A review by pendularium
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

adventurous emotional inspiring fast-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? Yes

3.75

This was YET ANOTHER book I bought because of hype, and was hideously dissatisfied with. The world feels claustrophobic; everything is connected to the plot somehow, seemingly important characteristics are mentioned once and never explored or, heavens forbid, shown, the plot feels rather contrived, and fascinating elements of the world, like the titular orange tree, have a tiny role in the book that just contributes to the book’s overall feeling of being woefully underdeveloped. A fine debut, but certainly not worth the hype