Book Review: "Legend" and "Prodigy" by Marie Lu

 

     Once again I apologize for my leave of absence. I've been locked out of Blogger for about a month, now, (blame the pesky internet rats that lurk in every corner, demolishing websites, stealing passwords, and creating chaos) and thus couldn't post anything.
     While I was locked out, though, I had plenty of time to read. This brings me to my subject for today--
     Hey Hunger Games fans! Looking for a new exciting action-y dystopian book with interesting characters and a great plot? Look no further than Marie Lu's two books "Legend" and "Prodigy."
     When I first heard of "Legend," I can't say I was very keen on starting it. The plot seemed unoriginal and the characters sounded stereotypical. Despite that, I picked it up at the library one day and forced myself to read it.
     Then it got awesome.
     The story is based on Valjean and Javert from "Les Mis," with a hard core police officer type guy chasing after a slippery criminal. Change Javert to a high ranking teenage female military officer with a revenge wish named June, and Valjean to an infamous teenage boy named Day, and already things are interesting. Add in a mysteriously deadly plague, a sweet little sidekick for Day, and an undercover mission that goes wrong--well, it's already looking like a bestseller.
     Marie Lu really brings all the characters to life, making each flawed and loveable, and leaving the reader unable to choose which side to root for--June's or Day's.
     The story is set years into the future in LA, still standing in the remains of North America after the poles melted, causing North America to flood. (Sound familiar, Hunger Games fans?) And while there are no white roses, or District 12s, the book ranks up there with other famous titles like "Divergent," "Delirium," and "Hunger Games."
     Basically the plot of the story is Day trying to get a bottle of plague cure (for what reason, I will tell you not) and while trying to steal one, harms a top ranked soldier named Metias, brother of our other main character, June. However, angering June was not a smart move, for June is also a top solider who stops at nothing to meet her goals. She begins to track down Day, and--
     Well, as River Song would say "Spoilers!" 
     And now for a cliché and cheesy book review ending that you will probably hate: If you want to find out what happens next, pick up the book and read.