Rebel by Marie Lu

Rebel by Marie Lu is the thrilling conclusion to her Legend series and it did not disappoint! I wrote my previous blog about Legend, the first book, and ever since then, I was eagerly anticipating how June and Day's story would come to a close. It had a perfect blend of action and emotion, all within a new dystopian setting.

Quick Summary: 

Rebel picks up after the events of Champion, with June and Day now apart, each at the center of a new struggle. The Republic of America, where June is working as a high-ranking government official, is in a fragile state. On the other hand, Day is finding a new life in Antarctica, where he is working as a secret police agent. He is still trying to heal from his past wounds and step into a new role. They’re both grappling with deconstructing worlds.

Unlike the previous books in the series that alternated perspectives of June and Day, in this book, we get a viewpoint from Day’s younger brother, Eden. Though Eden was depicted as a young, struggling character in other books, this book displays his growth and wrestling with his role in the world. He faces challenges of his own and asks himself questions about family, the true reality of both of his worlds (Antarctica and the Republic of America), and the political situation they are now stuck in. The tension between the need to protect loved ones and the desire for justice for the greater good is a common theme present throughout the novel.

My Thoughts:

Overall, I really enjoyed the book! June and Day were both already well-established characters by now, and this book concludes their story. Both Day and June have grown into strong individuals and leaders while facing a new struggle in morals and ethics. Both of their journeys, especially Day’s, felt like a natural progression, and I feel like Marie Lu, the author, exhibited their character arc smoothly.

However, the standout character in this book for me was Eden. As the younger brother, he has always been in Day’s shadow, with Day being extremely protective over his last family member. But in Rebel, he steps into the spotlight. Eden struggled with what it means to be his own person, separate from his older brother’s legacy, and he kept secrets from Day, becoming an individual, struggling with his own issues. Hearing a new perspective added a fresh, unique lens on the aftermath of the Republic’s revolution and continual choices that shaped the world. 

The pacing of Rebel was just right, and it didn’t really feel rushed. Maybe I will check out Marie Lu’s other novels!

Year of the Reaper - A Review

 

    I’ve finally begun to work through all the books I need to read. I got Year of the Reaper as a gift about a year ago and didn’t actually read it until last month, so yeah, baby steps. And, while I have my qualms with the ending of Makiia Lucier’s book, I did find it a rather enjoyable read all in all. But before we get into my review, here’s a quick summary of the premise:

    Three years ago, Lord Cassia was taken prisoner. As one of the many victims of the feud between the kingdoms of Oliveras and Brisa, he has seen hell. A victim of the Brisan labor camps, of gruesome abuse from his captors, and as the lone survivor of the plague that freed him, all he wants is to return home to his brother; to return to his peaceful life now that the war is over.

But, peace doesn’t await him upon his return.

Of course not. If it did, we wouldn’t have a story.

Instead, he uncovers a plot to assassinate the queen, and those closest to her, including the brother he went through hell to return to.

I actually really enjoyed the tone and setting of this story. Oliveras and Brisa have such care put into their history and conflict, leading to a lot of geopolitical depth that I live for in my fantasy novels. It truly feels like a new world. Additionally, I think Lucier did a wonderful job portraying this kingdom trying to recover from a conflict, both the plague and war, instead of showing it dealing with that conflict. I feel like so many fantasy novels tend to only focus on the conflict itself, such as the wars, famine, or plague, having the characters battle with the conflict directly. It was just a nice change of pace to get to experience a story about the healing and recovery a country has to do after such devastating conflict and destruction; and this theme of healing is very well portrayed through our main character Cas, which leads me to another point.

I adored the characters of this novel. They had so much substance to them that made them so well rounded. One of the best examples of this book’s characters is Lena. (Quick warning here, the rest of the review does include a few spoilers). We are first introduced to Lena when she tries to steal Cas’s horse and fails, getting herself stuck in a tree while running from a rabid lynx. Not much later, we are introduced to her as the king’s sister; but she is so much more than that. As it turns out, she’s only the king’s half sister, they had the same father, but her mother was a concubine to the king and she was raised by her grandfather, a historian. Her dream is to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps, and that comes first before anything, even being a love interest to Cas.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. It had some fun plot twists that I didn’t see coming, great characters, and a setting that was rather different than the ones I’m used to seeing. So even though the ending felt a little rushed, I’d still recommend the book to someone looking for something a little different. But that’s all from me. Thank you for reading, and, until next time!

-Abigail Makela