Legendborn
Legendborn is a young adult contemporary fantasy novel by Tracy Deonn, offering a unique retelling of Arthurian legend fused with Southern Black Girl Magic. The story follows sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews, who, after the tragic death of her mother, uncovers a secret society of demon-hunting descendants of King Arthur's knights at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As Bree delves deeper into this hidden world, she confronts a conspiracy surrounding her mother's death and discovers her own burgeoning magical abilities, rooted in her ancestral heritage. The narrative expertly blends elements of mystery, action, and romance, while critically exploring themes of grief, identity, intergenerational trauma, and systemic racism within the framework of a magical battle for the world.
Concerns
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
HighThe book features significant LGBTQ+ representation with multiple named characters who are openly queer. This includes lesbian, bisexual, gay, and non-binary individuals whose identities are woven into the narrative and celebrated as part of the diverse cast. The author herself identifies as pansexual.
Bree's best friend, Alice Chen, is a lesbian and Taiwanese-American. Selwyn Kane is explicitly bisexual, having had past relationships with both men and women, and a crush on Nick. The character William is gay. There are also references to a wlw (women-loving-women) relationship involving Sarah and Alice. Additionally, a non-binary character named Greer uses they/them pronouns.
Violence
HighLegendborn contains frequent and intense depictions of physical and magical violence, including battles against demons and threats to characters' lives. The narrative describes injuries, blood, and gore, alongside discussions of historical violence and its impact.
Bree witnesses a 'magical attack' involving a 'flying demon feeding on human energies' early in the book. Descriptions of violence include 'depictions of blood, gore, and broken bones' during battles with demons. An 'epic fight scene' occurs at the end of the first book, tying into the major plot twist. Characters face 'threats against one's life' and are involved in 'demon-slaying.'
Witchcraft & Occult
HighMagic and occult themes are central to the entire narrative of Legendborn, which is an urban fantasy. It features a secret society of 'Legendborn' individuals, descendants of King Arthur's knights, who wield 'aether' magic to hunt demons. Additionally, Bree discovers 'Rootcraft,' a distinct magic system tied to Southern Black culture and ancestral connections.
The plot revolves around 'a secret society of so called 'Legendborn' students that hunt the creatures down' using magic. The protagonist, Bree, develops her 'own unique magic' and grapples with 'two worlds and magic systems' that intertwine: the Arthurian-based aether magic and 'Rootcraft,' which is tied to Southern Black culture. Characters like Selwyn are 'mages called Merlins' who use powerful spells.
Scary & Intense Content
HighThe story features high levels of scary and intense content, driven by supernatural threats, intense battles with demons, and the protagonist's journey through traumatic grief. The stakes involve a magical war and life-threatening situations.
Bree encounters a 'flying demon feeding on human energies' during her first night on campus, creating immediate peril and suspense. The narrative deals explicitly with 'traumatic grief/flashbacks' relating to Bree's mother's death. Characters are constantly in 'life-threatening situations' due to the ongoing 'magical war' against Shadowborn demons, including direct threats to Bree's safety.
Romance and Sexual Content
MediumThe book includes romantic relationships and kissing scenes, along with implications of sexual activity between characters. While explicit sexual acts are not graphically depicted, there are mentions of characters having slept together.
The story features a 'love triangle' and instances of 'insta-love' involving the protagonist, Bree, and her love interests. There are 'several kissing scenes' throughout the narrative. Reviews also note 'some mentions that characters have slept together,' indicating implied sexual activity without graphic detail.
Profanity
MediumLegendborn incorporates moderate profanity, including some strong language and occasional use of milder curse words. Characters are noted to 'curse in Welsh' as part of the dialogue.
Reviews indicate 'fewer than 10 instances of strong language and occasional uses of mild and moderate profanity.' Characters also 'curse in Welsh' within the narrative, adding a layer of cultural specific profanity.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumBree, the protagonist, exhibits significant defiance and rebellious behavior, particularly in challenging the historically white and prejudiced 'Legendborn' secret society. Her actions often involve going against established rules and authority figures to uncover truths and fight injustices, which is frequently portrayed positively.
Bree actively 'infiltrates the Legendborn' society under false pretenses to discover the truth about her mother's death, defying their secrecy and rules. She is noted for her 'banter' and for dropping 'FIRE comebacks against the bigots who come at her throughout the novel,' demonstrating verbal defiance against prejudice.
Substance Use
LowThe book contains minimal to no explicit depictions or significant mentions of substance use such as alcohol, drugs, or smoking as central plot points. While a party is mentioned, specific details of substance abuse are absent.
Early in the book, Bree and Alice attend an 'off-campus party' where magical events unfold, but there are no specific details regarding alcohol or drug consumption. General content warnings from reviews do not highlight substance use as a significant concern.
Anti-Christian Themes
LowThe book does not contain explicit anti-Christian themes. Its magical systems are rooted in Arthurian legend and Southern Black spiritual practices ('Rootcraft'), which exist independently of Christian theology rather than actively opposing or mocking it. The focus is on these distinct fantasy elements.
The primary magical framework is a 'modern-day twist on Arthurian legend' and 'Southern Black Girl Magic,' specifically 'Rootcraft,' which involves a mutual give-and-take with ancestors. These systems operate outside of Christian doctrines without any direct criticism, mockery, or sacrilegious portrayal of Christian beliefs or symbols found in reviewed content.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
14+ due to complex themes, moderate to high intensity violence, discussions of mature topics like racial trauma and a past sexual assault, and some romantic/sexual content.
Additional Notes
The book deeply explores complex themes such as grief, intergenerational trauma, racism (both systemic and individual microaggressions), and the legacy of slavery, particularly in the American South. These elements are integral to the protagonist's journey and are handled with sensitivity and depth. The series delves into how identity, background, and history shape individual experiences. The book also contains a mention of a female slave being raped years ago, which is part of the historical trauma discussed.
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