Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
Description:
“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?”
My review:
I am giving this book a rating of 4 out of 5.
**Please Note: I am not the intended audience for this book (it is intended for YA readers)!**
First and foremost, I was intrigued to see so much Welsh language used, and sometimes reformed into something new, throughout this novel. And, since the Arthurian legend is associated with Wales, I found this to be a fascinating link. Given that I’m Welsh and have always lived in the land of the red dragon, it was lovely to discover that the author worked with Welsh speakers to ensure the elements of Welsh language she used had been thoughtfully entwined with the story, as opposed to just being added to give a specific effect to her writing.
The setting was great, too! This author clearly appreciates both the architecture and history of buildings. However, the magic systems were a little confusing to follow at times, especially when coupled with the use of Welsh-leaning language, so I wonder whether some of the magical nuances that have been carefully crafted might be missed by readers embarking on fantasy for the first time (or the first time in a while, which was the case for me!).
Expect *a lot* of references to smells! It seems to be the predominant sense the author has chosen through which to convey the world she’s created.
The protagonist, Bree, was an excellent choice for a POV character, since she’s clever and curious yet doesn’t act as though she’s better than anyone – she’s grounded and isn’t ashamed of who she is, which is refreshing in a YA novel. Something I imagine many readers will connect with, for an array of different reasons, is Bree’s feeling of not quite fitting in at the beginning of the story, despite being proud of her ancestry – which made following the development of her relationships with characters like Alice and Nick, alongside her quest for self-discovery, all the more enjoyable.
The chemistry between Bree and Sel is very well-written towards the end of the book as well! However, the brewing love triangle did make me like Bree a little less; given how stoic she is and that she’s driven to act morally, I didn’t find it believable that her affections would wander. While it could be argued this is a very human trait and likely grounds the reader with a sense of reality, I’m not sure it aligns with who Bree is as a person. She’s better than that!
Patricia is a lovely character and handles Bree’s outbursts with such kindness she feels like she’s based on a real person. Bree’s father, Edwin, is a great character as well – wise and caring.
The way this novel dealt with the topic of grief was inspiring and relatable too, since Bree’s motivation to get answers mirrors real-life experiences of losing a loved one and wanting to understand the ‘why’ of what happened.
There were a few satisfying twists towards the end, which enhanced the overall story – even though I’d guessed most of them ahead of time. I feel that all the twists were cleverly written though, so they would definitely appeal to a YA audience!
There are a lot of references to stomach-based sensations. While that could my emetophobia playing with my perception, these repeated references did pull me out of the story at times.
The very last scene felt a little… silly, for lack of a better adjective, given the drama that’d gone before. And it didn’t really make sense for Bree, given that in the countless descriptions of her abilities, it was never mentioned (no spoilers here, though!). Towards the end, things felt both rushed and overly dramatic, too. Sooo much happened within the last 80 pages or so, that I imagine it’d give a young reader whiplash! The gore level ramped up exponentially as well at this point, in my opinion. I’m guessing the author wanted to keep the reader engaged with the story, though this could’ve been done throughout when there were slower scenes or scenes that didn’t feel like they were going anywhere that could’ve been edited or pared down instead.
Also, I would’ve been more comfortable had the author created an entirely new collection of fantastical evil creatures (some did appear towards the end), instead of making evil creatures mimic the form of animals. I’m not a fan of animal-based violence, even if it’s the animals who are initiating it, which the reason for my 4 out of 5 rating (this actually bothered me enough I almost contemplated giving it a 3, though the author’s fantastic writing wouldn’t allow for that!).
Ultimately, I’d recommend this book to both YA and adult readers who enjoy immersing themselves in fantasy stories. However, there is some strong language peppered throughout this book, so please be mindful if purchasing this book for a younger reader. Additionally, I believe this story is suitable for older, confident YA readers, given the, often complex, language used and complicated storylines that require considerable concentration to keep track of; I don’t feel this story would appeal to younger YA readers who may not grasp some of the more challenging aspects of this book.
A warning for those with emetophobia: there are two unpleasant scenes you’ll want to skip! (I didn’t record the pages though, sorry.)
Read in: September 2026
Format: Paperback
I’m including the date and format in which I experienced this story for transparency, since whatever is
going on in the world (and a reader’s private life) at the time of reading, along with a book’s reading
format, can influence an individual’s enjoyment of a story.
Disclaimer: I purchased this book. All opinions expressed in this review are mine and have not been influenced by the author or publisher in any way. This book review does not contain affiliate links.