Reviews

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

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manikahemmerixh's review against another edition

4.0

Priory started off slow for me, but by the end I could see why people love it so much. The chapters move around the fantasy world and follow different characters, and there were some that I cared for (and was intrigued by) more than others, but the further into the story I got, that mattered less as stories interconnected. I actually knew little about it going in, only that people said you shouldn't be scared by the length of it. I have to agree, although it is long, I've read shorter books that felt much more cumbersome. The most daunting thing about this story would probably be all of the names and made-up creatures, but there's a glossary, a list of characters, and even a timeline in the back (which frankly, every fantasy should take note) so you can refer to that if you feel lost.

The rest of the novel is actually quite easy to follow. The story moves quick, it doesn't dwell too much on specific battles or trying circumstances. The stakes are high, but if you're an anxious reader, this is a good fit for you because it doesn't keep you hanging on issues for too long. At first, I thought that maybe things were brushed by too quickly, but I came to appreciate it once I realized it was a consistent pattern. Also, the book is already just over 800 pages long, so there has to be some line drawn about what is superfluous vs. needed to give the reader a well-rounded picture. I wouldn't say that all of my questions were answered by the end, but I wasn't left unsatisfied.

remmslupin's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging tense slow-paced

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

4.0

yiayiakassi's review

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adventurous emotional slow-paced

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

3.5

I wanted to love this book, I really did, and on its surface it seemed like something I would rave about. However, it felt like SUCH a slog to actually finish the book. At around the 60% mark I found myself thinking that surely this was almost over, only to be seriously disappointed. I did enjoy the way all the disparate plots came together at the end and converged on a giant battle, but I felt like we could have gotten there with about 50% less text. Worth a read, but maybe save it for like a long flight or extended convalescence so that your baseline boredom might enhance how interesting you find the novel.

bogentusiast's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny 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

4.75

loslibrosdecarangi's review against another edition

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5.0

4.75, el segundo mejor libro leido en lo que va de año y una autora a la que seguiré leyendo

corrinaababee's review

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I was renting the book via Libby and I’m awaiting another hold on the book to finish it. I didn’t have time to focus on the book but I have every intention of finishing it, once I have access again. The book was very interesting and I can’t wait to find out the rest.