Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko

23 reviews

nutmegandpumpkin's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful 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? Yes

5.0

I really really loved this book. I haven’t read a fantasy such as this in a while. The rich worldbuilding really brought the whole book to life. 
The cast of characters is not only diverse in skin color / ethnicity but also in sexualities, religion, and physical appearance. For instance, there is a character that is asexual, characters that have crushed on both female and male characters, a blind character, and a character that wears a headscarf.
Only thing about the book that was meh: sometimes it was a bit frustrating and had me rolling my eyes and yelling at the characters at some points for not noticing certain things that felt very obvious (however this happened only a couple of times and wasn’t enough for me to doc the rating).

Would definitely recommend!!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, and War

Minor: Sexual content

sapphic_reader's review against another edition

adventurous 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? Yes

4.5

Rep:
Nigerian-American characters
Questioning side character
Asexual side character 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, and Misogyny

Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Murder, and Violence

Minor: Rape, Sexual content, and Suicide

wrenxavier's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense slow-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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexism, and Violence

Minor: Confinement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and War

_kimb's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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? Yes

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, and Genocide

Moderate: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Misogyny

Minor: Rape

starryorbit12's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Raybearer is one of the books you can't put down. If your a fan of found family and stories about breaking cycles of abuse, this book is for you. The Lady shows an abuse child that grows up to hurt others on the way she was hurt. Tarsai is a abused child who grew up wanting to do things that would help instead of hurt. Sanjeet is also another abused and also bullied child that choose to protect and heal instead of seeking vengeance or choosing to inflict pain to make other hurt they way he has. This is also a story of women erased from history and how child are often  sacrificed to preserve the status quo. It not just about breaking the cycle of abuse and finding purpose outside the life parents wish for you, but it also about do what is right even if it not easy to make a better world for everyone. Frankly, this is my favorite read in 2021 so far.

The only thing I really wanted more from in the story would be the other count members outside of Sanjeet and Kirah. Tarsai talk about the fondly and says she loves them like family, but we only get a few interactions with them. Often, the other members blend together because we don't hear enough or speak to them enough for them to stand out in the way Dayo, Sanjeet, and Kirah do. However, they don't do much in the grand scheme of the story compared to Dayo, Sanjeet, and Kirah so I can see why they weren't as fleshed out.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Genocide, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Violence

kylieqrada's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

I haven't been picking up YA fantasy as much lately, but I am so glad that I grabbed this one. I probably would have loved it just for the asexual rep, but it is actually just an all-around really good book as well. The world-building and character development that Ms. Ifueko was able to accomplish in such a relatively short novel is incredible, and definitely sets the stage for the second installment in the series. The use of time jumps within the narrative allows the author to provide a good amount of back story for Tarisai without getting bogged down, and keeps the story moving along. While I definitely felt that the characters were the main draw for me personally, the plot had just enough intrigue and twists and turns to keep me hooked. A very enjoyable reading experience overall.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Child death, Genocide, and Murder

peachani's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

"No, we don't deserve the burdens that our parents gave us. But we can't defeat monsters that we won't face."

A fantastic novel about love, duty and desire: how they can shape - or distort - who we are and who we become.

I found that the story picked up in Part 2, and from then on, I was engaged. Ifueko reveals mysteries bit by bit, which made me want to keep reading till the end. (Confession: I almost tapped out at around 90% because I thought the main story was over and everything else was filler. I am glad I continued, not only because that wasn't the case, but also because Jordan Ifueko writes nicely!)

I tried to figure out what was going on, which I don't actively do, usually... and I was wrong as hell, which I appreciate. 😂

Also of note:

• Cool to see ace representation as well, though I cannot judge whether it is 100% accurate
• The description of Tarisai's loneliness, particularly in the first book resonated with me, as a child who was often left to her own devices. Unlike Tarisai, though, I was able to make and keep friends at school and in my neighborhood.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, and Genocide

Moderate: Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Minor: Grief, Kidnapping, Rape, Sexual content, Slavery, and Torture

annalisaely's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

The world building is fascinating with 12 different sections of the main character's home empire each with their own cultures, languages, and values, as well as a magic system along the lines of Pixie Hollow Talents with a side of blood magic and deals with demons. I loved the complicated main character with her conflicting motivations and ideals as well as the adorably sweet emperor to be and the precious love interest. I look forward to diving further into the politics in the next book!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Grief, Misogyny, and Sexism

sunnyreads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, and Racism

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexism, and Death of parent

Minor: Child death, Murder, and Rape

Ableist language is used throughout the text.

notthatlibrarian's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Blood, Child death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Genocide, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Rape, Sexism, and Slavery