically it's about faith and about alienation. About othering people you don't understand. And about teamwork and helping each other, about finding together to fight towords a common goal. It's about overcoming prejudices and while acnoledging the reasons for their existance. It's a book about change, and how it can be a good thing. This book is so unique and unlike I've ever read.

I would definitely recommend this book, but if you plan on reading it, don't expect a light read and know what you're in for. I do think it's worth it (it was for me), but in the end every reader has to decide that for themselves.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Medical content, Miscarriage, Murder, Dementia, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Xenophobia, Violence, War, Classism, Infertility, Infidelity, Blood, Religious bigotry, and Sexual content

wackly93's review against another edition

adventurous challenging medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Death, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Confinement, Blood, Sexual content, War, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Suicide

themelleh's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

It took me a while to read this because I was moving and hit a slump. Also the first half is pretty much world building and setting up the second half. But then I have been voracious and determined to clear the books in my still reading pile and I’ve manage to hack away at this over the last two weeks.

I was so invested to the point where my hand gripping my hair and audible gasps had my partner asking if I was okay (I was not). 

Very much looking forward to the next one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Grief

Moderate: Miscarriage, Gaslighting, Infertility, Violence, Death of parent, Racism, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Abandonment, War, Confinement, Blood, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Torture, Alcoholism, and Animal death

carolinacortez's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

pasaron cosas...
fue el último libro que intenté leer en el 2022 y claramente no avance mucho, entre en un bloque lector enormeeee y finalmente pude terminarlo, así qué , sin contar el bloqueo, me gustó mucho el libro. Fue lento al principio pero sobre todo por que ya no estaba acostumbrada a leer fantasía epica pero la construcción del mundo que hace la autora es brillante, pensó en cada detalle y todo tiene sentido, solo cuesta agarrarle el hilo al inicio, al final todos volvemos donde somos felices, en mi caso la fantasía 

La tierra temblar a bajo el mar

me gustó que  tuviera varios povs (menos en de un personaje que odieeee), cada personaje está muy bien construido y sentía que eran mis amigos (menos roos, me choca), ame también lo variado de los personajes, en cuanto a raza, sexualidad, etc.

Me olvidé de que tenía una habilidad y deje que la habilidad me poseyera a mí. Por completo

si no le puse las 5 estrellas es por que al final siento que falto algo, puedo ver por que lo termino como lo hiso, pero no se siento que un epílogo no hubiera estado de más.

Mi corazón reconoce tu canto, igual que el tuyo reconoce el mio. Y yo siempre volveré a tu lado.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War and Violence

Moderate: Pregnancy, Death, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Medical content, Confinement, Miscarriage, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, and Blood

aleshamiller's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, War, Infertility, Medical trauma, Murder, Blood, Child death, and Confinement

brittanyboston18's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Outing

Moderate: Blood, Confinement, Outing, Infertility, Alcohol, Miscarriage, and Gore

schnaucl's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I enjoyed it.

I thought the cultures were both interesting, although not necessarily well balanced. 

I'm not sure what the West got right, aside from the fact that Ascalon was the sword that could wound the Nameless One.  But they were wrong about the part of all the participants, their entire religion was based mostly on a lie, and they were wrong about the dragons of the East.

  But the world is clearly well thought out.

I also liked the characters, particularly Ead, Tane and Loth.  

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Infertility, Confinement, Pregnancy, War, Death of parent, Infidelity, Murder, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Religious bigotry, Animal death, and Violence

Minor: Vomit, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Incest, Sexual assault, Suicide, Rape, and Mental illness