It is the first of two books in the Raybearer series.[3] A continuation, Redemptor, followed in 2021.[4] It was included in the New York Times Bestseller list.[5] It received many awards and acclaim.
A young girl, Tarisai, is bound by a magical wish made by her mother, who is absent and distant in Tarisai's early life. Tarisai has the ability to see the stories of other people's lives with a touch, while her story unfolds and is yet to be seen. She discovers that while her mother, known as The Lady, is human, her father is a magical being known as an "alagbato". She was conceived to fulfill her mother's plot to kill the Crown Prince.
The Lady sends Tarisal to the city of Oluwan, the capital of the Aritsar Empire in order to train and compete to become one of the Crown Prince's closest confidantes. If Tarisai is picked, she will be joined with the other members of a council through the Ray, a bond considered deeper than blood. In the end, Tarisai resists her mother's plan for her.
Ifueko began writing the novel in its early stage as a teenager. The novel is set in a secondary world based on the author's Nigerian heritage and other world cultures . It was influenced by Ifueko's knowledge of West African culture, civilizations and experiences as a child of immigrants in California.
In September 2021, it was announced that Netflix will be adapting the novel into a television series, under a new overall deal with Gina Atwater. The project will be produced by Suger23 and Macro Television Studios with Atwater as writer, director and producer.[6]
The book has received many positive reviews. Entertainment Weekly called the book "dazzling."[3] Buzzfeed said it was "one of the most exceptional YA fantasies of all time." People said it was a "brilliantly conceived fantasy."[5]Seventeen called it a "bold new world," and PopSugar lauded Ifueko's "exquisitely detailed world."[5]
A sequel titled Redemptor was published in August 2021.[4] Buzzfeed named Redemptor one of the best books of August 2021, saying it was "[i]mmersive and gorgeously written."[18]
