Review: Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
Overview:
Rating: 5 out of 5.
THIS BOOK! Say hello to my first five-star read of 2021! It’s got superb pacing, all the best YA fantasy tropes (but presented in a new way), and complex relationships! I recommend it to everyone and anyone.
Content Warning:
Legendborn contains familial death, grief, racism, transphobia, references to slavery, references to sexual assault, mild gore, and profanity.
Book Description:
Legendborn is a YA fantasy. Bree is a teenager who recently lost her mother. After leaving home to start an early college program, she witnesses a magical attack and is thrust into a world where the reincarnations of King Arthur and his Knights fight demons. Her entanglement with these so-called Legendborn may not be a coincidence, though. It appears that her family’s past — and the death of her mom — might be tied to the activities of their secret society. Only by joining them will she find answers.
On the Pacing and Emotional Journey of the Book:
Legendborn is the rare one book in a hundred that captured my attention on the very first page and never let go of it. There was no awkward “getting to know you” phase with this read. Deonn begins with a striking scene in which the main character, Bree, is processing the news that her mom just died. Her grief is a raw and gripping start to a well-balanced emotional journey (“My mother’s life has stopped. Shouldn’t everything and everyone stop living too?” — talk about an opening chapter). After this point, we see Bree in various stages of personal development: fighting with her best friend over recent behavior, having a heart-to-heart with her father, falling for a cute guy and experiencing the magic of first love, etc. Each of these moments carried a different tone, but the transitions from one another were stitched together well and supported the story as a whole. As a reader, witnessing these different phases of the human experience presented with such a natural flow, I never felt bored.
On the Book as a YA Novel:
The best part of reading the young adult genre is experiencing the comfort and excitement of literary tropes. On this end, Legendborn does not disappoint. The book provides a protective soft-boy prince, a potential love triangle, a magical system rooted in secret societies, and so much more. Beyond just the well-written delivery of these beloved fantasy staples, Deonn also adds another layer of meaning by examining them through the lens of race, gender, and class. Her application of critical analysis of these commonplace structures in fantasy calls the reader to re-examine their understanding of the genre as a whole. I was particularly struck by her exploration of the knights of the round table in relation to white supremacy and injustice.
On the Character Relationships:
As previously mentioned, there are lovely romantic relationships in this work… BUT there are also just as good, fully-fledged platonic and familial relationships. I appreciate that Deonn develops the connections that Bree has with her best friend and her dad, especially. Their presence in the story added a sense of richness to Bree’s character and helped to complicate the story when Bree was made to decide whether or not she would join the secret society of the Legendborn.
On Who Might Enjoy Legendborn (an incomplete list):
Let’s be honest, I’ll be screaming about this book to anyone who will listen. I think it’s a must read regardless of who you are, but I especially recommend Legendborn if:
you’re looking for a young adult book that goes beyond the basics and pushes you to think critically
you’re a fan of retellings, especially king Arthur-related
appreciate and want to support #OwnVoices Authors
you’re seeking a fantasy book with creative world-building and/or magical systems
PLEASE NOTE: Image sources for the photo edit on this post can be found here.