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naturally'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
4.75
it's been a while since i picked up a ya book, so legendborn was the perfect book to mark my return. deonn effortlessly infuses arthurian legends (merlin & the knights of the round table etc), rootwork, the history of chattel slavery and the deep south, secret societies and more into her debut. all praise and accolades are well deserved! i will confess that the plot felt very info-dumpy from the 20% mark onwards, but i'm so happy that i stuck with it, because the worldbuilding was so rich and immersive. the author's note at the end was an excellent touch - i always love hearing about an author's reasoning behind certain themes/elements/plot points. it's clear deonn put a tonne of thought into the legendborn cycle-verse.
bree's journey of grief was so heart-breaking...i just wanted to reach into the pages and hug her. she's a heroine that i was rooting (no pun intended!) for from the onset. her experiences as a black girl (wash day, being the only black guest in a room etc) made her extremely relatable as well...and added to the protectiveness i felt over her as a character.
typically, i don't care for the love triangle trope, but this book singlehandedly made me a fan. omg nick doesn't play around when it comes to bree!!! my fave golden-hearted golden boy. he compliments bree so well and he is the source of affection and reassurance that she needs considering how much death she is surrounded by. the explanation behind their insta-love was genius too.
on the other hand...sel is just that GUY!!!! he and bree's relationship is more of an enemies-to-lovers slow-burn and i'm 10000000% invested already. their chemistry is literally electric???? they've also got me wondering if deonn is a vampire diaries fan bc the bonnie/damon/bamon/delena vibes were off the charts lol.
i honestly don't mind who bree ends up with. i was also getting throuple vibes
my only criticisms were 1) the order system was a little TOO complex. as an adult, i was struggling to keep up. teenage me would have been lost. 2) these characters read like they were in their early 20s to me, especially in terms of looks, intellect and maturity. (i feel the same way about leigh bardugo's six of crows duology idk) - this is more commentary about the lack of space for new adult protagonists in the trad publishing industry though.
Graphic: Colonisation, Sexism, Death of parent, Classism, Blood, Death, Grief, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: War and Car accident
Minor: Racial slurs, Rape, and Infidelity
emjen16'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: Death of parent, Grief, Blood, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Death, Racism, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Classism, Gaslighting, and Infidelity
Minor: Slavery, Rape, Racial slurs, and Pregnancy
tinyy'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? It's complicated
5.0
Bree is my favorite YA protagonist ever—smart and quick, honest, and brave beyond doubt. She sees what’s happening in front of her own eyes and she actually believes it.
Her way of coping with grief is all-too-real even if it’s not healthy. Was there romance? Yes. Technically, there could even be two romances, and despite how much I adore Nick and Sel; this story is about Bree and her grief. Bree and her ancestors. Bree and belonging.
The magic is just the cherry on top. Mwah. Best fantasy book I’ve read all year.
Graphic: Death, Racism, and Grief
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Misogyny, Slavery, Blood, and Death of parent
Minor: Car accident, Infidelity, Rape, and Transphobia
charleshasalibrary'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
Honestly, this is one of my favorite books I've read all year, and I'm not a huge YA person. But Bree is such a magnetic character, and DAMN do the mysteries in this book never stop coming. Deonn's mastery with weaving in the reality of trauma and being a black woman in America put Legendborn on a whole other level for me, though. Between all of that and then the LGBTQ representation to boot, I am never gonna shut up about this book.
All I can say without spoilers is I cannot wait to see more of Bree and to follow her in her journey. And...okay, yes, I am a teenage queer at heart and want more Sel, too.
Graphic: Death of parent, Rape, Grief, Death, Racism, Transphobia, Violence, War, Car accident, Cursing, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content
Moderate: Infidelity and Kidnapping
soniajoy98'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: Sexism, Violence, War, Slavery, Death, Blood, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Racism
Moderate: Rape, Sexual harassment, Classism, Colonisation, Forced institutionalization, and Infidelity
Minor: Car accident, Child abuse, Cursing, and Transphobia
lectricefeministe's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Bullying, Classism, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Slavery, Violence, War, Transphobia, Death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Murder, Misogyny, Stalking, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Racism, Racial slurs, and Sexism
flyintothestorm'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Racism
Moderate: Sexism, Infidelity, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Car accident, Death, Rape, Slavery, Transphobia, Violence, and War
evieolive'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: Racism, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Racial slurs, Rape, Misogyny, Murder, Infidelity, Infertility, Car accident, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Police brutality, Sexual assault, and Transphobia
rayreyes'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? No
5.0
Ever ever ever.
Moderate: Slavery, Racism, Grief, Death of parent, Death, and Car accident
Minor: Rape, Blood, Violence, Torture, Stalking, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Classism, Infidelity, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Bullying, and Alcohol
hayzey'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
4.5
Graphic: War, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death of parent, Stalking, Slavery, Medical trauma, Racism, Racial slurs, Gore, Death, Blood, Bullying, and Torture
Moderate: Medical content, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Murder, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Death, Bullying, Blood, Alcohol, Violence, Torture, Stalking, Slavery, Sexual assault, Rape, Racism, Gore, War, and Infidelity
Minor: Torture, War, Slavery, Mental illness, Grief, Genocide, Emotional abuse, Classism, Blood, Abandonment, Violence, Sexual violence, Racism, Murder, Infidelity, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, Kidnapping, Car accident, Alcohol, Stalking, Rape, Medical trauma, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, and Death