Grace (irisroman & evajacks' version) ✧'s Reviews > Raybearer

WOW. This was amazing! I dunno what I was expecting from Raybearer, but I had no idea I would get such a gorgeous story! This DEFINITELY surpassed my expectations. :)

Although the beginning felt a little rushed and meh, it soon picked up and I was glued to the page. Tarisai's adventures were so enjoyable to read, especially with the beautiful descriptions of the culture and kingdoms of Aritsar along the way. Jordan Ifeuko's writing was practically flawless- it had a rather simplistic style, but with those lush, gorgeous descriptions lending it a magical touch. The worldbuilding was immaculate, with so many little details about the kingdom to enjoy. The food, the clothes, the griot songs- everything was so well-developed and unique. I loved it.

The characters were also really good. Tarisai was a very well-developed heroine, who seemed very human and REAL. She made many mistakes, but she eventually learned how to pick herself up and keep going, fighting to rectify those mistakes. Her determination to bring peace to Aritsar was awe-inspiring. I loved her as our protagonist.

The other characters, such as Dayo, Sanjeet and Kirah, were also great, all with their own distinct personalities. Jordan Ifueko did a great job making them all likeable and well-rounded. The Lady, Tarisai's mother, was a very fascinating character, as there were so many layers to her. I liked how she as a character showed that there was a grey area between wrong and right. This helped to make the story feel more realistic.

The themes discussed, such as erasing people's cultures and misogyny, are really important and were handled really well, bringing the terribleness of them to light. Jordan Ifueko integrated them beautifully into the story.

The only real issue I had with Raybearer was the pacing. In the beginning, there were frequent time skips, meaning there would often be months and years between chapters. This was disconcerting and made it difficult for me to connect with the characters. However, by the halfway mark, the pacing had evened out and I was connected to the characters more. Therefore it wasn't a huge issue.

Overall, a lush, beautiful fantasy that surpassed my expectations by a mile. After that ending, I NEED to find out what happens next and can't wait to get my hands on the sequel, Redemptor!

"I don't know what I want. I only know the world is big and I'm sick of pretending it's smaller."

~ 4 stars