Book Review | Legend by Marie Lu

A New York Times bestseller! 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. Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

-Amazon

I'll admit that I had no intention of reading this novel. For some reason, I simply wasn't drawn to it at first. And upon spotting it in all of its beautiful hardcover glory, I decided to give in, hoping that it lived up to its acclaim. Ladies and Gentlemen, I want to smack myself for even considering giving this series the brush off.

Legend is a high octane Dystopian novel set in a civil war torn country that once was the United States. June is the wonder prize of the Republic, that seeks to mold her into a kind of exemplary model of loyalty. She is honored to get out and fight the Colonies, the other half of the US who threaten Republic Territory. However, when her brother, and Republic officer, Mettias, is June sets out on a mission to hunt down the only possible suspect, Day.

First off, this novel is highly ambitious. I would never, in most cases, want so badly for a novel to be adapted to film, but Legend written in a sweeping, cinematic way that begs to be filmed. I loved Marie Lu's portrayal of the overwhelmingly intimidating Republic. Lu does such a beautiful job of painting this frightening dictatorship, along with shedding light on the secrets they hold back from their people. I also adored that it was set in a war ravaged Los Angeles.

Legend is written in the dual point of views of June and Day. Though I have read of some who found this off putting, I found it fascinating to see the Republic through the eyes of a girl on the inside, and a guy on the outside. One of the things I also heard around the blogosphere is the positive impression that June leaves on readers. I have to agree. With the trend of seemingly childlike and naive female protagonists in Young Adult fiction, June puts all of our arguments to rest. She is a prodigy, whose military background has turned her into a calculated, well thought, highly observant fighting machine. She is confident of her abilities, and really only ever seems unsure of herself when it comes to Day.

Day is on the opposite side of the coin. He has become the first criminal to ever evade the Republic, because of the great love he holds for his family, and the great lengths he will take to get them the aid they need. He is just as talented, agile, and prolific as June is, and to watch them both meet is like fireworks on the Fourth of July. I loved the dynamic between the two of them. They challenge one another. Marie Lu has captured two awesome characters who are beautifully balanced between their identities toward the Republic and behind closed doors. Both hold such vulnerability that rival their seeming perfect personas very nicely.

Marie Lu has created a wonderful supporting cast as well. Tess, Day's friend, is so precious, and selfless. It made me angry that such a sweetheart even has to endure all that she does. Another character that really blew my mind is Kaede, who is a spitfire. She really adds spunk to the plot. Mettias, June's brother is all that anyone could ever want in a brother, supportive, protective, the works. Thomas. This one is a bit grayer. He seems caring, and protective of June, but is also very robotic a times.

Bare in Mind: Legend contains violence.

Legend is simply one of the best dystopian books I've read since The Hunger Games. Not many books in this genre has thrilled and captured my heart as this series (so far) has. Marie Lu is a master of giving us everything that goes into writing a brilliant, fast paced, epic story without over doing it: Action, suspense, romance, heartbreaking emotion, and that driving spirit that goes into the fight against injustice.

I give Legend by Marie Lu five out of five cups of Cranberry Tonic (because that's what I am currently inhaling).

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver Book Review

Disclaimer: Although I don't believe I've included very many spoilers aside from those that are on the surface, I cannot be sure, so read at your discretion.

I'm pushing aside the memory of my nightmare, pushing aside thoughts of Alex, pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school, push, push, push, like Raven taught me to do. The old life is dead. But the old Lena is dead too. I buried her. I left her beyond a fence, behind a wall of smoke and flame. Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.
-Goodreads

I must say that Pandemonium was exactly what I expected it would be, exciting and adventurous, with tension abounding around every corner. Oliver opens up her thrilling sequel with Lena discovering the pros and consequences of the choice she makes to leave the confines of her former life to venture into what is called 'the Wilds.' I loved how it all played out, each new character introduced, and each challenge that tests Lena to rise above her 'former' self. The greatest wild card character, in my opinion, is Julian Fineman, the symbol of what Lena and the rest of the 'Invalids' are against. I found myself hooked to this story from cover to cover, as uprisings beckoned, and new love burgeoned beneath the streets of a future NewYork City.

Lauren Oliver never fails to astound me with the beauty of her writing. As much as I wanted to race through the novel, I found myself slowing down to savor each word. A novel about 'diseased' love, if handled ineffectively, can become something contrived and quite cheesy, but Oliver weaves each and every moment in such a profound way. Lena and Julian's moments together are so organic to me that one cannot help but sympathize with their feelings, even as you miss Alex' presence. Julian is one of my favourite characters, because he is thoughtful, has a childlike innocence, and is battered from his own struggles with the resistance. He is a beautiful character to observe as he grows, and his eyes are opened to the realities of the world his father wishes to create.

There are only two things that made me arch my brow a bit. As Lena grows throughout this novel, we see her begin to use more and more profanity, which seemed a bit unnecessary. The other, is that the very thing that I expected to happen in the end actually does. Nevertheless, none of this took away from the story, but it does, especially the ending, make me want to take out a petition to rush release the third and last novel!

Bare In Mind: This novel contains slight nudity, violence, profanity, and certain passages from the Bible retold (The account of Abraham and Isaac).

Overall, Pandemonium was an entertaining, thrilling, and romantic novel that will draw you in until the very end.

I give Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver 4 1/2 out of 5 stars!


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Book Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Ninety-five days, and then I’ll be safe.

I wonder whether the procedure will hurt.

I want to get it over with.

It’s hard to be patient.

It’s hard not to be afraid while I’m still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn’t touched me yet.

Still, I worry.

They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness.

The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don’t.

Lauren Oliver astonished readers with her stunning debut, Before I Fall. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly called it “raw, emotional, and, at times, beautiful. An end as brave as it is heartbreaking.” Her much-awaited second novel fulfills her promise as an exceptionally talented and versatile writer.

"Symptoms of Amore Deliria Nervosa

...

PHASE THREE

difficulty breathing

pain in chest, throat, or stomach

difficulty swallowing; refusal to eat

complete breakdown of rational faculties; erratic behavior; violent

thoughts and fantasies; hallucinations and delusions

PHASE FOUR (FATAL)

emotional or physical paralysis (partial or total)

death

If you fear that you or someone you know may have contracted deliria, please

call the emergency line toll-free at 1-800-PREVENT to discuss immediate

intake and treatment."

          -Chapter Ten, Delirium by Lauren Oliver 

I was delighted to finally finish Delirum by Lauren Oliver. It can easily be one of the best dystopian reads this year! 

The premise of this novel which paint's love as the disease, Amor Deliria Nervosa, to be challenged by governments and then 'cured,' is one of the freshest depictions of love that I've read in a long time. I often wonder how writers of the dystopian genre, decide on what to make 'the enemy.' The synopsis easily drew me in as a story I wanted to sink into.

Lena's character is translucent, in that anyone can read and embody her struggles, yet she has a rounded, rich fire that grows as the story moves forward. I enjoyed discovering the intricacies and secrets that this new form of United States government harbored against its people. Oliver layered this world in such a specific way that you will easily believe every word she has to write on it. Her interactions with her best friend Hana, where both sympathetic and intriguing as Hana serves to be a catalyst to Lena's discoveries. It was beautiful to see such a close knit friendship thrive in a world where love is all but eradicated.

Alex is the guy that many of us dream of knowing because he is full of life, not predictable. I loved how Oliver painted him as being a representative of the love that Lena finds hard to understand after tragedy has touched her life. He distracts and throws Lena off of her desire to simply blend in and make all of the right choices. Their romance could be one of the great loves in dystopian literature! I drank in all of the romantic scenes, and fell in love with Alex as Lena did. 

I adored Oliver's infusion of banned books, literature, and slight allusions to music! This was made all the more interesting by my finishing the novel during Banned Books Week.  It was beautiful to watch on as Alex introduces Lena to poetry by Elizabeth Barrett Browning and William Shakespeare. This novel has the allure and intrigue of reading something that you're not supposed to, and thus desiring it all the more. Oliver beautifully interweaves excerpts of texts known only to the world of this novel, such as  The Book of Shhh, thus giving this present day dystopia an authenticity that I appreciated. The text's cited were of such specificity that I couldn't help but shake my head at the genius Oliver employed. Her writing is so beautiful, and I found myself wanting to underline so much of what I saw on love. 

This novel really made me think, and at some point made me wonder whether those enemies seeking to eradicate love weren't right in their diagnosis that love taints the mind in delusion. Nevertheless, by the end, I joined in with the fight of sympathizers (all those who decide against 'the cure') and decided that even with it's challenge and pain, love is worth every fight!

EDIT: As I mentioned earlier, Oliver  went to great lengths to solidify the credibility of Lena's world. She invented texts, some that didn't exist, which I thought was pretty awesome. But she did, however, take certain aspects of the Bible, such as the Genesis account of the fall of man, and Mary Magdalene's account, and change it to suit the novel. Upon first read, I didn't feel as if this was done to be offensive, I felt that it was done to highlight how far a government, or group of people, will go to enslave a persons mind. But, I'll admit that I feel a bit chagrinned by it, no matter how small it was an addition. This has not changed my original opinion of the novel being wonderful, but I felt I should mention this, so that those who may be sensitive to these matters may understand what they will encounter.

I give Delirium by Lauren Oliver five out of five cups of Earl Grey...and a quaint little pot on the side!