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meghansarmiento97's review
- 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
4.0
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Toxic relationship, Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Grief, Medical content, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Alcohol, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, and Violence
some_random_person_hi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This book has reminded me of how bad I am at spotting plot twists (there is foreshadowing I just can't find them until hindsight kicks in). There isn't rlly an overarching plot throughout the book; it's more of a series of events and characters' reactions to them -> plot harder to follow than that of 1st book. Somehow has more fight scenes than prev books.
Love love love how the magic system & thus world got expanded. Treasured this series so much I was sort of procrastinating reading it so I could keep reading it for longer. This book sure is heavier than the first with how much more racism shows up & affects the plot + Bree's heritage gets explored. Also I just love when writers explore intergenerational trauma. I think Bree's character arc should have had the turning point during the climax instead of after so I felt like the character development could have been stronger.
Two main parts that I am rlly interested in: 1) love triangle & 2) legendborn cycle as ecoliterature
1) Before I read this, I thought that I'd end up shipping the 3 of them tgt as a throuple but now idk if I ship any of them w/ any of the othersš.
2) Aether as metaphor for western imprialism's extractivism that is unsustainable w/ a high price (planet dying just like Abatement) while root as metaphor for a more balanced way of interacting and living in nature.
There are sooooo many good quotes it's unbelievable. I'd like to specifically highlight
"'Think of the power you possess and the woman who gave it to you.' I used to think that woman was my mother, and, through her, you. Tried it her way, and it didn't work." "And why is that?" "Because you all didn't give me my power. I did"
"You said they ran so I wouldn't have to. But I think they ran so that one day I could choose. And today, I choose me."
"By burning away their roots, I am finally free to grow my own."
Has its flaws but it really is something special so 5 stars anyway. (Also I want to come back and see how long of a review I ended up writing lol)
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Confinement, Racism, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Mental illness, Medical content, Death, Grief, Murder, Stalking, Abandonment, Death of parent, and War
Minor: Torture, Colonisation, Misogyny, Sexual violence, and Rape
Police brutality is by magic police (or close enough) not actual police.gabriella_'s review
- 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
Tracy Deonn one-ups herself in this sequel book. This book further expands on characterizing her central cast while also giving other (more background) characters a chance in the limelight. She developed a core ensemble cast that feels compelling and stand-alone. This book made me cry, especially when
More random things I love about this book that didnāt seem to have a place for me to write them in this review:
- The rest of the cast - especially Selwyn - tugs at my heartstrings.
- Tracy Deonnās dream sequences are an amazing exploration of themes that are relevant later in the book and offer a refreshing way to engage with old magic.
- The descriptive settings!!
- The use of LANGUAGE. Ugh. CARIAD!
- The men in this book have a āwritten by a womanā charm. Well, the men that matter do, at least.
I love the way this author lays the groundwork for future plot twists - she has a gift for finding a way to keep the reader on their toes without insulting their intelligence AND while still making the twists believable. Some you can see coming - but thatās a credit to her foreshadowing.
I just want to keep gushing about this book because honestly it left me soooo hungry for the next book in this series!
Graphic: Confinement, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Gore, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Slavery, Blood, Body horror, Death, Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Grief, Physical abuse, Stalking, War, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Racism, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Child death, Classism, Cultural appropriation, and Torture
midnacine's review
- 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
5.0
I started my book club in February this year, and Legendborn had been the first book we read together. It feels poetic that I'm closing out the year with its sequel.
I'd been waiting with baited breath for this book to be published, and lemme tell you: it did not disappoint. It was everything I wanted it to be, and then some more. I loved seeing Bree fight for who she is and who she wants to be, loved seeing the true colors of some characters because of it. I especially loved the hardcore flirting - absolutely no smut in this book whatsoever, but I was still blushing.
Overall, I am incredibly in love with this story and these characters. I can already tell this will be a series passed on for generations. And though I know masterpieces need time, I really need Tracy Deonn to come out with the third book like... now.
Graphic: Grief, War, Confinement, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, and Racism
Moderate: Medical content, Stalking, Slavery, Murder, Death, Car accident, Blood, and Infidelity
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, and Child death
ladygetslit's review
- 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
5.0
What I loved:
- the complexity of the relationships between Bree, Sel, and Nick that are continually developed in this second book
- Alice is the most epic best friend ever
- a challenging conversation about politics, power, racism, & what it's actually like to try to break down barriers
- an identity crisis that isn't so much a crisis as it is an exploration
- have I mentioned that Sel is my entire heart?
Literally the only complaint I have is that I have no idea when I will get another installment in this series, and I didn't want it to end.
Graphic: Grief, Racism, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Confinement
Moderate: Stalking, Rape, Slavery, Death, Sexual assault, and Gore
Minor: Colonisation
soniajoy98's review
- 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
Graphic: War, Blood, Racism, Self harm, Slavery, Death, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual violence, Stalking, Gore, Colonisation, Medical trauma, Cursing, Rape, Alcohol, Misogyny, Death of parent, Kidnapping, and Medical content
Minor: Gun violence and Abandonment
kianareads's review
- 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
This. Freaking. Book.
It took off RUNNING and dragged me right along with it š Everything we loved about Legendborn is back in BLOODMARKED but amplified by 1000:
ā¢ The literal Black girl magic
ā¢ THE TWISTS
ā¢ The romance (pls donāt talk to me about the ācariadā moment Iām still recovering š„ŗ)
ā¢ Nuanced exploration of grief, generational trauma, racism, tradition, and resilience
ā¢ Artful world building
All of it. x1000.
BLOODMARKED is a love letter to being your ancestorsā wildest dreams, and also just being yourself. Itās a reminder to choose yourself. Itās a breath held for generations, released with understanding and with fire. Itās gratitude for unconditional friendships. It is a truly gorgeous fantasy that so (seemingly) effortlessly weaves all of this and more into its pages.
I started and finished (all 551 pages of it) within one day.
I laughed, I cried (often), I screamed (out loud), I jabbed my book with my finger (so often my finger was red), I gasped (way too many times).
Tracy Deonn is a master of her craft and Iām just so damn grateful to be able to experience Breeās story. ā¤ļøāš„
Moderate: Murder, Racism, Sexism, Stalking, Death, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Racial slurs, Slavery, Torture, Grief, Sexual assault, and Violence
penofpossibilities's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Colonisation, Confinement, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Slavery, Stalking, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Rape, Car accident, Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Vomit, and War
Minor: Gun violence
bedtimesandbooks's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Slavery, Rape, Racism, Kidnapping, Violence, Stalking, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death of parent, and Blood
Minor: Pregnancy
ashlikes's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Child abuse, Gore, Blood, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Torture, Kidnapping, Violence, War, and Racism
Moderate: Self harm, Toxic friendship, Stalking, Rape, Death of parent, Drug use, Infidelity, Sexual content, Slavery, and Child death
Minor: Pregnancy, Vomit, Abandonment, Car accident, Colonisation, and Misogyny