Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
Raybearer’s poetic words captured my attention from the start. It was a true delight to read this book since Jordan Ifueko has such a great way with words. In Raybearer, 16-year-old Tarisai is kept in the shadows by her enigmatic mother, The Lady. Tarisai has spent her entire life being mentored and tested by teachers in preparation for her life’s work, which is to join the crown prince council, which is comprised of 12 members who represent the 12 realms. Tarisai sets out on a quest to learn the truth about herself after she learns that her goal is to kill the one person in the entire world who she has promised to love and defend.
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
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The intricate design of Ifueko’s world and its captivating mythical origin story really piqued my interest. Her characters are rich, nuanced, and incredibly relatable, as are their relationships. She incorporated themes of belonging and threw in a few lovely West African traditions, including the griots, who tell traditional tales. She also touched on a subject that is dear to my heart—the elimination of outdated customs and cultures in favour of strong, contemporary ones.
She experiences human love for the first time after spending years locked away in a gilded cage. She promises to defend him. She was created to ruin him.
Tarisai is brought up in isolation by her mother, a feared and evasive woman only known as The Lady, in a vast empire governed by a heavenly monarch. Tarisai must outperform other kids when The Lady sends him to the imperial capital in order to be chosen as a member of the Crown Prince’s Council of 11. If Tarisai is chosen, the Ray, a link stronger than blood, will bind her to the other Council members.
A Tarisai in need of affection is drawn to the idea of an immortal family and the potential to transform the former imperialist dominion. Tarisai is constrained by a mystical compulsion to kill the Crown Prince once she earns his trust, but The Lady has other ideas and is pursuing them. Tarisai won’t allow herself to be used as a pawn by anyone, but is she resilient enough to take a stance for herself?
Raybearer is a work of astounding world-building and exquisite prose that tells a tale of loyalty, fate, and the lengths we would go to for the people we love.
