Legend

Legend is the first book in the titular book trilogy by Chinese-American author Marie Lu. Originally published in 2011, Legend is a dystopian novel that explores topics of love, family, fascism, civil disobedience, inequality, propaganda, poverty, and hope in the face of an oppressive government. Lu was inspired by the classic Victor Hugo story Les Misérables and wanted to explore a similar cat-and-mouse dynamic in a futuristic setting. Just like the law-abiding policeman Javert pursued the noble bread thief Valjean, so does the military prodigy June pursue the handsome and elusive Day. The story is told in the first person, with chapters alternating between Day and June’s points of view. Legend is a New York Times bestselling novel, and although it was published at the height of the dystopian novel explosion of the early 2010s, Legend has persisted as a remarkable novel worthy of attention. The version used for this guide is the paperback of the SPEAK imprint of Penguin Random House.

Plot Summary

In the future, America has split into two halves: The Republic rules the Western half, and the Colonies rule the east. In the Republic, children are required to take a test known as the Trial on their 10th birthday.