Legendborn

By: Tracy Deonn

Narrated by: Joniece Abbott-Pratt

An Instant New York Times Bestseller!
Winner of the Coretta Scott King - John Steptoe for New Talent Author Award

Filled with mystery and an intriguingly rich magic system, Tracy Deonn’s YA contemporary fantasy reinvents the King Arthur legend and “braids together Southern folk traditions and Black Girl Magic into a searing modern tale of grief, power, and self-discovery” (Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Belles).

After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.

A flying demon feeding on human energies.

A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down.

And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.

The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.

She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.

Critic reviews

"Joniece Abbott–Pratt's dynamic narration draws listeners into a contemporary fantasy packed with ancient magic, Arthurian mythology, and family legacies. Bree is a 16-year-old Black girl whose grief and anger over the death of her mother are made palpable through Abbott–Pratt's powerful voice. When Bree attends an off-campus party as an early college student at UNC, she stumbles into a secret magical society that may be connected to her mother's death. Her fiery determination to uncover the truth drives her to infiltrate the Order of the Round Table, and she discovers much more than she could ever have imagined. Abbott–Pratt skillfully shifts into and out of each character's voice, ranging from easy Southern drawls to menacing gravelly tones. A breathtaking listen."

I loved it!

I need this to be a movie asap. The writing was beautiful, the action exciting, and the conflict had me invested.

Simply amazing!

Loved every part. Great writing and narration. Captivating. A beautiful piece of art. A must listen.

I am without speech

This is a beautiful book through and through. Apart from being a wonderful spin on the Legend of Arthur (Specifically from the show Merlin), it reminded me of my own roots. It reminded me that Magical ancestry or not, there is power and so much beauty in the knowledge of one’s ancestry. I also really loved that there were queer characters in this book. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community myself, and as a young black woman, it’s nice to hear these perspectives in stories from a black authors. Well done Ms. Deonn and Ms. Abbott-Pratt and thank you. I’ll be waiting for the sequel.

Blown Away

I waited 30+ years for a story like this. I’m in disbelief. An African American young lady in the lead with a super strong storyline. Blown away!

Best Fantasy Book Since I Was A Kid!!

I used to be a great fan of fantasy novels when I was young but as I grew older the more I realized that there were barely any people like me in them the less I could get myself to engage in them. This book is everything I could wish for and more! An intelligent yet flawed protagonist of color? Check! Heart squeezing love triangle/square/circle where the black girl is the one the hot people are in love with??? Check!! Validation of my own culture’s magic system while being able to enjoy European magic at the same time????? Double check!!! And the cherry on top with the inclusive characters and their storyline normalcy — French kiss!! Though the ending was a bit “Avalon High”, I get where it was coming from as a light skinned black person with no white relatives ANYWHERE IN MY FAMILY (think about it :/). I can’t wait for the sequel (scratch that I crave it will all my being!!!) and I need a Netflix series of this written and directed by black women ASAP!!