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4.26 AVERAGE
4.26 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed the world of the Priory of the Orange Tree. It’s basis in history and reality made it feel grounded, while it’s fantastical diversions brought it to Life. I had great affection for a lot of the characters, but I didn’t really love any of them, so I had a hard time staying engaged for extended periods of time. That being said, I felt like the story had good pay off, and it’s definitely worth the read.
Hey, you! Are you looking for a story full of magic, dragons and badass women? Then this book is for you!
This high fantasy book has four main characters: Ead, the sworn protector of Sabran IX, queen of Inys; Tané, a young Seiikinese woman who aspires to become a dragonrider; Niclays Roos, an exiled alchemist living in Seiiki; and Arteloth, an Inysh noble man who has suddenly disappeared. The fates of these four individuals will slowly intertwine over time as the threat of The Nameless One grows greater than ever before.
The story is set in a medieval type of world, which you can tell by the way everything is described and the way the characters speak. It really adds life to the story. The fictional world this story takes place in is so beautifully detailed, with the way different cultures and religions are described. I also really liked the characters, they all had their own beliefs and passions they stood up for. Also, the way dragons were incorporated into the story was great, I love dragons <3
This story had an important sapphic relationship that was heart-warming to read. Absolutely LOVED it.
One thing I had a problem with was the pacing of the story. The story got off with a slow start, although that was understandable because of the world building. Some action scenes in the last ~200 pages were described in a way that left me feeling underwhelmed. Still, I really liked the plot and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who's interested!
This high fantasy book has four main characters: Ead, the sworn protector of Sabran IX, queen of Inys; Tané, a young Seiikinese woman who aspires to become a dragonrider; Niclays Roos, an exiled alchemist living in Seiiki; and Arteloth, an Inysh noble man who has suddenly disappeared. The fates of these four individuals will slowly intertwine over time as the threat of The Nameless One grows greater than ever before.
The story is set in a medieval type of world, which you can tell by the way everything is described and the way the characters speak. It really adds life to the story. The fictional world this story takes place in is so beautifully detailed, with the way different cultures and religions are described. I also really liked the characters, they all had their own beliefs and passions they stood up for. Also, the way dragons were incorporated into the story was great, I love dragons <3
This story had an important sapphic relationship that was heart-warming to read. Absolutely LOVED it.
One thing I had a problem with was the pacing of the story. The story got off with a slow start, although that was understandable because of the world building. Some action scenes in the last ~200 pages were described in a way that left me feeling underwhelmed. Still, I really liked the plot and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who's interested!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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:
Complicated
A beautiful weaving of lives and worlds as they come together against a common enemy. The characters show power and strength in so many ways, and consistently demonstrate the value in treating the other with curiosity instead of closing off into the safety of what is known.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
There’s a lot in this book that I enjoyed, the dragons, the multiple storylines, the world building. I enjoyed it but not enough to feel like I couldn’t put it down. I found myself forgetting about it for a week at a time which is very unusual for me (with this type of book at least).
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
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
An epic adventure tale. Loved every moment of it. A great read for anyone who is interested in magic, dragons and a good story to tell a fascinating tale.
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
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:
No
Quelle jolie découverte !
J’ai connu Samantha Shannon avec The Bone Season. En m’attaquant au Prieuré de l’Oranger, je ne savais pas trop où l’autrice m’emmènerait. J'ai été surprise, agréablement, malgré la peur du nombre de pages et d'un univers décrit complexe.
Première bonne surprise : ce n’est pas si complexe qu’on le dit ! Certes, il faut s’y plonger entièrement et parvenir à être bien concentré, mais la plume très actuelle de Samantha Shannon permet à un monde de se dresser devant nos yeux, brique après brique, le rendant très palpable malgré sa richesse et sa finesse. Je trouve que tout s’installe doucement, les liens sont évoqués progressivement, les croyances finement décrites, etc. Le système de magie se dresse petit à petit pour qu’on parvienne très aisément à le saisir. Bref : laissez -vous bercer, tout va bien se passer, Samantha Shannon nous tient par la main de A à Z ! Et pour autant, sa plume est très subtile. Je trouve notamment qu’elle sait à merveille nous exposer une évidence sans pour autant la nommer, je pense notamment au personnage de Loth.
Et oui, les personnages ! Eh bien, j’ai adoré chacun des narrateurs et des personnages principaux. C’est une fantasy et pourtant, ils sont d’une vérité très contemporaine. Ils ne sont pas 100% bons ni 100% mauvais. Ils doutent, ils flanchent, ils foncent, ils tombent. Ils sont durs, farouches, sarcastiques, stratèges et manquent aussi de confiance. Qu’est-ce que j’aime cette authenticité dans les personnages pour une fantasy ! J’ai beaucoup apprécié leur maturité, ce qui permet vraiment à ce roman d’être très adulte. À l’ouest, la dureté de la reine Sabran et la franchise sans détours de la servante venue du Sud, Eadaz, mais aussi les exilés Luth et Kit que j’adore, car je trouve leur duo assez drôle. À l’est, le vieux professeur Niclays un poil grincheux et égoïste, la jeune étudiante dragonnière Tané. Entre les deux, le couple Truyde et Triam un poil immatures que j’ai moins appréciés de par un côté un peu jeune, mais qui peut s’expliquer par leur âge. Petit nota bene : j’aurais adoré en découvrir plus que le personnage d’Aleidine dont je trouve la sagesse tellement difficile et nécessaire aujourd’hui !
Malgré tout, en effet, ce n’est pas la note maximale pour moi parce que j’ai tout de même subi un peu quelques longueurs, mais il s’agit d’un point très personnel que j’interprète par un manque d’expérience en high fantasy.