Legendborn

by Tracy Deonn

Ebook, 2020

Status

Available

Call number

Fic SF Deonn

Publication

Publisher Unknown

Description

After her mother dies in an accident, 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 young mage who calls himself a 'Merlin' attempts - and fails - to wipe Bree's memory of everything she saw. His 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 she'll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.

User reviews

LibraryThing member bell7

Bree Matthews and her friend Alice are in the Early College program at the University of Carolina. She's still reeling from her mother's death, which happened just after they had a huge argument about her going in the first place. Only a few days into the semester, she witnesses a magical attack

and shakes off an attempt to change her memories. Realizing her own strange abilities and the fact that someone adjusted her memories in the hospital after her mother's car accident, she joins a secret society in hopes of figuring out the truth.

This was a unique spin on Arthurian legend, bringing it to the American south and transforming it with the American history of slavery and racism that still affects the present day. The stakes continue to grow higher as Bree falls in love with Nick, the heir apparent, and learns more not only of his society's rules and history, but also an alternate approach to magic that her mother used that sharply contrasts with that of Nick and his friends. Maybe a little on the slower side because of all the aspects that Bree has to learn, but ultimately very satisfying how all the revelations come together in the end, and I enjoyed going along for the ride. It's left wide open for a sequel in this planned trilogy.

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LibraryThing member lycomayflower

This YA fantasy novel is a little bit King Arthur retelling, a little bit Supernatural, and a dash of the feel of Kindred. I cannot express strongly enough how much I love the premise of this book and the way Arthuriana and magical traditions born out of West Africa and developed by enslaved people

in North America clash and interrogate one another here. And the reveal that our Black teenaged girl protagonist, because she is the descendent of two lines through the rape of an enslaved women, is the descendent of Arthur who will inherit his power, thereby bringing together the power of the mythologies of the colonizers and enslavers with the enslaved because she is descended from both lines is just. I think I was chanting "yes!" at the book as it was coming together. (Don't miss the Author's Note, where Deonn talks a bit about this theme.) That being said, I found the writing and the characterization a little flat. I sometimes felt like everything in the story was given equal weight, which can be tedious and plodding. I also thought that the bits where Bree interacted with her family and learned about her heritage were much more "alive" than her forays into the Arthurian secret society, and I wish there had been even more of that aspect of the story. I love love love that this book is out there and hope it is striking a chord with a lot of teens, but I'm undecided about whether I'll keep going with the series.

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LibraryThing member krau0098

Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Legendborn series. I got this book in an Owlcrate.

Story (5/5): This is a contemporary urban fantasy of sorts involving both Arthurian legend and other folklorish types of magic. Bree ends up attending a sort of pre-college at UNC-Chapel Hill and

gets caught up in a secret society involving the spirits of Arthurian knights. As the story continues she realizes that this group might somehow be tied to her mother’s death. It’s a well crafted story that is intriguing and engaging.

Characters (5/5): I loved the characters here. Bree is amazing and I loved that the author gives excellent insight into the challenges Bree faces because of her skin color, this isn’t super in your face but is realistically portrayed. Bree is struggling with her grief over her mother’s death and it was amazing to watch how she grew throughout the course of the story. I loved a lot of the side characters as well, they all have a lot of depth to them.

Setting (4/5): The setting is fine; most of the book is set on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus. It worked well for the story and I did like how the King Arthur mythos was tied into everything. I can’t wait as more of the magic of this world is unraveled in future books.

Writing Style (5/5): This was an incredibly well balanced and well written novel. The pace is excellent and I had no issue staying engaged in the story. I loved the characters, the magic system, and the way Arthurian folklore and traditional Hoodoo were tied together. This is not a typical YA fantasy novel but has a lot more depth and complexity to it. I loved it and can’t wait to see what happens next.

My Summary (5/5): Overall I really loved this book; it was very well written and was an excellent blend of great pacing, wonderful magic, amazing characters, and an intriguing and complex story. I am excited to see what the second book in the series brings and would highly recommend this to fantasy and urban fantasy lovers young adult and older.

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LibraryThing member Black-Lilly

I was a bit suspicious at first, with so many raving reviews and in the beginning it seemed that I was right. I just can't identify with US college culture, which is so different than my own experience in my home country.
Luckily there is not much of that going on after the initial introduction of

the setting and then the story starts to suck you in!
The grief is so raw in some parts, it takes your breath away. (and wanting to reach through the pages to hug both, Bree and Ms Deonn.)

It is a refreshing take on the Arthur Legend, with a nice plot twist that does me want to crave more.
defintely a reread as soon as the next book comed out!

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LibraryThing member SamMusher

Super engaging Arthurian fantasy! Author did a ton of research about the legends and history she's drawing from. Ending is a total cliffhanger, though, which always frustrates me (and my students)!

Read-alikes: Legend, Raven Cycle, etc.

LibraryThing member quondame

Everything old is new again. Yes, I groaned a bit when the King Arthur aspect was introduced, and when there were two hot guys one clearly trouble's child and one ever so nice and perfect, but Bree is interesting in herself, her conflicts and strategies and the magic systems are not unambiguous or

simple minded. The pacing could have been smoother and perhaps sharper, but at least a lot happens along the length and this is one new series I will look forward to continuing.

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LibraryThing member fionaanne

Exceptional. Regretting that I didn't wait until the sequel was released before reading. Stupid anticipation.

LibraryThing member Stevil2001

This started okay but didn't work for me. There are just a lot of elements jockeying for attention, and they ultimately don't cohere. The main character is a sixteen-year-old in an Early College program at UNC-Chapel Hill shortly after the death of her mother; she stumbles into a hidden world of

Arthurian mythos. Only, it never felt very Arthurian, it just had Arthurian names grafted onto it. That she's sixteen feels like something the writer forgets about at times, and I'm not sure why it's there, except to make this squarely YA. Supposedly she's trying to undergo trials to join this secret order to figure out how they were involved in the death of her mother, but the trials feel like an afterthought, as does the fact that this all takes place at a college. Oh, and there's one of those generic YA romances: there's a hot dude she's into, but this other dude who's dark and seems to hate her but she gets this electric thrill whenever they touch... On top of all that, there's a ton of exposition; I felt like the second quarter of the novel was entirely people explaining things to Bree, much of which washed right over me; I never grokked the magic system, or what the difference between a Page and Vassal and a Scion and a Merlin and a Onceborn was. When another character tells Bree that no, there's an entirely different magic system out there, I sighed a bit, and wished she was learning some of this instead of being told it all. I think this novel is trying to do interesting things, but I did not find them interesting much of the time (things do pick up a bit here and there in the second half), and the thematic elements don't come off in the execution. So I can see why other people might like this, but it did not work for me.

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LibraryThing member Venarain

Honestly really fantastic. Everything you could ask for in a YA fantasy. Cant wait for the next one!

LibraryThing member VictoriaGD

Root and Aether
Tracy Deonn creates an original modern reimaging of the legend of King Arthur. After the sudden death of her mother, Briana Matthews is caught in a whirlwind of sadness, self-doubt, and anger. Early college was supposed to be the exciting beginning of her life, now it is an escape

from her present sadness. When she witnesses a demon attack during a party, she finds out magic is real. But more importantly that the memories of her mother’s death have been manipulated. Recklessly, Bree delves head first in to the cult type organization called the Order of the Round Table. With the help of her mentor Nick Davis, she might actually survive or find herself in worse peril. Bree is exceptionally angry and impulsive as she deals with loss, school, her friends, and magic. Even managing to make an enemy, powerful Kingsmage Selwyn Kane, on her first day of school. It seems that everyone in her life has secrets they are keeping from her. Her spirit and determination are admirable, as she faces the mystery of her mother’s death, the magic of the Legendborn, and racial issues head on. Her strength comes later in the book. From her willingness to stop and attend to her own emotional turmoil, which helps her better sympathize with her friends. It was wonderful to see Bree grow from grief to strength. Tracy Deonn’s world building and magic lore is one of the many reasons to read this book!

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LibraryThing member KittyCunningham

Octavia would be proud.

I love that most of the setting is UNC-CH. I live nearby and am familiar with most of the places described. When Bree and her father were ordering at Waffle House, there was no doubt the author has been there more than once.

Don't read this thinking you're going to get a

modernized version of Arthurian legends. It's not that. She has taken the general ideas of the characters and run with them. Delightfully.

The love story bugs me but I recognize that is because I'm not really a lover of romance. I intend to finish the series.

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LibraryThing member yonitdm

This is a phenomenal book. Whispers of Octavia Butler, full flushed out lore times 2. Deep characters, flaws and strengths. I laughed, cried, yelled, gasped, everything.

There were a couple pieces of exposition and dialogue that were a little dry, but overall a fantastic read.

LibraryThing member tornadox

Southern Black Girl Magic meets King Arthur mythos at college.

Bree Matthews gets early early admission into UNC Chapel Hill. She is still grieving her mother, who died in a car accident not too long ago. At her first college party, she stumbles upon a group of students who battle strange creatures

that most other people cannot perceive. Magic is real, and she keeps stumbling upon it in unexpected places.

Deonn is good at conveying Bree's discomfort and pain in different situations: living in a dorm that was built by enslaved people, perhaps by her own ancestors; being the only POC allowed in a particular social group; building a support system almost from scratch; and how grief can overwhelm and isolate.

I really liked it. The ending sets up the next book, which I will happily read. I just hope that we'll get an OT3 instead of a love triangle between Bree, Sel, and Nick. All of them take turns being heroes and damsels in distress.

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LibraryThing member acargile

A friend kept recommending this novel, so I finally took the time to listen to it and really enjoyed it. I think there's a middle school audience for this assumed trilogy. As of this writing, only two books have been released with a third coming soon, I hope.

Bree Matthews life takes a sudden turn

when her mother dies in a car accident the day that Bree decides that she will give her mother the silent treatment. Lots of guilt hang on her, as she hates that she was angry with her mom on the day of her death. Her mother never wanted her to attend early college at UNC @ Chapel Hill; now that her mother is dead and her dad wants what is best for her, Bree attends with her best friend Alice. The first night they arrive Bree feels like pushing the boundaries. Psychologically, she's floundering with the death of her mother and is now on her own at college at a young age. Her anger/despair doesn't know where to go, so Bree convinces Alice to sneak out and go to the cliff where new college students jump into water in the dark. A girl from their hometown tells them about it and invites them. A strange thing occurs followed the security arriving. Yep--Alice and Bree get caught. Although the punishment is supposed to be expulsion, they are given a second chance. Alice is angry because she isn't a rule breaker. Bree finds herself preoccupied with what she saw that was strange.

Strangeness that leads to secrets captures Bree. She and Alice are a bit annoyed with each other, giving Bree time to start our plot. She is assigned a mentor, Nick. After a strange thing happens, Nick knows that Bree is different. A few encounters and some conversation and a lot of romantic pull between them, it's finally revealed that Nick has denied his ancestry, revealing a secret society that Bree thinks has something to do with her mother's death. Coincidentally, Bree has recently acquired some strange powers. Nick agrees to return to his ancestral obligations to help Bree with her investigation into her mom's death. There's a big problem with NIck's sworn protector, Sel. He's convinced Bree is a monster masquerading as a human sent to kill Nick. Lots of doubts and trials ensue.

Without giving too much away, the rest of the novel involves Bree's journey to understanding what the society is and what's happening for the first time in 250 years as well as her role in the coming battles. I will say that Americans have quite the ego. When the truth comes out at the end, I found myself shaking my head, thinking, "Of course, this secret would take place in America! We are in charge of saving the world and only we can do it!" Suits me. I love the escape into this Arthurian modern day legend.

I enjoyed listening to this VERY long audio and look forward to getting the second installment when my hold arrives from Overdrive.

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LibraryThing member Bodagirl

Loved this! Some classic tropes - the "chosen one," some insta-love, and a possible love triangle - being complicated by issues of race, though I feel the gender issue has been trod by many others at this point. I did call how Bree was Legendborn, but there were enough twists to keep my interest. I

did have a hard time keeping the Legendborn characters straight outside of Nick and Sel, and the structure of the Order still escapes me a bit. However, I immediately went to the library to get book two.

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LibraryThing member StarKnits

I really liked this book

LibraryThing member Yggie

Loved the world building, loved the twist, did not love most of the characters (except William, he was adorable) and hated the obligatory super dramatic convoluted love stories. Still, I've been reading a LOT lately and some of the stories sort of melt into each other - not this one though.

Definitely unique, and with a very difficult theme yet still a pleasure to read.

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LibraryThing member humouress

{first in Legendborn Cycle trilogy?; fantasy, urban fantasy, Arthurian fantasy, young adult, magic, southern America, college, teen romance} (2020)

Sixteen year old Briana Matthews (Bree) applied to Early College at the University of North Carolina but her mum wasn't keen and they argued about it;

then her mum was killed in a car accident. Unable to face living at home, and with her grief and anger still simmering under the surface, three months later Bree starts at UNC with her best friend, Alice Chen. But on their first night there Bree sees something that she's not supposed to see, that no-one else can. And when another college student 'mesmers' her so she forgets what she's seen, she finds that she can shake it off and remember. Which triggers a memory about the time her mum died.

When she accidentally discovers the Order of the Round Table, a secret society on campus which deals in magic and which then unsuccessfully tries to mesmer her again, she determines to join them to see if they had something to do with her mum's death. And so she enters a world which lies hidden within our own where Legendborn, the descendants of Arthur, Merlin and twelve of the strongest knights of the Round Table, battle demons (Shadowborn) to keep humans (Onceborn) safe.

This was a fast-paced, action packed story; I was literally holding my breath over some of the action sequences. There are some slower paced sections to let you catch your breath but I found it one of those books that you can't put down for too long. It twists and turns in unexpected directions. There's a touch of (young adult) romance and also a bit of an Arthurian triangle happening.

I did find the hierarchy of the Order a bit confusing at first; you may find the following helpful."Our Vassal friends and their contemporary fiefdoms are the Order's lower limbs. Without them, we would not have walked through fifteen centuries of this war, would not have advanced from the Middle Ages to modernity. Pages are the left hand: once Oathed, you will be granted Sight in order to hold the shield while we fight in the shadows. Merlins are the right hand, the sword and fists of the Order. Our guardians and weapons against the darkness. The Legendborn Scions and Squires are the heart. The holy text of their Lines has fueled our mission from the beginning. The Regents are the spine, directing our eyes and energies to the urgent matters at hand."There are thirteen Legendborn Lines descended from the last knights of the Round Table and they can take Onceborn Pages and Squires who then become part of the society. There are also Vassal families (Onceborns) who don't get involved in the fighting but are pledged in service to one of the Lines; they accrue financial and other benefits and their children may be chosen to be Pages. Pages (usually from Vassal families) are invited by Legendborn for initiation and granted Sight after taking the Oath of Fealty; they can then compete for limited spots to become Squires (battle partners) to Scions (who can belong to a different Line from their sponsor). Scions are Legendborn, born with the title; not just descendants but heirs of the knights. Merlins are the Order's sorcerers. There is also a High Council of Regents which rules the society.

I liked this story; however, there were a few minor issues. I found that most of the secondary (male) characters in the Legendborn society were indistinguishable from each other so they were just a welter of names to me and there were a couple of times that Bree extrapolated information that wasn't obvious to me. There were a few plot points towards the end that I could use clarification on - or maybe that will happen in the sequel - such as how the demon got past the wards. And I do wonder why the Order of the Round Table isn't still in Wales, or at least Britain, rather than in the United States - or even scattered around the world.

One thing I wasn't comfortable with - though I appreciated how comfortable Bree was about being black-American - was the way Deonn often highlighted negative attitudes which Bree encountered because of her skin colour. I know it's a real world issue but I did not enjoy it when it cropped up (there's a reason I read fantasy, after all) and I didn't feel it added anything to the story; in some instances it fell forced. I understand why the author put it in but I felt the narrative could have done without those encounters. Docking half a star.

Other than that, I thought it was a really good story and I'll be looking for the next book - once I've recovered my breath!

(October 2023)
4 stars

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LibraryThing member decaturmamaof2

Some very strong writing in Deonn's tale of Bree and her discovery of how the past still lives in her.

LibraryThing member Smith.erin71

This book blew my mind. I loved it so much!

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