Tarisai has always longed for the warmth of a family. She was raised in isolation by a mysterious, often absent mother known only as The Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar to compete with other children to be chosen as one of the Crown Prince's Council of 11. If she’s picked, she'll be joined with the other Council members through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood. That closeness is irresistible to Tarisai, who has always wanted to belong somewhere. But The Lady has other ideas, including a magical wish that Tarisai is compelled to obey: Kill the Crown Prince once she gains his trust. Tarisai won't stand by and become someone’s pawn--but is she strong enough to choose a different path for herself? With extraordinary world-building and breathtaking prose, Raybearer is the story of loyalty, fate, and the lengths we're willing to go for the ones we love."
Raybearer is the story of Tarisai, a girl raised in an invisible home with no one but private tutors and a mysterious mother known as the Lady, who she sees only once or twice a year. One day, the Lady tells Tarisai that she being sent to the capital of the empire to meet Crown Prince Ekundayo, where she'll have a chance to join his Council of Eleven, the children who will make up his future ruling council and whose magical bond protects the prince from all outside harm. However, the Lady also gives Tarisai one last thing: a magically-compelled order (thanks to a wish from a genie-like being called an Ehru): once Tarisai has grown close to the future emperor, gained his love and trust, she must murder him.
Thus begins the setup for a really cool adventure set in an African-inspired fantasy setting. While fans of YA fantasy will find some familiar ground here (a brave but conflicted heroine must use her powers and her wits to overcome an evil destiny set upon her), there's a lot of uniqueness to find here as well. The diverse cast includes some strong secondary characters such as Prince Dayo and of Tarisai's friends named Sanjeet and Kirah. The world Jordan Ifueko creates is richly detailed and full of a unique but easily understandable mythology.
My favorite thing about Raybearer though is that in addition to exciting adventures and cool magical powers, the story contains thought-provoking situations and interesting conflicts for Tarisai. Her responsibilities in the imperial court lead to her having to address some issues of politics and social justice that, while relevant to the modern world, also don't feel like the author is lecturing readers.
Overall, Raybearer is a fun, exciting read that should appeal to all fans of Young Adult fantasy, as well as readers who want to see a smart, brave black girl struggle to carve out her own destiny in the world.
Raybearer is available at Galesburg Public Library in the Young Adult section, as well as in Playaway audiobook format.
