The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon follows four different narrators in the divided world of East and West. The House of Berethnet has ruled the queendom of Inys for a thousand years. However, as Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to ensure her bloodline and protect her queendom from ruin. Ead Duryan is still an outsider at court, even though she is a lady-in-waiting. However, she is loyal to a secret society of mages who has sent her to court to protect the Queen with forbidden magic.
Across the sea, in the East, Tané has trained and dreamt of being a dragonrider since childhood, but is faced with a decision that could destroy her life. All while this is happening, the East and West remain unequivocally divided as bad forces are awakening from the deep.
This 848-page epic fantasy is one of the most stunning books I have ever read. It is the book that got me into fantasy novels. It contains dragons, magic, secrets, and everything you could ever want in a fantasy novel, and all are unexpectedly intertwined. I fell in love with the characters and felt so connected. The book is so descriptive and well-written and left me wanting more — even after 848 pages. Although it can be a daunting read, it is so worth it and rewarding. Even if fantasy is not your preferred genre, I really recommend this book — it will change you!
Book of the Week is an Opinion culture column created by Keenan Yates ‘24 used to give weekly book recommendations in the form of short blurbs and reviews.
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