Legend: Volume 1

Marie Lu

Nov 2011 · Legend Book 1 · Sold by Penguin

About this ebook

"Legend doesn't merely survive the hype, it deserves it."

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Young Elites


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.

Ratings and reviews

I found Legend to be very enjoyable, but it didn't blow me away. I found the plot to be a bit boring at first, so it took me a while to get interested in the book. The pace did eventually pick up, though, and I found myself not wanting to put the book down. By the end, I was completely hooked. I also thought the world that Marie Lu created was really interesting, but I wish she had provided more history about how it came to be. The story takes place in our future, and the Eastern and Western United States are at war. We don't get to learn how the United States ended up that way, though, and I think that would have been an interesting story. I really enjoyed the characters of Day and June, as well as the supporting cast of characters. It took me a while to get invested, but I eventually grew to really care for them and their story. Something that I particularly appreciated was the way the romance was handled. June and Day definitely became enamored with one another, but I didn't feel like there was any instalove at all. The romance was developed well and was relatively believable. And there wasn't a love triangle! Yay! I am not a huge fan of romance, so the way this one was handled made it much more enjoyable for me. My biggest gripe about Legend was how easy the plot was at times. The characters would encounter clues and then immediately figure them out without any trouble. Everything was a bit too convenient and predictable. The book wasn't incredibly long, so I feel like there was room for a little extra development within the plot. Even a paragraph here and there with the characters trying to interpret the clues could have made a big difference. While I enjoyed the story, every time the characters figured out a clue immediately, I had to roll my eyes a bit.

If you had to choose between what you knew your entire life and what you could know, the decision would take more than what June had to offer. The book ended, and I felt no rush to read Prodigy; therefore the ending was less than favorable. Predictable and yet truly heartwarming. All I could focus on was the safety and well being of the dog. Still an excellent read and an interesting setting, more detail on the exact setup of the sectors or the sector system. Characters are not as lovable as in 'Divergent'.

I was excited to read it, but the plot was very predictable. There was one point I got teary-eyed, but that was it. The book ended where it should have began. Not much happened the whole book. This shouldn't have been sold on its own, more combined with the sequel or something.

About the author

New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu (www.marielu.org) graduated from the University of Southern California and jumped into the video game industry, working for Disney Interactive Studios as a Flash artist. Now a full-time writer, she spends her spare time reading, drawing, playing Assassin’s Creed, and getting stuck in traffic. She lives in Los Angeles, California (see above: traffic), with one boyfriend, one Chihuahua mix, and two Pembroke Welsh corgis.