A review by incipientdreamer
The Oleander Sword by Tasha Suri

adventurous challenging emotional 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

4.75

 5 stars
And I remember a tale of garlands. And ill stars. And two people who found their way to one another.
Tell me, do you remember it too?

Easiest 5 stars I've given to an epic fantasy that's the second book in a trilogy. Tasha Suri raises the bar of what a middle book should be and I am all for it. The plot was fast-paced, there was soo much happening, and not a single moment where I was bored or put off by the pacing. The romance was top-notch (all three couples were amazingly devastating). Fans of The Song of Achilles, this one is for you! The prose was beautiful and the scenes between Malini and Priya had me on my knees sobbing. The yearning and oaths of fealty were just SO TOUCHING I can't! I am completely blown away by this book, the 3rd book would have to be an absolute showstopping, fantastic banger to be able to top this, my expectations are exceedingly high. I don't understand the reviewers that were trashing The Oleander Sword for lack of romance, or lack of plot, or too much politicking - like hello??? Did we read the same book? Just because they aren't making out and hooking up in every other chapter, does not mean the romance sucks. It just means you have shit standards, sorry not sorry. Shut up and look at this gorgeous bit of writing:
"You are like ink", Malini thought helplessly. "Ink, and all I want is to make poetry of you."

"Is that what love is, Malini? Is that how awful love is? Because if it is then, I love you, the way that roots love the deep and leaves love the light. And no matter how much I try to be good, to do right - I'm all flowers in your arms, for your war, for you - "

If that isn't the most romantic thing you've read then IDK what you want. The prose is Song of Achilles level good and I am not fucking around folks.

The plot is also extremely compelling. There is the war Malini is fighting, the stuff Bhumika is struggling with in Ahiranya and Aditya, and his destiny. There is this impending feeling of doom and disaster throughout the entirety of this book. I feel like that's part of the reason why this part is so much tighter plot-wise than book 1. The plot feels like a held breath, just waiting for the other shoe to drop because the foreshadowing is so wonderfully handled that you KNOW something is about to go horribly wrong and all you can do is watch the characters hurtle towards their fate. It might also be, due to the constant theme of Fate and the role it plays in the characters' lives. Ironically we have characters like Rao and Aditya who are ready to follow their fate, and then we have Malini who is trying desperately to wrench her character's autonomy out of the author's cold dead hands. There is this dramatic/structural irony which is why I compared it to Song of Achilles, and that lends a sort of helplessly tragic motif to the novel.

The characterization is beautifully done. While The Jasmine Throne was more Priya's book and focused on her journey to become an Elder, The Oleander Sword focuses more on Malini and the price she is willing to pay for overthrowing her brother and finally attaining her much sought-after power. As well as Bhumika and her struggle with trying to balance the rebels, the rising threat of the yaksa, and the consequences of motherhood. Bhumika really popped off in this book. She was easily my favorite character in book 1 and I was so glad to have more of her in book 2. I was also glad to see my Bhumika-Jeevan ship develop, I love them both so much. The tenderness was off the charts. I am really excited to see where Suri takes Bhumika and Padma's characters in the final installment.

We also got a lot more of Rao and can I just say, it's just Rao pinning after another guy after Prem.
  Suri please give my boy a break. First, he lost prem, now Aditya. Rao has been through A LOT.


A blockbuster of a sequel. Suri ramps up the stakes in the follow-up to her sapphic desi series opener. This is what second books are supposed to be. Honestly one of my favorite releases of the year. It will be difficult to top this one. The yearning is strong and the payoff is even more strong. Definitely rivals Song of Achilles in terms of romance and writing, and excels in terms of plot and characterization. Can't wait to see what else Suri has in store for us.