A review by paracyclops
The Oleander Sword by Tasha Suri

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• 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

4.0

Tasha Suri's Burning Kingdoms trilogy, of which this The Oleander sword is the middle book, is one of the few examples of popular, contemporary fantasy I've encountered that I really enjoy on several levels. It has carefully crafted, clean, expressive prose, that can be enjoyed in its own right, but which doesn't draw attention to itself if you don't want it to. It has complex, flawed characters, who feel very plausible as products of the world that Suri imagines. And it has a complex, multi-cultural world, clearly based on India, but only in the way that so much fantasy fiction is based on Europe. Best of all (in the worldbuilding) is the treatment of magic and religion, which feels very weighty and consequential. Magic isn't a simple instrumental thing here, but something life-changing, that carries a great cost to those who use or are used by it. The narrative encourages some deep thinking about faith, knowledge, and gender politics, without offering any glib or heavy-handed opinions. And the story itself is a compelling exploration of power, love, and the usually toxic interactions between them. The Oleander sword isn't formally or generically revolutionary, but it's still pretty exceptional in terms of the contemporary fantasy fiction that I've read over the past couple of years. Highly recommended.