A review by webtheweeb
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

This book is simultaneously a love letter to the YA fantasy so many of us grew up reading and an insightful, subversive, searing critique of it. I LOVED it. Deonn is one of so many authors in the YA field today making the genre what it always should have been. I’m so grateful that she’s shared her deeply personal story with the world.

This book is one of several in recent years that’s bringing me back into the fold of YA with open arms. There’s still new stuff happening here!!!!
AND ALSO THERE ARE LOVE TRIANGLES THAT WILL MAKE YOU SCREAM A LITTLE WHILE YOU’RE READING THIS BOOK IN PUBLIC BY THE POOL. Not that that was my personal experience or anything. But oh my goodness - I liked this book before Bree and Sel became an option, but AFTER???? Immediately in my favorites tag. Nick was fine, but I found him pretty boring. SEL, though? YES. That’s what I was waiting for! Or better yet, a throuple even! I want to continue this series to see what happens with the war and everything, but a large portion of it is seeing if Bree will finally dump Nick LMAO. Also it helps that all her options fall into my favorite trope of two-people-are-in-love-but-is-it-just-because-they’re-fated-to-be-entwined-or-do-they-really-love-each-other. Incredible.

The plot twists in this book were also top tier. Looooved the high stakes of the final battle; looooooved the appearance of the goruchel that completely caught me off guard. The slow, painstaking reveal of Bree’s powers was done with such care and consideration. The way that the King Arthur bloodline society was chipped at little by little until its blatant white supremacy was plain was horrifying and also done with extreme care and smarts.
 This was just a very, very interesting take and subversion of the typical “girl discovers at 16 that she has secret powers and enters a world hidden from view that she’s never known” story, and I’m thankful to have read it. 10/10 would recommend.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings