Pandemic in Priory of the Orange Tree

I’ve been reading The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon. It’s a long book, almost a thousand pages, and a bit slow at times.

It has many things I like – dragons, magic, myth, great characters. It has what feels like centuries of history.

But the thing that stands out in my mind right now is that this world remembers a past pandemic. In one city, outsiders or those harboring them can be killed or imprisoned. Because maybe they carry the disease.

Even privateers were not willing to land there; they rowed their charges only close enough that they could wade in, because of the risk of getting the disease.

There is a lot to focus on because there is a lot going on in this story. But the thing that has caught my attention is this ancient pandemic. In the story so far, it feels like it was over a long time ago. I could be wrong, but I am still pretty early in the story.

It is just – centuries later, people still react to some people as though are carrying the disease. It must have been quite terrible while it was happening.

It makes me wonder how this current coronavirus will affect the future. It is quite terrible now and things only promise to get worse in the coming weeks.

Well, we have to survive it first, and I am sure this country will survive it. How much damage will be sustained – that is the question. The very question. A lot of damage – economic, health – and I wish I knew how it would change the world.

It is a bit anxiety-inducing, to not know really how much damage the novel coronavirus will leave behind.

 

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