#tpotot will kill me

[ann7av]

So I finished The Priory of the Orange Tree just now and I feel dead inside. This book was so good it's not even funny, and to simplify the plot:

Ead eats holy oranges and discovers lesbianism comes with the burden of dealing with mean brunettes with mommy issues and slaying dragons.

Sabran can't stop herself from insulting people, realizes she's not the messiah, has three different identity crises, and decides on a new approach to succession called 'fuck them kids'

Tané and her misadventures because all she wants is a sea puppy and a sword but she can't be trusted not to get herself into the worst possible scenario at any given opportunity

Loth gets hit in the face by atheism repeatedly but decides that it's just a test from his Saint, so he drags himself across the world to destroy satan until he finally realizes there's a difference between water puppies and literal fire demons.

Niclays finally visits the love of his life's grave after ten years, finds out morals are actually important and that you shouldn't base your entire existence on beefing with the mean brunette with mommy issues.

I think that sums up the main conflicts

[ann7av]

No, because I was two minutes away from clawing my eyes out

And I mean it, congratulations Samantha you made me physically unwell from a non graphic scene

The priory of the orange tree is teaching me to empathise with sex-repulsed aces because that wedding night scene made me sick to the stomach

[hellalesbiangirl]

‘You can light another candle,’ Ead said to her. ‘Light does not keep me awake.’

‘I do not need it.’ Sabran slid a hand to Ead’s nape. ‘Not with you’

-The Priory Of The Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon Pg. 746

[katkonstant]

guys I'm reading The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri and ??? where's the hype?? This is so incredible! I felt this exact confusion while demolishing The Tiger's Daughter trilogy by K Arsenault Rivera and have come to the unhappy thought that these books are equivalent in masterful fantasy queer rep as TPotOT (amongst others) - they just aren't set in medieval fantasy-europe.

I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS GUYS.

[carryonmywaywardmalec]

Hot take : “Game of Thrones” walked so that “The Priory of the Orange Tree” could run.

[themuseoftheviolets]

i'm not strong enough for this

[jones-jessica]

an interesting and complex story with diverse characters, powerful queens, dragons and badass dragon riders, and beautiful women in love... The Priory of the Orange Tree really is a gift that keeps on giving 👌👌

[sshannonauthor]

“‘What are you thinking?’...

‘That if wanting you is treachery,’ he said, ‘then let me always bear these scars.’ My arms circled his neck, and his lips grazed my jaw. ‘Let them be a badge of pride, not shame.’”

This quote killed me in all the best ways. I am a HUGE fan of the trope / theme of characters that demonstrate and express love without saying the words “I love you”.

Besides raving about your talent and the beauty of this scene, this also ties into a question I have about love languages. It’s something I stumbled upon and have been fascinated with ever since: how different people express love in a myriad of ways (the five main recognized ones are words of affirmation, quality time, physical touch, acts of service and receiving gifts).

With how beautifully intimate and developed the relationships you depict are in both TBS and TPOTOT, I was wondering whether this was an aspect of your characters which you give considered thought to? In other words, if you see Ead as having a certain preference for how she expresses and receives love as compared to Sabran, Tane, Paige, Jaxon, etc. I know sexuality also plays a role in this, but I think that love languages transcend romantic relationships and in general relate to the various expressions of affection. Jaxon in particular seems to be a fascinating candidate to analyze in this regard.

In any case, I love how uniquely you approach romantic themes in your book and appreciated how well the Paige / Arcturus love scene was handled, both from a standpoint of emotional payout for the readers AND being conscious of character development. It was beautiful to see a demi woman (as I am) come to terms with her sexuality and be able to explore it in such a safe and positive environment.

Thank you so much – I put a lot of my heart into the relationships, and I’m so glad you feel Paige is positive demi rep. Writing authentic, complex representation of people across the ace spectrum is really important to me.

This is such an interesting ask. I feel so lucky to have such smart, engaged readers – your questions always make me think and teach me things!

I was peripherally aware of love languages as a concept – I’m not sure I knew there was a specific name – but that’s interesting that there are those five recognised categories. I feel like ‘acts of service’ might be Jaxon’s main one at the moment, taken to an extreme . . . 

Physical touch and quality time are both crucial in Arcturus and Paige’s dynamic. (Gifts to a smaller extent – the music box Arcturus makes for her is an expression of the fact that he’s thinking of her, but Paige can take or leave gifts in general.) Physical intimacy is obviously a big thing for them because of Arcturus being forbidden to touch Paige, so she finds his touch especially reassuring. I like expressing love through non-sexual touching – just holding each other, like when they’re on the couch in The Mask Falling post-Overture. 

‘Words of affirmation’ would be important to Sabran – the knowledge that her partner is really listening, because she feels like she’s been born to do this one thing (have an heir) and people don’t really see her. She feels like she’s just a vessel to most of her court. So Ead really understanding and responding to her is part of what makes her fall in love. I suppose ‘acts of service’ in the specific context of small kindnesses, too, like Ead placing the rose behind her pillow, because that made a tough duty easier. Quality time and touch are important to Ead – she was raised in a very close-knit society and she thrives on both emotional and physical intimacy. 

[nabrizoya]

Hi sai!!! I'm not sure what you're into but I really liked the priory of the orange tree, the seven husbands of evelyn hugo, how to kill a mockingbird, the book thief and night sky with exit wounds (poetry)

I have no idea what I'm into either 🤧😐 but yes!!! Thank you aelia I'll check these out! Tbh I really was planning to tpotot but the book length is kinda scary atm. I've never heard about night sky with exit wounds (nor have I ever actually dedicated attention to poetry collections) so that'll be a start for me! Thank you so so much!!!

[ann7av]

So, I started The Priory of the Orange Tree and everyone is so stupid that it’s funny.

Tané wandering around and commiting crimes because the alternative was being caught after curfew and not seeing the dragons

Sabran finding every excuse under the sun not to get married while simultaneously asking Ead if she has a lover every other chapter.

Ead not wasting a single opportunity to rile the literal queen (who can execute her at any time) because she has a crush and is too stupid to see it. Surprisingly she’s usually right and suffers for it because no one listens to her

Also, every single man in this book is pathetic, we have a sad poet, a naive religious deluded noble, and the perfect incarnation of a gay drowned rat.

Im loving it, I’m scared but I’m loving it

[ann7av]

The thing about Niclays is that I want him to find some peace and have his happy ending but at the same time, I want said happy ending to come with his pillow always being warm and him always feeling the tags from his clothes because he's a spineless little bitch.

Like I love how pathetic he is but I also want him to suffer a little while getting over his dead boyfriend

[ann7av]

Even if I had a day trip with Loth and his religious crisis it still was very realistic, the way he kept doubting the new information contradicting his beliefs while trying to learn an deciding there’re more important things than to follow what’s deemed pure and correct.

Anyway, here’s my favorite notes on him and the specially the first one.

[ann7av]

So, about my notes on the Priory of the Orange Tree, here are some of the ones about Ead/Sabran

(Spoilers for part I and II)

I also have notes on Sabran avoiding her marriage like the plague, Loth being an idiot, Tané and the pure chaos her life is… they are all so very stupid

Also, and I mean it, fuck you Niclays