Legendborn by Tracy Deonn | Book Review

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Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
Series: The Legendborn Cycle #1
Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books on September 15, 2020
Genres: YA Fantasy, BIPOC, Retelling
Pages: 544
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: Death of a Parent, Blood, Gore, Death, Murder, Slavery, Racism, Sexual Assault, Manipulation, Alcohol Use, Abuse/Manipulation
Rating:

After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus. A flying demon feeding on human energies. A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down. And a mysterious teenage 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 with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates. She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.

Legendborn has been on my TBR for quite some time, and February felt like the right time to begin the series, which is apparently getting a fourth book! Legendborn is a unique "retelling" (and I use that term very lightly here) of King Arthur. In reality, it is a continuation of the story, as the descendants of King Arthur and his knights continue to face down the same evils in modern day.

Overall, the story was intriguing and engaging, but definitely written for a younger audience than myself. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if you are expecting our teenage heroine to act like an adult, you won't get that here. In fact, much of the drama could have been solved if our characters simply talked to one another, but alas, young adults often refuse to do so. We also wouldn't have much of a story if they had communicated clearly. Haha!

What I loved most about Legendborn was not the characters, the story, or the magic system, but instead the very real commentary on life in the South. I have read other reviews and heard other perspectives, some of which say they would have enjoyed the book more if the racism had been removed. Unsurprisingly, it is a bunch of white people touting this rhetoric, unaware or unwilling to accept that racism is very much alive and well in the South. As a Southerner, it is not uncommon to see Confederate flags, memorials, and streets named after traitors, and this definitely sends a message to non-white folks that they are not welcome in certain parts and are often looked at with disdain and distrust.

Deonn does an excellent job portraying the lived experiences of Black people in the South and how Jim Crow, which was supposedly dismantled in 1965, is still alive and well. As readers, we experience this racism and struggle through the eyes of a Black teen girl, who not only has to deal with feeling like an outsider because of her skin color, but also because her magical powers are different than those of the white kids she falls in with. It is thought provoking and eye-opening, for young and old readers alike, helping to deepen our empathy and understanding for those not like us.

All of this is set in a fantastical version of our modern world, where magic and monsters threaten to consume all. The juxtaposition of modernity with archaic magics and Arthurian vibes makes for an intriguing yet thought provoking read. Being the first book in a series, we are certainly left with a cliff hanger, but it still wraps up in a nice neat bow, allowing the reader to feel a sense of fulfillment, while also wanting to continue the story.

My biggest complaint, however, is the love interest. I am tired of Black girls falling for the white boy that isn't like everyone else. I get that white people can be allies and conspirators, but our Black girls do not need to be saved by white boys. The romance certainly adds to the story, but I feel it took away some of the problems associated with racism in the South. I could be completely misspeaking here, so please call me out if I am wrong.

I look forward to picking the Legendborn series back up later this year (after I finish all the Dungeon Crawler Carl books) and seeing where Deonn takes Brie. I hope Deonn continues to explore the themes of racism, family roots, and kinship in greater detail, as these are the true heart of the story.