A review by starrysteph
The Oleander Sword by Tasha Suri

adventurous dark tense slow-paced

• 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

3.75

The Oleander Sword stumbled a bit - the pacing was sometimes strange and the plot mostly felt like a bridge to the third book -  but Suri’s writing is as lovely as ever, and I am still craving more of this story. 

Priya and Malini have been pulled apart. Priya is struggling to fully claim her role as a Temple Elder and protect her family and people, and Malini is starting a long and dangerous journey to overthrow her brother and become Empress. Priya’s magic is ever-changing and Malini doesn’t know who she can trust … and the two of them are once again brought together to fight for their kingdom. 

Bhumika’s arc has been one of my favorites since the first book, and I think her POV and character development really shone. I also loved getting to see more of Sima and Rao. I was hungry for more Priya – I felt as though she was a bit sidelined for Malini here, but I found her chapters so compelling and a bit disjointed. 

I had mixed feelings about Malini’s arc. There were a handful of scenes where I really believed in her and her intentions and cleverness, but other moments felt rushed or inauthentic. We’re told again and again about her eye for strategy, but we don’t often see it. And it wasn’t clear if her inner thoughts were sometimes unreliable, or if it was a writing stumble.  

The romance between Priya and Malini is a smaller subplot, but it’s fun. Lots of longing and flowery language and even though I didn’t always quite believe the passion, I was rooting for them. 

The yaksa were brilliantly terrifying. Unknowable, otherworldly, and almost nauseating. Magic in general is used in a fascinating way here – and both the magic system and the complicated overlapping religions of the world were what compelled me the most.

CW: death, murder, war, fire, misogyny, suicide, religious bigotry, body horror, colonization, grief, animal death, xenophobia, racism, confinement, epidemic, torture, sexual content

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