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A review by queer_bookwyrm
Legend by Marie Lu
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
3.5 ⭐ CW: gun violence, police violence, torture, death of a child, death of a parent, sickness
Legend by Marie Lu is book one in the Legend trilogy. This was a YA dystopian scifi about a fractured America. I typically like dystopian novels and this author, but this one didn't do it for me. I didn't really love the characters, there wasn't quite enough world-building, and the plot was super predictable.
We follow Day, a boy living on the streets of the Republic doing a Robin Hood kind of thing and causing trouble for the military and government. The Republic's poorest districts are riddled with plague, and when Day tries to break into a hospital to steal a cure for his sick brother, already the most wanted criminal, he becomes embroiled in a plot that tangles him with June. June is a prodigy, and when her brother is killed she is given the task of finding the killer, Day.
While under cover, June gets to know Day, but still gets him caught by the military. They both realize that there is more going on than meets the eye. June realizes that maybe her government isn't as innocent as it seems. As I said, this plot was pretty predictable. I knew where it was going the whole time, so the twists lost their impact. The romance also didn't do it for me. It was kind of insta love, and shallow at that. I just don't think the story was well executed.
I don't think I'll continue the series. This was a disappointment, considering I loved a couple of Lu's other books.
Legend by Marie Lu is book one in the Legend trilogy. This was a YA dystopian scifi about a fractured America. I typically like dystopian novels and this author, but this one didn't do it for me. I didn't really love the characters, there wasn't quite enough world-building, and the plot was super predictable.
We follow Day, a boy living on the streets of the Republic doing a Robin Hood kind of thing and causing trouble for the military and government. The Republic's poorest districts are riddled with plague, and when Day tries to break into a hospital to steal a cure for his sick brother, already the most wanted criminal, he becomes embroiled in a plot that tangles him with June. June is a prodigy, and when her brother is killed she is given the task of finding the killer, Day.
While under cover, June gets to know Day, but still gets him caught by the military. They both realize that there is more going on than meets the eye. June realizes that maybe her government isn't as innocent as it seems. As I said, this plot was pretty predictable. I knew where it was going the whole time, so the twists lost their impact. The romance also didn't do it for me. It was kind of insta love, and shallow at that. I just don't think the story was well executed.
I don't think I'll continue the series. This was a disappointment, considering I loved a couple of Lu's other books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality, Child death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Torture, and Terminal illness