Review: Marie Lu's Legend

Fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent will love this book. Marie Lu's Legend is a fast-paced, YA, dystopian novel about a futuristic United States. The book is centres on two characters: Day, a male hero and outcast, and June, a heroine who is as lethal as Katniss and as brave as Tris. The book ties tropes of love, survival, loyalty, and betrayal into one exciting tale. 

Legend is centred on a world with a militaristic government and one that is heavily divided by status. The heroes of the novel are caught up in a corrupt government's plan to rid the world of the weak and unworthy. The heroes, who come from opposite ends of the society, are drawn together by an unlikely and tragic incident. 

Lu's novel reminds me of 1984 by George Orwell, in the use of surveillance and centralizing on government conspiracy. It's a shorter book than Hunger Games and Divergent, so it's a faster read. Don't let the length make you think this book is lacking. This book is suspenseful from page 1 to the exciting conclusion. 

It's written in an alternating narrative between two heroes: June and Day. The narratives are easily distinguishable in voice and in the typeface used. It looks as issues of family and friendship, conspiracy, militaristic power, and what is right and wrong. 

The book is definitely worth a read if you're a fan of these types of novels. It's length makes it easy to carry around with you (less bulky and heavy than aforementioned dystopian YA titles). Also a good sign of the book's worthiness on your bookshelf or as a Christmas gift this winter: CBS Films holds the movie rights!