Legend by Marie Lu
* ARC I read via Around The World ARC Tours
* Book will be released on November 29, 2011
This lovely book receives a superb 5 out of 5 gnomes for a crazy dystopian story that feels fresh/new and is full of surprises.
T
he Republic is at war with the Colonies and there’s also a terrorist group against the Republic called the Patriots. These Patriots leave graffitti behind of what sounds like the US flag. Living under this military rule means that you follow the rules or else.
There are two main characters in this story. Day, the most wanted criminal in the Republic and June, one of the Republic’s prized pupils.
Day is from a slum/poor district. He fights against the injustice of the Republic because of what he’s personally seen and experienced. He excels at doing unexpected things and the Republic has no clue what he looks like.
June has grown up in the rich section of the Republic and is well on her way to earning a very high position/ranking in the military. This means she could pretty much do whatever she wanted because the military practically runs the government and their leader is the kind of guy who forces every citizen to have a picture of him in their homes.
They’ve grown up in extremely different ways and that’s all they have known. There are plenty of surprises just below the surface for both of them. At first I thought it was just going to be a Romeo and Juliet kind of situation but it’s so much more.
This story is greatly helped by having two points of view. I don’t think it would have worked as well if only seen from one view. Having the perspective change on each chapter helps enhance the empathy with the characters and rachets up the tension. The color of the type even changes depending on who’s talking. Day’s chapters are gold and Junes are in black.
This is also one of those books where it takes a while for all the pieces to come together but when they do it’s intense. There’s one thing about the book that I don’t quite understand but that might be clues for events to happen later. I think this because the titles of section ones and section two intrigue me but I’m not sure what significance they have.
This world has so much to explore and is full of mysteries. Parts of the book are gut wrenching and may just have you tearing up or as my sister said I was doing, making tiny screaming noises. I love that these two characters are a strong couple together and individually. Their skills are evenly matched and June doesn’t need anyone to save her, she kicks some serious butt.
I can’t say much more without spoiling things. The ending was especially fitting but does leave the couple in an interesting place with a dangerous plan. I cannot wait to see what happens next.
Legend by Marie Lu
The first sentence from each chapter of Legend, it's a mini summary of what you can expect to read.
* All first sentences are from an ARC I read via Around The World ARC Tours
* Book will be released on November 29, 2011
* Spoilers are highlighted like this :)
“MY MOTHER THINKS I’M DEAD.”
“I’M SITTING IN MY DEAN SECRETARY’S OFFICE.”
“WHEN I WAS SEVEN YEARS OLD, MY FATHER CAME home from the warfront for a week’s leave.”
“I STILL REMEMBER THE DAY THAT MY BROTHER MISSED HIS induction ceremony into the Republic military.”
“I’M DREAMING THAT I’M HOME AGAIN.”
“I DON’T KNOW IF IT’S BECAUSE COMMANDER JAMESON has taken pity on me, or if she really does feel the loss of Metias, one of her most valued soldiers, but she helps me arrange his funeral—even though she’s never done that for one of her soldiers before.”
“IT’S GODDY HOT EVEN THIS LATE IN THE AFTERNOON.”
“THE LIGHTS IN BATALLA HALL ARE COLD AND FLUORESCENT.”
“EAT SOMETHING, YEAH?”
“I SHOULD BE THE ONE GOING OUT THERE.”
“THE RULES FOR WATCHING—AND BETTING ON—a Skiz fight are simple enough.”
“I’M NOT WORRIED ABOUT LOSING THE FIGHT.”
“SHE WON’T TELL ME HER NAME.”
“I WAKE UP AT DAWN.”
“I ALMOST KISSED THE GIRL LAST NIGHT.”
“The boy and I sit together in the back of another alley while Tess sleeps a short distance away.”
“WHEN THE GIRL HAS FINALLY FALLEN ASLEEP, I LEAVE her with Tess and head off to visit my family again.”
“DAY MUST HAVE THOUGHT I’D FALLEN ASLEEP.”
“DURING THE FEW HOURS OF SLEEP I MANAGE TO GET before dawn, I dream of home.”
“I DON’T HAVE TO SAY MUCH MORE TO CONVINCE DAY TO move.”
“USUALLY I’M GRATEFUL FOR THE CROWDS ON THE streets of Lake.”
“THE WOMAN THOMAS SHOOTS HASN’T EVEN CRUMPLED TO the ground yet when I see the boy launch himself from the rooftop.”
“THE WORLD’S A BLUR.”
“THAT EVENING, I FORCE MYSELF INTO A DRESS TO ATTEND an impromptu ball with Thomas on my arm.”
“GET ON YOUR FEET.”
“I HARDLY RECOGNIZE DAY, EVEN THOUGH IT’S ONLY BEEN seven hours since the sentencing.”
“I HAVE NIGHTMARES AGAIN.”
“WHEN I WAS YOUNG, METIAS WAS SOMETIMES CALLED away to deal with minor rebellions, and afterward he’d tell me about them.”
“WE RIDE UP SEVERAL FLOORS UNTIL I HEAR THE elevator’s chains come to a scraping halt.”
“THAT NIGHT, THOMAS SPENDS HALF AN HOUR STANDING outside my door, trying out a dozen different kinds of apologies.”
“WHEN JUNE VISITS ME AGAIN THE NEXT MORNING, even she looks shocked—if just for a second—at my figure, slumped against one wall of my cell.”
“I CAN’T STOP THINKING ABOUT DAY.”
“I TRY TO BREAK OUT OF MY PRISON TONIGHT.”
“I LEARNED AT DRAKE THAT THE BEST WAY TO TRAVEL UNSEEN at night is by rooftop.”
“TWO NIGHTS BEFORE MY EXECUTION DATE, I HAVE a slew of dreams while trying to sleep against my cell’s wall.”
“DAY WILL BE EXECUTED TOMORROW EVENING.”
“MY NEW EXECUTION TIME COMES WITHOUT ANY fanfare but the occasional crack of thunder coming from outside the building.”
“MY FIRST INSTINCT IS TO ATTACK THOMAS.”
“A CRACK OF LIGHTNING, AN EXPLOSION OF THUNDER, the sound of pounding rain.”
“HURRICANE EVONIA HAS FINALLY STARTED TO CALM DOWN, but the rain, heavy and cold, continues to fall in sheets.”
