Week 40

Hmmmmm October. Hmmmmmmm.

On one hand, spooky, I guess. On the other hand, the snows are coming, and perhaps even more than that, time presses ever onward in strange and confusing ways.

#63) REDEMPTOR by Jordan Ifueko

How do you follow up such an excellent book as RAYBEARER? You write REDEMPTOR, apparently.

Writing sequels is, I’m sure, super hard. You have to carry the energy from the first, satisfyingly wrap up the details, further the story while still sticking close to what people loved…I am sure it is extremely difficult.

Which is why I’m really pleased to say that I think REDEMPTOR is an excellent sequel. It brings us back to the characters we loved from the first, while bringing on more and developing them well. It walks, in my opinion, the perfect line between old and new, between familiar and strange.

Furthermore, I loved the thematic elements. Throughout the book, Tarisai is tormented by spirits telling her she’s not doing enough, that she needs to do more to really make a difference, to the point that she runs herself ragged. It feels incredibly timely to existing in our current world, in trying to be an activist of any kind.

If you loved RAYBEARER (and if you haven’t read it, what are you doing, go GET IT), I hope you too will love this follow-up. I hold these characters very dear, and I loved this book a lot.