Final Rating:
Date of Completion: 20/10/2022
Cover:
I love this beautiful illustration of Bree with her large, curly black hair and red magic flames. The pairing of blue and red colours also works great, making the design eye-catching.
Writing:
Told from Bree’s point of view, the rich narrative nicely captures everything she encounters and feels. Her gradual immersion into the secret, magical world alongside ours is perfect for gently establishing the complex world without the dreaded info dump. Not only is the worldbuilding filled with intricate lore, but it also touches on serious themes such as racism and slavery. However, this elaborate setting meant that there was a lot of information to take in, and I found this somewhat overwhelming.
Legends are dangerous… don’t underestimate them
Storyline:
Bree’s struggle with the tidal wave of grief from her mother’s death is one of the first things we learn about her, and I love how this is explored throughout the story. I especially love the positive light shone on therapy even though an unconventional approach was used. Besides this, Bree’s dive into the magical world and secret society infuses the story with action, mystery and lore. These different features kept the story engaging and addicting while strengthening Bree’s self-discovery journey. As the climax approached, various twists and revelations were skilfully used to create a slight cliffhanger ending that has me eager to get my hands on the next book.
Main character:
Sixteen-year-old Bree is a strong-willed and confident black protagonist. Her skin colour is not just mentioned, but there are constant references to her hair and other experiences specific to people of colour, which I loved. While her character is another Chosen One protagonist, Bree remains relatable as her strengths and flaws are both bared. To make her character even easier to like, she also gets a heartwarming arc of self-discovery as she faces her grief and heritage.
Some truths only tragedy can teach
Secondary characters:
The large cast of secondary characters was hard to keep track of. However, some characters did manage to make a strong impression on me – Alice, Will, Sel and Nick. These characters are given clear personalities and distinct roles that make it easy to connect with them. These four were also very engaging as they turned out to be more complex than initially presented.
Romance:
Despite the initial sparks and cute banter between the characters, Bree’s relationship seemed too sudden. These sparks soon fade, and the relationship is overshadowed by the growing attraction between Bree and another character. What makes Bree’s second connection even more enticing is that the characters start off as fierce enemies, but this gradually shifts as they support and discover more about each other.
In a nutshell, ‘Legendborn’ was an incredible read with a compelling world and main character. There is magic, mystery, action and romance, all woven into a beautiful journey of self-realization. While there is a slight cliffhanger ending, it only makes me eager to get my hands on the next book in this series. I would recommend Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko for those who liked this.
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