Lion’s Legacy is a celebration of queer history, friendship, and adventure. It’s a book I breezed through. I loved the treasure hunting and magic plus Tennessee as a character is a gem. Keep reading this book review for my full thoughts.
Summary
Seventeen-year-old Tennessee Russo’s life is imploding. His boyfriend has been cheating on him, and all his friends know about it. Worse, they expect him to just accept his ex’s new relationship and make nice. So when his father, a famous archaeologist and reality show celebrity whom he hasn’t seen in two years, shows up unexpectedly and offers to take him on an adventure, Tennessee only has a few choices:
1. Stay, mope, regret it forever.
2. Go, try to reconcile with Dad, become his sidekick again.
3. Go, but make it his adventure, and Dad will be the sidekick.
The object of his father’s latest quest, the Rings of the Sacred Band of Thebes, is too enticing to say no to. Finding artifacts related to the troop of ancient Greek soldiers, composed of one-hundred-and-fifty gay couples, means navigating ruins, deciphering ancient mysteries, and maybe meeting a cute boy.
But will his dad let Tennessee do the right thing with the rings if they find them? And what is the right thing? Who does queer history belong to?
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
TW: homophobia
If you love treasure hunting, Lion’s Legacy is a must read. I grew up on adventure movies, puzzles with deadly consequences, and ticking clocks. And Lion’s Legacy was perfect. It has that current of adventure and intrigue, blend of myth and history. But what I love even more is that Lion’s Legacy celebrates queer history. The ways it is erased and the legacy is ignored. So Lion’s Legacy illustrates the importance of showing the presence. The history. The past.
To know that when we find the words to convey our identity, we are a part of a line, of a shared history which cannot be buried. And Lion’s Legacy is deeply committed to honoring the importance of queer history. Of not letting the homophobia and the ways in which the world wants to say they were ‘roommates’. Lion’s Legacy is a gem.
(Disclaimer: Some of the links below are affiliate links. For more information you can look at the Policy page. If you’re uncomfortable with that, know you can look up the book on any of the sites below to avoid the link)
It delivers almost non-stop action with queer romance and a story about complicated family. Apologies you can wait forever for. Lion’s Legacy is a love letter to queer history and treasure hunting. And was 100% up my alley! Find Lion’s Legacy on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, & Blackwells.