The Priory of the Orange Tree

Samantha Shannon

2019

3.2
⚠️Content Warnings
Violence
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.
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Completion Rate
67%
Avg Time To Finish
17.5 days
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Tonight’s fit

Best for readers who enjoy:  Dense · Fantasy Fiction · Slow-burn

Dense Fantasy realm POV: Multi-Pov Published by Bloomsbury Publishing
Characters
Dragons Gods Morally Complex
Sub-genre
Fantasy Fiction High Fantasy Queer
Experience
Dense Immersive Slow-paced
Pace
Gentle Adrenaline
Gentle
Tone
Light Dark
Balanced
Book length
Short Epic
Epic
More nuance
Violence
Soft Graphic
Graphic
Romance
Background Front and centre
Balanced
Worldbuilding
Light touch Deep & dense
Deep & dense
Readability
Breezy Dense
Dense
Humour
Serious Very funny
Serious
Target audience
Younger Adult
Adult
Samantha Shannon

Samantha Shannon

Dystopian, Fantasy

Samantha Shannon is a bestselling fantasy author known for the dystopian The Bone Season series, following dreamwalker Paige Mahoney in a future Europe ruled by the oppressive Scion, and the epic standalone The Priory of the Orange Tree, featuring warring dragon-worshipping cultures and powerful female leads, praised for intricate world-building, complex characters, and themes of love, friendship, and rebellion against tyranny.

Books By This Author

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Reader Reviews

3.20
10 ratings
10 reviews
5 stars
0 (0%)
4 stars
4 (40%)
3 stars
4 (40%)
2 stars
2 (20%)
1 stars
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6 January 2026
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Mixed feelings: The Priory of the Orange Tree

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6 January 2026
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Really enjoyed: The Priory of the Orange Tree

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6 January 2026
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Mixed feelings: The Priory of the Orange Tree

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6 January 2026
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Really enjoyed: The Priory of the Orange Tree

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6 January 2026
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Really enjoyed: The Priory of the Orange Tree

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6 January 2026
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Mixed feelings: The Priory of the Orange Tree

Mixed feelings on The Priory of the Orange Tree, but I can see why people love it. There are a few scenes that genuinely hit emotionally. The middle drags and repeats the same tension a bit too long. I’d still read more from this author even with the flaws.
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6 January 2026
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Mixed feelings: The Priory of the Orange Tree

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6 January 2026
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Didn’t work for me: The Priory of the Orange Tree

⚠️ Spoilers: minor plot detail mentioned below. The Priory of the Orange Tree has a strong core idea — the execution mostly works. A couple of sections could have been trimmed without losing anything. There’s a specific turning point late in the book that changes the tone hard — that moment will make or break it for you. Overall, I’d recommend it to the right reader.
Spoiler ahead Click to reveal this review.
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6 January 2026
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Really enjoyed: The Priory of the Orange Tree

The Priory of the Orange Tree is the kind of book that hooks you early if you like its vibe. The pacing stays moving and the chapters end on good beats. The ending resolves fast compared to how much it builds up. I’d still read more from this author even with the flaws.
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6 January 2026
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Didn’t work for me: The Priory of the Orange Tree

I went into The Priory of the Orange Tree with pretty normal expectations and it surprised me. The middle drags and repeats the same tension a bit too long. If you’re on the fence, try a sample — you’ll know quickly.
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