Every war has two sides. With war comes destruction and casualties. Based on what you have been told, you support one of the two sides. In the book, Legend, by Marie Lu, there are two sides of an ongoing war: The Republic and the Colony. The Colony is full of rebels while the Republic is full of trained military officials. Two teens from both sides, Day and June, are caught up in this mess and go through a lot for ultimate survival.  

 I chose to read this book because I have always been interested in future scientific fiction. I have previously read Hunger Games and Maze Runner, so the whole storyline of Legend was along those lines. Also, I have been reading a lot of sports novels recently, so a change from that genre was much needed. I am very glad I decided to read this book, as it was interesting throughout the whole time and never really got boring. The plot is very well written, and the characters are complex and interesting, so I highly recommend this novel to any teen with these interests.  

 One character I enjoyed reading about the most and resonated with was Metias. Metias is the older brother to June, who unfortunately dies while trying to stop a criminal. Metias is a highly experienced and ranked military commander who does everything he can to protect his little sister after their parents die. I resonate with this because I have a younger brother, so I can relate to how he felt when he was constantly trying to keep June out of trouble. Metias is also very selfless and humble despite his accomplishments and rank, which makes him a more likable character. Any character who showcases their personality as selfless, protective, and humble always resonates with the audience. In turn, this character will always be remembered when a reader is asked which character they enjoyed reading about the most. One character I did not enjoy reading about was Commander Jameson. She is the commander for Metias and June. Jameson is very cruel and heartless when it comes to her tactics of interrogation from rebels. Also, she is a very rude person, even when speaking to a subordinate. Jameson ordered the shooting of Day’s mother, in front of the 15 year old, which made me dislike her even more. I understand that a leader must make tough decisions and must be firm in their command, but I believe that Commander Jameson was too cruel and could’ve done a better job of connecting to her troops, in order to become a better and more likeable leader.  

 In conclusion, I would rate Legend a ⅘ stars. The was definitely well-written, with an interesting plot and relatable characters. The reason I did not rank it a 5 stars is because the book is a little lengthy, at about 300 pages. I definitely recommend it to any teen who is interested in sci-fi novels or is just looking for an interesting book in general. 

Check out Legend from the Newport Beach Public Library.