Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - Legendborn

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Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

142 reviews

katelyn_ann's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging hopeful tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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katiemcgregor's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I waited years to read this so I wouldn't have to wait for the sequel to release only to find out that it's actually a series (not a duology?!) and I'm still going to have to wait for more books 🤡

Anyway, I was an Avalon High girlie growing up so I had high expectations for Legendborn. I love all of the historical and fantastical aspects Deonn is weaving into the story but take some issue with execution. While I think that the showing not telling was successful in conveying that Bree is a quick thinker, I feel like I, as the reader, was left behind in the dust. It took so long for me to grasp this world, it's hierarchies, and magic system, and I don't feel like I usually struggle with this in fantasy novels? There was a lot of information in the first half of the book and not enough time to process it. I would really love a chart to get a visual of all of these key pieces.

The big twist wasn't entirely surprising to me, but it was just mysterious enough that I needed the book to fill in the gaps of what I hadn't already figured out. Despite the convolution, I do think that important information was delved out reasonably.

As for the love triangle...
I'm not opposed to love triangles but the issue I usually have with them is that one party is far more appealing or interesting than the other contender vying for our protagonist's affections. This issue is present in Legendborn. The Nick x Bree thing felt instalovey and Nick didn't have must personality outside of the lineage that makes up his whole identity. I get that he's supposed to be a charismatic golden boy but he's boring. Based on the ending of book 1, I'm excited to get into book 2 simply because of the dynamic shift in the love triangle.

I'm definitely intrigued and hope that Bloodmarked will be easier to grasp now that I have some understanding of the world.

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samellecooke's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This book was touch and go for me until about 70-75%. I came very close to a DNF on this one, but decided to power through and, boy, am I glad I did! The difficulties for me laid in the foundation of the magic system and construct of the fantasy world. I didn't understand a lot of things, haha! I didn't get how the power worked, how the order was formed, King Arthur fit in. I was confused by Bree's mom's death and how children were allowed to basically run the roost at UNC (crazy, I know, being a fervent Harry Potter fan where literal children were fighting off murders, but that's neither here nor there!).

Getting to the real meat of the story and understanding the magic felt like a slog I couldn't overcome what with all the hype this book got. I felt lied to. I'll explain more, but...spoilers. All this said, the writing was good, characters well-developed, and the topics explored resonated with me personally. I especially loved how Tracy Deonn approached different topics of prejudice. I thought this was incredibly well done and I don't think we see enough of this in fantasy. Sure, we see a lot of underdog stories or female empowerment, but this is different.

What initially turned me off with Legendborn was the magic system...or maybe more accurately, systems. You have people with magic with roots in the myths of King Arthur and the Round Table that are referred to as Legendborn, as well as something called Root Craft. It took my awhile, but my perception is that the Legendborn Cycle series explores the social constructs of race and sex. King Arthur is a white man's tale and historically those who are Legendborn are white and male. While females seem to be more prevalent in recent times, it's very rare for other race to become Legendborn. Meanwhile, Root Crafters are not only exclusively female, but to my knowledge are all of Black decent as well with deep roots in slavery. While I love how Tracy has developed these themes, I just found the building of this world and converging of the different systems, lines, magic whatever you want to call it, incredibly distracting and confusing. Once I understood where we were going, it got easier and more enjoyable for me.

I also was not at all expecting the twist at the end of this book, the true identity of King Arthur's line in Bree and Nick actually being of Lancelot's line.

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jocelyn62013's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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localogophile's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I'd read Legendborn when it first came out, and decided it was time for a reread.

I loved this book. The characters are all well fleshed-out and have reasonable motivations and goals, and I felt like I was a part of the story, experiencing every little thing with the characters. (Just ask literally anyone I was around; they can testify to all my reactions xD.) The plot was facinating, and whenever I wasn't listening, I yearned to experience more of the story. There were some unexpected twists (some that I didn't even see coming my second read-through, which annoyed me a little). The suspense of Bree's quest to learn more about her mother's death, and Bree's exploration into the worlds of magic certainly helped in making me want more and more. All in all, it's a great book! Go read it!

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hilivingston7's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I really enjoyed this fantasy. It was a great modern day telling of the legend of Arthur on the legacy of UNC Chapel Hill that examined how chattel slavery impacted and continues to impact characters. The depiction of Bree’s grief for her mother felt so real and coupled that with her feelings of tokenism and isolation as the only minority experiencing daily micro & macro aggressions. I loved how the ending threaded the nuance of her ancestors and her coming to terms with accepting her mothers death. Really excited to read the second!

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klsreads's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

God-tier. An absolutely perfect debut. This book made me cry so hard, and I loved every minute of it. I loved the characters and their relationships (don't talk to me about Bree and her mom). There are non-tokenized queer and nonbinary characters and a bisexual male love interest (!!!!!!!). It reckons with grief, racial trauma, colonization, and the premature deaths of Black folks in America. It meditates on history, who is remembered, and what it means to be cut off from ancestral knowledge and power (literally and figuratively). It mythologizes and reckons with real racial struggles and white supremacy.The magic system is so unique and fun. Sprint to get this book. Tracy Deonn is unbelievably talented, and I will read whatever she writes.

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