Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - The Priory of the Orange Tree

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Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

208 reviews

thoseoldcrows23's review against another edition

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adventurous slow-paced

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

1.0

I wanted to like this book so bad, but it just didn't work for me. I probably should have DNF it a long time ago, but I kept convincing myself to push forward in the hopes that it would get better and it just never did.

Let me begin by saying I understand why so many people love this book. Shannon's writing is very readable, and I think that the trappings of old school fantasy are potent enough and the execution competent enough, that for many people it's going to be incredibly engaging. However, I found the process of reading this book to be painfully tedious. For a 800 page book I feel like very little actually happens. The plot is pretty generic and so much of what happens is just people traveling from place to place or people sitting around and talking. This probably wouldn't have bothered me if I had liked the characters more, but I found most of the main characters to be rather boring and shallow, and none of the side characters even felt like people. They were just cardboard cutouts who the author would trot out when the plot necessitated having another person present, and then they would completely disappear from the story when they're present wasn't directly needed.

As for the world building, I think that's probably the most interesting part of the book. The problem though is that the same bits of lore are repeated over and over and over again, and we’re constantly reminded of bits of world building that we've already been told. It became very tiresome very fast, and my interest faded quickly.

Despite all these problems I pushed through the book, hoping that I would eventually come to see what everyone else seems to see and fall in love with it, but alas it never happened. I found the ending of the book to be completely unsatisfying and the solution to the issue of the big bad to be very predictable and unoriginal.

I'm so bummed that I didn't like this more than I did, but it just wasn't for me.

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lief_'s review against another edition

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adventurous medium-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? No

2.25

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lisa_m's review against another edition

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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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wackly93's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

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piratesandprophecy's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging inspiring 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 eadaz uq-nara and arteloth beck have a million fans, then i am one of them. if eadaz uq-nara and arteloth beck have ten fans, then i am one of them. if eadaz uq-nara and arteloth beck only have one fan then it is me. if eadaz uq-nara and arteloth beck have no fans, I AM FUCKING DEAD.

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