Title: Legendborn (Legendborn #1)
Author: Tracy Deonn
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Type: Series – Book1 (Only 1 book is released so far)
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy world, Young Adult Fantasy, Magical World
Primary Characters: Bree Matthews, Nick, Sel
Narration: Single POV
Legend Born is the first book in a fantasy series that I have read of author Tracy Deonn. It is a diverse urban fantasy story inspired by King Arthur and his thirteen knights. It follows a black 16-year-old main character that deals with racism, grief from the death of her mother recently and mental illnesses caused my grieve PTSD and upcoming PCBD.
Bree Matthews has not been the same since her mother died few months ago. Her last fight/conversation with her mother before her death has been eating her inside out. Bree thinks taking college classes at a prestigious North Carolina university would help her move forward. On the first day, she witness a magical attack and mysterious mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw. This act triggers her own other memory of her mother’s death day. Bree is determined to know the truth of her mother’s death.
Nick is a prodigal son to the famous legend born. Nick is so sweet, but he is also spoiled at the same time. Sel is more of an acquired taste. I despised him initially but gradually started to warm up. I loved him more than Nick and Bree. Bree, she’s a complex main character, strong-willed, and doesn’t back down. I didn’t like the Love triangle and sort of insta love with Nick. I liked the relationship building with Sel.
This book has diverse characters. Bree is Black. Her best friend is Asian. We meet several other Black mages, and there’s a focus on Black history and Black experiences. I also loved how this book handled racism and inequality issues.
World Building is good but its also too complicated. Lot of words like “Shadowborn” and “Once Born” are used throughout the book. I still couldn’t get what it means. There were lot of terms used and it was hard to follow as there was no proper clarity in that. Glossary would have been beneficial.
Magic system is distinctive. Plot is tight. Narration could have been little simpler. It felt like its too much or too less. Secondary characters could have been stronger. Their involvement felt too much or less.
All in all, the book is good and I enjoyed it. Hoping the next book to be better and it would give more understanding and answers. Let’s see how the series goes and will definitely pick up the next book when it comes out!
Source – My purchased kindle Copy
Blurb as per Amazon
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!
Meander - Read & Roam 