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A review by afrathefish
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
2.75
this book made me wish i was a decade younger, bc ik i would have EATENNNN THIS UPPPPPP during my ya / dystopia phase as a kid.
this has been my first fantasy in MONTHS, and for my first foray back in, it wasn’t too bad. but it also reminded me of all the reasons i became tired of the genre pretty quickly. i’m old. i’m too lazy to keep up with the differing roles and varying creatures that keep appearing. i will say that the exposition is mostly presented very well - there’s none of the nonsense you see in fourth wing. the world building works, but as i’ve said. i’m old lol. i’m also too tired to handle love triangles. nate annoyed me. like they had tension but he was just . there. the stuff with selwyn felt more promising, but the turn from hatred to supposed adoration felt WAY too quick - IM SO TIRED CAN SOMEONE PLEASE WRITE HOW TO YEARN PROPERLY 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭. ig it makes sense bc they are literally 16 and 17. but im TIRED . the ending was a bit jarring as well, and while it makes sense, it felt a smidgen too grandiose, as is prominent with this genre, which again reminded me of why i have such disdain for it now. also this is more minor but the welsh threw me off and the welsh pronunciations in the audiobook annoyed me, but that’s more of a me thing.
saying that, some things were phenomenal. the world building and magic system incorporating historical injustices was phenomenal. the way it explores being in environments that directly profited off of your ancestor’s oppression and exploitation, inhabiting buildings and spaces that would have viewed you as lesser than is so Wonderfully portrayed. the magic system on paying homage to all those before you and to the earth was also quite beautiful. more than anything, the portrayal of grief in this book is among the best i’ve ever read. i disliked this book more than i liked this book, but the way grief is portrayed had me crying for chapters at a time.
it kills me bc ik if i read this a decade ago, it would’ve been so powerful that it probably would’ve shaped a fundamental part of me. but reading this now , just makes me feel old lol. considering how big the other two books are, im reluctant to carry on with the series and am now looking for good plot summaries
this has been my first fantasy in MONTHS, and for my first foray back in, it wasn’t too bad. but it also reminded me of all the reasons i became tired of the genre pretty quickly. i’m old. i’m too lazy to keep up with the differing roles and varying creatures that keep appearing. i will say that the exposition is mostly presented very well - there’s none of the nonsense you see in fourth wing. the world building works, but as i’ve said. i’m old lol. i’m also too tired to handle
saying that, some things were phenomenal. the world building and magic system incorporating historical injustices was phenomenal. the way it explores being in environments that directly profited off of your ancestor’s oppression and exploitation, inhabiting buildings and spaces that would have viewed you as lesser than is so Wonderfully portrayed. the magic system on paying homage to all those before you and to the earth was also quite beautiful. more than anything, the portrayal of grief in this book is among the best i’ve ever read. i disliked this book more than i liked this book, but the way grief is portrayed had me crying for chapters at a time.
it kills me bc ik if i read this a decade ago, it would’ve been so powerful that it probably would’ve shaped a fundamental part of me. but reading this now , just makes me feel old lol. considering how big the other two books are, im reluctant to carry on with the series and am now looking for good plot summaries