Reviews tagging 'Dementia'

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

60 reviews

zannayo's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

4.5

Not many of the main characters are immediately likeable but somehow without even realising it you'll find they've really grown on you by the end of the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Dementia, and Deportation

lynxpardinus's review

adventurous emotional

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Gore, Infertility, Miscarriage, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Dementia, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent

perleerose's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

The world building is great, though some of it is taken word for word from our own world, namely Seikki and how it reflects a period where Japan closed its borders to the whole world except the Dutch and they were only allowed onto one island. Knowing this makes the world building a little less amazing, but all art is drawn from some sort of inspiration. People talked this book up as some great queer rep but it honestly felt lacking to me. I was expecting more obvious and proud rep I guess. The characters don’t really change at all in the book which was disappointing

The biggest change was a couple of them momentarily questioning their faith but that’s it

Also the entire plot is resolved in the span of about 60 pages at the end, which is awfully rushed obviously. The book was at best mid.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Dementia, and Kidnapping

Minor: Murder

anapthine's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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? No

5.0

 This book was absolutely incredible and is probably one of my favourite books ever. Despite it being 800 pages, it doesn't feel like that and with all the action it is the perfect length.

I felt such connection to the characters. This is a really special book. I of course gave this 5⭐ and if I could I would give it more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Miscarriage, Violence, Blood, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Infertility, Sexual content, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Incest and Dementia

bel017's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense 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? Yes

The ending is good. I feel that's critical when reading such a chonker of a book. 
The story is told from the viewpoint of four different characters, which were woven together well - I was never confused as to whose viewpoint I was reading. I did get confused in some of the historical plot and side plots, but it's a huge cast of characters, with two different sides giving the same characters different names, and some having the same or similar names. The confusion didn't diminish my enjoyment though. I enjoyed it so much that, even though I literally just finished it I am very tempted to just turn back to the beginning and start all over again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Blood

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Confinement, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Violence, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Infertility, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Dementia, and Abandonment

caroluvr's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Incest, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol

fatherprozac's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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

4.5

I really enjoyed this book's female characters and the lack of homophobia, racism in relation to skin color, and blatant misogyny (other than that toward Sabran) in the world. It feels very socially modern and so it managed to capture me in a way that many other fantasy books haven't. Overall, a great story. I do wish that

Tane's part of the story had been bigger, I found myself frustrated at the clear focus on the West's side of the narrative. I also wish we had seen more of Nayimathun--even the book itself points out how often she and Tane are separated.  I also despised the long chapters surrounding Niclays as I personally found him extremely unlikeable--which may have been the point, but they were a chore nonetheless. Finally, the climax of actually fighting the Nameless One was a bit disappointing for me, pretty anticlimactic.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Kidnapping, Abandonment, and Alcohol

jhaneveauguste's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Medical content, Dementia, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

quinn24's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Violence, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Medical content, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, and Classism

Minor: Infertility, Sexual content, and Dementia

eunoia11's review

adventurous dark 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? It's complicated

5.0

The first part was really slow given it was mostly world building and setting up the plot. I’m glad I tabbed the book because it was nice to be able to go back and review plot points and characters. After that though, the plot flowed beautifully and was always filled with action.

The way the four “storytellers” as Samantha Shannon calls them, all intertwine and bring the plot together was beautifully done. The characters are complex, heroes and villains alike have their flaws and good qualities. The exploration of religion and history in this world was extremely intriguing and makes us wonder about the flaws in our own world.

The strong female characters, poc, and lgbtq+ representation was done quite well and I’m glad said characters and relationships are seen as the normal and not as “strange and other”

I’m manifesting this book adapted into a film because I need it in my life.

I hate Niclays but when he speaks of Jannart my heart melts
I fell in love with Kit and he was taken 2 pages after I decided he was my favorite😭

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Gore, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child death, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, and Dementia