A Review: Champion

Champion by Marie Lu
Third and last book in the Legend trilogy
Genre: YA Dystopian

Insert from the inside cover:  (WARNING: May give away things if you haven't read previous two books!)
"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: 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."

This was a great conclusion to the trilogy. It is just as action-packed as the previous two novels, but also continues to develop the relationships between the characters, specifically Day, June, Eden, and Anden. I enjoyed returning to these characters and their vivid personalities.

I like how the 'lovey-dovey' stuff in this book isn't the main focus, and the people have to deal with larger things, like war and disease. And I loved seeing Day's relationship and his love for his brother and how that played out.

There is plenty of events in this tale to keep you on your toes! It is slightly heavier and more depressing than the first two novels, but that was to be expected after the cliff-hanger in the second novel, Prodigy. It deals with some real-life stuff, but in a way that is not highly disturbing or depressing.

The only major problem I had with this book was the ending, which brings it down for me to a 3.5 out of 5. Endings pretty much make or break a story for me. Don't worry, it's not super sad, although it slightly is. It felt unsatisfying and kind-of cheap to me. I think Marie Lu could have solved the main problem with June and Day's relationship a different way than that, but perhaps not. You'll have to tell me what you think if you read it (and you most definitely should).

Recommended for ages 16 and up for violence, a scattering of cuss words, a 'hot' scene (if you know what I mean. And there are references to homosexuality too, by the way).

What I learned:  Love is sacrifice. No matter what kind it is.

*Check out more info about Marie Lu and her books on her website: http://www.marielu.org/index.html

A Review: Legend

Legend by Marie Lu
Genre: YA Dystopian

"What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in one of the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths-until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets."

I love this book. I've read it twice and plan on reading it many more times in the future. It has practically everything I enjoy in a good novel: excellent writing, intriguing, realistic characters, and an intense, action-filled plot. And although there is a lot of action in this novel, I like how Marie Lu doesn't just focus on that aspect, but also fills her characters with dreams, pain, and fears. I especially enjoyed Day's flashbacks and the obvious differences between him and June. Their relationship is highly interesting, and with this thrown into a futuristic world where the government is not what it seems, the novel is riveting.

I also liked that the romance aspect in the story is not the main focus, like it is in many YA books. The plague idea in this novel is in several dystopian books I've read (Reached and Cinder, for example) so it's not that unique, but everything else is different and the novel definitely keeps the reader on his toes. I give Legend a 4 out of 5 and recommend it for older middle-schoolers and up.

What I learned: People are not always what we expect them to be and we should live in the day-to-day because we never know if we'll have tomorrow.