Name: Champion
ISBN: 9781629230085

Marie Lu

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government's elite circles as Princeps Elect while Day has been assigned a high level military position. Just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic's border cities.

Champion

Elizabeth Alfiero

Rachel Braithwaite

“I lean on the wall in sudden exhaustion. Without him nearby, there’s a lack of energy, a dulling color, gray moonlight where moments earlier there had been silver.”

"’Damn, I'm dripping water like a leaky faucet.’"

“There's a coping mechanism I've started using recently where I pretend to retreat back into the shell of my heart and crawl out of my body, like I'm not really here and am instead observing the world to another person's perspective.”

“I'm so tired. I don't know if I can ever outrun how I used to be.”

“We walk in comfortable silence, savoring the simple nearness of each other.”

“Even though he's not moving, some small piece of his manner—wild, careless, defiant—still shines through, and for an instant I flash back to when I’d first met him on the streets, with his bright blue eyes and quicksilver movements and unruly blond hair. That nostalgic image is so sweet that I suddenly feel my eyes watering. I take a deep breath and will myself not to cry.”

“Day, the champion of the people, the one who can't bear to see those around him suffer on his behalf, who would gladly give his life for those he loves.”

“He smells of earth, smoke, and wind.”

“‘You drive me insane, June,’ he murmurs against my hair. ‘You’re the scariest, most clever, bravest person I know, and sometimes I can’t catch my breath because I’m trying so hard to keep up. There will never be another like you. You realize that don’t you?”

“‘Billions of people will come and go in this world,’ he says softly, ‘but there will never be another like you.’”

“‘…I’m no good for you. And I do so well until I see you in person, and then everything changes again. I think I don’t care about you anymore, that things will be easier once you’re far away, and then all of a sudden I’m here again, and you’re…’”

“…his eyes are so bright that I feel like I could drown in them.”

“No matter what happens in the future, no matter where our paths take us, this moment will be ours.”

“My heart's been torn wide open, just like I feared it would be, and I have no willpower to close it back up. Any barrier I might've succeeded in putting up around myself, any resistance I might've built up against my feelings for her, is now completely gone. Shattered.”

“Time heals all wounds. But not this one. Not yet.”

“I’d apologize to him about my temper, but I’m too angry to care.”

“I feel like I’m hanging on by a thread.”

“I'm free again, I can taste the wind and touch the sky. In this moment, my troubles melt away and once again I'm able to run away from my problems—I'm able to blend right in with the rust and rubble of the city, changing it into something that belongs to me.”

Jess

PERFECTION. I loved it so much. I cried at the end, it was so good.

"June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic--and each other--and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. Just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic's border cities"--

a Legend novel

some loose ends and the problematic age gap (which should affect my prodigy rating more than this but alas!) make me knock off half a star but this was a very solid trilogy, easy and quick to read and so heart-wrenching… 

Danniella

Helena

** spoiler alert **
           4.5*

I was going to give this 4 stars because I struggled to get through some parts but that ending..... marie lu really said “how to make someone cry”, and I did, for half an hour.

I loved the ending, it was perfectly coherent, but also emotional and not drawn to the dramatic death of one of the main characters. 

June is an amazing character, her story was incredibly well written, her growth.. everything was just perfect.
And Day.. I just want him to be finally happy forever.
I loved these two so much !!

Hanna Rybchynska

4,5 stars!
Almost perfect! I really enjoyed this last book. This has it all conflict and teenager drama, some action and difficult decisions. The ending could be a little different, but it was fun to read.

chloe rae

THAT ENDING. AHH MY HEART.
Man, what a way to finish off the series.
This series took me by surprise. I was never all that interested in reading it and I'm not sure why. It wasn't that I didn't find the story interesting, I think I was just always more interested in something else. BUT, when they had all 3 books at my used bookstore, I thought I'd try it out and see what I thought. And I'm SO glad I did.
I was impressed by the first book but not nearly as much as I was by this book. This book was AWESOME. It was incredibly thought out and intense; the character development was amazing. The story arch across all three books worked super well and I felt like I really understood this world.
I just adore Day and June. I love them so much. I just want them to be so happy. And I LOVE ANDEN. I think he should end up with me (if he actually existed, that is).
Overall, a really great read. I feel like I flew through these and I'm so glad I gave them a chance. I can't wait to check out more of Marie's work!

Tatiana

Champion: 4.5/5

Alexa, play pain by Nessa Barret.

I am writing this review with tears rolling down my face. Never in my LIFE have I cried this much over a book and a damn paper clip ring.

Honestly, I don't even know what to say. Everything about this book was perfect. Marie Lu outdoes herself every. Single. Time. The plot, action, pacing, characters were excellently executed, all under 400 pages. This is writing at its very finest.

Will I ever be the same? No. Day, June, Eden, and Tess have wormed their way into my heart and will forever be lodged there. This changed me. I am NOT EXAGGERATING. 

I have been crying for a full hour. Read this series.

Jade Lexi

THIS BOOK TORE ME INTO A MILLION PIECES I HATE YOU.

nina 

** spoiler alert **
           3.75 stars

HE KEPT THE RING

Hannah Yang

I have waited forever to write a review for Champion. I still don't think I can write one that matches the perfection of this book. It is achingly, painfully good. Heartbreakingly sad. Beautifully romantic. Absolutely amazing. The whole series has already been amazing, but this was just.


  “You drive me insane June. You're the scariest, most clever, bravest person I know, and sometimes I can't catch my breath because I'm trying so hard to keep up. There will never be another like you. You realize that, don't you? Billions of people will come and go in this world, but there will never be another like you.”



I think the best part was definitely the ending. Oh my god. I cried. I was a water fountain. It was so beautiful I can't even explain. I feel like I have such a close bond with Day and June that the ending absolutely killed me. Champion has won a place in my bookwormy heart forever. But before I talk so much about how beautiful everything was, let me write an actual review. Sort of.

The writing was flawless. The way it is written is not flowery or fake, but not needlessly raw and real. It struck a perfect balance. It summoned my tears, practically. I felt my tears being called forth. The characters were flawless, too. Day and June are likable, logical, and perfect for each other. They're adorable together. They'll always find a way back to each other. The ending oh my gosh. 

"Hi," he says. "I'm Daniel."
"Hi," I reply. "I'm June."
OHMYGOSHOHMYGOSHOHMYGOSH.

Everything about this book is pretty much just exactly what you expect, need, and want in an ending to a good trilogy. Everything is just so deliciously satisfying and ahhhhhh it's just amazing. You have to read this. I would buy this book for you if you would read it. It's amazing. You won't regret it. Be sure to check out the first two (also amazing) books first, though!

The final book in Marie Lu's best-selling Legend trilogy draws to a thrilling conclusion in this vibrant graphic novel adaptation. June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic--and each other--and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government's elite circles as Princeps Elect while Day has been assigned a high-level military position. But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them once again. Just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic's border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country's defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything he has.

Champion: The Graphic Novel

Julia

I'm so happy that I finally finished this! So good, love Marie Lu!

Fatima Kadri 

I loved this series so much. Marie Lu is just so good at writing epic, cinematic stories with intricate worlds and brilliant, badass characters. This trilogy (not counting the fourth book, obviously) was nothing short of a masterpiece and I am so glad that it exists.

M.G Derio 

No escuchan mi corazón rompiéndose este libro es la distopia que he leído

Jamieson

“I can feel his presence here in every stone he has touched, every person he has lifted up, every street and alley and city that he has changed in the few years of his life, because he is the Republic, he is our light, and I love you, I love you, until the day we meet again I will hold you in my heart and protect you there, grieving what we never had, cherishing what we did. I wish you were here.
I love you, always.” 


Woah, woah woah woah wow. We're going to go from the end to the start because this book has one of the most satisfying ends of a series ever Like, I am SO picky about series ends but I absolutely ADORE how this one ended up. 

Every issue I had in Prodigy got addressed and I'm so glad. I'm so glad that the problems and problematic aspects of these characters relationships got addressed and aaaah. Marie Lu, she is a genius and I love her.


  “I scream for everything that has gone wrong. I scream for everything broken in our lives.” 


For me, Champion was a different ballgame to Legend and Prodigy. The stakes were much, much higher but there was more politics then action. While the last 100 or so pages were crazy action, the rest was much more political and subdued and I kinda liked it, 



(by bellaemyblakes on tumblr

I think here the worldbuilding really got to shine. In Legend, I was worried about the lack of worldbuilding but the expansion of the world in this series in incredible. Few dystopaisn I've read have such detailed worlds and institutions. The politics is played out not just in the country where the characters live, but also across the globe as a whole and manifests in the United Nations and other international organisations. The characters visit to Antartica was so cool, and I loved the different politics systems set up - from the Corporate states in the Colonies, to the point based moral democracy of Antartica, to the autocracy of the Republic - each government system was interesting and unique. If you like politics and worldbuilding in books, especially international I think you'd really like this. FR if you study international relations like me by any chance, this book is gonna make u so excited ok .

I just think everything was a massive step up from Prodigy. I was worried about how the relationship between June and Day would play out - I expressed I thought their relationship was problematic and built on alot of unsolved issues and the fact that 1: the characters recognised that and 2: did something about it #shook. I also just loved the mature growth of these characters, and getting to see them years into the future outside of their situation made it so much better. June especially has great character growth and I ended up really liking her and Day's relationship despite my original hesitance. 


  “There's a conflicted look in Day's eyes, a joy and a grief, that makes him so vulnerable. I realize how little defense he has against my words. He loves so wholly. It is his nature.” 


I really don't have much to say negative about this book? Once again Marie Lu's abilities as an author shine. Her writing is great, but what I really love about her is I feel she has an intimate and meaningful understanding of her characters - and that she addresses the parts of them that are problematic. It feels alot like how Leigh Bardugo works with her characters. For me, thats so important because I love character driven stories 


I wish the plot had just been a little more fact paced, the first third kind of dragged for me and thats disappointing, but aside from that, I honestly think this is a great book and such a good, solid and well thought out ending to the series. 

Marie Lu has absolutely solidified herself in my list of "must read authors". I honestly thoroughly enjoy everything she writes, and I love that what she sets up in book 1 is developed and grown so far beyond that premise. 

Her books are consistently diverse, and treat their characters well. Her books tackle important issues and don't rely on stereotypes and cliches to tell the story. 

I honestly really liked this trilogy and even if it won't eclipse my love for THE YOUNG ELITES, it's just a really solid series and I'm glad. 


  “No matter what happens in the future, no matter where our paths take us, this moment will be ours.” 



( by itsiparwing on tumblr 

I LOVE BEING DEAD AND DYING

brianna

this is easily the best book in the series i cried so much i feel emotionally drained

tina

why did i force myself to go through this much pain all over again. fucking hate myself for it.

Such a beautiful book. Left my heart a little bit broken but it was so worth it

Melissa

Amy Thomson

such a disappointing ending like come on 😫

aulona

Thais Souza Passos

I was a bit disappointed at the end, expecting for something more, but in a way I was glad it ended that way, but in another...

Isabela H 

Ok ok ok ok I knew what was coming, I saw it coming, braced myself for impact...... and still wasn't ready 
The first time I read this book, I was incredibly frustrated by the ending, but this time, I just really appreciated it. It was such a good way to end and sent the most beautiful message.

June and Day's hopes for peace are shattered by a plague outbreak that renews warfare throughout the panicked Colonies, a situation that forces the Republic to consider a means of defense that threatens everything Day has worked for.

Champion

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