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Legendborn (The Legendborn Cycle Book 1) Kindle Edition
Winner of the Coretta Scott King - John Steptoe for New Talent Author Award
Filled with mystery and an intriguingly rich magic system, Tracy Deonn’s YA contemporary fantasy reinvents the King Arthur legend and “braids together Southern folk traditions and Black Girl Magic into a searing modern tale of grief, power, and self-discovery” (Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Belles).
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.
- LanguageEnglish
- Grade level9 - 12
- Lexile measureHL730L
- PublisherMargaret K. McElderry Books
- Publication dateSeptember 15, 2020
- ISBN-13978-1534441613
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From the Publisher
Editorial Reviews
Review
"Legendborn is an enthralling, standout modern fantasy about history and power, and Deonn is an author to watch." (Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling author )
"Legendborn is intoxicating, electrifying, and resonates with a deep understanding and vulnerable adoration of what it is to be a Black girl searching for the magic of herself. Tracy Deonn captivates you from page one with her perfect pacing, exhilarating plotting, and a command of storytelling that cannot be ignored. This book will hold everything you are hostage until, page by page, you discover how it has actually set you free." (LL McKinney, author of the critically acclaimed Nightmare-Verse series )
"Legendborn is a thrilling and tense fantasy that weaves Arthurian adventure with southern Black culture into a story that had me shouting. It will hook readers from the very beginning and leave them breathless until the final, mind-blowing revelation." (Kwame Mbalia, New York Times bestselling author of the Tristan Strong series. )
“Perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare and Kiersten White, Tracy Deonn's unique reimagining of Arthurian legend is full of magic and heart. A brilliant debut!” (Ashley Poston, National Best-Selling Author of Geekerella )
"Legendborn is a remarkable debut that should firmly place Tracy Deonn on every fantasy and contemporary YA reader's radar. Deft and insightful blending of Arthurian legend and Southern Black American history make for an engrossing tale of mystery, romance, and finding your place in the world?—an absolute must-read!" (Alyssa Cole, award-winning romance author )
Sixteen-year-old Black whiz kid Bree Matthews battles grief and demonic forces on her college campus.
After her mother dies in an accident, Bree begins a residential program for enterprising teens at her mother’s alma mater and, soon after her arrival, witnesses a magical attack that triggers hidden memories about the evening her mother was killed. Haunted by the fact that their final conversation was an argument, Bree begins a redemptive quest to uncover the connection between her mother’s death and the university’s secret society, the Order of the Round Table, joining their ranks as an initiate and unwittingly stumbling into a centuries-old supernatural war. While competing in the tournament that determines entry to the society, Bree discovers the truth about her heretofore unknown magical abilities, unwinding a complex history that showcases the horrors chattel slavery in the American South perpetuates on the descendants of all involved. Push through clunky expositions and choppy transitions that interrupt the cohesion of the text to discover solid character development that brings forward contemporary, thoughtful engagement with the representation, or lack thereof, of race in canonical Arthurian lore and mythologies. Representation of actualized, strong queer characters is organic, not forced, and so are textual conversations around emotional wellness and intergenerational trauma. Well-crafted allusions to established legends and other literary works are delightful easter eggs.
Don’t look over sea or under stone, this is the fantasy novel for all once and future fans of suspense-filled storytelling. (author's note) (Fantasy. 14-18) (Kirkus Reviews July 15, 2020)
*DEONN, Tracy. Legendborn. 512p. S. & S./Simon Pulse. Sept. 2020. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781534441606.
Gr 8 Up–In Deonn’s rich and explosive debut, readers are introduced to a meticulously-built world of magic with roots in Arthurian legend and traditions of the African American South. After her mother’s death, Bree enters an Early College program, despite still processing her grief. It’s not long before she’s pulled into a secret society, and is pushed by circumstance into dangerous tournaments to go from Page to Squire all while watching her back for the demons who would kill her. This book discusses pertinent topics such as institutional racism, intergenerational trauma, and feminism with grace and a natural, unforced style. Readers will delight in a delicious love triangle that promises to get more delectable with a sequel. Though heavy at times with exposition, the novel provides plenty of scenes rife with action and emotion. Deonn pulls off a surprise ending that will urge readers to start from the beginning, to collect the clues laid along the way. VERDICT A promising series debut perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare’s City of Bones and Maggie Stiefvater’s The Raven Boys. This book underscores the movement for more inclusive versions of traditional Western narratives, and will be a favorite of contemporary fantasy readers. Highly recommended.–Abby Hargreaves, DC P.L. (School Library Journal STARRED REVIEW July 2020)
The African diaspora blends with Arthurian legend in Deonn’s dynamic YA fantasy debut, reminiscent of City of Bones. On her first two nights at the University of North Carolina’s Early College program, 16-year-old Bree Matthews, who is Black, witnesses otherworldly demonic attacks that most other students can’t see. When a strong mage’s attempt to alter Bree’s memories fails, she recovers the recent events alongside a brief recollection from the night of her mother’s death, three months prior—a fragment that she realizes another mesmerist sought to hide. Convinced the campus incidents have something to do with her mom’s sudden end, Bree persuades peer mentor Nick to help her infiltrate the magical Order of the Round Table, the historically white, deeply racist secret society that he was born into, and which is committed to hunting the demons. Bree struggles as the Order’s sole Black member and page, but outside Black female practitioners offer help via a different means of magic, and Bree must decide which path will give her the most answers about both her mother and herself. Though hazy exposition initially slows the narrative, Deonn adeptly employs the haunting history of the American South (“the low buzzing sound of exclusion”) to explore themes of ancestral pain, grief, and love, balancing them with stimulating worldbuilding and multiple thrilling plot twists. Ages 14–up. Agent: Penny Moore, Aevitas Creative. (Sept.) (Publishers Weekly August 3, 2020)
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
1
A CAROLINA FIRST-YEAR sprints through the darkness and launches himself off the cliff into the moonlit night.
His shout sends sleepy birds flying overhead. The sound echoes against the rock face that borders the Eno Quarry. Flashlights track his flailing body, all windmilling arms and kicking legs, until he hits the water with a cracking splash. At the cliff line above, thirty college students cheer and whoop, their joy weaving through the pine trees. Like a constellation in motion, cone-shaped beams of light roam the lake’s surface. Collective breath, held. All eyes, searching. Waiting. Then, the boy erupts from the water with a roar, and the crowd explodes.
Cliff jumping is the perfect formula for Southern-white-boy fun: rural recklessness, a pocket flashlight’s worth of precaution, and a dare. I can’t look away. Each run draws my own feet an inch closer to the edge. Each leap into nothingness, each hovering moment before the fall, calls to a spark of wild yearning inside my chest.
I press that yearning down. Seal it closed. Board it up.
“Lucky he didn’t break his damn legs,” Alice mutters in her soft twang. She scoffs, peering over the edge to watch the grinning jumper grasp protruding rocks and exposed vines to climb the rock face. Her straight, coal-black hair lies plastered to her temple. The warm, sticky palm of late-August humidity presses down on our skin. My curls are already up in a puff, as far away from the back of my neck as possible, so I hand her the extra elastic band from my wrist. She takes it wordlessly and gathers her hair in a ponytail. “I read about this quarry on the way here. Every few years kids get hurt, fall on the rocks, drown. We’re sure as hell not jumping, and it’s getting late. We should go.”
“Why? ’Cause you’re getting bit?” I swat at a tiny flickering buzz near her arm.
She fixes me with a glare. “I’m insulted by your weak conversational deflection. That’s not best-friend behavior. You’re fired.” Alice wants to major in sociology, then maybe go into law. She’s been interrogating me since we were ten.
I roll my eyes. “You’ve best-friend fired me fifty times since we were kids and yet you keep rehiring me. This job sucks. HR is a nightmare.”
“And yet you keep coming back. Evidence, if circumstantial, that you enjoy the work.”
I shrug. “Pay is good.”
“You know why I don’t like this.”
I do. It’s not like I’d planned to break the law our first night on campus, but after dinner an opportunity had presented itself in the shape of Charlotte Simpson, a girl we knew from Bentonville High. Charlotte popped her head into our dorm room before we’d even finished unpacking and demanded we join her for a night out. After two years of EC, Charlotte had officially enrolled as a Carolina undergraduate this year and, apparently, she’d turned party girl somewhere in the interim.
During the day, the Eno River State Park is open for hiking, camping, and kayaking, but if you sneak in after the gates close like all the kids here have, it’s probably-to-definitely trespassing. Not something I’d normally go for, but Charlotte explained that the night before the first day of classes is special. It’s tradition for some juniors and seniors to host a party at the Quarry. Also tradition? First-year students jumping off the edge of the cliffs into the mineral-rich lake at its center. The park straddles Orange and Durham Counties and sits north of I-85, about twenty-five minutes away from Carolina’s campus. Charlotte drove us here in her old silver Jeep, and the entire ride over I felt Alice beside me in the back seat, shrinking against the illegality of it all.
The jumper’s unfettered laughter crests the cliff before his head does. I can’t remember the last time my laugh sounded like that.
“You don’t like this because it’s”—I drop my voice into a dramatic whisper—“against the rules?”
Alice’s dark eyes burn behind her glasses. “Gettin’ caught off campus at night is an automatic expulsion from EC.”
“Hold up. Charlotte said a bunch of students do it every year.”
Another jumper sprints through the woods. A deeper splash. Cheers. Alice juts her chin toward the other students. “That’s them. Tell me why you want to be here?”
Because I can’t just sit in our room right now. Because ever since my mother died, there’s a version of me inside that wants to break things and scream.
I lift a shoulder. “Because what better way to begin our adventure than with a pinch of rebellion?”
She does not look amused.
“Did someone say rebellion?” Charlotte’s boots crunch through the leaves and pine needles. The sharp sound stands out from the droning background of crickets and the low bass thump pulsing our way from the party’s speakers. She comes to a stop next to me and brushes her auburn ponytail away from her shoulder. “Y’all jumpin’? It is tradition.” She smirks. “And it’s fun.”
“No,” damn near leaps out of Alice’s mouth. Something must have shown on my face, because Charlotte grins and Alice says, “Bree…”
“Aren’t you pre-med or something, Charlotte?” I ask. “How are you this smart and this bad an influence?”
“It’s college,” Charlotte says with a shrug. “?‘Smart but a bad influence’ describes like half the student body.”
“Char?” A male voice calls out from behind a raggedy holly. Charlotte’s face breaks into a wide smile even before she turns around to see the tall red-haired boy walking toward us. He holds a red Solo cup in one hand and a flashlight in the other.
“Hey, babe,” Charlotte purrs, and greets him with a giggling kiss.
“Char?” I mouth to a grimacing Alice.
When they separate, Charlotte waves us over. “Babe, these are new EC kids from back home. Bree and Alice.” She curls around the boy’s arm like a koala. “This is my boyfriend, y’all. Evan Cooper.”
Evan’s perusal takes long enough that I wonder what he’s thinking about us.
Alice is Taiwanese-American, short, and wiry, with observant eyes and a semipermanent smirk. Her whole MO is dressing to make a good impression “just in case,” and tonight she chose dark jeans and a polka-dotted blouse with a Peter Pan collar. Under Evan’s scrutiny, she pushes her round glasses up her nose and gives a shy wave.
I’m five-eight—tall enough that I might pass for a college student—and Black. Blessed with my mother’s cheekbones and curves and my father’s full mouth. I’d pulled on old jeans and a tee. Shy isn’t really my thing.
Evan’s eyes widen when they take me in. “You’re the girl whose mom died, right? Bree Matthews?”
A trickle of pain inside, and my wall snaps into place. Death creates an alternate universe, but after three months, I have the tools to live in it.
Charlotte jabs Evan in the ribs with her elbow, sending him daggers with her eyes. “What?” He puts his hands up. “That’s what you sai—”
“Sorry.” She cuts him off, her gaze apologetic.
My wall works two ways: it hides the things I need to hide and helps me show the things I need to show. Particularly useful with the Sorry for Your Loss crowd. In my mind’s eye, the wall’s reinforced now. Stronger than wood, iron, steel. It has to be, because I know what comes next: Charlotte and Evan will unleash the predictable stream of words everyone says when they realize they’re talking to the Girl Whose Mom Died.
It’s like Comforting Grieving People Bingo, except when all the squares get covered, everyone loses.
Charlotte perks up. Here we go…
“How are you holding up? Is there anything I can do for you?”
Double whammy.
The real answers to those two questions? The really real answers? Not well and No. Instead I say, “I’m fine.”
No one wants to hear the real answers. What the Sorry for Your Loss Crowd wants is to feel good about asking the questions. This game is awful.
“I can’t imagine,” Charlotte murmurs, and that’s another square covered on the bingo board. They can imagine it; they just wouldn’t want to.
Some truths only tragedy can teach. The first one I learned is that when people acknowledge your pain, they want your pain to acknowledge them back. They need to witness it in real time, or else you’re not doing your part. Charlotte’s hungry blue eyes search for my tears, my quivering lower lip, but my wall is up, so she won’t get either. Evan’s eager gaze hunts for my grief and suffering, but when I jut my chin out in defiance, he averts his eyes.
Good.
“Sorry for your loss.”
Damn.
And with the words I most despise, Evan hits bingo.
People lose things when they have a mental lapse. Then they find that thing again from the lost place. But my mother isn’t lost. She’s gone.
Before-Bree is gone, too, even though I pretend that she’s not.
After-Bree came into being the day after my mom died. I went to sleep that night and when I woke up, she was there. After-Bree was there during the funeral. After-Bree was there when our neighbors knocked on our door to offer sorrow and broccoli casserole. After-Bree was with me when the visiting mourners finally went home. Even though I can only recall hazy snippets from the hospital—trauma-related memory loss, according to my father’s weird, preachy grief book—I have After-Bree. She’s the unwanted souvenir that death gave me.
In my mind’s eye, After-Bree looks almost like me. Tall, athletic, warm brown skin, broader-than-I-want shoulders. But where my dark, tight curls are usually pulled up on top of my head, After-Bree’s stretch wide and loose like a live oak tree. Where my eyes are brown, hers are the dark ochre, crimson, and obsidian of molten iron in a furnace, because After-Bree is in a constant state of near explosion. The worst is at night, when she presses against my skin from the inside and the pain is unbearable. We whisper together, I’m sorry, Mom. This is all my fault. She lives and breathes inside my chest, one heartbeat behind my own life and breath, like an angry echo.
Containing her is a full-time job.
Alice doesn’t know about After-Bree. Nobody does. Not even my dad. Especially not my dad.
Alice clears her throat, the sound breaking like a wave against my thoughts. How long did I zone out? A minute? Two? I focus on the three of them, face blank, wall up. Evan gets antsy in the silence and blurts out, “By the way, your hair is totally badass!”
I know without looking that the curls springing out of my puff are wide-awake, reaching toward the sky in the night’s humidity. I bristle, because his tone is the one that feels less like a compliment and more like he’s happened upon a fun oddity—and that fun oddity is Black me with my Black hair. Wonderful.
Alice shoots me a sympathetic glance that Evan misses entirely, because of course he does. “I think we’re done here. Can we go?”
Charlotte pouts. “Half an hour more, I promise. I wanna check out the party.”
“Yeah! Y’all come watch me shotgun a PBR!” Evan slings an arm around his girlfriend’s shoulders and leads her away before we can protest.
Alice grumbles under her breath and takes off after them, stepping high over rangy weeds at the edge of the tree line. Fall panicum and marestail, mostly. My mother had called the stuff “witchgrass” and “horseweed fleabane” back when she was alive to call out plants to me.
Alice is almost to the trees before she realizes I’m not following. “You comin’?”
“I’ll be there in a sec. I wanna watch some more jumps.” I jerk a thumb over my shoulder.
She stomps back. “I’ll wait with you.”
“No, that’s okay. You go ahead.”
She scrutinizes me, torn between taking me at my word or pushing further. “Watch, not jump?”
“Watch, not jump.”
“Matty.” Her childhood nickname for me—Matty, short for my last name—twists at something deep in my chest. Old memories have been doing that lately, even the ones that aren’t about her, and I sort of hate it. My vision goes fuzzy with the threat of tears, and I have to blink Alice’s features into focus—pale face, glasses perpetually sliding to the tip of her nose. “I… I know this isn’t how we thought it would be. Being at Carolina, I mean. But… I think your mom woulda come around to it. Eventually.”
I cast my gaze out as far as the moonlight allows. Across the lake, treetops are the shadowed fringe between the quarry and the murky sky. “We’ll never know.”
“But—”
“Always a but.”
Something hard slips into her voice. “But if she were here, I don’t think she’d want you to… to…”
“To what?”
“To become some other person.”
I kick at a pebble. “I need to be alone for a minute. Enjoy the party. I’ll be there soon.”
She eyes me as if gauging my mood. “?‘I hate tiny parties—they force one into constant exertion.’?”
I squint, searching my memories for the familiar words. “Did you—did you just Jane Austen me?”
Her dark eyes twinkle. “Who’s the literary nerd? The quoter or the one who recognizes the quote?”
“Wait.” I shake my head in amusement. “Did you just Star Wars me?”
“Nah.” She grins. “I New Hope’d you.”
“Y’all comin’?” Charlotte’s disembodied voice shoots back through the woods like an arrow. Alice’s eyes still hold a pinch of worry, but she squeezes my hand before walking away.
Once I can no longer hear the rustle of her shoes in the underbrush, I release a breath. Dig out my phone.
Hey, kiddo, you and Alice get settled in okay?
The second text had arrived fifteen minutes later.
I know you’re our Brave Bree who was ready to escape Bentonville, but don’t forget us little people back home. Make your mom proud. Call when you can. Love, Dad.
I shove my phone back into my pocket.
I had been ready to escape Bentonville, but not because I was brave. At first I’d wanted to stay home. It seemed right, after everything. But months of living under the same roof alone with my dad made my shame intolerable. Our grief is for the same person, but our grief is not the same. It’s like those bar magnets in physics class; you can push the matching poles together, but they don’t want to touch. I can’t touch my dad’s grief. Don’t really want to. In the end, I left Bentonville because I was too scared to stay.
I pace along the cliff, away from the crowd, and keep the quarry to my left. The scents of damp soil and pine rise up with every footstep. If I breathe in deeply enough, the mineral smell of ground stone catches at the back of my throat. A foot over, the earth falls away below my feet and the lake stretches out wide, reflecting the sky and the stars and the possibilities of night.
From here, I can see what the jumpers were working with: whatever cleaved the dirt and rocks to form the quarry had dug at a thirty-degree angle. To clear the face entirely, one has to run fast and leap far. No hesitation allowed.
I imagine myself running like the moon is my finish line. Running like I can leave the anger and the shame and gossip behind. I can almost feel the delicious burn in my muscles, the rush sweet and strong in my veins, as I sail over the cliff and into emptiness. Without warning, the roiling spark of After-Bree stretches up from my gut like a vine on fire, but this time I don’t shove her away. She unfurls behind my ribs, and the hot pressure of her is so powerful it feels like I could explode.
Part of me wants to explode.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
A wry voice from behind startles me and sends a few birds, hidden in the canopy above, squawking into the sky.
I hadn’t heard anyone approach through the underbrush, but a tall, dark-haired boy leans casually against a tree as if he’d been there the whole time; arms over his chest and black combat boots crossed at the ankles. The boy’s expression is lazy with disdain, like he can’t even be bothered to muster up a full dose of the stuff.
“Forgive me for interrupting. It looked like you were about to jump off a cliff. Alone. In the dark,” he drawls.
He is unsettlingly beautiful. His face is aristocratic and sharp, framed by high, pale cheekbones. The rest of his body is borne from shadows: black jacket, black pants, and ink-black hair that falls over his forehead and curls just below gauged ears bearing small black rubber plugs. He can’t be more than eighteen, but something about his features doesn’t belong to a teenager—the cut of his jaw, the line of his nose. His stillness.
The boy who is both young and old lets me study him, but only for a moment. Then, he levels his tawny gaze in challenge. When our eyes meet, a stinging shock races through me, head to heels, leaving fear in its wake.
I swallow, look away. “I could make that jump.”
He snorts. “Cliff jumping is asinine.”
“No one asked you.” I have a stubborn streak aggravated by other stubborn people, and this boy clearly qualifies.
I step to his right. Quick as a cat, he reaches for me, but I twist away before he gets a grip. His eyebrows lift, and the corner of his mouth twitches. “I haven’t seen you around before. Are you new?”
“I’m leaving.” I turn, but the boy is beside me in two steps.
“Do you know who I am?”
“No.”
“I’m Selwyn Kane.”
His gaze sends tiny, invisible sparks of electricity dancing across my cheek. I flinch and throw my hand up between us like a shield.
Fingers, too hot, too strong, instantly close around my wrist. A tingling sensation shoots down to my elbow. “Why did you cover your face?”
I don’t have an answer for him. Or myself. I try to yank away from him, but his hold is like iron. “Let go!”
Selwyn’s eyes widen slightly, then narrow; he is not used to being shouted at. “Do you—do you feel something? When I look at you?”
“What?” I pull, but he holds me tightly without effort. “No.”
“Don’t lie.”
“I’m not—”
“Quiet!” he orders. Bright indignation flares in my chest, but his unusual eyes rake across my face. Snuff it right out. “Strange. I thought—”
Suddenly, shouts break the night, but this time they’re not from the cliff jumpers. We both twist toward the forest and beyond it, to the party in the clearing. More yelling—and not the happy, drunk kind.
A low growl close by my ear. I jump when I realize the sound is coming from the demanding boy whose fingers are still locked around my wrist. As he stares into the trees, his mouth curves into a satisfied smile, exposing two canines that nearly touch his bottom lip. “Got you.”
“Got who?” I demand.
Selwyn startles, as if he’d completely forgotten I was there, then releases me with a frustrated grunt. He takes off, speeding into the woods, a silent shadow between the trees. He’s out of sight before I can form a response.
A jarring scream echoes from the party on my left. Raised voices ring out from the cliff jumpers on my right, who are now sprinting for the clearing too. Blood freezes in my veins.
Alice.
Heart pounding in my chest, I race to the trailhead to follow Selwyn, but once I’m under tree cover, the ground is barely visible in the darkness. Three steps in, I trip and fall hard into bramble. Branches scrape my palms and arms. I take two shaking breaths. Let my eyes adjust. Stand. Listen for the sounds of yelling undergraduates. Then, adrenaline shooting through my veins, I jog half a mile in the right direction with quick, careful steps, wondering how the hell Selwyn could move so fast through the woods without a flashlight.
By the time I stumble into the clearing, the party is chaos. Undergrads push against one another to run down the long narrow path toward the cars parked at the gravel lot. Beyond the trees, car engines growl to life in a rolling wave. Two guys struggle to lift the kegs and push them onto truck beds while a small crowd beside them tries to help “lighten” the barrels by drinking straight from the hose. Beside the fire, a circle of twenty kids cheer while holding Solo cups and cell phones high in the air. Whatever or whoever they’re looking at won’t be Alice. She’d try to find me, like I’m trying to find her. I reach for my phone, but there are no missed calls or texts. She’s got to be freaking out.
“Alice!” I scan the crowd for her, for Charlotte’s ponytail and T-shirt, for Evan’s red hair, but they aren’t there. A half-naked, dripping-wet undergrad girl shoves past me. “Alice Chen!” Campfire smoke billows thick in the air; I can barely see anything. I push through sweating, churning bodies, calling Alice’s name.
A tall blond girl scowls when I shout too close to her face, and I scowl back. She’s beautiful the way a well-maintained dagger is beautiful: sharp, shiny, and all angles. A bit prissy. Absolutely Alice’s type. Damnit, where is she—
“Everybody out ’fore someone calls the cops!” the girl yells.
Cops?
I glance up right as the Solo cup–carrying circle parts. It only takes a second to see the cause of the screams from earlier and the reason why someone might call the cops: a fight. A bad one. Four drunken, enormous boys are rolling and swinging in a pile on the ground. Probably football players right out of preseason and fueled by adrenaline, beer, and who knows what else. One of the giants has another’s shirt in his hand, the fabric pulled so taut I hear the seam rip. The third is on his feet, rearing back for a kick to the fourth boy’s stomach. It’s like watching gladiators brawl, except instead of armor they’re covered in layers of muscle and have necks as thick as my thigh, and instead of weapons they’re swinging fists the size of award-winning grapefruits. The hurricane cloud of dirt they’ve created has put so much smoke and dust in the air that I almost miss the flicker of light and movement above their heads.
What the…?
There! There it is again. In the air above the boys, something is shimmering and dancing. A greenish-silver something that swoops, dives, and flickers in and out of transparency like a glitching hologram.
The image pulls at a string of memory. The shimmer of light… and the very feeling of it, punches the breath right out of my lungs.
I’ve seen this before, but I can’t remember where.…
I turn, gasping, to the student beside me, a wide-eyed boy in a Tar Heels T-shirt. “Do you see that?”
“You mean the jackasses fighting over nothing?” He taps his phone. “Yeah, why do you think I’m filming?”
“No, the—the light.” I point at the flickering. “There!”
The boy searches the air; then his expression turns wry. “Been smokin’ something?”
“Come on!” The blond girl pushes through the circle of spectators, standing between the fighters and the crowd with her hands on her hips. “Time to go!”
The boy beside me waves her away. “Get outta the shot, Tor!”
Tor rolls her eyes. “You need to leave, Dustin!” Her vicious glare sends most of the gawkers running.
The something is still there, beyond the blond girl’s head. Heart hammering, I take in the scene again. No one else has noticed the silvery mass hovering and flapping above the boys’ heads—either that, or no one else can see it. Cold dread creeps into my stomach.
Grief does strange things to people’s minds. This I know. One morning a couple of weeks after my mother died, my dad said he thought he could smell her cheesy grits cooking on the stove—my favorite and my mother’s specialty. Once, I heard her humming down the hall from my bedroom. Something so mundane and simple, so regular and small, that for a moment, the prior weeks were just a nightmare, and I was awake now and she was alive. Death moves faster than brains do.
I exhale through the memories, shut my eyes tight, open them again. No one else can see this, I think, scanning the group a final time. No one…
Except the figure on the other side of the fire, tucked between the trunks of two oaks.
Selwyn Kane.
He glares upward, his expression calculating. Irritated. His sharp eyes watch the there-not-there shape too. Long fingers twitch at his sides, silver rings flashing in the shadows. Without warning, through wisps of smoke rising in eddies and waves over the campfire, Selwyn’s eyes find mine. He sighs. Actually sighs, as if now that the hologram creature is here, I bore him. Insult spikes through my fear. Still holding my gaze, he makes a quick, jerking motion with his chin, and a vicious snap of invisible electricity wraps around my body like a rope and yanks me backward—away from the boy and the something. It pulls so hard and so fast that I nearly fall. His mouth moves, but I can’t hear him.
I resist, but the rope sensation responds, tight pain in my body blossoming into a single utterance:
Leave.
The word materializes in my brain like an idea of my own that I’d simply forgotten. The command brands itself behind my eyes and echoes like a bell rung deep inside my chest until it’s all I can hear. It floods my mouth and nose with dizzying scents—a bit of smoke, followed by cinnamon. The need to go saturates my world until I’m so heavy with it that my eyelids drop.
When I open my eyes again, I’ve already turned to face the direction of the parking lot. In my next breath, I’m walking away.
Product details
- ASIN : B084GB4YZQ
- Publisher : Margaret K. McElderry Books (September 15, 2020)
- Publication date : September 15, 2020
- Language : English
- File size : 4672 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Not Enabled
- Print length : 511 pages
- Page numbers source ISBN : 1398543802
- Best Sellers Rank: #24,165 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- Customer Reviews:
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Legendborn (The Legendborn Cycle)
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About the author
Tracy Deonn is the #1 New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of The Legendborn Cycle. After earning her master’s degree in communication and performance studies, Tracy worked in live theater, video game production, and K–12 education. When she’s not writing, Tracy reads comics and fanfic, dreams up new magic systems, and keeps an eye out for ginger-flavored everything. She can be found online at @TracyDeonn.
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the story gripping and unique. They appreciate the compelling characters and well-developed relationships. The writing is excellent and praise the author's ability to intertwine black history with the mythology. Readers appreciate the depth and world-building, describing the book as insightful and exciting. They praise the well-paced action and intense ending. The book deals with grief in a heartfelt manner, reminding readers that they are still children trying to cope.
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Customers find the story engaging and unique. They describe it as a gripping adventure with compelling characters and an unexpected plot twist. The book blends classic Arthurian legends with fresh ideas and provides a new perspective on privilege and legacy. Readers appreciate the many twists and turns that keep them hooked.
"...- and the way the Arthurian legend is told and wrapped around 21st century life - makes for a fast paced and intriguing read...." Read more
"I enjoyed this story very much. The several mysteries tied together nicely. The descriptions of the characters and settings were clear...." Read more
"...One of the most impressive aspects of Legendborn is how it blends classic Arthurian legends with fresh and innovative ideas to create a unique and..." Read more
"...Tracy Deonn did a great job giving us historical facts in this book as well, I found myself googling several topics in the book...." Read more
Customers find the characters compelling and easy to digest. They appreciate the main character being a black woman and the supporting cast as well. The book provides strong LGBTQ+ representation and is perfect for fans of King Arthur.
"...The characters and their relationships - and the way the Arthurian legend is told and wrapped around 21st century life - makes for a fast paced and..." Read more
"...The descriptions of the characters and settings were clear. I look forward to reading more from this author." Read more
"...a standout moment that perfectly showcases the world building, character development, and tension building skills of the author...." Read more
"...has all the elements of a novel I couldn't put down: compelling characters, plot that surprises at every turn, questions to ponder about history,..." Read more
Customers praise the writing quality of the book. They appreciate the author's ability to intertwine black history with King Arthur's tale. The narrator is described as fantastic. Readers find the book powerful, dense, and honest, mentioning that it's written by a woman of color.
"...Although it has a few flaws, the overall writing, world building, and plot twists make up for them, making it a highly recommended read...." Read more
"...one trope is SOOOOOOOO meh to me, not a huge fan but this was written well -..." Read more
"...Absolutely incredible story line. She is an impeccable author and if you haven’t at least started reading her series, you’re not really a book nerd...." Read more
"...Honestly 5 stars does not do this book justice at all! This was a very powerful read!..." Read more
Customers find the book insightful and exciting. They appreciate the complex realities of its characters' lives, and the mythos makes this read exciting. The world-building is wonderful, and the characterization is full-bodied. Readers find the book important and appreciate the representation in it.
"...With a 4 out of 5 stars rating, Legendborn is well worth your time and attention." Read more
"...Bree was a 16 year old girl who was super smart and comfortable and confident in her blackness...." Read more
"...examining why and what could have been done differently is very therapeutic.)..." Read more
"...This is a novel that pulls no punches, is unafraid to delve into the complex realities of its characters' lives, and does so with a compelling blend..." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's pacing. They find the action and mythology well-paced, which is an interesting change for young adult books. The intense ending keeps readers hooked until the end. Overall, it's a quick read that keeps them engaged in the storyline.
"...legend is told and wrapped around 21st century life - makes for a fast paced and intriguing read...." Read more
"...Tracy captured my attention from the first page and kept my glued to this book in my spare time!..." Read more
"This is a quick read and keeps you engaged in the story line. I will definitely read the rest of the series!" Read more
"...The book itself is well-written, paced well, and absolutely one of the most engaging tales that I have ever had the privilege to read and bear..." Read more
Customers find the book's writing engaging and heartfelt. They appreciate the author's personal trauma and how it's expressed in a wonderful way. The story explores grief, love, generational trauma, and healing. The characters feel Bree's loneliness and the keys to unlocking their grief.
"...the world building, character development, and tension building skills of the author...." Read more
"...; it serves as a nuanced exploration of systemic racism, intergenerational trauma, and the struggle of reconciling personal identity within a world..." Read more
"...But her personal trauma came through in a wonderful way. I liked Nick in the story—he’s noble but not quite perfect...." Read more
"...She’s given them intelligent voices, with just enough angst to remind the reader that they’re still kids trying to navigate their way through adult..." Read more
Customers enjoy the engaging lore. They find the world-building skillful and well-woven with myth. The prose is beautiful, and the book offers a creative take on the legend. Readers are intrigued by the complex and diverse characters, as well as the plot twists and fantasy elements.
"I enjoyed this story very much. The several mysteries tied together nicely. The descriptions of the characters and settings were clear...." Read more
"...Although it has a few flaws, the overall writing, world building, and plot twists make up for them, making it a highly recommended read...." Read more
"...Great job Tracy making a very realistic, self-absorbed teenager!..." Read more
"...The ending is both satisfying and tantalizing, tying up enough loose ends to satisfy, while leaving enough unanswered questions to have us eager for..." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's inclusive approach to racial, gender, and LGBTQ issues. They enjoy the nods to black cultural practices and commentary on race. The respect for race and gender is unlike anything they've seen in fantasy or fiction. Readers appreciate the unapologetic telling of Black history and the real black heroine. Overall, they find the book an important read for black girls, especially fans of sci-fi and fantasy.
"...of authors and experiences I enjoy, and I love how the book doesn’t shy away from racism in many blunt and nuanced forms, and also shows people as..." Read more
"...direction YA is going: diversity in heritage, sexual orientation, gender identity, and more...." Read more
"...a thrilling tale of magic and mystery; it serves as a nuanced exploration of systemic racism, intergenerational trauma, and the struggle of..." Read more
"...I have to say that the story is unique and I enjoyed the nod to black cultural practices here and there...." Read more
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Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2023On the surface Legendborn is a modern take on the legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table - but for me that was just the foundation, and all of the stories and characters Tracy Deonn built upon that legend are what make this such an intriguing tale and one I highly recommend.
We follow Bree, a very smart 16 year old girl getting ready to enter the early college program at UNC Chapel Hill with her best friend Alice. Her mother died in a car accident the day after she and Bree fought, casting a pall over everything as Bree dissociates into ‘after Bree’ with walls she puts up to protect herself.
From the first night things take an unexpected turn - joining an older friend in a forbidden trip off campus, Bree stumbles upon lights and images and things she cannot explain, and an older teen who is able to do things and produce objects that make no sense to her. That teen powerfully suggests everyone leave, and they do until Bree feels the suggestive fog clear and returns to see the rest of an unbelievable battle. She finds herself in a police car, before the dean, and forced to take on a peer mentor to help her keep on the right track.
Along the way she deals with the racism you would expect for the ‘good old boy’ North Carolina establishment. She also meets characters you will love or hate - Sel, Tor, Nick, William, Davis, Isaac, Fitz, Sarah, Greer, Vaughn, Witty, Patricia, Mariah, and others.
The characters and their relationships - and the way the Arthurian legend is told and wrapped around 21st century life - makes for a fast paced and intriguing read. There are a number of things you simply wouldn’t have seen coming but fall into line perfectly once you know.
A specific goal for me has been improving the diversity of authors and experiences I enjoy, and I love how the book doesn’t shy away from racism in many blunt and nuanced forms, and also shows people as fully formed individuals regardless of background, gender or sexual identity or preference. It celebrates the differences without pretending those differences don’t exist - and I loved that!
My only criticism has to do with ages - Bree is 16 and feels mature for that age but not unreasonable, but some of the other characters who are supposedly juniors or seniors at the university are only 18 while others talk about helping the ‘under 21s’ get served. I feel this was done to not have 16 year olds romantically involved with 22 year olds, but it still took me out of the story a couple of times.
I only found out about Legendborn as people were getting ready for the sequel, and for me that is exciting as I got to finish the first book and dive right into the next one! And Legendborn certainly leaves things wide open for a sequel while closing up many threads. Not a low-stakes book, so definitely be aware of potential triggers, but it is one of the better books I’ve read in the past year.
- Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2023Where do I even start explaining why this book is such a wonderful one?
For one, and probably the thing I loved the most about it, was the level of maturity and emotional awareness this book had. How insanely refreshing it is to have a young character who is so reflective, complex, strong, and kind.
So often, especially with Y/A novels in the fantasy subgenre, there is this tendency to write protagonists with surface-level issues, one-dimensional personalities, and tunnel vision when it comes to anything besides their own immediate emotions.
Bree is an incredibly refreshing character, and a needed one, in the world of Y/A fiction.
She is reflective, caring, and in touch with her own- as well as her friends and family's emotions.
I truly cannot begin to explain how wonderfully written her emotional journey was.
It took me some time to get fully immersed in the book as it was quite the information dump to begin with, but the whole novel was wonderfully written, with wonderful characters so it didn't even matter all that much.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2023Legendborn by Tracy Deonn is a highly imaginative and action-packed fantasy novel that is sure to captivate its readers. The book follows the journey of Bree Matthews as she embarks on a thrilling journey of magic, mystery, and adventure.
One of the most impressive aspects of Legendborn is how it blends classic Arthurian legends with fresh and innovative ideas to create a unique and engaging story. The initiation scene in the order is a standout moment that perfectly showcases the world building, character development, and tension building skills of the author. The scene is both intense and intriguing, making for a truly memorable reading experience.
Another highlight of the book is the unexpected twist at the end. Deonn does a fantastic job of keeping readers on their toes and delivering a satisfying conclusion that ties together all the different elements of the story. The hierarchy of the order is a bit confusing at times, with a lot of information to absorb, but once you get past the initial info-dump, the story becomes easier to follow and enjoy.
However, there were a few areas where the book fell short. The romantic relationship between Nick and Bree felt underdeveloped, and the author didn't quite succeed in making the reader understand why Nick was so head over heels in love with Bree. As a result, this aspect of the story felt lackluster and unsatisfying.
In conclusion, Legendborn is a fun and exciting fantasy read that is sure to appeal to fans of the genre. Although it has a few flaws, the overall writing, world building, and plot twists make up for them, making it a highly recommended read. With a 4 out of 5 stars rating, Legendborn is well worth your time and attention.
- Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2024I enjoyed this story very much. The several mysteries tied together nicely. The descriptions of the characters and settings were clear. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Top reviews from other countries
- Kyla WellingtonReviewed in Canada on December 21, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Legendborn
Briana Matthew’s is a young black girl in the south, who after experiencing the loss of her mother, attempts to infiltrate a secret society. She’s on a mission to uncover what really happened to her mother. Along the way she learns about her own history and powers and how she is connected to a legacy she couldn’t have predicted.
I did not think i was gonna love this book as much as i do. It gave me adventure, romance, mystery and fantasy. It touched on race and its ever present challenges, as well as, trauma (her own and inherited from her ancestors). We see how holding onto the grief of loss stops her from remembering the love that she experienced from the person she lost. All in all, this is just a great book. A modern spin on King Arthur and his knights table.
I would also like to say, I am team Nick as her man but i also LOVE Sel. Maybe that could be her bestie?!?! Or maybe they could be a throuple?!?!
I’m a Legendborn STAN now.
Kyla Wellington
Reviewed in Canada on December 21, 2024
I did not think i was gonna love this book as much as i do. It gave me adventure, romance, mystery and fantasy. It touched on race and its ever present challenges, as well as, trauma (her own and inherited from her ancestors). We see how holding onto the grief of loss stops her from remembering the love that she experienced from the person she lost. All in all, this is just a great book. A modern spin on King Arthur and his knights table.
I would also like to say, I am team Nick as her man but i also LOVE Sel. Maybe that could be her bestie?!?! Or maybe they could be a throuple?!?!
I’m a Legendborn STAN now.
Images in this review -
Isabella SilvaReviewed in Mexico on November 29, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente calidad
Llego muy protegido y en excelente estado
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LectriceReviewed in France on November 4, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Juste incroyable
Je sais que mes mots ne seront pas assez pour décrire cette masterpiece vraiment. les personnages sont incroyables, l’intrigue est incroyables, le système de magie juste super intéressant, et les rebondissements ? Imprévisibles et mind blowing. Je ne peux que recommander ce livre !
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Laura MachadoReviewed in Brazil on February 24, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Uma surpresa maravilhosa, complexa e emocionante!
Esse livro foi uma das maiores surpresas da minha vida! Antes de ler, me recomendaram falando que era uma fantasia urbana no estilo de Caçadores das Sombras, que tinha a ver com o Rei Arthur e que era bom. Só isso. Ninguém me disse que eu encontraria um choque de dois mundos mágicos, uma protagonista passando por um luto intenso e se descobrindo enquanto desvenda esses dois mundos e um romance que me deu até frio na barriga! Ninguém me preparou para o quão complexo e cheio de camadas o enredo seria!
Eu já costumo parar e anotar os acontecimentos dos livros que leio, mas confesso que são poucos os que me obrigam a fazer isso para acompanhar todos os detalhes. Este foi assim, mas por uma boa razão. A autora não força explicações sobre o universo e as regras da Ordem do nada, nem faz a protagonista descobrir mais do que é de seu interesse. Tem algumas cenas em que informações foram cortadas e mistérios prolongados, sim, mas nenhum foi sem motivo. Bree está passando por um luto que veio acompanhado de um transtorno que a impede de superar a morte de sua mãe. Fez total sentido ela não ter cabeça para qualquer coisa a qualquer momento.
Acho que ela foi descobrindo tudo devagar como devia ser e o final, ainda que fosse algo que eu já esperava, foi bem interessante! É possível que pessoas que conheçam a história do Rei Arthur se surpreendam e percebam detalhes que eu não percebi, mas conheço muito pouco! Achei que o enredo teve um ritmo ótimo, em nenhum momento cheguei a ficar entediada e só queria ler mais e mais!
Também gostei muito do romance! Acho que a Bree e seu interesse romântico têm muita química e eu gostei demais de vários momentos entre eles! Mas, a partir de um pouco mais da metade para a frente, eles simplesmente viram um casal (do nada). O desenvolvimento da relação entre eles é colocado de lado e esquecido, chegando a fazer com que eu me desapegasse um pouco de tudo que tinha sido cultivado antes. Sei por fato o que aconteceu e como eles se sentem, mas a própria sensação de uma relação que ainda precisa crescer foi esquecida.
Nem sei se estou fazendo muito sentido, mas vamos a algumas outras pequenas críticas? Antes de mais nada, a mais besta: a Bree desmaia demais! Demais mesmo! Acho que ela desmaiou umas oito vezes nesse livro, senão mais. Se alguma coisa impactante acontecia, logo estava ela desmaiando, mesmo que fosse para acordar dali a segundos e voltar à ação. Não tenho a menor ideia do que levou a autora a fazer ela passar por isso tantas vezes, a ponto de quebrar um pouco a imagem de forte e resistente que ela tinha por causa de outros momentos.
Outra coisa que me incomodou foi a Bree entrar para uma competição que exigia muito dela fisicamente quando ela não tinha qualquer preparo ou experiência anterior, nunca treinava direito e, quando treinava, era muito pouco. Seria bem fácil incluir sessões de treinamento clandestinas entre ela e Nick ou qualquer outra pessoa. Não só para aprender sobre a Ordem, mas para preencher essa lacuna entre uma garota comum que nunca teve motivo para aprender a lutar com espada a uma que se dê bem o suficiente para ser a protagonista deste livro. Me fiz acreditar que ela teve um desempenho possível porque eu queria, não porque veio naturalmente.
Outra coisa que me incomodou foi que, depois de um certo ponto, Nick se torna um fantoche completo que só aparece se for para ficar com raiva à toa. Ficou tão caricato, que achei que a autora estava encaminhando apressadamente para um triângulo amoroso, mas não foi bem assim. Aliás, ainda bem que ela resolveu não fazer um triângulo. Ainda tem a tensão entre a Bree e outro personagem, mas teria sido rápido e forçado demais se tivesse se tornado algo romântico. Por enquanto, só poderia ter melhorado a personalidade do Nick e a mantido mais coerente com o que ele apresentou no começo.
Uma coisa que eu tinha esquecido de falar, mas que acho extremamente essencial: o Selwyn é agressivo e até violento demais com a Bree desde o começo e é completamente gratuito. Mesmo que ele suspeite dela, não acho que esse nível de hostilidade é justificado. Por sorte, a autora fez questão de mostrar outro lado dele, mas ainda acho que vou guardar um ranço dele para sempre por causa da sua atitude no começo.
Chega de críticas, porque todas elas são pequenas e em nenhum momento estragaram o livro. Eu adorei os personagens secundários, a terapeuta, a colega de quarto, o pai de Bree e todos os outros personagens que se aproximaram dela durante a iniciação da Ordem, como ê Greer, o Whitty, a Sarah e o William. Gostei muito do Nick também, e no final acabei gostando mais do Selwyn. Mas minha parte favorita foi a história dela com a mãe, do universo do lado de lá e de ver o protagonismo de uma garota negra no meio de uma Ordem fantástica criada por colonizadores com membros que se acham os incríveis maravilhosos e poderosos sem os quais o mundo pereceria, como se fossem os únicos a receberem poderes e salvarem o mundo. Amei também a conexão entre o passado e o presente, ainda que dolorosa.
Estou louca para ver o que vem no próximo livro! Esse foi só o primeiro! Essa montanha-russa de emoções, de acontecimentos, reviravoltas e descobertas foi só o primeiro! Acho que tem conteúdo e pontencial para se tornar uma série longa. A única limitação é por ser escrito na primeira pessoa, então só dá para irmos até onde a Bree for. Mas estou bem ansiosa mesmo para descobrir como vai ser a partir de agora, porque o final foi de tirar o fôlego (como várias outras cenas pelo livro) e a última reviravolta vai abalar tudo a partir do segundo livro!
Recomendo completamente. Eu estava lendo em ebook e ainda fiz questão de comprar em livro físico porque precisava ter Legendborn na minha estante! Estou bem feliz pela Intrínseca ter decidido publicar e fiquei só com um pouco de dó do tradutor, porque esse livro não é fácil de traduzir, nem um pouco. Mas é muito rico, interessante e divertido para não ser publicado aqui! Estou só esperando lançar para fazer ainda mais propaganda e recomendação!
Laura Machado
Reviewed in Brazil on February 24, 2021
Eu já costumo parar e anotar os acontecimentos dos livros que leio, mas confesso que são poucos os que me obrigam a fazer isso para acompanhar todos os detalhes. Este foi assim, mas por uma boa razão. A autora não força explicações sobre o universo e as regras da Ordem do nada, nem faz a protagonista descobrir mais do que é de seu interesse. Tem algumas cenas em que informações foram cortadas e mistérios prolongados, sim, mas nenhum foi sem motivo. Bree está passando por um luto que veio acompanhado de um transtorno que a impede de superar a morte de sua mãe. Fez total sentido ela não ter cabeça para qualquer coisa a qualquer momento.
Acho que ela foi descobrindo tudo devagar como devia ser e o final, ainda que fosse algo que eu já esperava, foi bem interessante! É possível que pessoas que conheçam a história do Rei Arthur se surpreendam e percebam detalhes que eu não percebi, mas conheço muito pouco! Achei que o enredo teve um ritmo ótimo, em nenhum momento cheguei a ficar entediada e só queria ler mais e mais!
Também gostei muito do romance! Acho que a Bree e seu interesse romântico têm muita química e eu gostei demais de vários momentos entre eles! Mas, a partir de um pouco mais da metade para a frente, eles simplesmente viram um casal (do nada). O desenvolvimento da relação entre eles é colocado de lado e esquecido, chegando a fazer com que eu me desapegasse um pouco de tudo que tinha sido cultivado antes. Sei por fato o que aconteceu e como eles se sentem, mas a própria sensação de uma relação que ainda precisa crescer foi esquecida.
Nem sei se estou fazendo muito sentido, mas vamos a algumas outras pequenas críticas? Antes de mais nada, a mais besta: a Bree desmaia demais! Demais mesmo! Acho que ela desmaiou umas oito vezes nesse livro, senão mais. Se alguma coisa impactante acontecia, logo estava ela desmaiando, mesmo que fosse para acordar dali a segundos e voltar à ação. Não tenho a menor ideia do que levou a autora a fazer ela passar por isso tantas vezes, a ponto de quebrar um pouco a imagem de forte e resistente que ela tinha por causa de outros momentos.
Outra coisa que me incomodou foi a Bree entrar para uma competição que exigia muito dela fisicamente quando ela não tinha qualquer preparo ou experiência anterior, nunca treinava direito e, quando treinava, era muito pouco. Seria bem fácil incluir sessões de treinamento clandestinas entre ela e Nick ou qualquer outra pessoa. Não só para aprender sobre a Ordem, mas para preencher essa lacuna entre uma garota comum que nunca teve motivo para aprender a lutar com espada a uma que se dê bem o suficiente para ser a protagonista deste livro. Me fiz acreditar que ela teve um desempenho possível porque eu queria, não porque veio naturalmente.
Outra coisa que me incomodou foi que, depois de um certo ponto, Nick se torna um fantoche completo que só aparece se for para ficar com raiva à toa. Ficou tão caricato, que achei que a autora estava encaminhando apressadamente para um triângulo amoroso, mas não foi bem assim. Aliás, ainda bem que ela resolveu não fazer um triângulo. Ainda tem a tensão entre a Bree e outro personagem, mas teria sido rápido e forçado demais se tivesse se tornado algo romântico. Por enquanto, só poderia ter melhorado a personalidade do Nick e a mantido mais coerente com o que ele apresentou no começo.
Uma coisa que eu tinha esquecido de falar, mas que acho extremamente essencial: o Selwyn é agressivo e até violento demais com a Bree desde o começo e é completamente gratuito. Mesmo que ele suspeite dela, não acho que esse nível de hostilidade é justificado. Por sorte, a autora fez questão de mostrar outro lado dele, mas ainda acho que vou guardar um ranço dele para sempre por causa da sua atitude no começo.
Chega de críticas, porque todas elas são pequenas e em nenhum momento estragaram o livro. Eu adorei os personagens secundários, a terapeuta, a colega de quarto, o pai de Bree e todos os outros personagens que se aproximaram dela durante a iniciação da Ordem, como ê Greer, o Whitty, a Sarah e o William. Gostei muito do Nick também, e no final acabei gostando mais do Selwyn. Mas minha parte favorita foi a história dela com a mãe, do universo do lado de lá e de ver o protagonismo de uma garota negra no meio de uma Ordem fantástica criada por colonizadores com membros que se acham os incríveis maravilhosos e poderosos sem os quais o mundo pereceria, como se fossem os únicos a receberem poderes e salvarem o mundo. Amei também a conexão entre o passado e o presente, ainda que dolorosa.
Estou louca para ver o que vem no próximo livro! Esse foi só o primeiro! Essa montanha-russa de emoções, de acontecimentos, reviravoltas e descobertas foi só o primeiro! Acho que tem conteúdo e pontencial para se tornar uma série longa. A única limitação é por ser escrito na primeira pessoa, então só dá para irmos até onde a Bree for. Mas estou bem ansiosa mesmo para descobrir como vai ser a partir de agora, porque o final foi de tirar o fôlego (como várias outras cenas pelo livro) e a última reviravolta vai abalar tudo a partir do segundo livro!
Recomendo completamente. Eu estava lendo em ebook e ainda fiz questão de comprar em livro físico porque precisava ter Legendborn na minha estante! Estou bem feliz pela Intrínseca ter decidido publicar e fiquei só com um pouco de dó do tradutor, porque esse livro não é fácil de traduzir, nem um pouco. Mas é muito rico, interessante e divertido para não ser publicado aqui! Estou só esperando lançar para fazer ainda mais propaganda e recomendação!
Images in this review - Amazon CustomerReviewed in Italy on March 13, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Refreshing, smart & heartwarming
Loved it and honestly was nice too related to certain situations that maybe you don't always get in certain genres. But overall a good read, finished it in 2 days lol