While billed as technically standalone, readers will definitely benefit from having read Ifueko's previous duology first as much of the storyline builds upon the ending of those. The characters and their development were excellent and it was enjoyable to see how Ifueoko is developing the worldbuilding from her original duology. A enjoyable fantasy read that I'd recommend wholeheartedly.

This is actually my first book by Jordan Ifueko but my god I will be reading her others! What an absolute talent for crafting a deep, beautiful story
The characters? I love them, love love love them! There's animal sidekicks, disability rep, likable side characters, a fantastic romance. The magic system is brilliant and while I haven't read the Raybearer series yet (YET) I didn't feel lost. Absolutely 1000% recommend

Jordan Ifueko writes my brand of fantasy. I love her effortless incorporation of cultural elements. She has a way of introducing the culture of her stories that isn't giving away too much, but leaves us to discover the best portions of it. I absolutely love how unique her storytelling is. I would read her version of the phone book. And this was WAY better than the phone book (obviously).

I ADORE Jordan Ifueko, but when I first started reading this book back in August, I bounced off of it hard. It's been a while since I read Ms Ifueko's first book, the amazing and heartbreaking <a href="https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2020/11/25/raybearer-raybearer-1-by-jordan-ifueko/">Raybearer</a>, and while the follow-up <a href="https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2021/08/17/redemptor-raybearer-2-by-jordan-ifueko/">Redemptor</a> was also good, it felt oddly clinical in comparison. Very, very good, but nowhere near as flawlessly felt as its predecessor.

So I wasn't sure whether this next novel in the Raybearer universe would hew more closely to the raw vulnerability of the first book or to the chilly beauty of the second. But I had a bigger problem to contend with upon cracking open The Maid And The Crocodile. As it's been several years since I've read the main books of the series, I found myself completely flummoxed by the expectations this book had of me regarding the setting. While the narrative is immersive, for the first 15% or so of the novel, I struggled to remember the importance of the terms and people being casually mentioned. When the rest of my work reading threatened to overwhelm me, I set this novel aside till I had less deadline pressure and more time to just enjoy the unfolding story.

And enjoy it I did! With publishing taking the last two weeks of the year off, I finally had a chance to dive back into this novel, and oh how I loved it! Ms Ifueko takes the story of a young woman beset with both disadvantages and disability, and turns it into a ferocious romantasy of finding your power in community, and dignity in claiming both your rights and rightful rewards. This is not a book about being saved by a fairy godmother or by a prince. This is a book about questioning the system that makes it necessary for the underprivileged to be rescued at all, instead of being given the tools to forge their own fulfilling destinies.

Obviously, it's a critique of late-stage capitalism. More importantly, it's also a recommendation for the kind of community-based efforts espoused in some of my other favorite speculative fiction, primarily N K Jemisin's novelette <a href="https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2020/06/11/hugo-awards-2020-novelette-nominees/">Emergency Skin</a>. TMaTC is also a timely reminder that the work of building a just and equitable society is never finished, as unfortunately exhausting as that may sound. Even when our heroes actually make good on their promises and save the world, we everyday citizens need to empower ourselves to step up and make sure to correct injustice where we see it, too.

Small Sade is an orphan who was supposed to benefit from the sweeping reforms brought by the Raybearers when they made the world a better place. After she ages out of the orphanage system, she's left to her own devices to find employment, hopefully as a maid in the city. Hard work isn't something she's afraid of -- she's young and energetic and practical, after all. But her efforts are understandably hampered by her mangled foot, injured while she was working as a child in a mill pre-reformation. She does have one supernatural advantage tho: she's a Curse Eater, capable of cleansing others of their guilt via banishing the manifestations that plague them.

After accidentally binding herself to the god known as The Crocodile, she finds a job at a luxury inn. But the tasks she thought she was fully capable of soon turn insurmountable. Her newfound friends worry that she's both taking on too much and giving too much of herself to people entirely happy to take advantage of her. Will Small Sade be able to figure out not only how to say no, but how to fight for a better life for herself, her peers and even those of far greater power?

In addition to telling Small Sade's tale, TMaTC addresses the on-going stories of several characters from the Raybearer duology in immensely satisfying ways. Once I stopped racking my brain to remember who was who and what was what, this novel was swiftly transporting, with an ending as luminous as it is well thought out. It's now my second favorite of Ms Ifueko's books after the original Raybearer, tho honestly all her books are superlative.

The Maid And The Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko was published August 13 2024 by Harry N Abrams and is available from all good booksellers, including <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/15382/9781419764356">Bookshop!</a>

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.