I love the Raybearer duology so much and was so excited for The Maid and The Crocodile. THIS. BOOK. WAS. EVERYTHING!!!! I know this can technically be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading the duology first! Ifueko expanded on an already incredibly built world/magic system and made both even more lush. The writing and story-telling were beautiful. The characters were so amazing and it had an animal companion which I LOVE! The disability representation was really well done and I loved the found family aspect. Ifueko is an auto-buy author and I am so so so obsessed with this world!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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. The audio narration was good, the narrator changed her voice enough for each character. I just wanted something different I guess.

I’m so glad we got to return to this amazingly crafted world! This is such a heartwarming story and I really loved Sade and The Crocodiles character development.

The narrator for the audiobook was fabby, so highly recommend listening to that.

Yo, this straight up slaps.

That's it; that's the review.

I have spent the whole day gleefully quoting this to my partner, rallying my friends to add this to their TBRs, sharing in righteous indignation at societies and their imbalance of power, and kicking my lil feet at how stinkin' cute this man is.

The world of Raybearer:
First things first, I know this is billed as a standalone Romantasy in the Raybearer universe but it's important to know that this will spoil and explain some pretty major reveals from both Raybearer and Redemptor; if you have any intention of going into those without being spoiled, I would read them before this one.

But it would abso-freaking-lutely be remiss to not read The Maid and the Crocodile once you're done. Criminal, honestly. I love the well-fleshed out world-building that Ifueko has achieved here. There's attention to detail and thought put into the ramifications of subtle changes, a rich well of West African inspirations, and so much heart. I'll be reading anything she chooses to publish in the Raybearer universe, no questions asked.

Elevator Pitch:
I would pitch this as a West African version of Ten Thousand Stitches with a healthy dose of rage from Those Beyond the Wall and a strong emphasis on disabilities and fitting into a world not made with you in mind. It's definitely got that balanced mix of wholesome romance and eat-the-rich fury that I loved so much in the Regency Faerie Tales.

Characters:
Most books don't have characters that capture my imagination-- they don't feel real to me, I can barely remember their names while reading (let alone a week later), and they just overall don't leave a big impact or lasting impression. But my picky ass was well-satisfied here. Aside from a few smaller characters who get less screentime due to the constraints of page count and a streamlined story, all the characters are very big and colorful and real to me. Within the first page of each of their introductions I could fully imagine each of them-- that's such a rare talent!

Even the animal companions? Clemeh! My precious child who must be protected at all costs. [insert cuteness-induced screaming here]

Overall:
This is going in my best of 2024 list, no doubt.

Audiobook Notes:
It's a single female narrator who does accents and different voices for all the characters. Admittedly I imagined The Crocodile with a much deeper voice than her register will allow for, but I can't really hold that against her. I think she does a good job differentiating the characters, dropping the accent as appropriate, and translating the songs from text.

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for this advanced copy! You can pick up The Maid and the Crocodile on August 13, 2024.

What a stunning and gorgeously written story. Jordan Ifueko brought us back to the beautiful world of Raybearer but with an entirely new perspective on the world and the people living in it. Sade was more than just a relatable character -- her experience speaks to the deep, inner-most parts of ourselves that we're afraid to look at. Her role as a Curse-Eater and an ant among giants just resonated so deeply and speaks to so many of our experiences in the real world.

I love how Ifueko created parallels to Howl's Moving Castle and emulated the vibes while putting a completely unique spin on it. Her world-building and magic system transported me completely into the Realmhood, and every single person leapt off the page whether they were a commoner or noble.

I'll be thinking about this one for a while, and I absolutely recommend it to those interested in a semi-cozy standalone fantasy that emphasizes community, found family, asking for more than you think you deserve, and a sweet friends to lovers romance. Don't miss out on this one!!