Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

188 reviews

maistfu's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious 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

This might just be one of the best books I've ever read.
The world building in first books of a fantasy series are tricky but this was done so wonderfully. And I loved the way the author incorporated and addresses trauma, therapy, racism, intergenerational trauma experienced by descendants of enslaved people and their history and mythology is amazing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Sexual violence

charliebites's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Hate crime, Slavery, and Car accident

Minor: Body horror, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Vomit, and Police brutality

elizas's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Slavery, Blood, and Death of parent

Moderate: Racial slurs and Sexual assault

fleur____'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Racial slurs, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Rape and Slavery

tetrootz's review against another edition

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

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Racial slurs, Blood, and Death of parent

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Xenophobia, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Minor: Homophobia, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, and Acephobia/Arophobia

spicycronereads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny inspiring mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

I delayed finishing this book because it was so fun. I didn’t want it to end. Bree, the FMC is independent, smart, and funny. The MMC, Nick, supports her and, I think, fits the definition of the golden retriever boyfriend. He definitely has some trauma of his own to work through, but he supports Bree all the way. 

There are a few strong secondary characters. Alice is a lot of fun and provides an important foil to Bree. I look forward to seeing her story develop in subsequent books. Selwyn is the darker, more morally ambiguous counterpart to Nick. I sometimes struggle with a love triangle. But this one I didn’t mind too much. The author does some creative things with it.

The book deals with Arthurian legend in a novel way. With a really interesting magic system. The book also deals with the legacy of the history of slavery in the United States, and in particular, with the experience of being a Black student in a space that isn’t welcoming.  I thought these were both done really well. It does seem a little didactic from time to time, but it is a YA book and so I think that’s necessary for this primary audience. The story is well-paced and the action is well-written. There were a few twist and turns that I didn’t see coming.

With multiple BIPOC women characters, as well as queer, genderqueer, and disabled characters, this book has lots of diverse representation.

This is a YA book so spice expectations must be adjusted. There is longing; there is kissing; there is swoon. 🌶️

Overall, this was a really enjoyable read and I can’t wait to read the next one of the series. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 🌶️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Slavery and Toxic relationship

Minor: Rape and Sexual assault

SA is off page and does not involve any of the MCs.

gagereadsstuff's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Child abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, and Car accident

gabi_715's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and War

Moderate: Kidnapping

Minor: Racial slurs and Slavery

quel_g's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious sad tense 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Child abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Blood, and Police brutality

The sheer joy it brings me knowing that these misogynistic racists most powerful lineage got passed down to only black women because of one dumbass along the way. Love

sam_gartley91's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

I’ve heard so many good things about Legendborn and how people loved it! Glad to get it now!!! Loved the new take on the King Arthur mythology and bringing in different groups the connection to magic/divine/dead but process and experience it in different ways. I loved the processing on grief and loss and how you learn to live with it. The magic system was something I hadn’t read before. I loved the twists and turns and the growth of many of the characters as well as calling out of prejudices and stereotypes. The ending was captivating and I can’t wait to jump into the next book! Can’t wait to see what happens next and hope they find Nick soon! Ughhh poor Bre and Sal!! Ohhhh and Will….love him. So heart broken for him. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Death of parent, and War

Minor: Death and Car accident