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?
The story of Day and June continues in this epic sequel to Legend. The book is still told on the alternating point of views of June and Day.
They successfully managed to evade the forces that were hot on their trail and managed to strike a deal with the Patriots with the help of Kaede. According to the Patriots, all the operations conducted were funded by the Colonies, a much bigger group who is also anti-Republican. Upon meeting the man behind the Patriots, June had her doubts as to the motive behind the supposed assassination plot they agreed to partake.
The book is more likely to entertain you than the first one. It was more action-packed. The twists were unexpected. The characters will grow and act more maturely. Like Tess, whom I had learned to hate. As she reappears in this book, she’ll transform into this teenage girl who thinks she is the only one who deserves Day’s attention. She’ll bad mouth June every chance she gets. She’ll attempt to seduce Day to like her.
Day and June’s relationship will be tested in this book as several factors will come in between them. First is trust. Does June feel the same way towards him? Is June telling the truth about where her loyalty lies or will she be a Republican at heart forever? Then there’s Day’s best friend Tess. Is she just a best friend or does he feel more for her? Will he be able to leave her without feeling guilty? Then, there’s June’s connection to what happened to Day’s family? Has Day gotten over her involvement towards his mother’s death, or towards his brother’s execution, or even his brother who is still missing? Or will it forever linger between them like a giant elephant in the room whenever his memory haunts him?
I just don’t get Day’s relationship with Tess. If I were in Tess’ position, I would also assume that I can be more to him. His affection is just too much to bear. It’s good that June is not the jealous type. I think and I believe that, in a way, Day saw Tess really as his younger sister. What he hadn’t done towards Eden and John, he finally accomplished with her. It’s like he can redeem the guilt he was feeling by doing something good to her. He knows that she needs him more than June does.
June is a very independent girl and most of the time, her instincts are correct, which infuriates Day often. I guess, in a way, her kind isn’t really an ego-boosting support for her boyfriend that’s why he turns to Tess. June is a stubborn girl and she holds her emotions really well. That’s why most of the time, Day can’t tell if she’s fine or not.
Tess, on the other hand, just can’t over the fact that Day just sees her as a younger sister, a best friend. She annoyed me in this book. Arghhh. There was this particular scene that made me laugh.
“If you had to choose between saving either me or June, and you had no time to waste…what would you do?”
I can feel my face going red as my frustration builds.
“Who would you save?” Tess uses a sleeve to wipe her face and waits for my answer.
I sigh impatiently. Just tell her the goddy truth. “You, all right? I’d save you.”
She softens, and in that moment the ugliness of jealousy and hate is smoothed away. All it takes is a little sweetness for Tess to turn back into an angel. “Why?”
“I don’t know.” I run a hand through my hair, unable to figure out why I can’t take control of this conversation. “Because June wouldn’t need my help.”
I hope this will also be adapted into a movie because I know it’ll be great to watch these characters. I’d love to see the last few chapters on the screen. That was my favorite part of the book, especially that scene when Kaede, Day, and June managed to escape the Colonies territory. That was magnificent and breathtaking. It was terrifying but at the same time, it energized me to read the book till the end.
That scene where Day was addressing the public. It gave me goose bumps. In the end, Day’s goodness overtook his bitter memories. I also happen to like the vulnerability shown by June. She’s just a normal human being after all.
“My name is Day.” My voice fills the air. “I’ve fought the same injustices that you’re here to protest right now. I’ve suffered the same things you’ve suffered. Like you, I’ve watched my friends and family die at the hands of Republic soldiers.” I blink away the memories that threaten to overtake me. Keep going. “I’ve been starved, beaten, and humiliated. I’ve been tortured, insulted, and suppressed. I’ve lived in the slums with you. I’ve risked my life for you. And you’ve risked your lives for me. We have risked our lives for our country – not the country we live in now, but the country we hope to have. You are all, every single one of you, a hero.”
In totality, the book was good. The ending was bittersweet. And honestly speaking, I’m already afraid of what’s going to happen next. I’ve been burned by Allegiant. I’m just crossing my fingers and pray that all the characters I love will still be alive by the end of the last book.
P.S. I would just like to share the current state of the world as told in this book. Apparently, the United States of America was divided into two countries. The Republic of America and the Colonies of America.
United States used to be one of the superpowers. Then came the war, and all their top thinkers literally fled for higher ground. Antarctica caused the flooding. Things were already going downhill, but then the sun went haywire and melted all the Antarctic ice. Millions dropped dead from the temperature changes. The sun reset itself eventually, but the climate never did. All the freshwater mixed up with the seawater and nothing’s been the same since.
Africa is now a flourishing, technologically advanced continent, gradually filling up with universities, skyscrapers, and international refugees. Antartica houses the world’s tech capitals and attracts a fair share of tourists.
Furthermore, Colonies of America isn’t what people believed it to be. Their country thrives on the overpricing of products and services. Day and June will soon realize how wrong it will be if they depend on the Colonies to help them revive the Republic of America.
I write young adult novels, and have a special love for dystopian books. Ironically, I was born in 1984. Before becoming a full-time writer, I was an Art Director at a video game company. Now I shuffle around at home and talk to myself a lot. :)
I graduated from the University of Southern California in '06 and currently live in LA, where I spend my time stuck on the freeways.
Labels: Book Review, Marie Lu
