Book Info
Kindle Edition, 304 pages
Published February 2nd 2012 by Puffin (first published November 29th 2011)
original title Legend (Legend, #1)
ASIN B006IJJJAO
edition language English
series
Legend #1characters June Iparis, Daniel Altan Wing, Metias Iparis, Commander Jameson, Thomas Bryant
setting Los Angeles, The Republic of America , 2130
literary awards Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award Nominee (2015), YALSA Teens' Top Ten Nominee (2012), Abraham Lincoln Award Nominee (2014), Goodreads Choice Nominee for Young Adult Fantasy and Science Fiction (2012)
other editions (55)
Source:Kindle version borrowed from
Public LibraryBook Buy Links
AmazonB&NBOOK SYNOPSIS
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.
My Thoughts
As an example of it's genre this book is well written, has strong leading characters, the propaganda that The Republic has pretty much brainwashed it's members with is fairly standard but still serves it's purpose in the story, most of all the flow is simple to follow and even though we can predict certain events there are still surprises sprinkled throughout that contradict what would otherwise be simple solutions to certain problems.
I am late to the party, this trilogy to this day generates buzz and on occasion it goes on sale fairly cheaply for the set on Amazon but so far have resisted buying the physical or digital books and was happy to find them available to borrow via
Public Library that we have a card to check out audio-digital and hard copy books and keep up to 5 for two weeks.
It always interests me to note that a big part of the best characters are those who come from opposite ends of privilege due to circumstances of birth, Day and June are no exception.
Each of these characters is 15 years old, each of them extremely intelligent, both are very physically able and that is where the similarities end as Day is a child of the lower class and June is a member of the wealthy whose lives are sheltered from birth from hardship as well as hunger or any other kind of deprivation.
Day and June however share something else that only comes to light way later in the story but it has a huge impact on their futures as do other secrets that June uncovers once her eyes are finally opened to the reality of the world around her.
This was a read that touched on the darkest side of what humankind is capable of and yet it offers a glimpse of the other side of the coin as well.
Looking forward to borrowing the second and third books to see how the trilogy plays out for Day, June and their friends.