A review by orionmerlin
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

Characters – 8/10
I actually cared about the main cast, which is more than I can say for a lot of fantasy epics. Ead was fantastic, Sabran had layers worth peeling back, and their dynamic was one of the best parts of the book. However, Tané often read like she was emotionally constipated, and Niclays Roos? The man was just there to make bad decisions and whine about them. Some of the secondary characters blurred together like background NPCs, but the main ones did enough heavy lifting to keep me invested.
Atmosphere/Setting – 9/10
The world-building? Immaculate. If Samantha Shannon set out to create a world that felt like a fully realized legend, she nailed it. The different cultures, the politics, the history—it all felt vast and lived-in. I could picture every setting in striking detail, from the regal courts of Inys to the dragon-infested waters of Seiiki. That said, sometimes it felt like reading a history textbook when I just wanted to get back to the action. But overall, this was top-tier immersion.
Writing Style – 7/10
Shannon's prose oscillates between beautifully poetic and “please stop explaining things and just show me.” When it flows, it flows. But there are moments where she crams in so much exposition that it feels like she's afraid I’ll forget how the world works if she doesn’t remind me every five pages. Some dialogue felt a bit forced, but when she leaned into her strengths—character interactions and descriptions—it worked. Not my favorite writing style, but still solid.
Plot – 9/10
This is how you do a grand, sweeping fantasy plot right. Political intrigue? Check. Ancient threats awakening? Check. Badass women making power moves? Absolutely. The pacing actually kept me engaged, and the stakes kept building in a way that made me want to keep turning pages. I’ll admit, the resolution felt a little too neat given all the build-up, but the journey to get there was so satisfying that I’m willing to forgive a few convenient wrap-ups.
Intrigue – 8/10
Did I constantly think about what was happening when I wasn’t reading? Pretty much. Was I hooked from page one? Not exactly. Some parts dragged, especially when the book took detours into lengthy exposition dumps. Niclays' chapters in particular felt like momentum-killers. But when the story was firing on all cylinders, it was gripping. The intrigue was strong enough that I stayed engaged, even when I was rolling my eyes at some of the slower sections.
Logic/Relationships – 8/10
The political and magical systems made sense, which is saying something for a book with this much world-building. The relationships—especially Ead and Sabran—were nuanced and well-developed, though some friendships felt like they needed more emotional depth. The magic was cool but occasionally felt underexplained, and some side relationships could have used more development. But overall, nothing here broke immersion or felt wildly inconsistent.
Enjoyment – 8/10
I had a great time with this book. Did it change my life? No. Did I enjoy every second of reading it? Also no. But it was a well-crafted, high-stakes fantasy with compelling characters, dragons, and just enough intrigue to keep me engaged. The pacing could have been tighter, and the exposition could have been trimmed, but the strengths far outweighed the annoyances. Would I read a sequel? Absolutely.
Final Thoughts
The Priory of the Orange Tree is a damn good fantasy novel with rich world-building, complex characters, and an engaging plot. It has flaws—some pacing issues, over-explaining, and a few underdeveloped elements—but overall, it’s a highly enjoyable read that delivers where it matters.
Final Average Score: 8.1/10 
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