#niclays Roos

[koko-mochi]

I love The Priory of the Orange Tree because there's all these heroic characters (mostly women) trying to save the world and do right by each other and then there's Niclays, the most miserable old man in existence, who is hung up on his dead boyfriend and constantly makes the most craven, slimy decisions out of spite for Sabran. He's the absolute worst but he's also just a soaking wet cat who needs therapy.

[abracazabka]

I love the romantic quotes from The Priory of the Orange Tree but when Niclays said, “I loathe you. I loathe every lash of your eyes, every finger on your hands, and every tooth in your mouth. I loathe you to the very marrow of your bones...You cannot fathom the depth of the enmity I have felt for you. I have cursed your name with every sunrise”...that went pretty fucking hard 

[fallenight]

the priory of the orange tree and a day of fallen night are so perfect bc you have povs of many strong, amazing, interesting and complex women and then you have that one pov of some pathetic little guy who is miserable 24/7 😭

[themuseoftheviolets]

this is so interesting to me. first of i'm glad she didn't kill niclays, his story had the perfect ending in my opinion. and second i wish she hadn't cut the battle, i definitely think it should have been longer

[spec-squared]

just finished reading The Priory of the Orange Tree. here are my thoughts:

Roos is so fucking pathetic like wow holy shit

i still don't really like Sabran all that much, but that's okay because not all characters have to be likeable (exhibit a: roos). she reminds me of my sister a little bit in that she is super cunty.

i feel like Ead is a little too overpowered but wtv

Tané is definitely my favorite. idk why but I always imagine her looking like Janice Lee lol.

i hc Loth as being aro/ace

Kitston Glade deserved better

Susa DEFINITELY deserved better, fucking OW

Roos is like, the epitome of sopping wet rat man

i will forever be mad at the editors who told Samantha Shannon to shorten the final battle

Nayimathun is a boss ass bitch and ily her vm

kinda weird of Aleidine that the first thing she does upon seeing her deceased husband's secret bf is to go "so there's this cute astronomy professor you might like..." but go off i guess

Meg is great and her husband/fiancé has a sickass scar on his face, I'm so happy for them

Kalyba is just. So Much. like there's a lot there.

Chassar is sweet and i fucking LOVE Aralaq

Niclays Roos is the pettiest, most miserable motherfucker on the planet, and i adore him.

overall I'd give it a 9/10

[jumpy-buggy-33]

Niclays is a depressed, wet, shaggy cat that missed his dead boyfriend and needs therapy that also sucks sometimes

[nerdynerdaboutsomethings]

Have a sketch from the battle with the Nameless one while im eating my apple slices

Probably gonna turn this into a proper painting!

[iamthebonecarver]

Ok so I’m probably too late to this party but I just have to know if anyone else found Niclays perspective really heartwarming in the oddest way because you see Eadaz and Sabran this whole book and you watch them love regardless just like Clay and Jan 40 years prior and it’s just like oh… the world isn’t so different and neither are these people

[doobydoobydoowau]

niclays they could never make me hate you

[eceice]

rip niclays roos you would've loved good luck babe by chappell roan

[pop-philosophy101]

Roos is such a fucking hater. Sir, you’re like 70 years old why are you beefing with a 28 year old girl you haven’t seen since she was like 21. “Oh, Sabran was going to be most upset” lol what a fucking loser.

[doyouknowthisdisabledcharacter]

Do You Know This Disabled Character?

Niclays Roos is an amputee and uses a mobility aid.

[mylittlenookcorner]

This is just a brain dump because I finished reading The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon, and this book got me in a chokehold. If I don’t let it out some way I think I will explode.

I honestly haven’t read a book in so long that represented POCs like Priory where being a POC is not them being insecure or that their whole plot line or personality. They are in depth characters with goals and journeys they go through, they have their own passions and beliefs they hold so dear to their hearts that seem unbreakable, but develop an open mindedness to learning, growing and forming a deeper understanding of the world beyond their own beliefs. They are badass magical warriors who are so so vital to the plot. They’re not just there to coddle or be side characters. They are given the biggest spotlight to shine and grow!

Samantha Shannon writes them so beautifully and so strong with so much care and love! And the queerness of the characters. Oh my god. How natural and normal it is in the Priory world is gorgeous! Imagine living in a world where you’re not chastised the slightest bit for loving who you love. The Queen of the greatest kingdom falls in love with her handmaiden and the repercussion that followed was due to rank difference, not because they’re two women.

As a bisexual woman of colour, I can’t emphasise how much joy and love I have for this book. Growing up it was difficult to find literature where LGBTQ+ characters were the protagonists in genres I gravitate towards, let alone LGBTQ+ people of colour! Not in the mainstream and popular media at least in the early-mid 2010s when I was a teenager (will not disclose my age but yes, I am this old). I’m sure a lot of people my age can relate to this, but the world is expanding with literature and media a lot of us were searching for when we were younger.

What a beautiful thing that is, right?

And, honestly, all the characters! They’re so fleshed out and unique. Sabran is complex and such an interesting character with her own pain from societal pressures as Queen, to produce a daughter for her line, etc. She did annoy me at times in the beginning. I found her a little bratty but in my opinion? She didn’t know any better and to watch her character development was stunning. High key grew into probably the best ruler of Inys ever had. Even Niclays, honestly. Man’s sanity was hanging on by a thread and got himself in the worst situations known to man, but his downfalls and breakdowns were so entertaining. Loth’s journey was so stressful and this guy had one crisis of faith after another, but he’s one of my favourite characters, for real. He’d go to hell and back for his friends, he loves his sister so dearly and it just melts my heart what he’d do for the people he loves.

And goes without saying Ead & Tané: god-tier characters! My badass warrior queens! Both so stubborn and passionate and strong and flawed! They parallel each other, they have so many similarities but so unique from each other!

I may or may not shut up about Priory for a while, but I do have a few more books in my TBR I’m dying to read in the next coming months. That includes the prequel, A Day Of Fallen Night. I can’t wait to sink my teeth into that one!

[fallenight]

samantha shannon writing the roots of chaos:

[genyasafinsmissingeye]

Okay, I know so many Priory of the Orange Tree fans hate Niclays, but I actually love him. I love the trope of crotechty old people with backstories, and his relationship with that Lasian woman (I forgot her name, sorry) was so sweet. The man was going through it- his lover died and then so did Truyde, who was practically the old good thing left in his life. I understand why he went a bit crazy

[haunting-jane]

I'm writing my thesis on the priory of the orange tree and let me tell you, I have forgotten how much I hate niclays. samantha shannon is such a good writer that I absolutely forget about my surroundings and I actually have to focus on analyzing this book instead of just enjoying it. her characters are so compelling and so well written and so complex that I actually get angry every time I have to read this man's pov.

YES I know he was exiled because of a whim (sabran was so cunty for that lmao) YES I know he's grieving and in pain YES I know he just wanted a quiet life with jannart. I still don't forgive him. bitch.