ARC REVIEW: Redemptor (Raybearer #2) by Jordan Ifueko

Redemptor (Raybearer #2) by Jordan Ifueko
Rating: 5 Stars
Release Date: August 17, 2021
Format: ARC (from Publisher) and Audiobook (from Library)
Publisher: Amulet Books

Check out my review of book 1, Raybearer

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Jordan Ifueko is a master storyteller, and she proved it once again with the latest installment in the Raybearer duology, Redemptor. Our main character, Tarisai Idajo is still reeling from the events that happened at the end of Raybearer. She made a deal with the abiku to become the last sacrifice sent into the Underworld and stop the cycle of child sacrifices. In order to do so and be able to take her place as Empress Redemptor, she must appoint her own council of rulers but that's easier said than done. 

The found family aspect of the book was a highlight. Every family must deal with growing pains, and the found family of Tarisai and her council siblings is no different. As Empress Redemptor, Tarisai was forced to do a lot and change a lot and it took a while for her council siblings to adjust to that. Some of them adjusted a bit quicker than others (Sanjeet and Dayo), but everything thankfully worked out in the end. I loved seeing Tarisai grow and mature over the course of her character arc and the two books. 

I thought Tarisai went through a lot in the first book, but she goes through even more in Redemptor. She carries the weight of all the Redemptors who died before her - a seemingly impossible weight to carry alone, as no one person can atone for an empire's sins by themself. If that wasn't enough, she's haunted by the spirits of all the dead Redemptors who are slowly making her question her sanity before she’s even made it to the Underworld. Her story is one of persistence, determination, and strength and I’m so happy that I was able to be a witness to it through reading. 

Jordan Ifueko handles the diversity in her characters well. I'm not just speaking of skin color and race (which there’s a spectrum of Aritsar), but things like sexual orientation and disability. For example, Dayo is sex averse (which seemed to indicate he is asexual, though that word was never explicitly used). Tarisai has always been very respectful of his boundaries (despite expectations for both of them to produce an heir) - I can’t speak from the perspective of being part of the LGBTQA+ community, but in my opinion, Ms. Ifueko handled those conversations with tact and care. 

The worldbuilding helped wrap all the other elements of the book together nicely. Jordan Ifueko expands the Aritsar worldbuilding as Tarisai learns more about the other realms through each individual ruler. She also added a new world to the mix by showing the various denizens of the Underworld and Tarisai’s journey there. 

Overall, Redemptor was a very satisfying and powerful end to the Raybearer duology. All the storylines seemed to wrap up (no cliffhangers or loose threads to worry about), and I appreciated where things ended up. It was also another fantastic audiobook performance from narrator Joniece Abbott-Pratt. After reading Raybearer and Redemptor, I look forward to reading whatever Jordan Ifueko may write in the future.  

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Alcohol Consumption, Drug Use, Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Murder

About the Author

Jordan Ifueko is the NYT Bestselling Author of the RAYBEARER series. She’s a Nebula Award, Ignyte Award, Audie Award, and Hugo Lodestar finalist, and she's been featured in People Magazine, NPR Best Books, NPR Pop Culture Hour, & ALA Top Ten. She writes about magic Black girls who aren’t magic all the time, because honestly, they deserve a vacation. Ifueko lives in Los Angeles with her husband David & their 3-legged trustafarian dog Reginald Ovahcomah.

Photo Credit: TeniKomo Photography

 

Raybearer (Raybearer #1) by Jordan Ifueko

Raybearer (Raybearer #1) by Jordan Ifueko
Rating: 5 Stars
Release Date: August 18, 2020
Format: eBook (Borrowed from Library) + Audiobook (Personal Libary; Bought)
Publisher: Amulet Books

Check out the book on Bookshop.org

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*Please note - this post contains affiliate links from which we may earn a commission (at no additional cost to you) if you make a purchase

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko is an epic debut and a beautiful story about friendship, family, and the fight to stay true to one’s self. A young adult novel, this book is a great choice for those who are fans of tropes like the chosen one, love triangles, found family, and platonic life partners. 

Readers are introduced to Tarisai, our main character when she’s a child, and follow her as she grows up. We later learn that all of the training and lessons she was subjected to during childhood were designed to prepare her for the moment that the prince would choose his council of eleven. The promise of a family that will never leave her excites Tarisai, but the magical wish that the “Lady” (Tarisai’s mother) has enacted to force her to kill the prince leaves a dark cloud over the situation. Torn between her genuine care for the prince and the magic that compels her to obey her mother’s command, Tarisai is forced to fight fate and choose her own path. 

I enjoyed how Tarisai’s journey as a heroine was not defined by romance (though there is a slow-burn romance in the works in this book for those who are interested). Fierce heroines are always a plus for me, and Tarisai embodies all of that description and more. While Tarisai is fierce, she is also strengthened by the care and love from her council siblings. It’s so rare to see such strong platonic love between characters in young adult fantasy novels these days, and I was all here for it. I’m crossing my fingers in the hope that readers will get to learn more about the other council members (besides Sanjeet, Dayo, and Kirah) in the sequel. 

The worldbuilding is off the charts in this book, and definitely one of my favorite (if not my favorite) parts of the book. It’s immersive, and readers can happily lose themselves in it while reading. While this is definitely a fantasy world, it’s diverse and has a realistic feel that gives you the impression it could be something that could exist in our world with minimal differences. The idea of “Hollows”, or magical abilities, and how they play into the selection of the Emperor’s council of Eleven was unique and interesting. I also really enjoyed how the cultural aspect played into the worldbuilding, and how many characters are driven by their desire to belong.  

Overall, Raybearer is one of my favorite fantasy reads so far this year. Readers who pick this book up can expect a budding (almost slow-burn romance), amazing characters, and off-the-charts world-building. If you have the opportunity, I would definitely recommend listening to the audiobook as the narrator Joniece Abbott-Pratt did an amazing job. I’m excited to read Redemptor and learn how the final chapter of Tarisai’s story ends. 

Trigger Warnings: Attempted Murder, Child Abuse (Neglect), Graphic Violence, Death of Loved One, Death of Children

About the Author

Jordan Ifueko is the NYT Bestselling Author of the RAYBEARER series. She’s a Nebula Award, Ignyte Award, Audie Award, and Hugo Lodestar finalist, and she's been featured in People Magazine, NPR Best Books, NPR Pop Culture Hour, & ALA Top Ten. She writes about magic Black girls who aren’t magic all the time, because honestly, they deserve a vacation. Ifueko lives in Los Angeles with her husband David & their 3-legged trustafarian dog Reginald Ovahcomah.

Photo Credit: TeniKomo Photography