Legend

If you judge books by the cover, do not push this book aside because of the cover! There were at least 5 times where I saw a review or post about this book and just skipped over it because I thought the cover was dull, boring, self-published-looking, and not that eye-catching. Finally, after some pushes and prods from fellow bloggers, I gave this book a chance. I'm so glad I did. I'll let this quote speak for the awesomeness of the book: "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 that doesn't pull you in, then I don't know what will! When I finally got passed the cover, I opened up the book and was shocked. The typeface. It was different. The colour. It was.... gold? It's so unique! I had never seen anything like it. All of Day's chapters are in this never-before-scene-in-a-book typeface (it's not that extravagant -- it's just different from the standard so often seen), and June's are in a more standard typeface with black ink. So cool! The story in this book is just so incredibly intriguing. We have June: the amazingly intelligent genius prodigy who's training to join the most exclusive military branch. Then there's Day, born in poverty and a criminal on the run. Then Day is suspected of killing June's brother, so June vows to hunt him down and seek revenge (see epic quote above). She goes undercover, tracking Day and pretending to be a poor girl from the slums. Then she meets Day, but doesn't know it's him, and starts travelling around with him. Soon enough she finds herself liking him (and vice versa).. like really liking him. Like "You're a sexy beast" liking him. OH MY GOD!! Tell me that doesn't sound awesome! It sounds like the kind of action thriller TV shows or movies I like to watch.. but wrapped up in a YA dystopian sci-fi romance! Hello, incredible book. I don't even know where to really begin with this review (although I guess I've started already lol). All the characters are amazing. June is a powerful, independent main character. She almost reminds me of Sherlock Holmes in her attention to detail. She's the kind of person who truly observes everything around her and uses the tiniest details to draw conclusions. She's incredibly strong and proud, but more than anything, she wants to do what's right. Even when she absolutely hates Day for supposedly murdering her brother, she still doesn't want to see any unwarranted violence or torture. And Day... Day is kind of like Robin Hood. Sure he's a criminal, but he only steals so he can survive and help his family and community get food and medicine. And that only touches the surface. All of the side characters are equally as interesting and I either love them or love to hate them. Legend is so action-packed and there's never, ever a dull moment. The plot is always progressing and kept me on my toes the entire way through. The romance that develops is one of the most interesting I've ever seen because of the circumstances, but it's also totally swoon-worthy. Legend also toyed with my emotions quite a bit. June takes us through some of her memories with her brother Metias, and after knowing what happened to him, I was totally getting teary-eyed. It's devastatingly sad and made me wish I had a brother like him (one who doesn't get killed!). There was zero doubt in my mind that I'd give his book 5 stars and mark it as one of my all-time favourites. I didn't even have to stop and ponder. I ended this book in a complete daze; my imagination was in overdrive and trying to process all the awesomeness in this book!

Since "The Hunger Games" hit stores in 2008 there has been a huge increase of YA dystopian novels in the market. Legend was claimed to be a very good read that you shouldnt miss, and so, being part of the dystopic-worlds-with kick-as-girl-heroics trend, I gave it a try. And... I really liked it. "Legend" tells us the story of 15 years-olds Agent June Iparis and most-wanted-criminal Day. They live in a nation called The Republic that is geographically set on the west half of the United States of America. This nation is in a till-the-end-of-time war with the east half of the same country, called The Colonies. June Iparis was born into one of the richest sectors of Los Angeles, and has a bright future before her being The Republic`s favourite prodigy. At the age of 15 she is finishing her education at Drake University and will start working as a highly-ranked Agent on her nation`s military, following her older brother Metias`s steps. On the other hand we have Day, the most wanted criminal on The Republic. He steals from the rich to give to the poor, just like Robin Hood, and defies his nation`s system continualy. He hates what The Republic has become. He has also hidden his true identity. The country doesnt know how he looks, what is his real name; he is even believed dead by his family. June and Day have nothing to do with each other, until one event changes everything. Metias is murdered and the culprit is Day. June wont rest until she hunts him down and makes him pay. The adventure begins, and the goal of June`s mission is modified along the story for she unravels things about her country she didnt expect to find out... and doesnt like. To say the truth, the book didnt start very well for me. I wasnt instantly intrigued by the world, or engaged to the story. I was merely curious. The characters were not the best thing in the world, the storytelling was OK but nothing too great. At first, I hadnt completely liked June`s character: I just couldnt relate to her at all when her brother died. She was strangely composed for someone who had just lost her big brother who raised her. Her thirst for vengeance seemed out of place somehow; she didnt mourn of grieve him and thought of how his assasin was going to pay for this, she was just pretty calm about the whole thing and started to go through technicalities and strategy to avenge her brother`s death. I mean, I know she is a genius and she has grown up in a different world, but she continues to be a 15 year old girl. She HAS to cry and grieve. Anyway, as I was saying, the story was just fine with things I liked, things I didnt blah blah blah... until page 60 or so. Then, it just got very, and I mean VERY, GOOD. After page 60, June became a solid character in my opinion, and she made a fantastic companion throughout the whole story. I started relating to her once I started to truly know her. I simply loved the way she thought, she behaved; how she noticed every little detail that could change everything. She was a total kick-ass, and a true heroine who didnt take the name slightly. Mischievous, calculating, honorable, admirable, brave, a fighter and a prodigy. Those there are her best qualities, with the top being her hunger for justice. This girl was utterly likable and her narration transmitted her feelings very well. Only one flaw did I see to June`s character development: If she was so smart, then why didnt she had already figured out some, if not all, of the secrets the Republic had? The same thing that happened to me with June happened to me with Day. I didnt really like him at first, although I also didnt dislike him; he was just there. But then, I got to know him, and I started to care for him and like him. He is a solid character too, with real depth and makes up for a good storyteller. He loves his family and is willing to do everything for them. He is a risk-taker, an adventurer,; agile, fast, honorable, kind, calculating and a prodigy too in his own way, this boy will make you absolutely love him. I must say, I didnt want them to fall in love in the beggining. I really didnt. I mean, he had killed her brother for gods sakes!! I didnt care how charming he was or what motives he had to do what he did, it was too much cynicism to make them fall in love! But then the story grabs you and whirls you around, throws you up and down, and in the end you are TOTALLY rooting for them to be together. The world was very good, although I found it to be not very defined. Nothing horrible, I just have questions about how it works, but since this is the first book fo a series Im not too worried. Im sure things will be more precise on book two. The different POV really added to the story. I normally hate the variation in narrators, but ehre it came naturaly and it was a good thing really. The action was great, extremely intriguing and had me on the edge of my seat. I was absolutely submerged on the fight scenes. I had only two problems related to this topic: for one, I would have liked to see June do more hand-to-hand combat. For two, sometimes the action scenes were a little unbelieveable. Yes, this is a book, it is fiction, but still. If a bunch of highly-trained militars with rifles openly shoot at someone with meant-to-kill shots on a room of a laboratory (just imagine the size), its highly unprobable that that someone will go out practicaly unharmed; his only wound was made by a bullet that grazed his arm. I mean, that is a little ludicrous. Anyway, apart from some things like that, the action was extremely enjoyable. One more thing: the way the book is presented is just adorable and makes you smile. June and Day`s chapter have diferrent fonts, and while her words are black, his are golden. And there is a reason fot those colors. They are tolg in the story. I just loved that. To summarize, this is a really good read. It has some flaws but they are overall minor. Despite not capturing you right at the beggining, it will be sure to trap you in time to take you for a great ride down dystopian-lane. I truly recommend "Legend".

Review originally posted on The Book Addict's Guide Completed: November 16, 2013 Publishing Info: November 29th 2011 by Putnam Juvenile Source: Paperback copy purchased from Amazon Genre: Dystopian (YA) POV: Alternating First Person (Day/June) I am SO glad I finally read LEGEND because it’s the best dystopian I’ve read in a long time. Even better than Divergent — Yes, I said it. I knew people really loved this series and I didn’t mean to push it off for so long but ya know… So many books… I was totally “wowed” by LEGEND and I’m so thankful for that because I’ve been trying to be a bit pickier on the books I pick up. I’ve been craving that really good paranormal or dystopian-type book so LEGEND hit the spot! Right off the bat, I could tell this book was special and the publishers sure know how to make you remember it and enhance Marie Lu’s writing! Each main character (Day and June) gets their own font for their chapters. Day’s chapter kicks off the book with a pretty gold font which totally caught me off guard, but obviously in a good way! I also really loved that each chapter had its own font because it really helped me differentiate between the two. I didn’t get confused between the two voices, but if you’re one that isn’t a huge fan of alternating POVs, the different fonts might help! In the new Republic, every child has to go through a series of tests (“the Trial”) when they’re eleven which determines their intelligence, general ranking, and if they will get into school or if they’re… banished. LEGEND surrounds our main characters June — all-around all-star with a perfect score on the Trial and a bit of a penchant for being just a bit mischevious — and Day, her polar opposite or so it seems. Day received the lowest score on the Trial that anyone has ever received but something seems fishy. He’s pretty dang intelligent himself and even if he bombed a couple sections, he doesn’t feel his score should have ever been that low… I was interested from chapter one, but as the book slowly starts to dig deeper into the plot, I was hooked. Marie Lu has some great world building with the new dystopian America. Usually there are times when the new world is being described and I feel a bit of a world-building-drag, but there is really never a dull moment in this book. The reader gets a feel for the new country, the new government, the new leaders and rebels all woven into the plot. Sometimes I have a tendency to get lost in a new world if I can’t picture it, but I really felt like I was watching the whole book unfold on the big screen. I could picture each situation that Day and June encountered. It was fantastic! There was a combination of the destruction and disease that a dystopian brings to the table, but since it is set in the future, we also have glimpses of some awesome technology — both gadgets as well as things used city-wide like the jumbotron-type screens used to portray news and announcements. The thing I loved the most about LEGEND was all of the twisty-turny surprises! With dystopian being the genre that pulled me into YA, I’ve read quite a few and you start to sense or sort of pattern or repeated idea that most dystopians will have — it’s just inescapable when writing in the genre. I was so, so pleased with the amount of plot twists in LEGEND to keep me on the edge of my seat and the story feeling fresh. (Now, now, I know LEGEND was actually one the earlier ones, but it’s new to me so really no matter when it was written, there will always be someone catching up and those surprises are always important!) There were some that I was able to predict a tiny bit and others that totally shocked me! Honestly, at once point in time I was reading on the couch and Shane was upstairs and I shouted, “WHAT!?!” so loud that he called down to make sure I was okay haha. There were THOSE kind of moments and I loved being kept on the edge of my seat! I also really loved the characters. I felt for both June and Day and I looooved the scenes with them together! It was so interesting to read their alternating POVs until the moment when they come together… And then things get even more interesting! Their voices felt much more mature than fifteen (in my head they were 18 or 19, but that’s just something that I do haha) so really the book can appeal a wide range of audiences. (Although for some violent content, I’d say 14 and up?) Then again, they were both incredibly smart (something else that I also loved) so it does make sense that they’d sound more mature than their actual ages. The good news is, the entire series is out so I can go read some more as quickly as I want to because my immediate though upon finishing was, “I need to inhale the rest of this series.”

Legend by Marie Lu Steph’s Rating: 5 stars Dani’s Rating: 5 stars Overall Rating: 5 stars Steph’s Thoughts: Legend is a somewhat typical, cliche dystopian novel, but somehow Marie Lu was able to get it across in a way that just makes it deserve every one of these 5 stars! Usually I’m not a fan of cliche stories, but I found Legend very engrossing. Lu’s writing creates a distinct air of suspense and forebodement, and I could not put this book down! While I say Legend is cliche, I really mean its plot does not have the most original ideas. It has your typical secretive society that is trying to brainwash its citizens into thinking that it is the best and ultimate nation. There is a class system, and the law isn’t just or fair. The aristocrats get everything, and the poor get dirt. In Legend, this state is called the Republic, or the west side of the former U.S.(which had split into the Republic and the Colonies after an environmental disaster) The Republic is at war with the Colonies, and much like the government in 1984, they seem to be in perpetual war with their neighbors. What made this book stand out to me were the stellar characters, and their dual POV’s from two flip sides of the Republic: June and Day. The near-nobility, and the criminal. From completely different worlds and situations, these two are thrown together and must uncover the truth of the Republic that has deceived not only them, but everyone. June is a prodigy, a girl who is in a prestigious college at just 15 years old. She’s the only one who has ever got a perfect score on the Republic’s Trial, the test given to sort you into a class. She’s smarter than anyone in her age group, and excels even beyond her upperclassman. Her life is set: she will be an officer in the military, where all intelligent people go. Another one of those strong heroines who don’t need to depend on anyone to get things accomplished. Day is the most wanted criminal in the Republic. He failed his Trial, but is a prodigy in his own way at the same time: he’s never been caught, and nobody knows what he looks like. He steals, but his motives aren’t as bad as you may think. He’s from the slums, and money means the world to him. I think I need to dedicate another paragraph to Day. I love him, like seriously. He earned a spot on my boyfriend list. He is just 100% H-O-T. While the Republic calls him a terrible person, he’s actually funny and flirtatious. I was all giggly while reading his POV’s! When Day is framed for killing June’s brother Metias, the two who were really never supposed to meet or even have contact with each other suddenly find each other in a mad and desperate chase. June swears that she will get revenge for her brother, but she doesn’t know the truth. She realizes the Republic might not have been so forthcoming, and with an uneasy alliance with Day, they must find out what the Republic has been hiding the whole time. While it is a little predictable on what the Republics hidden secrets are, it was great to see June and Day find out for themselves because it was like a splash of water surprise moment that I just truly enjoyed reading. I love both of the character voices. They are two completely different perspectives of the same world, and I loved how the reader knew what was coming up when the characters themselves didn’t. It created a very good sense of foreshadowing and I found myself reading Legend deep into the night, because I just had to make sure everything was going to be okay! I was so nervous the entire time because June and Day both got a soft spot in me and I just didn’t want anything bad to happen to either of them while they were hunting each other down! Legend makes your heart pound faster and takes your breath away. A must-read! Dani’s Commentary: Dystopian novels all have common traits that give them the label “dystopia”: A protagonist living a sheltered life in society,and the second protagonist and also love interest living a not-so-good life. Thus, Legend was dubbed a “dystopia”. I didn’t think Legend was very cliche compared to some other dystopias I have read. What made Legend an amazing novel is Marie Lu’s writing and, as Steph said, the characters June and Day. This isn’t one of those YA dystopian books where the two protagonists experience “love at first sight”. Hatred, fear, and revenge somehow morph into trust and...love. In the second half of Legend, the action really starts to build up. Secrets are revealed about the Republic, the antagonist Commander Jameson, and a not-so-innocent side character named Thomas. The readers’s questions are still not completely answered at the end of Legend, but that’s where the sequel, Prodigy, comes in! I agree with Steph, truly a MUST-READ! --Steph and Dani @ A Walk on Words

Legend has all the things I want in a YA dystopian story --- political intrigue, governmental conspiracies, systematic plagues, a nation at war and two incredibly strong protagonists. SO GOOD. And while I will admit it's hard to ignore the comparisons to The Hunger Games, I don't necessarily think that it's a bad thing in this case. Where other books try to be THG, Legend doesn't. Sure, Lu uses a similar framework but she makes the story totally her own without going into copycat territory. The story lacks a certain complexity but it still has substance. Lu gives you just enough detail to make you want to know more. I had so many theories running around in my head, and though my intial guess ended up being right, Lu did a great job throwing me off the trail. The answers are never obvious and she keeps you guessing. Another thing I really loved about this book are its two main characters, Day and June. Each one is strong and resiliant and combative. June is the Republic's prodigy child, smart, perceptive and completely obedient, everything a government could want in a military leader. She's virtually perfect which is both frustrating and somewhat admirable. Then one day she finally meets her match---the boy who killed her brother. Now June is out for vengence. Day is a modern-day Robin Hood, sabotaging the Republic and helping the needy. He's very Aladdin meets Gale (THG) in terms of his resourcefulness and blantant disdain for the ruling elite. He doesn't easily trust others but is fiercly loyal to those he loves. Speaking of the ruling elite, there's Commander Jameson. She is reminiscent of President Coin (THG) and Jeanine (Divergent) in that there's something very sinister about her motivations. She is pretty much the person that sets our two protagonists on a violent collison course. And it is a spectacular collison, indeed. But what really makes Day and June so wonderful is that no matter how strong they are on the surface, they each have crippling weaknesses. June's big one is her unquestioning devotion to the Republic and Day's is his reckless attempt to protect his family. I have to admit, it's really nice to see June's hard veneer start to crack as the story progresses. I'd say she grows individually more than Day, but they each grow together. They are complementary beings, strengthening where the other is weak which is what eventually makes them such an effective team. I also really liked that there wasn't insta-love between them right off the bat. Their relationship builds slowly, just as the trust does between them. It's a natural progression. Legend is a great story that's backed by even greater characters. Honestly, that's one of the reasons The Hunger Games has really stuck with me. It's also what a lot of other dystopias have been missing. Lu lures you in with a hint of some serious action, keeps you there with promises of kisses and then rips out your heart with bullets through the brain (literally). It's quite an intense ride. The Hunger Games will probably always be my favourite dystopia but Legend has managed the impossible---it's reconnected me to the genre that I've loved so much, for so long. Food for Thought: Legend is a fast-paced, easy read that has all the allure of a good dystopia. The story is simple but effective. Lu's words are concise and her characters are strong but wonderfully flawed. If you're stuck in a dystopian rut (like me), I recommend this series to pull you out of it. I rarely say this, but Legend is idea for fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent. Trust me! It delivers!

Marie Lu’s Legend launches readers into a fast-paced, dystopian world where two teens from opposite sides of society find their fates colliding. Set in a future where the western United States has become the militarized Republic, the story explores power, propaganda, and resistance through the eyes of June, a military prodigy raised in privilege, and Day, a wanted criminal born in the slums. The novel thrives on its contrasting protagonists—June with her fierce loyalty to the government and analytical mind, and Day with his resourcefulness and rebellious heart. Their perspectives offer a compelling dual narrative that keeps the tension sharp and the plot moving. The world-building is solid, with a clear sense of hierarchy, oppression, and hidden agendas. While the mystery surrounding June’s brother’s death and the revelations about the Republic’s dark secrets are gripping, June's sudden shift in allegiance—from dutiful soldier to questioning rebel—can feel abrupt. Her tendency to be overly perfect and then quickly swayed by Day’s charisma stretches believability, though it does serve the emotional arc of the story. Despite a few character flaws and predictable moments, Legend is a strong start to a trilogy that promises action, intrigue, and moral complexity. Fans of YA dystopian fiction will enjoy its blend of romance, rebellion, and suspense.

June is perfect, I take it? Don't get me wrong. I enjoy reading about strong female characters, but this is excessive. She observes everything miniscule, her logic (though admirable) can get in the way of determining between right and wrong. Not to mention, she seems to observe and judge fairly quickly (then sternly maintains that idea until she logically convinces herself otherwise--usually when someone is in danger). Did I mention that she's super attractive? Let me count...1...2...3 guys like her. As if she's irresistible. And she rolls her eyes, denying that fact like a lot of YA female characters. I don't buy it. What's wrong if she's somewhat attractive or not even at all? It's so idealistic that I was getting upset at a fictional character. Really, she tries too hard. Otherwise, I'd actually like her. I really would. Day is a different matter. HE should be the protagonist, not June. With his ability to balance (yeah, I'm going there) logic and emotions, he had made himself more relatable to the audience than June. He makes mistakes. He's smart in his own way. He does what he can, and he's not an "epitome of man" stereotype (sorry, June). He's a joy to read! The book is divided into June's perspective and Day's perspective. Honestly, I enjoyed listening to Day more than to June. The world itself is built well. There are two opposing sides preparing for a possible war. The outside world is either oblivious to this or is maintaining their distance from them. Side characters are two-dimensional. As for action,there's quite a lot of action in this book. It will keep you reading until late at night, but it's not so irresistible that you cannot put it down otherwise you'll go insane. It's meh. If there's one thing I do enjoy about this book other than Day, it would be the character development. Because this is part of a trilogy, the development is slow, but it's there. And while June can be a pain, she's slowly--ever so slowly, becoming tolerable. Do I recommend this book? Yes. It's hard to say whether you will like this book or you won't. As a dystopian fan, it's a worthwhile read. It has the elements of one, and you will find at least one character to root for. But it's nothing spectacular. Nothing to make you jump out of your seat in giddiness. I have read the second book and will be posting a review for that sometime soon.

Title: Legend Author: Marie Lu Rating: 5 stars My Review I loved this book. Loved it. Loved it. I am having trouble thinking of anything that I could say about it that I did not love. Please, let me expound. June...June Bug...Ms. Iparis - How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. June is my ideal female protagonist. Smart, tough, and fiercely protective of those she loves. She will do anything to avenge her brother Metias' death...the only problem is that she can't be sure who killed him. She is a cold, calculating, military machine until she meets Day. Day...Daniel - Sigh. Day is my ideal male protagonist. Smart, tough, and fiercely protective of those he loves. Day is the classic `created' criminal whose crimes are merely the actions of the survivor railing against an unjust world. Metias,Tess, John, and Ollie - The siblings and supporting cast of your main characters are lovely. Real, loving, and devoted to one another, you feel the weight of their connections to June and Day in every decision that the two lead characters make. Their families are their souls. The Villians - Without giving anything away, I loved the villians for the purity of their evil. Their convictions have washed away their humanity and only the bones of gnawing hatred remain. In Ms. Lu's dystopia, the fog of war cloaks everything, making actions and loyalties hard to discern. It's clear that there are the haves and the have nots, but what is not clear is how they ended up that way. Lu reveals her secrets beautifully at a pace that is both pleasingly fast and also maddeningly, addictively slow. You want to race ahead for answers but fear missing something great and instead you discipline yourself to read every delicious word. Her descriptions are excellent, I felt that I could visualize the entire world and every character in it with no problem. I love the balance of science-fiction and realism. For those of you who have read Eden's Root, you know that I typically like a lot of realism. Even flights of fancy can be made to feel realistic in the right hands. The romance is perfect. Restrained yet simmering, fraught with wavering trust and emotional betrayal, you want these stars to collide from page one and cannot imagine anything besides a supernova once they do. Loved it. Loved it. Loved it.

Couverture très belle, format sympa et écriture bien lisible. Les romans de Marie Lu sont de qualité, simples et efficaces. Une série magnifique, futuriste, militaire, très bonne suggestion de l'avenir des Etats-Unis... Des personnages incroyablement touchants et une vraie histoire d'amour mais surtout d'action, que j'ai dévorée ; une dystopie incroyable (dans un anglais frais et assez simple), une perle du genre.

Normalmente soy una lectora un tanto lenta, pero este libro lo he leído en 2-3 días. Me resultaba imposible dejar d leer. Tenía ganas d llegar a casa para seguir leyendo y siempre me dejaba intrigada y con ganas d más. Me he sumergido de lleno en el mundo que ha creado la autora, visto además desde dos puntos d vista opuestos, lo cual te da mayor perspectiva y le da mayor riqueza a la historia. Los personajes están muy bien construidos y me encanta la evolución d la prota, una prota inteligente y valiente. Las escenas del pasado d Day me han calado hondo, su familia, y sobre todo John. La autora sabe mostrar tan bien a los personajes q con poquita cosa les he cogido mucho cariño. Este libro no me ha dejado ni un momento d descanso, ha sido todo un viaje al mundo d las emociones. ¡Necesito saber tantas cosas! Sólo me queda decir q, por si no lo habéis deducido, os lo recomiendo "muy mucho".

Now i understand why people are going mad over this series because the book is simple, pure and absolutely fun to read. The beauty of the book to me was that in spite being set in a dystopian world the book does not complex things with too much description of the post apocalyptic world rather the book is focused totally on the characters and the plot and the book would have survived nicely even if it was not set in a dystopian world. The language is so simple and plain that at times, i wondered whether i m reading a children's book but then the plot takes you on a high and keeps you there and that is what i liked about the book for being simple and interesting.you got emotions, fantasy, thriller, romance and yet everything is served in such good proportions that the book will be an amazing experience. It would not be surprising if one would sit and finish the book in a single turn. The book has got everything in it from a good plot to well carved characters that maintain their strength as the story progress and you will instantly feel for all these characters and the chemistry between the main two characters are interesting but the author has made sure that the book does not end up being just that and then there is the whole mystery element that spices up the whole story. A light book which at the same time brings forward a lot of interesting plot development and character sketches. Easy enough to finish it in a go , the book also gives you something to take back as well

"You're brilliant," he says. "But you're a fool to stay with someone like me." I close my eyes at the touch of his hand. "Then we're both fools." < This is the second dystopian book I've read this week that has completely surpassed my expectations and I have to say, Legend is a powerful, addictive and fast paced novel that is action packed, with an explosive storyline and a love story that will leave you begging for more. June and Day are both 15 years old who both live in completely different worlds and both will do anything for the ones they love. The only thing is, Day is the worlds most wanted criminal and June is the super intelligent girl working for the Republic. When Day breaks into a hospital to try to find medicine for his sick brother, he is accused of murdering June's brother, Metias. So June makes it her mission to hunt down Day and capture him so he can no longer run around the streets of Los Angeles'. However, when June finally meets Day for the first time, he's not like how the Republic have made him out to be - he's kind, sweet and not at all a monster but who is the real monster in this story.....Day or the Republic? I'm so thrilled to have loved this book as much as everyone else because I'd heard a few mixed reviews recently but after reading the first two chapters, I was hooked. Marie Lu captivated me from start to finish and made me want to continue reading about the story and characters even when I finished the book. Now I have a long and painful wait until September for the next instalment. What I noticed and loved about this book was how very unique the characters were. Both June and Day are portrayed as very different characters but if anything they are more alike than anyone else. They are very smart, very brave and very loyal and even with everything going on in their crazy world; they manage to stay true to themselves. What I had to keep reminding myself through-out this book, was that they are only 15 years old. Sometimes they appear to much older and I personally think 15 is a little young for this book but with June being a super smart kid and Day being Day, I guess it fits with the story and it's something I can overlook. Now the romance in the book isn't the main focus of the story, it's the back story and something you know is there but doesn't truly reveal itself until the very last moment. I have to say, I wished for more romance BUT the ending did leave me very content and satisfied, so I have very high hopes for the next book. Overall, Marie Lu has created a fascinating, dangerous and thrilling world with Legend, one full of exciting twists and turns, full of betrayal and full of hidden secrets that will have you sitting on the edge of your sit until the very last page. A must read for any dystopian fan! I loved it!

Great story, loved the pace and extremes of the journey we are taken on. Looking forward to the rest of the series.