Scan barcode
litoreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
5.0
TL;DR:
Someone let Miss Tracy Deonn cook and she created a masterpiece. Five Stars.
The story starts with the heartbreaking loss of Bree Matthews' mother. A few months later, she heads off to USC, the same university her mother attended. Shortly after arriving at the school, she stumbles upon the exclusive Order of the Round Table, a modern-day rendition of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
As mysterious and perilous incidents unfold on campus, Bree seizes the opportunity to join the Order as a Page, facilitated by Nick, the prospective King and heir to King Arthur's throne. Amidst her training to be a Squire, escalating violent events prompt the original Knights to call upon their Scions to Awaken, signaling an impending war. The catch is that if Arthur's Scion (Nick) is Awakened and falls victim to the Shadowborn demons,15 centuries of Legendborn magic lines will vanish, plunging the world into darkness and chaos .
Simultaneously, Bree undergoes therapy where her therapist unveilsthe magic system, Rootcraft , and cautions her about the dangers posed by the Order. After consulting with her ancestors, Bree resolves to infiltrate the Order to uncover the truth behind her mother's fate, as her mom was a Rootcrafter adept at manipulating plant energy .
I won't spoil the rest for you; PLEASE READ IT. I couldn't contain my excitement and literally yelled and felt chills when the climax was revealed.
On the downside, I found a minor issue with Bree's frequent lack of awareness in certain situations. For instance, moments where she unexpectedly realizes actions she apparently performed without conscious awareness felt a bit inconsistent for a character with suchlegendary power . Unfortunately, this is a typical trope found in YA novels. Beyond this, the rest of the story is exceptional.
Here's what I appreciated:
- The engaging narrative
- Rich lore
- Well-crafted magic system
- Compelling characters, particularly Bree, Sel, Nick, and Alice
Bree's perspective as an intelligent Black woman resonated with me, offering a poignant exploration of how White society incessantly thrusts her race and gender in her face. As a person of color myself, I identified with many parallels, and the portrayal of racist interactions at times moved me to tears.
The inclusion of queer representation in the story is commendable. Same-sex relationships are normalized, and I applaud the matter-of-fact acceptance within the narrative. The diverse sexual orientations of characters, including Sel being bi (we need more bi men in books) and Alice being a lesbian, along with queer figures in high-ranking positions in the Order, is a refreshing and welcomed aspect.
Tracy Deonn's debut novel is a tapestry of adventure, gripping battle scenes, dynamic characters, a captivating magic system, and creative, imaginative lore rooted in Arthurian legend. It lays the foundation for apotential love triangle in the sequel as well as a larger war with incredibly high stakes . If you're a fan of fantasy, magic, and coming-of-age tales, this book is an absolute must-read.
Five stars.
Someone let Miss Tracy Deonn cook and she created a masterpiece. Five Stars.
The story starts with the heartbreaking loss of Bree Matthews' mother. A few months later, she heads off to USC, the same university her mother attended. Shortly after arriving at the school, she stumbles upon the exclusive Order of the Round Table, a modern-day rendition of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
As mysterious and perilous incidents unfold on campus, Bree seizes the opportunity to join the Order as a Page, facilitated by Nick, the prospective King and heir to King Arthur's throne. Amidst her training to be a Squire, escalating violent events prompt the original Knights to call upon their Scions to Awaken, signaling an impending war. The catch is that if Arthur's Scion (Nick) is Awakened and falls victim to the Shadowborn demons,
Simultaneously, Bree undergoes therapy where her therapist unveils
I won't spoil the rest for you; PLEASE READ IT. I couldn't contain my excitement and literally yelled and felt chills when the climax was revealed.
On the downside, I found a minor issue with Bree's frequent lack of awareness in certain situations. For instance, moments where she unexpectedly realizes actions she apparently performed without conscious awareness felt a bit inconsistent for a character with such
Here's what I appreciated:
- The engaging narrative
- Rich lore
- Well-crafted magic system
- Compelling characters, particularly Bree, Sel, Nick, and Alice
Bree's perspective as an intelligent Black woman resonated with me, offering a poignant exploration of how White society incessantly thrusts her race and gender in her face. As a person of color myself, I identified with many parallels, and the portrayal of racist interactions at times moved me to tears.
The inclusion of queer representation in the story is commendable. Same-sex relationships are normalized, and I applaud the matter-of-fact acceptance within the narrative. The diverse sexual orientations of characters, including Sel being bi (we need more bi men in books) and Alice being a lesbian, along with queer figures in high-ranking positions in the Order, is a refreshing and welcomed aspect.
Tracy Deonn's debut novel is a tapestry of adventure, gripping battle scenes, dynamic characters, a captivating magic system, and creative, imaginative lore rooted in Arthurian legend. It lays the foundation for a
Five stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Sexism, Misogyny, Car accident, Cursing, Death of parent, War, Death, Blood, Bullying, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Violence
hey_mj's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
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
A low fantasy masterpiece that transports you while still being firmly rooted in the modern world, Legendborn is a YA story that transcends its age group and can (and should) be enjoyed by everyone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Grief, and Mental illness
Moderate: Slavery and Sexism
Minor: Colonisation and Rape
warlocksarecool21's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
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
4.5
this book was so good!!! It was fun and action-packed but also explored powerful themes of loss, trauma and legacy. I think Tracy Deonn is a really good writer, with how she can blend old (white) legends with Black folklore and history to make something new and profound. Bree was a brilliant main character, she was strong and passionate but didn’t suffer from the common archetypical traits that are often given to FMC in YA fantasy. Her journey of healing from the loss of her mother and connecting with her ancestors was so powerful, and I really appreciated how the book never shied away from the history of slavery and how descendants of enslaved people today are still affected by that trauma.
I thought the premise and world-building was really interesting. the whole idea with the Scions being descendants of the Knights of the Round Table and all the other interpretations of the myth was a really unique interpretation and it was so fun to read. It honestly gave me Percy Jackson vibes in that sense which was cool.
I’ve already gushed about Bree, but I loved the dynamics she had with other characters. I adored Alice and I’m glad she got her chance to shine at the end. I’m hoping she plays a larger role in the rest of the series, she’s a badass and she’s such a good friend. Now, in regards to Nick and Sel I was absolutely unhinged about them. I usually think love triangles (especially in YA) are so overdone and stupid but this one was so fascinating to me. The dynamics between all three of them are so compelling and I honestly just want them to be in a poly relationship bc that’s the only way I’ll be satisfied lmao. I thought Nick and Bree were really cute together although I’m not exactly buying that they’re in love after knowing each other for two weeks ajdjdjfj. Like yeah they have this legendary ancestral connection or whatever but y’all don’t know shit about each other 😂😂😂. That’s one of the only issues I had with the book that it was so quick and in such a short amount of time I think the relationship could have been fleshed out more but that’s not to say I didn’t like them together. However, when I am presented with a snarky & vicious and kind of pathetic character like Selwyn I will always go for that option. Nick and Bree might have had a lot of affection and care for one another but nothing beats the chemistry she had with Selwyn like I was obsessed with him. I would have been all over him if I read this in high school. And I’m even more feral about it knowing he liked Nick before and clearly has this bonded attachment to both Nick and Bree now like PLEASE i’m begging you Tracy make all 3 of them queer for each other 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 (i’m probably delusional but I fully embrace it).
Anyways, this book was so much fun and is probably a new favorite. I’m really excited to continue with the series and see where the characters go.
I thought the premise and world-building was really interesting. the whole idea with the Scions being descendants of the Knights of the Round Table and all the other interpretations of the myth was a really unique interpretation and it was so fun to read. It honestly gave me Percy Jackson vibes in that sense which was cool.
I’ve already gushed about Bree, but I loved the dynamics she had with other characters. I adored Alice and I’m glad she got her chance to shine at the end. I’m hoping she plays a larger role in the rest of the series, she’s a badass and she’s such a good friend. Now, in regards to Nick and Sel I was absolutely unhinged about them. I usually think love triangles (especially in YA) are so overdone and stupid but this one was so fascinating to me. The dynamics between all three of them are so compelling and I honestly just want them to be in a poly relationship bc that’s the only way I’ll be satisfied lmao. I thought Nick and Bree were really cute together although I’m not exactly buying that they’re in love after knowing each other for two weeks ajdjdjfj. Like yeah they have this legendary ancestral connection or whatever but y’all don’t know shit about each other 😂😂😂. That’s one of the only issues I had with the book that it was so quick and in such a short amount of time I think the relationship could have been fleshed out more but that’s not to say I didn’t like them together. However, when I am presented with a snarky & vicious and kind of pathetic character like Selwyn I will always go for that option. Nick and Bree might have had a lot of affection and care for one another but nothing beats the chemistry she had with Selwyn like I was obsessed with him. I would have been all over him if I read this in high school. And I’m even more feral about it knowing he liked Nick before and clearly has this bonded attachment to both Nick and Bree now like PLEASE i’m begging you Tracy make all 3 of them queer for each other 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 (i’m probably delusional but I fully embrace it).
Anyways, this book was so much fun and is probably a new favorite. I’m really excited to continue with the series and see where the characters go.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Mental illness, Death of parent, Sexism, Transphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Racism
saraseisolieb's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident and Mental illness
Minor: Slavery, Sexual assault, Death, Death of parent, Racism, and Pregnancy
torij2000's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Mental illness, Murder, Racism, Sexism, Vomit, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, and Violence
sophiesmallhands's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Racism, and Mental illness
Moderate: Pregnancy, Child abuse, Gore, Death of parent, Violence, Abandonment, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Bullying, Slavery, Sexism, and Classism
Minor: Rape, Police brutality, and Car accident
gabriella_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.75
Read this entire book on a flight to England and holy shit. The way this book captures grief, trauma, and how it can intersect with misogynoir was gripping.
Tracy Deonn is excellent at character writing and establishing interpersonal dynamics (and conflicts). She also creates a unique atmosphere with obvious (and not so obvious) foes. She empowers her protagonist and makes her multifaceted. She breathes life into Bree and, as a reader, makes her feel so real. And this doesn’t get into how she writes an ensemble cast either - good GOD I would be remiss if I didn’t get into that.
Every character contributes something to the plot and it’s amazing that this author finds a way to do that without rendering them to be one-note or just a plot device. She has a plan for every character - and pieces of dialogue have a way of retaining relevance chapters later in a refreshing way.
I wish I had a book like this when I was a kid. 2,000/10 recommend reading this book if you are interested in fantasy and coming of age books. It’s the gift that keeps on giving! Tracy Deonn, thank you for writing this.
Tracy Deonn is excellent at character writing and establishing interpersonal dynamics (and conflicts). She also creates a unique atmosphere with obvious (and not so obvious) foes. She empowers her protagonist and makes her multifaceted. She breathes life into Bree and, as a reader, makes her feel so real. And this doesn’t get into how she writes an ensemble cast either - good GOD I would be remiss if I didn’t get into that.
Every character contributes something to the plot and it’s amazing that this author finds a way to do that without rendering them to be one-note or just a plot device. She has a plan for every character - and pieces of dialogue have a way of retaining relevance chapters later in a refreshing way.
I wish I had a book like this when I was a kid. 2,000/10 recommend reading this book if you are interested in fantasy and coming of age books. It’s the gift that keeps on giving! Tracy Deonn, thank you for writing this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Blood, Body horror, Death, Car accident, Child death, Violence, Kidnapping, Racism, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Classism, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, and War
shania_siobhan's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, Violence, Blood, and Body horror
Moderate: Mental illness, Grief, Racism, Car accident, and Medical content
onefineelephant'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
4.5
9/10. I really enjoyed this book. It gave me chills, made me very emotional, and made me really care about the characters. I was taken on such a journey throughout this story. There were so many parts of the story that surprised me and added to the complexity of the plot. Each turn deepened the connections between the characters and the past. The Arthurian legend and the magic feel unique and compelling to me. I'm not really into love triangles, but this one feels very organic. I found this book from booktok and I knew it had racial tensions/racism as part of the plot, but since I like to go into books mostly blind, I was not expecting the story to address generational trauma and touch on the traumas of enslaved women. This is not a negative to me, but just not what I was expecting going into it. I figured the racial tensions would be more microaggressions and modern racist topics (which were also explored). I think this book will be even more interesting after already reading it for the first time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Racism, War, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Misogyny, Mental illness, Sexism, Blood, Body horror, Death, Medical content, Stalking, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Colonisation and Car accident
Minor: Rape, Alcohol, Kidnapping, Transphobia, and Slavery
This book deals with modern racism such as microaggressions and also generational trauma.sammie_namjooning's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, Slavery, Sexual assault, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, and Mental illness