Legendborn
Score Modern
What it's about
Sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews joins a residential program for gifted high schoolers at UNC-Chapel Hill after her mother's death, and on her first night she witnesses a magical attack: a flying demon feeding on human energy, and a secret society of Legendborn students who hunt such creatures. When a young mage fails to erase her memory, Bree's own magic awakens, along with a buried memory about the night her mother died.
Why it's worth reading
It has spent 26 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It reinvents the legend of King Arthur through a Black girl's grief and anger, with real magic and real history.
You'll love it if you liked
Six of Crows, Divine Rivals or The Hate U Give
Good to know
It's the first of a trilogy, written for teens. It deals with grief and the legacy of slavery in the South.
Quick answers
Is Legendborn worth reading?
Yes. It has spent 26 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #370 of the 2,819 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 80.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Legendborn about?
Sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews joins a residential program for gifted high schoolers at UNC-Chapel Hill after her mother's death, and on her first night she witnesses a magical attack: a flying demon feeding on human energy, and a secret society of Legendborn students who hunt such creatures. When a young mage fails to erase her memory, Bree's own magic awakens, along with a buried memory about the night her mother died.
How long does it take to read Legendborn?
About 13 hours (512 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Legendborn?
If you liked it, try Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross or The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.
By the numbers
- Readers90 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller64 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
26 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists since 2020.
Where it ranks
- #16 of the 222 young adult books we rank
- #45 of the 461 fantasy books we rank
- #185 of the 1,575 modern books we rank
- #370 of the 2,819 books we rank
Bestseller
- 26 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists since 2020
Reads as
Adventurous
