The Priory of the Orange Tree

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 all her life to be a dragonrider, 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.

At the 60% mark, the book has the following things that I enjoy:

• Maps
  
• A standalone fantasy novel
  
• THE CEASELESS FIGHT BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL
  
• An ancient witch in the woods
  
• Court intrigue
  
• A silly religion that at least one protagonist acknowledges as being silly
  
• Selective levels of magic
  
• Pirates
  
• Love that doesn't dominate the actual plot
  
• Homosexuality being no weirder than heterosexuality
  
• With one exception, women are equal to men, in spite of the fact that this is a
  
• Medieval fantasy
  
• Mystery
  
• Murder
  
• A talking otter thing???
  
• Alchemy and other science-leaning pastimes
  
• An entire civilization of gingers
  

So I am not done yet but wanted to leave you with some questions:

— THIS BOOK IS LONG. Too long, or appropriately so?
— If you had to choose, would you worship Kwiriki, The Nameless One, the Saint, or the Mother? Why?
— I picture the Night Hawk as Tywin Lannister. Prove me wrong.

I am done now, more questions:

— Go figure, lots of people died. They typically do in this sort of story. Which deaths did you find to be meaningful/impactful? Where there any that you just sort of shrugged at?
— Which narrative—Tane, Ead, Niclays, Loth—did you find to be most compelling?
— Thoughts on the endings of the various characters?

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— What the heck actually happened to the hawthorne and mulberry tree? Why were they felled while the orange tree still stands?
— Chassar: Ead's father or nah? A debate.

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This is a discussion thread for people who have read or are reading the book in question. With that in mind, there are likely to be spoilers throughout. However, in the event of major twists or “how it ends”, please wrap content in spoiler tags.

Code:

[spoiler]Surprise!content here[/spoiler]

  

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— graphics by mj ♥ —

So, I am seriously enjoying this book rn. It was a bit slow for the first section, but that's to be expected with HOW MUCH LORE Shannon stuffed into this world. I definitely favour Ead and Niclays' stories above Tane's or Loth's, but that's because:

• Tane is very much all work and no play (I'm hopeful her story will pick up after the firebreathers incident!)
  
• Loth's personality traits appear to be "loyal" and literally nothing else? Kind of flat for a narration character.
  
• Niclays is fun and science-y
  
• Ead is a badass. #yolo

ALSO I PICTURED LOTH AS KIT HARRINGTON FOR LITERALLY HALF THE BOOK BUT APPARENTLY HE IS BLACK? WAS THIS EVER MENTIONED PRIOR? GDI THIS MEAN'S MEG IS BLACK TOO BYE JESSICA BROWN FINDLAY.

Will check in when I have mentally re-cast them I AM SHOOK.

Wait does this mean all of Inys is? THEY ONLY EVER DESCRIBE SABRAN'S HAIR NOT THE REST OF HER.

Guys I am going through a process right now. I blame the Eurocentric tradition of fantasy novels.

AND LASTLY, A SPOILER FOR PAGE 477 CHECK IT OUT AFTER YOU HIT THAT POINT:

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I didn't realize it when the Flesh King mentioned the Cupbearer, but it occurred to me before (but close to) the attack on Livelyn that one of the crests was cups and I was 99% sure it was Justice SO I TOTALLY CALLED IT BEING IGRAIN CREST YO.

It could be someone else still, I'm only at page 503. WATCH THIS SPACE ALSO.

  

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— Aldous walks with a cane and pronounced limp as the result of a splinching accident. —

— graphics by lady ❤ —

I FINISHED THIS TODAY AND I HAD LOTS OF THOUGHTS THAT I WILL RETURN WITH but overall my feelings are genuinely quite positive. I definitely don't think it will be everyone's cup of tea but I loved it <3


I have updated my original post with MORE QUESTIONS and shall return with my answers anon.

  

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— Aldous walks with a cane and pronounced limp as the result of a splinching accident. —

— graphics by lady ❤ —