Reviews tagging 'Torture'

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

138 reviews

sorakiras's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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: Death and Torture

Moderate: Religious bigotry

thea_elise's review against another edition

adventurous challenging 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

4.0

This is the largest book I’ve ever read, so now I’m quite proud of myself for finishing it:)

I liked the multiple povs, and my favorite one was Tané’s. At times I found myself irritated over it suddenly switching over to another, but I do understand that it’s an attempt at making the story as linear as possible. 

I was a bit hard to get interested and invested in the story, and at time I struggled to keep my focus.  But that does not mean that it was a boring book. Not at all. I think it was the most complex book I have any remembrance of. The world building was stunning and at time a bit overwhelming, I often found myself wanting to learn more and more, but that just the history nerd in me. 

I mostly listen to the audiobook and  the narrator gave both the story the characters a bit more dept. One of the few narrators I’ve heard, whose voice did not irritate me, but more catch my attention. 

I did not like the inconclusive ending, mostly because it’s no talk of a second book (as far as I’ve heard), but I do look forward to reading the prequel:)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Torture, Vomit, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Dementia, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Alcohol

sarasbookmark's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Blood, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Incest, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Torture, Dementia, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic

jennirocket's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring mysterious 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

5.0

After a lot of light reading this year with mainly books of the “Romantasy” genre (good and bad) I picked this up in hopes of some more complex world building and character design. And what can I say? Shannon delivered. This book was as epic as it was engaging. The characters are diverse and all very different from each other and every single one is interesting. 
Though slow to pick up in the beginning, the world that is being built in the first third of the book is so vast and interesting that it’s absolutely worth sticking with. 
I loved this book and can’t wait to pick up the other works of S. Shannon as I also enjoy her writing style immensely. 

This book delivered on the hype and I can only  recommend it to any fantasy fan and epics enthusiast.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Incest, Miscarriage, Torture, Violence, Pregnancy, and War

allisonsmith120's review

adventurous dark medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Pregnancy, and War

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Torture, Blood, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Infidelity and Death of parent

totenkoepfchen's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and War

Minor: Torture

emmiej's review

adventurous challenging reflective medium-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Torture, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Deportation

sammy357's review

adventurous 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? Yes

4.5

I loved the book but it's too long and a little too slow in the beginning for me to want to reread it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and War

Moderate: Death, Infertility, Mental illness, Blood, Grief, and Murder

Minor: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Torture

eni_iilorak's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gun violence, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Torture, Medical content, Dementia, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Cursing, Infidelity, and Sexual content

dreadspawn's review

adventurous mysterious tense slow-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? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Alcoholism, Incest, Infidelity, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Alcohol