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theemangomami's review against another edition
I just lost interest and from what I’ve heard the racist micro aggressions only get worse from here and I don’t think that’s for me rn
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Grief
localogophile's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
I'd read Legendborn when it first came out, and decided it was time for a reread.
I loved this book. The characters are all well fleshed-out and have reasonable motivations and goals, and I felt like I was a part of the story, experiencing every little thing with the characters. (Just ask literally anyone I was around; they can testify to all my reactions xD.) The plot was facinating, and whenever I wasn't listening, I yearned to experience more of the story. There were some unexpected twists (some that I didn't even see coming my second read-through, which annoyed me a little). The suspense of Bree's quest to learn more about her mother's death, and Bree's exploration into the worlds of magic certainly helped in making me want more and more. All in all, it's a great book! Go read it!
I loved this book. The characters are all well fleshed-out and have reasonable motivations and goals, and I felt like I was a part of the story, experiencing every little thing with the characters. (Just ask literally anyone I was around; they can testify to all my reactions xD.) The plot was facinating, and whenever I wasn't listening, I yearned to experience more of the story. There were some unexpected twists (some that I didn't even see coming my second read-through, which annoyed me a little). The suspense of Bree's quest to learn more about her mother's death, and Bree's exploration into the worlds of magic certainly helped in making me want more and more. All in all, it's a great book! Go read it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Racism and Slavery
Minor: Sexual assault
pagesofplatypus's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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
Let me start by saying I have loved King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and Arthurian Legend since I was 6. I love how Deonn explores and expands on Arthurian legend in a modern setting. Both the Scion and Rootcraft magic systems are strongly developed.
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Slavery, Racism, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Rape
vermidian's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
3.0
This is a spoiler free review.
I would like to preface this review by saying that I thought the voice of the writer was excellent and her criticism of how white society has treated and continues to treat people is valid and important. As someone who lives in North Carolina, it was interesting to know the setting to some extent, though I didn't attend that particular college.
I also feel like I need to say that I don't particularly love Arthurian mythology. It's fun I guess? I've just never been into it but I keep wanting to find something that will draw me into the world of it in such a way that I find it enjoyable. This book was not it.
I also feel it is very vital to point out that a lot of this book deals with the trauma that the main character faces in her first two weeks of attending college, right after the death of her mother in a hit and run accident. She almost immediately gets wrapped up in a magical society of Arthurian blood purists, meaning every other page she's having to deal with the trauma of constant microaggressions and slurs. Please be advised going into this that this trauma is a constant presence throughout the book. Mostly that trauma is what Bree is facing, but there are other traumas present as well, such as how Nick and Sel were raised by a terrible parental figure, or what happened to Nick's mom. It can be a lot at times, so if you're looking for a lighter read, I would put this one down a little further on your TBR. Even the ending felt like a microaggression in itself, though I can't say a whole lot more or I'll hit true spoiler territory. There is also very little in the way of moments of joy in this book. The whole book felt very tense to me.
I thought the integration of the Arthurian world into a modern college campus was interesting, though the constant infodumping left me reeling a lot of times. And even after all that infodumping, I still don't feel like I have a solid grasp on a lot of it. Some might be that Bree just didn't get told all of it because a lot of the characters view her as an outsider. Regardless, it wasn't as polished as I'd hoped for. That being said, for this being a debut novel, it's still pretty decent. I think this is a skill Tracy Deonn will likely develop as she grows as a writer, and I look forward to that.
Tracy Deonn's writing is, by the way, beautiful. I love the way, she describes things. The metaphors, the descriptors, the almost tangible quality of the feelings she puts into the writing makes you feel how much she really loved this book and these characters as she wrote them. There's a poetry to her phrasing that is absolutely lovely.
One thing I noticed that took me out of the story a little was that most of the characters of Bree's generation seemed to have a nickname unless their names were already short enough to escape it. It was a little strange. I do have to say that with such a large cast of characters, I thought that Deonn did a good job keeping the characters and the personalities distinct, although I did sometimes mix up some of the smaller Knights and Vassals. I connected best with Sel, though hoo boy does he need to get hooked up with Bree's therapist. He was a DICK for a good two thirds of this book, but he starts to really get a grip by the end.
Ultimately, for a debut book, it was good. I don't think it's something I'm likely to reread, but a lot of others have found joy in it and I'm glad of that. I will happily pass this book on to another reader who is interested in reading the legend of Brianna Matthews.
I would like to preface this review by saying that I thought the voice of the writer was excellent and her criticism of how white society has treated and continues to treat people is valid and important. As someone who lives in North Carolina, it was interesting to know the setting to some extent, though I didn't attend that particular college.
I also feel like I need to say that I don't particularly love Arthurian mythology. It's fun I guess? I've just never been into it but I keep wanting to find something that will draw me into the world of it in such a way that I find it enjoyable. This book was not it.
I also feel it is very vital to point out that a lot of this book deals with the trauma that the main character faces in her first two weeks of attending college, right after the death of her mother in a hit and run accident. She almost immediately gets wrapped up in a magical society of Arthurian blood purists, meaning every other page she's having to deal with the trauma of constant microaggressions and slurs. Please be advised going into this that this trauma is a constant presence throughout the book. Mostly that trauma is what Bree is facing, but there are other traumas present as well, such as how Nick and Sel were raised by a terrible parental figure, or what happened to Nick's mom. It can be a lot at times, so if you're looking for a lighter read, I would put this one down a little further on your TBR. Even the ending felt like a microaggression in itself, though I can't say a whole lot more or I'll hit true spoiler territory. There is also very little in the way of moments of joy in this book. The whole book felt very tense to me.
I thought the integration of the Arthurian world into a modern college campus was interesting, though the constant infodumping left me reeling a lot of times. And even after all that infodumping, I still don't feel like I have a solid grasp on a lot of it. Some might be that Bree just didn't get told all of it because a lot of the characters view her as an outsider. Regardless, it wasn't as polished as I'd hoped for. That being said, for this being a debut novel, it's still pretty decent. I think this is a skill Tracy Deonn will likely develop as she grows as a writer, and I look forward to that.
Tracy Deonn's writing is, by the way, beautiful. I love the way, she describes things. The metaphors, the descriptors, the almost tangible quality of the feelings she puts into the writing makes you feel how much she really loved this book and these characters as she wrote them. There's a poetry to her phrasing that is absolutely lovely.
One thing I noticed that took me out of the story a little was that most of the characters of Bree's generation seemed to have a nickname unless their names were already short enough to escape it. It was a little strange. I do have to say that with such a large cast of characters, I thought that Deonn did a good job keeping the characters and the personalities distinct, although I did sometimes mix up some of the smaller Knights and Vassals. I connected best with Sel, though hoo boy does he need to get hooked up with Bree's therapist. He was a DICK for a good two thirds of this book, but he starts to really get a grip by the end.
Ultimately, for a debut book, it was good. I don't think it's something I'm likely to reread, but a lot of others have found joy in it and I'm glad of that. I will happily pass this book on to another reader who is interested in reading the legend of Brianna Matthews.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Death of parent, Death, Racism, Slavery, and Racial slurs
danysgirl's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
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
shaynicole's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Sexism, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual violence, Rape, Forced institutionalization, and Slavery
adalinemccormick's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Violence, Car accident, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Gore, Gaslighting, Grief, Mental illness, and Racism
Moderate: Slavery, Rape, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, and Physical abuse
heggoandhoggo's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I enjoyed some of this book. However I found the main character to be arrogant and selfish. She was hypocritical and thought she knew best in situations she really didn’t. She forced the love interest into uncomfortable situations and was downright rude.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Grief
Minor: Homophobia
This book does depict grief. And I believe it does this well. It also portrays racism in moderate and explicit circumstances.bzliz's review against another edition
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
I waited a long time to read this because people spoke so highly of it and I was worried it couldn’t possibly live up to the hype. I’m so delighted to say I had nothing to worry about because it exceeded my expectations in every way.
I immediately fell in love with Bree and I wanted nothing but good things for her. I’ve never been hugely into Arthurian legend but I enjoyed the dip into that world in a modern context and I was completely engrossed in every twist she encountered. The beautiful balance between aether and root was so cool and Bree’s journey to learn both paths was so fun.
The biggest compliment I can give is that I want to immediately dive into Bloodmarked but I need to give it a few days so I don’t get them confused with each other.
I immediately fell in love with Bree and I wanted nothing but good things for her. I’ve never been hugely into Arthurian legend but I enjoyed the dip into that world in a modern context and I was completely engrossed in every twist she encountered. The beautiful balance between aether and root was so cool and Bree’s journey to learn both paths was so fun.
The biggest compliment I can give is that I want to immediately dive into Bloodmarked but I need to give it a few days so I don’t get them confused with each other.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, War, Death, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Violence, Sexism, Vomit, and Grief
Moderate: Kidnapping and Slavery
Minor: Car accident, Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Rape
Child abuse (off page):bgoodbookclub's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
4.5
These books have been on my shelf for a long time and I've always heard great things and wanted to read them so I finally did! 2024 is turning out to be my fantasy year so it felt like the right time.
These books are pretty in depth with a lot of details but I didn't feel lost at any point. Deonn does a great job of weaving everything together so that any questions you had were intentionally left unanswered and then resolved later.
The racial aspect of this book is woven in so well and is unlike what I've seen in other books which really stood out to me. I loved the way the author intentionally used the terminology of root (as explained in the author's note).
I am very excited to read the next book in this series!
These books are pretty in depth with a lot of details but I didn't feel lost at any point. Deonn does a great job of weaving everything together so that any questions you had were intentionally left unanswered and then resolved later.
The racial aspect of this book is woven in so well and is unlike what I've seen in other books which really stood out to me. I loved the way the author intentionally used the terminology of root (as explained in the author's note).
I am very excited to read the next book in this series!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Grief, and Slavery
Minor: Death of parent