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Recommended by Annabel Neburagho-Bishop (@Bella_Neb83)
Form and genre: Prose – contemporary urban fantasy
Length: 512 pages
Summary: Legendborn follows 16-year-old Bree, a Black girl struggling with her mother’s death. Whilst evading her grief, Bree starts an Early College programme, stumbling across a mystery involving magic, demons and legends. A fresh take on Arthurian legend, Legendborn also explores the long-lasting effects of chattel slavery in the US.
Age recommendation and challenging content:
Racism, loss, death, discrimination, violence, enslaved individuals suffering abuse, mentioning of sexual violence, effects of trauma, taboo language (swearing) and combat violence
Recommended for 13+
Notable reasons for recommending this book:
This is an #ownvoices text with a Black protagonist and written by a Black woman. It explores systemic racism and both macro and micro-aggressions.
The characters are very diverse – as well as a Black main character, there is also significant LGBTQI+ representation with gay, bisexual and transgendered characters.
The book approaches the Arthurian legend in a fresh and intriguing way. The plot is well paced and the language well-crafted.