SOME LEGACIES ARE MEANT TO BE BROKEN.
"I love the feeling of a magical world existing just beneath the surface of our own and this story gave me everything I wanted: incredible characters, ancient lore and secret societies – all grounded in our very real, very flawed world . . ." –Leigh Bardugo, author of Shadow and Bone
An explosive fantasy debut that is taking TikTok by storm. Perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, Leigh Bardugo, Sarah J. Maas and Cinderella is Dead!
Filled with mystery and Southern Black Girl Magic, Tracy Deonn’s New York Times bestselling Legendborn offers the dark allure of City of Bones with a modern-day twist on a classic legend . . .
After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants to escape. A residential programme for bright high-schoolers seems like the perfect opportunity – until she witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus . . .
A flying demon feeding on human energies.
A secret society of so-called “Legendborn” that hunt the creatures down.
A mysterious 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 about her mother. Now Bree will do whatever it takes to discover the truth, even infiltrate the Legendborn. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and foretell a magical war, Bree must decide how far she’ll go for the truth. Should she use her magic to take the society down – or join the fight?
Winner of the Coretta Scott King – John Steptoe for New Talent Author Award, and a New York Times bestseller!
This book contains death of a parent and grief, slavery, rape, and a post-whipping scene.
Legendborn is narrated in first person by Bree, a sixteen-year-old Black girl who is discovering the magic within her.
The book is set at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where Bree and her best friend Alice have been accepted into the Early College program.
Bree knows something was weird about her mother's death and she believes an Arthurian secret society on campus holds the answers. She manages to get sponsored as a page, and tries to find the answers. Instead she discovers her mother's secrets and their family history, while fighting demons and preparing for an upcoming war.
Legendborn is definitely unique! It combines Arthurian legend with folkmagic, which is something I've never read before. Bree is also a no nonsense type of heroine and isn't shy to go after what she wants. And what she wants is answers and revenge!
My one complaint about Legendborn was the worldbuilding. Whenever Bree is learning something new about the secret society and their mission, it comes in the form of page long info-dumps. A bunch of names and definitions are thrown at us and it's not very interesting. In fact, that whole thing is quite convoluted and confusing. I like what the author was doing, but it just wasn't presented in a way that worked for me.
However, whenever Bree was learning about her Rootcraft and family history it was done in a more showing rather than telling way. She's actually shown what their magic can do while it's being explained. This mainly takes place in the form of a type of time travel and possession! It was really cool. I enjoyed how Rootcraft was firmly rooted in African American history. It wasn't just a Black version of the white character's magic. It was its own system passed down through families.
The last quarter of Legendborn was much better than the middle section. The tension and action finally ramp up. We know what's going on and it's time to just do it! There was a super fun plot twist that I didn't see coming, and it has me excited to read more.
Legendborn, written by Tracy Doenn, is a combination of epic fantasy, YA contemporary fantasy, and so much more. I can now understand why people have been talking nonstop about this novel.
Bree Matthews had a plan. She was to apply to UNC, as part of their high school program, and attend alongside her best friend. While the plan didn't change, her entire world did. The death of her mother split her life into two halves; the before, and the after.
As if that wasn't enough to deal with, there is more going on at UNC than meets the eye. Something that Bree is forced to acknowledge and handle, as her heritage and power comes to the forefront in response to all the magic and danger lingering in the air.
“Power taken and not returned incurs a debt. And the universe, and the debt, will always come to collect, one way or another.”
Legendborn is an amazing read, simply put. It captivated me from that very first paragraph, as refused to let go of my mind. Even having finished reading it, it still feels like I'm a captive audience. And I likely will be, until Bree's story comes to its proper conclusion.
There is just so much to love about Legendborn. From the way it is written, to all of the different elements woven into Bree's story. It's breathtaking, and absolutely full to the brim of surprises. Seriously, it felt like each chapter sent me reeling – but in a good way.
“Don't make your life about the loss. Make it about the love.”
The story weaves in Arthurian legend in a way that I have never seen before. It's fascinating and brilliant, and opened the world (and lore) to a whole new level. Not all of it was kind (to the legend, that is), and honestly, that made it feel even more at home here.
Bree's story is enchanting, and I cannot get enough of it. While this novel may actually be over five hundred pages, it passed in what felt like a blink of an eye for me. This is an imaginative and creative world, and I cannot thank Tracy Deonn enough for having created it.
Please, please, please, tell me that I'm not the only one out there eagerly awaiting any and all news about the sequel. I cannot wait to see how Legendborn continues after that seriously intense conclusion. I'm waiting on baited breathe.
Check out more reviews from Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Some truths only tragedy can teach.
