sarahbethhh's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
It had me in the first 3/4 of the book, but the last quarter was so disappointing. I would have rather she added 300 more pages to this tome if it meant she fleshed out her ideas more. The last 200 pages felt rushed and everything felt too convenient. I personally enjoyed her world building and LOVED the framing of the story, but was disappointed in her final execution.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Child death, Grief, Pregnancy, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Blood, Miscarriage, and War
justrebecca's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death and Pregnancy
eliselerario's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.0
Really enjoyed the story, but I would recommend reading it over the audiobook.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Blood
Moderate: Child death and Infertility
em815ily's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Animal cruelty, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and War
maddalynmoon's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Grief, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Classism, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Torture, War, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Pandemic/Epidemic, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Infertility, and Infidelity
paintedgiraffe's review against another edition
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage and Child death
Minor: Pregnancy
rachelditty's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.0
A really well-built world full of cool characters and such interesting plot. I was super into this for the first four parts, when everything was a mystery and I still had to put pieces together. I think the last two parts dragged a little for me, mostly because it was less about figuring things out and more about executing the plan at the climax of the story, but even when I wasn't as hooked at the end I was still having run reading.
I wish the final battle had dragged on for a while longer--it seemed way too short in my opinion. I also really wish Sabran had gotten to deliver the final blow with Ascalon. Don't get me wrong, Tane and Ead tag-teaming the Nameless One was cool, but I wanted Sabran to get her own sort of liberation from this beast that had been haunting her childhood and her childbed since she could remember. I wish it had been Tane and Ead with the stones and Sabran with Ascalon.
I also want to know SO MUCH MORE about Cleolind and Galian--I know the next book is about the Grief of Ages, but I hope the third installment is just about Cleolind and Galian and Kalyba. I want to know so much more about them. I couldn't help but feel bad for Galian when we got to know more about his history, how the woman who raised him had tricked him in such an awful way. I also felt bad for Kalyba when she was killed, because she did treat Sabran with this strange, saccrine kindness, and did seem almost remorseful about what she was doing. I want more of these three. And about the three trees!!
I'll be honest, I wasn't as hooked on Sabran and Ead's relationship as I wanted to be. I liked it, but I didn't love it. I know my friend REALLY loves them; I don't know why they didn't get me the same way.
The endings for all the characters felt very fitting. I'm glad Tane and Niamythun are still riding, and that she's getting to hunt down the Golden Empress. I thought Niclays was going to die at the end of the book, but I'm really glad I was wrong. Loth being implied to be in cahoots with the now-queen Marosa was unexpected, but I liked it. And Ead getting to be Prioress? Yes.
Overall a very enticing read that was just fast enough to keep me interested but still detailed enough that I was able to put pieces together alongside the characters. Really cool. Excited to read the sequel!
Some quotes I liked:
"'All stories grow from a seed of truth,' Tryude said. 'They are knowledge after figuration,'" (p. 21).
"Her heart was a trapped butterfly. The water in you is cold, her teacher had once told her. When you hold a weapon, you become a faceless ghost. You give nothing away," (p. 121).
"'You have not seen death, my lord. You have only seen the mask we put on it," (p. 127).
"'You wear so much armor by daylight that, by night, you can carry it no longer. By night, you are only flesh. And even the flesh of a queen is prone to fear,'" (p. 203).
"'Can we not both agree that no more of her friends should be cut from her side?'" (p. 205).
"'Damn you to the womb of fire.'
Sigoso smiled. 'I am there,' he said, 'and it is paradise,'" (p. 218).
"The roar of the crowd grew so loud, so fast, that it seemed to Ead to transcend sound and attain a physicality," (p. 293).
"'The threat comes from beneath, not from afar,'" (p. 309).
"'You have let me unburden myself, even though my fears are selfish. The Damsel has granted me the child I begged of her, and all I can do is... quake,'" (p. 330).
"'...the love of your life was an abject coward even as a boy. I fear death too much to seek it.'
'Well, I can only be grateful for the softness of your spine. I confess to fearing your death, too.'
'I remind you that you are two years my senior, and that the arithmetic of death is against you.'
Jannart smiled. 'Let us not speak of death when there is still so much life to be lived,'" (p. 346).
"'If I had convinced myself I was no sinner, I would never have kissed the lips I long to kiss,'' (p. 347).
"'I don't want to carry on! Do you not understand? Does nobody in this world understand, damn you? Is no one else haunted?'" (p. 434).
"'The one who wears the chains is a thousand times greater than the one who wields them,'" (p. 451).
"'This part, small as it appeared at first, was forged in the fire of her own strength, and resisted her cage. And I understood... that this part was made of steel,'" (p. 499).
"...spilling guts like a cutpurse spilling gold. Death came for them like a desert wind," (p. 527).
"'Margaret,' he said, 'you are my child. I forgave you all your sins on the first day of your life,'" (p. 580).
"'During my... adventure, I learned what it was to be a heretic. It felt as though my very existence were under assault. If Inys can be the first to cease using the word, I think it would have done this world a very fine service,'" (p. 604).
"Each day, each step, each tick of the clock took him closer to that golden possibility. He was tired of having half a soul," (p. 653).
"In death, its branches reached for the stars, as if they might hold out silver hands and help it stand again," (p. 656).
"How to paint a portrait of Sabran, who had been in his life since he was six. Since a time when all they had worried about was how many adventures they could fit into a day," (p. 740).
"Seek not the midnight sun on earth/ but look for it within," (p. 789).
"'I will teach my heart to beat again.'
It hurt to leave him in the dark. Still, leave he did. Those bones had long since let him go," (p. 790).
"'Some truths,' he said, 'are safest buried. Some castles best kept in the sky. There's promise in tales that are yet to be spoken. In the shadow realm, known only to a few,'" (p. 804).
Spoiler
I wish the final battle had dragged on for a while longer--it seemed way too short in my opinion. I also really wish Sabran had gotten to deliver the final blow with Ascalon. Don't get me wrong, Tane and Ead tag-teaming the Nameless One was cool, but I wanted Sabran to get her own sort of liberation from this beast that had been haunting her childhood and her childbed since she could remember. I wish it had been Tane and Ead with the stones and Sabran with Ascalon.
I also want to know SO MUCH MORE about Cleolind and Galian--I know the next book is about the Grief of Ages, but I hope the third installment is just about Cleolind and Galian and Kalyba. I want to know so much more about them. I couldn't help but feel bad for Galian when we got to know more about his history, how the woman who raised him had tricked him in such an awful way. I also felt bad for Kalyba when she was killed, because she did treat Sabran with this strange, saccrine kindness, and did seem almost remorseful about what she was doing. I want more of these three. And about the three trees!!
I'll be honest, I wasn't as hooked on Sabran and Ead's relationship as I wanted to be. I liked it, but I didn't love it. I know my friend REALLY loves them; I don't know why they didn't get me the same way.
The endings for all the characters felt very fitting. I'm glad Tane and Niamythun are still riding, and that she's getting to hunt down the Golden Empress. I thought Niclays was going to die at the end of the book, but I'm really glad I was wrong. Loth being implied to be in cahoots with the now-queen Marosa was unexpected, but I liked it. And Ead getting to be Prioress? Yes.
Overall a very enticing read that was just fast enough to keep me interested but still detailed enough that I was able to put pieces together alongside the characters. Really cool. Excited to read the sequel!
Spoiler
Some quotes I liked:
"'All stories grow from a seed of truth,' Tryude said. 'They are knowledge after figuration,'" (p. 21).
"Her heart was a trapped butterfly. The water in you is cold, her teacher had once told her. When you hold a weapon, you become a faceless ghost. You give nothing away," (p. 121).
"'You have not seen death, my lord. You have only seen the mask we put on it," (p. 127).
"'You wear so much armor by daylight that, by night, you can carry it no longer. By night, you are only flesh. And even the flesh of a queen is prone to fear,'" (p. 203).
"'Can we not both agree that no more of her friends should be cut from her side?'" (p. 205).
"'Damn you to the womb of fire.'
Sigoso smiled. 'I am there,' he said, 'and it is paradise,'" (p. 218).
"The roar of the crowd grew so loud, so fast, that it seemed to Ead to transcend sound and attain a physicality," (p. 293).
"'The threat comes from beneath, not from afar,'" (p. 309).
"'You have let me unburden myself, even though my fears are selfish. The Damsel has granted me the child I begged of her, and all I can do is... quake,'" (p. 330).
"'...the love of your life was an abject coward even as a boy. I fear death too much to seek it.'
'Well, I can only be grateful for the softness of your spine. I confess to fearing your death, too.'
'I remind you that you are two years my senior, and that the arithmetic of death is against you.'
Jannart smiled. 'Let us not speak of death when there is still so much life to be lived,'" (p. 346).
"'If I had convinced myself I was no sinner, I would never have kissed the lips I long to kiss,'' (p. 347).
"'I don't want to carry on! Do you not understand? Does nobody in this world understand, damn you? Is no one else haunted?'" (p. 434).
"'The one who wears the chains is a thousand times greater than the one who wields them,'" (p. 451).
"'This part, small as it appeared at first, was forged in the fire of her own strength, and resisted her cage. And I understood... that this part was made of steel,'" (p. 499).
"...spilling guts like a cutpurse spilling gold. Death came for them like a desert wind," (p. 527).
"'Margaret,' he said, 'you are my child. I forgave you all your sins on the first day of your life,'" (p. 580).
"'During my... adventure, I learned what it was to be a heretic. It felt as though my very existence were under assault. If Inys can be the first to cease using the word, I think it would have done this world a very fine service,'" (p. 604).
"Each day, each step, each tick of the clock took him closer to that golden possibility. He was tired of having half a soul," (p. 653).
"In death, its branches reached for the stars, as if they might hold out silver hands and help it stand again," (p. 656).
"How to paint a portrait of Sabran, who had been in his life since he was six. Since a time when all they had worried about was how many adventures they could fit into a day," (p. 740).
"Seek not the midnight sun on earth/ but look for it within," (p. 789).
"'I will teach my heart to beat again.'
It hurt to leave him in the dark. Still, leave he did. Those bones had long since let him go," (p. 790).
"'Some truths,' he said, 'are safest buried. Some castles best kept in the sky. There's promise in tales that are yet to be spoken. In the shadow realm, known only to a few,'" (p. 804).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Gore, Pregnancy, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Death, Grief, Infertility, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Sexual content, War, Blood, and Child death
asipofcozy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
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? Yes
5.0
I did it! I got out of my reading slump and FINALLY finished this glorious master piece of fantasy literature. While I am frustrated at my reading slump from getting it the way, this book was a 5 ⭐ read from the very beginning.
Shannon wove a master piece of fantasy and feminism. Priory of the Orange Tree is brimming with details, ideas, themes, characters, legend, and magic. I know many shy away from the In-depth detail of fantasy but even with the fine combed details lain throughout the pages, Shannon never loses sight of the plot and character development. She never strays from her woven story and how intricately she created each piece to fit like a perfect puzzle.
This was what really captured and won me over within the first 100 pages. Even with all the moving parts, we are never lost.
We are immersed in culture, languages, and religions. We are taught and educated along with the characters. How Shannon touches on heavy and "taboo" topics and creates teaching moments makes the story come to life, like that of the discourse in religions amongst humanity or being closed minded to other cultures around us
And just as the plot is rich and diverse, so are the characters. We are given so many diverse voices and perspectives. The characters - Sabaran, Ead, Tane, Loth, Niclays, and all the side characters - are what drove this master piece as they each learn and grow together to face The Nameless One. They enriched the story even further and were the stars. How they interacted and learned together, how they each grew individually, it gave me some hope for our own world.
Finally I will say, I 100% plan on reaching the prequel to this master piece A Day of Fallen Night. I can only imagine it will be just as glorious as its predecessor.
Priory of the Orange Tree has booted the #1 book in my top 5 books of all time list down to #2 and has taken that spot of no. 1 and it is well deserved. It's beautiful, poetic, and full of strong woman. It may be a chunk but every page was worth it. 🖤
Shannon wove a master piece of fantasy and feminism. Priory of the Orange Tree is brimming with details, ideas, themes, characters, legend, and magic. I know many shy away from the In-depth detail of fantasy but even with the fine combed details lain throughout the pages, Shannon never loses sight of the plot and character development. She never strays from her woven story and how intricately she created each piece to fit like a perfect puzzle.
This was what really captured and won me over within the first 100 pages. Even with all the moving parts, we are never lost.
We are immersed in culture, languages, and religions. We are taught and educated along with the characters. How Shannon touches on heavy and "taboo" topics and creates teaching moments makes the story come to life, like that of the discourse in religions amongst humanity or being closed minded to other cultures around us
And just as the plot is rich and diverse, so are the characters. We are given so many diverse voices and perspectives. The characters - Sabaran, Ead, Tane, Loth, Niclays, and all the side characters - are what drove this master piece as they each learn and grow together to face The Nameless One. They enriched the story even further and were the stars. How they interacted and learned together, how they each grew individually, it gave me some hope for our own world.
Finally I will say, I 100% plan on reaching the prequel to this master piece A Day of Fallen Night. I can only imagine it will be just as glorious as its predecessor.
Priory of the Orange Tree has booted the #1 book in my top 5 books of all time list down to #2 and has taken that spot of no. 1 and it is well deserved. It's beautiful, poetic, and full of strong woman. It may be a chunk but every page was worth it. 🖤
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Violence, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Pregnancy, Death, Child death, Murder, Vomit, Blood, Classism, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Infertility, and War
frenchvanillapowdercreamer's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I enjoyed the world a lot, but the pacing was off in a way that made it difficult to read. It took me a long time to finish the book because of this, and even the climax didn't drive me to keep reading. The author also tends to 'drop' information in a way that feels made up in the moment, rather than weaving a complex and believable story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Infertility, Religious bigotry, Gore, Grief, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Child death, Classism, and Death of parent
Minor: Incest
roaming_ro's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Incest