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samellecooke's review against another edition
- 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
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.
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.
Graphic: Racism, Death, Sexism, and Death of parent
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
mae_dexter_author's review against another edition
- 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: War, Grief, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Racism, and Racial slurs
Minor: Rape and Slavery
celeste329's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
The whole plot of the book was fairly interesting as well. I could see the chosen one archetype being used, but with different nuances than one would usually expect.
Characters wise, there is a range of them. Bree is obviously the most fleshed out character and I absolutely loved seeing the book-world through her eyes. I really appreciated her journey of self-discovery, and elements of identity explored in the book. Nick is also a personal favourite of mine (what can I say, I love me a sweet and attentive boyfriend, and I think Nick was rather good in that aspect, with the slight question at the end
Sel was also a complex character - but as complex as his background can be, I didn't really vibe with him. Old man Davis is also a compelling character, I could really see and understand his motivations (though not necessarily the root cause). I thought Alice was rather under-utilised in this book.
I also liked Patricia and how she acted like a bridge for Bree and the heritage she was seeking. William was another absolutely fun character, but I was rather confused about his age/wisdom, as some of his personality traits seemed to vary throughout the book. The rest of the cast was fine, I think it was perhaps a tad too large to do specific things with each individual, but it would be interesting to see how/if they change for the remainder of the series.
I didn't quite understand/vibe with the setting. Part of me understood why it was used, given some of the themes explored (privilege, inherited wealth & power, etc), but it felt like the whole College aspect became a bit of a background decoration, with it there to justify some of Bree's interactions with specific characters. The school aspect took a backseat to the bigger setting of the
I would have LOVED to see the
Overall, it was a solid book nonetheless.
Graphic: Violence, Racism, and Death of parent
Minor: Rape
74laura74's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death of parent, Slavery, Violence, Racism, and Colonisation
Moderate: Death of parent, Child abuse, and Classism
Minor: Infidelity, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, and Mental illness
antlerlad's review against another edition
- 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: Racism
Minor: Rape
brindolyn's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racism and Slavery
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Rape
brjedi26's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Racism, and Blood
Moderate: Rape and Slavery
passionatereader78's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Violence, Death of parent, Classism, and War
Moderate: Death, Cursing, and Car accident
Minor: Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, and Abandonment
pagesofplatypus's review against another edition
- 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
Second, I want to talk about how well Deonn explores grief. Bree's rage and want for justice are deftly and poignantly portrayed. I feel like adolescents and girls don't often get to see the anger and bitterness of grief in many mainstream portayals of grief, especially in portayals of bereaved teen girls.
Next, Bree is one of the most amazing protagonists I've had the pleasure of meeting in a long time. Everything about her is just so real. Her grief and also her goofiness, her excitement, her curiosity, her exhaustion, and her compassion. I appreciate that she always advocated for herself and knew her worth. And I love how Bree explored her history and her powers in her own way and on her own terms.
And Sel, I'm going to love seeing more of Bree and Sel. I love that snarky, brooding, charming Merlin. He is such a great companion for Bree in his steady dedication to her and understanding of her pain.
Overall, Legendborn is a terrific series introduction and pays plenty of homage to traditional Arthurian Legend while calling to light and honoring African American history and legend as well. Deonn's writing is exhilarating and powerful and she does a spectacular job of placing reader's into Bree's mind and experiences.
Moderate: Slavery, Racism, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Rape
danysgirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Colonisation, Classism, Sexism, Cursing, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Murder, Racism, Car accident, Grief, Rape, Death of parent, Mental illness, Violence, and Vomit