The Priory of the Orange Tree

The Priory of the Orange Tree

The Priory of the Orange Tree
Author	Samantha Shannon
Genre	Fantasy
Publisher	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date	26 February 2019

The Priory of the Orange Tree is a 2019 fantasy novel by writer Samantha Shannon. The novel was published on 26 February 2019 by Bloomsbury Publishing. It is currently a standalone novel, but Shannon has expressed interest in writing a sequel or other works set in the same universe.

Samantha Shannon describes her novel as a "feminist retelling of Saint George and the Dragon." It features Ascalon, a sword created by the Witch of Inysca, also known as Kalyba.

Synopsis

The evil, fire-breathing wyrm known as the Nameless One was defeated nearly a thousand years ago by the knight Sir Galian Berethnet with a sword, Ascalon, created by the Witch of Inysca, on behalf of Princess Cleolind. Their descendents in the House of Berethnet have ruled Inys as queens and been the symbol of the religion of Virtuedom, while dragons and magic are condemned and feared. Currently, Queen Sabran the Ninth's power in Inys is tenuous; she has yet to produce an heir to the throne and the Nameless One threatens to awaken again.

Ead Duryan is an outsider from the South who acts as a lady-in-waiting and protector to Sabran, but is loyal to the secret mage society of the Priory, which has its own view of the history of Cleolind, the Mother, and Sir Galian, the Deceiver. Meanwhile, Lord Arteloth Beck, close friend of Sabran, is banished from Inys on a futile quest by those who seek to weaken the queen.

In the East, where water dragons are revered as living gods, Miduchi Tané has spent her life training to become a dragon rider. When Tané comes upon an outsider and trespasser from the West, she throws her future into jeopardy by hiding him with Niclays Roos, an alchemist searching for the secret to immortality who was banished from Sabran's court years ago.

Sexuality in the novel

If LGBTQ characters bother you, don't bother picking up this novel. Sabran falls in love with her arranged marriage partner, a young man, but then is equally allowed to fall in love with Ead without having to apologize or renounce her sexuality. Sabran's bisexuality is explored, but only so much as it is important to the characters. It is woven organically into the story. It is representation done right: unapologetically, openly, and normalized between the characters involved. Love, in all its beauty and pain, it shown through these excellent relationships. Ead may be bi; she may be a lesbian. Lord Loth has been Sabran's closest friend since both were children, but while he is straight, there is nothing even remotely sexual about their relationship, vile rumors to the contrary. The sexuality of Tané is not gone into, because it's simply irrelevant to the story. Dr. Roos is gay. He is really pissed because his lover went off on a personal quest and died doing it. Shannon does sex scenes really well, omitting the pornographic details, while leaving the reader in no doubt as to what is going on.

Reception

According to literary review aggregator Book Marks, the novel received mostly positive reviews. Liz Bourke, writing for Tor.com, criticised the book's length and lack of complexity, while praising its "really good slow-burn romance".