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A review by betwixt_the_pages
Legend by Marie Lu
4.0
What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.
- - - - -
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Quick Reasons: unique world building; dual perspectives, dual plotlines; detailed, complex, and often heart-wrenching; awesome, not-your-run-of-the-mill characters / character growth; an almost Umbridge-level antagonist
Alright, alright—I finally picked up this book and read it. I mean, I've only had the entire trilogy on my kindle for like a year now? So...points for that, right?! I just... I can't even. My mistake.
So. The characters? Awesomely written. With the dual perspective and the (sort of?) dual plotlines, the main characters effectively leap off the page. I guess this is mostly due to the fact that we get their personal stories from them, in their own words, as opposed to a third outside perspective. The fact that each “day” reads almost like a diary entry was interesting, as well—while the writing remains descriptive and enabling, their voices stand out.
The antagonists are also unique and clearly written. I found myself immediately hating –and even comparing-- one of them to Umbridge. Seriously, my hatred for the toady professor is only just a SMIDGE above my hatred for this main villain.
Marie Lu also doesn't take the easy way out—ever. She explored every aspect of her characters and their story, and never once sugar-coated what they were going through or spared them pain out of love or loyalty. She was ruthless, actually—and I admire her for it, though to be honest, I'm a bit scared what the rest of the series holds in store for me.
This read was torturous. Marie Lu knows how to wield a weapon of words, and she did so spectacularly with this read. There's a sense of recklessness, of running head-first toward the ending that readers can't help but feel as well. It made me NEED to know what happened next, need to see where the paths were leading. Due to the dual perspectives, however, there were certain foreshadows that I caught on to probably earlier than expected...which took a lot of the mystery out of the read for me, personally.
Overall, this was an entertaining, heart-breaking read. The characters were snarky, intelligent, and awesome; the story was gasp-inducing and at times cringe-worthy. I'd definitely recommend the read to lovers of dystopian, fast-paced rushes toward the end, and unforgettable personalities. You won't be sorry you picked this one up!
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.
- - - - -
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Quick Reasons: unique world building; dual perspectives, dual plotlines; detailed, complex, and often heart-wrenching; awesome, not-your-run-of-the-mill characters / character growth; an almost Umbridge-level antagonist
Alright, alright—I finally picked up this book and read it. I mean, I've only had the entire trilogy on my kindle for like a year now? So...points for that, right?! I just... I can't even. My mistake.
“I don't know if anyone's ever told you this", he begins. He doesn't blush, and his eyes don't dart away. Instead I find myself staring into a pair of oceans - one perfect, the other blemished by that tiny ripple. "You're very attractive."
I've been complimented on my appearance before. But never in his tone of voice. Of all the things he's said, I don't know why this catches me off guard. But it startles me so much that without thinking I blurt out, "I could say the same about you." I pause. "In case you didn't know."
A slow grin spreads across his face. "Oh, trust me. I know.”
So. The characters? Awesomely written. With the dual perspective and the (sort of?) dual plotlines, the main characters effectively leap off the page. I guess this is mostly due to the fact that we get their personal stories from them, in their own words, as opposed to a third outside perspective. The fact that each “day” reads almost like a diary entry was interesting, as well—while the writing remains descriptive and enabling, their voices stand out.
The antagonists are also unique and clearly written. I found myself immediately hating –and even comparing-- one of them to Umbridge. Seriously, my hatred for the toady professor is only just a SMIDGE above my hatred for this main villain.
The memory fades, and I’m left hanging on to the ghosts of his
words.
Marie Lu also doesn't take the easy way out—ever. She explored every aspect of her characters and their story, and never once sugar-coated what they were going through or spared them pain out of love or loyalty. She was ruthless, actually—and I admire her for it, though to be honest, I'm a bit scared what the rest of the series holds in store for me.
This read was torturous. Marie Lu knows how to wield a weapon of words, and she did so spectacularly with this read. There's a sense of recklessness, of running head-first toward the ending that readers can't help but feel as well. It made me NEED to know what happened next, need to see where the paths were leading. Due to the dual perspectives, however, there were certain foreshadows that I caught on to probably earlier than expected...which took a lot of the mystery out of the read for me, personally.
Each day means a new twenty-four hours. Each day means everything's possible again. You live in the moment, you die in the moment, you take it all one day at a time." He looks toward the railway car's open door, where streaks of dark water blanket the world. "You try to walk in the light.
Overall, this was an entertaining, heart-breaking read. The characters were snarky, intelligent, and awesome; the story was gasp-inducing and at times cringe-worthy. I'd definitely recommend the read to lovers of dystopian, fast-paced rushes toward the end, and unforgettable personalities. You won't be sorry you picked this one up!