Reviews

The Oleander Sword by Tasha Suri

dummehure's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

I absolutely love how Suri structures this book, it never gets boring at any point because of all the perspectives we get on the very many things that happen in this book. My favorite of those being the very minor character that only get one or two chapters in this (as of now) duology, because they round out the world in such a wonderful manner. 
And the tension oh my love. She writes love in a way that I find so deeply real, messy and torturous but so unmistakably beautiful at is it's core. 
I love the world I am getting to know and I love that every time I think I fully grasped how this universe functions and I know what to expect, it switches on me and gives me just enough new information to put me back at the edge of my seat. 

I am thoroughly invested and absolutely cannot wait for the last book to come out! 

charlotteregan's review against another edition

4.0

Went to the 5 stages of grief

baldwinme40's review

5.0

i don't know why I thought this was a duology but after that ending i am devastated. 5 stars of course

biancafrancisco's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

relright's review against another edition

3.0

This series honestly drives me nuts. If I could give the plot and world building its own rating they’d get 5 stars. Every time I summarize this series or think about it I’m obsessed, it’s so fun and should be immersive. but it’s just so slow paced and poetic in its descriptions it really drags me down and makes me wish for an abridged version. I felt like this about the first novel when I read it last year and had really hoped the second book wouldn’t feel the same since so much of the world building was out of the way but alas the slow pacing still affected my enjoyment. But again the plot is totally worth it - South Asian high fantasy following two women from opposite upbringings - Priya from Ahiranya who has been blessed by the enchanted waters to imbue her with the powers of the extinct yaksa gods and Malini the former princess and now self professed empress of Parijatdvipa who is now in civil war with her brother who wants her to burn on the pyre as a sacrifice to their gods and reinvigoration of the empire’s control over the region. However things become complicated as the yaksa return to Ahiranya but wearing the faces of the dead making it clear that the powers were never gifts but instead a matter of control as things begin to take on a bit more of a horror element. Priya must also reconcile her love for Malini with the conflicting priority of protecting her homeland from the empire that has crushed them for decades and utilizing her gifts in acts of war versus acts of defense. I am glad I came back to this series but glad I switched to audio to help with the pacing issues. I will finish the trilogy when it comes out later this year and would absolutely devour a screen adaptation as I think it would be beautiful.

bmbriar's review

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Second books in trilogies can be so difficult, but Tasha Suri has given us an absolute gem with this one. Just like The Jasmine Throne, it was the sort of book I wanted to devour all at once, but also savour for as long as I could. 

tatyanavogt's review

3.0

Okay soooooooo this is a pretty low rating and I feel like I have to explain because there are so many elements that I enjoyed. But this book put me in a slump, I struggled to care. The moments I enjoy the most are the smaller more intimate moments but we didn't get as much of that as I wanted. Those were my favorite moments of the book, but so much of it was this back and forth trying to move forward with the story. I don't know why it was so hard for me to get into it.

That being said I have every intention to continue. I am invested in the characters and the story and I really want to know what happens. I just hope I have a better time with the next one.

alyson112's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

frenchleigh's review

4.0

It’s disturbing, a bit heavy handed, and I don’t feel good at all. Still…

themildone's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0