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kristenlikestoread's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
gianino4's review against another edition
3.0
Caution: there is a spoiler in here.
In the beginning, I thought it was a bit too sci-fi for me, but I found the circumstances interesting and kept reading. There were a few editing errors along the way, those always irk me. But, it did pick up speed and I am interested to read more of the series. I thought the love story between Warden and Paige was strange, like I didn't see their desire for one another in that romantic way. And I felt the author didn't do a good job of conveying time. Paige said she had been in Sheol I for months, but it felt like weeks, max. Otherwise, I found it a pretty enjoyable read.
In the beginning, I thought it was a bit too sci-fi for me, but I found the circumstances interesting and kept reading. There were a few editing errors along the way, those always irk me. But, it did pick up speed and I am interested to read more of the series. I thought the love story between Warden and Paige was strange, like I didn't see their desire for one another in that romantic way. And I felt the author didn't do a good job of conveying time. Paige said she had been in Sheol I for months, but it felt like weeks, max. Otherwise, I found it a pretty enjoyable read.
flyintothestorm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
loonybin65's review against another edition
5.0
I raced through chapter after chapter wanting to know what the future held for Paige, but now that I am done I feel absolutely lost. This book has it all - amazing world building, intriguing and complex characters, emotion, excitement, and a unique plot that will exercise your mind from start to finish. Sometimes I actually had to stop for a bit and take a breather because my mind was whirling. This is not an easy read at the beginning as you have to get used to the language and wrap your mind around the world itself, but once I did I fell in love with this story, and I am very excited that this is the first in a long series. I am absolutely blown away by how young this author is and that this is her debut into the literary world. It definitely reads more like a novel from a seasoned writer. I am very impressed and would highly recommend it.
monstersinthelibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
tahaslibrary's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
bookishbby's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Very interesting idea!!! The mc is VERY annoying and dumb and the writing is kinda meh, but the plot itself is very interesting.
klosterphobia's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I picked up The Bone Season because I wanted to read something by Samantha Shannon, but The Priory of the Orange Tree felt a little too intimidating in length. I read the 10th anniversary rewrite, and while I can see the potential in Shannon’s writing, this one left me with mixed feelings.
On one hand, the world is unique, but on the other, it’s overly complicated. There are so many terms and classifications - just look at the length of the glossary. While I eventually got a grasp on how the magic system functions, the source of the magic goes largely unexplored. There’s a lot of what but not a lot of why. Granted, this is the first book in a series, so maybe that gets fleshed out later.
The plot, unfortunately, leans heavily on overused dystopian tropes: an orphaned heroine with rare, special abilities, an oppressive regime, a rebellion symbolized by song, a love interest who is essentially an immortal vampire (except he eats souls, not blood), and side characters who exist mostly to be sacrificed for emotional impact. Paige, our protagonist, is supposed to be a street smart enforcer for a criminal gang, but she often feels too inherently good to fit that role convincingly. Her decisions frequently frustrated me. there were moments when the better choice seemed so obvious, yet she always took the most difficult path.
The romance was so slow-burn it almost felt like a plot twist. Knowing this revision was meant to reduce the Stockholm Syndrome-esque aspects of Paige and Warden’s dynamic, I was actually disappointed. A more morally gray take on their relationship could have been far more interesting than simply softening it to be more socially acceptable.
One of the book’s most compelling aspects is its clear inspiration from real-world ethnic conflicts in the ‘90s, particularly in Ireland and the Balkans. I wish Shannon had leaned into that more.
Since this was a debut and Shannon was so young when she wrote it, I could see the series improving over time. But with how trope heavy and frustratingly predictable this first book was, I’m unsure whether I’ll continue.
On one hand, the world is unique, but on the other, it’s overly complicated. There are so many terms and classifications - just look at the length of the glossary. While I eventually got a grasp on how the magic system functions, the source of the magic goes largely unexplored. There’s a lot of what but not a lot of why. Granted, this is the first book in a series, so maybe that gets fleshed out later.
The plot, unfortunately, leans heavily on overused dystopian tropes: an orphaned heroine with rare, special abilities, an oppressive regime, a rebellion symbolized by song, a love interest who is essentially an immortal vampire (except he eats souls, not blood), and side characters who exist mostly to be sacrificed for emotional impact. Paige, our protagonist, is supposed to be a street smart enforcer for a criminal gang, but she often feels too inherently good to fit that role convincingly. Her decisions frequently frustrated me. there were moments when the better choice seemed so obvious, yet she always took the most difficult path.
The romance was so slow-burn it almost felt like a plot twist. Knowing this revision was meant to reduce the Stockholm Syndrome-esque aspects of Paige and Warden’s dynamic, I was actually disappointed. A more morally gray take on their relationship could have been far more interesting than simply softening it to be more socially acceptable.
One of the book’s most compelling aspects is its clear inspiration from real-world ethnic conflicts in the ‘90s, particularly in Ireland and the Balkans. I wish Shannon had leaned into that more.
Since this was a debut and Shannon was so young when she wrote it, I could see the series improving over time. But with how trope heavy and frustratingly predictable this first book was, I’m unsure whether I’ll continue.