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  • This is LEGEN...wait for it...DARY5

    theEPICrat In the words of Barney Stinson, this book is LEGEN...wait for it...DARY - and it definitely does not disappoint if you have been anxiously salivating for LEGEND since Kristin Nelson first mentioned it early 2011. Each page will grip you by the shirt and pull you deeper into this strange America where everything seems to function on cleverly-disguised lies. Who to trust, who to believe, who to discard, who to protect, is there anyone who is genuine enough to do the right thing after learning the truth?

    THE GOOD BITS
    {Reminescent of Ender's Game and Divergent} There are good books, and there are GREAT books that leave you feeling exhilarated after reading them - and it is always thrilling to discover new books like LEGEND that fall ahead of the curve. ENDER'S GAME is one of my gold standards, and I am more than happily surprised to discover 2 books this year that come close to its greatness. There is something riveting about having child prodigies discover that their adult superiors may be manipulating them and enact in a fit of rebellion.

    {Day and June} I loved how well these two main characters played off each other. Although they came from different backgrounds, they both came to the chessboard with equal intelligence and resourcefulness. As much as I love Day, I will have to say that I favor June more. Most likely because she happens to be a girl who can kick butt both physically and mentally, but also because I think that LEGEND turned out to be more about June. Day may have greeted me at page 1 and had some problems of his own, but in my opinion, June did more of the dirty work of avenging her brother's death, going undercover to sniff out Day's whereabouts, learning the real truth about the Republic, and deciding whose side she wants to be on.

    THE BAD BITS
    {Not enough world-building} I had been hoping that LEGEND would go into how exactly North America split into two warring factions. While there is mention of the Republic and the Colonies, it does not come with a whole lot of details attached. LEGEND focuses more on the corruption within the Republic, and while that is all fascinating, how do the Colonies play into this? I am hoping the answers lie within the next book, especially considering Book 1 leaves Day and June on the very edge of new and even bigger chessboard.

    THE OVERALL
    LEGEND is well worth the wait - whether you read it now or wait until the rest of the series releases. Marie Lu has crafted a new world that stems from the familiar and branches into something wholly innovative. Smart, sensational, and oh-so-sicker-than-slick, LEGEND contains nothing but the best parts - and if a movie is in the making, all I have to say is: GAME ON! by theEPICrat

  • A must read for Dystopian YA Fans!5

    Jennie - My Cute Bookshelf In Legend, fifteen-year-old June is a highly intelligent member of the government. She has a great job and a very attentive brother. However, her life changes the day her brother dies. She's been told that he was a killed by Day. June decides to capture Day, who is basically uncapturable. However, things turn out different than what she expected when she finally finds him.

    Legend has everything that I love in a story. The plot is action-packed and filled with unexpected twists. I found myself surprised with some of the events that happened in the story. They were surprising and shocking. I'll admit that I was heartbroken by some if the things that happened to some characters. Legend had quite a gloomy atmosphere, but it went perfectly with what the dystopian genre is about. This was one of the best books in the genre I've read this year. The setting was exciting, as it is a controlled city like no other I've ever read about. Also, the pacing of the story was perfect. I found myself reading this book in no time, as I wanted to know what would happen next throughout the story.

    One of the aspects that I enjoyed the most about the story was the narration. I loved that Legend was told by both June and Day. It was great to get into the mind of both main characters. I loved getting to know each and what made them act the way they did. Day was such an awesome character. I loved him because he was a guy with a tortured past. He did the things he did to survive and help others, and I found it sweet. June was a great character. I enjoyed seeing her grow stronger through the book, even though she was kick-ass from the beginning. I liked seeing her change once she realized how bad things were. Even though she was strong from the start, June's change was noticeable through her actions and decisions. I loved each and every one of them.

    Overall, I enjoyed this book greatly. It's definitely one of the best in the dystopian genre. Legend is a thrilling ride from start to finish. This book is a must for dystopian fans. I loved it and can't wait for the second book! by Jennie - My Cute Bookshelf

  • Top review

    Reviewed by Dani @ Refracted Light | YA Book Reviews5

    Dani @ Refracted Light Set in a futuristic Los Angeles, the world of Legend is both oddly familiar and completely foreign. The United States no longer exists, and the western states have been enveloped into a new governmental entity known as the Republic - a militaristic state ruled by the ever-elected Elector Primo and Congress. Individual freedoms have been severely limited by the government and every citizen, at the age of 10, is required to take a trial or a test that will determine the course of one's life from that day forward. If a child scores high enough they will be granted a college education and a promising future with the Republic. If too low a score, the child will be sentenced to a life of dangerous menial labor, poverty and possibly infection by plague. Those who fail the test completely are sent to labor camps, all in service of the glorious Republic and Our Father, the Elector Primo.





    Day is a boy who failed the test, a boy who knows firsthand the truth about what happens to the children who don't pass the the Republic's trial. Having escaped his fate, he now creates as much trouble for the Republic as he can by destroying military property, stealing supplies, and hindering the war effort against the Colonies. He steals, bets, and scrounges to survive on the streets, constantly on the watch for Republic patrols who consider him enemy number one. Intelligent, intuitive, confident, and endearingly cocky, Day is a hero and a symbol of hope for the Republic's less fortunate.





    Day's primary concern though is caring for his family who, with the exception of his brother John, think him dead. He checks in on them from afar, provides for their needs when he is able and receives updates on their situation from John. When his family's front door is suddenly marked as infected by the plague patrols, Day is consumed by one goal only, an objective that will lead him down an irretraceable path.





    June, on the other hand, was born into a life of privilege. On her tenth birthday she aced the Republic's trial becoming the only child to ever receive a perfect score. Now, the Republic's golden girl, she is receiving the best education possible, being prepared for a much-anticipated military career in service to Elector and country. Incredibly bright and often bored with her studies, June is something of a troublemaker at her university, challenging herself to new heights of achievement with stunts that are frowned upon by school officials. However, once her brother is murdered, June is pulled out of training and put into the field. No one has been able to catch the elusive miscreant-turned-murderer known as Day, and if anyone has a chance of catching him June's superior officer is betting on the Republic's vengeance-seeking, star pupil.





    In addition to being extremely intelligent, June also displays a fierceness, a strategic mind, a sense of decency, and a hyper-intuitive eye. She is tough as nails, but she has a complete love for and an unshakable loyalty to her brother. Because of this vulnerability - this decision to love her family above the State - June becomes more likeable and more than just another mindless, propaganda-spouting drone. For readers who appreciate a strong, independent female lead, June is sure to please.





    One of the recurring themes that appear in dystopian novels seems to be that of the state vs. the individual. It's fascinating how a group of people, such as the Republic soldiers, can be indoctrinated to the point that their compassion for the individual is no longer a factor in their thought process - that a single human life or multiple lives can be stolen without a second thought, without any empathy at all. The Republic pawns have been robbed of their conscience, or perhaps they consciously choose to ignore that little nagging doubt, so that they may instead enjoy power, privilege and safety. It just never ceases to amaze how people can go along with such atrocities so blindly, and more horrifyingly perhaps, believing in the rightness of their actions. The overall blind devotion to the State, the unwillingness or inability for independent analytical thought, the substitution of the government modus operandi for one's personal/religious moral code is terrifying, and Lu communicates this very effectively.





    In addition to the wonderful characters and the interesting themes, the plot of this story is also very compelling. While not, perhaps the most complicated of mysteries when all is said and done, it's woven together well, and half the enjoyment of the mystery lies in the way that it's presented, is it not? It's well-paced, the danger is convincing and Lu is able to capture a real sense of gravity - a sense of helplessness and pain in the face of overwhelming odds - and it propels the reader through this story with the hope that June and Day will somehow be able to overcome the obstacles they face. Told in tandem by June and Day, Legend is yet another book that employs a shift in first-person narrator from chapter to chapter. And it is another book that uses the device quite well, as the reader is given a front row seat to June and Day's thoughts and motivations.





    Overall, Legend is dystopia well done. A fantastic debut that's bound for the keeper shelf. by Dani @ Refracted Light

  • 5 STARS5

    SpadesHigh Legend by Marie Lu is AWESOME!! I really liked the flow that Marie Lu vividly illustrated through her well written story. I was surprised on how deeply engaged I was because I had my doubts with the simplicity of its cover, but within that cover there is nothing simple about it.

    Rich in action, intrigue, and suspense, a dystopian novel that will keep you awake through all hours of the night. Legend beckons you and I can't help but to ask for more!

    Daniel "Day" Altan Wing took his trials when he was only 10 years old. Every kid in the Republic takes their trials at 10. It decides whether they will be placed in the higher rankings of society or be one among the back breaking laborers living in the slums. And Day was among those who failed. With poor results he was taken into the labor camps along with the other children who didn't receive high scores. The twist is, there isn't such a thing as the labor camps. And all those who went, never came back or seen again.
    June is the prodigy of the Republic. She is the only one who scored a perfect 1500 on her trials. A bright future is ahead for her; and at such a young age (15 years) she's already a well decorated officer. Everything runs smoothly for June until Day comes along and kills her older brother, Metias. Left with no parents and now her brother, she begins her agenda of bringing down the Republic's elusive criminal, Day, and she's going to make sure he's going to get what he deserves.

    Legend by Marie Lu alternates from Day's voice to June's, but you will never mistake who your reading. Along with each character having their own designated color text, Day's being gold text and June's being black, each of the two is a distinct character with two complete different voices. I am amazed on how fluid I read Legend. It doesn't skip a beat; when June stops her tale Day picks it right back up where she left off. Another favorite I will add to my collection. I am on the edge of my seat eager for Legend's sequel!!
    I RECOMMEND!! by SpadesHigh

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