Book Review: Legendborn

By Tracy Deon  

5 Stars 

Following the death of her mother, 16-year-old Bree Matthews enrolls in a program at UNC-Chapel Hill. She then witnesses a strange magical attack involving a demon. When a Merlin fails to erase her memory, she stumbles upon a secret society trained to hunt down said creatures. After unlocking powers of her own, Bree soon realizes that there may be more to her mother’s death and sets out to infiltrate the society with the help of one of their own. I love the themes of this book, particularly the way in which they are conveyed. Deonn handles topics including grief, generational trauma, racism, and the Black experience at a PWI (predominately white institution) in a touching manner that really resonates with the reader, regardless of whether or not you can relate directly.

The characters are very well fleshed out, and most are likeable because they feel nuanced, complex and real. Unlike a lot of YA fantasy protagonists, Bree did not frustrate me endlessly; she was relatable and easy to root for. Although the book got off to a slow start, with a lot of information regarding world-building (I didn’t mind, but you may if you’re not a fan of info-dumps), it picked up pace pretty quickly and had me on the edge of my seat. The world-building was vivid and beautiful, and her writing allowed me to feel immersed within the story. Though it is set in the real world, it maintains a fantastical feel with the help of the magic, mythology, and history woven effortlessly into the plot. I really enjoyed the two similar yet opposing magic systems present within the story. I won’t spoil the ending, but I will say that it was absolutely mind-blowing, and I never could have seen it coming. Legendborn manages to be an incredibly fun and spellbinding read while, at the same time, dealing with some heavier topics, that of which are handled with extreme care and sensitivity. This is a brilliant YA Contemporary Fantasy novel and an excellent debut. It is definitely an all-time favourite; I could not recommend it enough. 

Reviewed by Kyla 

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