Reviews with content warning for Misogyny - The Priory of the Orange Tree

Oft what a doozy of a book. I found it challenging to get into (800 pages is daunting) and confusing at first but once I accepted that I wouldn’t know every persons name or remember every place mentioned it was easier to let the plot and the book carry me along and it did well to remind me of stuff that was important which I loved. I looooved the characters and their intricacies and seeing them develop within the overarching plot. I did end up having to take notes on what happened within each other storyline and where we last saw them because the book jumps between storyline’s so much, once I did that I felt a lot better and was more in tune to what was going on. I loooved the twists and turns of this book I didn’t really ever guess what was going to happen.

I loooooved the role of women in this book and the men being like helpful side characters

although Loths a feminist king and does so much he’s not the main ‘hero’ ya know? Love him tho.

Kit and Meg are fuckin angels too omg.

I love the parallels between this book and the real world regarding misogyny.

Comb said that sabran failed her chief duty as queen by losing her baby. As if that’s a queen or rulers (or women’s) most important task. But misogynists believe that women’s only job is to be baby machines. And in cases of women being in positions of power, that babies overrule everything. And it’s her fault because of something she couldn’t control. And then Sabrán the fuckin QUEEN says “A woman is more than a womb to be seeded”.

Another fun parallel is the concept of balance of nature which I 100% believe in this world as well.

My thoughts on the ending - ⚠️⚠️SPOILERS ⚠️⚠️

I also loved that all the religions were a little bit correct in their own way. Kinda cute of them.

I kinda loooved the witch of the woods character. Slayed.

👎 missing Margrets marriage

I’m glad they didn’t give up their respective careers and paths but 10 years 😭😭💔💔 I wish their betrothal was more of a moment than her just saying have you heard of this thing… I totally love and get them following their own paths but oft it broke me.

Tane??? Damp with blood? Huh? What a cliff hanger. But I’m so glad nayimathun didn’t die.

I love loth and margrets impending swap of responsibility and just both of their characters in general I love.

Roos. What a roller coaster I felt for that man. I was sobbing at the end regardless. Aleidine is mother and queen for what she did and her attitude. EVEN WANTING TO SET NICKLAYS UP AGAIN. I CANT.

I feel like the end went by really quick and got wrapped up really quickly. But I also like how it all played out anyways. I feel like the battle also could’ve been longer or had more go wrong but I’m also not complaining.

I think the slow start and the fast wrap up is what doesn’t get it to a 5⭐️ for me but I loved it all the same.

Content Warnings

fluffy_comet's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

What started out as a beautiful feminist reshaping of the classic sweeping fantasy novel got bogged down by too much worldbuilding (I cannot believe I'm saying this as a worldbuilding lover???) and too many characters. 130 characters in 800 pages? That's a new character every 6 pages. Absolutely bonkers. The characters were loveable and the ending bittersweet; but like many things in this book, the ending was dragged out a few chapters too long. Felt it truly for lost in the weeds towards the end - specially when the author suddenly relied on mantages for important fights, had a character make EXTREMELY SUDDEN mindset changes 3 times in a row within 3 pages, referred to a character (Tané) we've known from THE FIRST PAGE as a completely different word/name, and took way too long for the main conflict to pay off. I should not have 70 pages left and wonder when the fight they've been eluding to for the last 730 pages is going to start! Other than those (honestly large) issues, I did enjoy the book and grow to live the characters. Mostly.

Content Warnings