Reviews with content warning for Homophobia - Oleandrowy miecz

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Oleandrowy miecz by Tasha Suri

11 reviews

yourbookishbff's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Loved this follow-up to The Jasmine Throne! This deepened our existing conflicts so deliciously - internally for both Malini and Priya as they navigate their individual gifts and callings and externally for their nations as they grapple with the cost of Empire and the possibility of not-so-mortal interference. I loved the slow-boiling tension, rapidly rotating POVs (one of my favorite elements of this series so far) and the light horror elements woven in (I was disappointed to get less time in the Hirana but we make up for it with the Yaksa!). The romantic longing is so well done (the epistolary moments at the start were a perfect way to bring their angst on page) and I cannot wait to see how these two navigate all that will come next. And Bhumika!!!! [internally screaming]

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readingwithkaitlyn's review against another edition

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adventurous tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

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lizziaha's review against another edition

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4.0

The ENDING?!?! oh the pining the yearning the betrayal the love the grief. This stupid lesbians and their goddamn devotion and the entire world against them. I can’t even put together anything coherent for an actual review.
I will say that the political maneuvering does appear prominently in this book, which got a tad boring for my taste. And I’m still unsure about the plant magic. The idea of it is compelling but I’m not sure the execution rises to the occasion.

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jenmaysiereads's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

5 out of 5 stars

The prophecy of the nameless god — the words that declared Malini to be the rightful empress — has proven to be a blessing and curse.

She is determined to claim the throne that fate has offered her. But even with rage in her heart and an army of loyal men at her back, deposing her brother is going to be a brutal and bloody fight.

Now a thrice-born priestess and Elder of Ahiranya, the deathless waters flow through Priya’s veins. She dreams of seeing her people free of the rot that plagues it; both of Parijatdvipa's oppressive rule and the blooming sickness that is spreading through all living things. But doesn’t yet understand the dark truth of the magic in her blood.

Malini and Priya’s souls remain nevertheless as entwined as their destines tug them ever closer. All the while, an unconquerable force begins to stir from within the twisting dark of the Hirana’s magic and a perversion of the Mother’s blessing is borne.

‘The Oleander Sword’ is an ambitious sequel; taking big leaps with its characters, plot and world building and sticking the landing with expertise. The world Suri masterfully constructs within the first instalment feels so much more expansive in this novel, coming to life on the page.

Suri elevates everything she developed in the first instalment; focusing more heavily on battle strategy and political strife while delving deeper still into an exploration of the true nature of the Hirana and the unnerving Yaska. Everything about the sequel is magnificently executed. The intense tenderness and romance shared between Priya and Malini is juxtaposed with the extreme violence that must be done in order to retake a stolen empire.

Suri once again weaves an intricate tapestry of perspectives that lends itself to the telling this story of power, loyalty and love.

It is the characters, in particular, that are the heart and soul of this book.

‘The Oleander Sword’ is a much more romantic story than ‘The Jasmine Throne’. As previously mentioned, in this second instalment Malini and Priya’s romance is given the grace to be more tender and heartfelt. It is a relationship which both characters hold very dear to them and they struggle throughout to keep their affections shielded against the world; both to protect themselves from the danger their love might pose and to safeguard that love; to treasure it all the more.

However, their love cannot exist outside the political circumstances that bind them. The political tension and motivations which underpin the actions of every character ensures that this sequel remains gripping and disconcerting to its final page. Betrayal and unintended sacrifice bloom within the story, a pre-written destiny that each character struggles against — for better or for worse.

Beyond our two protagonists, it is once again Bhumika who remains a standout. With Priya gone, she bares the brunt of the unnerving unraveling happening within Ahiranya. Faced with an impossible choice between sacrifice and ruin, the development of her character is one of the most compelling facets of the novel. From coveted wife of a powerful man to a protector of her people, Bhumika exemplifies the themes of feminine rage and sacrifice, of love and loyalty within her perspective chapters. It is her chapters, too, that are the most unnerving as the ancient will of the Yaska unfurls.

The last one hundred pages of this book greatly makes up for any slower pacing within the series thus far. ‘The Jasmine Throne’ and the earlier chapters within ‘The Oleander Sword’ build to a gripping, devastating crescendo that is the climax of this book. A sense of dread permeates the entirety of the book. Ruthless, brutal and tender at its core, ‘The Oleander Sword’ is an astonishing sequel which blooms with betrayal, romance, and women’s sacrifice.

This serious is truly one of my favourite modern high fantasy and the finale — ‘The Lotus Empire’ — cannot come quickly enough.

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ferlefur's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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jessiereads98's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I think partially I just wasn’t in the right headspace to read this book as I normally would. It took me longer to get through than books usually do.

Overall, I enjoyed this. It’s a complex story with complex characters. I really enjoy the unique magic system with multiple gods coming into play and in conflict with each other. I also appreciate the feminist themes woven beautifully into the story.

I did find the pacing in the first half of the book to be a bit slow and like it took a little long to get to things. It felt at times like the story was meandering and dragging its feet on getting where it was going. The pacing did pick up for a much more satisfying final half-third of the book.

I don’t fully enjoy Priya and Malini’s relationship. The power imbalance and Malini’s constant use of Priya and expecting Priya to always do what is best for her makes me somewhat uncomfortable. While I enjoy the relationship as one that is toxic and compelling and narratively interesting, I am not sure if that is the author’s intention or if I as a reader am meant to simply root for them as star crossed lovers. I understand the idea is for there to be a lot of moral greyness and none of these characters are perfect, nor would I want them to be. However, there are times where I find Malini’s treatment of Priya going past moral greyness to this is just an imbalanced power dynamic of a woman from a lower class being expected to serve one of a higher class and I don’t find it romantic.

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reading_for_pluto's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

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mlovesbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Tasha Suri, you've done it again. When can I get my hands on the third book?!

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wordwilderness's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

After the conclusion of The Jasmine Throne, I knew the tone and plot of The Oleander Sword were going to be different. At the end of The Jasmine Throne Malini escapes her imprisonment and begins her quest to overthrow her brother Chandra, the emperor of Parijatdvipa. Meanwhile, Priya remains in Ahiranya to rule alongside Bhumika as temple elders. With the separation of our two main characters and the expansion of the plot beyond Ahiranya, The Oleander Sword promised high stakes and a bloody battle for the Parijatdvipan empire.

Plot & Story Focus

One of my favorite parts of The Jasmine Throne was the development of Malini and Priya’s relationship, so I was worried about how their separation would affect my enjoyment of the sequel. I was also curious to see how the overall feel of the story would change as the focus moved from the characters’ relationships to the war for the empire. It turns out my worries were unwarranted. The Oleander Sword continued to revolve around its characters and their conflicts, even as the plot expanded.

Although The Oleander Sword continued to develop its characters and relationships, there’s no doubt it drifts further into epic fantasy than The Jasmine Throne with its widespread worldbuilding, epic battles, and the introduction of world-ending conflict. In my opinion, The Jasmine Throne toed the line between epic and high fantasy, because even though the conflict and worldbuilding spanned across an empire, most of the focus was aimed at Priya and Malini’s budding relationship. The story was always going to expand, but it does give The Oleander Sword a different feel than The Jasmine Throne.

Malini’s path of conquest was the main source of conflict in the story. I’m going to be honest, I usually don’t pay attention to large battles far beyond “swords, yay!”, and The Oleander Sword delivered in that area. What I loved most about this plotline was getting to see the conflict and tension between Malini and her allies.

Malini wasn’t the first in line for the throne, and unlike Chandra, she didn’t have powerful priests to back her claim to the throne. The only way she had any chance of defeating Chandra was by gaining powerful allies. We learn in The Jasmine Throne that Malini spent her time before being banished gathering allies, and The Oleander Sword is really where we get to see the results of her networking. Unfortunately, the promises she made to gain those allies were the promises of an emperor. Throughout the story, Malini must plan assaults against her brother’s armies while placating the allies she needs to defeat him. The tension this created made for an exciting story. I loved seeing the decisions Malini was forced to make, and the different side of her character it brought out.

Writing Style

I was incredibly impressed by how well Tasha Suri continued to weave together all her characters’ motivations and stories into the narrative. I enjoyed the multi-pov style in The Jasmine Throne, but I think The Oleander Sword is a much better example of how this writing style can bring empire-wide plotlines to life. While The Jasmine Throne mostly focused on Malini’s imprisonment with a few “side” plots, The Oleander Sword follows multiple conflicts that will determine the fate of the Parijatvipan Empire.

Tasha Suri also has a very vivid and elegant writing style that gives her stories a magical feel. It makes the story flow at a very gentle pace without getting boring. I also love how her depiction of certain scenes makes them linger in my mind like my own memories. When I think back to my favorite moments in the book, it feels like I was actually there.

When I finally decided to pick The Oleander Sword back up after classes ended, I decided to get the audiobook because I thought Suri’s writing would be best to listen to. I was right. Listening to The Oleander Sword audiobook was like being wrapped in a warm blanket and being told a bedtime story (albeit, a very dark and bloody one). After I finished listening to The Oleander Sword I decided I needed to go back and read the series from the beginning as audiobooks.

Characters

In terms of characters, The Oleander Sword continued with The Jasmine Throne’s themes of unlikely allies, the sacrifices it takes to gain power, and the development of our favorite sapphic power couple: Priya and Malini. There really wasn’t much room for improvement, in my opinion, but one difference between the first and second books was that the side characters felt more compelling. Bhumika was an especially interesting character to follow as she faced the consequences of seizing the power she needed to reclaim Ahiranya. I also really enjoyed seeing more of the relationship between Rao and Aditya. I wasn’t expecting there to be such a close, loving bond between the two, so it was a pleasant surprise. Whenever I reread the series, I want to pay more attention to Rao’s perspective because I missed some of their relationship dynamics just because I wasn’t looking for them. I was more focused on Priya/Malini, Priya/Bhumika, and Priya/Sima.

Speaking of, I loved getting to see more of Sima in The Oleander Sword. She got sidelined in the first book, but she has a lot of potential as a character. In this sequel, Sima demonstrated that she is exceptionally loyal and charming. One of the saddest parts of the book for me was seeing Sima struggle to hold on to her relationship with Priya as Priya continued to become more powerful and untouchable. Sima wanted to be the one to protect Priya, but how can you protect one of the most powerful humans in the empire? As the series continues, I’m really interested to see how Sima changes as a result of Priya’s choices. I think she has the potential to become a key player in the third book of the series.

Series Flow

Another thing that stood out to me in The Oleander Sword was just how perfectly it acted as the second book for a trilogy. This sequel reached an exciting climax for the original conflict while seamlessly weaving in new antagonists to set up the finale. In my experience, sequels often transition the original conflict to the third book for the finale or they only focus on setting up new conflict for the finale. In both cases, the second book in a trilogy can become dull because all it does is act as a transition between the first and third books. But The Oleander Sword managed to set up the final conflict without taking away from its own plotline.

You’ll Like This Book if You Enjoy…

Epic fantasy
Multi-POV books
A large cast of characters
Compelling and conflicted relationships

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book.

Content Warnings

holyschmitz's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

In this thrilling sequel to The Jasmine Throne, three main characters must reckon with the high cost of power. Dark secrets wait at the root of a strange and powerful magic; brutal war and waning faith surround the figure of a prophesied rule; new threats arise to challenge a newly freed country. With mysteries that draw readers further into the story and twists that keep them on their toes, The Oleander Sword takes the series in exciting directions. I'm rooting so hard for Priya, Malini, and Bhumika, even as their motives differ and their paths diverge, and I'm so exciting to see where Tasha Suri takes them next.

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

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