Plot Summary
Shadow King's Ruthless Bargain
Bree Matthews, reeling from trauma and betrayal, makes a desperate pact with Erebus—the Shadow King, secretly the Order's greatest enemy. She bargains for training and protection, but Erebus manipulates the terms, binding her with an unbreakable, unregulated demon oath. She becomes his "investment," her power bloodmarked and her fate entwined with his. The price: a future demand, unknown and terrifying, and the surrender of Excalibur, the symbol of her lineage. Bree's choice severs her from her friends and the Legendborn Order, setting her on a path to become a weapon for the Shadow King, even as she fears what she's lost—and what she's becoming.
Training in Demon's Lair
Erebus whisks Bree across the world, hiding her in his lair and subjecting her to brutal, relentless training. He strips away her titles and illusions, forcing her to confront her own fractured sense of self. Bree meets the cambion twins, Zoe and Elijah, who test her defenses and hunger for her power. Erebus's lessons are harsh: Bree must learn to seal her magic, to hide from predators, and to survive among demons who see her as prey. Every mistake is punished, every vulnerability exploited. Bree's only way forward is to master her root, to become untouchable, unstoppable, and impervious—no longer a girl, but a weapon.
Cambion Twins' Test
Erebus sets Bree against Zoe and Elijah in a deadly game of hide-and-seek, forcing her to seal her power or be devoured. The twins, hungry for her root, nearly succeed, but Bree's inherited bloodmark—Erebus's ancient claim—burns them away. The lesson is clear: Bree's power is both a lure and a curse, and her bloodmark is a warning to all demons. She learns the true cost of bargains, the dangers of being prey, and the necessity of control. The twins' rivalry and Erebus's manipulation reveal the complex, predatory hierarchy of demonkind, and Bree's place within it.
Bloodmark's Deadly Price
Erebus exploits Bree's incomplete bargain, binding her with a bloodmark that enforces his claim and threatens her loved ones. When Bree's emotions spiral, her power leaks uncontrollably, endangering herself and others. Erebus, frustrated by her lack of control, alters the bloodmark to monitor her root at any distance. In a cruel twist, he erases Bree's memories of her friends and family—not with mesmer, but by severing her soul. Bree is left with only emotional echoes of those she's lost: longing, guilt, regret. Her power grows, but her sense of self and connection to her past is shattered.
Legendborn Fractured and Hunted
While Bree is lost, the Legendborn Order reels. Nick, wracked with guilt and rage, invokes an ancient curia to force the Regents' hand, outmaneuvering them into granting him a quest to hunt the Morgaines. The Order's Merlins are being murdered, the Table is fractured, and the Regents' cruelty is exposed. William, Lark, and the others struggle to protect their own, even as the Regents pursue their own secret, ruthless agenda. The cost of power, loyalty, and survival grows ever steeper, and the war against the Shadowborn—and within the Order—intensifies.
Morgaines and the Missing Crown
Nick's quest leads him to Ava, leader of the Morgaines, who manipulates him into helping her recover the Shadow King's lost crown. The Morgaines' history of magical experimentation and possession is revealed, as is the true nature of the crown: a living weapon, forged by the King, that can only be wielded by his true heir. Nick bargains for a shard of the crown to protect Bree from Arthur's possession, embedding it in his own chest at great personal risk. The lines between ally and enemy blur, and the cost of every bargain grows.
Warlocks and Rootcrafter Girls
A wave of kidnappings targets Rootcrafter girls, whose power is harvested and trafficked by warlocks and demons. Bree, haunted by the memory of a girl she failed to save, learns that the Order—led by the Regents—has turned to studying and exploiting Rootcrafter magic, seeking to replicate Bree's unique power. The missing girls' plight becomes a rallying point, exposing the Order's willingness to sacrifice innocents for supremacy. Bree's guilt and determination to save them drive her to risk everything, even as her own soul remains fractured.
Penumbra's Deadly Auction
Bree, Zoe, Mariah, and Nick infiltrate Mikael's Penumbra estate, where the King's crown and the Rootcrafter girls' power are to be auctioned to the highest bidder. Disguised and forced to play roles—fiancées, sisters, curators—they navigate a world of wealthy, amoral Collectors, warlocks, and Nightshades. Mikael's communions force confessions as tribute, feeding his hunger for human pain. The group's plans unravel as the auction's stakes are revealed: not just artifacts, but living girls, sold as power sources. The cost of rescue is higher than any of them imagined.
Mikael's Communion of Secrets
Mikael's communions are public rituals of forced confession, where guests' darkest secrets are extracted and consumed as food. Nick volunteers to take Bree's place, enduring ten questions that expose his guilt, grief, and love for Bree and Sel. The audience, hungry for pain, is complicit in the spectacle. Mikael's magic is invasive, his power sharpened by centuries among humans. The communions reveal the true nature of the Collectors' society: a cult of greed, cruelty, and complicity, where suffering is entertainment and power is built on the backs of the vulnerable.
Nick's Sacrificial Confession
Nick's communion becomes a public act of self-sacrifice. He confesses his failures, his love for Bree, his grief for Sel, and his relief and heartache at their happiness. He takes on Bree's pain as his own, shielding her from Mikael's magic and the audience's gaze. The ordeal leaves him raw, but it also exposes the depth of his loyalty and the cost of his choices. The communion is both a crucible and a reckoning, forcing Nick—and Bree—to confront the truth of their bond and the price of survival.
Bree's Soul Fractured
After the rescue, Valec examines Bree's soul and discovers the truth: Erebus has severed a piece of her soul, taking her memories and her connections to those she loves. The cut is precise, a surgeon's theft, not a glutton's feast. Valec reveals that only Bree and Erebus together can restore what was lost, but warns that the King may have destroyed the fragment. Bree's soul, scarred but resilient, has healed over the break, driven by her relentless will to help others. The cost of her choices is written in her very being.
Selwyn's Demonic Ascension
Selwyn, lost to demonia, escapes his mother's care and becomes a force of chaos and hunger. His connection to Bree's root is revealed as a bloodmark, inherited and now active. Sel's power is terrifying, his desires insatiable, and his loyalty uncertain. He is both threat and ally, a wild card whose actions could tip the balance of the war. His transformation is both a tragedy and a new beginning, as he claims his place in the unfolding conflict.
The Crown's True Heir
In a climactic confrontation, Sel seizes the King's crown, surviving the Morgaine enchantment and revealing himself as the Shadow King's true heir. The crown transforms him, not into a corpse, but into a new kind of ruler—a prince of both demon and human worlds. The implications are staggering: the cycle of power, inheritance, and violence is not broken, but reborn. Sel's ascension is both a victory and a warning, as the lines between friend and foe, human and demon, blur beyond recognition.
Reunion and Ruthless Mercy
Bree confronts Erebus, demanding the return of her soul fragment in exchange for the crown. With Nick's help, she traps the King, faces the ghosts of his victims, and asserts her own power. She chooses to reclaim her soul, even at the cost of Alice's life, becoming ruthless in her mercy. The restoration is both a healing and a scar, as Bree's memories, emotions, and connections flood back. She is whole, but changed—her soul marked by loss, love, and the will to survive.
The Cost of Power
The aftermath reveals the true cost of power. The Order, desperate to control what it cannot understand, experiments on Rootcrafters and seeks to replicate Bree's abilities. The rescued girls are reunited with their families, but the trauma lingers. Bree's soul, though restored, bears the scars of her choices. The war is not over; the cycle of violence, exploitation, and resistance continues. Bree, Nick, Sel, and their allies must reckon with what they have become—and what they are willing to do to survive.
Restoring the Missing Girls
With the help of Valec, Mariah, and their allies, Bree and Nick rescue the missing Rootcrafter girls from the Order's clutches. The reunion with their families is bittersweet, a moment of hope amid the darkness. Bree's own reunion with her father and friends is a healing, as her memories and connections return. The power of community, love, and chosen family is affirmed, even as the threats remain. The cost of rescue is high, but the value of every life is made clear.
The Soul's Scar and Choice
Valec reveals that Bree's soul, though restored, is forever changed. The scar tissue is a testament to her resilience, her refusal to give up, and her ability to heal even in the face of loss. Bree chooses a new path—not just to fight, but to lead, to love, and to live. The practice of loving, of choosing hope, becomes her antidote to grief. The cycle of violence is not broken, but Bree's will to rise, to become more than a weapon, is unshakable.
Becoming Ruthless, Becoming Whole
In the end, Bree is no longer the girl who ran from the Order, nor the weapon forged by the Shadow King. She is ruthless, but her mercy is her own. She is whole, but her soul is marked by every choice, every loss, every act of love. The war is not over, but Bree, Nick, Sel, and their allies are ready to face it—together, as themselves. The Legendborn cycle continues, but the future is unwritten, and the power to shape it lies in their hands.
Characters
Bree Matthews
Bree is the heart of the story—a Black teenage girl who has lost her mother, been betrayed by the Order, and forced to bargain with a demon for survival. Her journey is one of trauma, resilience, and transformation. Bree's power is unique: she is both Legendborn and Rootcrafter, her root Bloodcrafted by her ancestor Vera and marked by the Shadow King. Her soul is fractured by Erebus's manipulation, leaving her without memories of her loved ones and only emotional echoes. Bree's psychological arc is one of reclaiming agency, forging her own identity, and learning to be ruthless without losing her mercy. Her relationships—with Nick, Sel, Alice, and her found family—are the anchors that help her heal and rise, even as she is forced to make impossible choices.
Erebus / The Shadow King / Arawn
Erebus is the story's central antagonist and Bree's reluctant mentor. He is the Shadow King, the Order's greatest enemy, and a master of manipulation, bargains, and psychological warfare. He binds Bree with a bloodmark, exploits her trauma, and severs her soul to control her. Yet he also trains her, pushing her to become untouchable and ruthless. Erebus's relationship with Bree is complex: he is both predator and teacher, fascinated by her resilience and power. His own motivations are rooted in revenge against Arthur and the Order, and his ultimate goal is to reclaim his crown and restore his Court. Erebus's psychological depth lies in his ancient loneliness, his need for control, and his inability to understand or value true human connection.
Nick Davis
Nick is Bree's primary ally, love interest, and the Scion of Lancelot. Raised to believe he was the Scion of Arthur, Nick's identity is upended when Bree pulls Excalibur. He is haunted by guilt, trauma, and the violence of his upbringing, but his loyalty to Bree and Sel is unwavering. Nick's psychological journey is one of self-sacrifice, strategic brilliance, and the struggle to balance love and duty. He bargains with Ava for a shard of the crown to protect Bree, embedding it in his own chest at great risk. Nick's relationship with Bree is marked by longing, restraint, and a deep, mutual recognition. He is willing to die for her, but ultimately chooses to live—and to help her reclaim her soul.
Selwyn Kane
Sel is Bree's former protector, Nick's bonded Kingsmage, and the story's wild card. After consuming Bree's root to save her, Sel descends into demonia, becoming a force of hunger and chaos. His power is terrifying, his desires insatiable, and his loyalty uncertain. Sel's psychological arc is one of loss, transformation, and the search for identity beyond the Order's definitions. His relationship with Bree is charged with guilt, affection, and a dangerous intimacy. When he claims the King's crown and survives, Sel is revealed as the Shadow King's true heir—a prince of both demon and human worlds, and a new kind of ruler.
Zoe and Elijah
Zoe and Elijah are balanced cambion twins, wards of Erebus, and Bree's reluctant allies. Zoe is fierce, impulsive, and protective; Elijah is strategic, ambitious, and desperate for approval. Their relationship with Bree is fraught with rivalry, suspicion, and eventual solidarity. The twins' psychological depth lies in their struggle for identity, belonging, and autonomy within the demon hierarchy. Their hunger for power and recognition mirrors Bree's own journey, and their choices force her to confront the costs of survival and loyalty.
Mariah
Mariah is a Rootcrafter and Medium who helps rescue the missing girls and supports Bree through her soul's fracture and restoration. She is grounded, compassionate, and brave, offering both practical help and emotional wisdom. Mariah's relationship with Bree is one of chosen family, and her own journey is about learning to act, not just plan. She is a bridge between the living and the dead, and her presence affirms the power of community and ancestral connection.
Valec
Valec is a centuries-old cambion, power broker, and Mariah's family. He is both a survivor and a protector, using his unique abilities to read souls and bargains. Valec's relationship with Bree is marked by tough love, disappointment, and eventual reconciliation. He helps diagnose Bree's fractured soul and reveals the truth about Erebus's theft. Valec's psychological arc is about making amends, accepting his own limitations, and choosing new paths.
William
William is the Scion of Gawain, a healer, and one of Bree's closest friends. He is compassionate, principled, and quietly courageous, often putting others' needs before his own. William's psychological journey is about learning to value himself, to heal his own wounds, and to stand up to the Order's corruption. His relationship with Bree is one of deep trust and mutual support.
Ava
Ava is the cunning, ambitious leader of the Morgaines, manipulating Nick and others to recover the crown. Her history is one of magical experimentation, possession, and survival. Ava's relationship with Nick is transactional, marked by bargains and betrayals. She is both a rival and a mirror to Bree, embodying the costs of power and the dangers of unchecked ambition.
Alice
Alice is Bree's best friend, left in a magical coma after the events at Volition. Her fate is a constant source of guilt and motivation for Bree. Alice's presence in the story is both literal and symbolic: she represents the cost of Bree's choices, the pain of loss, and the hope of restoration. Her struggle in purgatory is a parallel to Bree's own fractured soul.
Plot Devices
Demon Bargains and Bloodmarks
The story's central engine is the demon bargain: an unregulated, unbalanced pact that binds Bree to Erebus. The bloodmark is both a literal and symbolic device, enforcing Erebus's claim, threatening her loved ones, and serving as a conduit for power, surveillance, and manipulation. The bargain's loopholes, debts, and prices drive the plot, forcing Bree to confront the costs of agency
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FAQ
Synopsis & Basic Details
What is Oathbound about?
- Bree flees, bargains with demon: Reeling from trauma and betrayal by the Legendborn Order, Bree Matthews makes a desperate pact with Erebus, the Shadow King, secretly the Order's greatest enemy. She seeks training and protection, but is bound by a ruthless, unregulated demon bargains and bloodmarks.
- Bound by blood, severed from past: Bree becomes Erebus's bloodmarked "investment," her power tied to his triumph. This choice severs her from her friends and the Order, and Erebus further fractures her soul, erasing her memories of loved ones, leaving only emotional echoes.
- Becoming a weapon, facing new threats: Forced onto a path to become a weapon for the Shadow King, Bree must master her unique Bloodcraft while navigating the dangerous world of demons and cambions, all while the fractured Legendborn Order faces its own internal conflicts and external enemies.
Why should I read Oathbound?
- Deep dive into trauma, power: The book offers a raw, unflinching exploration of trauma, grief, and the complex relationship between power and control, particularly through Bree's journey of becoming a weapon while fighting to retain her humanity.
- Rich worldbuilding, moral ambiguity: It expands the Legendborn universe, delving into demon hierarchy, Rootcrafter magic, and the corrupt underbelly of the Order, presenting characters and choices steeped in moral grayness.
- Emotional depth, complex relationships: The narrative excels in portraying the psychological and emotional toll of the characters' experiences, showcasing evolving relationship dynamics and the enduring power of chosen family and love amidst chaos.
What is the background of Oathbound?
- Post-Volition fallout: The story immediately follows the traumatic events at Volition, where Bree was possessed by Arthur, Alice was comatose, and Selwyn descended into demonia, leaving the Legendborn fractured and vulnerable.
- Order's internal rot: The Legendborn Order is revealed to be deeply corrupt, led by power-hungry Regents who prioritize control over their members' well-being and actively suppress truths about their history and enemies.
- Ancient magical conflict: The narrative is set against the backdrop of an ancient war between the Legendborn and Shadowborn, complicated by the resurgence of the Shadow King and the hidden history of the Morgaines and Rootcrafters.
What are the most memorable quotes in Oathbound?
- "I will build you into a girl whom no one can destroy. You won't need a weapon. You'll become one.": Erebus's chilling promise to Bree, defining her path under his tutelage and the central theme of her transformation into a weapon.
- "A soul like yours is something to kill and die for, Briana Matthews. Your soul is the engine behind a power that could change the world.": Valec's powerful declaration to Bree, highlighting the immense value and danger of her unique soul and its potential impact.
- "I'm drowning in you, Bree. I shouldn't want to. I should fight it. But I can't.": Nick's raw confession to Bree, revealing the depth of his feelings and the struggle between his desire for her and the perceived risks of their connection.
What writing style, narrative choices, and literary techniques does Tracy Deonn use?
- First-person, intimate POV: The story is told primarily from Bree's first-person perspective, immersing the reader in her internal struggles, emotional turmoil, and sensory experiences, particularly her unique Sight and root magic.
- Sensory-rich descriptions: Deonn employs vivid sensory language, especially focusing on scents (magic, demons, emotions) and physical sensations (pain, touch, magical energy), grounding the fantastical elements in a visceral reality.
- Non-linear structure & foreshadowing: The narrative uses flashbacks (blood walks, memories) and subtle foreshadowing (throwaway lines, recurring symbols) to reveal hidden histories and character motivations, creating layers of suspense and thematic resonance.
Hidden Details & Subtle Connections
What are some minor details that add significant meaning?
- British Museum as symbol: Erebus taking Bree to the British Museum immediately after leaving the Keep subtly introduces the theme of stolen artifacts and cultural appropriation, mirroring the Order's theft of history and identity, and Erebus's own practice of wearing stolen human lives. "This shouldn't be her resting place, I think. Not stuck here behind glass in collectors' hands."
- Affective wards' true nature: The description of the affective wards at Northern Keep as causing "fear and the bitterness of bile and torment" reveals they are tools of psychological punishment, not just magical barriers, highlighting the Order's cruelty even within its own walls. "These wards are not cast for barrier protection or used as a simple deterrent, but as a severe punishment..."
- Pendragon coin's lingering magic: Bree's Pendragon coin necklace, even after her Medium abilities are suppressed, retains a magical resonance tied to the person who gave it to her, suggesting that some connections transcend magical abilities or memory loss. "When I touch this coin, electricity zips along my skin, as if my nerves recall the sensation that person's fingers left behind..."
What are some subtle foreshadowing and callbacks?
- Erebus's knowledge of Bree's past: Erebus's early comments about Bree's mother and his ability to sense her emotions foreshadow his deeper connection to her bloodline and his role in her past trauma. "Just as your mother did."
- Nick's "enhanced vision": Nick's ability to see the "inner workings of magic" and how constructs are made is subtly hinted at early on when he analyzes Bree's root and later explicitly revealed as his Lancelot inheritance. "I can see how a construct was made, and sometimes, I can see how to… unmake it."
- Selwyn's specific hungers: Selwyn's early, almost casual interest in Bree's root ("I bet it's delicious") foreshadows his later intense craving for her power after his descent, revealing a specific, targeted hunger beyond general demonia. "Does it run out after a while? Like a rechargeable battery?"
What are some unexpected character connections?
- Natasia Kane and Edwin Matthews: Selwyn's mother, Natasia, and Bree's father, Edwin, are revealed to have a connection through Faye Matthews (Bree's mother), who entrusted Natasia with Edwin's ring and a mesmer to protect him, highlighting a hidden network of protection outside the Order. "Your wife took it, in secret, and gave it to me."
- Valec and the Nightshades: Valec's revelation that his father was a Nightshade, a member of the Shadow Court, provides a surprising link between the Rootcrafter community and the highest tier of demonkind, explaining his unique abilities and complicated history. "Our father's a Nightshade."
- Bree and Natasia's shared experience: Natasia's descent into demonia and her struggle to maintain her humanity mirrors Selwyn's, but also subtly parallels Bree's own journey of navigating immense power and external judgment. "I am the last person in the world who should have underestimated Selwyn Kane… and yet I did just that."
Who are the most significant supporting characters?
- Zoe and Elijah: The cambion twins are crucial as Bree's reluctant guides in the demon world, moral foils, and eventual allies. Their loyalty to Erebus and their own ambitions drive key plot points and force Bree to confront the complexities of demon nature.
- Mariah: As a Rootcrafter Medium and Bree's friend, Mariah provides essential support, insight into Rootcrafter magic, and a grounding presence. Her ability to sense death and her willingness to risk herself are pivotal to the plot.
- Valec: The cambion broker is vital for his knowledge of the demon world, his ability to read souls, and his connection to the Rootcrafter community. He serves as a reluctant mentor and plays a key role in diagnosing Bree's soul fracture.
Psychological, Emotional, & Relational Analysis
What are some unspoken motivations of the characters?
- Erebus's fascination with Bree: Beyond using her power, Erebus seems genuinely intrigued by Bree's resilience and unique nature, pushing her not just for his gain but seemingly out of curiosity about her potential. "It is a rare being who keeps wading into the war of life with a fractured weapon. I find I am curious to see how much more powerful you might become..."
- Nick's need for control: Nick's meticulous planning and strategic thinking, especially evident in his curia gambit and Penumbra actions, stem from a deep-seated need for control born from his traumatic upbringing and the helplessness he felt witnessing others' suffering. "I was hoping you'd want to offer assistance. Just as you would have been called on to mentor the next eligible person..."
- Selwyn's search for identity: Beneath his rage and hunger, Selwyn's actions are driven by a desperate search for identity and purpose after being betrayed by the Order and his Kingsmage bond, seeking validation and understanding in his new demonic state. "What was I, then? And what does that make me now?"
What psychological complexities do the characters exhibit?
- Bree's fractured self: Bree grapples with a literal fractured soul and the psychological impact of losing her memories of loved ones, forcing her to redefine her identity based on her present actions and emotional echoes rather than past relationships. "How can you miss something that feels like it was never really there?"
- Nick's trauma response: Nick exhibits complex trauma responses, including emotional masking ("I'm fine"), hypervigilance (scanning for threats), and a deep-seated need to protect others from the violence he endured, particularly evident in his reaction to Bree's potential danger. "I have never in my life felt more helpless than when Arthur possessed you."
- Selwyn's demonia: Selwyn's descent is portrayed not just as a physical transformation but a psychological one, where his emotions and hungers are heightened, blurring the lines between his former self and his new demonic nature, making his actions unpredictable and terrifying. "I'm very much myself, Mother. Maybe I'm finally myself."
What are the major emotional turning points?
- Bree's soul fracture realization: The moment Bree discovers her memory loss is due to a fractured soul, not a mesmer, is a pivotal emotional turning point, shifting her focus from breaking a spell to understanding a deeper, more personal violation. "My friends are gone... But they're just… blanks in my head."
- Nick's communion confession: Nick's public confession of his guilt, love for Bree, and heartache regarding Selwyn is a major emotional climax, exposing his vulnerability and solidifying his bond with Bree through shared pain and honesty. "Heartache. Because I don't know what or how I'll feel if… if their happiness is found with each other."
- Bree's reunion with her father: Bree's tearful reunion with her father, Edwin, despite her memory loss, is a powerful emotional turning point, affirming the enduring strength of their bond and providing her with a sense of being found and loved unconditionally. "Hey, kiddo."
How do relationship dynamics evolve?
- Bree and Erebus: Their relationship shifts from captor/captive and mentor/student to a complex negotiation between two kings, marked by distrust, manipulation, grudging respect, and a shared understanding of power and loss. "You are just another ancient king who wants to use me!" vs. "And you are a seventeen-year-old girl, a sovereign in her own right, who wishes to use yet another ancient king!"
- Bree and Nick: Their dynamic evolves from distant allies to reluctant partners, then to a deep, intimate connection forged through shared trauma, vulnerability, and mutual protection, culminating in a complex bond that transcends memory loss and external threats. "You and me," she breathes, smiling. "Yes," he says, voice rough, "you and me."
- Bree and the Cambion Twins: The initial hostility and rivalry between Bree and Zoe and Elijah transform into a tentative alliance and eventual solidarity, built on shared secrets, mutual protection, and a growing understanding of each other's struggles for identity and belonging. "I trust you."
- Bree and Mariah: Their relationship deepens from casual acquaintance to a bond of chosen family, with Mariah offering unwavering support, emotional grounding, and a connection to Bree's Rootcrafter heritage, even when Bree's own abilities are fractured. "Let us be brave with you."
Interpretation & Debate
Which parts of the story remain ambiguous or open-ended?
- The full extent of Selwyn's transformation: While Selwyn claims the crown and becomes the Shadow King's heir, the exact nature of his new state and whether he retains any of his former humanity or loyalties remains open to interpretation. "What was I, then? And what does that make me now?"
- The future of Bree's soul: While Bree's soul fragment is returned, the long-term effects of the scar tissue and whether her connection to her missing people will be fully restored or permanently altered is left uncertain. "You won't ever be the same again. Scar tissue, remember?"
- The Shadow King's ultimate plan: Erebus's motivations and long-term goals remain partially obscured, with hints of plans within plans and a deeper game being played beyond simply reclaiming his crown and destroying the Order. "I find I am curious to see how much more powerful you might become with one hand tied behind your back."
What are some debatable, controversial scenes or moments in Oathbound?
- Erebus's soul-severing act: The King's decision to fracture Bree's soul to control her is a deeply controversial act, raising questions about the morality of his methods, the definition of identity, and whether his actions, however cruel, ultimately contribute to Bree's growth. "Why'd you give part of your soul away?"
- Nick's bargain for the crown shard: Nick's choice to embed a piece of the King's crown in his chest to protect Bree is debatable, as it puts him in immense danger and ties his fate to the Shadow King's creation, highlighting the moral complexities of self-sacrifice and the lengths one will go for love. "I chose the shard so Arthur couldn't choose himself."
- Mikael's communions and the Collectors: The scenes at Penumbra, where Mikael forces confessions and the Collectors revel in others' pain, are controversial for their depiction of human cruelty and complicity, sparking debate about the nature of evil and who is truly monstrous. "Murdering their own, for sport and entertainment."
Oathbound Ending Explained: How It Ends & What It Means
- Bree reclaims soul, faces King: Bree confronts Erebus, bargaining her soul fragment's return for his crown. With Nick's help, she traps the King, faces the ghosts of his victims (revealing his true nature as Arawn, shepherd of souls), and forces him to restore her soul, even at the cost of Alice's continued coma. This act makes her "ruthless" in her mercy.
- Selwyn claims the crown, becomes Prince: Selwyn arrives, defeats Erebus, and claims the King's crown. He survives the Morgaine enchantment, revealing he is the Shadow King's son and transforming into a powerful prince of both worlds. He leaves, his intentions ambiguous, but now a major player.
- New alliances, uncertain future: Bree's soul is restored, bringing back her memories and connections, though scarred. The Rootcrafter girls are rescued from the Order's Institute, exposing the Regents' new, disturbing agenda. Bree, Nick, and their allies are united but face a new war against both the Order and the Shadow King/Prince, with Bree embracing her power and choosing her own path forward. The ending signifies Bree's transformation into a leader who defines her own terms, ready to fight for those she loves and challenge the cycles of violence and control.
Review Summary
Oathbound received mostly positive reviews, with readers praising its complex world-building, character development, and unexpected plot twists. Many found the book engaging and emotionally impactful, particularly in its second half. Some critics noted pacing issues and felt the book was longer than necessary. The multiple POVs and new characters were generally well-received. Fans eagerly anticipate the next installment, with the cliffhanger ending generating excitement. The love triangle remains a point of contention among readers.
The Legendborn Cycle Series
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