The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko is an African-inspired YA fantasy, set in the same realm as the Raybearer duology, but can be read as a standalone. This is a fantasy different from most. I love how the author was able to use the novel to shed light on disability, child labour and other societal issues. A good read. Thank you, Netgalley and ABRAMS Kids | Amulet Books, for the ARC. All opinions expressed are mine.

This was my first read from Jordan but I can tell you it won’t be my last. I originally received an eARC for this story but in full transparency reading fantasy with my eyes isn’t my strong suit so I got the audiobook and I was locked into the story from there. The disability representation was phenomenal. The romance aspect was my favorite part though. He saw her for who she was, didn’t matter about her disability or how she looked, even though he did make me mad a few times. The found family aspect also stood out to me, we didn’t get too deep with the supporting characters but it was enough for me to care about them as well. I’ll be diving into the Raybearer series next.

Jordan Ifueko does it again and delivers a beautiful children’s book! This will have any child very inspired and I love how much diversity Ifueko manages to talk about from sexuality, different cultures and different problems society has.

The love story is beautiful, the main character is one of the my favorites and Ifueko’s writing is beautiful as well! The rest of the characters had depth as well and Ifueko expertly had me in a complete other world every time I read the pages! A cozy story very much worth reading!

I ADORED this book. One of my favorite reads of the year. I loved the expansion of the world of Raybearer and appreciated the way the story was told. This was a beautiful story and the inspiration of Holws Moving Castle was so subtle but executed expertly. I cared so much about this main characters, their past, their stakes and where the story would leave them. Even side supporting characters. I really hope this isn’t the last of stories in this world.

The Raybearer duology is one of my favorite YA fantasy stories to come out in recent years, and so when I heard Jordan Ifueko was publishing a standalone novel set in the same universe, I was all in. And it did not disappoint!!

Ifueko is such a talented storyteller. She gives us a rich world, lots of heart, deft commentary on social issues, and characters you’d die for (including animal sidekicks — protect Clemeh at all costs!). This book also has A+ disability representation and a romance plot that’s just enough.

Two recommendations: First, yes this is a standalone, but it takes place after the events of the Raybearer duology. So if you haven’t read that yet, definitely read it first or this book will spoil many major plot points for you. Second, I recommend listening to this on on audio (or pairing the print with an audio copy). The main character’s magic is activated when she sings, and the voice actor sings all the songs beautifully.



Content and Trigger Warnings:
Death of a parent; Ableism; Suicidal thoughts/suicide attempt (minor)

I LOVE this universe and while not exactly a Raybearer novel it is so closely related you can’t help but get carried away again. Small Sade is an orphan who is main do to an accident in a sweatmill as a child and has vitiligo which people interpret as he being cursed. So when she is called to by the Crocodile God she thinks this is the end for her. However, Small Sade’s story is no where near over more is her impact on the world she lives in. As we learn more about her story, and the story of so many other young women both fictional and real we begin to see how powerful our voices can be even if we are and any screaming at giants. I can’t wait to bring this into my classroom to discuss how everyone’s voice and experience is important and can change the world.

Jordan Ifueko has such a gift for character and worldbuilding. I loved this companion to the Raybearer series, filling out the bigger picture of the world and showcasing a protagonist who I adored. Her voice, her drive, and her journey were relatable and inspiring in addition to a swoony love story. The disability representation was stellar, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about the curse-eating and weight of expectations we hold ourselves to. Fantastic!

This book made me feel so much I can barely corral my thoughts into coherence.

Racism, classism, found family, disability representation, magic, consent, justice, romance – This book had it all, without sacrificing the world building and depths of characters.

I loved the songs throughout (the narrator actually SINGS!), the nods to Diane Wynn Jones’ work, and the non-Hollywood, yet still happy ending.

I wish we could have seen more of Sabe’s gifts, when they weren’t being misused, but maybe that’ll come in further works.

Thanks to NetGalley, RBMedia, and ABRAMS kids for this incredible ARC.

If you enjoyed the Raybearer duology, you need to read this standalone companion novel! The characters were lovable, the steaks were low (esp compared to the duology), but the expansion of the world and the character exploration were very enjoyable!

After Raybearer being one of my favorite books a few years back I was so excited to get accepted the maid and the crocodile. Imagine how excited I was when I realized it was set in the same world. And even more excited by all the Easter eggs and appearances (iykyk). I was engrossed by this from the very beginning; the instant connection and want from Sade and the “crocodile”, the sarcasm, the unique powers Sade holds and the incredible story that was woven in. Everything was so descriptive that I definitely was terrified every time Ixaxle? Made an appearance. Can i say how much i loved the geiko? He was the cutest!

The author comments took my breath away. The info about the child slave labor, the pregnancy abuse, and other things that I occurred in this book. Wow.

On a happy note the little note from “the crocodile” and how to clean a room was so cute.

*Plays 'merry go round of life'.*
Oh they weren't kidding about that Howl's Moving castle vibe, this captures so much of the magical charm of that movie and music but knowing amazing Jordan Ifueko is, I am not surprised.

Set in the world of Raybearer, this adds a different story and tone in motion for one young girl who just wants a simple life of stability and the God that she is accidentally tied to. The chemistry between Sade & Zuri was a beautiful combination of sweetness, tension and longing. I think that was the key making this feel so charming.
I loved hearing and seeing a few characters from the Raybearer series return in this story.

I do which the ending had not felt so rushed and we could have added maybe a hundred or more pages to flow better for that ending.

This young adult novel follows Sade, a maid with a special gift of spirit cleaning. She forms a bond with the Crocodile God.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I really liked the pacing and the writing style. I think the main characters were fleshed out and realistic. The side characters added nuance and depth to the story as well.

I am kind of sad this is standalone but I enjoyed being in Aristar again. Looking forward to more from this author.

I loved the author's Raybearer so was excited to read this one. The story is beautifully written and a unique one. I decided to dnf it at 20% because I wasn't all that engrossed and I knew by the end it wouldn't be more than a 3 star read for me. The concept of a house maid who cleans away evil spirits was a tad too lacking for me. I liked the fmc and the disability rep but other than that, the plot wasn't hooking me.

We join Small Sade, who is an orphan and has aged out of the home, so needs to find a job but some parts of her appearance and her unlucky foot are making this difficult and she feels a job as a Maid will be the best option

However, before she can get this underway, she accidently binds herself to the Crocodile God, whose fate may have been bound to hers regardless...

Sade attempts to hold down a job, save the God she is bound to, all whilst dealing with her past and the future in the city!

Amazing standalone story set in the world of Raybearer, and set 10 years after the events of Redemptor. You don't need to read the duology first but I would highly recommend you do as they are amazing

Thank you to NetGalley and Amulet books for the review copy... out now!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't realize that my life was missing Jordan Ifueko. I loved Raybearer and Redemptor and so enjoyed taking a trip back to the Realm. You do not need to read the other books, but it will give some important context and make this book easier to understand. I loved the characters and the story and really really want to reread Raybearer and Redemptor.

ARC provided by Netgalley.

Jordan Ifueko is an incredible author and The Maid and the Crocodile did not disappoint. It takes place in the same world as the Raybearer series, but can be read as a standalone. I recommend this book to readers who loved the Raybearer series, love romantasy books, or are just looking for an incredible new book they can lose themselves in.

Small Sade lost her mom when she was a young girl. During the time after she lost her mom and aging out of the adoption homes, Sade learned to make herself small. She did things that wouldn’t cause attention to herself because causing attention to herself is what killed her mother in her mind. After the orphanage, Small Sade looks for a job as a maid. She eventually runs into the Crocodile God and learns more about herself and what she is capable of. In the end, Sade makes the best decision of all for herself; not choosing between one opportunity or the other. She balanced both and it was the best decision that she made for herself.

I can certainly see the Howl's Moving Castle inspiration in this book, which is a very good thing for me.

After loving the Raybearer duology a few years ago, I was super excited to read The Maid and the Crocodile. It's out August 13th, thanks so much @abramskids and Netgalley for the eARC.

The Maid and the Crocodile follows Small Sade as she leaves her orphanage and goes out into the world to make a living as a cleaning maid. She accidentally catches the attention of the Crocodile, who is known as a God who devours girls, and has to deal with that alongside trying not to end up in the streets.

Sade is also a curse-eater and can see and clean spiritual dirt that can influence and weigh on people. Her powers were super interesting and one of my favourite parts of the book. The main strength of this book is its characters and their interactions. The different ways people treat Sade based on the fact she walks with a cane and has vitiligo, how that changes when they learn her power. The difference between the genuine relationships she builds vs those who want to use her.

I liked that it's smaller in scope than the last books, it's about a person and her life rather than an empire, and it provides a very different perspective on the world. It looks a lot more closely at class barriers and the perceptions of those on each side. How those in positions of power can have a disproportionate amount of impact on those who are not, and how even well meaning actions can have unknown consequences.

Obviously, the crocodile has a big part to play but I don't really want to talk about him! I feel like it's better to go in with no expectations and just see how the story plays out. He's very well drawn as a character, compelling and frustrating in equal measure.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. Sped through it on a long train ride and was very glad I picked it up. I definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoyed Raybearer. And if you haven't read that yet, read it! This book does stand on its own but lots of characters from the original duology pop up so I personally think it's more fun if you know who they are. ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 (4.5 stars)

I’d forgotten just how much I love Jordan Ifueko’s writing until I read this book. It’s honestly just so captivating. I was absorbed in this book and enjoyed it all.

The first thing I’m gonna say is do not read this unless you’ve read Raybearer and Redemptor or aren’t planning to read them. It goes into a lot of detail about what happens in both and much of the events on this book were caused by the events of the last two, so there are a lot of spoilers.

I loved the disability rep in this book. Sade’s foot was injured when she was a child so she uses a cane and struggles with things like stairs and it was nice to see that Ifueko didn’t shy away from showing her dealing with it. It was a fact of Sade’s life but it also didn’t hold her back from the plot of the book. More and more books are embracing disability in a positive way like this and it’s really good to see.

Sade also has vitiligo and it was good to see a positive representation of this. Ifueko didn’t ignore the prejudice that surrounds this skin condition, but she also showed it in a positive way and described it so beautifully in parts of the book. It was interesting to see a main character with vitiligo.

Honestly these books are just so good. Beautifully written, full of plot twists and strength of character. I really love them.