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_ao_'s review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
My criteria for a 5 star book means it moves me to tears, so I can't give 5 stars to Priory of the Orange Tree. But it's sweeping and lore-rich, with a ton of bad-ass women leading and supporting the story. Give yourself some time to read this baby, and you'll find something to love about it.
Also, I would have liked a tiny bit more in the way of an epilogue.
Also, I would have liked a tiny bit more in the way of an epilogue.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Xenophobia, Miscarriage, and Death
Minor: Infidelity, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Violence, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Infertility, Vomit, Animal death, and Pregnancy
corrinaababee's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
It took me a while to read the whole book. I’d say I got interested interested around page 500. Maybe it’s because there were four perspectives and investment was trying. Also I do feel like Roos perspective was unnecessary but overall the book was filled with adventure and was written very excellently. Ead was by far my favorite character, a true badass.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage
rainydaycookies's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
There was a slow start as the reader got to know the world and characters. I didn’t know how all the pieces fit together but once I started seeing the whole story I really enjoyed this book. Very heavy on descriptions of death, blood and guts.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Murder, Death, Violence, Torture, War, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, and Miscarriage
samglade's review
The themes of 'I must give birth to a daughter; my sole goal is life is to have a baby daughter' have become too much. I've got enough of talk like this IRL.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage
ginamiya's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
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? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, War, and Xenophobia
Minor: Miscarriage
curlykristenk's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.0
Oft what a doozy of a book. I found it challenging to get into (800 pages is daunting) and confusing at first but once I accepted that I wouldn’t know every persons name or remember every place mentioned it was easier to let the plot and the book carry me along and it did well to remind me of stuff that was important which I loved. I looooved the characters and their intricacies and seeing them develop within the overarching plot. I did end up having to take notes on what happened within each other storyline and where we last saw them because the book jumps between storyline’s so much, once I did that I felt a lot better and was more in tune to what was going on. I loooved the twists and turns of this book I didn’t really ever guess what was going to happen.
I loooooved the role of women in this book and the men being like helpful side charactersalthough Loths a feminist king and does so much he’s not the main ‘hero’ ya know? Love him tho. Kit and Meg are fuckin angels too omg.
I love the parallels between this book and the real world regarding misogyny.Comb said that sabran failed her chief duty as queen by losing her baby. As if that’s a queen or rulers (or women’s) most important task. But misogynists believe that women’s only job is to be baby machines. And in cases of women being in positions of power, that babies overrule everything. And it’s her fault because of something she couldn’t control. And then Sabrán the fuckin QUEEN says “A woman is more than a womb to be seeded”.
Another fun parallel is the concept of balance of nature which I 100% believe in this world as well.
My thoughts on the ending - ⚠️⚠️SPOILERS ⚠️⚠️
I also loved that all the religions were a little bit correct in their own way. Kinda cute of them.
I kinda loooved the witch of the woods character. Slayed.
👎 missing Margrets marriage
I’m glad they didn’t give up their respective careers and paths but 10 years 😭😭💔💔 I wish their betrothal was more of a moment than her just saying have you heard of this thing… I totally love and get them following their own paths but oft it broke me.
Tane??? Damp with blood? Huh? What a cliff hanger. But I’m so glad nayimathun didn’t die.
I love loth and margrets impending swap of responsibility and just both of their characters in general I love.
Roos. What a roller coaster I felt for that man. I was sobbing at the end regardless. Aleidine is mother and queen for what she did and her attitude. EVEN WANTING TO SET NICKLAYS UP AGAIN. I CANT.
I feel like the end went by really quick and got wrapped up really quickly. But I also like how it all played out anyways. I feel like the battle also could’ve been longer or had more go wrong but I’m also not complaining.
I think the slow start and the fast wrap up is what doesn’t get it to a 5⭐️ for me but I loved it all the same.
I loooooved the role of women in this book and the men being like helpful side characters
I love the parallels between this book and the real world regarding misogyny.
Another fun parallel is the concept of balance of nature which I 100% believe in this world as well.
My thoughts on the ending - ⚠️⚠️SPOILERS ⚠️⚠️
I kinda loooved the witch of the woods character. Slayed.
👎 missing Margrets marriage
I’m glad they didn’t give up their respective careers and paths but 10 years 😭😭💔💔 I wish their betrothal was more of a moment than her just saying have you heard of this thing… I totally love and get them following their own paths but oft it broke me.
Tane??? Damp with blood? Huh? What a cliff hanger. But I’m so glad nayimathun didn’t die.
I love loth and margrets impending swap of responsibility and just both of their characters in general I love.
Roos. What a roller coaster I felt for that man. I was sobbing at the end regardless. Aleidine is mother and queen for what she did and her attitude. EVEN WANTING TO SET NICKLAYS UP AGAIN. I CANT.
I feel like the end went by really quick and got wrapped up really quickly. But I also like how it all played out anyways. I feel like the battle also could’ve been longer or had more go wrong but I’m also not complaining.
I think the slow start and the fast wrap up is what doesn’t get it to a 5⭐️ for me but I loved it all the same.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Death, Miscarriage, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
srobs24's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
fast-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Violence, War, Infertility, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
a_novel_craving's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Miscarriage, Death, War, Addiction, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic, Grief, Infertility, Gore, Pregnancy, Blood, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, and Murder
mary_stormageddon's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
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? It's complicated
5.0
If, like me, the size of this book is the only thing keeping you from picking up this beauty, then let this be your sign to go for it anyway. I have never loved a fantasy book as much as I have loved this one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, War, Death, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Animal cruelty, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Pregnancy, and Violence
Minor: Incest
faerietale_princess's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Absolutely phenomenal. Impeccable writing, a complex world, and outstanding themes.
A few things keep this from being a 5-star read, however.
The author uses the “as you know” trope quite a bit. It took me out of the story— if someone knows something, why tell them again? It’s for the audience.
The romance seemed a bit sudden to me.
The characters have amazing character journeys and arcs, especially Niclays and Loth. But for some reason, they seemed a bit generic? Despite this, I really enjoyed their personal journeys.
It’s not secret that this is quite a tome. There were some slower-moving parts, but even those parts are incredibly compelling.
I love how the politics are laid out. This is a dense and fully-packed book, but each story intertwines in a very logical way.
I loved the themes of this book. There’s a lot of discussion of faith and legends, how they intertwine, how they link to culture, and having to confront false beliefs and beliefs you’ve been raised to have since birth. It’s incredibly thought-provoking, and makes me think of parallels to the real world.
I want more from this world and can’t wait to read A Day of Fallen Night.
A few things keep this from being a 5-star read, however.
The author uses the “as you know” trope quite a bit. It took me out of the story— if someone knows something, why tell them again? It’s for the audience.
The romance seemed a bit sudden to me.
The characters have amazing character journeys and arcs, especially Niclays and Loth. But for some reason, they seemed a bit generic? Despite this, I really enjoyed their personal journeys.
It’s not secret that this is quite a tome. There were some slower-moving parts, but even those parts are incredibly compelling.
I love how the politics are laid out. This is a dense and fully-packed book, but each story intertwines in a very logical way.
I loved the themes of this book. There’s a lot of discussion of faith and legends, how they intertwine, how they link to culture, and having to confront false beliefs and beliefs you’ve been raised to have since birth. It’s incredibly thought-provoking, and makes me think of parallels to the real world.
I want more from this world and can’t wait to read A Day of Fallen Night.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage