The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon is an epic stand-alone fantasy with multiple POVs that cross East and West (and back again). A stunning commentary on globalism, religious fanaticism and even reproductive agency, it is also a beautiful love story (of the enemies-to-lovers variety 👏).

And the mythological inspiration! Shannon has shared that she models the country of Seiiki on Edo Japan and was interested in weaving together a Western legend (Saint George) with an Eastern one (Hohodemi). Knowing this brings so much additional depth to her decidedly feminist retelling and renders the cultural and religious contrasts between East and West even more palpable for the reader.

There is a lot that I loved in this - the prose, the twists, the sapphic romance, the thematic heft. But I was also left wanting more. An 800+-page stand-alone, it somehow still felt both too short and too long. Shannon weaves together so many seemingly disparate quests, and at times, I felt like this emphasis on plotting required a sharp sacrifice in characterization. Tane, for example, is central to this story, and yet we somehow know so little about her backstory and her relationship with Susa. I also wanted more dragon/rider bonding and just generally more time with side characters so I could feel invested in their stories. I also feel like there were some loose plot threads - particularly in Niclays Roos' storyline - and I was confused by a few of the oddly executed plot jumps (Roos and Laya are in the Dreadmount, and then they are... not?). This felt like a trilogy packed into a single door-stopping installment, and I would have read the HECK out of a full series just to have more time with these characters.

This is a great book, and I do feel like reading it in its weighty paperback unconsciously influenced my frustrations with structure (I could barely hold it open!). Recommended for (patient) fantasy readers!