Rebel: A Legend Novel

I want to preface this review by saying that this is my all-time favorite YA series and one of my favorite series overall. Legend, Prodigy, and Champion are a work of art and so engaging that I find myself wanting to reread them time and again. No other books have ever connected me so well to a fictional word and Day and June are probably the most dynamic, impactful, and memorable characters I have ever read. Needless to say, when I found out about Rebel, I wasted no time in preordering it. That being said……I find that an honest list of pros and cons is necessary for this addition purely because it is a little different than the first three books. **Spoilers Ahead** PROS: Writing – The author does an incredible job of delving into the hearts and minds of our protagonists. When I read her work, I can really feel and connect with what the characters are experiencing. Her descriptions are simple yet vivid and the dialogue is about as realistic as one can achieve on paper. Each character has their own voice and their own mindset and she shows this in the craft of her writing. Eden – I had expected that the usual dual-perspective would be told by Daniel and Eden instead of Daniel and June. I secretly hoped June would have told the other half, but I really enjoyed getting to know Eden better. This book is definitely Eden's story (which is why I say it's a little different than the original trilogy). He became a very relatable character and I understood his struggles. While nobody can replace June, Eden did a fine job of telling us his side of the story. Plus his fight at the end with Dominic Hann was just pure awesomeness. Daniel – while to me he will always be Day, I believe that Daniel Altan Wing is (and probably always will be) one of the most objectively relatable characters to ever exist within the pages of a novel. Everything that happens to him, everything he does……you just feel it. You understand what he’s going through. He is my favorite protagonist I have ever read. I love him. That being said......he's a little different in this book, overshadowed (in a small way) by his younger brother Eden. But still......he's Daniel Altan Wing. He's Day. June – I was so worried that June would only make a short cameo in this novel. Not so. She played a vital role in this story and am very pleased with her screen time. Drone Races – a fitting tribute to my beloved Skiz fights of Legend with an Antarctican twist. Very nice. The Ending - ……I have no words for this. Just read it. I don’t honestly think it could have been more perfect. CONS: Slow Start – admittedly, this novel started far slower than the other three. Obviously a certain degree of Antarctican world building had to take place, and we had to get brought up to speed on the new lives of Daniel and Eden but outside of the drone racing, not much happens in this book until you’re at the midway point. There is a sense of foreboding with Eden’s involvement in the Undercity and some tension with the rebuilding of the relationship between Daniel and June, but nothing that makes your stomach squirm in anticipation to find out more. Unfortunately, not quite the page turner that Legend was until much farther into the book (of course it picks up very nicely in the second half). The Level System – I’m with Daniel on this one: Antarctica’s Level system sucks. Not just for the citizens of the Undercity, but just how inconsistent it was throughout the novel. There are so many instances where I would expect points to be added or lowered in certain situations, but none of that happens. Daniel kissing June? That should be some points. Attending a special gala? Got to be something there. Maybe even something as simple as the heated arguments between Daniel and Eden. Shouldn’t they lose a couple? If watering a plant will give you +1, I have to believe that these few examples warrant something. Unless all this leveling up is implied? We’re never told and never find out. I also find it hard to believe that it is so difficult for people in the Undercity to raise their level. Simply doing beneficial things for yourself or others seems like a pretty straightforward road to the Sky Floors. This implies that all the people in the Undercity are criminals which simply isn’t true. The Level system sounds like a cool idea but in the writing, it becomes difficult to enforce on a page-by-page basis. Shallow Characters – ok……building a diverse cast of deep and meaningful characters can be a difficult feat when your story is in 1st person. Even with a dual perspective, this is not easily achieved (especially here within the span of only one book). However, this is exactly what happened in the first three books with Tess, Kaede, Thomas, Anden, Commander Jameson, and even Pascao. These characters were all developed from the perspectives of Day and June and each of them was unique and memorable in their own way. Not quite in Rebel. We get a few glimpses of Pressa and Dominic Hann and who they are, but that’s all it is: glimpses. Nobody else introduced really matters. Overall, this book was a superb sequel that wrapped up the questions about life after Legend and where the future sees our beloved characters. The ending was emotional, gripping, and I am so glad to have embarked on this journey from the very beginning when I first picked up Legend. Two big thumbs up.

In this surprise addition to the series, we join back up with Daniel as he is adjusting to his new life and job with AIS while taking care of his brother Eden. Eden is trying to live outside of Daniel's shadow, which of course gets him into trouble. Eden's character goes from being the 'little brother' complex to fulfilling the hero role quite nicely. He is not like Daniel in a lot of ways and that of course creates tension between him and Daniel. I liked how Lu was able to show the struggle that Eden has trying to make a name for himself and how hard it is to live in someone's shadow. By the end of the book, Eden grows up and shows not only himself but Daniel that he can take care of himself and that he needs to make his own decisions and mistakes. The first three books centered a lot on June and Daniel's relationship and while that is prominent in Daniel's half of the story, I would have liked to have seen more of what June's life was like after they separated. We have spent so much time and energy seeing how her and Daniel were able to change the world, but didn't get to see how it all effected her. I would have liked to have seen a little insight to that. The ending of course is perfect. We get that final bow to a great story and it's great to see the story get an ending that final feeling.

As much as readers clamored for a conclusion to the story arc/romance of Day and June, this novel is really Eden’s book. Marie Lu satisfies readers whose hearts broke when June and Daniel met after a decade apart and Daniel’s memory loss meant that he did not remember their epic love. The pair, reunited now, with Daniel’s memories flooding back more every moment, must work together in their official capacities and as individuals working outside the parameters of their respective governments, to help Eden use his tremendously talented brain to simultaneously make life in Ross City more equitable for its citizens AND bring down a criminal kingpin whose motives seem sympathetic and yet are are warped by desire for power. Whew! If that sentence seems complicated, it is because the book is equally so. The Republic and Antarctica both figure in this novel, and the present struggles always carry the weight of complications of the past. Daniel’s relationship with his younger brother is certainly informed by their past. He perceives himself guardian and protector of Eden, and his grief and rage at all the times he thinks he failed in these capacities makes his relationship with Eden, graduating now from University and grown into early adulthood, awkward and frustrating. When Eden uses the Undercity to test his mettle, Daniel goes ballistic. The two brothers must learn to accept each other as grown people during the course to the novel, and it is the transition that informs the plot. Eden, whose sacrifices and bravery ended the Republic’s plague, has always lived in Daniel’s shadow, but he is not just acting out when her ventures into an illegal drone race; he is testing his invention, a new constant-energy engine. He longs to free himself from bullying by classmates and also from the over-protective nature of his bother’s love. He comes into his own in this novel, gaining a better understanding of not only his own strengths but also his brother’s life as an outlaw when he was too young to grasp it. I loved this novel, loved the new character of Prissa, and enjoyed the author’s deft handling of current action relying on and complicated by the characters’s past-and-present traumas. Now I just need some idea of how the Eden Bataar Wing of this book becomes the character we see in Wildcard! I REALLY hope there is a novella or novel in the offing that will explain how Eden goes from his work in reconstruction/urban planning in Los Angeles to leading a team of gamers in battle in Cyber Tokyo!!

I finally picked up Marie Lu's Rebel, the epic finale to her Legend trilogy turned quartet that further expands the dystopian world she created almost ten years ago! Since I hadn't read the series in years, I decided to do the quick and dirty re-read by re-reading the graphic novels, which really did help with recapping everything that happened in the original trilogy and I was of course brought back to tears when things ended ten years later and June and Day were finally meeting again after Day's memories had been missing. Although this time we get Daniel aka Day and his brother, Eden's point of views. Daniel and Eden have made a life for themselves in Antarctica. Daniel works for the ASI, an elite police force, if you will and Eden is finishing up college, being a prodigy himself. Though, Eden has always struggled to connect with people. The "kids" his age are more bullies than comrades. His only friend is Pressa, the janitor at the college. But Antarctica has its own series of rules where everyone has their points and the more good you do, the more privileges you have. Since Pressa comes from the "wrong side of the tracks" she pretty much has no privileges. Then one day Eden and Pressa decide to partake in illegal drone races in the Undercity in order to win some money. Pressa wants to help buy her ailing father medicine, for that is one of the "privileges" only afforded to those who can earn points. It's there that they meet Hann Dominic who agrees to be Eden's sponsor in the races. But what Eden doesn't realize is that Dominic is not a good guy at all. Daniel is actually working to bring Dominic in. He's a notorious crime lord who has hurt and killed many people all for his own gain. And now, he has his sights set on Eden to help him with his evil plans! What I found so amazing about this book was really how no character in this story is a teenager anymore. In fact, I was surprised we were still calling this a YA novel since our past heroes are in their late 20s and Eden and Pressa are in their early 20s. Talk about trippy! Lol. It was still as enticing and intriguing as the original dystopian trilogy though. And of course, what would this book be without June! June makes a return as well. She pays a visit to Daniel and Eden while on assignment with Anden, the Republic leader. And through Daniel's point of view chapters we learn that he and June have reconnected since that tiny moment after Champion. This book actually starts just a few weeks after that moment. I think the saddest thing of all was how June and Daniel spent an entire decade apart before reconnecting. I get that Daniel's memories weren't all the way there anymore and June was going to let him restart his life, but still it was so tragic. And yet, Daniel remembered June even if only in the vaguest recollections. This story was also for Eden as well. For years he grew up being Daniel's little brother and he was just a young man trying to find himself, trying to find his place in the world. He wanted to help people, just like he did as a kid. The story definitely had its highs and lows. It's been awhile since I read a dystopian, so I guess I wasn't prepared for all the "normalcy" even with the high tech. I still enjoyed every moment of it, mostly because I was positively dying to see how things were going to truly end this time. We were given that tease of a hopeful happy ending for Daniel and June in the Champion, so naturally with an add-on to the trilogy, you were really wanting the HEA ending, for Eden too. This is definitely a book to read if you read the original trilogy as it pretty much picks up where we left things back then. It would not be an easy read to dive into if you never read the previous books. True, the story revolves partially around Eden, it also has Daniel and June there too. The Legend quartet was an action packed amazing dystopian series that I would highly recommend if you were looking for that edgy kind of read! Overall Rating 4/5 stars

Lots of great insights, interesting and detailed action, drawn out storytelling. A fair bit of romance and discussion of possible future alternative politics and how it could all go just as wrong as the current politics.

This is the 4th book in series that ends the futuristic USA. It tells what happens to the main characters like Day. It goes from one adventure to the next. The author did a great job holding my attention through all 4 books.

A friend of mine got me hooked on the saga and I have been emotionally invested for about a year. Thank God it ended the way it did. I loved that Eden got his own story and we as readers were able to watch him become a man. I loved that distance and memory loss couldn’t keep Daniel and June apart. The story was a page turner and kept me on my toes, but at the same time it made me think of how relatable it is to today’s society. The story was deep and incredibly relevant given today’s political climate. What I loved most is how change was made. Progress was enforced by the people. I love a happy ending, especially after so much heartache. Daniel, June, Eden, and Pressa triumphed over adversity, created positive change, and love reigned supreme. It’s a truly beautiful story.

This series is amazing

A great product! Been waiting for it for too long and now its here.

I absolutely love this book as well as I loved all the other ones from Marie Lu. The story of rebel concludes the original story of Day and June very well but also provides a new view from Eden that makes this book so interesting. The new characters, for example Tessa, are awesome and i fell in love with them very fast. The story is really exciting, i couldn't stop reading and especially the end is just breathtaking. It gives the legends series a nice and beautiful ending that i guess we were all looking forward to for so long. If you read the first three you can’t miss this one!!!

An absolutely exceptional end to the Legend Series by Marie Lu. I’d read mixed reviews about Rebel but I personally loved Eden’s character and it fit perfectly in place of June’s narrative and actually think I preferred the plot of this book to the Legend trilogy. It was so easy to imagine each location in my head and I’m so glad we learn more about Day and June’s relationship. I was a mess at the end of Champion (third novel) and was so glad to discover Lu had written a final instalment. I loved it and am so glad I ordered it. I read it insanely quickly as I did with the entire series. It was impossible to put down. I’ve just ordered the Young Elite trilogy in the hope it’s also unputdownable! Marie Lu is underrated - she’s one of the best!!

I was pleasantly surprised to see a fourth book released for a series I already owned and loved. A great read. ☺️

On the one hand, this Rebel novel was addictive. I NEEDED to know what was going to happen between June and Day. It had been years since I had not feel that urge to know while reading. For that, Rebel is great. On the other hand, Champion's end was so heartbreaking while full of hope. It was a perfection, a flood of emotions. The Legend triology is a whole and Champion was written to be its end. Rebel has something less in comparison with Legend, Prodigy and Champion. Less original, less powerful, less spellbinding, less new. For this, Rebel is disappointing, just like it always be when an author keeps writing about characters when their story had already run out. The story behind Rebel is lovely, but that's all. To conclude, I loved Rebel because it rides the wave of the love story between Day and June, but otherwise it is kind of insipid if you compare it to the Legend trilogy.