June is a fifteen-year-old prodigy, scoring the highest marks in the Republic’s history and is on the road to becoming the perfect soldier. Day is just fifteen-years-old but is the Republic’s most wanted criminal after destroying airships and stealing supplies for the poor. They are from two completely different worlds but their worlds collide when June’s older brother Metias is killed and Day is the prime suspect – June is now on the hunt for Metias’s killer while Day is unaware of the danger he is facing.

Legend is told from two alternating narrators, June and Day, which helps develop each characters motivation and backstory. However, both characters are quite similar – both are clever and resourceful (but in different ways), both would do anything to protect their families and both don’t trust easily. While it is interesting having two characters who are similar come together and to see how they interact – if the lettering of the novel wasn’t a different colour when it was Day’s point of view, I’m not sure I would always be able to tell them apart.

The Republic is a country which is very much split into the rich and the poor. For instance, the poor regularly have to deal with outbreaks of different plagues while the rich are safe and vaccinated. It’s a country always at war with the Colonies (the neighbouring country) and is a militarised state. It is a country that makes two kinds of people, soldiers like June and poor would-be rebels like Day. As it is a military state, it has propaganda everywhere and is one of the most politically themed YA novels I’ve read in a while.

As Legend is the first book in a trilogy it doesn’t answer all your questions and there are quite a few loose ends. That being said it’s a good starting point and while some secondary characters feel like evil caricatures, June and Day feel pretty well-rounded by the end of the book. Secondary characters like Tess and Kaede are both pretty awesome (for different reasons) and I always wanted to know more about them.

Legend is an action-packed, dystopian adventure with political themes. I have just finished the final book in the trilogy – Champion – and I feel the series gets better with each book as the political intrigue increases. And for those l who are like me and are hesitant to spend time and effort on a trilogy/series – I feel the Legend trilogy is worth your time as it has a very satisfying conclusion. 4/5.