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Cover of The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha ShannonThe Priory of the Orange Tree
Modern · Fiction, Fantasy, LGBT

The Priory of the Orange Tree

by Samantha Shannon
2019 · 848 pages · Fiction
69.3Must-Read
Score Modern
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 21 hours to read · about 6 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Queen Sabran the Ninth, still unwed, must produce a daughter to protect her realm from destruction, but assassins are closing in, and an ancient dragon enemy is stirring. Across the world, women and men on opposite sides must unite.

Why it's worth reading

It's a hugely popular epic fantasy with dragons and a sapphic romance, praised for its scope.

You'll love it if you liked

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Cover of A Game of Thrones by George R. R. MartinA Game of Thrones
A Game of ThronesGeorge R. R. Martin
Cover of Fourth Wing by Rebecca YarrosFourth Wing
Fourth WingRebecca Yarros

Good to know

It's more than 800 pages but stands alone. A prequel, A Day of Fallen Night, followed.

By the numbers

69.3Must-Read Score
  • Readers66 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller38 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Reads as

Adventurous, Epic

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedModern booksTop 25 · 1,573 rankedBooks of the 2010sTop 25 · 736 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 ranked

Quick answers

Is The Priory of the Orange Tree worth reading?

Yes. It's a hugely popular epic fantasy with dragons and a sapphic romance, praised for its scope. It ranks #1,382 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 69.3 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is The Priory of the Orange Tree about?

The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Queen Sabran the Ninth, still unwed, must produce a daughter to protect her realm from destruction, but assassins are closing in, and an ancient dragon enemy is stirring. Across the world, women and men on opposite sides must unite.

How long does it take to read The Priory of the Orange Tree?

About 21 hours (848 pages), or about 6 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after The Priory of the Orange Tree?

If you liked it, try A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon, A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin or Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros.