Title: Legend
Author: Marie Lu
Release Date: Feb 2nd 2012 (originally Nov 2011)
Publisher: Puffin
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia,
Series: Legend
Pages: 295
Format: Paperback
Rating: ★★★★★
"The United States is gone, along with its flooded coasts. North America’s two warring nations, the western Republic and the eastern Colonies, have reached a breaking point. In the midst of this broken continent and dark new world are two teenagers who will go down in history....
Born into the slums of Los Angeles, fifteen-year old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. A mysterious boy with no recorded image or fingerprints. A boy who should no longer exist. A boy who watches over his family until one evening, when the plague patrols mark his family’s door with an X—the sign of plague infection. A death sentence for any family too poor to afford the antidote. Desperate, Day has no choice; he must steal it.
Born to an elite family in Los Angeles’ wealthy Ruby sector, fifteen-year old June is the Republic’s most promising prodigy. A superintelligent girl destined for great things in the country’s highest military circles. Obedient, passionate, and committed to her country—until the day her brother Metias is murdered while on patrol during a break-in at the plague hospital.
Only one person could be responsible.
Day.
And now it’s June’s mission to hunt him down.
The truth they’ll uncover will become legend." Source Goodreads
Born into the slums of Los Angeles, fifteen-year old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. A mysterious boy with no recorded image or fingerprints. A boy who should no longer exist. A boy who watches over his family until one evening, when the plague patrols mark his family’s door with an X—the sign of plague infection. A death sentence for any family too poor to afford the antidote. Desperate, Day has no choice; he must steal it.
Born to an elite family in Los Angeles’ wealthy Ruby sector, fifteen-year old June is the Republic’s most promising prodigy. A superintelligent girl destined for great things in the country’s highest military circles. Obedient, passionate, and committed to her country—until the day her brother Metias is murdered while on patrol during a break-in at the plague hospital.
Only one person could be responsible.
Day.
And now it’s June’s mission to hunt him down.
The truth they’ll uncover will become legend." Source Goodreads
Legend is written from the perspectives of the two main characters June and Day. Both characters are from polar opposites of the dystopian society. Day who is the most wanted criminal who is wanted for murder and June is sent on a mission to track down her brothers killer. Little do they know that when these two worlds merge the society in which know starts to crumble at the edges.
This story was fantastic. A definite 5 star book combining a great plot, brilliant characters, and two amazing perspectives. Now it is dystopian so we expect conflict between the government and unfair living conditions but Marie Lu takes this story somewhere else. Now don't get me wrong theres still the conflict but she shows us more about life behind the scenes than the one dimensional 'government bad' portrayal that we are forced to follow in most dystopians. The use of the two separate perspectives was very creative and extremely well executed in ways that many authors tend to miss. We got to see this story unravel from the points of view of both the "good guys" and the "bad guys." Ok I can't go into my reasons for this because I would break the first rule of book blogging No Spoilers, but trust me in this, it was very well done!
The plot was amazing. I loved it. I was unsure to start with but the more information Marie Lu trusted me with the more I needed. The plot contained the usual aspects of a dystopian story line but with so many twists and turns to keep me engaged throughout and I loved every second. The characters we wonderful and throughout I was routing for both with the ever looming impossible happy ending. All the way through Legend you are completely aware that someone is not going to get what they want but is like watching a train wreck that you cannot turn away from. Cringe worthy but addictive.
We cannot leave this review without mentioning the romance. Ahh the romance. I won't say much apart from that I really enjoying watching this believable romance form. No insta-love. Phew. Just two people bonding over a common "interest."
Overall a great start to what I'm predicting is going to be a great series. Marie Lu made a perfect start to this series. I'm already routing for the characters, I have no idea what's going to happen next and every now and then I find myself drifting back into her world. I would say that if you love dystopian then you need to try this one, if you don't well give a go anyway, you might be pleasantly surprised.
The second book in the series Prodigy is due for release early next year and I'm already eagerly anticipating getting my hands on it. If like me you cannot wait, but think you can handle a teaser then here's a link to the first chapter. If I'm honest I don't think I could handle it so I'm going to give it a miss, but if you're more strong willed than I am then go for it! haha.
Happy Reading!
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