The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

Title: The Priory of the Orange Tree

Author: Samantha Shannon

Release Date: 26 February 2019

Rating: 5/5 stars

Cover:

Hello darling readers!

Finally, I did it! I completed this absolute monster of a book!

According to Goodreads I’ve been reading this behemoth for almost 4 months and now, finally, I can write the review!

I’m sorry for not having been active these last few weeks. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll in the time to come, so for now I’ll just write reviews and interact with your posts where I can!❤

Good Underlying Messages/Themes:

Old traditions sometimes have to be changed.
You don’t have to agree with someone else’s religion, you just need to respect it.
History get twisted with time.

A whole star for this category!

Fantastic World-Building:

I love, love, LOVED the world-building in this book!

Each country was so well-detailed and thought out and were so colourful! There is exists an extensive history with stories in each country and shows how the countries have become what they are in the present-time.

No woman should be made to fear that she is not enough.

A whole star for this category!

Interesting Story:

I won’t lie, I love politics in fantasy or sci-fi. I hate it in real life.

This story had enough political intrigue to keep my interested until the actual dragons arrived. Because, you know, the dragons are the main reason I picked this book up.

I wished there were more dragons and magic featured in the story, though.

I really loved how the west and east were separated only because of a simple mistake about how they thought the dragons were evil as well, because it’s definitely something that can happen in real life!

The one who wears the chains is a thousand times greater than the one who wields them.

But the way the two parts of the world united to fight against the Nameless One was very well done. They trusted each other, but didn’t.

And can I just say how much I loved seeing how the characters figured out what really happened when the Nameless One was first bound? The riddles, the mystery, and the intrigue…Perfect!

A whole star for this category!

Realistic Characters and Growth:

Ead was written in a way that I know she won’t endear herself to everyone, but that made me love her more. She is blunt and fiercely loyal in a court where so many people tell the queen exactly what they think she wants to hear.

I actually wished we got some more of Tanѐ and her backstory, but I’m satisfied with what we got. She has definitely earned my respect, by falling to the lowest of lows (in her opinion) and then fighting to get back to her dragon.

Sabran irritated me a bit sometimes, but as she and Ead grew closer, and Ead put her in her place sometimes, I began to like her more. Loth was very charming and even when his chapters weren’t as interesting, his character very much was. I loved how the two of them handled being told that the history of their religion was wrong. Both were adamant about it being correct in the beginning, but begrudgingly began to listen.

There is courage, I think, in open-mindedness, and thinking for oneself.

I still don’t like Niclays, but I do have a grudging respect for him. Sometimes I still can’t understand how he’s still alive, but I’m glad he got his happy ending, or as close as he can get to it.

This book features outstanding queer rep, with the relationships not being forced in anyway and flowing smoothly. Every couple in this book felt like they were two puzzle pieces that fit perfectly together and I admire the author for creating such chemistry for her characters!

A whole star for this category!

Emotion:

I hadn’t even realized how attached I had become to these characters until the last 80 or so pages, when I thought that at least someone was going to die and immediately became teary with emotion.

I was definitely ready to cry at the end.

A whole star for this category!

That’s it!

This book was a beast and at times I thought of giving up, but I’m so happy I pushed through.

Happy Women’s Day to all the lovely women out in the world! You are a wonderful human being, no matter what size, length, weight, or colour you are!