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A review by kat_mayerovitch
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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
5.0
I stayed up WAY too late finishing this book because I had to know what happened, so that should tell you how I feel about it. Contemporary YA fantasy is not my preferred genre, but I'm not the intended audience, so I don't hold any of the usual tropes against it. We've got our mysterious powers, our dead mother, our clueless but well-meaning best friend, our hunky knight in shining armor, and what appears to be the set-up for some kind of love triangle in the next book. There's even a ballgown, because why not? Not gonna remove a star just because I've outgrown some tropes made for teens.
On to the stuff that DID interest me: a fresh take on the King Arthur legends that address some of the problematic aspects of it. Teens dealing with incredibly realistic problems while also managing magical ones. Characters jumping to logical but incorrect conclusions and admitting it when they learn better. The fact that magic, like anything else, would undoubtedly be divided by race and class just like everything else in the world.
Pretty psyched to read the sequel, I can't wait to find out what happens next.
On to the stuff that DID interest me: a fresh take on the King Arthur legends that address some of the problematic aspects of it. Teens dealing with incredibly realistic problems while also managing magical ones. Characters jumping to logical but incorrect conclusions and admitting it when they learn better. The fact that magic, like anything else, would undoubtedly be divided by race and class just like everything else in the world.
Pretty psyched to read the sequel, I can't wait to find out what happens next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Slavery and Violence
Minor: Rape and Transphobia