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A review by naturally
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
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? It's complicated
4.75
TRACY DEONN YOU WILL ALWAYS BE FAMOUS!!!
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 i scream i scrumpt when sel confessed he used to be in love with nick!!!!
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Sexism, Death of parent, Classism, Blood, Death, Grief, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: War and Car accident
Minor: Racial slurs, Rape, and Infidelity