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A review by secre
Redemptor by Jordan Ifueko
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Redemptor is a strong sequel in this duology, but it isn't quite as strong as it's predecessor. In focussing on the plot, it loses some of the characterisations that made the first novel such an excellent novel. There are still some excellent things about this novel, the world building is second to none, the plot is taut and unexpected in many ways and Ifueko makes powerful points about institutionalised corruption and unfairness. But it isn't as good as the first novel because it loses some of what made Raybearer so great.
In reality, I think this would have been better as a trilogy. Split the sprawling narrative across two books instead of cramming it into one, and build up the multitude of new characters so they are just as strong as the initial council siblings. It could have been easily done; spend one book with Tari building her new council and another book exploring Tari's quest to go to the underworld and fix the Treaty. As it stands, it felt like character development was sacrificed in order to propel the plot and I never really felt like the new council members were built into fully dimensional characters. At the same time, the previous found-family barely get a look in as the author introduces all these new characters and fails to build them as well.
The ghost children were interesting, but again, took away from the existing characters as Tari tries to deal with them all on her own. She has eleven council sisters, they can mind-talk and they are her found family. Yet Tari shoulders this burden all on her own. There is a certain amount of justification and explanation for this, but it felt like a wasted opportunity. The plot is broad and multi-faceted, but what was so stunning about the previous novel was the characters and that sense of family. That is lost in multiple ways here.
All in all, I enjoyed this but can't help but be disappointed. I loved Raybearer. Redemptor doesn't hit the same highs.
In reality, I think this would have been better as a trilogy. Split the sprawling narrative across two books instead of cramming it into one, and build up the multitude of new characters so they are just as strong as the initial council siblings. It could have been easily done; spend one book with Tari building her new council and another book exploring Tari's quest to go to the underworld and fix the Treaty. As it stands, it felt like character development was sacrificed in order to propel the plot and I never really felt like the new council members were built into fully dimensional characters. At the same time, the previous found-family barely get a look in as the author introduces all these new characters and fails to build them as well.
The ghost children were interesting, but again, took away from the existing characters as Tari tries to deal with them all on her own. She has eleven council sisters, they can mind-talk and they are her found family. Yet Tari shoulders this burden all on her own. There is a certain amount of justification and explanation for this, but it felt like a wasted opportunity. The plot is broad and multi-faceted, but what was so stunning about the previous novel was the characters and that sense of family. That is lost in multiple ways here.
All in all, I enjoyed this but can't help but be disappointed. I loved Raybearer. Redemptor doesn't hit the same highs.