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mae_dexter_author's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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 audiobook was absolutely amazing! I was never a huge fan of the legend of King Arthur. But WOW this audiobook changed that for sure. There is so much going on in this story it’s hard to talk about without spoiling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Grief, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Racism, and Racial slurs
Minor: Rape and Slavery
emma6544's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
tense
fast-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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, and Racism
Moderate: Racial slurs, Slavery, War, Medical content, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Bullying
risaleel's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Racism, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Classism, Gaslighting, Racial slurs, and Murder
Minor: Slavery, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, and War
smileypers0n's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Death of parent, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Death, Kidnapping, Cursing, Car accident, Colonisation, Grief, Hate crime, and Slavery
vermidian's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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
3.0
This is a spoiler free review.
I would like to preface this review by saying that I thought the voice of the writer was excellent and her criticism of how white society has treated and continues to treat people is valid and important. As someone who lives in North Carolina, it was interesting to know the setting to some extent, though I didn't attend that particular college.
I also feel like I need to say that I don't particularly love Arthurian mythology. It's fun I guess? I've just never been into it but I keep wanting to find something that will draw me into the world of it in such a way that I find it enjoyable. This book was not it.
I also feel it is very vital to point out that a lot of this book deals with the trauma that the main character faces in her first two weeks of attending college, right after the death of her mother in a hit and run accident. She almost immediately gets wrapped up in a magical society of Arthurian blood purists, meaning every other page she's having to deal with the trauma of constant microaggressions and slurs. Please be advised going into this that this trauma is a constant presence throughout the book. Mostly that trauma is what Bree is facing, but there are other traumas present as well, such as how Nick and Sel were raised by a terrible parental figure, or what happened to Nick's mom. It can be a lot at times, so if you're looking for a lighter read, I would put this one down a little further on your TBR. Even the ending felt like a microaggression in itself, though I can't say a whole lot more or I'll hit true spoiler territory. There is also very little in the way of moments of joy in this book. The whole book felt very tense to me.
I thought the integration of the Arthurian world into a modern college campus was interesting, though the constant infodumping left me reeling a lot of times. And even after all that infodumping, I still don't feel like I have a solid grasp on a lot of it. Some might be that Bree just didn't get told all of it because a lot of the characters view her as an outsider. Regardless, it wasn't as polished as I'd hoped for. That being said, for this being a debut novel, it's still pretty decent. I think this is a skill Tracy Deonn will likely develop as she grows as a writer, and I look forward to that.
Tracy Deonn's writing is, by the way, beautiful. I love the way, she describes things. The metaphors, the descriptors, the almost tangible quality of the feelings she puts into the writing makes you feel how much she really loved this book and these characters as she wrote them. There's a poetry to her phrasing that is absolutely lovely.
One thing I noticed that took me out of the story a little was that most of the characters of Bree's generation seemed to have a nickname unless their names were already short enough to escape it. It was a little strange. I do have to say that with such a large cast of characters, I thought that Deonn did a good job keeping the characters and the personalities distinct, although I did sometimes mix up some of the smaller Knights and Vassals. I connected best with Sel, though hoo boy does he need to get hooked up with Bree's therapist. He was a DICK for a good two thirds of this book, but he starts to really get a grip by the end.
Ultimately, for a debut book, it was good. I don't think it's something I'm likely to reread, but a lot of others have found joy in it and I'm glad of that. I will happily pass this book on to another reader who is interested in reading the legend of Brianna Matthews.
I would like to preface this review by saying that I thought the voice of the writer was excellent and her criticism of how white society has treated and continues to treat people is valid and important. As someone who lives in North Carolina, it was interesting to know the setting to some extent, though I didn't attend that particular college.
I also feel like I need to say that I don't particularly love Arthurian mythology. It's fun I guess? I've just never been into it but I keep wanting to find something that will draw me into the world of it in such a way that I find it enjoyable. This book was not it.
I also feel it is very vital to point out that a lot of this book deals with the trauma that the main character faces in her first two weeks of attending college, right after the death of her mother in a hit and run accident. She almost immediately gets wrapped up in a magical society of Arthurian blood purists, meaning every other page she's having to deal with the trauma of constant microaggressions and slurs. Please be advised going into this that this trauma is a constant presence throughout the book. Mostly that trauma is what Bree is facing, but there are other traumas present as well, such as how Nick and Sel were raised by a terrible parental figure, or what happened to Nick's mom. It can be a lot at times, so if you're looking for a lighter read, I would put this one down a little further on your TBR. Even the ending felt like a microaggression in itself, though I can't say a whole lot more or I'll hit true spoiler territory. There is also very little in the way of moments of joy in this book. The whole book felt very tense to me.
I thought the integration of the Arthurian world into a modern college campus was interesting, though the constant infodumping left me reeling a lot of times. And even after all that infodumping, I still don't feel like I have a solid grasp on a lot of it. Some might be that Bree just didn't get told all of it because a lot of the characters view her as an outsider. Regardless, it wasn't as polished as I'd hoped for. That being said, for this being a debut novel, it's still pretty decent. I think this is a skill Tracy Deonn will likely develop as she grows as a writer, and I look forward to that.
Tracy Deonn's writing is, by the way, beautiful. I love the way, she describes things. The metaphors, the descriptors, the almost tangible quality of the feelings she puts into the writing makes you feel how much she really loved this book and these characters as she wrote them. There's a poetry to her phrasing that is absolutely lovely.
One thing I noticed that took me out of the story a little was that most of the characters of Bree's generation seemed to have a nickname unless their names were already short enough to escape it. It was a little strange. I do have to say that with such a large cast of characters, I thought that Deonn did a good job keeping the characters and the personalities distinct, although I did sometimes mix up some of the smaller Knights and Vassals. I connected best with Sel, though hoo boy does he need to get hooked up with Bree's therapist. He was a DICK for a good two thirds of this book, but he starts to really get a grip by the end.
Ultimately, for a debut book, it was good. I don't think it's something I'm likely to reread, but a lot of others have found joy in it and I'm glad of that. I will happily pass this book on to another reader who is interested in reading the legend of Brianna Matthews.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Death of parent, Death, Racism, Slavery, and Racial slurs
klsreads's review against another edition
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? It's complicated
5.0
God-tier. An absolutely perfect debut. This book made me cry so hard, and I loved every minute of it. I loved the characters and their relationships (don't talk to me about Bree and her mom). There are non-tokenized queer and nonbinary characters and a bisexual male love interest (!!!!!!!). It reckons with grief, racial trauma, colonization, and the premature deaths of Black folks in America. It meditates on history, who is remembered, and what it means to be cut off from ancestral knowledge and power (literally and figuratively). It mythologizes and reckons with real racial struggles and white supremacy.The magic system is so unique and fun. Sprint to get this book. Tracy Deonn is unbelievably talented, and I will read whatever she writes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Grief, Kidnapping, Violence, Bullying, Colonisation, Death of parent, Mental illness, Murder, War, and Blood
Moderate: Medical content, Car accident, Rape, Alcohol, Torture, Classism, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Hate crime, Infidelity, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, and Body horror
Minor: Police brutality, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Vomit
gcjay1994's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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
5.0
One of those books where I smack myself in the head for not reading it sooner
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Slavery, Bullying, Mental illness, Classism, Racial slurs, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, and Violence
bookishspy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
4.5
Legendborn is a solid and exciting YA read!
I had a lot of people recommend this story to me over the past year, and after finally reading it, I'm actually regretting not getting around to it sooner!
Bree is such a perfect main character. She is fun, smart, and has such a deep and real personality. She's not perfect and also had a temper when it was called for. She didn't just always let things slide right off her back as some might’ve. Her strength was the standout here.
Nick is such a sweet guy and always had Bree's back. I love that he had a little rebellious streak, but he knew when it was time to put that aside. He did surprise me with one of the fights where he hit someone who he knew was not allowed to hit him back, and that left me wondering if he might be a bit darker than he seems. The romance with him was perfect, just a little flirty and cheeky. It was super cute, but he clearly has a jealous streak.
Sel seems endgame to me. He has the dark and mysterious thing going on, plus a bit of that forbidden charm. He's also deeper than he first appears to be, and he seems to have a bit of a cheeky streak as well. I really want more of him.
While it is not heavy on romance and is more fantasy with a side of romance, the love triangle is certainly triangling, and it is hitting the spot. The jealous moments and then working together despite it, just perfect.
Now, if we get to the actual story, I will say this wasn't a perfect score for me, but it was close! The only thing that dragged down this story was how confusing the names and places got at times. We were thrown a lot of names and expected to remember who was who and where was where. I was winging it a lot of the time, and because of that, the bad guy reveal just didn't hit as hard as it should have.
Despite that, this was so unique and exciting! It was also heartbreaking and hard to read at times that involved heavy doses of racism and sexism. Sometimes, I wanted to climb in this book and yell at some of these characters for their bigotry, which is a testimony to how well written this story was. I was enthralled and binged this as fast as I could, and I think I'll move immediately to the next book in the series.
I would highly recommend this fantasy book!
➛ 𝟒.𝟓 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬
I had a lot of people recommend this story to me over the past year, and after finally reading it, I'm actually regretting not getting around to it sooner!
Bree is such a perfect main character. She is fun, smart, and has such a deep and real personality. She's not perfect and also had a temper when it was called for. She didn't just always let things slide right off her back as some might’ve. Her strength was the standout here.
Nick is such a sweet guy and always had Bree's back. I love that he had a little rebellious streak, but he knew when it was time to put that aside. He did surprise me with one of the fights where he hit someone who he knew was not allowed to hit him back, and that left me wondering if he might be a bit darker than he seems. The romance with him was perfect, just a little flirty and cheeky. It was super cute, but he clearly has a jealous streak.
Sel seems endgame to me. He has the dark and mysterious thing going on, plus a bit of that forbidden charm. He's also deeper than he first appears to be, and he seems to have a bit of a cheeky streak as well. I really want more of him.
While it is not heavy on romance and is more fantasy with a side of romance, the love triangle is certainly triangling, and it is hitting the spot. The jealous moments and then working together despite it, just perfect.
Now, if we get to the actual story, I will say this wasn't a perfect score for me, but it was close! The only thing that dragged down this story was how confusing the names and places got at times. We were thrown a lot of names and expected to remember who was who and where was where. I was winging it a lot of the time, and because of that, the bad guy reveal just didn't hit as hard as it should have.
Despite that, this was so unique and exciting! It was also heartbreaking and hard to read at times that involved heavy doses of racism and sexism. Sometimes, I wanted to climb in this book and yell at some of these characters for their bigotry, which is a testimony to how well written this story was. I was enthralled and binged this as fast as I could, and I think I'll move immediately to the next book in the series.
I would highly recommend this fantasy book!
➛ 𝟒.𝟓 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Death, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Sexism, Mental illness, Death of parent, Slavery, Panic attacks/disorders, Colonisation, and Car accident
Minor: Kidnapping, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Sexism, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Bullying, Car accident, Racial slurs, and Cursing
nikki_flowers's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Slavery, Death of parent, Misogyny, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Medical content, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Violence, Sexism, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Racial slurs, and Rape
kteliza28's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
4.0
This book has fantastic plot points: A secret magic world hidden in plain sight with historical fiction ties. A POC lead on a mission to solve a great mystery, learning about herself and her ancestors struggles in a racially divided state while also dealing with present day racism as a young black woman.
There’s so much going on in this book that sometimes you can get a bit lost. There’s so much battle that sometimes the descriptions of the action in this ginormous world get a little scattered. Even still, the book was fantastic and I felt it fairly easy to follow the system of the magic world and the hierarchy.
The romance was light- very YA. Which left more focus on the issues at hand in the book, making it way more action packed and story driven than romance. Tons of twists and turns. A little chaotic and hard to follow/overdone at the end but overall a great read.
There’s so much going on in this book that sometimes you can get a bit lost. There’s so much battle that sometimes the descriptions of the action in this ginormous world get a little scattered. Even still, the book was fantastic and I felt it fairly easy to follow the system of the magic world and the hierarchy.
The romance was light- very YA. Which left more focus on the issues at hand in the book, making it way more action packed and story driven than romance. Tons of twists and turns. A little chaotic and hard to follow/overdone at the end but overall a great read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Death, Racial slurs, Gore, and Death of parent