Marie Lu's Legend

Title: Legend (Legend #1)
Author: Marie Lu
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Pages: 305

Summary (from Goodreads): 

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 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.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

Review:
Love it. But the thing about dystopia books is, I always compare them to The Hunger Games. I love Divergent, but when I read it I couldn't help comparing Four and Peeta (yes, yes I know I should've compared Four and Gale.)


Anyway, I had no class about two days ago, and I forgot to bring my copy of The Mysterious Benedict Society, so I searched through some e-books I've saved before on my phone. Legend is one of them.

Our heroine's named was June, the prodigy of the Republic, as the only person who got 1500 score for Trial.

Surprise, surprise, as I skimmed through the first page, I didn't meet June and get to know what inside her head. I met Day.

WANTED BY THE REPUBLIC
FILE NO: 462178-3233 “DAY”
------------------------------------
WANTED FOR ASSAULT, ARSON, THEFT,
DESTRUCTION OF MILITARY PROPERTY,
AND HINDERING THE WAR EFFORT
200,000 REPUBLIC NOTES FOR
INFORMATION LEADING TO ARREST

Yes, apparently, Day was the villain the hero wants to fight off. Apparently. But Day was so young, and his family was convinced he was dead, as he failed his Trial. His real name was not even Day.

“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.”

Day was accused of killing June's brother, the only family she had. Trained to be a soldier since she was little and her brother was one as well, she wanted Day to pay for this.

Day’s exploits used to fascinate me. But now he is my matched enemy—my target. My first mission.

As I said before, I love it but eventually some part of it reminded me of The Hunger Games. And the world Lu build--it felt real and unreal at the same time. Real because the world was almost same as the world we're living now. It's like the world Lauren Oliver made in Delirium. But honestly, that's also why I didn't like the world-building. I didn't find any dystopia thing, anything that could make me think both Day and June living in the future.

And about the characters, I like Day and June. I like Day and his strength to protect people he cared about. He was not "broken" or in a bad shape, he just wanted to check after his family, even though they thought he was dead. Only his brother, John, knew and relied on him for food and money.

June. Another badass heroine. Oh how I love the main heroine who could take care of herself and not selfish or not make me feel weird just with reading her thoughts.

I'd recommend this for you who's looking forward to read something after The Hunger Games and Divergent and eventually we'll have to wait for a year to read Book 3 of Divergent. Untuk di Indonesia, buku ini akan diterbitkan oleh Mizan.

Rating: 4/5