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bookcaptivated's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Car accident, Racism, Grief, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Rape, Slavery, War, Body horror, Murder, and Sexism
Minor: Bullying, Infertility, and Infidelity
unsuccessfulbookclub's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Can’t believe I waited so long to read this absolute BANGER. Legendborn is a contemporary YA fantasy from Tracy Deonn and a reimagining of Arthurian legend. The main character, Briana Matthews, is a 16 year old Black girl whose mother is killed in a car accident right before she leaves to attend “early college” at UNC-Chapel Hill. And then stuff gets ~*weird*~…
Let me give you this list of reasons to try to bump it up your TBR:
- totally immersive
- very cool, complex magic system
- one of my favorite heroines of all time (BREE!!!!)
- a mystery than spans centuries
- uniquely American perspective on Arthurian legend
- a huge dose of Black girl magic
- lots of LGBTQIA+ rep including NB characters, bi, gay and lesbian characters
- awesome friendships
- honor and wisdom from ancestors
- deep analysis of the systems of oppression and those who operate within them as well as those who uphold them
- truly terrible baddies
- hilarious banter even in really dark situations
- the PROSE in this book!!! My god. It’s stunning.
And now I join the ranks of people anxiously awaiting November, because you bet your butt I preordered Bloodmarked the minute I finished this.
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻RECOMMENDED. Read this!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Sexism, Death of parent, Grief, Racism, War, Murder, Violence, Body horror, Blood, and Vomit
Moderate: Kidnapping
helliepad's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-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
5.0
After reading this, I was sure I was born in the right century, in just the right time, to be able to read this book and appreciate its wonderfulness wholly. A work of art, as Tracy Deonn mixes Arthuriana with her own Southern Black culture and delivers what I can say is very much a classic.
Storywise, the book is a gripping read in that it grabs you by the neck and doesn't let up until you're crying and sobbing big, happy, sad tears on your book or ebook reader. The protagonist is Bree Matthews, a sixteen year old Black woman who is dealing with the grief of recently losing her mother and is suddenly thrust into a world of Chosen Ones and Round Table Knights and their Glowy Magic. It is very easy to get lost in the frills of any Arthuriana retelling, as there are plenty of engaging stuff from the various source materials that can resonate with people of all ages, and it is also very easy to let mortal characters get lost in a fantasy narrative and let the pretty backdrop take over. Legendborn does not do it the easy way. Instead, it decides to walk up the steep rocky hill with considerable weights on its limbs, starts climbing at the crack of dawn, and manages to get on top before anyone else does. And that's what makes it great.
At its heart, Legendborn is a fantasy story set in a contemporary modern world. One that does not ignore the implications of extraordinary magic among mortals- nor the accompanying entanglement of social, interpersonal, and personal issues that arise because of, or even beside it. The narrative is immensely loving to its characters, who go through so much hardship that it would've felt like Game of Thrones if George R.R. Martin wrote better, without being too naive about the world it has made. The characters grieve, the characters react, and they have the agency that gives them life beyond words. This is a story so good that only someone who has personally experienced the core of herself could've wrote it. The stakes were higher than any fantasy book I've ever read, and they only got higher with every page turn and positively ascended during the last hundred pages (booktok was not kidding about that!), but even with all that tension, you never lose faith that the author will not deliver on her promises and her premise. I am a very cautious and critical reader- and I am surprised at how much trust I realized I had for Tracy Deonn, when the going got really, really going. That, for me, is the mark of a really talented artist, and an amazing writer.
There has been a lot of fantasy books written since the twenty first century started but few that can capture time as it passes. Journalism is history in motion, novels reflect society, etc. But this novel managed to be a high fantasy story set in the modern times, without shying away or glossing over the ugly human bits. Racism is present, addressed, and discussed- not simply handwaved. People are gay, out loud and in text. Characters are flawed, and they die, and grief along with trauma is present, addressed, and discussed. This book has multiple flawed and brilliant and evil women, whose magic system focuses on healing and protection, whose interests are complex and bright. This is my 21st century. I'm glad to see it exist. Thank you Ms. Deonn.
Storywise, the book is a gripping read in that it grabs you by the neck and doesn't let up until you're crying and sobbing big, happy, sad tears on your book or ebook reader. The protagonist is Bree Matthews, a sixteen year old Black woman who is dealing with the grief of recently losing her mother and is suddenly thrust into a world of Chosen Ones and Round Table Knights and their Glowy Magic. It is very easy to get lost in the frills of any Arthuriana retelling, as there are plenty of engaging stuff from the various source materials that can resonate with people of all ages, and it is also very easy to let mortal characters get lost in a fantasy narrative and let the pretty backdrop take over. Legendborn does not do it the easy way. Instead, it decides to walk up the steep rocky hill with considerable weights on its limbs, starts climbing at the crack of dawn, and manages to get on top before anyone else does. And that's what makes it great.
At its heart, Legendborn is a fantasy story set in a contemporary modern world. One that does not ignore the implications of extraordinary magic among mortals- nor the accompanying entanglement of social, interpersonal, and personal issues that arise because of, or even beside it. The narrative is immensely loving to its characters, who go through so much hardship that it would've felt like Game of Thrones if George R.R. Martin wrote better, without being too naive about the world it has made. The characters grieve, the characters react, and they have the agency that gives them life beyond words. This is a story so good that only someone who has personally experienced the core of herself could've wrote it. The stakes were higher than any fantasy book I've ever read, and they only got higher with every page turn and positively ascended during the last hundred pages (booktok was not kidding about that!), but even with all that tension, you never lose faith that the author will not deliver on her promises and her premise. I am a very cautious and critical reader- and I am surprised at how much trust I realized I had for Tracy Deonn, when the going got really, really going. That, for me, is the mark of a really talented artist, and an amazing writer.
There has been a lot of fantasy books written since the twenty first century started but few that can capture time as it passes. Journalism is history in motion, novels reflect society, etc. But this novel managed to be a high fantasy story set in the modern times, without shying away or glossing over the ugly human bits. Racism is present, addressed, and discussed- not simply handwaved. People are gay, out loud and in text. Characters are flawed, and they die, and grief along with trauma is present, addressed, and discussed. This book has multiple flawed and brilliant and evil women, whose magic system focuses on healing and protection, whose interests are complex and bright. This is my 21st century. I'm glad to see it exist. Thank you Ms. Deonn.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Grief
Moderate: Gore and Racism
Minor: Body horror
starccato's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
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? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Death of parent, Grief, Car accident, Classism, Blood, Body horror, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Violence, War, and Gore
Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Bullying, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Child abuse, Alcohol, Vomit, Rape, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Abandonment, Child death, and Torture
Minor: Religious bigotry and Transphobia
claudiamacpherson's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.5
King Arthur may be lost to history, but his spirit, and those of his knights, are (literally) alive in their descendants. The secret society of the Round Table exists quietly on college campuses around the United States, where students are trained to fight demons. After her mother’s sudden death in a car crash, 16-year-old Bree Matthews goes to UNC Chapel Hill for early college. On her very first night, she sees a demon at a college party, then watches as two students kill it. Suddenly, Bree begins to suspect that her mother’s death wasn’t as random as she had believed, and she forces her way into a world where knights and pages and mythical kings still exist.
I was initially put off by the fact that this story is set in college so most of the characters are college students, but Bree is actually there early and is even younger (I know this is a young adult book but….damn). However, she is very mature and intelligent, as well as funny, stubborn, and fierce in her protectiveness for those she loves, so I quickly warmed to her and looked past her age… she’s an old soul (literally).
I am totally obsessed with the concept of magic looking different in different cultures and traditions, and I felt the contrast between root magic and aether/”colonizer magic” was really well done. I also <i>loved</i> the twist at the end that Bree is the Scion of King Arthur, while Nick is Lancelot’s heir. Nick (and others) calling her “King” is just… yes!!!
Happy ending meter (no specific spoilers, just the vibe of the ending):
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Death, Grief, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Minor: Alcohol, Cursing, and Kidnapping
nxs06's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Car accident, Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racism, Rape, Slavery, and Violence
andromeda_1998's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
After reading the Witcher I lost my flow and I couldn’t find a book to read after. A couple of friends recommended Legendborn to me in the hope that I wouldn’t fall in a readingslump if I read something I enjoyed. Well did book did help me through it. I read it in 1,5 days and I loved it.
This book has great worldbuilding, some good characters and an enjoyable plot. The worldbuilding is based on arthurion legends but it is done in a very unique way. I am not a fan of taking mythology and shipping it to America though. But I can lead it slide since it was done respectfully.
The characters are typically ya, the story focuses on Bree, a girl and twee guys. And as you can imagine with a ya novel there is a possibility for a love triangle. The characters are well put together though. The grieve that Bree goes through is done well but can also be very triggering.
I would recommend this book to almost everyone but before you decide it check the triggerwarnings.
This book has great worldbuilding, some good characters and an enjoyable plot. The worldbuilding is based on arthurion legends but it is done in a very unique way. I am not a fan of taking mythology and shipping it to America though. But I can lead it slide since it was done respectfully.
The characters are typically ya, the story focuses on Bree, a girl and twee guys. And as you can imagine with a ya novel there is a possibility for a love triangle. The characters are well put together though. The grieve that Bree goes through is done well but can also be very triggering.
I would recommend this book to almost everyone but before you decide it check the triggerwarnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, and Slavery
tis_bee_me's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Death of parent, and Body horror
Moderate: Rape
roseamillerg's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
a bit too much (very confusing and complex) lore for me.
almost DNF’d multiple times, but I am happy that I finished the book.
P.s. William is *chef’s kiss* 😌
P.p.s the cover is so pretty 🥺🥵
Also can I just say SEL🦋🦋🦋💀
I didn’t like how the deaths of Evan, Whitty and Russ were written because they happened so fast and so close to each other that I feel like they lost their impact, which is really such a shame (especially bc they were TEENAGERS!! :(
almost DNF’d multiple times, but I am happy that I finished the book.
P.s. William is *chef’s kiss* 😌
P.p.s the cover is so pretty 🥺🥵
Also can I just say SEL🦋🦋🦋💀
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Car accident, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, and Vomit
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Rape, and Stalking
megplant's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Racial slurs, Racism, and Slavery