2023 EDIT: Part of my 2023 clear-up, of books I no longer like, or am no longer interested in, or remember well as standing out, or find as special anymore, or I otherwise will not miss.
Final Score: 3.5/5
Original Review:
Like with most novels - particularly from the YA demographic - that are what I classify as "thrill-rides", this review will most likely just be me typing up whatever, and seeing what comes up. Because, even though 'Legend' is a dystopian novel and is not shallow (the very opposite, in fact), I think a short and precise review would be fitting. For it is very fast-paced.
'Legend' - I was extremely busy the week I was reading this, so it took me the whole week to finish it. Shame because I might have zipped through it in under three days. It is a very exciting and touching roller coaster ride, with enough thought put into it that it didn't feel like Marie Lu was merely jumping on 'The Hunger Games' bandwagon when writing this YA series. The only fair similarity I can make between the two series is that they're both told in first-person and in the present tense. This type of writing style is fitting when you want the action to move forward and with urgency.
Besides 'Legend''s thrilling action and its main characters doing awesomely ridiculous, death-defying stunts, there is the characters themselves. 'Legend' contains such great and memorable characters that I feel I should talk about each and every one of them. I'll start with the two leads - a girl and a boy, June and Day.
June Iparis has all the warning signs of a Mary Sue - she is a rich child prodigy who is the only person in recorded history to get perfect marks in her Trial (what the future society of America tests children on on their 10th birthday to determine their labour). She's an orphan, and she's beautiful and more than three guys are in love with her. Yet somehow, I didn't mind this. Maybe because she is just an awesome female lead with a firm head on her shoulders. She genuinely kicks arse and doesn't need to be saved constantly by the male characters. She always has her priorities straight even when she might be falling in love - such a huge plus for a YA heroine. She is always determined to seek justice for her brother's murder and she never forgets him; after all, he did raise her and love her dearly. Yeah she is beautiful, but she knows it and doesn't think anything of it. Because again, priorities, and this is a dystopia story. Her dog Ollie is also adorable. People might say June's supposed intelligence is unfounded due to her being unaware of the Republic society's corruption and quite obviously dark secrets. But I think it's because she was raised in that very society; she's become so used to it that she just doesn't feel the need to question it. Also, as our politics clearly show, having excellent grades and degrees doesn't necessarily mean a thing when it comes to common sense. What also makes June stand out from other typical YA female leads is that she doesn't hate other girls for showing confidence (because apparently in YA, confidence (in sexuality) = slutty). In fact, towards the end of 'Legend', Junebug looks to be making new friends with girls and isn't always surrounded by men...
Day, the boy, is a street criminal. The Republic has been hunting him for years, and he's so well organised and reflexive that the authorities don't even know what he looks like. I simply adored him, and his family. He's not really a bad boy (though he gets around) and he has that misunderstood quality and confidence to him that make him nearly every girl's dreamboat. His determination to protect his family - his mother and two brothers - makes him admirable, and it sets up his path as a true hero and not just a typical rebel of society. Day has a tragic past, and a truly horrifying future ahead of him if/when he gets caught by the Republic. His token is a seemingly plain pendent that he takes care of but then loses at the worst moment. These traits add to his appeal. I love that he isn't a loner and already has both female and male friends before meeting June, and vice versa.
Now with the protagonists out of the way, I'll talk briefly about the side characters. Metias is a lovely and well-developed big brother to June, even though he dies very early on; making the story's tragedy element all the more effective. Commander Jameson is a military leader you'll love to hate, and I love that she's a woman in charge and this is never questioned or even brought up in the entirety of the book (for yes, women can be ruthless sons-of-bitches like men can be). Thomas is a friend of Metias and June, and whom the author introduces as acting like a military amateur with a conscience. But my god do his true colours and intentions shine throughout the course of the book, especially after Metias's death. He may in fact be as heartless and corrupt as his commander. Tessa, Day's street partner-in-crime, is sweet and cute but not a pushover. She's a dear friend who plays a small-yet-vital part of the story. Kaede is another action girl who's a less-rational, more-violent-but-fun version of June, and that's all I'll say about her. And about the characters.
In the world-building aspect of 'Legend', I agree that it isn't wholly plausible or even original. It's another "oh-a-big-bad-political-party-has-taken-over-after-natural-disasters-had-destroyed-everything" dystopia. The poor are ignored and are separated from the overly privileged rich folk, a mysterious plague (again, original huh?) is keeping the two classes further apart (only the rich get immediate vaccines), children and other innocents are beaten and killed in public places by policemen and nobody does anything about it, etc. However this backdrop does play an important part, and the author never forgets certain details and remains consistent. Marie Lu leaves little clues to the mystery throughout the story and keeps the plot going, never straying from the important stuff.
Even if the romance between June and Day is as transparent as a tornado, it is written in gradually and realistically. June and Day might both be smart fighters, but they're fifteen-years-old as well. They always think of their families first in the terrible regime they live in. At times I thought they were really sweet together (and I have a soft spot for rich-and-poor divided couple stories), but at others I was cringing slightly. There's even a line from June where she compares Day to an angel, specifically a broken one. Urgh.
But as I said, their love doesn't feel as shoehorned-in as in other books of its kind, so in the very least it is tolerable.
Back to the setting. Once and for all I'd like to ask this simple question:
Why, oh why are so many dystopian novels set only in America? And I'm not just talking about YA Lit dystopias either. It's like American writers think that their homeland will be the only country on earth worth telling about in the future. Heck America might as well be the whole earth, when readers are not told what's happening outside of Chicago or Los Angeles or wherever.
But politics aside, this is forgivable, because 'Legend' is an addictive, fun and intense book, and a good example of YA dystopian fiction. It's no masterpiece, but I really like it, mostly for the characters and action. One other noteworthy positive is that the author never forgets when one of her characters has been injured. No one heals quickly or easily, thus making the fight scenes and torture scenes very effective, and raising my sympathy level with these guys.
However, I'm not sure if I'll read the sequel, 'Prodigy', as it does take A LOT for me to want to continue a book series. I've heard that it has a shock-twist-cliffhanger ending that has made people cry in a good way. And something about a bathtub scene as well. But we'll wait and see.
Final Score: 4/5
No comments:
Post a Comment