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saphfics's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Sexism, War, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Cursing, Animal death, and Blood
cameronreads's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, War, Animal death, Grief, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Physical abuse, and Sexual content
Minor: Lesbophobia and Colonisation
booksthatburn's review against another edition
Graphic: War, Death, Misogyny, Violence, Sexism, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Body horror, Murder, Animal death, Alcohol, and Blood
Minor: Excrement, Suicide, and Sexual content
maya_reads_books's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Blood and Violence
holyschmitz's review against another edition
- 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
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
Graphic: Death, Grief, Blood, Classism, Colonisation, Violence, War, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content
Moderate: Blood, Chronic illness, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Alcohol, Body horror, Addiction, Racism, Misogyny, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Medical content, Gore, Terminal illness, Violence, and War
Minor: Classism, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Animal death, Suicide, Self harm, and Homophobia
grimdark_dad's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Sexual content, War, Violence, Blood, Death, and Alcohol
serena_hien's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: War, Violence, Misogyny, Blood, Sexual content, Death, Xenophobia, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Alcohol, Drug use, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Homophobia
nefariousbee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Murder, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and War
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Misogyny, Alcohol, Cursing, Gore, and Pregnancy
Minor: Suicide and Torture
enchantressreads's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.75
While The Jasmine Throne centers on Priya, The Oleander Sword centers on Malini. I don’t want to go into much detail, because The Jasmine Throne is such a beautiful book and I believe one should enjoy it before reading any reviews of The Oleander Sword. So let’s talk about the vibes.
I flew through TJT in only a matter of days, but TOS took me about 10 days. I felt that more action happened in TJT, and TOS kind of fell short, succumbing to second book in a series syndrome. HOWEVER, while it did mostly set up the third book, it was beautifully written, and the yearning that was in the first book continued into the second, maybe even at a higher level. The .25 reduction in rating comes solely from the second book syndrome feeling, because otherwise I loved it and I can’t wait to read the third book.
I have a feeling I’m going to be real hurt or real happy. Tasha Suri sure knows how to do both.
Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for this advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.
CW for death, blood, war, violence, fire, sexism, and animal death
Graphic: Death, Violence, War, and Blood
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Sexism
Minor: Animal death
ezwolf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I absolutely loved The Jasmine Throne and was so excited to read The Oleander Sword. Both Malini and Priya are such interesting characters and the supporting cast also adds so much to the story. I'm not usually a fan of alternating POV books, but I personally really love Bhumika and Rao and so getting to read their POV was fun!
The way that women play a part in the book and series as a whole is amazing. The way that there's an entire religion based on women sacrificing themselves willingly, but also the same people who worship that religion looking down on the real women in their lives. The way that Malini created an entire entourage of women of guards and maids and even though her army was made up of men, the most important people to her are women and the same of Priya as well.
Tasha Suri has an incredible way with words and specially in this book there were a lot of lines and passages that stood out to me. In particular the scene where Malini reminisces about how she would make Priya her wife if she could, what it means to be a sacrifice/give a sacrifice without knowing the price, and finally when Rao is thinking back on Aditya's words "What is a star, but a distant fire, reaching for you across worlds?"
I did not see the way the story was going to take the turn for at all and the build up at the end was fantastic and I now eagerly await the third installment of The Burning Kingdoms series!
Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, War, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Death, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Classism, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and Sexual content
Minor: Alcohol, Pregnancy, Torture, and Vomit