The Eastern dragons and Western wyrms are almost like two sides of a coin - but not quite. I already can’t wait to read it again!ĭragons and wyrms are a massive part of this tale (in case you couldn’t guess by the cover). It took me a while to grasp some concepts, but this is hardly surprising with a novel this huge.

It shows just how much work has gone into the writing of Priory. Samantha Shannon has looked at worldwide mythologies and incorporated them into her epic fantasy. The magic and world is incredibly complex.

It was delicious and so vitally, unknowingly needed.

And not one eyelid was bat at the roles they filled. A particularly important thing for myself was the huge amount of women! They were knights, pirates, queens, villains, heroes, as well as wives, friends, enemies, and everything in between. It’s f/f for a start, with all kinds of relationships being part of the normal order of the world. I found this book to be incredibly inclusive. Their lives differ wildly, meaning you get a rounded look at the whole world of Priory. It was even more exciting, as a reader, to watch how mysteries unfolded - to realise (and be frustrated) that each character knew something that would help another on the other side of the Abyss. Our storytellers are Tané, Niclays, Loth, and Ead. I loved that I didn’t need the helpful chapter headings to know which character was speaking. Each is entirely unique, and the voices follow suit. The Priory of the Orange Tree is told from multiple perspectives, spanning the world Shannon has created. I have reviewed Shannon’s other series, ‘The Bone Season’ on Bookstacked before, and so I needed to shout about her standalone novel too. However, I couldn’t resist reviewing it because it is so good. One thing to note: Priory is not a YA novel. Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic.Īcross the dark sea, Tané has trained to be a dragonrider since she was a child, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must coneive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction - but assassins are creeping closer to her door.Įad Duryan is an outsider at court. The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. It’s a huge tome, but the story is definitely worth the muscle strain. As a lover of Samantha Shannon’s work, I couldn’t wait to pick up The Priory of the Orange Tree.

The priory of the orange tree about