Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

40 reviews

webtheweeb's review

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? Yes

5.0

This book is simultaneously a love letter to the YA fantasy so many of us grew up reading and an insightful, subversive, searing critique of it. I LOVED it. Deonn is one of so many authors in the YA field today making the genre what it always should have been. I’m so grateful that she’s shared her deeply personal story with the world.

This book is one of several in recent years that’s bringing me back into the fold of YA with open arms. There’s still new stuff happening here!!!!

AND ALSO THERE ARE LOVE TRIANGLES THAT WILL MAKE YOU SCREAM A LITTLE WHILE YOU’RE READING THIS BOOK IN PUBLIC BY THE POOL. Not that that was my personal experience or anything. But oh my goodness - I liked this book before Bree and Sel became an option, but AFTER???? Immediately in my favorites tag. Nick was fine, but I found him pretty boring. SEL, though? YES. That’s what I was waiting for! Or better yet, a throuple even! I want to continue this series to see what happens with the war and everything, but a large portion of it is seeing if Bree will finally dump Nick LMAO. Also it helps that all her options fall into my favorite trope of two-people-are-in-love-but-is-it-just-because-they’re-fated-to-be-entwined-or-do-they-really-love-each-other. Incredible.

The plot twists in this book were also top tier. Looooved the high stakes of the final battle; looooooved the appearance of the goruchel that completely caught me off guard. The slow, painstaking reveal of Bree’s powers was done with such care and consideration. The way that the King Arthur bloodline society was chipped at little by little until its blatant white supremacy was plain was horrifying and also done with extreme care and smarts.

 This was just a very, very interesting take and subversion of the typical “girl discovers at 16 that she has secret powers and enters a world hidden from view that she’s never known” story, and I’m thankful to have read it. 10/10 would recommend.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Death of parent

Moderate: Car accident and Rape

Minor: Forced institutionalization

ahhhreadzombiez's review

adventurous dark emotional funny 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

5.0

To put it short, this is one of the most influential, inspiring, and gut wrenching stories I’ve ever read. I don’t want to spoil this at all, since I came upon the book without knowing what it was fully about. It truly only got better with each chapter. At one point I had to put the book down and bawl my eyes out for a quick second before frantically going back to reading. This is such an amazing book and I will hold it close to my heart. I have the second book waiting for me, and I can’t wait to dive in.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Slavery, Racism, Violence, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Sexism, War, and Sexual assault

lqne's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, War, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Slavery, Death of parent, and Grief

Moderate: Pregnancy, Rape, Hate crime, Medical content, Sexual violence, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, and Sexism

Minor: Bullying

mozimmerm's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

4.25

It took a while for me to become invested in this book, but I think that’s a character trait for me at this point and not necessarily a fault of the book. But I really enjoyed reading this, especially the last 20%. 

I found Bree inspiring and relatable. Even though I haven’t lost someone that close to me yet, i could feel her emotions and at least somewhat grasp her grief. 

Each character was so different, and I enjoyed getting to know them.  I have a favorite character 💕 and I can’t wait to read the second book! 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Racism

Moderate: Xenophobia, Pregnancy, Bullying, Death of parent, and Violence

Minor: Kidnapping, Addiction, Car accident, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Sexual harassment, and Physical abuse

campisforever's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

If I could give Legendborn all the stars in the sky, I would. I cannot express, without spoiling the entire novel, how culturally significant this book is. Gorgeously written, complex, and heart wrenching, Legendborn handles several connected and messy questions about legacy and heroism in a way that is accessible to those who may never thought about them before.

Taking on Arthruiana (stories of King Arthur and the Round Table) is no small feat in itself. Doing so in a mode that centers a Black girl's existence is monumental and so, so, so important. Tracy Deonn has made a place for Black women among the heroes of Arthurian legend without bowing to its inherent assumptions about who can and should be considered "legendary." At the same time that it reanimates the legend of King Arthur, Legendborn resonates with ideas and approaches visible in other Black Feminist work (e.g., N. K. Jemisin, Octavia Butler, M. NourbeSe Philip, Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Katherine McKittrick, Dionne Brand, Saidiya Hartman, etc.).

If you were a fan of Dark Horse's Once and Future Queen (which didn't get the run it deserved), Legendborn is for you. If you are looking for a fantasy novel that actively challenges and resists the inherent whiteness and racialism of "Tolkienist" fantasy and Western fantasy stories in general, I encourage you to read this book. If you're looking for something like T. H. White or Mists of Avalon, this book is not what you're looking for, but you should read it anyway.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Racism, Death of parent, and Classism

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Slavery, and Child abuse

All content warnings are given in degrees: "Graphic" means that they're prominent elements of the story and are the most detailed. "Moderate" means that they're world building elements--specifically, "racism" refers to depictions of the kinds of casual racism (e.g., hair touching, comments about affirmative action/diversity, one use of a phrase used to refer to Black hair types, etc.). "Minor" means that these things are referred to, but not depicted explicitly or in an extended manner. This book deals with the legacies of enslavement in American history and its attendant generational trauma. It does not shy away from these realities, but also does not allow them to take up more space than warranted.

karly_ackley's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Classism, War, Racism, Blood, Grief, Medical content, and Colonisation

Moderate: Transphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, and Death of parent

Minor: Rape

caleb_makes's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Racism, Death of parent, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Death

Moderate: Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, War, Slavery, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Blood, and Violence

Minor: Torture, Transphobia, Sexual harassment, Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Police brutality, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Car accident, and Animal death

spooderman's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective tense medium-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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Colonisation, Bullying, Grief, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Classism, Gore, Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Slavery, Death, Car accident, Confinement, Body horror, Violence, Sexism, Misogyny, Torture, Hate crime, Death of parent, Abandonment, War, Mental illness, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Deportation, Cursing, Cultural appropriation, Blood, Ableism, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Pregnancy, Addiction, Alcohol, Rape, Animal death, Religious bigotry, Animal cruelty, Infidelity, Fire/Fire injury, and Xenophobia

Minor: Sexual assault, Vomit, and Suicidal thoughts

maladaptivedaydreams's review

adventurous emotional funny 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

5.0

I wish I could give this book a higher rating. I wish I had read it sooner and I hope everyone can read it. It's truly a love letter to a culture and a beautiful woven story of Resilience and Will. Absolutely loved it and can't wait to get my hands on the second book!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Racism

Moderate: Death, Physical abuse, Car accident, Death of parent, Slavery, Violence, and Grief

Minor: Forced institutionalization

zed_dog's review

adventurous challenging emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Possibly the best YA novel I’ve come across. Represents systemic racism and intergenerational trauma in the magic system and the world-building, both in the literal setting and with ingenious magical symbolism. A masterpiece. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Racism, and Death of parent

Moderate: Gore and Kidnapping

Minor: Alcoholism, Rape, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, and Car accident