Reviews with content warning for War - Oleandrowy miecz

this was such a fantastic sequel, one minor issue i had with book 1 was that i did not care for some of the narrators (Ashok, Vikram…) and their part of the story, but in this book that was not the case at all.

i found the stories even better than the previous book and i adore how much more focus there was on both the magical side of this world and on Malini and Bhumika’s political schemes.
loved it, can’t wait for the last book!!

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cameronreads's review against another edition

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5.0

This book was just as incredible as the first one without a drop of middle book syndrome in sight. Everything felt so complex and realistic in a way that had me completely sucked in. All of the characters were so intricate and flawed in such an interesting variety of ways and this was reflected in the complex relationships between them. The way the world building and especially the religions were expanded on were so interesting - I loved reading about the various beliefs and the sub-sects of them as well as how they interlinked. I once again loved that we got to see from such a wide variety of perspectives and thought it was done masterfully. I can’t believe I’m going to have to wait so long for the third book.

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booksthatburn's review against another edition

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I generally have trouble keeping track of names, and the dizzying array of point-of-view characters made it too difficult to continue, especially in combination with the slow pacing. It makes it feel like too many people are talking and nothing is happening. Even the very brief battle wasn't enough to help. I tried to read it for two months but it started feeling like a chore so I stopped.

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lycanhood's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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holyschmitz's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

In this thrilling sequel to The Jasmine Throne, three main characters must reckon with the high cost of power. Dark secrets wait at the root of a strange and powerful magic; brutal war and waning faith surround the figure of a prophesied rule; new threats arise to challenge a newly freed country. With mysteries that draw readers further into the story and twists that keep them on their toes, The Oleander Sword takes the series in exciting directions. I'm rooting so hard for Priya, Malini, and Bhumika, even as their motives differ and their paths diverge, and I'm so exciting to see where Tasha Suri takes them next.

Themes: the impact of imperialism and war, religion, challenging misogyny and xenophobia within the context of the world, the cost of power and secrets, sapphic romance, complicated characters

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