Wednesday 15 August 2012

Review: Legend by Marie Lu


Legend by Marie Lu

Author: Marie Lu. Website, Twitter
Published: 2 Feb 2012 (Puffin)
Pages: 304
Amazon: paperback|Kindle
Waterstone's: paperback|e-book
Book Depository: paperback

Source: Borrowed from library.

Plot Summary (from Amazon):
Los Angeles, California Republic of America. He is Day. The boy who walks in the light. She is June. The girl who seeks her brother's killer. On the run and undercover, they meet by chance. Irresistably drawn together, neither knows the other's past. But Day murdered June's brother. And she has sworn to avenge his death.

My Review:
As a huge fan of dystopian novels such as The Hunger Games and Divergent, this book has been one I've wanted to read for a while. Set in the futuristic Republic of America, Day is wanted man, on the run and causing havoc amongst the city. Then there's June. Sister of a government captain and something of a prodigy.
The book alternates between Day and June's perspectives which is something I really loved. The two characters come from different worlds yet on a lot of levels they're similar, so it made for a really great combination. They're both really interesting characters. June scored a perfect score on her Trial, the test each child must take at the age of ten. She's extremely intelligent and perceptive, and has a slight rebellious streak which causes problems for her brother who has raised her since they lost their parents. I really liked her intelligence and how she approaches situations. June has grown up in one of the rich sectors which means her background contrasts that of Day, who comes from the poor Lake sector. Having the alternating chapters between the two of them means you get to see both side of the society they live in.
I liked the world the book is set in. There were enough unique, imaginitive elements which make it stand out among the other dystopian books I've read. The city is constantly threatened by illness and rebels called Patriots provide the anti-government threat throughout the story. There's that sense of unease throughout and as always, there's a lot more to the authority figures than meets the eye. There were some terrific villains in Legend who I loved to hate.
I was completely glued to the book as the drama and tension unravelled. Both Day and June evolve a lot through the story as the plot develops. I found myself both shocked and excited when things started coming to light towards the end and I really enjoyed the action scenes, which didn't feel overdone.
This is the first book of a planned trilogy and the ending of Legend has me eagerly anticipating the next book. If you haven't checked this one out yet and you loved Divergent, Matched or The Hunger Games then definitely seek it out now! Another book to add to my dystopian favourites list.
Rating: 5*
What to read next: Prodigy by Marie Lu, the sequel to Legend released in 2013.
Books like this: Divergent by Veronica Roth, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Matched by Ally Condie.

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