Book Review: Bloodmarked and Oathbound by Tracy Deonn
Let's talk about my new favorite YA fantasy series
I’ve been completely captivated by The Legendborn Cycle since I read the first book last November. Since then, I’ve read both Bloodmarked (#2) and Oathbound (#3) and re-read all three!
I’ve loved the experience of reading and immersing myself in this world. I can’t wait to see how the series ends and what else Tracy Deonn goes on to write.
*SPOILER ALERT* This review will contain spoilers. This post is intended for readers who have finished Bloodmarked and Oathbound. So, if you are *at all* curious about The Legendborn Cycle, do not pass go!
Bloodmarked (Book #2)
Bloodmarked picks up about a month after the ending of Legendborn. Bree is adjusting to her new, yet tenuous, position as Crown Scion (an ironically disempowering title), She’s functionally imprisoned at the Lodge given ostensible concerns for her safety. And Nick is still missing. We quickly learn that the Order has no intention of letting a 16-year-old Black girl lead their ancient, secret society. Instead of allowing Bree to claim her rightful title, the Order interrogates, probes, and confines her. Bree soon escapes and finds herself on the run (accompanied by Alice, William, and Sel). All the while, she continues to search out any information that can help her understand and control her magical abilities.
I loved everything about the second installment in The Legendborn Cycle— from its thematic elements to the character development to the magical world building!
Bloodmarked is a story about self-discovery, intergenerational trauma, and the weight of legacy. I loved Bree’s character development and arc. Bree is powerful, headstrong, and impulsive. And she has the weight of the world to carry. She’s told she is the “point of [her ancestors’] arrow.” The Legendborn’s power hinges on her life. She doesn’t take these legacies lightly. Yet, for most of the book, she finds no support to help her understand how she can fulfill these responsibilities. Of course, she stumbles. I loved seeing Bree choose her own path in the end (even if it was a deeply questionable one!).
Bloodmarked is also about a young, brilliant Black girl navigating a very old, corrupt, and racist institution. Deonn’s depiction of the Order as a white supremacist organization is masterful. The way the Order is at once deeply committed to upholding tradition (even at the expense of Scion lives) and quickly willing to forgo tradition the second it no longer serves their agenda is so characteristic of the ways white supremacist structures operate. I also continue to love the way Deonn juxtaposes Rootcraft with Bloodcraft to explore themes of colonialism, culture and community, and white supremacy.
I loved the world building in Bloodmarked. I loved learning more about the Order and its corrupt leadership, the Legendborn, the magical lore of Rootcrafters, and Bree’s ancestral history and the nature of her powers. I especially loved the symbolism of the setting of Volition as a powerful safe haven for descendants of the enslaved reclaimed from its history of violence and brutality.
The plot is also deliciously intricate with easter eggs and foreshadowing abound. I’ve now read Bloodmarked twice and it was even more enjoyable the second time. I ate up the romantic tension between Selwyn and Bree. Their chemistry and banter added much needed levity to a story that’s exploring some otherwise heavy themes. And that firefly scene was swoon worthy!
Finally, I loved how Deonn develops the characters surrounding Bree in Bloodmarked. I felt such empathy and frustration with Selwyn (and often in the same scene!). And I loved seeing Alice embody the ride-or-die best friend we only saw glimpses of in Legendborn.
Oathbound (book #3)
Oathbound picks up where Bloodmarked’s cliffhanger leaves us. Bree has made a bargain with the Shadow King in an attempt to save Sel’s humanity, after he sacrificed himself for her. In deciding to go with the Shadow King, Bree has abandoned the Legendborn and the Order. (It says a lot that Bree prefers training with the most powerful demon in history over spending any more time with the Order). Bree also burned her ancestral plane (losing her medium abilities in the process)—an act she will only understand the weight of much later in the story.
Bree soon realizes that the bargain she struck left her at a significant disadvantage. She is now oathbound to the Shadow King. As Bree begins her training, the Shadow King takes something from her. Something that will supposedly help her achieve her goals of becoming untouchable, unstoppable, and impervious. Though, what the King has taken is unclear. All Bree knows is that she has no knowledge of her people.
Oathbound is a story about quests and self-discovery. Oathbound follows Bree’s quest to find herself and figure out who she wants to be. Bree finally learns how to control and wield her immense power. And while she’s missing a vital part of herself (her people), she remains guided by a clear moral compass. I loved seeing Bree come into her own as a powerful, skilled warrior. This is the Bree I’ve been waiting to see since the end of Legendborn.
Bree’s quest is aided by Nick’s own quest to find Bree and to find himself again. We see Nick reckoning with what he’s learned about Lancelot’s abilities, and his growing awareness that the Order’s corruptness is endemic and incurable.
Many of the elements I loved about Bloodmarked were amplified in Oathbound — the continued exploration of themes of self-discovery and intergenerational trauma, the world building and character development, and Deonn’s skillful plotting and writing. I loved Oathbound’s shift to multiple POVs. The new POVs allowed the reader to build a deeper understanding of the interiority and motivations of several characters I’ve come to adore— especially William and Mariah.
As the plot unfolded and I understood where Bree, Nick, and Maria’s paths would converge, I was giddy. I couldn’t put the book down. I love a heist! And I was so excited for Bree to reconnect with her people.
And the romance plot!! I still can’t believe how many romance tropes Deonn was able to work into the second half of the book (forced proximity, amnesia, one bed, and fake dating!) and that it worked! I loved every second of it! I loved watching Bree fall for Nick for a second time. I thought I was over Nick in Bloodmarked. I was fully Team Sel. No more! Nick’s character arc was perhaps the most delightful surprise of Oathbound.
And again, Tracy Deonn’s skill is masterful. Like the first two books, Oathbound rewards close readers and re-readers. I loved so many of the parallels with previous parts of the series. Especially the way Nick helps Bree find herself and her purpose in ways that echoed how Bree helped Nick find himself after his self- imposed exile from the Order in book #1. (Sara from
has an excellent in-depth series exploring these finer details.)Final thoughts and hopes for book #4
I was so thrilled to see the series debut #1 on the New York Times best seller list. This series and Tracy Deonn deserve all the hype.
On the one hand, I can’t believe I have to wait 1-2 years for the fourth book (the release date has yet to be announced). On the other, let’s let Tracy cook! The last thing I want is a rushed, unedited mess (which is what too many hit romantasy series evolve into under the weight of quick release dates). I can’t wait to see how this story unfolds and to savor it for years to come.
To wrap up, a few of my outstanding questions for the next book:
What will happen to Alice? Will she have any of William’s powers?
How will the love triangle resolve? Or does it have to? I was Team Sel in Book #2. Now I’m team throuple!
Will Nick sacrifice himself to end the curse of Arthur? (Especially considering that Lancelot betrays Arthur in Arthurian legend and ending the spell of eternity would be the ultimate betrayal of Arthur.)
Who wants to start a petition with me to get Tracy Deonn to write a Legendborn prequel from Valec’s perspective? I need more Valec and his backstory!
Tell me your thoughts on Oathbound andThe Legendborn Cycle!
What did you think of Oathbound?
Team Nick? Team Sel? or Team BreeSelNick?
What are you hoping to see in book #4?
P.S. I’m starting a book club! If you’re located in Northern Virgina and want to read some new and backlist nonfiction titles in community with others, this is the book club for you.