[Review] Legendborn (The Legendborn Cycle, book 1) by Tracy Deonn

Oh. My. God. This book is so ridiculously good. I'm still reeling from reading it.

There is so much to commend this book. Very solid writing. And an interesting and engaging plot which blends America's Black history with Welsh Arthurian legend. I was drawn in from the very first chapter and I was thoroughly engaged throughout. The story is fast-paced and intense. My interest never did wane.

Fantastic character development—deep, rich and fully actualized characters. The main character is raw, real, honest, and vulnerable—an underdog worth rooting for.

Outside of the plot, there is so much good subtext. Legendborn addresses race and gender discrimination, inter-generational trauma, and the grief of losing a parent. It also reminds readers of the horrors of slavery, with an emphasis on empowerment and self-discovery.

Some books are tearjerkers, in that they threaten to make me cry. But this one had me in real tears, multiple times. A beautiful, emotional, and uplifting read. Book 2 is already on my TBR list.

5 stars