Will this book be worth the time it takes to read it? In the case of Samantha Shannon's latest novel, the answer to that last question is a vibrant, resounding hell yes. A captivating story about queens, priestesses, warriors, and dragons, The Priory of the Orange Tree is an epic feminist fantasy that is perfect for fans of Game of Thrones ... set in an intricately built world ruled by women ... Through its layered narrative and its inclusion, and often subversion, of fantasy tropes, The Priory of the Orange Tree explores the slippery nature of storytelling itself. The author's presentation of many different versions of the same legend invites the reader to consider the conflict between truth and the histories and cultural narratives you believe to be true.

Part of Shannon's great strength here is her worldbuilding, which draws recognizably on real-world countries (specifically England and Japan), but goes well beyond simply changing a few names, working in new elements that distinguish Shannon's world from actual history ... Shannon also avoids the usual trap of this type of story, in which a prophecy predicts what is going to happen, and turns out to be accurate in every respect ... It's also noteworthy—though at this point it shouldn't be—that much of the key action is driven by women and characters of color (categories that often overlap in these pages) ... The novel's main weakness comes in its second half, where the story begins to feel rushed. The first half develops its conflicts with rich detail, but after the midpoint things that could have formed entire complex subplots often get disposed of with a single straightforward effort ... The disappointment this creates is, more than anything, a measure of how well-developed the first half is ... The Priory of the Orange Tree is 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.

The Priory of the Orange Tree does eventually get its legs underneath it for a satisfying endgame, it remains something of an unbalanced, unwieldy beast ... Its eight-hundred-odd pages spend a long time establishing character and setting, with occasional diversions to recount the odd fable or two. I nearly gave up in frustration ... It’s only halfway through that matters become reasonably tense and compelling ... I must confess to being out of charity with novels (especially fantasy novels) that divide the world into East and West, North and South (always capitalised), and base the cultural markers very clearly on much-simplified elements from our own history ... These simplified divisions tend to leave out the rich narrative and thematic possibilities that more complicated visions of inter- and intra-national politics offer ... I’m also out of charity with evil for evil’s sake ... it lets human evils off the hook too easily. There are more human evils in The Priory of the Orange Tree, and when the novel allows them to move to the forefront—when it dwells on politics and personal ambition—it immediately becomes more compelling, more tense, and more interesting ... I can’t recommend it unless you have a lot of patience to reach a payoff that’s only middlingly well done.

...The Priory of the Orange Tree demonstrates a remarkably fresh and frankly fearless new direction from the young author ... Its romance-and-loss-studded tale spans multiple continents lurid with history, tradition, prejudice, and lore. Traded between four distinct and potently-realized narrators, the novel is as immersive as it is uncanny, familiar as it is entirely new ... From the finely-wrought politics to arcs of ancient magic, ruthless character management and delicately evocative description, The Priory of the Orange Tree will certainly call to mind the landmarks of A Song of Ice and Fire. But Shannon’s newest work also stands boldly apart ... As with the best of fantasy, The Priory of the Orange Tree feels less like a book than it does an experience, a true sojourn into a rich and terrible new world.

...spellbinding ... 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 for fans of the epic and readers of Zen Cho, Naomi Novik, and V. E. Schwab. Highly recommended.

It’s so easy to get lost in the novel—all 800-plus pages of it—and along the way, you’ll find yourself wanting even more of the story and this world. Shannon does an amazing job of building an imaginary world that feels very real and modern, with characters who tug at the heartstrings and make you want to cheer for them and yell at them to get it together. They don’t fall into typical stereotypes, and I like that Shannon lets love be love without restrictions on gender, politics and accepted norms. She has created a world that keeps expanding for the story she wants to tell and brings readers along for a fantastic ride ... Shannon’s writing and worldbuilding have grown, and I love the journey she takes us on here. This is a whole new world to enjoy and savor.

Shannon’s depth of imagination and worldbuilding are impressive, as this 800-pager is filled not only with legend, but also with satisfying twists that turn legend on its head ... Shannon chooses a more traditional view of magic [than in her previous work], where light fights against dark, earth against sky, and fire against water. Through these classic pairings, an entirely fresh and addicting tale is born. Shannon may favor detailed explication over keeping a steady pace, but the epic converging of plotlines at the end is enough to forgive. A celebration of fantasy that melds modern ideology with classic tropes. More of these dragons, please.

Shannon...satisfyingly fills this massive standalone epic fantasy with court intrigue, travel through dangerous lands, fantastical religions, blood, love, and rhetoric ... Unfortunately, so much time and effort are expended on setting up the world and the principal conflicts that the denouement gets rather short shrift. The difference in tempo is very noticeable and hampers (although it does not destroy) the emotional effectiveness of an otherwise well-planned and well-executed ending. Nonetheless, this is a very capable epic fantasy.