Legendborn

Legendborn

Company type	Novel
Industry	Publishing
Founded	September 15, 2020 (2020-09-15)
Founder	Tracy Deonn
Headquarters	United States
Products	Young adult fantasy novel
Owner	Simon & Schuster/McElderry

Legendborn marks the 2020 debut of author Tracy Deonn in the young adult fantasy genre. Characterized as a contemporary reinterpretation of Arthurian legend, the story centers on a Black teenage girl who uncovers a concealed magical society traditionally dominated by white members. This novel, the inaugural entry in The Legendborn Cycle series, was published on September 15, 2020, by Simon & Schuster/McElderry. It earned the Coretta Scott King Award/John Steptoe Award for New Talent and garnered a nomination for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.

Plot summary

Bree Matthews, a sixteen-year-old, enrolls in a residential program for gifted students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Following her mother's passing, she embarks on a mission to penetrate a secretive magical society historically composed of white members, which is connected to her loss.

Soon after her arrival, Bree and her friend Alice violate campus regulations and are assigned peer mentors. While walking with her mentor Nick, they are attacked by a Shadowborn creature; Nick defeats it with a sword. Bree is subsequently taken to an enigmatic place where a mage attempts—but fails—to erase her memories.

Through Nick’s guidance, Bree discovers the Legendborn nobles—descendants of King Arthur and his knights—and begins to recover memories related to her mother’s death. She infiltrates the group as a page and undergoes training to defend these nobles.

Bree learns that thirteen knights reincarnate as descendants called Scions, who are summoned sequentially, gaining strength yet sacrificing longevity. Descendants of Merlin are mages known as Merlins, including Sel, who tried to wipe Bree’s memory. As Bree’s relationship with Nick deepens, Sel suspects Bree might be an undercover Shadowborn, complicating her role within the page system.

Bree’s therapist introduces her to Root practitioners who wield magic differently from the Legendborn’s Bloodcraft tradition. Root users oppose Bloodcraft because it exacts a steep price: shortened lifespans for Legendborn and the risk of losing all magic if their leader dies.

While learning from Root practitioners, Bree uncovers that Sel has demonic ancestry. Sel explains that their demonic lineage subjects them to binding oaths from an early age as part of being Merlin’s descendant.

Background

Tracy Deonn drew inspiration from The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper and was influenced by her own experience with her mother's death. Her background in video gaming informed the creation of the strict rules governing the magical system depicted in the novel.

Publication history

• 2020. First edition hardcover. Released September 15, 2020. Published by Simon & Schuster/McElderry.

Reception

Legendborn was met with widespread critical praise. Publishers Weekly acknowledged that although the initial exposition slows down the story's momentum, Deonn effectively incorporates the American South’s history to explore themes of ancestral trauma, grief, and love while balancing intricate worldbuilding and unexpected plot developments. In a starred review, Bookpage lauded Deonn's prose as "gorgeous" and her emotional honesty as "heartbreaking," establishing her as an important emerging voice in young adult literature.

Syfy.com described the novel as "a refreshing reinterpretation of classic Arthurian legend infused with Southern Black girl magic." Natalie Berglind, writing for the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, emphasized its originality and its meaningful engagement with the violent legacy of U.S. slavery. Kirkus Reviews praised its authentic portrayal of strong queer characters alongside thoughtful reflections on emotional health and intergenerational trauma.

The book received recommendations from outlets such as BuzzFeed, Nerdist, and io9. It maintained a position on the New York Times Best Seller List for nine consecutive weeks.

2020

• Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in the Best Young Adult Novel category
• Recognized by the School Library Journal as one of the Best Young Adult Books

2021

• Recipient of the Coretta Scott King Award/John Steptoe Award for New Talent
• Listed among the American Library Association’s Top Ten Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults
• Selected by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) as Best Fiction for Young Adults
• Finalist for the Lodestar Award honoring the Best Young Adult Book
• Nominated for the Locus Award in the Best Young Adult Book category
• Shortlisted by the American Library Association - YALSA's Teens' Top Ten
• Contender for the Ignyte Award in Best Novel - YA

Television adaptation

On February 2, 2022, Black Bear Television secured the rights to develop a television series based on the novel, with Felicia D. Henderson serving as co-executive producer and screenwriter.

External links

• Official website