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A review by maisierosereads
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
5.0
I listened to the audiobook of Legendborn on Scribd - click here for a 60 day free trial if you want to listen too!
I absolutely loved this book. The kind of love that only grew with each passing chapter, and left me desperate for the sequel before I'd even heard the last sentence. If it wasn't for my day job, I could have probably listened to the whole book in one or two sittings without complaint.
Legendborn is a beautifully and emotively told story of Black Girl Magic (and much, much more) with some of the best worldbuilding I've ever seen in contemporary magical realism. The way Tracy Deonn weaved together this diverse cast of characters, their backstories, their relationships, their ancestral histories, the history of the university, the history of two separate magic systems, real life history, trauma... I'm not going to be over it for a long time, if ever, and I'm absolutely okay with that.
Specifically in terms of the audiobook: Joniece Abbott-Pratt is a hugely talented narrator, and reads with such intense emotion. The only possible thing I could fault her on is the English accent she puts on for one of the side characters, but in the scheme of things that didn't bother me all that much. I can't personally speak to the accuracy of her pronunciation when it comes to the Cymraeg phrases but I love that Tracy Deonn included these as part of the culture of the Legendborn.
I highly recommend Legendborn to any fans of magical realism, Arthurian legend, contemporary fantasy, and excellent writing in general. The fact that Legendborn is a debut is truly astounding - I can't wait to see Tracy Deonn's future work!
I absolutely loved this book. The kind of love that only grew with each passing chapter, and left me desperate for the sequel before I'd even heard the last sentence. If it wasn't for my day job, I could have probably listened to the whole book in one or two sittings without complaint.
Legendborn is a beautifully and emotively told story of Black Girl Magic (and much, much more) with some of the best worldbuilding I've ever seen in contemporary magical realism. The way Tracy Deonn weaved together this diverse cast of characters, their backstories, their relationships, their ancestral histories, the history of the university, the history of two separate magic systems, real life history, trauma... I'm not going to be over it for a long time, if ever, and I'm absolutely okay with that.
Specifically in terms of the audiobook: Joniece Abbott-Pratt is a hugely talented narrator, and reads with such intense emotion. The only possible thing I could fault her on is the English accent she puts on for one of the side characters, but in the scheme of things that didn't bother me all that much. I can't personally speak to the accuracy of her pronunciation when it comes to the Cymraeg phrases but I love that Tracy Deonn included these as part of the culture of the Legendborn.
I highly recommend Legendborn to any fans of magical realism, Arthurian legend, contemporary fantasy, and excellent writing in general. The fact that Legendborn is a debut is truly astounding - I can't wait to see Tracy Deonn's future work!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, and Car accident