Legend. [April Book Club Book Review Link Up]

Happy Tuesday!!! 

I hope you all have been enjoying some gorgeous spring weather, wherever you may be! Here in Nebraska we finally got a hint of spring and I absolutely loved it (never mind the fact that it's going to be in the 40's for the rest of the week).

Anyway. We all know why we're here - to talk books and be all nerdy. Welcome to Blogger Book Club!

In case you've forgotten, April's book was Legend by Marie Lu.

I'm not really sure where to begin with this one, so let me steal someone else's words to give you the gist of the story (thank you, GoodReads):

"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."

Okay, let's see here.... we all know how much I love a good dystopian novel, but this one really failed to impress me. I mean, don't get me wrong - the storyline was great, and it had a ton of potential, but here's what bothered me: 

- The voices of the characters. This story switches back and forth between the two main characters. It's great because you get each character's perspective. It's not great because, well, both characters have exactly the same voice. Day is a boy and June is a girl, but that's about the extent of their differences. The writing style doesn't change at all when the narrator does, and that really bothered me. 

- The predictability. I mean, yeah... all dystopian novels are more or less the same, but am I the only one who could map out this plot from the very beginning? 

-The stupid slang. I don't know why, but it really bothered me that Day called everyone "cousin."

Here's what I liked: 

- It was a very simple, mindless read. I picked it up and read it in an evening. While it didn't quite meet my expectations, it was nice that I didn't feel like reading it was a monumental waste of time. 

- It's considered children's fiction. At least it was put in that section in my library, and that makes me feel like I can go a little easier on it when I'm grading it. I think that, if I was a fifth grader, I would have freaking loved this book. 

The final verdict? 

C+

While it wasn't the best book I've ever read, I enjoyed it. It could have been so, so much better, but it wasn't bad. I'll probably read the sequel. 

Have you read it? What did you think? Link up your review below, and join us for a google chat Thursday night at 8:00 est (if, of course, I don't have a baby)!