Prodigy~Marie Lu | Review

Title: Prodigy (Legend #2)
Author: Marie Lu
Genre: YA Dystopia
Length: 371 Pages (Paperback)
Publication: January 2013
My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Review

This was my second reading of this novel. I read it for the first time back in 2013 and really enjoyed it then. (I'm still wondering how I was able to wait for Champion, that ending man.)

Prodigy picks up shortly after the events of Legend with June and Day running from Republic soldiers and trying to gain assistance from the rebel group the Patriots. Once they meet up with the Patriots, June and Day are given a very important mission that will change the entire political structure surrounding the Republic. 

I found myself not as into this novel as I was into Legend during my recent re-read of that novel. I'm not sure if it's my mind set at the time of reading or if I just prefer the first novel slightly. I did still really enjoy this novel. Tess was very annoying in this one. I also remember feeling from my first reading of the trilogy (and it hasn't changed this time either) that the characters are far too old for their years. June and Day seem like they are in their twenties and not fifteen. Even Tess, while immature, seems much older than thirteen (thirteen!). 

If the age thing were handled in such a way that it seemed everyone grew up rapidly because of their society, that would be one thing. But I never felt that. Eden, at ten, is portrayed as a child, but these other kids only three to five years older are considered adults. The divide just seems too wide. It just never made sense to me. I think the series would be better if they characters were just a bit older, maybe even only seventeen or eighteen. 

Don't let the rest of my review fool you, I really love this book. I do think it's a bit slow at times and doesn't add as much as it might to the story, but it's a great bridge to the final installment. I also remember loving it the first time around. The characters, for the most part, are great. I even enjoy how both June and Day questions themselves. They both have so many demons in their pasts and this makes them seem more realistic. Day just needs to work on trust and June needs to work on speaking her mind and feelings. 

Overall this is a very fun read. It's the perfect trilogy for someone who loves politically driven dystopias. And the love triangles in this series aren't even that bad. And I hate love triangles. The ending of this novel will shred you apart if you feel anything for the two leads and their struggles with their relationship. Lu's writing is powerful and this ending just pushes that point further.