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some_random_person_hi's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Confinement
Moderate: Sexual content, Rape, Acephobia/Arophobia, Death, Medical content, and Domestic abuse
Minor: War and Child death
northernzephyr's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Child death
bybookandbone's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
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
3.5
It's hard to assign a star rating to Raybearer because there are several parts that are wonderful, and others that a, frankly, dreadful.
Raybearer start's off very weak and I was baffled at how it gets such glowing reviews. After Tar frees Jeet I finally connected with the book and began to really enjoy it. The characters and world began to gain a shape.
Unfortunately, there's too much telling and not enough showing, especially earlier on in the book. I felt that there are too many time jumps and the reader is supposed to just accept the very close relationships that developed in between. I don't get any proper sense of Dayo other than him being vaguely kind, gentle and asexual . I wish we got to know him better. He just seems to do things out of no where, with no sense if it would align with his characterization or not (because he doesn't have much). Kirah and Jeet are much stronger characters, the rest of the Eleven are less than names on a page. We are told how close they all are but we don't even know most of their names!
There's a muddled bit at the endwhere Woo In takes Tar away from Dayo, for seemingly no proper reason. Yes there's a small story reason but it felt so forced and I think it was a waste of time.
Having said that. I really loved Tar as a protagonist. She's intelligent and cunning, and I mean genuinely. It's not something we are just told and expected to believe. Not like some protagonists based in a royal court. *cough* *cough* Jude
Raybearer start's off very weak and I was baffled at how it gets such glowing reviews. After Tar frees Jeet I finally connected with the book and began to really enjoy it. The characters and world began to gain a shape.
Unfortunately, there's too much telling and not enough showing, especially earlier on in the book. I felt that there are too many time jumps and the reader is supposed to just accept the very close relationships that developed in between. I don't get any proper sense of Dayo
There's a muddled bit at the end
Having said that. I really loved Tar as a protagonist. She's intelligent and cunning, and I mean genuinely. It's not something we are just told and expected to believe. Not like some protagonists based in a royal court. *cough* *cough* Jude
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Child death
Minor: Slavery and Gaslighting
wrenxavier's review against another edition
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
sprinklesugarbunbun's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Death of parent
_inge_'s review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Child death
Minor: Confinement
benidamika's review
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
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? No
4.25
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
"He tasted like salt, like grief and fear" - Pg 469
This is my first time reading West African inspired YA fantasy and I adored it! Jordan Ifueko did an amazing job with this debut. The characters were enchanting and the story telling is powerful. I admit picking this book because of the cover but Ifueko doesn't disappoint!
The book is seeped in colorful African culture and Ifueko's writing is so vivid - it's an EXPERIENCE. I admit it was a bit difficult to keep track of the names of the characters and the magical beings but it got easier the more I got into the book.
It explores themes of family relationships, friendship, revenge, power dynamics, misogynistic traditions and oppression of the poor.
What I really liked about the book is that Tarisai is not driven by romantic love to conquer whatever demons she had. She was selfless to a point that annoyed me a little but at the same time, that in my eyes, made her a true queen.
"He tasted like salt, like grief and fear" - Pg 469
This is my first time reading West African inspired YA fantasy and I adored it! Jordan Ifueko did an amazing job with this debut. The characters were enchanting and the story telling is powerful. I admit picking this book because of the cover but Ifueko doesn't disappoint!
The book is seeped in colorful African culture and Ifueko's writing is so vivid - it's an EXPERIENCE. I admit it was a bit difficult to keep track of the names of the characters and the magical beings but it got easier the more I got into the book.
It explores themes of family relationships, friendship, revenge, power dynamics, misogynistic traditions and oppression of the poor.
What I really liked about the book is that Tarisai is not driven by romantic love to conquer whatever demons she had. She was selfless to a point that annoyed me a little but at the same time, that in my eyes, made her a true queen.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death and Death of parent
meaghanelizabook's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Child death, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Grief
oliverreeds's review
funny
hopeful
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
i greatly enjoyed this book (note the five stars lol) mainly because i could tell the author listened to their story. everything made sense: the characters were logical and believable, the world-building was paced well and easy to understand, and the way that racial/religious tensions were discussed in the book was pretty great. sometimes, however, it felt like the author was rushing. like they knew what was going to happen next and wanted it to happen so much that it just did and the readers missed a lot in the cut scenes. specifically after tarisai tries to kill dayo, sanjeet just like.. forgives her really fast. i feel like a lot more could have been explored there in ways that would have added some intensity to their relationship and things that could have ultimately strengthened it. i was also upset that there wasn't closure between tarisai and dayo. things kind of fell apart between them? there was a lot left unsaid and i feel like there was time for them to have a conversation and to explore more into their relationship after she yknow tried to kill him. he seemed to forgive her very quickly, but also, he didnt? it was weird and i understood what the author was going for, but there was time and space that could have been allotted to exploring that part of their relationship and how it changed/would change after the attempt. this also applies to tarisai and kirah. kirah just forgives her very fast and doesn't question a whole lot, when i felt like she should have. my main critic is that there was a lot of complexity that could have been explored through dialogue, through description, through reactions that simply wasn't mentioned again. tensions resolved too quickly and too neatly. i wanted there to be dissent. i wanted something to rub the wrong way and i wanted every character to feel it. i think the author came close to this but didn't quite reach it. i didn't realize this book was a series initially, but i'm excited to read the next books as they come out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Torture, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: 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