The Priory of the Orange Tree

The Priory of the Orange Tree

2018 • 849 pages

Ratings358

Average rating4.1

15

An epic fantasy novel with dragons and lgbt characters. On paper this is brilliance and I really, really want to love it. But it's too messy an affair.

What I like:
+ lgbt characters
+ (sea) dragons
+ intriguing magic system

What I don't like:
- very clumsy writing
- 3 of 4 character POVs are unnecessary (or not developed enough to be delightful)
- when a hero is saved by luck (random distraction appearing out of nowhere) and not because they are doing heroic things at a crucial moment...
- when villains are suddenly struck by an unnatural need to spill their guts about evil plans (instead of focusing on that world domination plan they've been brewing for a thousand years ??? literally a thousand years)
- too many twists and turns to be coherent

I absolutely adore Ead. She's a very intriguing character with a very interesting mission. I'd like to think a book based solely on her story, only her POV, would've been more coherent. I wish to dig much deeper into the psyche of these characters, Ead especially. I wish to flesh out their victories and tragedies and really explore how it develops them.

Alas, we get 800 pages of something that mostly feels like a YA book. Don't get me wrong, that's not a bad thing. It's just not what I expected from this book. The Priory Of The Orange Tree has so much potential to be brilliant, and that's why it saddens me to only give it 3 stars.

April 10, 2020