Legend by Marie Lu | Audiobook Review

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MY THOUGHTS

“A surprising read!”

I really didn’t have any expectations when I started reading this book. In fact, I thought it was going to be another Divergent/Hunger Games dystopia book and thought it would be too cookie-cutter for my taste. BUT I was really surprised that I enjoyed it! Sure, there were a few flaws that made me rate it 4 stars but….. Day!

Legend is really full of kickass, badass, fighter FEMALES! In this book alone, 3 were prominent fighters. Not to mention that the heroine, June IS a freaking child fighting prodigy! At this point, Legend diverted from the usual cookie cutter dystopia – a girl, not fighter ready but then turns into an awesome fighter – but she was already someone who WAS brought up to be a soldier – a prodigy if you will.

Legend is about a dystopian Los Angeles (another surreal thing because I live in this area) in the future Republic of America. In this Republic, there is civil war between the states and the United States is a thing of the past. June grew up in a rich neighborhood, raised by her brother after their parents’ death (father was a scientist for the Republic) and is a prodigy in the Trials. She is the only reported person to even ace her trials and at 15, already about to graduate her senior year at Drake University. Our hero Day grew up in the slum – the Lake District of Los Angeles and is the number 1 most wanted criminal in the city. Believed to be dead by his family, he has survived on the streets and be like a modern day Robin Hood. Both weren’t supposed to meet UNTIL someone killed June’s brother. And there is a plague. Well, there is always a plague in these YA dystopians.

I really like this story a lot and as I’ve said before, I was really surprised. I LOVED that June was badass and I loved her intelligence. It might be a tad bit unbelievable for a 15-year-old but it wasn’t TOO unbelievable that I did not enjoy the story. PLUS she had a dog, Ali that she DID NOT forget when she escaped Los Angeles. Well, she had to leave Ali but she it was mentioned in the book that she planned to hide him close [spoiler]when she left the city with Day.[/spoiler]

I also liked Day. I loved that HE did not head a rebellion even though what he was doing did not really have any purpose other than helping out his family (in secret). Oh, and he had an imperfection. AND he was of Asian decent! Yay for diversity. Okay, so he is HALF Asian but still, it is still refreshing to read about diversity in YA.

There was a semi insta-love thing going on which I didn’t really care for but it wasn’t really the main focus of the story – which was a delightful surprise!

Legend is a fast-paced story and while listening to it on audio, I was surprised that it was already over! It is a short YA dystopian book at less than 30 chapters but it was jam packed full of action and drama. There was a little twist in the end that I was expecting but it did not affect my enjoyment to the book as a whole.

I am definitely recommending this book if you haven’t already read it. I am currently listening to the second book in the series: Prodigy.

THOUGHTS ON THE AUDIO

Narrator: Steven Kaplan & Mariel Stern

Two awesome narrators made this book an exciting listen! Legend is told in Day and June’s alternating POV with the two narrators alternating. I love that I get to listen to a different voice every other chapter and both really performed well and made the characters feel real to me. Legend is an awesome read and it is even more amazing when listened to.

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