Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 30/01/2013
Publisher: Penguin
Pages: 350
Source: For review
Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity
My Rating:
 |
| A surprising sequel! |
My thoughts
Quite a substantial amount of time has passed since I read Legend. I did read a recap of it and while I think it did help reorient myself into Lu's imagined world, it's definitely not necessary. Sometimes it's just better to jump right on in and I think I would have been perfectly fine had I done so. Marie Lu doesn't beat you over the head with the happenings of the previous book, but rather subtly eases you back into her story. In no time at all I was reminded of all the things I adored in Legend and I was, quite simply, hooked.
Prodigy takes place right after Legend. June and Day have escaped LA and are travelling to Las Vegas in hopes of allying with Pariot rebels. They are recruited and provided with luxuries and somewhere relatively safe… on one condition. The two are to aid in the assassination of Anden, the new Elector Primo. The Patriots are going to start a revolution, and at the end of it a new world—a better world—will arise from the ashes of the Republic. June met Anden, before. Before she turned her back on the Republic and outlawed herself. The plan is for June to gain his trust and then lead him to his death. Day will shoot him down, which suits Day just fine. If nothing else, he can avenge the destruction of his family.
Oh boy. Prodigy is a doozy. It is full of action, and twists and turns that many people have come to love from the dystopian genre. You just never know who to trust! I was actually hurting a bit after one of the characters reveals their true colours; I just felt completely and utterly betrayed.
The relationship between Day and June feels much more genuine in Prodigy as they struggle with its changing dynamics; and the reasons behind their attraction for one another is questioned (especially on Day's part). June is confronted about her betrayal – the one that tore Day's family apart. There are so many issues they have to iron out before there can even be the possibility of a real relationship. The issue of class and wealth is brought up several times. I think if they're ever going to work things out they need to be less... selfish. They're very internal with their feelings and opinions and it's not going to work out in the long run if they keep it up. I think what this book does well is it exposes both June’s and Day’s weaknesses. It reminds us that they’re not perfect, that they’re not invincible. I like where the pair end up, and I cannot wait to see more in Champion!
Family is once again very important in this book, same as it was in Legend. Both central characters have lost people close to them, all by the hands of the Republic. They channel this anger and sorrow towards the figurehead, the Elector, Anden. But he promises change for the Republic, and this causes June to change her mind. Because what if Anden can make a difference, and – more importantly – actually wants to?
Marie Lu has a talent of writing in a way that engulfs you. Again, this book is written in dual perspectives. It is so very effective. It's really easy to tell them apart: June is freakishly perceptive of her surroundings. She counts the time, she measures EVERYTHING around her. The dialogue is strong for the most part (I groaned at some of the things that Day and June said to each other).
I think part of what makes a good sequel is that recurring characters grow and change, their circumstances shift; and in the end their thoughts and actions may surprise you. One character that did this for me was Tess. She evolves so much between Legend and Prodigy, which has given many readers reason to distrust or start to dislike her. She’s grown bitter, more acutely aware of the cruelties of the world. Above all, she has feelings for Day, which June x Day fangirls would argue is “Just. Not. Right”.
I'd recommend that you wait until Champion has released before you start reading Prodigy, however. There's a pretty nasty cliffhanger in this book that will haunt you...
Prodigy takes place right after Legend. June and Day have escaped LA and are travelling to Las Vegas in hopes of allying with Pariot rebels. They are recruited and provided with luxuries and somewhere relatively safe… on one condition. The two are to aid in the assassination of Anden, the new Elector Primo. The Patriots are going to start a revolution, and at the end of it a new world—a better world—will arise from the ashes of the Republic. June met Anden, before. Before she turned her back on the Republic and outlawed herself. The plan is for June to gain his trust and then lead him to his death. Day will shoot him down, which suits Day just fine. If nothing else, he can avenge the destruction of his family.
Oh boy. Prodigy is a doozy. It is full of action, and twists and turns that many people have come to love from the dystopian genre. You just never know who to trust! I was actually hurting a bit after one of the characters reveals their true colours; I just felt completely and utterly betrayed.
The relationship between Day and June feels much more genuine in Prodigy as they struggle with its changing dynamics; and the reasons behind their attraction for one another is questioned (especially on Day's part). June is confronted about her betrayal – the one that tore Day's family apart. There are so many issues they have to iron out before there can even be the possibility of a real relationship. The issue of class and wealth is brought up several times. I think if they're ever going to work things out they need to be less... selfish. They're very internal with their feelings and opinions and it's not going to work out in the long run if they keep it up. I think what this book does well is it exposes both June’s and Day’s weaknesses. It reminds us that they’re not perfect, that they’re not invincible. I like where the pair end up, and I cannot wait to see more in Champion!
Family is once again very important in this book, same as it was in Legend. Both central characters have lost people close to them, all by the hands of the Republic. They channel this anger and sorrow towards the figurehead, the Elector, Anden. But he promises change for the Republic, and this causes June to change her mind. Because what if Anden can make a difference, and – more importantly – actually wants to?
Marie Lu has a talent of writing in a way that engulfs you. Again, this book is written in dual perspectives. It is so very effective. It's really easy to tell them apart: June is freakishly perceptive of her surroundings. She counts the time, she measures EVERYTHING around her. The dialogue is strong for the most part (I groaned at some of the things that Day and June said to each other).
I think part of what makes a good sequel is that recurring characters grow and change, their circumstances shift; and in the end their thoughts and actions may surprise you. One character that did this for me was Tess. She evolves so much between Legend and Prodigy, which has given many readers reason to distrust or start to dislike her. She’s grown bitter, more acutely aware of the cruelties of the world. Above all, she has feelings for Day, which June x Day fangirls would argue is “Just. Not. Right”.
I'd recommend that you wait until Champion has released before you start reading Prodigy, however. There's a pretty nasty cliffhanger in this book that will haunt you...
Prodigy is action-packed, bursting with heart-racing scenes that will grab your attention from start to finish. This series continues to surprise and amaze me; if you enjoyed Legend, you will surely not be disappointed by its sequel!
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AUSTRALIA: Angus & Robertson | The Nile
I have received this review copy in return for an honest review.
