Review: Prodigy by Marie Lu

Published January 29th, 2013
Putnam Juvenile
371 pages (Hardcover)

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Injured and on the run, it has been seven days since June and Day barely escaped Los Angeles and the Republic with their lives. Day is believed dead having lost his own brother to an execution squad who thought they were assassinating him. June is now the Republic's most wanted traitor. Desperate for help, they turn to the Patriots - a vigilante rebel group sworn to bring down the Republic. But can they trust them or have they unwittingly become pawns in the most terrifying of political games? (From Goodreads)

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Prodigy didn't do it for me.  I get the love for it, but it just didn't quite work for me.

My biggest concern with Legend was the characters.  I can't say Prodigy really solved those concerns for me.  I still didn't buy in to either Day or June.  I still felt like the characters were older than the writing suggested they were.  It's a difficult thing to explain, but neither character felt *real*.  I didn't feel a connection with either. 

The romance did improve slightly.  I'm still not digging the insta-love, but there is at least some tension now.  The tension comes in the form of a love triangle (Rectangle?  Quadrangle?), which isn't fantastic but at least it added some tension.  Seriously, these two are just a pair of horny teenagers and their insta-love makes no sense to me.  Hookup?  I get it.  Undying love?  I need some serious convincing.

The world-building was all over the place.  You thought you knew what was happening, then you didn't and then we're on another track.  It worked though.  The society here is complex and each country and group has a different perspective on the situation.  I found it a little confusing, but it definitely worked.  Similarly with the plot, it was back and forth.  One minute the Elector is to be hated, then loved, and back and forth until I just gave up trying to figure out where the story was going.

And I was *sooo* bored for a good half of the book.  Nothing was happening and I just wanted some action or something.  I am shocked that I actually finished the book.  I was a good two/thirds through the book before I got interested whatsoever, and you know what got me interested?  ACTION and RELATIONSHIP TENSION.  Serious.  If it weren't for the "oh-no-he-didn't" moment at the very end, I'd likely give up on the series here.

Prodigy didn't work for me.  There was a brief chunk that I did really enjoy, and it was mostly because shit was hitting the fan.  Fans of Legend will likely enjoy the sequel.  As for me, I am going to give Champion a shot, if only for the events of the last couple of chapters in Prodigy.

Review: Legend by Marie Lu

Published November 29th, 2011
Putnam Juvenile
320 pages (Hardcover)

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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.  (From Goodreads)

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Legend was an interesting dystopian read that I'm surprised I didn't pick up earlier.  I wouldn't call it a favourite, but Legend made for an enjoyable read.

I think the characters were the problem for me.  Did anyone else get the sense that June and Day were a lot older than 15?  Their attitudes and actions and words made me think that they were a lot older.  I was picturing them as 17/18/19 year olds.  I can't quite pinpoint what it was, but the characters just did not mesh for me.  Day was supposed to be a badass criminal type, but he was injured for a large portion of the book.  June was obnoxiously smart in a way that seemed unrealistic.  The relationship in this book seemed way too insta-love for my liking.  Overall, the characters just didn't do anything for me.

The world-building was good.  It is a well constructed dystopian society with an oppressive and controlling government.  Aspects of it have a realistic quality.  The trials, climate change, influence of disease and application of eugenics all worked together and felt like something that could actually happen.  I'm excited to see more in future novels.

The story started good, then slowed down quite a bit.  I found myself a little bored for a while and wishing that something would happen.  I get that there were plot twists developing, but I was getting a little impatient.  The ending picked up again because ACTION.  There was enough action at the end to leave me wanting more.

Overall, I enjoyed Legend.  Fans of the dystopian genre should definitely give this book a try.  That being said, I expected a little something more from the characters.  I'm hoping with some more character development, future books in the series will impress me more.