Fantasy Novel Short Review: The Priory of The Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
The Priory of The Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
bought on kindle and Audible
Synopsis from Goodreads
A world divided. A queendom without an heir. An ancient enemy awakens.
The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction – but assassins are getting closer to her door.
Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic.
Across 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.
Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep.
Buy from Amazon | Audible | Book Depository
6/10
Folks, I honestly tried so hard with this book, first buying it on kindle and finally listening to it on Audible, but it wasn't meant to be.
The pace was off, the narrator non-descript and it just wasn't grabbing me. Many characters who were supposed to be badass and likable in principle kept fading in the background, so I ended up listening to this book without paying much attention. And I couldn't find myself caring. So, this is just me, I've seen plenty of people gushing about this book.
High points for interesting world-building. I think this would look great on the screen. What about you, have you read it? Would you recommend it or not?
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Ребята, я вот клянусь, честно пыталась эту книгу любить. Купила её на киндл и наконец-то дослушала на аудио. Ну не для меня она!
Темп какой-то был отрывистый, нудный рассказчик не помогал. Многие характеры в принципе должны были мне понравиться, но как-то они не выделялись, так что я выслушала книгу мимоходом и очень рассеяно. Это я, это не книга виноватая. Очень многие от неё были просто в восторге.
Плюсы за построение мира, оно будет хорошо смотреться на большом экране. Как насчёт вас, читали? Порекомендуете?
So sorry to hear this one did not work for you. Hope your next read will be better.
ReplyDeleteThank you! It was! 😁 I was just not on the same wavelength with this book.
DeleteYou tried. I am sorry it didn't work out.
ReplyDeleteMe too as I loved her first book and had high hopes for this one...
DeleteOMG. This book is hella daunting. I have it, have tried to read it, and man. I'm sooo dizzy. Lol. I don't blame you at all.
ReplyDeleteI am honestly sooooo glad it wasn't just me! 😂
DeleteI was wondering about this one. It was released in French not long ago and everyone loved it but well I don't know
ReplyDeleteI didn't have it in me. I like long fantasy books, but it just didn't grab me, this one...
DeleteOoh, I hate when a book doesn't grab me and the pace is just all wrong.
ReplyDeleteGenesis @ Whispering Chapters
Me too! Thank God for audio books, I can at least zone out if I don't like something and still finish it. 😂
DeleteI have heard the same things you are saying now, so I decided against it
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's a long book to invest in reading if you think you won't like it.
DeleteI liked it I overall. I do think it was hard for her to do a standalone with so much worldbuilding. It had to be all over and done with in one go where series would space it out. I don't really like a lot of action in books so it was fine for me to just spend time in that world.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realise I was a standalone. I thought I was just a beginning of a new series. Interesting. I wonder why she decided that?
Delete