I was lucky enough to be sent an advanced copy of Raybearer by the lovely Readers First and Hot Key Books in exchange for a review. I was excited by the premise of the book and I can honestly say it did not disappoint! I ended up giving this one 5 stars and I really recommend checking it out when it’s released next week!
Raybearer is set in a West-African inspired fantasy world full of magic and mythology. The empire of Aritsar represents twelve diverse realms which were all well-developed and interesting (bonus points for there being a map in the front of the book!). Our protagonist, Tarisai, was raised in isolation by her distant and mysterious mother, The Lady. When she comes of age, Tarisai is sent to compete for a place on the Crown Prince’s Council of Eleven, a group who will grow up to rule the empire alongside the Emperor and are connected by a magical bond called the Ray. But Tarisai is cursed by a magical wish; once she gains the Prince’s trust and is anointed to his council…she must kill him.
Firstly, I loved the fantasy world this book was set in! The mythologies and magic system were really unique and interesting, and they developed throughout the book to unlock new mysteries and secrets. Tarisai’s hallow – a magical gift some children are born with – is to read the memories of people and objects, which I think is such an interesting gift to have!
The cast is diverse and features a lot of strong female characters. Whilst Tarisai does have a cute romance plot, this book is ultimately not a love story – it’s more focussed on Tarisai’s character development and her overcoming certain evils to fight for what is right. I liked that the romance wasn’t the main focus of the book, as it gave more meaning to Tarisai’s journey. Along the way, many secrets about the empire and about Tarisai’s own past are revealed, and the plot comes together in a really clever way at the end – I hadn’t guessed how things were going to turn out, but it all really made sense when it was revealed, which is always a sign of great writing!
I really enjoyed this read and don’t have anything particularly negative to say about it! I’m desperate to get my hands on a sequel now! I definitely recommend it to fans of YA fantasy.
Raybearer is set in a West-African inspired fantasy world full of magic and mythology. The empire of Aritsar represents twelve diverse realms which were all well-developed and interesting (bonus points for there being a map in the front of the book!). Our protagonist, Tarisai, was raised in isolation by her distant and mysterious mother, The Lady. When she comes of age, Tarisai is sent to compete for a place on the Crown Prince’s Council of Eleven, a group who will grow up to rule the empire alongside the Emperor and are connected by a magical bond called the Ray. But Tarisai is cursed by a magical wish; once she gains the Prince’s trust and is anointed to his council…she must kill him.
Firstly, I loved the fantasy world this book was set in! The mythologies and magic system were really unique and interesting, and they developed throughout the book to unlock new mysteries and secrets. Tarisai’s hallow – a magical gift some children are born with – is to read the memories of people and objects, which I think is such an interesting gift to have!
The cast is diverse and features a lot of strong female characters. Whilst Tarisai does have a cute romance plot, this book is ultimately not a love story – it’s more focussed on Tarisai’s character development and her overcoming certain evils to fight for what is right. I liked that the romance wasn’t the main focus of the book, as it gave more meaning to Tarisai’s journey. Along the way, many secrets about the empire and about Tarisai’s own past are revealed, and the plot comes together in a really clever way at the end – I hadn’t guessed how things were going to turn out, but it all really made sense when it was revealed, which is always a sign of great writing!
I really enjoyed this read and don’t have anything particularly negative to say about it! I’m desperate to get my hands on a sequel now! I definitely recommend it to fans of YA fantasy.