I like the world this author created, it's very interesting with a lot of detail. I didn't love the second person writing style that kept popping out of nowhere, it took me out of the story. I read the original Raybearer duology and preferred the writing style in that.

2.5 (rounded down) ⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much to Bonnier Books and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book

I loved the Raybearer books so I was so excited to read this, but it was quite disappointing.

I found this book to be a lot more childish than the Raybearer books, it didn’t have that rich world building or have the same character depth and development.

A shame for me as Raybearer was a top read and one I have recommended to a lot of people.

This is set in the same world as Raybearer and Redemptor and while it works as a stand-alone, you do benefit from knowing the back story.

The story itself is compelling and I loved the political backdrop. There's been a revolution but there are still some wrinkles to work out. The main character might have some of the answers.

Her life has been hard and she has been orphaned and disabled in an industrial accident. The book treats the theme of disability responsibly and there is no magical cure at the end, thank goodness.

There is also a queer couple in the story who are given space to develop and who appear as fully human and not tropes or clichés.

There is some discussion of domestic abuse but it isn't too graphic. I think it was handled very responsibly.

Overall, a great read.

I adore this book - what a beautiful, moving, powerful, all the adjectives, story. I wish I knew this would spoil pretty much everything for the Raybearer duology, but ironically it made me much more excited to pick those books up. The characters were complex, vivid and felt real. The relationship was tender and complicated. And the themes were explored to an amazing degree, really bringing this imperfect world to life. The author is so skilled, I can not wait to read more from her. Although I don't have any personal experience, I feel like the disability rep was really well and sensitively done. I think Small Sade will be a character I will keep thinking about. Also shoutout to the audiobook narrator, great job.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC, all thoughts are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Bonnier Books/Hot Key Books for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review. 


TW: discrimination, permanent physical injury, emotional and physical abuse, death, pregnancy, classism, self harm


Set in the same world as the author’s ‘Raybearer’ books but a decade later, ‘The Maid and the Crocodile’ takes place in the magical city of Oluwan, where spirits and god wander the streets as creatures. Small Sade, a girl from the countryside seeking a job, is determined to get a role as a maid with someone who doesn’t mind her vitiligo or her disabled foot caused by an injury from working in a factory. She knows all the risks of coming to the city but now she’s too old to live in the orphanage she was raised in, Small Sade has no choice. Just as it seems she’s about to secure a role, she accidentally binds herself to a god after handing over a piece of her hair. The one she’s bonded to is the worst of them all, the Crocodile who is rumoured to devour beautiful girls after they wander into his many houses. Small Sade thinks she’ll be safe- after all she’s not beautiful. Instead she finds a wounded, oddly helpful god who is intrigued by the idea that she has a rare form of magic: she is a Curse Eater, capable of altering someone’s fate merely by cleaning their house. Small Sade manages to get away from the Crocodile but their fates are bound together even as she creates a new career for herself as a Curse Eater for an inn frequented by nobles and royalty. Determined to do away with her past, and intent on being seen as she is to earn a place in Oluwan City, Small Sade is shocked when the ambitions of the Crocodile and his romantic interest in her, her past and uncommon magic lead her to be manipulated by the wealthy woman who runs the inn.


I loved that this is a standalone set in the vibrant world of ‘Raybearer’ ten years later (which I’ve read, even though the sequel is still on my TBR) and you can read it without needing to know much about the other books. One of the standout parts of this for me was that it’s written in second person, which is so like an old fashioned folk tale and not something you see often in fantasy. This is a gorgeously written book, humorous but also moving and a powerful story about self acceptance, romance and personal strength. Small Sade is such an enjoyable main character, so much of her life has been determined by the people around her and what they think she should be. As she grows to realise her own strength we get to see more of the true Sade and why the Crocodile is so interested in her- he sees her as beautiful no matter what, regardless of how anyone else might view her, because of her personality and mind. The Crocodile is the complete opposite of what the stories describe him as and I love that, he’s beautifully written and deeply thoughtful, even as he continues to make decisions that Sade has to rescue him from. I also loved Clemeh, the tiny gecko who appears whenever the Crocodile is near, so much. I know that this book is compared to ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ and I think this is a perfect description- it combines a whimsical, magical world full of gods with important themes around love, self esteem and disability as well as the wider issues of sexual harassment, child labor, self harm and domestic abuse. I'm going to go back and reread the ‘Raybearer’ books as soon as I can!

An excellent follow up yet stand alone story to the Raybearer series. Same well written characters with depth to all, intriguing and unique plot and the kind of book you can't put down! As a fan of the Raybearer series it was great to check in on the world after the events, to see it from a more "ordinary" viewpoint and see how the rulers are viewed and perceived. I loved the links between the stories. I hope to read more of this world soon!

I loved every single second of this fabulous book. The story is 100% addictive, engrossing me, the characters wonderf and relatable , a highly recommended read

Returning to the the World of Raybearer, this is a story of self-discovery, Afrofuturism, and romance, set against a richly imagined backdrop of magic, class consciousness, and empowerment.

I absolutely adored the Raybearer duology, so my excitement for this standalone, which directly addresses the aftermath of the events in the duology, was sky-high. Small Sade was a character crafted with beauty and a respectful portrayal of her disabilities. The Crocodile character was also a delight; I felt they complemented each other well, but the Gecko stole my heart!

The narrative weaves a tale of finding one's place in the world, the concept of chosen family, animal companions, the blurred lines between humans and gods, and romance. It's a robust YA fantasy read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'The Maid and the Crocodile' by Jordan Ifueko.

'The Maid and the Crocodile' is the newest standalone by Jordan Ifueko set in the world of 'Raybearer' and my goodness am I happy to be back in this universe. It's been a while since I read that duology but luckily you don't need any prior knowledge of the series to read this. Ifueko's storytelling always feels to regal and beautiful to me and this was no exception. Masterpiece.

There are so many excellent aspects to this story and I could talk about it for hours.
In a nutshell, we have:
Disability rep
LGBTQIA+ rep
Found/built family
Speaking up
Sisterhood
And all in the world of Raybearer and Redemptor which I was desperate to go back to. Normally when I end a review with 'Please let us go back!' I never expect the author to actually do it. But Jordan did! And we have this gorgeous story now.

While I think having read Raybearer and Redemptor adds to the details and background of this story, you don't have to have read them so it is perfect for fans of the series and new readers.

I loved the different varieties of spirit silt/creatures, grief-gnats, ambition-spores, envy-beetles, egorust, guiltworms, joy-moths. The narrative of Sade telling us the story as we're a part of it, which becomes clear later as to why that is but up until then it just adds to the feel of the story. Sade is telling us her story, rather than just us reading about it or your usual first-person narrative. And throughout were these sprinkles of other fantasy stories that are so beloved.

I think Jordan wrote a timeless book in The Maid and the Crocodile. There are always ants and Giants and the ants have a voice, even when they think they don't. I loved Sade and her heart breaking but triumphant story was exactly what I needed.

🐊The Maid and The Crocodile🐊

by @jordanifueko !

I really enjoyed this book, the story was so unique and the characters were incredibly well written and individual.
I loved how different cultures were represented within the novel and how the story focused on how someone in a lower social class might really feel about the structure of their society. the relationship between the maid and the crocodile was really interesting and I really enjoyed reading how their own class experiences affected it initially and as it developed!

I really liked as well that even though this novel was set within an existing world that I didn't feel I had to have read the other books in order to understand it. there was subtle points of exposition throughout that let me understand how the world was structured without being overwhelming or confusing. it has intrigued me and ill definitely be adding the other books in the series to my tbr!

thank you to netgalley for giving me this e-arc!

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.

This !!!!!!! book !!!!!!

I could ramble about how incredible every little detail of this book is for hours. Theres so much expression in the smallest of things. I have no idea how to put my all admiration for this book into words.

I don’t know where to start so I will start with Clemeh. Clemeh is a gecko, a pawn for powerful people, no one sees Clemeh as more than a use until Small Sade. Small Sade is my favourite protagonist ever. She’s so real, she has pain, and pride, and most of all compassion. This is a story of revolution in many forms, it’s a story of people, power, and love. 🌿 As someone with a somewhat similar disability to Small Sade, this book means the world in so many ways

Read this …

• disability rep
• queer romance
• found family
• Clemeh

This book does take place in the Raybearer world It’s not a must to have already read them !

A stand-alone book in the Raybearer’s universe, this is the first book by Joardan Ifueko I’ve read and I loved it. A slow growing romance/political fantasy based on the extraordinary aspects of ordinary people. The fantasy realm is based in part on West African history, as well as current US social issues. Captivating heroine and swoon-worthy half Crocodile God love interest...

As someone who has not yet read the Raybearer series that this book is a spin off for, I can say with certainty I still thoroughly enjoyed it!

The Maid and the Crocodile is a story of finding yourself and building community through the relationships you form in the face of oppression. The journey Small Sade goes on as an MC is so beautiful to watch unfold and her constant dedication to not only her own goals but to elevate those around her warms my heart. She fully understands her place in society and even enjoys the manual labour work she finds herself doing, but it is the systems built around exploiting people like her that make her search for better ways. It speaks to any marginalized community who has felt overpowered by those above you and empowers those to seek for power amongst your fellow man, knowing that your voice as a collective is far more powerful than any one leader can be. Sade is not a leader nor does she want to be and it was so refreshing to read a book where a young woman can forge her own path while also uplifting the people around her and realise that is one of the greatest strengths someone can have.

The romance in this too was incredibly well done. Nothing felt rushed or out of place and Sade really did make our MMC, The Crocodile, work for her affections and truly deserve her. A man like him is not someone who is easy to deal with and Sade dishes out as much of the same energy he gives to her. It is funny. playful and very sincere.

The world here is also incredibly beautiful and I can imagine it is more fleshed out in the original series, so any confusion regarding the world or the lack of understanding the intricacies is on my shoulders entirely and I cannot fault the book for that. Even without that though, the world here is still lush and wonderfully realised, including the politics. This isn't a world changing story but it also doesn't need to be. The small cast and relative slow pacing makes for an intimate story in the tiny corner of a much larger space and it works in the books favour.

All in all I really enjoyed this book and will be checking out Jordan Ifuekos back catalog as well as looking forward to any of her future releases.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!!

This book is set in the world of the raybearer duology and features one of my favourite characters from redemptor, so obviously I loved it. Please bear in mind this is a standalone so you do not have to have read the series before this (though you absolutely should!)

I read an eARC of this book so thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley.

An absolutely delightful novel from a wonderful author. I was so excited to revisit the world of Raybearer! The author has clearly stated her inspiration for this novel is Howl’s Moving Cast’e and I think she did an excellent job of paying homage to that book whilst creating an original story. If your familiar with Howl’s Moving Castle you’ll recognise references from that book, but done in a respectful yet original way.

This is such a beautiful, vibrant and charming book about a girl who has faced many challenges and is about to face her greatest one yet as she starts to be stalked by a god! Small Sade uses her powerful voice and sight to clear curses from others. The descriptions of the way different negative emotions manifest for her and how she deals with cleaning them were so creative!

Fans of Raybearer and Redemptor will be delighted to recognise characters from those books but with a brand new main character who is brave, kind and charming.

This author is an auto buy for me! What a wonderful imagination and writing style!

Jordan Ifueko has done it again! This book is set in the same universe as the books 'Raybearer' and 'Redemptor' but told from the totally unique perspective of Small Sade, a disabled woman trying to survive and make a living as a maid. This is a story of love, family, magic and animals but also inequality and power struggles. One of the things I love about this book is it really tactfully shows how even when wealthy individuals try and improve society as they do not see the perspective of the least in their society it often doesn't meet their needs.

I absolutely devoured this book in two days and loved every second of it. It shows how even how well meaning people can hurt those they love and the consequences of this. Sade is such a great character who grows throughout the story and I loved every second of it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bonnier Books for the ARC!

as a lover of the raybearer duology, i ate this up. the way that jordan ifueko immerses you in her world is incredible and i loved that this book enabled us to see it from the perspective of commoners, who lack the insane privilege of the characters in the original duology.

this fantasy world is gorgeously infused with west-african folklore/ mythology and truly seeks to enlighten each of your senses; i don’t think i could ever tire of the raybearer universe and would genuinely read ifueko’s shopping lists.

it is a beautiful thing to see characters who are unique in their disadvantages in their fantasy world, yet relatable in their struggles to readers. ifueko explores sade’s injury (and resulting disability) and her vitiligo with such tenderness. the writer portrays so many people’s real world issues through the characters in this novel yet it doesn’t feel as though the narrative is driven down by the theme of struggle; i also love that in the author’s note we are led to further research.

one thing about ifueko is she KNOWS how to write a good found family. i loved how sade interacted with each of the other amenities- a very cute name also - i wish that the inn was a real place because it felt incredibly real to me.

the perspective in which this was written is ingenious, and the reveal of who sade addresses with her story at the end is simply amazing. ifueko transports you into the most beautiful story of struggle and triumph through captivating narration.

~ thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review ~

Whilst I did really enjoy this book, it didn't quite have the action and adventure that I loved from Raybearer and Redemptor. I loved the glimpse into this world several years after the events of the duology, and found Sade to be a very endearing MC