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A review by booksnacks
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
5.0
Rich in storytelling, worldbuilding, love and pain, Raybearer surprised me and delighted me. All of the characters were interesting, and the main character, Tarisai, had the development I crave from a strong MC. Not only is she strong, she is so smart but has her human struggles along the way as she is forced to make many difficult decisions for herself, and others close to her. She is a truly nuanced and complex character.
I loved the world. Ifueko has stories upon stories that create rich and diverse landscapes, people, and culture. All of the realms were fascinating, and I especially loved the smaller stories that added to the lore or history of the world. We see grasslands, mountains, markets, palaces, the Underworld, and so much more! Plus, there are many magical creatures that add to these landscapes.
And THE LOVE. In YA I often am annoyed by the romance, but in Raybearer, it isn’t that way. The romance isn’t between who you expect at first, and while being part of the story, it doesn’t drive Tarisai’s character. She is driven by many kinds of love: for family, for friends, for lovers, and for the betterment of her world. Tarisai gains a growing sense of justice as we watch her grow, questioning what is right, wrong, and best for more than just one group of people. She is a leader because of her expansive insight, but I like that she doesn’t get there in one day. As for her actual romance, I found it really endearing and I loved the character she chose.
I am so, so happy to have read this. There are many complex topics tackled in this world, including justice, discrimination, destruction/changing of history, politics, etc. They all meshed into the story so well, and I really appreciated the writing. It is descriptive, beautiful, and paced well. I also appreciated that one of the larger characters in the book was asexual, great rep there. I want the next volume NOW!
CW: rape, murder (including children), attempted murder (of children also), child abuse (including physical, verbal, and forcing children to do awful things such as fighting)
I loved the world. Ifueko has stories upon stories that create rich and diverse landscapes, people, and culture. All of the realms were fascinating, and I especially loved the smaller stories that added to the lore or history of the world. We see grasslands, mountains, markets, palaces, the Underworld, and so much more! Plus, there are many magical creatures that add to these landscapes.
And THE LOVE. In YA I often am annoyed by the romance, but in Raybearer, it isn’t that way. The romance isn’t between who you expect at first, and while being part of the story, it doesn’t drive Tarisai’s character. She is driven by many kinds of love: for family, for friends, for lovers, and for the betterment of her world. Tarisai gains a growing sense of justice as we watch her grow, questioning what is right, wrong, and best for more than just one group of people. She is a leader because of her expansive insight, but I like that she doesn’t get there in one day. As for her actual romance, I found it really endearing and I loved the character she chose.
I am so, so happy to have read this. There are many complex topics tackled in this world, including justice, discrimination, destruction/changing of history, politics, etc. They all meshed into the story so well, and I really appreciated the writing. It is descriptive, beautiful, and paced well. I also appreciated that one of the larger characters in the book was asexual, great rep there. I want the next volume NOW!
CW: rape, murder (including children), attempted murder (of children also), child abuse (including physical, verbal, and forcing children to do awful things such as fighting)