Legendborn By Tracy Deonn

 

Warning - I will be rambling a lot because of the after-effects of aether or in short, the after-effects of reading such a brilliant novel

“Legendborn” (for me) is a story of bloodline, it is a story of inheritances!

It is “quintessential” of YA fantasy! Period.

Tracy Deonn nailed it. What an incredulously outstanding debut novel! Can't stay immune to her Mesmer!

I am doused in Aether, and this experience can't be forgotten for long. I am mesmerized 😊

Tracy has all the right ingredients and recipe for making a concoction of sheer magic and dreams.

A taut tale! A lyrical tale-telling, indisputable for me. The insurmountable task of including all the superfluous information in a taut package is indeed commendable, without compromising the pace.

“Legendborn” totally ensnared me with it’s magic. I am still in trance! I had goosebumps throughout the read, Tracy didn't allow a moment for them to settle :D

I was literally nibbling my lips intermittently during the read. Indubitably, the best so far and has found place in my top ten of my YA fantasy list. Will re-read soon. For a capricious person like me, it kept me hooked throughout.

I was glued and am still glued with the Legendborn, or maybe I am one :P

A corporeal Legendborn fighting out all the incorporeal Shadowborn.

With Tracy's compelling, seamless and effortless writing style, I felt that I wasn't reading but living every moment. Nothing was garbled, but all terse and clear, to the point.

A quick-paced plot without sacrificing the much-needed world and character building, neither plot nor characters felt contrived at any point.

Legendborn is a “quintessential” of YA fantasy. Giving a dauntless modern-day-twist to the existing Arthurian legend. I applaud how this book handled racism and inequality issues including LGBTQ+

Our hell-of-a-strong-minded southern black resolute Bree, the protagonist, doesn’t back out anytime. She is firm as a rock, immovable.

 For me, this novel is diversity personified. Bree is Black. Her best friend is Asian. We meet several other Black mages, and there's a focus on Black history and Black experiences

 The plot starts with the heartfelt portrayal of the irrevocable colossal grief of losing a mother at an early age(I could totally relate!!).

“But my mother isn’t lost. She’s gone”

“I’m a daughter whose mother was taken from her. Acceptance, I decide, is for people whose parents just died with no reason. True accidents or illness. Acceptance is not possible for murder.”

The “before-Bree” and “after-Bree” ethereal character perusals were endearing, heart-rendering. After-Bree – the unwanted souvenir that mother’s death gave her. After-Bree is always in a state of explosion. She lives and breathes inside her chest, carrying her is a full-time job.

Bree has constructed impenetrable walls around her post losing her mom.

When the plot started, I conjectured novel would primarily dwell on the emotional battles of Bree throughout, but hang on, the way it picked up was ferocious and neat. Resolute Bree evolved and progressed as a human, showing a control on her emotions, be it for her lost-mother or new-found love Nick was commendable.

 

The distance between Bree and her father post mother's demise is delicately woven. Her father’s grief creates holes in the impenetrable walls she has constructed around her, his grief makes her own emotions break. So, she tried to stay away as much as possible.

 

Bree's and Alice's friendship could have been given more of a center stage, but may be the authoress never wanted to make a single moment dreary and drab.

 

Upon discovering the secret society of the Legendborns, and getting acquainted about the shadowborns, onceborns, page, Mesmer, aether, merlin, kingsmage, scions, squire, Bree sets onto the earnest mission to discover the true cause of her mother's death.

The burgeoning romance between Nick and Bree, her irrefutable longing for Nick, Sel's constant teasing, Bree deriding Sel for being oblivious to her wounds, but Nick showing major concern, the imperious yet not arrogant William helping Bree with all the Order information….ufff…so much and deftly accommodated in a debut novel.

Bree intermittently remembering Alice while in the Order was emblematic of true friendship. Romance/Love triangle between Bree, Nick and Sel was cute and organic, not contrived upon.

"Nick’s eyes are the waiting color of the overcast skies"

“Love is a powerful thing, more powerful than blood, although both run through us like a river”

“How does this boy navigate my emotions like a seasoned sailor, finding the clear skies and bringing them closer, when all I seem able to do so hold fast to the storm?”

 

Few of the many likeable points for me-

Sel teasing, then like a love-sick puppy helping Bree to finally discover the cause of her mothers death,

William and his healing abilities with aether, visiting infirmary.

I wish if Alice had a little more extended role, but even whatever she had, was beautifully crafted.

Loved Patricia's part of Rootcrafter and Wildcrafter, and calling upon her mom. Had set my heart racing.

I admire the fact, Tracy didn't make it overtly boring by dragging the pace, which in all probability was possible, considering the superfluous information involved.

The evolution of Bree as a daughter, as a corporeal Legendborn throughout the novel is commendable.

On a lighter note- her washing of her tousled hair dunking under the faucet was relatable :D

The twist in the tale was the ending, leaving up to the reader to explore 😊

 

Undoubtedly a perfect 5-star

One of my fav quotes from the narrative:

 

“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”