Reviews - The Priory of the Orange Tree

35.1k reviews for:

The Priory of the Orange Tree

Samantha Shannon

4.26 AVERAGE

emmas_stories's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous dark emotional 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: Yes

evan_a_reader's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

verymom's review against another edition

For such a doorstopper (848 pages), I was really surprised by how slow (though very steady) the pacing was. The whole thing, despite being an epic fantasy with dragons and wars and political machinations, reads very gently (and honestly, not a lot happens until the very end).

My daughter who is on the spectrum (though minimally impacted--I'm not sure how we're saying that these days) enjoys books where people are 'just doing stuff' and there isn't an overly complicated plot. This story is much more complex and has multiple POVs (with some head hopping) to boot, but I think with the slow pacing it mostly feels like people just doing stuff and she'll like it.

I listened to the audiobook which was beautifully narrated. Points for queer representation without fetishization and accurate depictions of grief. I really don't know how to rate this. There was enough going on that I kept with it, but not enough... I don't know? connection? to have me fan girling.

It took me a long time to figure out who everyone (and everywhere) was and keep them straight (which I think would have been easier if I'd read this with my eyeballs instead of my ears). If you haven't read this yet and are about to go in blind like me, I think I would have benefited from reading a run-down of the world & characters first. This seems like a good one.

natsumi_k5's review against another edition

5.0

"No woman should be made to fear that she was not enough."

Wow.

What a rollercoaster.

I have not read a hardcore fantasy in awhile. Especially one as long and in depth as this. I am lost for words.

So uh . . . I will try my best to describe my feelings and thoughts for this book.

Taking from folklore, myths, religions, legends, and stories from around the world, Samantha Shannon brings the readers a new world. Though it is one filled with familiarity, it shines brightest within the clever twist. And that is what brings out a new beautiful unknown. A world told in the eyes of women. Women from all different backgrounds, stature, and beliefs.

Ead is a woman undercover. Blending in with the shadows while learning of and protecting a queen, who seems to cause Ead's soul to question all that she has known from her past.

Tanè, an outcast. An outcast that is filled with passion and determination to grasp a lifelong dream. However, will the choices of the future cause her to keep hold of this goal? A goal she has sacrificed so much for?

Sabran, a powerful queen. Or so it seems. On the outside, a facade she puts up, that convinces those around her that she is cold, distant, and uncaring. However, deep within, a stirring of heartache, anxiety, darkness, and loneliness consumes her soul causing uncertainty and trouble to fall upon her shoulders.

These three women stories are accompanied by two men. One of good and a pure heart. The other filled with greed and confused anger.

As their stories collide and intertwine with each other, it seems that all is lost, however, within the pits of hell . . . a common enemy threatens to arise, causing characters to turn to sources, they never thought they needed.

I know many people who have read this has said they had a hard time getting into the story and that the beginning is kind of slow. However, I must disagree. Though it was a lot of character building and information. I was fully entertained. I was inthralled with the characters and really got sucked in. And I feel it was because Samantha's writing is absolutely beautiful. The way she paints the words on her pages really helped me see a clear picture in my mind. Which I believe, really helped me to stay in-tune with the book. I have not read a book in awhile that had this type of story telling . . . and I guess I really needed it.

Each character was so intriguing and had so much purpose to the story and I just gobbled that up. And let me just say that I am very satisfied with my care. I loved loved loved the feminism this book brought. I also really enjoyed the relationships. Creating characters that were LGBTQ+, I felt was really important to the character build up and their stories. I found it quite beautiful.

The world building was exquisite. How beautiful and detailed it was. I felt I could really taste and smell what each character ate. Feel every weather and atmosphere they were in. Which was just a cherry on top for me.

However, that cherry tended to sometimes be a sad canned cherry. Because that detailing added to a dislike I had with the book. I felt that certain scenes seem to happen too fast. For instance, I felt that Samantha spent more time describing a place, rather than whenever there was a fight or battle scene. Like I felt while reading, I would start to get into it and then it would be over. And I would be stuck with just . . . ash. And it would just slip through my fingers, no matter how hard I tried to grasp it. And I would just sit there while I tried to figure out what happened. Which is ironic because of how long the book is.

Other than that, I really enjoyed the book. I'm so glad I got a hold of it and got a chance to dive into its pages.

I really don't know what else to say, because like I said . . . I am kinda of lost for words. And unable to really describe my experience with this book. I apologize for my lack of abilities. . .

If you enjoyed Narnia, Lord of the Rings, and The Way of Kings and want another good, pure fantasy story, I highly suggest giving The Priory of the Orange tree a try, even if Tiktok hypes it up. Sometimes you just gotta trust booktok.

afjakandy's review against another edition

4.0

that was fucking crazy dude

some things i’m insane over:

”Tell me the truth of it, Ead. Was it your own choice to lie with me last night, or did you feel compelled because of my rank?”
“Fool,” she said. “I would not be compelled by you or anyone. Have I not always given you truth?”

”Everything I did — everything I was — everything I am, is because of him. He was someone before me. I am no one without him.”

”My mother always said it was best to receive bad news in winter, when everything is already dark. So one can heal for spring.”

”You came,” Nayimathun said. Her breaths were laboured. “You should not have come.”
“I should have come sooner.” Tané lowered her head. “Forgive me. For letting them take you.”
“Someone took you first,” the dragon growled. A tooth was missing from her lower jaw. “You are hurt.”

”I know I have said this to you once before, Sabran, but I would not blame you if you would prefer not to live that way.”
“I would live alone for fifty years to have one day with you.”