Who Would Like This Book:
Legendborn is a fresh, exciting twist on the King Arthur legend with a powerhouse Black heroine at its heart. The book blends gripping magic, secret societies, Southern history, and real emotional stakes around grief and identity. Tracy Deonn's worldbuilding is vivid and the characters - Bree especially - are complex and easy to root for. If you love urban fantasy with deep themes, unexpected plot twists, and a diverse cast (think City of Bones or Vampire Academy, but smarter and more inclusive), this one’s for you - teens and adults alike.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Some readers struggled with the dense world-building and found the magic system a bit confusing, especially early on. If you’re not a fan of love triangles, YA tropes, or stories packed with fantasy jargon and exposition, you might get frustrated. And if you’re looking for a pure Arthurian retelling set in the UK, the American college setting and modern cultural mashup might not click for you.
About:
In "Legendborn," Tracy Deonn creates a modern retelling of the Arthurian legend intertwined with Rootwork magic. The story follows Briana Matthews, who, after the sudden death of her mother, discovers a hidden world of magic and secrets at UNC Chapel Hill. As Bree delves into the Order of the Round Table, she uncovers manipulated memories, faces challenges of grief and racial issues, and navigates the complexities of a secret society tied to her mother's death. With compelling characters, intricate world-building, and a blend of Arthurian folklore and contemporary themes, the book explores themes of loss, strength, and the power of knowing one's history.
The book is praised for its well-crafted plot that gradually builds tension and intrigue, leading readers on a captivating journey filled with action, magic, and emotional depth. Tracy Deonn's writing style is described as balanced, engaging, and thought-provoking, seamlessly weaving together elements of Arthurian legends, magic systems, and social issues to create a unique and immersive reading experience.
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Tropes/Plot Devices:
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Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include themes of grief, discussions of racism, loss of a parent, and instances of violence.
Has Romance?
The book features a moderate level of romantic elements, with a focus on the complexities of relationships amidst personal struggles.
From The Publisher:
An Instant New York Times Bestseller!
Winner of the Coretta Scott King - John Steptoe for New Talent Author Award
Filled with mystery and an intriguingly rich magic system, Tracy Deonn's YA contemporary fantasy Legendborn offers the dark allure of City of Bones with a modern-day twist on a classic legend and a lot of Southern Black Girl Magic.
After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC-Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape-until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.
A flying demon feeding on human energies.
A secret society of so called "Legendborn" students that hunt the creatures down.
And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a "Merlin" and who attempts-and fails-to wipe Bree's memory of everything she saw.
The mage's failure unlocks Bree's own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there's more to her mother's death than what's on the police report, she'll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.
She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society's secrets-and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur's knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she'll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down-or join the fight.
Ratings (110)
Incredible (35) | |
Loved It (31) | |
Liked It (25) | |
It Was OK (10) | |
Did Not Like (5) | |
Hated It (4) |
Reader Stats (386):
Read It (114) | |
Currently Reading (5) | |
Want To Read (202) | |
Did Not Finish (15) | |
Not Interested (50) |
8 comment(s)
DNF. Slow pace, telling vs showing. Girl whose mom died goes to pre-college summer camp and finds out about magic.
This book was amazing. It was an impulse read, but I am so glad I read it. I never would have seen the ending coming.
Seriously, such a good read. I loved the premise. Very unique. There were great quotes describing grief. Quite a few surprises too! This is a new favorite and I will be anxiously awaiting the next installment!
This was a reread. Previously tried to listen to this as an audiobook but couldn't get into the story. I found it very hard to rate. While I can see why it has overwhelming amounts of high ratings it didn't quite work for me as well as it did for many others. It's well written and very great imagination. But I had hard times getting into the story and the world, might be because I'm not a huge fantasy reader. I liked the play of the Arthur legend even though I didn't fully grasp it. I really enjoyed the characters though, thought they were well rounded and interesting to read about.
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I really thought I would love this as it has so many things that tick my boxes but I just can't get into the story. Might try again in a different time but for now it's a DNF.
It was pretty good haven't read the second book in the series though I do want to
I truly cannot say enough good things about this book. I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy it at first, because it’s not something I’d typically read, but I was quickly sucked into the plot. From the commentary on racism to the amazing character development, this book is an easy 5 stars.
4.5*
The plot and main characters are great. Love our heroine and her journey.
Every single side character is named like they're important. The magic system is needlessly convoluted. It's cluttered.
What can you read after
Legendborn?
About the Author:
Tracy Deonn is the New York Times bestselling and Coretta Scott King - John Steptoe Award winning author of Legendborn, and a second-generation fangirl. She grew up in central North Carolina, where she devoured fantasy books and Southern food in equal measure. After earning her bachelor's and master's degrees in communication and performance studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Tracy worked in live theater, video game production, and K-12 education. When she's not writing, Tracy speaks on panels at science fiction and fantasy conventions, reads fanfic, arranges puppy playdates, and keeps an eye out for ginger-flavored everything. She can be found on Twitter at @TracyDeonn and at TracyDeonn.com.
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