Legendborn

Legendborn is a 2020 debut young adult fantasy novel by Tracy Deonn. Called "a modern day twist on Arthurian legend"[1] it follows a black teenage girl who discovers a secret historically white magic society. The book is the first in the Legendborn series. It was released on September 15, 2020 and published under Simon & Schuster/McElderry. Legendborn was critically acclaimed and received the Coretta Scott King Award/John Steptoe Award for New Talent as well as a nomination for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.

Legendborn
AuthorTracy Deonn
Cover artistHillary Wilson
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
SeriesLegendborn
Release number
1
GenreFantasy
PublisherSimon & Schuster/McElderry
Publication date
September 15, 2020
Media typePrint/Digital
Pages501
AwardsCoretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent (2021)
ISBN9781534441606
OCLC1143824811
Followed byBloodmarked 
Websitehttps://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Legendborn/Tracy-Deonn/9781534441606

Plot

The book centers 16-year-old Bree Matthews, who attempts to infiltrate a historically white magical society at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill pre-college program she is attending when she finds out that some members may have been involved in her mothers recent death .[2]

Background

Tracy Deonn was inspired by The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper.[3] She was also influenced by the death of her mother.[3] Having worked in video games, she took that knowledge to help develop the stringent rules that guide the magical system described in the book.[3]

Publication history
  • 2020. First edition hardcover. Publication date September 15, 2020. Simon & Schuster/McElderry, ISBN 9781534441606

Reception

Legendborn received positive critical reception. Publishers Weekly stated, "Though hazy exposition initially slows the narrative, Deonn adeptly employs the haunting history of the American South [...] to explore themes of ancestral pain, grief, and love, balancing them with stimulating worldbuilding and multiple thrilling plot twists." In a starred review Bookpage praised Deonn's writing: "Legendborn establishes Deonn as an important new voice in YA. Its gorgeous prose and heart-splitting honesty compel an eyes-wide-open reading experience."[4]

Syfy.com called the book "a refreshing twist on classic Arthurian legend with a lot of Southern Black girl magic to boot".[5] In a similarly positive review, Natalie Berglind wrote in a review for the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, "Deonn brings Arthurian legend to life with originality, a dash of heart-pounding demon-slaying, and a deep and meaningful acknowledgement of the violent roots of slavery in U.S. history."[6] Kirkus Reviews noted: "Representation of actualized, strong queer characters is organic, not forced, and so are textual conversations around emotional wellness and intergenerational trauma [...] Well-crafted allusions to established legends and other literary works are delightful easter eggs."[7]

The book was recommended by BuzzFeed, Nerdist, and io9.[8][9][1]

Legendborn was on the New York Times Best Seller List for nine weeks.[10]

Accolades

2020

2021

Television adaptation

On February 2, 2022 it was announced that Black Bear Television acquired the rights to adapt the book into a television series, with screenwriter Felicia D. Henderson as the co-executive producer.[10]

References
  1. Ratcliffe, Amy. "Read a Mesmerizing, Intense Excerpt from LEGENDBORN". Nerdist. Retrieved 2020-09-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. "Legendborn". www.publishersweekly.com. 2020-07-30. Retrieved 2020-09-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. Rogerson, Karis (2020-09-12). "Tracy Deonn's Legendborn Is a King Arthur Retelling Set at a College". We Need Diverse Books. Retrieved 2020-09-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. "Book Review - Legendborn by Tracy Deonn". BookPage.com. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
  5. Lane, Carly (2020-09-15). "Get Rec'd with Tracy Deonn: Five fantasy reimaginings for FANGRRLS readers". SYFY WIRE. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
  6. Berglind, Natalie (2020). "Legendborn by Tracy Deonn". Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. 74 (1): 14–14. doi:10.1353/bcc.2020.0545. ISSN 1558-6766.
  7. "Legendborn". Kirkus. 2020-06-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. "Finally Some Good News: September Is Overflowing With New Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books". io9. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
  9. Rebolini, Arianna (2020-09-14). "6 New Book Releases We Loved And Why You Should Read Them". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 2020-09-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. White, Peter (2022-02-02). "Felicia D. Henderson To Adapt Tracy Deonn's YA Fantasy Novel 'Legendborn' For Black Bear Television". Deadline. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  11. Pineda, Dorinay (2021-03-02). "Isabel Wilkerson, Jacob Soboroff, Akwaeke Emezi among L.A. Times Book Prize finalists". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2021-05-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. Goldstein, Susannah. "Best Young Adult Books 2020 | SLJ Best Books". School Library Journal. Retrieved 2021-05-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. Morales, Macey (2021-01-25). "Jacqueline Woodson, Frank Morrison win 2021 Coretta Scott King Book Awards". ALA News and Press Center. Retrieved 2021-05-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) (2021-01-05). "2021 Top Ten Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". American Library Association. Retrieved 2021-04-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. NGILBERT (2021-01-14). "2021 Best Fiction for Young Adults". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  16. "2021 Hugo, Astounding, and Lodestar Awards Finalists". Locus Online. 2021-04-13. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  17. locusmag (2021-05-01). "2021 Locus Awards Top Ten Finalists". Locus Online. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  18. "YALSA's Teens' Top Ten". YALSA. American Library Association. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
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