Priory of the Orange Tree (Shannon)

The Priory of the Orange Tree 
Samantha Shannon, 2019
Bloomsbury Publishing
848 pp.
ISBN-13: 978-1635570298


Summary
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. (From the publisher.)

Author Bio
• Birth—1991
• Where—West London, England, UK
• Education—B.A., Oxford University
• Currently—lives in London


Samantha Shannon studied English Language and Literature at St. Anne's College, Oxford. The Bone Season, the first in a seven-book series, was a New York Times bestseller and the inaugural Today Book Club selection. Film and TV rights were acquired by the Imaginarium Studios. The Mime Order followed in 2015 and The Song Rising in 2017. The Priory of the Orange Tree came in 2019. Her work has been translated into 26 languages.

In 2012 the Women of the Future Awards shortlisted her for The Young Star Award. She lives in London, England. (Adapted from the publisher.)

Book Reviews
[S]atisfying…with court intrigue, travel through dangerous lands, fantastical religions, blood, and love.… Unfortunately… [the] tempo… hampers… of an otherwise well-planned and well-executed ending. Nonetheless, a very capable epic fantasy.
Publishers Weekly


[A] fascinating epic fantasy set in a rich, well-developed world. Shannon has created fertile narrative ground, and the state of affairs at the end of this novel certainly leaves room for new stories that will make further use of the excellent setting.
New York Journal of Books


(Starred review) Shannon deftly explores the divides between religion, custom, and territory. This extraordinary saga includes heroism, romance, friendship, pirates, plague, diplomacy, and, of course, dragons. A well-drawn feminist fantasy with broad appeal. —Anna Mickelson
Booklist


(Starred review) [A]n entirely fresh and addicting tale is born.… A celebration of fantasy that melds modern ideology with classic tropes. More of these dragons, please.
Kirkus Reviews


[A] clever combination of Elizabethan England, the legend of St. George, and Eastern dragon lore, with a dash of Tolkien… [and] enough detailed world-building, breath-taking action and sweeping romance to remind epic fantasy readers of why they love the genre in the first place.
Shelf Awareness

Discussion Questions
We'll add publisher questions if and when they're available; in the meantime, use our LitLovers Book Club Resources. They can help with discussions for any book:

• How to Discuss a Book (helpful discussion tips)
• Generic Discussion Questions—Fiction and Nonfiction
• Read-Think-Talk (a guided reading chart)

(Resources by LitLovers. Please feel free to use them, online and off, with attribution. Thanks.)

top of page (summary)