Huge thank you to Megan at ABRAMS publishing for getting me the ARC of REDEPMTOR in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars, rounded up.

Jordan Ifueko's sophomore novel lives up to all the hype her debut acquired. From stunning descriptions of culture to delving deep into character relationship, Ifueko continues her streak of brilliance with REDEMPTOR.

REDEMPTOR focuses a lot more on Tarisai's personal journey and growth and it explores a lot of the realationships she made in RAYBEARER. From her romantic one with Sanjeet to her familial one with Dayo to her platonic ones with her other siblings and allies. Tarisai also struggles with balancing being a ruler and doing right by her people which contributes to her personal growth and character arc.

Now I do have to say that I enjoyed RAYBEARER just slightly more than REDEMPTOR. I think that is partly due to the fact that RAYBEARER has a lot more political intrigue and I expected that to continue in REDEMPTOR but REDEMPTOR focuses a lot more on Tarisai's personal journey and growth. The Underworld aspect did also feel a bit anti-climactic considering it was such a cliffhanger in RAYBEARER. However, this is one of the rare cases where I enjoyed the first book more than the second but the second book is still mind-blowingly amazing.

If you loved RAYBEARER, there is no doubt in my mind that you will love REDEMPTOR. 15/10 recommend.

"Radical Imagination"
I loved Raybearer. It was my favorite ya fantasy of 2020 EASILY. Redemptor is my favorite ya fantasy of 2021 and I can say that with confidence-- in August. Redemptor is radical. That word gets thrown around a lot but the Latin origins of the word literally mean "preceding from a root." Redemptor is that. It takes the essence of things like power, self-love, duty, guilt, and family and unravels them until the kernel in the middle is bared to all. I had multiple praise breaks in this book!
Redemptor is the sequel to Raybearer and it picks up with Tarisai Kunleo racing to anoint her own council so that she can be a full raybearer-- all so she can enter the Underworld as the last redemptor. The catch: her council must be the rulers of the eleven Arit realms, and y'all, these rulers are not overly fond of our girl. With this daring treaty between herself and the abiku, Tarisai would end the centuries-old tradition of Songland children being sacrificed for peace. But can she anoint her council of kings and queens in the two year time block? Even if she does, will she survive the Underworld as so few Songland children have?
What makes Redemptor a different monarchy-themed ya fantasy is that neither Jordan Ifueko nor Tarisai are satisfied with the story being that. Tarisai questions the tradition of power and privilege throughout the book and Jordan Ifueko so beautifully prepares Tarisai to answer those questions-- not on her own as a rugged individual but with the help of friends and family. It truly is a book true to its protagonist's' name: Behold What Is Coming.

I requested this before I read the first book. Sadly I didn't enjoy the first book very much so I wont be picking the 2nd book up. Thank you for the approval, though.

Ifueko creates her characters and world with care, awareness, and attentive dedication. Raybearer showed her prowess of world-building, character-bonding, and interaction, all while sculpting a plot that was engaging and fresh.

With Redemptor, we are seeing the realization of the foundation of Raybearer. She is taking us into a more intimate examination of Tarisai and the ramifications and decisions that are causing waves of change across Aritsar.

It is with ease and an engrossed mind that pages are turned, revelations are absorbed and dissected, and the coming culmination anticipated.

Redemptor kicks up the level of intrigue and magic, tests bonds of love and councilhood, explores uncertainties and falterings; all while keeping the reader connected to Tarisai's doubt and eventual growth.

Ifueko leads us to question sacrifice and heroics, who loses and benefits, the selfishness and misunderstandings, the hope and love that gets us through.

There were times when the plot did suffer from sophomore syndrome, but it was in no way detrimental to an enjoyable reading experience.

Magical, and warm, and wholly original!

do you see her? a girl in a mango tree, aheh

...waiting for her mother.


While I didn't enjoy this as much as the first one, it still was so much fun seeing Tar again, and experiencing all of the deep, complex folklore of Raybearer universe. This would be so amazing as a live-action Disney movie, honestly 😂Even though all the characters are older, it has all the great mechanics of a great middle-grade story - the kind that I would have absolutely fallen in love with as a kid.

Big thanks to Abrams Books for sending me an ARC copy of this book!

I was incredibly excited for this second book in the Raybearer world. I had really high hopes and expectations and it kind of feels like what I thought was important and should have been focused on or developed more wasn’t?

It felt like this book was going to be the middle book in a trilogy however the ending suggests it’s a duology and if that’s the case I have issues with pacing, character development, and overall focus of this novel.

I loved raybearer a bunch and I was hoping to get more from the original council members, develop relationships with her new council and then go to the underworld and spend some time there. However that wasn’t necessarily the focus and I really struggled with that. I will be picking up whatever Ifueko publishes next and I still believe Raybearer is one of the best authorial debuts of 2020. It’s just a shame this wasn’t what I wanted.

TL;DR REVIEW:

Redemptor (and the Raybearer Duology overall) is just so freakin good, with a rich world, lovable characters, and an adventure I’d go on a hundred times.

For you if: You like YA fantasy, and/or you want to read more African-inspired YA fantasy.

FULL REVIEW:

I read Raybearer earlier this year and was immediately obsessed. Everyone who read it will tell you that it’s incredible. So naturally I jumped at the chance to read Redemptor, the second half of the duology. (Thank you Amulet Books / Abrams for the digital review copy!) And I’m delighted to report that this book absolutely lived up to its predecessor — what a fantastic conclusion.

No spoilers on book one from me, but here’s a quick overview: The duology is about a girl named Tarisai, the daughter of a ruthless woman called The Lady and an alagbato (being of ancient, wish-granting magic) The Lady trapped. Tarisai grows up lonely, and the product of a deadly plot. When she turns 11, she’s sent to the palace to join the crown prince’s council of siblings. Meanwhile, a tenuous child-sacrifice peace treaty with the abiku, underworld beings, is up for renewal. Book one deals mainly with Tarisai’s mother’s plans, and book two deals mainly with the abiku.

I can’t get over how much I loved these books. This is African-inspired YA fantasy at its absolute best. The worldbuilding is rich and layered, with much to say about class and privilege and industrialization and more. The story is an A+ mystery, with lots of plots to unfurl and dots to connect. And the characters are intensely lovable, with great queer (even ace) representation.

All that was true of Raybearer, and it’s true of Redemptor as well. I loved the way Ifueko brought the weight on Tarisai’s shoulders to life, not shying away from her loneliness and inner conflict. I loved the new world-building elements and mythology. I loved the tension between the choice to “die for justice … or live for it.”

I will also say that I had the joy of listening along with the audiobook of Raybearer, but because I read Redemptor early, I didn’t get to listen to that one. I missed it! The audio production was really good, and I recommend supplementing your print copy with audio in both cases.

I absolutely can’t wait to see what Ifueko writes next!



CONTENT WARNINGS:
Panic attacks; Violence and blood; Ableism

When I finished Raybearer I was sad to discover it was only a duology rather than a trilogy and unsure how this much world building could be wrapped up in a single volume. This disappointment was deeply misplaced - Redemptor is even stronger than Raybearer and is a shining example of all a sequel could be to a world and its readers.

[Review will be posted on 8/11/2021]

Raybearer was my favorite book of 2020 and I am screaming that I have been blessed with an eARC and it was everything I wanted! This review could easily be a series of screaming gifs. How do you review a book that touches you deeply? This satisfying conclusion to the Raybearer duology charts not only an epic adventure through the Underworld but also has the best character development. I genuinely worked on this review for days and I am sorry this review wound up being an essay on how much Tarisai’s emotional journey meant to me, but it is what it is.

TL;DR this duology is a must-read for fans of rich world-building, found families, and fighting to make the world a better place.

“Griots, the sacred storytellers of our empire, shaped the histories we believed with the beat of their drums. So I, too, would sing this story until I believed it.”

It felt so good to be back in Aritsar and Ifueko succinctly recaps the important developments from Raybearer in all of four paragraphs. Redemptor opens with consequences at the fore and sets the stage for the high stakes of this duology conclusion. Prepare to be on the edge of your seat, friends.

Where Raybearer centers on free will, Redemptor is focused on justice as Tarisai is tasked with undoing the wrongs of her ancestors and uniting the realm. Effortlessly crafted and intricately plotted, the writing is succinct and fast-paced while also drawing you in with its vivid descriptions.

“If the world didn’t care about injustice, then I would simply have to care enough for all of them.”

I see so much of myself in Tarisai. She cares so much about justice and making Aritsar a better place for everyone that she pushes herself beyond her limits to accomplish her goals. It’s almost painful to read at times as Tarisai becomes more and more isolated from those around her, but as someone who struggles with negative self-talk and intrusive thoughts I saw so much of myself on the page as she grapples with the spirits haunting her.

“Before the visions appear… I almost feel like I’m enough. Like I’m doing the best I can, and I deserve to be Raybearer. Deserve to be empress. Then the voices make me feel… useless. Like there’s so much evil, so much injustice, and I have to fix it.”

Tarisai’s worst fears and doubts are being affirmed everywhere she looks and no one else seems to be bothered. Tarisai’s sense of justice is full of the idealism of youth and juxtaposed with not only the centuries old laws but the complacency of those she is closest to. They don’t understand why she’s taking on the Abiku and putting herself at risk because they aren’t affected by the unjust laws.

“We support you as empress, Tar, but did you stop to think that some of us — well — love Aritsar just the way it is?”

More often than not, YA protagonists set on a revolution meet the status quo challenges from adults and easily build a movement for change. I love how Redemptor explores the challenges of growing into yourself and the tensions that may arise with the found family you covet. It’s painful to feel that you’re alone in your beliefs, and Tarisai not only has to deal with this but with the child spirits haunting her. It isolates Tarisai in a way that can darken rose-colored glasses and lead even the most pure hearts into complacency and despair. But Tarisai never gives up.

“What makes a world worth surviving in?”

I thoroughly enjoyed Redemptor, but not quite as much as Raybearer. I think this is in large part to the isolation Tarisai feels as she pulls away from everyone: it is a darker book. But that isn’t to say there aren’t bright spots and I cherish the moments she shares with her council members. The soft moments of doubt between Dayo and Tarisai discuss their individual desires to not have children and how the conversation subtly shifts when it’s Tarisai expressing she doesn’t want to be a mother. There’s the dual pressure of society’s expectations and her role as a Raybearer to produce heirs of the Kunleo line. But does she sacrifice herself for duty and how is that any different from what The Lady did?

“Your life should not be a means to an end. No human being should be reduced to a function.”

Overall, Redemptor is a satisfying conclusion to the duology and I am so sad there won’t be more adventures with these characters. The worldbuilding of the series is top-notch and vivid, and I enjoyed the exploration of the Underworld. Tarisai’s journey is about healing from controlling abuse, coming into her own, fighting her personal demons (& the spirits), and learning to ask for help from her loved ones. It’s a very important and fresh look at the difficulty of revolution that is largely absent in YA, and one everyone needs to read.

*This review will contain spoilers for Raybearer*

Tarisai has been recognized as a Raybearer and named the new Empress of Aritsar, co-ruling with Dayo. As part of the treaty with the dead, Tarisai must anoint a council made up of the twelve rulers of Arit, then descend into the underworld as Empress Redemptor, offering herself in place of all the future children who would have been sacrificed otherwise.

This book introduces us to a more grown-up Tarisai. She’s moved past focusing on her internal struggles to feel like she belongs on the council and finding peace with how the Lady raised her. Now, she’s taken the whole weight of the empire and all its injustices on her own shoulders. She’s desperate to fix everything in the two years before she has to descend into the underworld.

This Tarisai is both more powerful and more frail than she’s ever been. She’s haunted by a chorus of ghosts telling her she hasn’t done enough, causing her to doubt her every decision and triumph. Also, to get the twelve rulers to love her so they can be anointed on her council, she has to learn the power of vulnerability by sharing more of herself than she’s comfortable with and learning to rely on those around her for help.

Redemptor brings back all the stunning magic of Raybearer, with a richly-woven African mythological world packed with keep you on the edge of your seat action and adventure. Once again, Ifueko is at her best when showcasing the love in friendships and all the ways those friendships stretch and grow over the years.

This was a very satisfying end to a captivating fantasy duology.

Thank you to Abrams and NetGalley for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Raybearer was one of my favorite books of 2020 and Redemptor does not disappoint cheat a great conclusion to Tar’s story. Richly imagined and wonderfully plotted!

Redemptor brings you back to this world of mental connections, magic that may defy the odds, and love. Beginning with action, Redemptor is a book that, like Raybearer, consistently surprised me. It touches upon our internal thoughts which override what we know to be true. To convince us we aren't worthy, that no on will stand by us. As Tarisai steps into the shoes of loyalty, Redemptor asks her what kind of leader she will be. What kind of mark she will make. Because while we may not want to put those we love in danger, is that our choice?

An incredible conclusion to the raybearer duology. Covering only one year instead of the 12-ish covered in Raybearer, we got a closer look into Tarisai's mind, even as she struggled with many demons. I really enjoyed this ending and the commentary on what it takes to be a revolutionary and change the world. This was a highly impactful book I will be recommending to students.

Redemptor is a perfect sequel to Raybearer. The world building is incredible, the characters are nuanced and come alive on the page, and the plot was well paced. I tried to space out my reading so I could slow down and enjoy the book, but I couldn’t help myself because I wanted to know what would happen. I empathized deeply with Tarisai as she agonized over how to atone for the thousands of Redemptor’s deaths and bring her country together.
I think a duology was the perfect way to present this story and I enjoyed every minute of it.

We revisit the world of Aritsar where Tarsai is working on creating her own council as she takes on her new role as Empress Redemptor. The beginning of the story starts off with a bang! I did not expect what happened so early on.

While Tarisai is determined to help the people and unite the realms, her council siblings are reluctant to see things her way. Some of them feel she's dramatically changed and should leave things the way they've always been. They feel she was selfish offering herself up to the Underworld without consulting them. Even Sanjeet has trouble understand her motivations though he tries to stand buy her and support her the best he can.

Tarisai is still grappling with her complicated relationship with the need to be loved. She still at times feel like that little girl who wanted her mother's attention. So when she tries to build her own council he has trouble connecting with potential council members because she must open herself up in a way she never has before.

Throughout the story she's being taunted by the spirits of dead children called the Ojiji who keep telling her that's she's weak and must work harder. While doing this they also spill some truths that keep Tarisai doubting herself. Those parts did get a little repetitive for me but that didn't hinder my enjoyment of this story. And there presence is fully explained towards the end.

There are many new characters introduced but I would say the most notable for me were Woo In's sister Princess Min Ja and King Zuri. I did want to see some more of the old council though. Ai Ling has a strong presence and helps Tarisai thoughout providing her much needed support alongside Dayo. This story does delve a bit more into his asexuality and his feelings towards being a ruler and continuing the Kunleo line.

While I enjoyed this and it's a solid end to the duology I didn't enjoy it as much as Raybearer. I felt like it spent a little too much time building towards Tarisai's trip to the Underworld which didn't happened until part V. So part IV and V were loaded the heavier action and shocking twists while most of part II and III ebbed along. Which made the story feel longer than it actually was. I felt Raybearer was a little more evenly paced. But as I stated before this is still enjoyable and if you enjoyed Raybearer you need to finish off the series.

I received an arc from Abrams Kids in exchange for an honest review.

Whenever I read a sequel, there's a part of me that worries about whether it will live up to my expectations set by the first book. If you have those same worries, please let me put you at ease.

Just like with Raybearer, Jordan Ifueko transports you into an amazingly developed world and amazing characters, you will struggle not to read this all in one sitting.
If you are a fan of the 'found family' trope (like I am), you will love this book. Min Ja and Zuri's relationship gave me so many feels that I could not put this book down.

What an excellent conclusion to this duology. My kiddos at school were definitely jealous that I was able to read this before them.

DELIGHTFUL!
Anything that this author writes I will read. I’ve always had issues with sequels not living up to the first one but I dare say this one is better! The first books was amazing and this one definitely surpassed it! Bravo

I really loved the writing in book 1. It grabbed me and pulled me in almost immediately.
Somehow, with book 2, I never connected with the story again. I could put it down and not come back and it didn’t bother me.
I know I’ll be the unpopular opinion but this book didn’t have what I was looking for to continue the story.

Overall a pretty good ending to the wonderful book that was Raybearer. I really love the world that the author made, and Redemptor does a good job of exploring it even more. However, I was not a fan of Zuri and felt the story let him off the hook too much. I was also a bit frustrated that so many of the side characters from the first book mostly had nothing to do in this one. But Tar continued to be a wonderfully flawed main character, and it was definitely a compelling story - I read it in one day.

I saw another person say that this is one of the best duologies they’ve ever read and they are correct! Redemptor was just as good as Raybearer! Full of elaborate world building, amazing found family, and the joys of both romantic and platonic love. All the questions you had in book one get answered. This book really tackles the questions of what makes a good leader and how one stays humble when they get power. And how the drive for power has corrupted many but with the right people at your side you can stick to your morals. Also I think the story wraps up amazingly. Can’t wait to see what Jordan Ifueko writes next!