Reviews with content warning for Racism - Legendborn - Der geheime Bund

while it took me a little bit to get into, I fell in love with every part of Legendborn! the depth of the characters and their motivations is incredible, the magic system is inventive and thorough, and the story is powerful!!

read if you like…

🗡️ Arthurian legends

✨ strong storytelling

🔥 high stakes

this is simply one of those books that everyone should read!!

Content Warnings

joey_estrada's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

I started this book during a reading slump and I prefer 3rd over 1st person narration so it was hard to get into at first. Once I got about 70-80 pages in though, it really hooked me in.

The fighting/action sequences were very captivating and well written.

The POC representation is very refreshing and relatable. I appreciated that this book showed the different ways racism presents itself as well as how racism can affect someone in ways you wouldn't even think of. It's rare to see racism, slavery, and ancestry talked about in the way this book did. It was comforting in a melancholy sort of way.

This book is about magic, but it's also about colonialism. Neither of these aspects felt overshadowed by the other. There was a perfect blend of both.

The subtle LGBTQIA+ representation was also a nice touch.

Content Warnings

enchanteddroppings's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional sad 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? Yes

3.5

This was the book club pick for June, that I originally planned to read in May, didn't have time to read in June, but finally read and finish in August.

Content Warnings

all_too_well's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

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sanchezcaligurl's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

Great story. Slow to start since there is a lot to cover but lots of action in between until it gets to the climax and it’s all fast paced after that.

Content Warnings

corsetedfeminist's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful fast-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 think this is the first American fantasy novel l've ever read that actually takes the racist history of this country into account in a profound way that actually affects the plot. That one plot twist at the end? My brain exploded with some combination of horror and wonder.

The magical world and system itself is probably one of my favorites of all time, just from a magic perspective. I loved the discussions of the differences between the Order's magic and Root magic, and Bree trying to live in both worlds.

Bree. Look, I love many FMCs, but Bree was an instant favorite. She feels so real and raw and strong, and she actually acts in understandable ways in the various situations she ends up in. I love her depth, and her stubbornness, and her fire. I love the way her grief is shown, and how she finally manages to work through it to the other side. I almost literally screamed at That Moment in the last couple of chapters, when she finally comes into her inheritance.

Nick is so sweet, so strong, and somehow I care about a straight relationship. I also love that he's 100% there just to love and support Bree, and he didn't want to be here anyway.

I didn't know what to make of Sel, but, surprising no one, by the end of the book I just loved our angsty, traumatized half-demon baby and I'm looking forward to his relationship with Bree going forward. Cariad? Really? How am I supposed to cope?

I loved so many of the side characters in this book- Alice, William, Sarah, Patricia, Greer... And also hated quite a few. Besides Lord David and Isaac, when I get my hands on Tor......

Also, as someone who is a UNC fan by reason of half my family being alumni, I loved the discussion of the school's troubled history and the repeated appearance of Carolina Blue.

In conclusion- this book rewrote my brain, I'll be reading book 2 today, and then somehow waiting for book 3 to come out. Also, when do we get a movie, because I badly need it.

Content Warnings

mycarefulcardinal's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense

5.0

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brainwave_caravan's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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? Yes

4.5

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