Reviews with content warning for Child death - Raybearer

I was at risk of falling into a reading slump and this took me out! Overall, I thought it was a solid book with a rich and multicultural world, really cool powers and magic system, and premise.

Easy to read, great for YA readers and introduces them to more adult themes in an age appropriate way. Including misogyny, racism, oppression, intimacy etc.

For me personally, I was left a little unsatisfied when the book ended. I had issues with the pacing of the book because things happened so quickly or conveniently. I also personally found it predictable and had figured out some aspects of the book in advance. Nevertheless, I think for a YA audience, this is a fab book.

This is a duology and I personally don’t feel that compelled to read book 2, so I think I will leave this series unfinished.

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obscurepages's review against another edition

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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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thecatconstellation's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

This book deserves way more hype. The story is original and engaging. Steeped in beautiful imagery and detailed mythology, this is a story of the drive for justice.

My only critique is that the council members are supposedly so meaningful to Tar, but only a few of them are fleshed out beyond the most basic level.

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linblythe_pub22's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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