A review by obscurepages
Redemptor by Jordan Ifueko

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective 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 just screamed into my pillow, this was absolutely incredible storytelling 😭

Thank goodness I reread Rarybearer bc diving into Redemptor, you're immediately taken into another world. One with more expansive world-building, same beautiful writing style, and new characters. Redemptor is expansive and clever and it just takes you in.

I admit the new set of characters set me off a bit, I feel like this needed a cast of characters just so I can keep up πŸ˜­πŸ˜‚ I would have also loved to know more about these new characters better? But I can't really say that soured my opinions of the book, because this book still had good characterization, particularly Tarisai, Dayo, Ai Ling, Sanjeet, as well as other minor characters like Min Ja and Ye Eun. Like Redemptor feels like it's most plot-driven, but the characterizations are still good. The conversations between Tarisai and Dayo? Sanjeet? Ai Ling? Adukeh and Adebimpe? I loved it 😭

Also I have to say, Tarisai makes it to the list of my favorite main characters. As a reader, yoh root for her and you feel her suffering. You feel her guilt, you feel her compassion, you feel her need to be loved and her need to create a world worth living. Some of her decisions I don't agree with (I don't want to spoil that much πŸ˜†), but her self-realizations at the end? And her character arc as a whole? I just really love it πŸ₯Ή

Oh and the plot! Kudos to Jordan Idueko because she is a genius storyteller. I love how reading the whole book is just "I don't know what happens next...wait what", but you find everything irresistible and you enjoy the ride πŸ˜‚ There's one plot twist that I should have seen coming, but it's so clever. And there's also one plot twist that I predicted! (I felt proud because this book is a rollercoaster okay πŸ˜‚) Overall, this was just an incredible story. A fitting finish to a great start. 

Raybearer and Redemptor are only a duology and yet it feels like I read more than two books. Truly chef's kiss. Proud to say they are now one of my favorites.

Exact rating: 5 just because 

CW: death, war, murder, grief, trauma, death of a parent, death of children (sacrifice), enslaved dead children, fatal injuries, limb injuries, discussions of pregnancy/abortion
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