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A review by scsreads
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
5.0
It's been a while since I read a big book like this, and since I read an epic fantasy. But as soon as I flipped to the table of contents and saw a section titled "Here Be Dragons," I knew I was going to love this book. Plus, there's an amazing map at the beginning, and I love a good map (and I definitely kept referring back to it as the characters were traveling all over the place). I've always loved tales of magic and dragons and witches and I used to read a lot more fantasy when I was younger. This book reminded me how much I love fantasy and being pulled into a completely different world.
I was completely sucked in and enthralled by this world. There is political intrigue, religion, romance, magic, and so much more in this story. I'm so impressed by Samantha Shannon and this incredibly rich and detailed world she created. Not to mention the characters! The female characters in this book are so strong and fearless, and in some cases, ruthless. But they are also flawed, vulnerable, and human. I loved them so much. I also enjoyed the representation of having black characters featured prominently in this book (I don't remember that happening much when I was reading fantasy books as a kid), as well as queer characters. There's also such character growth, as people are forced to confront beliefs they've always had and truths that are revealed to be falsehoods.
There's so much to unpack this novel and I'm barely going to scratch the surface, so if you've read it, comment below so we can discuss in more detail! Shannon explores the theme of duty, and the burden it is for some of these characters. Where does their duty ultimately lie? We also see the constraints of being a woman in this world. A woman can rule and can be a warrior, but even a queen is held to certain notions of what a woman should and shouldn't do, how a woman can and cannot behave. And there's also the idea of following your own path, of questioning and reexamining what you've been taught to believe, and choosing your own way forward.
This book was such a journey and I loved being along for the ride. I was so engrossed and I would keep making little noises as I was reading, and my boyfriend would ask me what just happened in the book since he knew that I was reacting to something! Towards the end, I was literally on the edge of my couch, holding my breath and reading furiously to see how it all turned out. It's been a long time since I was so swept up by a book like this and it's such a good feeling.
I've read Shannon's Bone Season series, which I also really enjoyed, but I think this book was possibly even better. This solidified the feeling for me that I will read any book that she writes. I'm sad to leave these characters behind, but I'm happy for the time I was able to spend with them (and you guys were right, the 800 pages went by very quickly!).
//
It was EPIC- I loved it!! Full review to come soon.
I was completely sucked in and enthralled by this world. There is political intrigue, religion, romance, magic, and so much more in this story. I'm so impressed by Samantha Shannon and this incredibly rich and detailed world she created. Not to mention the characters! The female characters in this book are so strong and fearless, and in some cases, ruthless. But they are also flawed, vulnerable, and human. I loved them so much. I also enjoyed the representation of having black characters featured prominently in this book (I don't remember that happening much when I was reading fantasy books as a kid), as well as queer characters. There's also such character growth, as people are forced to confront beliefs they've always had and truths that are revealed to be falsehoods.
There's so much to unpack this novel and I'm barely going to scratch the surface, so if you've read it, comment below so we can discuss in more detail! Shannon explores the theme of duty, and the burden it is for some of these characters. Where does their duty ultimately lie? We also see the constraints of being a woman in this world. A woman can rule and can be a warrior, but even a queen is held to certain notions of what a woman should and shouldn't do, how a woman can and cannot behave. And there's also the idea of following your own path, of questioning and reexamining what you've been taught to believe, and choosing your own way forward.
This book was such a journey and I loved being along for the ride. I was so engrossed and I would keep making little noises as I was reading, and my boyfriend would ask me what just happened in the book since he knew that I was reacting to something! Towards the end, I was literally on the edge of my couch, holding my breath and reading furiously to see how it all turned out. It's been a long time since I was so swept up by a book like this and it's such a good feeling.
I've read Shannon's Bone Season series, which I also really enjoyed, but I think this book was possibly even better. This solidified the feeling for me that I will read any book that she writes. I'm sad to leave these characters behind, but I'm happy for the time I was able to spend with them (and you guys were right, the 800 pages went by very quickly!).
//
It was EPIC- I loved it!! Full review to come soon.