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alphabetmafiamember'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
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Moderate: Sexism, Death, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Cursing, Sexual content, and Grief
Minor: Animal death, Alcohol, Suicide, Alcoholism, Torture, and Religious bigotry
angstifies'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
4.5
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!!
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, Violence, War, and Death
Moderate: Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Body horror, Cursing, Grief, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content
Minor: Suicide and Torture
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
lycanhood's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, War, Fire/Fire injury, and Murder
Moderate: Grief, Gore, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Body horror
Minor: Kidnapping and Suicide
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
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
qace90's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
Oleander Sword is even better than Jasmine Throne and has me utterly adrift in feelings. Full review closer to release, but trust me - you need this book in your life!!
Full review:
I finished Oleander Sword and now I don’t know what to do with myself. How dare it end there?! Where’s the next book?! I need to know what’s going to happen next!!
Oleander Sword picks up a year after the events of Jasmine Throne. Bhumika and Priya are Elders of Ahiranya and trying to lead their country into a prosperous future, but are having to deal with the politics of the highborn and also trying to stop the spread of the rot, if they can’t reverse it’s effects. Malini is empress but she’s still having to fight to hold that title, especially as her brother Chandra has found a weapon that makes people question the veracity of the prophecies claiming she is the true and rightful leader of Parijatdvipa. Her claims to the throne are also hindered by men who would rather see her brother Aditya as emperor, as he is the eldest and was once the crown prince, but he has no interest in ruling; he sees his place as a priest for the nameless.
This book had me immediately in my feelings and needing someone to scream with because the way Tasha Suri executes emotional complexity alongside political machinations and ripple effect manipulations is nothing short of masterful. The prose is absolutely gorgeous, but for me this book is all about the emotions. Everyone is trying to do what they believe to be the right thing and so many are working towards their goals for love - of someone, of country, of faith. I love the complexity of these characters and how hard it sometimes is to sus out who is in the right and who is in the wrong - especially as so many of these characters are doing bad or harmful things for the right reasons.
Oleander Sword is absolutely gorgeous on so many levels and really delves into complexities of motivations and goals while also giving space for softness and love. But even the soft, loving elements have thorns and hurt. Priya, Malini, Bhumika, and all the other characters are trying their best in a world and time when sometimes the best you can do is offer your enemy a quick death. But who is the true enemy when ancient powers are coming back into the world?
I just, I am utterly in awe of the writing and the story Tasha Suri is telling with this series and cannot wait for the third book’s release. If you’re a fan of epic fantasy with complicated motivations, nuanced interpersonal dynamics, and messy, messy feelings you absolutely need to read this book!
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, and War
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Animal death, Suicide, and Torture
- Grief - Immolation - Battle - Drowning - Threats toward a child’s safety - Alcohol consumption - Sensual/sexual content - Reference to torture (off page) - Poisonlaurareads87'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
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing an ARC in exchange for this review.
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Blood, Death, Murder, and Gore
Moderate: Xenophobia, Sexism, Misogyny, Grief, Suicide, and Torture
Minor: Animal death
ktkeps'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: Violence, Xenophobia, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Sexism, and War