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lilykate6's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer
katiemcgregor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Anyway, I was an Avalon High girlie growing up so I had high expectations for Legendborn. I love all of the historical and fantastical aspects Deonn is weaving into the story but take some issue with execution. While I think that the showing not telling was successful in conveying that Bree is a quick thinker, I feel like I, as the reader, was left behind in the dust. It took so long for me to grasp this world, it's hierarchies, and magic system, and I don't feel like I usually struggle with this in fantasy novels? There was a lot of information in the first half of the book and not enough time to process it. I would really love a chart to get a visual of all of these key pieces.
The big twist wasn't entirely surprising to me, but it was just mysterious enough that I needed the book to fill in the gaps of what I hadn't already figured out. Despite the convolution, I do think that important information was delved out reasonably.
As for the love triangle...
I'm not opposed to love triangles but the issue I usually have with them is that one party is far more appealing or interesting than the other contender vying for our protagonist's affections. This issue is present in Legendborn. The Nick x Bree thing felt instalovey and Nick didn't have must personality outside of the lineage that makes up his whole identity. I get that he's supposed to be a charismatic golden boy but he's boring. Based on the ending of book 1, I'm excited to get into book 2 simply because of the dynamic shift in the love triangle.
I'm definitely intrigued and hope that Bloodmarked will be easier to grasp now that I have some understanding of the world.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Car accident
Minor: Cancer and Vomit
talonsontypewriters's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Gore, Racism, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Medical content, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War
Minor: Cancer, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual content, Transphobia, Vomit, and Car accident
clairew97's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
erebus53's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Being one of the few Black girls on campus, Bree finds being in an elite society of blood and oath bonded mages pretty irksome. She is continually reminded that she doesn't belong, whether being mistaken as wait-staff, assumed to have been allowed entry as "affirmative action", or just wandering in the school gardens and finding a monument to the nameless slaves who built the campus.
Her boyfriend's paranoid bodyguard is sure that she's actually secretly a demon who is trying to manipulate or kill him... and just when she feels like she might be getting a grip on what is going on, she meets with a woman who used to know her mother, who tells her that this order of Blood Mages she has met with, are colonial scum who have stolen their magic, who never consider balance, and who are causing most of the imbalance that is drawing evil manifestations into the world.
And how do you learn all this stuff and still keep it secret from your childhood best friend.. with whom you are supposed to be living the college dream? To get anywhere Bree is going to have to start being honest with herself, get in touch with her own power, and be vulnerable enough to ask for help from unlikely places.
We've got a bit of diversity despite things being very White-centric. One of the main characters has relationships with guys and girls, another is non-binary gender (they/them), and Bree's best friend Alice is Taiwanese American. I've listened to a few books that have been read by Joniece Abbott-Pratt and she does a solid job, but in this particular book where most of the characters are White, it makes my brain work doubly hard. I have to keep reminding myself that the young men she is hanging out with are not Black. It's very easy for my brain to be lulled into the idea that Selwyn is a Black lad, because that's how his voice sounds in the narration. Maybe I just need to concentrate harder.
Quite a lengthy book, but it really does close off with a "first book feel" that leaves you wondering about enough to bring you back for another round... maybe later though.
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Moderate: Cancer, Rape, and Vomit
bendersreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Bullying, Violence, Blood, War, and Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Vomit, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, and Car accident
emmasbookshelf27's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Death, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape and Alcohol
fruya's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Eating disorder, Rape, Police brutality, Medical trauma, and Car accident
Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Slavery, Torture, and Medical trauma
daydreamermoonwalker's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Racism, Slavery, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Cancer, Cursing, and Drug use
zombiezami's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Cancer