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Our URL is changing! (And by "our" I mean me. I am not plural people.) Next week it is going to become www.i-have-a-book-problem.blogspot.com. Write it on your forehead or something, so you won't forget (at least, you won't forget as long as you're looking in the mirror.)

Legend and Prodigy

I just realized I haven't posted in like 2 months. Sorry 'bout that. High school is trying to kill me.
In the last two weeks, I read Legend and Prodigy by Marie Lu.

(Actually, the cover for Legend in this picture is the paperback edition. I like the hardcover edition better because it makes is look like some fancy seal on something.)

Here's the blurb for Legend from Goodreads.com: "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."

I all honesty, I only read Legend because there was nothing else for me to read. It was... decent. The dialogue is weird, it all sounds a little awkward. Also, I was convinced for half of the book that June was a robot or something. I mean, her brother dies, and she's not even all that sad about it. We don't really see how hard it is for June with Metias gone until 200 pages into Prodigy. When we do see it, yes it's very emotional and sad, but it's kind of too late.

Other than that, Legend is pretty good. I really like the setting of a futuristic, completely militarized Los Angeles. June is probably one of my favorite heroines, mostly because I like her last name (it's Iparis and its super fun to say.) Also, while she may have to emotional capacity of a robot, she's kind of a boss.

I picked up Prodigy a year later because even though I didn't absolutely love the first book, I wanted to know what happens. I won't include the blurb in this post because it's spoilery, but what I'm about to say next, I don't consider spoilers.

If you've ever read any YA book in your life, you can tell that June and Day get together. I mean really. You don't introduce a boy in the blurb of a book and then not have him be the love interest. So yeah, they got together. And, however sad this may sound, my favorite part about June and Day's relationship is how aware they are that they're not in love. So often in YA books we see characters who barely know each other confessing there undying love for one another after they've just met, and the whole time you're sitting there going "YOU TWO HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR TWO WEEKS. COOL IT." There is one point in Prodigy where Day tells June he loves her, and June says "No you don't, you've known me for a month." I love June for this, because it shows just how smart she is to recognize the reality of the situation, and it also makes the book seem... you know, real. It may be dystopian fiction, but if this were really to happen, this is how the characters would react. And all this may sound really cynical, but you have to realize that just because June and Day don't love each other now doesn’t mean they won't ever love each other, it just means they don't know each other well enough to say "I love you" and really mean it.

At the same time, I hate the way Day views their relationship. In Prodigy, he kind of goes back and forth from "Oh gosh, June is the girl of my dreams" to "She used to be rich so I can't be with her because I'm not rich so she must hate me". It's stupid logic, and I wish he would stop. Not because I want him to just be with June and be happy and all, but because it's just stupid.

Overall, Legend and Prodigy are pretty good. I will definitely say that Prodigy is way more interesting that Legend, so even if you don't like Legend all that much, maybe just try reading Prodigy, because you may actually like it.

Also, fun fact: Marie Lu based Legend off of Les Miserables, specifically the relationship between Jean Valjean and Javert(*swoon*). June is Javert, Day is Jean Valjean.

Does that make Metias Cosette?

Day: A heart full of love, no fear no regret-
June: Slow down there buddy.

Here's the hardcover edition of Legend:

 

It's much cooler.