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bahareads 's review for:
Bloodmarked
by Tracy Deonn
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Spoilers-ish ahead - read at your risk.
" I'll be a Liege someday, if I'm lucky enough to survive that long."
Bloodmarked follows up the fantastic Legendborn. Bloodmarked , unfortunately, faces the curse that many sequels face, it was not as good as the first book. There was a lot of talking and very little action, and then it was all action and very talk. The characters moved around so much but I honestly could not name most of the locations they went to. The world-building could have been better, to help the reader get a sense of where they were and what was going on. The only location I liked and can truly remember is the former plantation, Volition.
"Black folks don't need Oaths to take care of each other. We never did."
What I truly enjoyed about Bloodmarked is the black woman experience that Deonn shows in a way I've never read before. The pain, grief, trauma but also joy that entails the experience. The evolution of Bree's character was the one thing that I loved. (and I'll be honest Bree was annoying me for most of the beginning of the book) Coming into your person and stepping out of generational curses is a major theme. Bree is not perfect but she is a powerful character to read about and relate to. Seeing her advocate for herself is worth the read.
" I'll be a Liege someday, if I'm lucky enough to survive that long."
Bloodmarked follows up the fantastic Legendborn. Bloodmarked , unfortunately, faces the curse that many sequels face, it was not as good as the first book. There was a lot of talking and very little action, and then it was all action and very talk. The characters moved around so much but I honestly could not name most of the locations they went to. The world-building could have been better, to help the reader get a sense of where they were and what was going on. The only location I liked and can truly remember is the former plantation, Volition.
"Black folks don't need Oaths to take care of each other. We never did."
What I truly enjoyed about Bloodmarked is the black woman experience that Deonn shows in a way I've never read before. The pain, grief, trauma but also joy that entails the experience. The evolution of Bree's character was the one thing that I loved. (and I'll be honest Bree was annoying me for most of the beginning of the book) Coming into your person and stepping out of generational curses is a major theme. Bree is not perfect but she is a powerful character to read about and relate to. Seeing her advocate for herself is worth the read.
"No longer the point of the spear, the tip of an arrow.
Not the strongest girl anyone knows.
Not the most incredible girl, or the impossible one.
No longer the pain-welded blade. No longer a blade at all. Noone's weapon but my own.
I burn the ancestral plane until it dries up, until the bed turns to dust, and the voices die down to silence.
Arthur, Arthur, Arthur. Honestly, I was happy that he was not "good." I think all characters in this series are multi-dimensional but in popular media, Arthur is always portrayed as honourable. I like reading about a different Arthur. I swear to God, I do not want a love triangle, please please get rid of it immediately. It is giving YA trope vibes and I will not stand for it. I love the bad boys over the golden retrievers, so I am throwing my hat in Sel's camp. I would be interested in seeing a poly-romance but I do not think Deonn would do that. I know the series revolves around Bree but I would have liked some of the characters to continue to be fleshed out as well. William and some of the other side characters are left by the wayside.
Rootcraft is another highlight of this book. I love history and the connection with Rootcraft, enslavement, and ancestry had me (once again) fangirling. I enjoyed how well Deonn fleshes out the craft (I would not exactly call it magical because I think it is more than that.) Connecting to your ancestors and the spiritual world through your life practices and gifts takes on many forms in our modern world. The main point is - Deonn does an awesome job writing something that I think is not done very well in most books.
Rootcraft is another highlight of this book. I love history and the connection with Rootcraft, enslavement, and ancestry had me (once again) fangirling. I enjoyed how well Deonn fleshes out the craft (I would not exactly call it magical because I think it is more than that.) Connecting to your ancestors and the spiritual world through your life practices and gifts takes on many forms in our modern world. The main point is - Deonn does an awesome job writing something that I think is not done very well in most books.