Legend

by Marie Lu

    Pictured above is one of my absolute, all time and forever standing, favorite series. The first book is called Legend, and it was no lie, this story is legendary! 

This was Marie Lu's first series and it was my first time reading something by her, and she knocked it out of the park completely. These books were so good, that now I feel like I need to read everything she writes,  just in case is as good as this series is. 

This story takes place in a futuristic dystopia where the government is ingrained in everyone lives. The society is split between the nice government sector and everything else is slums. All kids take an exam to determine they're worth and potential, and all kids take them, from the wealthiest kids to the ones living in poverty. 

We follow a young man named Daniel, who is known as Day, who scored perfectly on these exams, too perfect for being from the slums. Despite his perfect score, he becomes an outlaw when he starts stealing medicine for his sick kid brother. He took to the streets in order to protect his family, while his older brother worked to support their mother and the youngest brother once their father was out of the picture. Day mad a name for himself as a sort of robin-hood, and he lives on the streets.

We switch between Day and a young solider named June. June received a perfect score on her exams and had potential for a high ranking position in the military alongside her older brother and caretaker. They'd lost their parents to the service, and once June looses her brother protecting a medical facility during a robbery, she sets out to get revenge on her empires most wanted criminal and who she thinks is responsible for the death of her brother. Day. 

They go on to meet and June sees her empire isn't what it seems while Day rises to fame as the people start to fight back and as he aligns with groups of rebel fighters. 

The first three books, Legend, Prodigy, and Champion are the story of Day and June, but the fourth, Rebel, is a sequel told from a different point of view years after this rebellion. Rebel just came out last year and I was so happy to see it and it really added so much to the story and gave me the closure and opportunity to say goodbye to these character that I really needed. 

I cannot recommend this series enough and I want to thank Marie Lu for this masterpiece. 

I've read other series by her, and I plan on doing a full review on them, but this series, in my opinion, remains her best work. 

:)