A review by ellareads2
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

adventurous challenging tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I primarily read this book because it's a sapphic fantasy. Having read it, it is definitely more fantastical and the sapphic romance part is secondary. If you have been a long time reader of YA queer literature, you won't be completely disappointed, but you do have to have patience and understand that this is an adult queer fantasy which means the queer themes are less explicit and not the center of the plot/conflict. I mention this because it is what initially attracted me to the title, but it is not my main issue with the novel. I really am amazed by how Samantha Shannon took on such a large scope for a book and executed it completely into fruition. For the most part, she seamlessly weaves the lives and plots of the primary narrators together, but around the last 200 pages (climax, falling action, resolution) I felt that the plot was rushed. Because of the nature of having several narrators and plot lines and conflicts, Shannon spent majority of the book when they were separate. Once the characters paths collide, it seems like Samantha Shannon forgot about the main conflict and then was scrambling to get to the conclusion of her story, involving the primary conflict. In this way, I think this story could have been better told in two separate books. I cared deeply about many of the characters, especially Ead and Sabran and their relationship. The other secondary characters storylines and the extensive, recurring world building really took up many pages where the reader could have gotten more of their dynamic. This cover has a dragon on it, but there's only two scenes where there's actual battles with them. Coming into this, I definitely thought there would be more battle and actions scenes than there were in reality. I didn't find this much of a problem in the beginning since there was obviously world building that needed to be done, but it became more of an irritant towards the last two sections of Priory. <It seemed like there were endless chapters of pre-game talk leading up to the battle with the main antagonist dragon, Fyredel. He is supposed to be the big bad guy, but he's talked about more than we see him.> For many characters, they do not get happy endings. I think a big difference between YA and Adult fantasy or books in general is how believable the outcomes for the characters are. <For Tané especially, her best fried dies by the Seiikinese government as a result for smuggling in an outsider.> This scene was painful and difficult to read, but it served as character growth for Tané and showed me that this wasn't going to be an easy road for the characters. It makes the story more complex and therefore believable. I did not feel the same way about the battle scene and "epilogue" chapters that concluded the book. <It all seemed too easy, how quickly Kalyba and Fyredel were killed.> Like a children's fable, Shannon used the last 15 pages to fulfill the "where are they now?" question for all the major characters/narrators. This just felt a little tacky to me because it felt rushed in proportion how much time/pages were spent on other parts of the plot. Although, the characters are flawed and they still have to live with the consequences they faced throughout and even before the novel. <Ead and Sabran don't necessarily live happily ever after because they have to wait ten years until they can be together again which I think makes their resolution complex and believable, but I felt cheated as a reader because I don't think I got enough scenes of them together. Niclays has to live with all he's been through: being exiled from Inys and losing his lover, Jannart. Tané has to live with blood on her hands and the fact that she is a descendant of the mulberry tree.> I feel that I cared for Loth, but I don't necessarily understand his purpose at the end; he just felt like a servant and friend to Sabran but nothing outside of the the Inyish court or Sabran really defined his character. Speaking of the Inyish Court, for the chapters that took place in the "West" I really enjoyed all of the court drama/gossip and the political intrigue it brought about. One thing I found annoying all the kingdoms was the consistent, persistent religious disputes, especially between Ead and Sabran. It was the one part of their relationship that always annoyed me and kept me from believing they really loved each other as much as other scenes portrayed. Priory is definitely a woman-centered tale with the Priory's religion being built around Cleolind Onjenyu (or the Mother) who is remember as a warrior; and the House of Berethnet being a matriarchy. In this way, I'd say it's primarily a feminist tale rather than a queer/sapphic one, although it's both. Despite plot complications at the end, I think this book overall is a great story that is fun and engaging with excellent representation. I would love to see a Game of Thrones level adaptation of Priory. 
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