A review by obscurepages
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko

adventurous challenging dark 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

You know that meme/scene with Homelander saying "It was perfect. Perfect. Down to the last minute detail." Yeah, that. That was me after rereading this book 😂

For a moment I was actually a bit scared diving into this again, thinking my opinions would change (since I will be rereading after four years). But you know what? My opinion is still very much the same: Raybearer is one of the best YA fantasy novels I've read. If anything, my love for this book just soared to new heights.

This is just so perfect—from the writing, to the world-building, the magic system, the pacing, the characterization, the intricacies of the plot. There's also a lot to learn in this book, a lot of things that we can notice in our own reality. Misogyny, toxic masculinity, histories being erased, governments failing their own people, just for example. You get so engrossed with the story and with Tarisai's character that you just go along the emotions with her. You root for her, and you feel for her. There's also not much action if you think about it, but the overall suspense and the political atmosphere just keep you engaged throughout the entire story. That for me is a feat right there.

You can also tell there's so much love and effort put into this book and it paid off. It worked, and it's such an incredible experience reading this from start to finish 🥹

Exact rating: 1 million stars

CW: death, murder, grief, trauma, death of a parent, death of children (sacrifice), child abuse/neglect
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