Legend by Marie Lu is another dystopian in the long line of young adult fiction today. So what makes this one any better than the others? I devoured this book in one sitting and I enjoyed so much that it has quickly moved its way up and has become one of my favorite young adult books, and trust me, I’ve read plenty of them. This book includes both action and romance, which helps it appeal to a wider range of audiences.

Legend is set in a dystopian society where the United States has been split in half straight through Mexico. The west side of the country, where the story takes place, is called the Republic and the east side is called the Colonies. June is a military prodigy who was born into one of the wealthiest sectors while Day, who is one of the Republic’s most wanted criminals, is from one of the poorer districts. June is very loyal to her country and willingly believes anything they tell her. Day on the other hand is only trying to protect his family and doesn’t trust anything that the government says or does. These two opposites were never meant to meet under normal circumstances but when Metias, June’s older brother and guardian, is killed it sets their unexpected meeting into motion. During the events that follow, June and Day make shocking discoveries about the society in which they are a part of.

One of the reasons I liked this book so much was because of the plot. At times it was a tad bit predictable but nonetheless there were many other parts that had me guessing and kept me reading until the end. This book was filled with plenty of action and suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat. The twists and turns made me want to know what happens next and I am looking forward to see what will happen in the next two books in this trilogy.

I also enjoyed reading about these particular characters. I come across many characters in young adult fiction that I cannot connect with and so I don’t end up caring about them. However, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about both June and Day. The story is told with chapters in alternating points of view so we really get to see what each is thinking. I also thought that the character development in this novel was refreshing. A lot of times in young adult fiction the heroine is a shy girl who is not outspoken but as the book progresses we see her grow into a brave and fearless leader. That is not the case in Legend. Here we start out with June who is already brave and outspoken but as the book draws to an end we see that while she has not lost any of that bravado she has become a softer and better version of herself. I really appreciated this contrast with what I usually read.

Lu has created a refreshing twist on the overused idea of a controlling government compared to other young adult dystopian books nowadays. The scenes were amazingly detailed and the romance was believable, none of that instant love we see more often than not. It started out small and grew into a realistic relationship.

If you are looking for something new and full of action and romance I would highly recommend this book.