Legend by Marie Lu

Legend

Written by: Marie Lu

reviewed by: Amanda Peake

To begin with, I couldn't tell if this was really going to be my sort of book... Sure, I love dystopian epics... But this one seemed a bit, you know, cheesy. After reading the first few chapters, I was still uncertain – it didn't seem extremely special or attention grabbing. Actually it seemed predictable and blah to tell the truth. Then I was captured by this amazing story. I was wrong, so very, very wrong. LEGEND turned out to be a fast-paced ride full of twists, turns, adventure and with secret conspiracies too! I couldn't put this one down. I honestly haven't been this captivated by a straight dystopian book since HUNGER GAMES and STEEL LILY. 

The novel is told through two different perspectives: Day and June. Each of the characters has their own back stories and reasons for why they are motivated that are both relate able and understandable. Day is a criminal from the slums of the Republic’s Lake Sector. He is trying to get a cure for his dying brother who is dying from a disease that is killing off the poor at an alarming rate. June, a prodigy living in one of the Republic's wealthy sectors, and is trying to avenge her brother's death. She has no clue how he died or who did it. She only gets told what the Republic wants her to hear to turn her into another military official. Now add in a eclectic bunch of side characters with there own needs and personalities and you can't go wrong! I am going to go ahead and put this book along side my favorites. Legend will now hold a place of honor on my constantly changing book shelf.

Favorite Quotes:

I will hunt you down. I will scour the streets of Los Angeles for you. Search every street in the Republic if I have to. I will trick you and deceive you, lie, cheat and steal to find you, tempt you out of your hiding place, and chase you until you have nowhere else to run. I make you this promise: your life is mine.” 

If you want to rebel, rebel from inside the system. That's much more powerful than rebelling outside the system.” 

“They never found out who did it, and I never came forward. There was, after all, no evidence. I had committed my first perfect crime. My mother used to hope that I would rise up from my humble roots. Become someone successful, or even famous.
I’m famous all right, but I don’t think it’s what she had in mind.” 

I've actually read the next book in the series too and Prodigy does not go through the same sequel issues at all. I'm finding so many great books lately.

I don't think I need to even say this at this point but, LEGEND gets

5 STARS!!