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Anna

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Anna is Currently Reading

Anna is currently reading

The Priory of the Orange Tree (The Roots of Chaos, #1)

by Samantha Shannon (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: sapphic, fantasy, currently-reading

Reading for the 2nd time

read in October 2024

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Anna said: " I liked this book, a lot!!

I enjoyed the world, the many stories woven throughout, and the characters. I listened to the audiobook (which I have many gripes about but not related to the writing itself) and I did have to re-listen a few times at the be I liked this book, a lot!!

I enjoyed the world, the many stories woven throughout, and the characters. I listened to the audiobook (which I have many gripes about but not related to the writing itself) and I did have to re-listen a few times at the beginning to understand what was going on, but after I had gotten through a few chapters it all started clicking and I felt super immersed in the world. Something I also really appreciated was how the story continues on after the last page - how you know where the characters are going next without needing a second book or a "happily ever after." It was a long book, but I honestly really enjoyed that. Right when I started getting to parts that I felt like would have been the main problem, something else was uncovered and the problems went deeper and deeper. I think the central conflict had lots of layers to it and I appreciated how that touched each of the characters in different ways.

I did get somewhat confused when Tané and Ead finally met up at the end. Their characters were so similar to me that it felt kind of like that spiderman meme, or the parent trap - and then I realized I had been confusing their storylines a lot throughout the story. Personality wise I felt they were kind of similar and I didn't always love the perspective switching (although it felt nice at the end, seeing how far they had all come).

My only real complaint is not really a complaint of this book specifically, but just of a lot of the fantasy genre as a whole. While I *loved* that the two romances in the book were gay, it bugs me when the high fantasy world they exist in is still so grossly heteronormative. That's obviously a large part of Sabran's whole arc, which is fine, I guess (I did not enjoy it) - but also Niclays's entire relationship with Jinnar was based in adultery and cheating. Sure, nobody batted an eye when characters confessed to having gay lovers, but there weren't any examples of people who existed in this world as gay people without significant relationship trauma. There are so many high fantasy books with straight couples getting to rule together, to live happily alongside each other, to have families together. I just wish we could get that for queer characters, too, without cheating, without secrecy, without having to sleep with a man or woman to conceive a child, without tragedy and angst. I don't expect this book specifically to cater to those specific desires of mine, but I'm just kind of ranting about a larger fantasy trend to the void here.
In short: it's high fantasy, you can make up all the rules you want. Could we make a world that is not based on men and women having to end up together as the norm?

Anyway, I loved the dragons and the magic and the conflict and the magical trees!! And all the badass ladies. I was honestly sad when it ended because I felt like I spent so long listening to this book that I was attached by the end. But... there is a prequel! So on to the next! ...more "

progress:

(page 596 of 848)
— Nov 18, 2025 11:16AM

Nov 05, 2024 02:58PM · see review