Hello Romantics! Today I’m excited to bring you a review for a super hyped book: Legendborn by Tracy Deonn! This book was so hyped by the book community last year, and I put it on my TBR, but decided to pick it up this February.
I tend to be hesitant when reading hyped books, as I’ve had a track record of being let down by them in the past. However, this one turned out to be a wonderful surprise! I’m beyond glad I picked this one up. Without further ado, let’s dive on in!
“Don’t make your life about the loss. Make it about the love.”
Summary
After losing her mother in an accident, Bree Mathews finds herself following in her steps at her alma mater. But Bree soon discovers that the campus abounds in secrets – and so did her mother. With the help of a charming golden boy, and with the threats of a dark Merlin bearing down her back, Bree searches for the answers to her mother’s death, and the strange powers blooming in herself.
Review
It’s been a while since I’ve read a YA contemporary fantasy – the last that comes to mind is when I was binging the Shadowhunters books years ago. I’d gotten a bit tired of this subset of fantasy, but I decided to give it a try with Legendborn – and I absolutely do not regret it!
Legendborn combines the demon hunting of Shadowhunters with the glamor and prestige of classic Arthuriana in a fantastic addition to the lore of King Arthur and his knights. The Knights of the Round Table have been fighting demons for centuries, with magic and power bound within their bloodlines, all the way to the modern day. They work in a secret society, the Order of the Round Table, using aether to create magical weapons and armor, and to keep their mission secret from the ‘onceborn’ humans with mesmers.
As a ‘onceborn’ herself, Bree has no idea about any of this until she stumbles into the world of magic by accident. Bree is a young, intelligent Black girl in early admissions college at her mother’s alma mater, battling her grief and trauma. She absolutely does not need to be stumbling into secret societies and demon wars, but with the discovery of her own unexpected ability to see aether and demons, it’s extremely difficult to avoid. The discovery of a Merlin – one of the order’s sorcerers – mesmering her memories in the hospital after her mother’s death makes avoiding it even more difficult.
Bree decides to infiltrate the Order of the Round Table with the help of Nick, a high-ranked member of the order, to search for answers to her mother’s death. Bree must compete to become a Paige, facing off against peers that have had their whole lives to train for this moment. As the only Black individual in the Order, Bree also faces against discrimination from other contestants and senior members.
The plot is full of intense action sequences, but does fall prey to some young adult tropes. There was insta-love between Bree and her main love interest, but also a love triangle at the same time. And while I did predict the climax, I also really enjoyed being right on that front.
There’s ample fascinating worldbuilding in this book, but a lot is thrown at you early and fast with minimal explanation. This makes it rather confusing, with a lot of terminoligy, and names in Welsh with minimal guidance of pronunciation. Adding onto this dilema, the characters think Bree should already have a base understanding when she doesn’t. While this keeps the first-person reading experience on level with Bree’s knowledge, it does create some confusion and frustration until Bree gains further understanding of the history and workings of magic in the world.
The magic system itself was wonderful. With roots in Africa and traditionally being practiced by Black women, it creates a discussion of colonialism and cultural appropriation. Bree learning about her own family history through this magic was both beautiful and heartbreaking.
I really liked Bree’s character. She’s hard-headed and strong, and willing to stand up for herself and her beliefs. Her tenacity in pursuing the truth behind her mother’s death was at times painful to witness, particularly in the moments when her grief overwhelmed her, but I also admired her strength, even if it was forged in hard circumstances.
I enjoyed most of the characters in the book, actually! Nick is the charming and sweet golden boy, and a wonderful love interest. Sel is dark and broody (and probably my favorite – what can I say, I have a type). Bree’s onceborn friend, Alice, also seemed like a cool character, though she had some of the least development of the side characters.
Though a bit predictable, I had a wonderful time reading this book, and it reminded me of all the reasons I adore the fantasy genre: the magic, the splendor, the excitement. I absolutely loved Legendborn and am really looking forward to reading the sequel and seeing how Bree’s story ends!
5 stars!
Bookish Romantics 