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m4rtt4's review against another edition
- 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
2.5
The world-building was quite poorly done, it took me ages to understand how the magical system works. There were so many words in Welsh that weren't translated, even Welsh creatures whose appearances still remain a mystery to me. There were too many fighting scenes for my taste, and I'm not sensitive to violence or injuries — I just don't give a fuck about who hit whom and when and how. Neither did I like the romantic aspects of the story; why must every female YA protagonist always have a love interest? Also I was promised a (boarding) school setting, but everything academic was slowly disposed of as the plot thickened :(
Positive aspects of the book would be its natural diversity in characters, the existence of Selwyn (my favourite character <3) and the subplot about Rootcraft and Bree's family history. I really wish the book had focused more on that, based on the short scenes I am already way more interested in Rootcraft than I ever could be in King Arthur and his knights' descendants. Applause to Deonn for creating such an original fantasy experience, I find it so unfortunate I wasn't able to enjoy it. I really wanted to :(
(tbh I have no idea why I listened through the whole 18 hours despite thinking about DNFing literally every half an hour. guess I really had my hopes up for nothing..)
Graphic: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Violence, Death, Grief, and Medical content
Moderate: Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Car accident, Rape, Mental illness, and Slavery
fivecatsinacoat's review
- 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? No
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Slavery, Bullying, Medical content, Physical abuse, Racism, Classism, Death of parent, Racial slurs, Violence, Blood, Colonisation, Body horror, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Pregnancy, Car accident, and Rape
hailslynn'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: Grief, Death of parent, Death, Violence, and Racism
Moderate: Colonisation, Classism, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Blood, Medical content, Slavery, Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, and Police brutality
woolgathering_jane's review against another edition
- 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
“Love is a powerful thing, more powerful than blood, although both run through us like a river.”
The story was trying to do so much. The author was trying to fit so many themes into it. It felt like it had... too much plot? It got to a point when I'd be second-hand stressed for Bree because she had far too much on her plate. The chapters were so long. And still, nobody, including me, could catch a damn break.
And still.
Even all these issues couldn't distract me from how important this story is. As a white person living in a predominantly white country, Bree's point of view was such a new way to see the world, not only because of her race but also because of her loss. Not to say she was unrelatable (as many white readers like to talk about POC heroes), but I actually found more of myself in her than I thought I would. If it weren't for all the problems mentioned above, I would be running around recommending this book to everyone.
But alas, this wasn't a story for me. But please, still give it a chance. I don't regret reading it (at all!), and I even considered buying the second book solely to support the writer haha
Graphic: Death of parent, Racism, Grief, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Car accident, Medical content, Colonisation, Death, Slavery, and Misogyny
Minor: Murder, Rape, and Pregnancy
happilyeveralli'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Death of parent, Grief, Violence, and War
Moderate: Medical content, Kidnapping, Sexism, Misogyny, and Slavery
Minor: Rape
lovebugger'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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Car accident, Gore, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Grief, Racism, War, Violence, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Medical content, and Misogyny
destynee'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Violence, and Racism
Moderate: Blood, Cursing, and Medical content
Minor: Body horror, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, and Vomit
jenmcreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: War, Racial slurs, Violence, Slavery, and Racism
Moderate: Sexism, Rape, Torture, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Medical content, Grief, Death, Hate crime, Gore, Death of parent, and Car accident
Minor: 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
bootsmom3'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: Car accident, Classism, Cursing, Animal death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death of parent, Grief, Racism, and Death
Moderate: Sexism, War, Medical content, Misogyny, Racial slurs, and Murder
Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, and Slavery