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Legend #4
Rebel
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2019)Respect the Legend. Idolize the Prodigy. Celebrate the Champion. But never underestimate the Rebel.
Eden Wing has been living in his brother’s shadow for years. Even though he’s a top student at his academy in Ross City, Antarctica, and a brilliant inventor, most people know him only as Daniel Wing’s little brother.
A decade ago, Daniel was known as Day, the boy from the streets who led a revolution that saved the Republic of America. But Day is no longer the same young man who was once a national hero. These days he’d rather hide out from the world and leave his past behind. All that matters to him now is keeping Eden safe―even if that also means giving up June, the great love of Daniel’s life.
As the two brothers struggle to accept who they’ve each become since their time in the Republic, a new danger creeps into the distance that’s grown between them. Eden soon finds himself drawn so far into Ross City’s dark side, even his legendary brother can’t save him. At least not on his own . . .
With unmatched suspense and her signature cinematic storytelling, #1 New York Times—bestselling author Marie Lu plunges readers back into the unforgettable world of Legend for a truly grand finale.
Eden Wing has been living in his brother’s shadow for years. Even though he’s a top student at his academy in Ross City, Antarctica, and a brilliant inventor, most people know him only as Daniel Wing’s little brother.
A decade ago, Daniel was known as Day, the boy from the streets who led a revolution that saved the Republic of America. But Day is no longer the same young man who was once a national hero. These days he’d rather hide out from the world and leave his past behind. All that matters to him now is keeping Eden safe―even if that also means giving up June, the great love of Daniel’s life.
As the two brothers struggle to accept who they’ve each become since their time in the Republic, a new danger creeps into the distance that’s grown between them. Eden soon finds himself drawn so far into Ross City’s dark side, even his legendary brother can’t save him. At least not on his own . . .
With unmatched suspense and her signature cinematic storytelling, #1 New York Times—bestselling author Marie Lu plunges readers back into the unforgettable world of Legend for a truly grand finale.
376 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2019
About the author
Marie Lu
47 books135k followers[Note: Many apologies, but I'm woefully bad at checking my Goodreads emails! If you'd like to send a note/msg, please catch me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Marie_Lu . Thanks!]
I write young adult novels, and have a special love for dystopian books. Ironically, I was born in 1984. Before becoming a full-time writer, I was an Art Director at a video game company. Now I shuffle around at home and talk to myself a lot. :)
I graduated from the University of Southern California in '06 and currently live in LA, where I spend my time stuck on the freeways.
I write young adult novels, and have a special love for dystopian books. Ironically, I was born in 1984. Before becoming a full-time writer, I was an Art Director at a video game company. Now I shuffle around at home and talk to myself a lot. :)
I graduated from the University of Southern California in '06 and currently live in LA, where I spend my time stuck on the freeways.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,423 reviews
February 8, 2023
Why am I crying
(troszeczke)
(troszeczke)
Want to read
December 21, 2019wake me up when October comes
January 21, 2020
2.5 stars
I had my doubts when Rebel was first announced and lemme tell you, those doubts were well-warranted.
Legend was meant to be a trilogy. Champion ends on the perfect note: Day and June meeting each other again after a decade apart. When they grasp hands, that connection strong as magic between them, the reader knows that, even though this is the last page, they will go on to reignite their old relationship. It's bittersweet, a little mysterious, with a trace of yearning for more.
Then Rebel comes along with a second helping of dessert and spoils it all.
Lu said in the author's note that she knew she wanted to write Rebel after writing Warcross and it seriously shows. Both books feature a "morally grey" villain with the best intentions. They have neat worldbuilding which isn't explored to its full potential.
Antarctica’s merit system (where you earn points for doing good deeds and the opposite for doing something bad) is interesting, especially when we take into account that China is rolling out something very similar. I really like the scene where Eden's bullies avoid triggering the system by smiling or watching their speech. Yet too soon, the story descends into a simple rich-vs-poor uprising. I would've preferred more discussion around the point system, like what level are people born with or what's celebrity culture like in Antarctica? It seems unfair for me to complain about a book's direction, but the simplistic view Rebel offered didn't do it for me.
Rebel is Eden's story. It has his and Day's perspectives, but it's primarily his story. Sadly he couldn't live up to previous legends.
“We’ve seen each other only once after a decade apart. What if we’ve changed too much? What if we’re just not meant to be?”
I had my doubts when Rebel was first announced and lemme tell you, those doubts were well-warranted.
Legend was meant to be a trilogy. Champion ends on the perfect note: Day and June meeting each other again after a decade apart. When they grasp hands, that connection strong as magic between them, the reader knows that, even though this is the last page, they will go on to reignite their old relationship. It's bittersweet, a little mysterious, with a trace of yearning for more.
Then Rebel comes along with a second helping of dessert and spoils it all.
Lu said in the author's note that she knew she wanted to write Rebel after writing Warcross and it seriously shows. Both books feature a "morally grey" villain with the best intentions. They have neat worldbuilding which isn't explored to its full potential.
Antarctica’s merit system (where you earn points for doing good deeds and the opposite for doing something bad) is interesting, especially when we take into account that China is rolling out something very similar. I really like the scene where Eden's bullies avoid triggering the system by smiling or watching their speech. Yet too soon, the story descends into a simple rich-vs-poor uprising. I would've preferred more discussion around the point system, like what level are people born with or what's celebrity culture like in Antarctica? It seems unfair for me to complain about a book's direction, but the simplistic view Rebel offered didn't do it for me.
Rebel is Eden's story. It has his and Day's perspectives, but it's primarily his story. Sadly he couldn't live up to previous legends.
February 10, 2023
Najlepsza i najbardziej dopracowana z całej serii.
December 22, 2019
That last chapter added about 20 years to my life. 600000/5
Want to read
December 22, 2019 I AM NOT READY FOR THIS. MY HEART WAS SHATTERED IN MILLION PIECES WITH CHAMPION AND NOW... NOW, I AM CRYING.
I need to re-read the trilogy the next year. It'll be hard and a ride full of emotions but I'll do it.
I'm excited for this new book and the series. I've always had questions about what happened with June (my love) and Day after they reunited in Champion and I don't know how many answers I'll get from this book but I'll be reading this.
I need to re-read the trilogy the next year. It'll be hard and a ride full of emotions but I'll do it.
I'm excited for this new book and the series. I've always had questions about what happened with June (my love) and Day after they reunited in Champion and I don't know how many answers I'll get from this book but I'll be reading this.
May 20, 2023
People saying James Franco looks like James Dean is the ultimate compliment Franco could wish for. Although Franco fucking wishes.
Similarly, Eden Atlan Wing being the next Daniel Atlan Wing is the ultimate compliment Eden could wish for. Although Eden fucking wishes.
100000/5 stars only for the Day and June awesomeness (That ending though my heart is so happy thankyou Marie Lu i love you so much.) And zero stars for Eden. ZERO. So i think three stars is pretty fair.
Was this book useless? YES
Did i still mark all the Day and June chapters so that when i want to re-read all the Day and June scenes i won't have to read the boring parts? Also YES
Do i still love Marie Lu? I never stopped.
Day and June? I am one happy mother.
Similarly, Eden Atlan Wing being the next Daniel Atlan Wing is the ultimate compliment Eden could wish for. Although Eden fucking wishes.
100000/5 stars only for the Day and June awesomeness (That ending though my heart is so happy thankyou Marie Lu i love you so much.) And zero stars for Eden. ZERO. So i think three stars is pretty fair.
Was this book useless? YES
Did i still mark all the Day and June chapters so that when i want to re-read all the Day and June scenes i won't have to read the boring parts? Also YES
Do i still love Marie Lu? I never stopped.
Day and June? I am one happy mother.
Shelved as 'lost-interest'
April 9, 2020Let me be honest, I was excited when I added this book but I am not interested in the story anymore. The reviews from people who I trust have not been encouraging and it has been ages since I read the original trilogy. I rarely read YA books now compared to last year or the year before that. I just don't want to force myself to read soemthing I don't think I will enjoy only to give it a negative review. If anyone thinks this was superb or worth reading please do tell!
Original question: While it does look good, why doesn't it match the other covers?
Original question: While it does look good, why doesn't it match the other covers?
Read
December 21, 2019AHHHH!!! I'm getting emotional just thinking about this.
Friendddds. Day. And June. And Eden. Their story isn't over.
*cries ugly tears into my tea*
Friendddds. Day. And June. And Eden. Their story isn't over.
*cries ugly tears into my tea*
October 25, 2019
"I'm grateful that we still, in spite of everything, have all found each other ... sometimes, broken pieces find a way to make a new whole."
♡ It pains me to give such a low rating to this novel, but ... I expected so much more. The Legend trilogy holds so much nostalgia for me, being that it was one of the first Young Adult series that I ever read. With that being said, I couldn't help but feel that this one wasn't even close to performing on the same stage as its predecessors. Champion concluded on such a perfect note, so I had some doubts heading into this one. What upset me the most is how the setting doesn't offer anything new or invigorating, the plot is painfully predictable, and Eden is ... an insufferable child to be perfectly honest. Day and June are mere shades of their former selves, with personalities that are more robotic than anything else.
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June 2, 2021
Years after reading, Champion I got the ending I’ve always wanted and I SOBBED.
I miss reading YA novels. Day and June always hold a special place in my heart.
Rebel is told in dual perspective -- The Wing brothers, Day and Eden. We get to see their brotherly relationship and Eden gets more spotlight. He's laidback, timid but intelligent. He has an aptitude on technology and Marie Lu made sure she highlights his strength. Plot wise, it's not as action-packed as the previous three books. It's more political and character driven. June and Day played the role but they appear as secondary characters.
It was an amazing, nostalgic finale. The characters never lost their sparks and still kickass. I still haven't gotten over the last chapter. It just feels SO. FRICKIN'. FANTASTIC.
————————————————
Can we just take a moment and appreciate this STUNNING cover?
I'm deceased by its beauty.
My day is made.
-------------------------------
Title and blurb has been revealed!!!!! OMFG. I CANNOT WAIT FOR THIS.
I'm excited for the cover. PLEASE LET IT BE BEAUTIFUL AF.
-------------------------------
set 10 years after Champion???
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PRAY TO BOOK GODS AND GODDESSES. GOD BLESS YOU MARIE LU. 😭🙌🏼👏🏼 I'M SOBBING
I miss reading YA novels. Day and June always hold a special place in my heart.
Rebel is told in dual perspective -- The Wing brothers, Day and Eden. We get to see their brotherly relationship and Eden gets more spotlight. He's laidback, timid but intelligent. He has an aptitude on technology and Marie Lu made sure she highlights his strength. Plot wise, it's not as action-packed as the previous three books. It's more political and character driven. June and Day played the role but they appear as secondary characters.
It was an amazing, nostalgic finale. The characters never lost their sparks and still kickass. I still haven't gotten over the last chapter. It just feels SO. FRICKIN'. FANTASTIC.
————————————————
Can we just take a moment and appreciate this STUNNING cover?
I'm deceased by its beauty.
My day is made.
-------------------------------
Title and blurb has been revealed!!!!! OMFG. I CANNOT WAIT FOR THIS.
I'm excited for the cover. PLEASE LET IT BE BEAUTIFUL AF.
-------------------------------
set 10 years after Champion???
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PRAY TO BOOK GODS AND GODDESSES. GOD BLESS YOU MARIE LU. 😭🙌🏼👏🏼 I'M SOBBING
May 28, 2024
I’m on BookTube! =)
June smiles gently at me. "Noble. Sometimes stupidly so. At the center of everything because he's always trying to help someone. It sounds to me like he takes after someone I know."
I grin a little at that. “I did what I had to do.”
“You do what you believe is right. Always. And doing what’s right tends to be hard.”
Okay, before I start this review I’ve to admit that it’s been a while ago I read this. To be exact I finished “Rebel” in September 2022. I know, right?! Thankfully my brain is a weird sort of brain and has some kind of elephant memory when it comes to movie and book plots as well as song lyrics. So I suppose I’ll be fine when I talk about this story now. Guess we’ll have to see and find out. (The notes and annotations might help as well. *lol*)
Anyway! First things first: “Rebel” was promoted as Eden’s book and because of that I didn’t expect that we’d get all too much of June and Day. I’m happy to say that despite of that we got plenty of them though. To be honest, I think that might be due to the fact that even Marie Lu couldn’t let their love story end like it did after the third book. I mean, we all wanted more! And we got it, boy did we get it. I’m honestly so glad I read this book because I finally got some dire needed June & Day closure and I’m very happy with how it all came together in the end.
It was really lovely to be back in this world and to see more of those characters and even though they got older (closer to my age which was actually pretty nice) there was still a lot going on and the suspense near the ending was killing me. Marie Lu managed to write a great story about a new rebellion with familiar faces and for me this was such a pleasure to read. But before I continue to talk about how much I loved “Rebel” I’ll just go into my characters section and rave over there. ;-)
The characters:
Welcome to the Undercity! Keep your wallets and your hearts close because this is a dangerous place to be. If you don’t want to come across criminals or spoilers you better head up to the higher levels again. This place is not for the faint-hearted. ;-)
Day:
”When we first moved here to Antarctica, I promised myself that I'd never lose my temper with Eden. He survived a goddy revolution. He lost our parents and nearly his life. He's my little brother. And nothing would ever be worth getting angry with him about, as long as he is alive and healthy."
Is it weird I’m starting with writing about Day even though the focus of this book should have been Eden? *lol* Nope! I don’t think so, because I love this man so, so much! The way he cared about his brother’s well-being and how he got all nervous whenever June was around was so endearing and I can’t help but love him for it. This man started a revolution and paid for it with his own blood, his health and with the lives of his family. Day went through so much and then even lost his memory and the person he loved. Believe me when I say the Republic took everything from him. Everything except of his little brother and of course he was trying to protect him at all costs. Day is just such a good person and he never hesitated to put his life on the line in order to protect others. Not even now that he’s trying to live a more quiet life in Antarctica. I loved to see that Day grew up and had a chance to start over, plus he was 10 years older so about 27 or 28 in this book and adult Day is at least as charming as his younger version. I think the portrayal of a Day that has to deal with the scars of his past was done so well and it was just so nice to see an adult Day, you know?! The fan in me was internally screaming, crying and throwing up throughout the entire book! *lol* Still, I’ll miss my precious and altruistic boy. I could have easily read a fifth book too. <33
”One more time. I dare you.”
It comes, as it usually does, from somewhere up high, echoing against the alley walls. I turn my head up. He’s perched on a second-floor balcony. One of his legs is dangling idly over the edge, and the crisp black shirt he’s wearing under his black suit is lazily buttoned, the collar half up and half down. His blond hair is short and disorderly.”
”I’ve mouthed off at country leaders, blown up airships, and survived being shot – but I’ll tell you this, I’ve still never felt more cracked than I do right now, minutes before the Republic’s Elector touches down.”
”Immediately, I’m embarrassed at myself for my reaction. I have no hold or right on June’s life. We’re not dating. I don’t even know if she wants to. That old feeling between us now roars back to life in my head – that maybe there are just too many things that have changed in our lives for us to find a way back to each other. Or that maybe she’s just too good for me.”
I smile grimly. “I’ve got some insight into how a notorious criminal can be caught by someone from the inside. She did it by becoming someone I could trust. But you need to tell the President that this system is unsuitable. We’re setting the Undercity up for a revolution, and I don’t even think they’re wrong to do it.”
Eden:
”Over the years, I’ve let this become the version of myself that everyone knows. Eden, the little brother. Not Eden the tinkerer, the inventor. They don’t know how I’m drawn to understand things, or how I’ve had nightmares almost every night since the Republic’s war ended. No, my identity is permanently tied to my brother’s, regardless of what I do or think.”
When I went into this book I didn’t really know a lot about Eden, mostly because he was a small boy when the revolution happened and we didn’t get to see a lot of him due to him being a prisoner and test subject of the Republic. In short: He wasn’t exactly a constant part of the first three books, so it was nice to get to know him better. I liked that he was an inventor and yes, even kind of a rebel as well because he saw what was wrong with the system and tried to fix it in his own way. The illegal drone races and his temperament definitely reminded me of his brother and it was interesting to see the kind of man he became. Also I loved the fact that he was an engineer and didn’t let his disability get in the way. His eyesight might have suffered because of the plague, but that didn’t stop him from pursuing his dreams. I think I know him a little bit better after this book, but Day will always be my favourite. I just can’t help it. XD The way he changed the system of Ross City in the end was pretty badass, though and Eden has all my respect for finding this kind of solution and sneakily implementing it. He’s Day’s brother after all! ;-P
”All this time, my brother had been the one worrying about me, and I’d been stupid enough to believe that that meant he was invincible. All this time, I’d never thought about what might happen if things were the other way around.”
Dominic Hann:
”I don’t blame the Undercity,” Dominic Hann says, snapping me to the present again. “People are businessmen. They step in when no one else will. There’s a need for services like illegal loans down here, for the people forgotten by our government.” He points up at the ceiling. “No, I blame this entire damn system, the Levels and the floors and the hierarchy of this place that made it impossible for us to get out of our predicament. I blame the fact that the President sells the Undercity the dream that, if they only worked hard enough, they too could Level themselves up to the Sky Floors. I blame the fact that the dream is a fantasy.”
Dominic Hann was a great antagonist and I couldn’t help but be fascinated by his character. The level system of Ross City was wrong and I had to agree with Dominic. At least when it came to the system and it’s empty promises. His methods and how he wanted to bring about change were wrong, but he was right with a lot of things as well and that made it really hard to hate him. As a reader I could understand why he wanted to topple the system and why he was so ruthless about it. Still, what he did was wrong and at the end of the day his solution wouldn’t have worked. It would have been mayhem. True change takes time and I’m glad Eden found a way to give people a realistic chance to change their lives for the better. As for Dominic Hann, well, things never end well for the people who cross the Wing brothers, so you can imagine what happened. ;-)
The relationships & ships:
Day & Eden:
”When had we stopped really talking to each other? Why is it so hard for him to understand me now? How can he possibly go to the Undercity for so many missions and not feel the same pull to it that I do? Hadn’t he grown up in Lake too?”
Those two boys! Ugh! They broke my heart because they were so similar yet so very different and didn’t understand where the other one was coming from. While Day continued to do what he always did, namely risk his life for a good cause, Eden was mostly stuck at home and fascinated by his secret adventures into the Undercity. I think they both couldn’t forget their past and dealt with it in different ways. They might have left the Lake district but the Lake district definitely didn’t leave them. And they both had to work through a lot of trauma. Day lost his entire family and almost lost Eden too and Eden was experimented on and then was forced to watch his brother fighting an illness he couldn’t do anything against. Considering it all, it’s a wonder those two brothers are still alive and kicking. They fought for their happiness and eventually came out at the other end and I’m very glad they were able to talk things through and started to talk to each other again. Their secrets weren’t good for either of them and I think they are on a good path now. =)
”This isn’t like the war, Eden. This isn’t saving the Republic from the Colonies. We didn’t leave the Republic behind just for me to throw you back into a snake pit.”
I look at my brother. “You’ve been in this snake pit for months, and I had no idea. You never breathed a word about any of this to me. You put yourself in danger every single night while I stay home, and wait, hoping you come back from whatever the hell you’re doing.”
June smiles. “You’ll never be able to guess what he’s thinking,” she replies. “Metias always tried with me, you know. He never really succeeded, but we’d still been linked. You and Eden have a bond that’s unbreakable. No matter what he isn’t telling you, he still loves you more than anyone else in the world. I know it. I’ve seen it.”
June & Day:
”I walked her back home. I made jokes and she eased into them. Every gesture, every question, and every laugh from her triggered old memories that I thought I’d lost. She was the flint lighting sparks in my darkness, illuminating a history that I can just barely see.”
ADSFJKLMNÖ!!! Marie Lu gave me everything I craved for and even more when she decided to write this book because damn, those two are perfect for each other and I absolutely loved that their love got a second chance! The way they knew each other and were drawn into each other’s orbit whenever they met was just so beautiful and ARGH! I’m so glad Day got his memories back because this amnesia trope was killing me!!! No, seriously! I was a mess after finishing “Champion” and I couldn’t believe it would end like that. I’ll be forever thankful Marie gave them the ending they deserved, even if it took 10 years. (Which made everything extremely realistic if you ask me.) Their interactions gave me life and the way Day was so shy around June was so damn precious! This man survived a revolution and is basically a living and breathing legend, yet he still got so nervous whenever he was with June. I just love them and I’m so happy about this ending. I finally got the HEA I was waiting for and I’ve nothing to add! <3 *melts*
”Where should I meet you?"
"Tell me where you're staying," I answer in a low voice. This time, I'm unable to keep the pull out of my reply. "I'll come to you."
”I can’t hold back any longer, I close that remaining distance between us – and my lips touch hers. And everything inside me breaks, every barrier and hesitation and insecurity, it all shatters as the feeling of her with me crashes through my chest. I wonder if it will be like this every time we touch. Everything in me wants to press us against the wall and kiss her harder, to make up for all the time we’ve lost.”
June’s eyes are glossy against the blue-gray light filtering in from the windows. “And what is that?” she whispers.
“That I love you,” I whisper. “That I’ve been in love with you for years, even when we were separated. Especially then. I’ve lived with you in my life, and I’ve lived without you. No matter what kind of fear I feel in the possibility of us being together, the fear of being away from you is something I don’t think I can bear.” I look down, shy to meet her gaze now. “I have nightmares of losing you again. All the time.”
Eden & Pressa:
I don’t know why I feel compelled in this moment. Maybe it’s the flush of her cheeks, or the fear pumping trough my veins at the thought of losing this race. But I suddenly lean toward her and, when she doesn’t back away, give her a light kiss on the cheek.
“I’ll do my best,” I say. It’s amusing to see a look of surprise on her face for the first time. Her eyes are bright and wide.
Okay, I’ll admit it, those two were kinda cute. Pressa and Eden were best friends before anything happened and it took a while until their ship started to sail. I think it was a very realistic approach though because sometimes you just start as besties and then fall for each other. I think you might say that this time around it was the “he fell first but she fell harder” trope. *lol* Well, and they also fell in the category opposites attract because Pressa was way more outgoing and direct than Eden. XD She was actually a badass in her own way and they made sense together somehow. =)
Conclusion:
When I started to read “Rebel” I knew I needed this book, but I wasn’t really aware of how much I actually needed to be back in this world! I missed the characters so much and Day and June will forever be two of my favourite MCs. To be back with them and to experience Eden’s story while still being able to get some closure on the June and Day situation was everything and I’ll forever be grateful Marie Lu decided to give us the closure we all craved for. It was so good to see Day and June in action again and Dominic Hann as a multi-layered and complex antagonist only added even more depth to the storyline. If the ending of “Champion” left you reeling in despair you should definitely read this book! I highly recommend it! =)
__________________________________
It was so good to be back in this world and I really needed this book. <3
I just loved to see Day and June again and Eden’s story was pretty interesting too. =)
Full RTC soon! I just need to stop grinning first. ;-P
___________________________________
Am I ready to dive into this book: No.
Do I think I can handle whatever is going to happen in here: Nope.
Can I deal with the fact that this is the last book of the series: Nah.
Will I still pick it up because I’m just too curious and can’t keep my fingers from it: Hell, YES!
I’m so ready to read “Rebel” and to see more of June and Day!!!
Ahh please let there be more of Day. *sobs in desperate*
Oh and yeah, I’m curious about Eden’s story too. *lol* ;-P
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June smiles gently at me. "Noble. Sometimes stupidly so. At the center of everything because he's always trying to help someone. It sounds to me like he takes after someone I know."
I grin a little at that. “I did what I had to do.”
“You do what you believe is right. Always. And doing what’s right tends to be hard.”
Okay, before I start this review I’ve to admit that it’s been a while ago I read this. To be exact I finished “Rebel” in September 2022. I know, right?! Thankfully my brain is a weird sort of brain and has some kind of elephant memory when it comes to movie and book plots as well as song lyrics. So I suppose I’ll be fine when I talk about this story now. Guess we’ll have to see and find out. (The notes and annotations might help as well. *lol*)
Anyway! First things first: “Rebel” was promoted as Eden’s book and because of that I didn’t expect that we’d get all too much of June and Day. I’m happy to say that despite of that we got plenty of them though. To be honest, I think that might be due to the fact that even Marie Lu couldn’t let their love story end like it did after the third book. I mean, we all wanted more! And we got it, boy did we get it. I’m honestly so glad I read this book because I finally got some dire needed June & Day closure and I’m very happy with how it all came together in the end.
It was really lovely to be back in this world and to see more of those characters and even though they got older (closer to my age which was actually pretty nice) there was still a lot going on and the suspense near the ending was killing me. Marie Lu managed to write a great story about a new rebellion with familiar faces and for me this was such a pleasure to read. But before I continue to talk about how much I loved “Rebel” I’ll just go into my characters section and rave over there. ;-)
The characters:
Welcome to the Undercity! Keep your wallets and your hearts close because this is a dangerous place to be. If you don’t want to come across criminals or spoilers you better head up to the higher levels again. This place is not for the faint-hearted. ;-)
Day:
”When we first moved here to Antarctica, I promised myself that I'd never lose my temper with Eden. He survived a goddy revolution. He lost our parents and nearly his life. He's my little brother. And nothing would ever be worth getting angry with him about, as long as he is alive and healthy."
Is it weird I’m starting with writing about Day even though the focus of this book should have been Eden? *lol* Nope! I don’t think so, because I love this man so, so much! The way he cared about his brother’s well-being and how he got all nervous whenever June was around was so endearing and I can’t help but love him for it. This man started a revolution and paid for it with his own blood, his health and with the lives of his family. Day went through so much and then even lost his memory and the person he loved. Believe me when I say the Republic took everything from him. Everything except of his little brother and of course he was trying to protect him at all costs. Day is just such a good person and he never hesitated to put his life on the line in order to protect others. Not even now that he’s trying to live a more quiet life in Antarctica. I loved to see that Day grew up and had a chance to start over, plus he was 10 years older so about 27 or 28 in this book and adult Day is at least as charming as his younger version. I think the portrayal of a Day that has to deal with the scars of his past was done so well and it was just so nice to see an adult Day, you know?! The fan in me was internally screaming, crying and throwing up throughout the entire book! *lol* Still, I’ll miss my precious and altruistic boy. I could have easily read a fifth book too. <33
”One more time. I dare you.”
It comes, as it usually does, from somewhere up high, echoing against the alley walls. I turn my head up. He’s perched on a second-floor balcony. One of his legs is dangling idly over the edge, and the crisp black shirt he’s wearing under his black suit is lazily buttoned, the collar half up and half down. His blond hair is short and disorderly.”
”I’ve mouthed off at country leaders, blown up airships, and survived being shot – but I’ll tell you this, I’ve still never felt more cracked than I do right now, minutes before the Republic’s Elector touches down.”
”Immediately, I’m embarrassed at myself for my reaction. I have no hold or right on June’s life. We’re not dating. I don’t even know if she wants to. That old feeling between us now roars back to life in my head – that maybe there are just too many things that have changed in our lives for us to find a way back to each other. Or that maybe she’s just too good for me.”
I smile grimly. “I’ve got some insight into how a notorious criminal can be caught by someone from the inside. She did it by becoming someone I could trust. But you need to tell the President that this system is unsuitable. We’re setting the Undercity up for a revolution, and I don’t even think they’re wrong to do it.”
Eden:
”Over the years, I’ve let this become the version of myself that everyone knows. Eden, the little brother. Not Eden the tinkerer, the inventor. They don’t know how I’m drawn to understand things, or how I’ve had nightmares almost every night since the Republic’s war ended. No, my identity is permanently tied to my brother’s, regardless of what I do or think.”
When I went into this book I didn’t really know a lot about Eden, mostly because he was a small boy when the revolution happened and we didn’t get to see a lot of him due to him being a prisoner and test subject of the Republic. In short: He wasn’t exactly a constant part of the first three books, so it was nice to get to know him better. I liked that he was an inventor and yes, even kind of a rebel as well because he saw what was wrong with the system and tried to fix it in his own way. The illegal drone races and his temperament definitely reminded me of his brother and it was interesting to see the kind of man he became. Also I loved the fact that he was an engineer and didn’t let his disability get in the way. His eyesight might have suffered because of the plague, but that didn’t stop him from pursuing his dreams. I think I know him a little bit better after this book, but Day will always be my favourite. I just can’t help it. XD The way he changed the system of Ross City in the end was pretty badass, though and Eden has all my respect for finding this kind of solution and sneakily implementing it. He’s Day’s brother after all! ;-P
”All this time, my brother had been the one worrying about me, and I’d been stupid enough to believe that that meant he was invincible. All this time, I’d never thought about what might happen if things were the other way around.”
Dominic Hann:
”I don’t blame the Undercity,” Dominic Hann says, snapping me to the present again. “People are businessmen. They step in when no one else will. There’s a need for services like illegal loans down here, for the people forgotten by our government.” He points up at the ceiling. “No, I blame this entire damn system, the Levels and the floors and the hierarchy of this place that made it impossible for us to get out of our predicament. I blame the fact that the President sells the Undercity the dream that, if they only worked hard enough, they too could Level themselves up to the Sky Floors. I blame the fact that the dream is a fantasy.”
Dominic Hann was a great antagonist and I couldn’t help but be fascinated by his character. The level system of Ross City was wrong and I had to agree with Dominic. At least when it came to the system and it’s empty promises. His methods and how he wanted to bring about change were wrong, but he was right with a lot of things as well and that made it really hard to hate him. As a reader I could understand why he wanted to topple the system and why he was so ruthless about it. Still, what he did was wrong and at the end of the day his solution wouldn’t have worked. It would have been mayhem. True change takes time and I’m glad Eden found a way to give people a realistic chance to change their lives for the better. As for Dominic Hann, well, things never end well for the people who cross the Wing brothers, so you can imagine what happened. ;-)
The relationships & ships:
Day & Eden:
”When had we stopped really talking to each other? Why is it so hard for him to understand me now? How can he possibly go to the Undercity for so many missions and not feel the same pull to it that I do? Hadn’t he grown up in Lake too?”
Those two boys! Ugh! They broke my heart because they were so similar yet so very different and didn’t understand where the other one was coming from. While Day continued to do what he always did, namely risk his life for a good cause, Eden was mostly stuck at home and fascinated by his secret adventures into the Undercity. I think they both couldn’t forget their past and dealt with it in different ways. They might have left the Lake district but the Lake district definitely didn’t leave them. And they both had to work through a lot of trauma. Day lost his entire family and almost lost Eden too and Eden was experimented on and then was forced to watch his brother fighting an illness he couldn’t do anything against. Considering it all, it’s a wonder those two brothers are still alive and kicking. They fought for their happiness and eventually came out at the other end and I’m very glad they were able to talk things through and started to talk to each other again. Their secrets weren’t good for either of them and I think they are on a good path now. =)
”This isn’t like the war, Eden. This isn’t saving the Republic from the Colonies. We didn’t leave the Republic behind just for me to throw you back into a snake pit.”
I look at my brother. “You’ve been in this snake pit for months, and I had no idea. You never breathed a word about any of this to me. You put yourself in danger every single night while I stay home, and wait, hoping you come back from whatever the hell you’re doing.”
June smiles. “You’ll never be able to guess what he’s thinking,” she replies. “Metias always tried with me, you know. He never really succeeded, but we’d still been linked. You and Eden have a bond that’s unbreakable. No matter what he isn’t telling you, he still loves you more than anyone else in the world. I know it. I’ve seen it.”
June & Day:
”I walked her back home. I made jokes and she eased into them. Every gesture, every question, and every laugh from her triggered old memories that I thought I’d lost. She was the flint lighting sparks in my darkness, illuminating a history that I can just barely see.”
ADSFJKLMNÖ!!! Marie Lu gave me everything I craved for and even more when she decided to write this book because damn, those two are perfect for each other and I absolutely loved that their love got a second chance! The way they knew each other and were drawn into each other’s orbit whenever they met was just so beautiful and ARGH! I’m so glad Day got his memories back because this amnesia trope was killing me!!! No, seriously! I was a mess after finishing “Champion” and I couldn’t believe it would end like that. I’ll be forever thankful Marie gave them the ending they deserved, even if it took 10 years. (Which made everything extremely realistic if you ask me.) Their interactions gave me life and the way Day was so shy around June was so damn precious! This man survived a revolution and is basically a living and breathing legend, yet he still got so nervous whenever he was with June. I just love them and I’m so happy about this ending. I finally got the HEA I was waiting for and I’ve nothing to add! <3 *melts*
”Where should I meet you?"
"Tell me where you're staying," I answer in a low voice. This time, I'm unable to keep the pull out of my reply. "I'll come to you."
”I can’t hold back any longer, I close that remaining distance between us – and my lips touch hers. And everything inside me breaks, every barrier and hesitation and insecurity, it all shatters as the feeling of her with me crashes through my chest. I wonder if it will be like this every time we touch. Everything in me wants to press us against the wall and kiss her harder, to make up for all the time we’ve lost.”
June’s eyes are glossy against the blue-gray light filtering in from the windows. “And what is that?” she whispers.
“That I love you,” I whisper. “That I’ve been in love with you for years, even when we were separated. Especially then. I’ve lived with you in my life, and I’ve lived without you. No matter what kind of fear I feel in the possibility of us being together, the fear of being away from you is something I don’t think I can bear.” I look down, shy to meet her gaze now. “I have nightmares of losing you again. All the time.”
Eden & Pressa:
I don’t know why I feel compelled in this moment. Maybe it’s the flush of her cheeks, or the fear pumping trough my veins at the thought of losing this race. But I suddenly lean toward her and, when she doesn’t back away, give her a light kiss on the cheek.
“I’ll do my best,” I say. It’s amusing to see a look of surprise on her face for the first time. Her eyes are bright and wide.
Okay, I’ll admit it, those two were kinda cute. Pressa and Eden were best friends before anything happened and it took a while until their ship started to sail. I think it was a very realistic approach though because sometimes you just start as besties and then fall for each other. I think you might say that this time around it was the “he fell first but she fell harder” trope. *lol* Well, and they also fell in the category opposites attract because Pressa was way more outgoing and direct than Eden. XD She was actually a badass in her own way and they made sense together somehow. =)
Conclusion:
When I started to read “Rebel” I knew I needed this book, but I wasn’t really aware of how much I actually needed to be back in this world! I missed the characters so much and Day and June will forever be two of my favourite MCs. To be back with them and to experience Eden’s story while still being able to get some closure on the June and Day situation was everything and I’ll forever be grateful Marie Lu decided to give us the closure we all craved for. It was so good to see Day and June in action again and Dominic Hann as a multi-layered and complex antagonist only added even more depth to the storyline. If the ending of “Champion” left you reeling in despair you should definitely read this book! I highly recommend it! =)
__________________________________
It was so good to be back in this world and I really needed this book. <3
I just loved to see Day and June again and Eden’s story was pretty interesting too. =)
Full RTC soon! I just need to stop grinning first. ;-P
___________________________________
Am I ready to dive into this book: No.
Do I think I can handle whatever is going to happen in here: Nope.
Can I deal with the fact that this is the last book of the series: Nah.
Will I still pick it up because I’m just too curious and can’t keep my fingers from it: Hell, YES!
I’m so ready to read “Rebel” and to see more of June and Day!!!
Ahh please let there be more of Day. *sobs in desperate*
Oh and yeah, I’m curious about Eden’s story too. *lol* ;-P
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December 22, 2019WHAT THE FUCK.
I am on the floor and shaking.
I am on the floor and shaking.
January 1, 2020
it's 11:00 pm and i just completed my 200th book of the year!!! cutting it close on my reading challenge, of course c:
let's be honest, the plot of this book was totally unnecessary but the day/june content was magnificent and the growth and relationship development between the brothers, I COULD CRY
me thinks 3.5 stars is fair
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
i didn't reread this series and sob my body's weight in tears (at the end of the 3rd book) for this to disappoint me. your move, marie lu
let's be honest, the plot of this book was totally unnecessary but the day/june content was magnificent and the growth and relationship development between the brothers, I COULD CRY
me thinks 3.5 stars is fair
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
i didn't reread this series and sob my body's weight in tears (at the end of the 3rd book) for this to disappoint me. your move, marie lu
April 27, 2022
This was the fourth book in a trilogy I did not know I needed!
I’m getting soft in my old age 😭
“Perhaps we are forever meant to be each other’s catalysts.”
I actually wasn’t sure about a fourth book. Particularly when one of the POVs is swapped with a different character. But I quickly grew to love Eden.
Eden and Daniel (Day) are living in Antarctica. Where Eden is studying at the university and Daniel works for their police force.
However much they try and escape their past they are both plagued with nightmares and soon discover that their new found haven is just as corrupt as the Republic was.
Full of action as we’d expect and the angst and pining we’ve come to know from June and Day - I really enjoyed this final instalment and thought it tied things up in a lovely way.
I’m getting soft in my old age 😭
“Perhaps we are forever meant to be each other’s catalysts.”
I actually wasn’t sure about a fourth book. Particularly when one of the POVs is swapped with a different character. But I quickly grew to love Eden.
Eden and Daniel (Day) are living in Antarctica. Where Eden is studying at the university and Daniel works for their police force.
However much they try and escape their past they are both plagued with nightmares and soon discover that their new found haven is just as corrupt as the Republic was.
Full of action as we’d expect and the angst and pining we’ve come to know from June and Day - I really enjoyed this final instalment and thought it tied things up in a lovely way.
December 23, 2019
We held our breaths when we read Legend, got at the edge of our seats when we read Prodigy, then our hearts were broken but got eventually repaired when we read Champion. Now prepare to do that all over again with Rebel.
I read the first three books a few years after Champion was released. It was just a trilogy back then and I thought that it ended on a perfect note - an open but hopeful ending. So when Marie Lu announced that she's going to publish a fourth book I was a bit skeptical.
I loved Day and June. And so many other characters. I loved the trilogy so I didn't want to ruin that if ever the final installment was not on par with the other books.
A week before this book was published I had to reread the first three books for me to get into the world of Legend again. And after finishing Champion, I started reading Rebel.
So what did I thought of the book?
It was perfect! From the start until the end! The ending was the most perfect thing that I could ever think of this series
But of course there are noticeable changes in the characters, having the book set ten years after the events of Champion, especially Day/Daniel.
Daniel Altan Wing A.K.A. Day, the legendary hero of the Republic. He saved the Republic from the Colonies when he was still a teenager, with the help of June Iparis, the Republic's prodigy, and many others. He had sacrificed a lot before achieving that title, including his memories, his life, his self. But what he was not able to sacrifice was his remaining family, Eden Bataar Wing. He wouldn't have done what the Republic was asking him if Eden himself hadn't stand up to him.
And now, ten years after saving the Republic and moving into Antartica, something evil is brewing in the bowels of the nation he's currently in.
There are two main conflicts in the book:
1. The relationship between Daniel and Eden.
“I couldn’t protect you any more than John could protect me. You’ve seen the wrong in this world, powerful forces that no brother could ever hope to hide from you. And no matter what John did—or what I do—those things stay with us forever.”
Daniel and Eden are the narrators of the book and even from the start, I can sense that there is something wrong with them.
They are not how they used to be. They used to be so close that they know what the other was thinking by just pure observation. But then they began to drift apart.
This began to happen since Daniel was recruited by the AIS or Antartican Intelligence System because Daniel cannot disclose his job to anyone outside the AIS. And since Eden began having his nightmares about the Republic and what it had done to him and his family because he didn't want to be one of Daniel's burden.
Moreover, Daniel was so traumatized by what happened to Eden back in the Republic to the point that he was overprotecting Eden and was suffocating him. Daniel still sees his brother as a child that needs constant guidance and protection.
Another thing is the way Eden was constantly being referred to as Day's brother. The brother of the hero of the Republic, not Eden, the engineer, the tinkerer. Eden was living in the shadow of his brother and even if he don't want to, he gets shoved back.
These are the instigators of the chasm between Daniel and Eden.
I loved the way Marie Lu resolved this conflict. The chapter where Daniel showed his brother his way of life back at the Lake District was so perfectly done. Eden knew that Day had a very hard time trying to survive each day back then but he didn't live through it, didn't understand it much because Daniel didn't show it to him until the night he brought him back at Lake and showed him how he survived. They opened up to each other and began to draw close again. They are brothers, they are family, so in times of need they should help each other.
“It is not weakness to open your heart. It does not make you less of a man to ask for help. To turn to someone when you’re vulnerable. To need a shoulder to cry on. You don’t have to bear the weight of anything by yourself. Do you understand me? I know what it’s like to be forced to go it alone. I never want you to feel that way.”
So when Eden had to stand up to their enemy, he had his brother by his side. Which is the way it should be.
2. The relationship between Daniel and June.
“Even if we don’t know where we’ll go in the future, perhaps our lives were always meant to collide again and again. Perhaps we are forever meant to be each other’s catalysts.”
Daniel regained some of his memories, but it is not entirely back yet, this includes his memories of June. And then there are the years that he and June are apart from each other so there is no mistake that there is a wide gap between them.
Although they are still attracted to each other, even if they are still in love with the other, they had to do something to bridge that gap.
But the problem was June and Daniel were hesitating. June because of her promise ten years ago to not be a part of Daniel's life again because it was her decision if ever he survived that tragic night - and he did. So when he lost his memories, she sacrificed their relationship.
Daniel because he thought that June is completely at ease with her current life that he didn't want to disturb it. And because he was still in doubt of June's real feelings even after meeting her again. Because he didn't get to hear her say her affection to him during their time together.
"I’ve been in love with you for years, even when we were separated. Especially then."
“I never had a chance to tell you, before you and Eden left for Antarctica, that I love you too. So fiercely that it frightens me.”
These two had gone through so much. So now that they have the chance to be with the one they love, they have to take it, yeah?
I loved the way Marie Lu brought them back together again. In times of crisis, you go to the ones you love and trust. This was how these two got together again. Because they work best when they are together, because they understand each other, because they are so in love with each other, so much that they are hurt when the other is hurt and they hurt if they are apart.
"That in this big world, somehow, I found my way back to this city, to this place, and somehow, after everything, the world still chose to put us back in each other’s lives.”
I was so overwhelmed with my feelings when I read this book especially the ending. Their love is overflowing so much that my heart is feeling it also.
Daniel and June is together and Daniel got to one knee and proposed. What did June say?
"Yes.
Always.
Forever."
I read the first three books a few years after Champion was released. It was just a trilogy back then and I thought that it ended on a perfect note - an open but hopeful ending. So when Marie Lu announced that she's going to publish a fourth book I was a bit skeptical.
I loved Day and June. And so many other characters. I loved the trilogy so I didn't want to ruin that if ever the final installment was not on par with the other books.
A week before this book was published I had to reread the first three books for me to get into the world of Legend again. And after finishing Champion, I started reading Rebel.
So what did I thought of the book?
It was perfect! From the start until the end! The ending was the most perfect thing that I could ever think of this series
But of course there are noticeable changes in the characters, having the book set ten years after the events of Champion, especially Day/Daniel.
Daniel Altan Wing A.K.A. Day, the legendary hero of the Republic. He saved the Republic from the Colonies when he was still a teenager, with the help of June Iparis, the Republic's prodigy, and many others. He had sacrificed a lot before achieving that title, including his memories, his life, his self. But what he was not able to sacrifice was his remaining family, Eden Bataar Wing. He wouldn't have done what the Republic was asking him if Eden himself hadn't stand up to him.
And now, ten years after saving the Republic and moving into Antartica, something evil is brewing in the bowels of the nation he's currently in.
There are two main conflicts in the book:
1. The relationship between Daniel and Eden.
“I couldn’t protect you any more than John could protect me. You’ve seen the wrong in this world, powerful forces that no brother could ever hope to hide from you. And no matter what John did—or what I do—those things stay with us forever.”
Daniel and Eden are the narrators of the book and even from the start, I can sense that there is something wrong with them.
They are not how they used to be. They used to be so close that they know what the other was thinking by just pure observation. But then they began to drift apart.
This began to happen since Daniel was recruited by the AIS or Antartican Intelligence System because Daniel cannot disclose his job to anyone outside the AIS. And since Eden began having his nightmares about the Republic and what it had done to him and his family because he didn't want to be one of Daniel's burden.
Moreover, Daniel was so traumatized by what happened to Eden back in the Republic to the point that he was overprotecting Eden and was suffocating him. Daniel still sees his brother as a child that needs constant guidance and protection.
Another thing is the way Eden was constantly being referred to as Day's brother. The brother of the hero of the Republic, not Eden, the engineer, the tinkerer. Eden was living in the shadow of his brother and even if he don't want to, he gets shoved back.
These are the instigators of the chasm between Daniel and Eden.
I loved the way Marie Lu resolved this conflict. The chapter where Daniel showed his brother his way of life back at the Lake District was so perfectly done. Eden knew that Day had a very hard time trying to survive each day back then but he didn't live through it, didn't understand it much because Daniel didn't show it to him until the night he brought him back at Lake and showed him how he survived. They opened up to each other and began to draw close again. They are brothers, they are family, so in times of need they should help each other.
“It is not weakness to open your heart. It does not make you less of a man to ask for help. To turn to someone when you’re vulnerable. To need a shoulder to cry on. You don’t have to bear the weight of anything by yourself. Do you understand me? I know what it’s like to be forced to go it alone. I never want you to feel that way.”
So when Eden had to stand up to their enemy, he had his brother by his side. Which is the way it should be.
2. The relationship between Daniel and June.
“Even if we don’t know where we’ll go in the future, perhaps our lives were always meant to collide again and again. Perhaps we are forever meant to be each other’s catalysts.”
Daniel regained some of his memories, but it is not entirely back yet, this includes his memories of June. And then there are the years that he and June are apart from each other so there is no mistake that there is a wide gap between them.
Although they are still attracted to each other, even if they are still in love with the other, they had to do something to bridge that gap.
But the problem was June and Daniel were hesitating. June because of her promise ten years ago to not be a part of Daniel's life again because it was her decision if ever he survived that tragic night - and he did. So when he lost his memories, she sacrificed their relationship.
Daniel because he thought that June is completely at ease with her current life that he didn't want to disturb it. And because he was still in doubt of June's real feelings even after meeting her again. Because he didn't get to hear her say her affection to him during their time together.
"I’ve been in love with you for years, even when we were separated. Especially then."
“I never had a chance to tell you, before you and Eden left for Antarctica, that I love you too. So fiercely that it frightens me.”
These two had gone through so much. So now that they have the chance to be with the one they love, they have to take it, yeah?
I loved the way Marie Lu brought them back together again. In times of crisis, you go to the ones you love and trust. This was how these two got together again. Because they work best when they are together, because they understand each other, because they are so in love with each other, so much that they are hurt when the other is hurt and they hurt if they are apart.
"That in this big world, somehow, I found my way back to this city, to this place, and somehow, after everything, the world still chose to put us back in each other’s lives.”
I was so overwhelmed with my feelings when I read this book especially the ending. Their love is overflowing so much that my heart is feeling it also.
Daniel and June is together and Daniel got to one knee and proposed. What did June say?
"Yes.
Always.
Forever."
December 30, 2019
"Because sometimes, broken pieces find a way to make a new whole."
This should've been a novella.
I didn't have high hopes for this because the Legend series is so nostalgic for me and I couldn't see anything topping the ending we got in Champion. Yet, I'm still kind of let down. I don't hate Rebel, but there are parts of it that rubbed me wrong and I don't see myself rereading it within the new few years.
My main problem is with the perspective of Eden. For those of you who don't know, the Legend series is told through the perspectives of Day, a criminal, and June, a military prodigy. In this book June no longer has a POV and instead we get Day again and his younger brother Eden, who needs to be yeeted off a cliff.
I didn't like Eden, I never cared much about him in the original series but he served his purpose there. In this book he's just so insufferable whiny, which I think is supposed to come off as rebellious but to me it read as being . . . well, the worst. And the fact he gets a POV and June (who was my favorite character in original series) doesn't annoys me almost as much as him, he was never even a main character in Legend! And his romance was blander than plain, untoasted, generic, white bread.
There are other problems, like the main villain is an unbearably bad cliche early Marvel movie villain and the world building with Antarctica is just a less interesting version of the world in Warcross. Honestly, a lot of this is deserving of a two star rating, except the few scenes that deserve five stars centering around Day and June.
Day and June are by far one of my, if not favorite, bookish ship. I thought I was fine with where they ended in Champion, but seeing how their relationship evolved only enhanced it! Their romance single handedly saved this book for me and I'll probably keep my copy around just to reread the epilogue, which speaking of . . .
Do I think this is worth it? Not necessarily, if you're a big fan of the series and really need to know where June and Day go, then you might enjoy at least some parts of Rebel. But I'd rather think of the series as a trilogy and this as a weird, mediocre spinoff I'll likely skip in future rereads of Legend. Though I'll probably reread the epilogue like it's a novella.
- - -
PREREADING THOUGHTS
Update May 2019
We have a cover, and to be honest, I don't love it :(
It's fine by itself, but it doesn't really match the rest of the series, it actually seems to match the original Legend cover better, here's my evidence;
Edit February 2019
WE HAVE A TITLE AND IT IS OMINOUS!
So now the series goes Legend, Prodigy, Champion, and Rebel. I wonder if this will connect the trilogy with Warcross since we're going deeper into Antarctica. I also wonder if the actual cover will have hexagons and\or purple.
Prereview October 2018
I'M NOT FREAKING OUT JUST MY FAVORITE TRILOGY OF ALL TIME THAT GOT ME READING YA HAS BEEN RESURRECTED FROM THE DEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This should've been a novella.
I didn't have high hopes for this because the Legend series is so nostalgic for me and I couldn't see anything topping the ending we got in Champion. Yet, I'm still kind of let down. I don't hate Rebel, but there are parts of it that rubbed me wrong and I don't see myself rereading it within the new few years.
My main problem is with the perspective of Eden. For those of you who don't know, the Legend series is told through the perspectives of Day, a criminal, and June, a military prodigy. In this book June no longer has a POV and instead we get Day again and his younger brother Eden, who needs to be yeeted off a cliff.
I didn't like Eden, I never cared much about him in the original series but he served his purpose there. In this book he's just so insufferable whiny, which I think is supposed to come off as rebellious but to me it read as being . . . well, the worst. And the fact he gets a POV and June (who was my favorite character in original series) doesn't annoys me almost as much as him, he was never even a main character in Legend! And his romance was blander than plain, untoasted, generic, white bread.
There are other problems, like the main villain is an unbearably bad cliche early Marvel movie villain and the world building with Antarctica is just a less interesting version of the world in Warcross. Honestly, a lot of this is deserving of a two star rating, except the few scenes that deserve five stars centering around Day and June.
Day and June are by far one of my, if not favorite, bookish ship. I thought I was fine with where they ended in Champion, but seeing how their relationship evolved only enhanced it! Their romance single handedly saved this book for me and I'll probably keep my copy around just to reread the epilogue, which speaking of . . .
Do I think this is worth it? Not necessarily, if you're a big fan of the series and really need to know where June and Day go, then you might enjoy at least some parts of Rebel. But I'd rather think of the series as a trilogy and this as a weird, mediocre spinoff I'll likely skip in future rereads of Legend. Though I'll probably reread the epilogue like it's a novella.
- - -
PREREADING THOUGHTS
Update May 2019
We have a cover, and to be honest, I don't love it :(
It's fine by itself, but it doesn't really match the rest of the series, it actually seems to match the original Legend cover better, here's my evidence;
Edit February 2019
WE HAVE A TITLE AND IT IS OMINOUS!
So now the series goes Legend, Prodigy, Champion, and Rebel. I wonder if this will connect the trilogy with Warcross since we're going deeper into Antarctica. I also wonder if the actual cover will have hexagons and\or purple.
Prereview October 2018
I'M NOT FREAKING OUT JUST MY FAVORITE TRILOGY OF ALL TIME THAT GOT ME READING YA HAS BEEN RESURRECTED FROM THE DEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Want to read
November 16, 2019[12 May 2019]
Merlin's pants—would you look at that son of a biscuit of a cover! (yes a delicious biscuit covered in dark chocolate with blueberry jam on it, that's what I meant the cover is and nothing else 😏)
If the cover were a woman and I were Kol Mikaelson:
I'm now hyped where is October 1st I demand someone build a time machine right now 😐
• • • • • • •
[4 Feb 2019]
We have a blurb and a title!
Eden Wing is a brilliant student. He’s about to graduate a year early from Ross University of the Sciences, with honors, and already has an internship lined up back in the Republic. But most people don’t introduce Eden this way. Instead, they say, “This is Eden, Daniel Wing’s younger brother.”
But Eden isn’t safe. As the two brothers struggle to accept who they’ve each become, they grow more distant from one another than they've ever been. Eden finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into Ross City’s dark side, until even his legendary brother can’t save him. At least not on his own.
When June suddenly steps back into Day’s life, rekindling the flames of their romance, the pair team up to do whatever it takes to rescue Eden. But like the rest of the world, they may have underestimated Eden—what he’s capable of, where his loyalties lie, and how hard he’s willing to fight for what he believes.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN ‘WHERE HIS TRUE LOYALTIES LIE!’ Our little Eden??? What mess is he gonna get himself into—or more accurately—what mess is he gonna cause?? 😏
With unmatched suspense and her signature cinematic storytelling, #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu plunges readers back into the unforgettable world of Legend—for the most thrilling adventure yet. A truly grand finale.
Well, it looks like this is gonna be the last book of the Legend series, this time for real 😂
Expected publication: October 2019
• • • • • • •
[Initial review]
WHAT. WHAT
Yes! I knew she couldn't just leave it there!! There's still so much to be done in that world and I'm so glad she decided to do this!
I almost wish she'd write at least a novella sequel to The Midnight Star, *sighs*...
Merlin's pants—would you look at that son of a biscuit of a cover! (yes a delicious biscuit covered in dark chocolate with blueberry jam on it, that's what I meant the cover is and nothing else 😏)
If the cover were a woman and I were Kol Mikaelson:
I'm now hyped where is October 1st I demand someone build a time machine right now 😐
• • • • • • •
[4 Feb 2019]
We have a blurb and a title!
Eden Wing is a brilliant student. He’s about to graduate a year early from Ross University of the Sciences, with honors, and already has an internship lined up back in the Republic. But most people don’t introduce Eden this way. Instead, they say, “This is Eden, Daniel Wing’s younger brother.”
But Eden isn’t safe. As the two brothers struggle to accept who they’ve each become, they grow more distant from one another than they've ever been. Eden finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into Ross City’s dark side, until even his legendary brother can’t save him. At least not on his own.
When June suddenly steps back into Day’s life, rekindling the flames of their romance, the pair team up to do whatever it takes to rescue Eden. But like the rest of the world, they may have underestimated Eden—what he’s capable of, where his loyalties lie, and how hard he’s willing to fight for what he believes.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN ‘WHERE HIS TRUE LOYALTIES LIE!’ Our little Eden??? What mess is he gonna get himself into—or more accurately—what mess is he gonna cause?? 😏
With unmatched suspense and her signature cinematic storytelling, #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu plunges readers back into the unforgettable world of Legend—for the most thrilling adventure yet. A truly grand finale.
Well, it looks like this is gonna be the last book of the Legend series, this time for real 😂
Expected publication: October 2019
• • • • • • •
[Initial review]
WHAT. WHAT
Yes! I knew she couldn't just leave it there!! There's still so much to be done in that world and I'm so glad she decided to do this!
I almost wish she'd write at least a novella sequel to The Midnight Star, *sighs*...
February 15, 2020
Ok, so umm, quick confession.
I’m in love with Day and June
help
So yeah anyway, I’m a little bit obsessed and I would read a book where it’s just the two of them to be frank.
My experience reading Rebel can be summed up a little like this.
Scenes with solo Eden - Pretty cool kid
Scenes with Eden and Pressa - I like them
Scenes with solo Day - My boy is back
Scenes with Day and June being in love - AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
I should probably go see a therapist
Now enough of me stressing out how much I love these two(or maybe not), but either way, onto the actual review, where I will try to review the book based on how but is and not how much I love one particular couple.
I first read the Legend trilogy last year, and when I heard that Marie Lu was writing another one, I was a bit sceptical. Generally when a series is done, a lot of the time it can just be fan service or a cash grab, which I suppose in a way, with all the Day and June scenes, it is. Yet since I rate books on how I felt about it and not on deeply analysing it since that would be far to boring, this book was awesome. I, like many other readers, was quite upset at how Champion ended and whilst I agree with what the author did there, it doesn’t mean I had to particularly like it.
I want to give this book a five, but I feel that if I am being properly reasonable with myself, this book really is more of a 4. Day and June, all the stars. But if, let’s say that this was a new book in a new world and the world building, characters and plot was as it was, which is to say, almost reasonably standard within the YA genre. I mean, as much as I love it, it isn’t the most complex or riveting plot line or interesting villain. Yes, I wanted to agree with the villain of the book, since that it what the author wants us to think, yet at the same time, it’s been done so many times that it really isn’t overly original thing anymore. I mean, Thanos was reasonable yet also wanted to kill half the universe so… you know?
A great part about it was the development between Eden and Day and while I was quite frustrated by them constantly, the result we got from in the end in regards to coming to terms and learning more about each other was great. Day will always be my favourite, yet Eden proved himself to be an interesting person here with his own personality, ideas and set of skills. I liked his relationship with Pressa as well and was happy with what I got from their relationship, yet I also wanted a little bit more, yet am highly satisfied with the way that the author ended it.
Now I say at this does feel a fair bit like fan service is that truthfully, all I really wanted out of this book for some Day and June goodness and I got that, and I also got an incredibly beautiful ending that was so different to Champion that while I loved, I don’t know it set the mood as well as Champion even though that one broke me apart.
Something else that is weird, seeing Day being called Daniel. Also I feel like that Marie Lu finally has a aesthetically pleasing looking cover yet is so odd compared to the rest of the series. 8/10
I’m in love with Day and June
help
So yeah anyway, I’m a little bit obsessed and I would read a book where it’s just the two of them to be frank.
My experience reading Rebel can be summed up a little like this.
Scenes with solo Eden - Pretty cool kid
Scenes with Eden and Pressa - I like them
Scenes with solo Day - My boy is back
Scenes with Day and June being in love - AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
I should probably go see a therapist
Now enough of me stressing out how much I love these two(or maybe not), but either way, onto the actual review, where I will try to review the book based on how but is and not how much I love one particular couple.
I first read the Legend trilogy last year, and when I heard that Marie Lu was writing another one, I was a bit sceptical. Generally when a series is done, a lot of the time it can just be fan service or a cash grab, which I suppose in a way, with all the Day and June scenes, it is. Yet since I rate books on how I felt about it and not on deeply analysing it since that would be far to boring, this book was awesome. I, like many other readers, was quite upset at how Champion ended and whilst I agree with what the author did there, it doesn’t mean I had to particularly like it.
I want to give this book a five, but I feel that if I am being properly reasonable with myself, this book really is more of a 4. Day and June, all the stars. But if, let’s say that this was a new book in a new world and the world building, characters and plot was as it was, which is to say, almost reasonably standard within the YA genre. I mean, as much as I love it, it isn’t the most complex or riveting plot line or interesting villain. Yes, I wanted to agree with the villain of the book, since that it what the author wants us to think, yet at the same time, it’s been done so many times that it really isn’t overly original thing anymore. I mean, Thanos was reasonable yet also wanted to kill half the universe so… you know?
A great part about it was the development between Eden and Day and while I was quite frustrated by them constantly, the result we got from in the end in regards to coming to terms and learning more about each other was great. Day will always be my favourite, yet Eden proved himself to be an interesting person here with his own personality, ideas and set of skills. I liked his relationship with Pressa as well and was happy with what I got from their relationship, yet I also wanted a little bit more, yet am highly satisfied with the way that the author ended it.
Now I say at this does feel a fair bit like fan service is that truthfully, all I really wanted out of this book for some Day and June goodness and I got that, and I also got an incredibly beautiful ending that was so different to Champion that while I loved, I don’t know it set the mood as well as Champion even though that one broke me apart.
Something else that is weird, seeing Day being called Daniel. Also I feel like that Marie Lu finally has a aesthetically pleasing looking cover yet is so odd compared to the rest of the series. 8/10
September 13, 2020
Let me take a moment to sigh in contentment at this fitting end to the series.
Far too often, authors that write a final book to a series after a delay are making sad attempts to cash back in, and the stories often feel unnecessary.
This book answered all the questions, tied up all the loose ends in a fantastic yet thrilling way. It's been a few years since I read the Legend trilogy but this brought it all back.
Far too often, authors that write a final book to a series after a delay are making sad attempts to cash back in, and the stories often feel unnecessary.
This book answered all the questions, tied up all the loose ends in a fantastic yet thrilling way. It's been a few years since I read the Legend trilogy but this brought it all back.
Want to read
December 22, 2019edit 5/10/19
HOLY CRAP THIS COVER!!!
---
HI THE TITLE JUST RELEASED AND I AM SHRIEKING
IF MARIE LU DOESN'T GET THE COVER SHE DESERVES I SWEAR TO GOD (the real question here is, will this cover match the previous covers??)
HOLY CRAP THIS COVER!!!
---
HI THE TITLE JUST RELEASED AND I AM SHRIEKING
IF MARIE LU DOESN'T GET THE COVER SHE DESERVES I SWEAR TO GOD (the real question here is, will this cover match the previous covers??)
May 11, 2024
★★★☆☆ - 3.5 stars
i am healed. this book provided the closure i needed after the ending of Champion. i loved the ending, now all my tears are happy tears!!
as for the actual plot in this, i honestly didn’t care. this book is about Daniel’s little brother, Eden. it IS dual POV, but most of the plot revolves around Eden. i did not necessarily hate Eden, i just thought his chapters were a bit boring. this felt like a repeat of Prodigy but with less action. i am a little disappointed, i would have DNFed, but it’s the last book in the series and i needed a happy ending…
this book is mostly about Eden and Day’s lives in Ross City, Antarctica which uses a Level system to determine one’s privileges. while Daniel is looking into a murderer case as a member of the AIS, Eden is attending drone races to help his friend, Pressa, get some money to help her sick father. but at one of the drone races, Eden finds none other than the con artist Daniel is investigating. their lives overlap and they begin to discover a lot about the Level system. and they learn that it’s a lot more corrupted than it seems.
the action was lacking in this. i kept waiting for something more to happen, but there only ended up being a few exciting scenes. the “last battle” lasted about 2 pages and felt very unfinished. i kept thinking i skipped a few pages. the book already started concluding itself out of nowhere! i was definitely not as invested in this as i thought i’d be, considering this was supposed to be the “grand finale.”
i did, however, enjoy the Daniel and June scenes. they’re not a super memorable book couple, yet, i still felt something when reading their chapters. Marie Lu was always able to sneak some heartfelt quotes in. i was so sad after the way Champion ended, so i’m very pleased with the closure i was able to find in this. that last chapter was perfection! i do prefer Daniel a lot more over June, since i feel he’s a bit more developed, but they work together well and their scenes were so sweet!
Pressa and Eden were also pretty cute, even if they only got a couple scenes together.
Marie Lu’s writing was decent. there was a little repetition that weirded me out, especially in Daniel’s chapters. for some reason he said the word “goddy” so much? what does that even mean? plus, there was a lack of description for some parts and it was hard to picture scenes. but her writing didn’t bother me much, and i still had a good time.
overall, i liked the ending of this book, but the rest of it was not as exciting as the other books in this series. glad to have finished the Legend series, though! it was a fun time.
i am healed. this book provided the closure i needed after the ending of Champion. i loved the ending, now all my tears are happy tears!!
as for the actual plot in this, i honestly didn’t care. this book is about Daniel’s little brother, Eden. it IS dual POV, but most of the plot revolves around Eden. i did not necessarily hate Eden, i just thought his chapters were a bit boring. this felt like a repeat of Prodigy but with less action. i am a little disappointed, i would have DNFed, but it’s the last book in the series and i needed a happy ending…
this book is mostly about Eden and Day’s lives in Ross City, Antarctica which uses a Level system to determine one’s privileges. while Daniel is looking into a murderer case as a member of the AIS, Eden is attending drone races to help his friend, Pressa, get some money to help her sick father. but at one of the drone races, Eden finds none other than the con artist Daniel is investigating. their lives overlap and they begin to discover a lot about the Level system. and they learn that it’s a lot more corrupted than it seems.
the action was lacking in this. i kept waiting for something more to happen, but there only ended up being a few exciting scenes. the “last battle” lasted about 2 pages and felt very unfinished. i kept thinking i skipped a few pages. the book already started concluding itself out of nowhere! i was definitely not as invested in this as i thought i’d be, considering this was supposed to be the “grand finale.”
i did, however, enjoy the Daniel and June scenes. they’re not a super memorable book couple, yet, i still felt something when reading their chapters. Marie Lu was always able to sneak some heartfelt quotes in. i was so sad after the way Champion ended, so i’m very pleased with the closure i was able to find in this. that last chapter was perfection! i do prefer Daniel a lot more over June, since i feel he’s a bit more developed, but they work together well and their scenes were so sweet!
Pressa and Eden were also pretty cute, even if they only got a couple scenes together.
Marie Lu’s writing was decent. there was a little repetition that weirded me out, especially in Daniel’s chapters. for some reason he said the word “goddy” so much? what does that even mean? plus, there was a lack of description for some parts and it was hard to picture scenes. but her writing didn’t bother me much, and i still had a good time.
overall, i liked the ending of this book, but the rest of it was not as exciting as the other books in this series. glad to have finished the Legend series, though! it was a fun time.
February 11, 2021
It's gonna be hard for any other book I'll read this year to even come close to Rebel.
"The Republic is a place that holds some of our darkest memories, for both you and me. (...) We went through it together, and somehow we emerged from it to be here again, at each other's sides."
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
(Find this and more reviews on my blog!
Daaammnnnn. What a ride! I can't think straight. I'm just overcome by too many emotions. I've always loved the Legend trilogy and I also loved the ending of Champion, but Rebel was the conclusion I didn't know I needed.
For me, everything about this book was perfect, starting with that gorgeous cover (But WHY on earth doesn't it match the rest?!) I enjoyed every single page and I'm super sad it's now over for real. This world and the characters feel like home, almost like family, and I'm not ready to let them go. They've all suffered so much (and I with them), but they managed to live through it all and grow from it. Their development felt so right and believable.
Marie Lu has brought Daniel, June and Eden to life one last time and I feel like she truly knows and understands them. How there's a difference between Daniel and Day. The way June was always destined for something great but still stays true to herself (Commander Iparis, you are a badass and I love you). How Eden has evolved into such a strong character who carries half of the story's weight, since this book has alternating POVs of Daniel and Eden. Thank you for bringing these wonderful characters into my life!! But, and this needs to be said, I sometimes still would've preferred June's POV because I just love her so much and Eden was never among my favorites in the original trilogy.
The plot of Rebel was as expected: fast paced, exciting, well thought out. Most of the book takes place in Ross City, Antarctica, and with that, Marie Lu gave us a believable and interesting expansion of her world. With that comes an interesting villain who isn't straight out evil but has his reasons. He even made me care for him at some point, and those are the best villains.
And the dynamics! The dialogues, the relationships; I smiled, I laughed and I cried. I haven't read a book that made me so emotional in a long time. I feel like my heart was ripped out of my chest and put back in several times. The flashbacks and memories! All the little hints at special moments from the previous books! It all made me soo emotional. I can't stress enough how much I loved this book.
In the end, Rebel was everything I could've asked for. Marie Lu wrote the perfect conclusion to an already great trilogy. These characters will forever have a place in my heart. If you liked the Legend trilogy, this book is a must read. I would give it 10 stars if I could.
"The Republic is a place that holds some of our darkest memories, for both you and me. (...) We went through it together, and somehow we emerged from it to be here again, at each other's sides."
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
(Find this and more reviews on my blog!
Daaammnnnn. What a ride! I can't think straight. I'm just overcome by too many emotions. I've always loved the Legend trilogy and I also loved the ending of Champion, but Rebel was the conclusion I didn't know I needed.
For me, everything about this book was perfect, starting with that gorgeous cover (But WHY on earth doesn't it match the rest?!) I enjoyed every single page and I'm super sad it's now over for real. This world and the characters feel like home, almost like family, and I'm not ready to let them go. They've all suffered so much (and I with them), but they managed to live through it all and grow from it. Their development felt so right and believable.
Marie Lu has brought Daniel, June and Eden to life one last time and I feel like she truly knows and understands them. How there's a difference between Daniel and Day. The way June was always destined for something great but still stays true to herself (Commander Iparis, you are a badass and I love you). How Eden has evolved into such a strong character who carries half of the story's weight, since this book has alternating POVs of Daniel and Eden. Thank you for bringing these wonderful characters into my life!! But, and this needs to be said, I sometimes still would've preferred June's POV because I just love her so much and Eden was never among my favorites in the original trilogy.
The plot of Rebel was as expected: fast paced, exciting, well thought out. Most of the book takes place in Ross City, Antarctica, and with that, Marie Lu gave us a believable and interesting expansion of her world. With that comes an interesting villain who isn't straight out evil but has his reasons. He even made me care for him at some point, and those are the best villains.
And the dynamics! The dialogues, the relationships; I smiled, I laughed and I cried. I haven't read a book that made me so emotional in a long time. I feel like my heart was ripped out of my chest and put back in several times. The flashbacks and memories! All the little hints at special moments from the previous books! It all made me soo emotional. I can't stress enough how much I loved this book.
In the end, Rebel was everything I could've asked for. Marie Lu wrote the perfect conclusion to an already great trilogy. These characters will forever have a place in my heart. If you liked the Legend trilogy, this book is a must read. I would give it 10 stars if I could.
June 9, 2020
Fico entre 3.5 e 4. Uma história bem gostosinha pra quem é fã da trilogia, curti.
April 28, 2020
sad because gr removed all my likes for this “review” >:(
will I admit that this was a mostly useless book? yes. but do I still love it because of the June/Day content? also yes.
----------------------
the cover was released and I only have one thing to say: how is Marie Lu finally getting the cover she deserves after EIGHT YEARS
Want to read
December 22, 2019ASDFGHJVFGSvdfCFCDXSWAERUXFLG
I CANNOT BELIEVE MY EYEBALLS OH MY GOODNESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So long I have suffered from the Champion epilogue... Will I finally have a satisfying conclusion?????
I CANNOT BELIEVE MY EYEBALLS OH MY GOODNESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So long I have suffered from the Champion epilogue... Will I finally have a satisfying conclusion?????
January 20, 2020
3.5 stars.
“Because sometimes, broken pieces find a way to make a new whole.”
Rebel is the continuation to the Legend trilogy. Situated 10 years in the future. In a new city. We follow Daniel and his brother Eden while they try to pick the pieces of their former lives and move on.
Obviously, after so many years discovering that Legend was to have a sequel of sorts was so incredibly exciting. After all, it was an opportunity to see our beloved characters again. And after the epilogue in Champion it seemed like a terrific idea.
Full of action and familial feelings we are once again immersed in a politic drama when a nation enters a crisis time.
The question that it didn't occur to me to ask was, is it really all that necessary?
“Some pasts can’t be left behind. They must be fought.”
With POVs alternating between Daniel and Eden we get a whiff from the past and new voice all at the same time.
It's an interesting idea.
Of course, having Day again was great. Nostalgic and our connection with the past. He is the one that most bring the past and present together and help make peace between both.
Eden, on his part, brings the new aspects and help us explore this new nation. One of the things I was more apprehensive about before starting Rebel was his voice. I remember reading Lu's little snippets that she would post online and thinking that he sounded like a brat. I was glad to be proven wrong.
Yes, Eden turned out to be a lot more palatable than I thought he was gonna be. Yet, he often felt like a 15-year-old kid to me. He is 21-years-old...
And that is just one of the things that irked me must. Eden, a grown-up man, was acting pettily and childishly. His reasoning and actions often didn't reflect his age. I think I would have been a lot more okay with him had he been younger, then his actions wouldn't have irked me as much.
“The world shifts, tilts, sometimes collapses. But sometimes, it bends toward you, and everything feels right.”
Another thing that frustrated me was the complete lack of communication between Daniel and Eden.
Sure, I get that talking about certain things is difficult. They hurt and often avoidance is easier than confrontation but, but some explanations that don't need to be all that pointed or deep can certainly be done.
This book could have been solved so much faster if they had sat and talked sooner. And not even talked about the deep, burning, pungent topics that needed to be addressed but just about the things that were bothering each other. Heck, even just about their days.
Again, I can kind of see why that was so difficult, but it was ridiculous how these two grown-up men couldn't sit and have a little chat.
“June has adjusted better than any of us. But even so, she’s afraid of the past. Just like I am. We may not be the same people we used to be. Maybe we’ll never find our way back to that place. But we bear the same scars from the same old wounds.”
Daniel's and June's story arc was by far my favorite.
I really loved how their relationship was treated and how it evolved and, well, just how it happened. It was what I had been looking forward to.
And, even though I really missed it, I can appreciate not giving June her own POV. For once, I appreciated that certain air of uncertainty that came with not knowing June's thoughts. Though, to me, they were pretty clear through her actions.
Still, she plays her part in the story and we get plenty of time with our girl.
“If you asked me to tell you about myself, I’d say first that I like to understand things.”
Here is the thing.
The answer to that first question I poised.
I appreciate what the book did. I appreciate having another moment with these characters I've come to care so much about. I appreciate the furthering of the world and the reinforcement of the idea that nothing is quite so perfect.
But I find most of this book completely irrelevant.
That simple sentence has been a hard revelation and has taken me a fair amount of time to make my peace with. I'm still not happy with it but I'm starting to accept it.
Why do I find it irrelevant? Well, simple. A lot of these ideas were established in the epilogue of Champion.
As heartwrenching as that epilogue was it was a well constructed, rounded, and filling way to end the trilogy. It left you with a sense of hope and a million possibilities. You already knew things wouldn't be easy right off the bat. That there were issues to be resolved -funny enough the more pressing issues were never really treated in this book - and that things were never gonna be the same. But you also knew that things were gonna be okay because they were there. Together.
All Rebel did to me was go over and over, circling endlessly the same things that were already established in that short, powerful, epilogue.
Sure, we got a lot more of Eden but we could have done that with a well placed novella. Shorter. To the point. But long enough to add that little something that Lu clearly wanted to add.
The political drama in the book was interesting, yes, but at the end of the day, I didn't care very much about this new city. To me, the point seems to be to make sure we got the point that no government is perfect, something that I think the original trilogy did a great job of.
“We may always struggle with our pasts, but we can rest assured that we’ll always have someone else who can pull us forward.��
I'm not saying that the book was dull or filled with nonsense or that it didn't have action. No. As an alone book it was wonderful and thrilling. But as a part of this trilogy? Unnecessary.
Which, I find, it's often the case when an already finished trilogy/series gets renewed years later.
I truly wish it had been different. But it wasn't. I'll treasure the good bits and parts -like that ending - and I'll make my peace with the more unsavory ones.
“A past. A future. Something that can be ours.”
_______________________
I'm surprised.
I ended liking it more than I thought I would.
When Lu was posting her little snippets on Instagram I remember reading some and hating the voice that Eden seemed to have. It made me really apprehensive about starting this book, even though I was dying to pick it up.
Anyway, in the end, it was way better than I thought it would be.
I'm still gasping about that ending.
RTC.
_______________________
I'm finally starting this beauty.
I'm so excited, and a little apprehensive, about reading this book. I love the world and characters Lu created and having the opportunity to revisit them and get a bit more of their story is just wonderful.
Re-reading the previous three books in order to refresh my memory was a great idea, after all, some years have passed since Campion was published.
I hope the book lives to the standards that the previous books have set.
“Because sometimes, broken pieces find a way to make a new whole.”
Rebel is the continuation to the Legend trilogy. Situated 10 years in the future. In a new city. We follow Daniel and his brother Eden while they try to pick the pieces of their former lives and move on.
Obviously, after so many years discovering that Legend was to have a sequel of sorts was so incredibly exciting. After all, it was an opportunity to see our beloved characters again. And after the epilogue in Champion it seemed like a terrific idea.
Full of action and familial feelings we are once again immersed in a politic drama when a nation enters a crisis time.
The question that it didn't occur to me to ask was, is it really all that necessary?
“Some pasts can’t be left behind. They must be fought.”
With POVs alternating between Daniel and Eden we get a whiff from the past and new voice all at the same time.
It's an interesting idea.
Of course, having Day again was great. Nostalgic and our connection with the past. He is the one that most bring the past and present together and help make peace between both.
Eden, on his part, brings the new aspects and help us explore this new nation. One of the things I was more apprehensive about before starting Rebel was his voice. I remember reading Lu's little snippets that she would post online and thinking that he sounded like a brat. I was glad to be proven wrong.
Yes, Eden turned out to be a lot more palatable than I thought he was gonna be. Yet, he often felt like a 15-year-old kid to me. He is 21-years-old...
And that is just one of the things that irked me must. Eden, a grown-up man, was acting pettily and childishly. His reasoning and actions often didn't reflect his age. I think I would have been a lot more okay with him had he been younger, then his actions wouldn't have irked me as much.
“The world shifts, tilts, sometimes collapses. But sometimes, it bends toward you, and everything feels right.”
Another thing that frustrated me was the complete lack of communication between Daniel and Eden.
Sure, I get that talking about certain things is difficult. They hurt and often avoidance is easier than confrontation but, but some explanations that don't need to be all that pointed or deep can certainly be done.
This book could have been solved so much faster if they had sat and talked sooner. And not even talked about the deep, burning, pungent topics that needed to be addressed but just about the things that were bothering each other. Heck, even just about their days.
Again, I can kind of see why that was so difficult, but it was ridiculous how these two grown-up men couldn't sit and have a little chat.
“June has adjusted better than any of us. But even so, she’s afraid of the past. Just like I am. We may not be the same people we used to be. Maybe we’ll never find our way back to that place. But we bear the same scars from the same old wounds.”
Daniel's and June's story arc was by far my favorite.
I really loved how their relationship was treated and how it evolved and, well, just how it happened. It was what I had been looking forward to.
And, even though I really missed it, I can appreciate not giving June her own POV. For once, I appreciated that certain air of uncertainty that came with not knowing June's thoughts. Though, to me, they were pretty clear through her actions.
Still, she plays her part in the story and we get plenty of time with our girl.
“If you asked me to tell you about myself, I’d say first that I like to understand things.”
Here is the thing.
The answer to that first question I poised.
I appreciate what the book did. I appreciate having another moment with these characters I've come to care so much about. I appreciate the furthering of the world and the reinforcement of the idea that nothing is quite so perfect.
But I find most of this book completely irrelevant.
That simple sentence has been a hard revelation and has taken me a fair amount of time to make my peace with. I'm still not happy with it but I'm starting to accept it.
Why do I find it irrelevant? Well, simple. A lot of these ideas were established in the epilogue of Champion.
As heartwrenching as that epilogue was it was a well constructed, rounded, and filling way to end the trilogy. It left you with a sense of hope and a million possibilities. You already knew things wouldn't be easy right off the bat. That there were issues to be resolved -funny enough the more pressing issues were never really treated in this book - and that things were never gonna be the same. But you also knew that things were gonna be okay because they were there. Together.
All Rebel did to me was go over and over, circling endlessly the same things that were already established in that short, powerful, epilogue.
Sure, we got a lot more of Eden but we could have done that with a well placed novella. Shorter. To the point. But long enough to add that little something that Lu clearly wanted to add.
The political drama in the book was interesting, yes, but at the end of the day, I didn't care very much about this new city. To me, the point seems to be to make sure we got the point that no government is perfect, something that I think the original trilogy did a great job of.
“We may always struggle with our pasts, but we can rest assured that we’ll always have someone else who can pull us forward.��
I'm not saying that the book was dull or filled with nonsense or that it didn't have action. No. As an alone book it was wonderful and thrilling. But as a part of this trilogy? Unnecessary.
Which, I find, it's often the case when an already finished trilogy/series gets renewed years later.
I truly wish it had been different. But it wasn't. I'll treasure the good bits and parts -like that ending - and I'll make my peace with the more unsavory ones.
“A past. A future. Something that can be ours.”
_______________________
I'm surprised.
I ended liking it more than I thought I would.
When Lu was posting her little snippets on Instagram I remember reading some and hating the voice that Eden seemed to have. It made me really apprehensive about starting this book, even though I was dying to pick it up.
Anyway, in the end, it was way better than I thought it would be.
I'm still gasping about that ending.
RTC.
_______________________
I'm finally starting this beauty.
I'm so excited, and a little apprehensive, about reading this book. I love the world and characters Lu created and having the opportunity to revisit them and get a bit more of their story is just wonderful.
Re-reading the previous three books in order to refresh my memory was a great idea, after all, some years have passed since Campion was published.
I hope the book lives to the standards that the previous books have set.
December 22, 2019
[2.5/5 stars] I remember loving the original Legend Trilogy. In hindsight, however, I think I rated it so highly because I was only comparing it to other YA dystopians. Of the dozens I tried at the time, Legend ranked close to the top of my list. I don’t know that I would have been so generous with my ratings had I honesty compared them to all books I enjoyed and not just that very specific branch of the YA market.
Rebel was just okay. The plot was cute, extending the romance between June and Day. Actually it’s biggest selling point was how much better this ending wrapped up their love story. Unfortunately, everything else was really surface-level. The plot didn’t get complex, the characters didn’t have a lot of depth, and the concept for the story wasn’t really that compelling. In my review for earlier books, I mentioned that I loved the point-system hierarchy (where you rise in rank and status based on how much you contribute) of the society she created in Antarctica, and since Rebel takes place there, it should’ve provided a much more in-depth exploration of it. It did not. I suppose world building is not usually the main focus of a straightforward YA, but even so, I let my expectations drive my experience a bit, and my overall rating reflects that. At the end of the day, I wish this resolution had come out much closer to when I’d read the first three books because it does do a good job at wrapping things up. It’s highly recommendable for Marie Lu’s Legend fans. But for my reading tastes these days, it was a decently entertaining bit of fluff and not much more.
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
Other books you might like*:
*I decided to go with less-typical recommends because, let’s face it, if you like the genre you’ve most definitely already read the mainstream ones like Divergent and Hunger Games. I recommended these books for similar vibes, setting, and character motive. :)
Rebel was just okay. The plot was cute, extending the romance between June and Day. Actually it’s biggest selling point was how much better this ending wrapped up their love story. Unfortunately, everything else was really surface-level. The plot didn’t get complex, the characters didn’t have a lot of depth, and the concept for the story wasn’t really that compelling. In my review for earlier books, I mentioned that I loved the point-system hierarchy (where you rise in rank and status based on how much you contribute) of the society she created in Antarctica, and since Rebel takes place there, it should’ve provided a much more in-depth exploration of it. It did not. I suppose world building is not usually the main focus of a straightforward YA, but even so, I let my expectations drive my experience a bit, and my overall rating reflects that. At the end of the day, I wish this resolution had come out much closer to when I’d read the first three books because it does do a good job at wrapping things up. It’s highly recommendable for Marie Lu’s Legend fans. But for my reading tastes these days, it was a decently entertaining bit of fluff and not much more.
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
Other books you might like*:
*I decided to go with less-typical recommends because, let’s face it, if you like the genre you’ve most definitely already read the mainstream ones like Divergent and Hunger Games. I recommended these books for similar vibes, setting, and character motive. :)
December 21, 2019
I need you to understand that Legend is a trilogy** I absolutely LOVE.
(you won't believe just how, after all these years, reading it still fills me with so much delight and emotion!)
Looking back...
When I first read Legend, it felt insta-lovish and convenient, but there was something about it that took hold of my heart and it did not let go. (I loved it even more after re-reading it along with the sequels.) Then Prodigy made me fall and care for these characters even more, and by Champion my heart belonged to them for ever and ever - and that ending simply took my breath away, as cliché as it might sound.
There's something so beautifully tragic about their story, there's something so mesmerising about this world, as terrible as it was at times. There's something so hopeful and sweet about that ending.
I would have crossed the ocean just to read one more page about June and Day!!!
And then came the hope this new novel gave me.
Then came the possibility of my wish coming true.
And I prayed to whomever might be up there that Rebel wouldn't disappoint me.
*sigh!*
I can only assume that there are way better things and wishes deities would involve themselves with, as my prayer remained unanswered.
Here I am.
Heartbroken!
This book did NOT live up to the beautiful cover or the previous books in the series.
It pains me to say this, but it was: plotless, boring, unnecessary, frustrating, full of plot holes; the characters incredibly bland and I could only define the dynamics between characters as "static"; the antagonist and the whole situation surrounding him was (let's face it) ridiculous (!); the chemistry between June and Day was inexistent...
God damn it, what happened to all the characters, who are these people 10 years later? Without their past they are only sometwo unidimensional, cardboard copies of their old (better) selves.
And Eden?!
Eden was naive and stupid, stupid, stupid! I wanted to punch him in the face for being so immature, such an idiot, and so incredibly ungrateful! His POV takes half of the story and I disliked most of it (not that I enjoyed Day's chapters better).
BTW, the least of my problems... it's not like I ever liked Tess, mind you, but why the hell did she get simply erased after those "after" build-ups? It just doesn't make much sense considering the timeline. Again, it's not like I cared about her, but I liked this girl even less.
I am frustrated.
I am sad.
I am heartbroken.
I truly wish that you will like it better, as there is no worse feeling than being disappointed by something you've waited (or hoped for) for years.
Sorry, I won't even rate it.
Later Edit, Nov 2019: I decided for the moment to give it one star for the story itself and, as a bonus, one more for the ending (it’s not that good, don’t be fooled, but it gives some sort of closure and at this point I’ll just take it)... but only because I am feeling generous and - after all, I admit that - it's still probably a bit better than the 1star books on my shelf. *sigh*
... Or is it maybe because I still love these characters and this world even though it’s unfair how much they ended up disappointing me? *double sigh*
I am too sad...
It hurts, it really does...
** I will pretend there are only 3 books in this series, and this fact truly and completely... Breaks. My. Heart!
No tears left to cry *sigh* and the irony of having that particular gif with that particular girl in my review speaks volumes, but I find it fitting.
-------------------------
Update, oct 2019: Don't get me wrong, it's not like I wanted more Day&June, it's not like I was hoping for it to be more like the trilogy. It's not even about the high expectations either. Nope. As a standalone I would still dislike it with a passion for all the reasons I've already mentioned: the plot is a mess, the characterisation is lacking (if it weren't for the previous books you would have no idea who these people actually are), the action made me cringe. I can't think of one thing I actually liked about it. Maybe the fact that it offered some sort of closure for the original story? But that just makes it feel like a very long (and pointless) epilogue.
1.5 stars?
I am too disappointed to put my feelings into numbers.
-------------------------
2018
I guess this is (way) better than the short story I can't find anywhere to buy :D
And here comes the moment when I am freaking out because I loved this series and I can't wait to get my hands on this... Wait of it... wait for it...
(you won't believe just how, after all these years, reading it still fills me with so much delight and emotion!)
Looking back...
When I first read Legend, it felt insta-lovish and convenient, but there was something about it that took hold of my heart and it did not let go. (I loved it even more after re-reading it along with the sequels.) Then Prodigy made me fall and care for these characters even more, and by Champion my heart belonged to them for ever and ever - and that ending simply took my breath away, as cliché as it might sound.
There's something so beautifully tragic about their story, there's something so mesmerising about this world, as terrible as it was at times. There's something so hopeful and sweet about that ending.
I would have crossed the ocean just to read one more page about June and Day!!!
And then came the hope this new novel gave me.
Then came the possibility of my wish coming true.
And I prayed to whomever might be up there that Rebel wouldn't disappoint me.
*sigh!*
I can only assume that there are way better things and wishes deities would involve themselves with, as my prayer remained unanswered.
Here I am.
Heartbroken!
This book did NOT live up to the beautiful cover or the previous books in the series.
It pains me to say this, but it was: plotless, boring, unnecessary, frustrating, full of plot holes; the characters incredibly bland and I could only define the dynamics between characters as "static"; the antagonist and the whole situation surrounding him was (let's face it) ridiculous (!); the chemistry between June and Day was inexistent...
God damn it, what happened to all the characters, who are these people 10 years later? Without their past they are only some
And Eden?!
Eden was naive and stupid, stupid, stupid! I wanted to punch him in the face for being so immature, such an idiot, and so incredibly ungrateful! His POV takes half of the story and I disliked most of it (not that I enjoyed Day's chapters better).
BTW, the least of my problems... it's not like I ever liked Tess, mind you, but why the hell did she get simply erased after those "after" build-ups? It just doesn't make much sense considering the timeline. Again, it's not like I cared about her, but I liked this girl even less.
I am frustrated.
I am sad.
I am heartbroken.
I truly wish that you will like it better, as there is no worse feeling than being disappointed by something you've waited (or hoped for) for years.
Later Edit, Nov 2019: I decided for the moment to give it one star for the story itself and, as a bonus, one more for the ending (it’s not that good, don’t be fooled, but it gives some sort of closure and at this point I’ll just take it)... but only because I am feeling generous and - after all, I admit that - it's still probably a bit better than the 1star books on my shelf. *sigh*
... Or is it maybe because I still love these characters and this world even though it’s unfair how much they ended up disappointing me? *double sigh*
I am too sad...
It hurts, it really does...
** I will pretend there are only 3 books in this series, and this fact truly and completely... Breaks. My. Heart!
No tears left to cry *sigh* and the irony of having that particular gif with that particular girl in my review speaks volumes, but I find it fitting.
-------------------------
Update, oct 2019: Don't get me wrong, it's not like I wanted more Day&June, it's not like I was hoping for it to be more like the trilogy. It's not even about the high expectations either. Nope. As a standalone I would still dislike it with a passion for all the reasons I've already mentioned: the plot is a mess, the characterisation is lacking (if it weren't for the previous books you would have no idea who these people actually are), the action made me cringe. I can't think of one thing I actually liked about it. Maybe the fact that it offered some sort of closure for the original story? But that just makes it feel like a very long (and pointless) epilogue.
1.5 stars?
I am too disappointed to put my feelings into numbers.
-------------------------
2018
I guess this is (way) better than the short story I can't find anywhere to buy :D
And here comes the moment when I am freaking out because I loved this series and I can't wait to get my hands on this... Wait of it... wait for it...
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