Marie Lu

Ridley Pearson

Legend

Legend is the much-anticipated dystopian thriller debut from US author, Marie Lu. THE must-read dystopian thriller fiction for all teen fans of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Divergent by Veronica Roth. A brilliant re-imagining of Les Miserables, the series is set to be a global film sensation as CBS films have acquired rights to the trilogy. The Twilight Saga producers, Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey, will produce. Los Angeles, California Republic of America He is Day. The boy who walks in the light. She is June. The girl who seeks her brother's killer. On the run and undercover, they meet by chance. Irresistably drawn together, neither knows the other's past. But Day murdered June's brother. And she has sworn to avenge his death. Dystopian fiction at its very best in this thrilling instalment in the Legend trilogy. Praise for Legend: 'If you loved The Hunger Games, you'll love this.' - Sarah Rees-Brennan, author of The Demon's Lexicon 'A fine example of commercial fiction with razor-sharp plotting, depth of character and emotional arc, 'Legend' doesn't merely survive the hype, it deserves it.' - New York Times 'Marie Lu's dystopian novel is a 'Legend' in the making.' - USA Today 'Legend is impossible to put down and even harder to forget.' - Kami Garcia, author of New York Times bestselling author of film sensation, Beautiful Creatures

raia – inactive

Day looks at me. Even in this darkness, I can’t take my eyes off him. The rain has washed his face clean. The scarlet stripe of blood in his hair is gone. Only a few bruises remain. He looks like an angel, if a broken one.

If Metias and Day had met somewhere other than the hospital’s back streets, would they have become allies?

Then I realize from the hollow sound of her gun’s click that her gun isn’t loaded. Apparently she just wants to slap me around with it.

“Money is the most important thing in the world, you know. Money can buy you happiness, and I don’t care what anyone else thinks. It’ll buy you relief, status, friends, safety . . . all sorts of things.”

I lift my head off his shoulder and look at him. "I never did ask you about your street name. Why Day'?" "Each day means a new twenty-four hours. Each day means everything's possible again. You live in the moment, you die in the moment, you take it all one day at a time." He looks to- ward the railway car's open door, where streaks of dark water blanket the world. "You try to walk in the light." 

"Each day means a new twenty-four hours. Each day means everything's possible again. You live in the moment, you die in the moment, you take it all one day at a time... You try to walk in the light."

Because money can buy you BOOKS and MORE BOOKS

"Money can buy you happiness, and I don't care what anyone else thinks."

Rachel Braithwaite

"’Each day means a new twenty-four hours. Each day means everything's possible again. You live in the moment, you die in the moment, you take it all one day at a time.’"

“‘It's strange being here with you. I hardly know you. But . .. sometimes it feels like we're the same person born into two different worlds.’"

“June has never looked more beautiful than she does now, unadorned and honest, vulnerable yet invincible. When lightning streaks over the sky, her dark eyes shine like gold.”

“His voice can make me forget about all the details running through my mind, bringing with it emotions of desire or fear instead, sometimes even anger, but always triggering some thing. Something that wasn't there before.”

“Her sadness makes her impossibly beautiful, like snow blanketing a barren landscape.”

“He glances at me now, notices me studying him, and pauses for a second. Some secret emotion darts across his eyes.

A beautiful mystery. He must have similar questions about me, how I'm able to pick out so many details of his life. Perhaps he's even wondering what I'll figure out about him next.”

“He has bright blue eyes, dirt on his face, and a beat-up old cap on, and at this moment, I think he might be the most beautiful boy I've ever seen.”

Alyssa Hobbs

"It's strange," I say to Day later, as we both curl up on the floor. Outside, the hurricane rages on. In a few hours we'll need to head out. "It's strange being here with you. I hardly know you. But ...sometimes it feels like we're the same person born into two different worlds."

"You need more time," John says. "They want an execution? They'll get one." He starts running away from us. Back down the hall.

I would rather die than see them hurt you.

And I have a sudden fear that somehow, some way, what he said in the dream will come true.

Then, June leans over again and whispers in my ear. "Don't try it again," she says, " because you won't be able to do it alone. You'll need my help."

I'm the first one to speak. "You and I may have the same enemy," I say, "And they've pitted us against each other."

I get a good look at some of the protesters as we pass the last monitor, the ones clustered together under the street lights. 

Some of them have painted a blood red streak in their hair. Then we arrive at the elevators and the soldiers shove me inside. They're protesting because of me. The thought fills me with excitement and dread. No way will the military let this slide. They'll seal off the poor sectors entirely and arrest every last rioter in the square.

He lies crumpled in the center of the Repulic seal. His skin looks darker, and his hair still clings to one long strand of hair, as if he chose to dye it.

...but behind it,  something flickers. The same emotion I'd seen on her face before she knew my real identity. It's only there for a moment and then it's gone. I'm supposed to hate you for what you did, I think. But her eyes linger on me in a way that refuses to let me.

loved it as a kid but it is not as great as i remember it to be

camille leung

*3.5- It took me entirely too long to read this 200pg book. Maybe it was just me- but it was just a tad, just a tad ... too "insta-lovey." I felt like the romance just came out of nowhere, but it was there at the same time?? It was an okayyy plot- I will check out the synopsis of the next book and we'll see if I'll read it :)

Hanna Rybchynska

This is a great YA Sci-fi book! Obviously, I am no longer a target audience, but nevertheless I enjoyed it. 
This is some kind of The Hunger Games meets Divergent, with two points of view. Super cliché and predictable, but it is part of the genre.

Monicap

LEGEND is a very good book. Very epic. This morning, I was literally on the edge of my seat (the couch) and my younger brother told me to hush as I said “Daaang!” every five minutes.
Yeah, it was good.
But the book could have been GREAT.
One thing ruined it.
What was that one thing, you ask?
Well, (and believe me when I say that I never, ever thought I’d say this EVER, not in a million years) they kissed ENTIRELY TOO MUCH.
The first time they kissed, which was before they really knew each other’s identities, that one was okay.
But it really should’ve stopped after that. 
I mean, they could be in love, sure. But, and seriously, I am giving you permission to call me crazy, I think that love would have been more believable IF THERE HAD BEEN LESS KISSING.
Not there was an absurd amount of kissing in this book. I counted. The tally stands at three kissing scenes, which, considering YA literature, isn’t bad.
But this book could have squeaked by with just the one.
Also, there was one point at the beginning of one of June’s chapters where she spends a whole paragraph daydreaming about kissing Day. I saw the word KISS and put my hand over the paragraph so I wouldn’t have to read it.
Not that Day isn’t awesome and kissable. He totally is. I just think they should have done it LESS.

Besides the kissing fail in this book, though, it was pretty epic. Conspiracies galore! We have two main characters who are smart, tough, and believable. Better than Katniss and Peeta by, like 1000 times.
Again, call me crazy, but I never really liked Katniss. In the first book, she was okay-ish, but in following books she crumbled to a whimpering crybaby.
I really hope that doesn’t happen with June. If it does, I’ll just explode.
Btw, if you ask me, the Republic is worse than the Capital. I mean, at east the Capital didn’t try to hide the fact it was killing kids. Also, they didn’t kill as many. Also, hey weren’t near so calculating about it.
Yeah. 
My basic point: this book is EPIC. And so much BETTER than the Hunger Games. 
And they kissed TOO MUCH.
You gotta fix that, Marie Lu.

Ashley shackelford

read 10/20/13
reread 10/4/15
reread 12/24/17

I read this book when I was a young teen and it’s one of my absolute favorite's. I highly recommend it to everyone. I loved both characters and the story and the whole trilogy. It’s up there w Hunger Games and Harry Potter for me. (Not quite Percy Jackson level tho haha)

The ending of the trilogy left me absolutely devastated and I think I’ll honestly have to reread this all again sometime, but I read this book like a decade ago and I just wanted to leave this review to let others know how much I loved it and that they should give it a shot too!

Kay so Queso

I read this book when I was a young teen and it’s one of my absolute favorite's. I highly recommend it to everyone. I loved both characters and the story and the whole trilogy. It’s up there w Hunger Games and Harry Potter for me. (Not quite Percy Jackson level tho haha)

The ending of the trilogy left me absolutely devastated and I think I’ll honestly have to reread this all again sometime, but I read this book like a decade ago and I just wanted to leave this review to let others know how much I loved it and that they should give it a shot too!

Paula Plaza Ponte 

Highly recommended by my students and I can understand why. There's love, rebellion, risk, mystery and characters you want to meet in real life. I thought the beginning grabbed me more as the two main characters were introduced. The last hundred or so pages left me a little deflated as the writing became somewhat tedious and plain at times. Nonetheless, I will probably read Prodigy and Champion anyway to see what happens next. :)

puroi

Nabila Azahra

Agak flat tapi untungnya terselamatkan dengan bagian bagian akhir 😬 Ekspetasiku ga besar sih dar awal, tapi ternyata pretty decent lah 👌🏻

Rahmat Junaid

chloe rae

I've been in a weird little reading slump and this was the PERFECT book to pick up! It was fast-paced and entertaining; it kept me on my toes! Already pumped for the next book in the series!

Risa

one of those genius books i've read! i put this book into my faves for sure.

Zack Winiecki

Tatiana

Legend: 4.5/5 

This book has SO MUCH HYPE but you know what.... it deserves more. I was so afraid this wouldn't live up to the massive expectations I had for it but it exceeded them in all honesty. This is 100% going to be one of my favorite books of all time. What a fabulous introduction to Marie Lu. She is a fantastic author.

Let me explain in a few anecdotes why I love this book. First off, I could not put this book down. Literally. I read it in one sitting because I NEEDED to know what was gonna happen next. At one point in this book, I was HOLDING MY BREATH IN REAL LIFE. I don't know if I've ever done that while reading a book. That is how stressful and suspenseful this book is. It was like watching a movie.

The romance enemies to lovers is GOD TIER. I don't know how else to convince you to read this book but PLEASE READ IT. I genuinely don't know why it took me so long. I am so excited to read the last three books in this series. I know I'm going to be ruined. Bring it on :')

ps. I love Day

June est un prodige. À quinze ans, elle fait partie de l’élite de son pays. Brillante et patriote, son avenir assuré dans les hauts rangs de l’armée. Day est le criminel le plus recherché du territoire. Originaire des quartiers pauvres, il sévit depuis des années sans que les autorités parviennent à l’arrêter. Issus de deux mondes différents, June et Day n’ont aucune raison de se rencontrer... jusqu’au jour où le frère de June est assassiné. Persuadée que Day est responsable de ce crime, June va le traquer... Mais est-elle prête à découvrir la vérité ?

Legend, T1

Annika Arguemore

Engaged and enthralled me in all the right places; however, the chemistry between the hero and the heroine seemed very rushed which  threw me off a little bit.

★★★★ // it’s been a while since i enjoyed a young-adult dystopian genre. part of that is because this one feels a little close to what was happening in the world now, with the pandemic and all. but mostly i find that i resonate with its political commentaries: about how governments control the news and media to manipulate people into believing that everything is okay and under control. how it paints subversiveness and dissent as some sort of anarchist propaganda, instead of acknowledging that there must be something wrong with the system which causes people to start revolutions. understanding what is right and wrong, especially in the political landscape, can be tricky. just like June in this story, you can get lost in the system and not see reason. but it’s not too late to see the light.


  ”Finally, when the sunset bathes my apartment in orange and gold, I break out of my trance. I clean up the shards of broken glass. I dress in my full uniform. I make sure my hair is pulled back flawlessly, that my face is clean and calm and devoid of emotion. In the mirror, I look the same. But I am a different person inside. I’m a prodigy who knows the truth, and I know exactly what I’m going to do.”


perhaps the only thing that i did not quite like is the romance. i did not think it was necessary, and when it pops up every now and then, i really find myself cringing, heh. but i suppose since it’s a young-adult genre, it needs that to still keep its target readers interested. but i hope the kids who read this picks up its more important messages about freedom and identity.

excited to read the read of the trilogy when i get my hands on them.

Izzy

Actually 4,5 Stars.

I actually wanted to read this book for a long time since everyone was raving about it. Finally I managed to read it and it didn’t disappoint me at all.
Legend is a great dystopian novel with likeable and awesome characters and a well thought plot. The entire book was so well written that I couldn’t stop reading it. I had to keep going on, no matter what.
Firstly, I had problems with the characters, to be completely honest. I thought they were annoying and a bit irritating but thinking about them, after I finished the book, I came to the conclusion that they are actually really thought out characters. June reminded me sort of Sherlock, with that I mean the way who she figures stuff out just by looking at people. And Day was just a loveable boy I couldn’t hate since he tries to help the Poor and fight against the Republic.

The only thing that sort of bothered me was the love story. I think that the kiss between June and Day happened a bit too fast. They only knew each other for a couple of days, but well.  You can’t have everything, right?
To put it in a nutshell, Legend was a fast paced and awesome dystopian that slowly becomes one of the best I’ve ever read.

Legend by Marie Lu is a good book in my opinion, however I read it straight after I finished ACOSF by Sarah J. Maas (it's awesome go read it now) and I had difficulty switching from an na to a ya novel (you mean to tell me these people are 15??). 

I really liked the plot and how the world was built up. There were also some plot twists which I did not see coming, but they kept the story going and interesting. 

The romance subplot was a bit disappointing to me, but again this is a ya novel and these people are 15 so maybe I'm at fault because my expectations had just gone up after reading ACOSF. 

It is very fast paced, something which I really liked because the book is mainly plot focused so it moves along quite well. 

If you liked this book, I recommend: Renegades by Marissa Meyer; The Maze Runner by James Dashner; The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. 

Laura

Legend by Marie Lu is a good book in my opinion, however I read it straight after I finished ACOSF by Sarah J. Maas (it's awesome go read it now) and I had difficulty switching from an na to a ya novel (you mean to tell me these people are 15??). 

I really liked the plot and how the world was built up. There were also some plot twists which I did not see coming, but they kept the story going and interesting. 

The romance subplot was a bit disappointing to me, but again this is a ya novel and these people are 15 so maybe I'm at fault because my expectations had just gone up after reading ACOSF. 

It is very fast paced, something which I really liked because the book is mainly plot focused so it moves along quite well. 

If you liked this book, I recommend: Renegades by Marissa Meyer; The Maze Runner by James Dashner; The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. 

i genuinely love this book so bad and the characters too and the difference in their povs and the story and all it’s fs a comfort read 

Zaira A 

This dystopian book is a little different from other books. The book take place in the future in which the United States is divided in two main areas. The Republic and the Colonist and they are in constant war over the territory. 

June is a well known prodigy, extremely smart, and training to become a soldier like her brother. All changes when June loses her brother and is now in the search of her brother killer. Day is pretty much the opposite from June. He lives in the poor sectors, incredibly smart too but he is pretty much a dystopian Robin Hood. 

I love that Lu gives us the perspective from June and Day. It allows to see the world from two different outlooks. The more wealthy sector in Junes point of view, which is very educated and formal. Then when you see Day point of view the way he behaves and talks is a little more informal with a lot of slang. I really enjoyed this book, however, I felt that it need a little more character depth. Although I love June and Day chemistry I felt that something was missing. I did like that they focus a lot in how the military has pretty much takeover the government. Nonetheless it manage to hook me to want to know what happens next.

Part 1 was slow but part 2 was interesting 

Gianna Rodrigues

loved this actually, so fun and genuinely had me yelling at the book multiple times. handles the emotions it brings up well without taking away from the overall tone of the story. deeply enjoyed the romance as well!

annika

loved this actually, so fun and genuinely had me yelling at the book multiple times. handles the emotions it brings up well without taking away from the overall tone of the story. deeply enjoyed the romance as well!

cry count: zero! literally how.

Nessa Luna

Read this review, and many more on my blog October Tune!

A while ago, I came upon an app that allowed me to read certain books for free, for a certain amount of time (about a month). It was a Dutch app, so that meant Dutch books, but that didn’t bother me that much (I want to read more Dutch books). One of the books on the list was ‘Legend’ by Marie Lu, a book which I had added to my to-read list a long time ago, but never really bothered to read, until now.

It was actually a bit of a pity that the book was in Dutch, because I think I might have enjoyed it better (aka given it a higher rating) if I had read it in English, because my god, the writing was so childish. Just like the last Dutch book I read (Outside In). I just looked up the translator of both these books, and found out that both Legend and Outside In were translated by the same person, Sofia Engelsman. So I might just avoid Dutch books translated by her from now on.

I just don’t get why you would translate a YOUNG ADULT book to something so childish. It just felt really weird, especially because the subjects in this book were quite dark (the ‘plague’, and the murder of June’s brother, doesn’t really seem like subjects for a children’s book).

When I looked past the childish writing, I actually read a good story. I liked every part of it, and though I couldn’t really relate to any of the characters, I definitely enjoyed it. Because the story was Dutch, I got through it really easily (it doesn’t matter how much English I speak/read/write, I will always be a Dutchie on the inside).

Legend has two POV’s; Day’s and June’s, and though I kinda ‘hate’ multiple POV’s, these weren’t really that bad. It might be because the two character were so similar, that I didn’t really feel a difference (in another review, I read that the reviewer thought that Day and June were just the same person but with different names and other things, and I kinda agree with that). And the POV’s were just neatly announced, one chapter would be from Day’s POV and the next form June’s.

In the end, I enjoyed Legend, and other than the childish Dutch writing, there wasn’t really much I didn’t like about this book. I will definitely read the second book, because I just want to know how the story goes on, and if they ever find Tess and Eden again! If you have Legend on your to-read list, you should definitely go and read it soon!

Vicky (A City Girl's Thoughts)

Basically what I wrote earlier: Interesting plot that needed to be delved into (the U.S. split into two nations again) but had serious plot holes such as June recognizing Day without no physical description to go by. Oh well, at least I finished this one.

Legend

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