jennkrenn's review against another edition
5.0
If the second book in the series was a bit harder to get into, this book was the exact opposite. I am so impressed by how Marie Lu wrapped up the Legend saga. The plot kept my attention from the first page and the various twists and turns throughout were unexpected but well written. Plus, the ending...ah, the ending. It left me satisfied and not looking for more, which has been hard to find lately. I definitely recommend reading these books!
bretzingerb's review
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
emily_reads851's review against another edition
adventurous
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Not my fav of the series but still a good read
isabellejpg's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
So I would've given it a higher rating if not for the end. I mean I loved the end bc it's not the normal
I mean now they are but 10 fucking years later haha
Spoiler
happy ever after, but i still wouldve loked Day and June to be okayI mean now they are but 10 fucking years later haha
clarissep's review against another edition
4.0
As seen on The Bookcase Diaries.
Finishing a series of books, especially if it's a series that came as a surprise like this one always leaves me kind of speechless. If anything, the experience of reading the Legend series was akin to watching a simple bud slowly blossom into a rose. From the first book to this last one, the growth among the characters, as well as the author herself, was tremendous. 'Impossible to miss' might be a more apt description. Marie Lu found her stride in Prodigy and it seems like she rode on that with this third book. Her writing style is obviously much more polished, allowing her to explore her characters in a deeper and more moving manner. To say this series has come a long way in all aspects would be an understatement. Each book was an improvement upon the last, and frankly I've never been more honoured to bear witness to an author's growth the way I did as I read each book in this series.
Having had broken essentially every barrier that made me second-guess the first book, I still think the second book is the strongest of the three. However what I love about this book was that it provided me with a satisfactory ending. As we readers are well aware, the ending is always the hardest part to read, and it is also arguably the most critical. It leaves us with an overall impression about the series that lingers in our minds before we permanently tuck the set of books away.
I'm lucky to be a part of the group that found the ending to be just right. Lu has this way of manipulating situations until you aren't quite sure what to expect next. Most YA novels tend to give you the sense of the ending early on, but this was different. Literally up until the very last page I wasn't absolutely sure if we were actually going to get the "happy ending". The epilogue is what actually sealed the deal for me; its bittersweet nature fitting perfectly with the dynamics of the series as a whole. It was at once sad but still offering an open-ended glimpse to something hopeful.
What I appreciate most about this book is how it culminated with such clarity and force the journey of the characters towards maturity. The epilogue specifically was quite moving. Marie Lu has developed her characters in a believable manner, slowly dragging out their path towards emotional growth alongside their physical ageing. And in the end she finally manages to convince me that Day and June are worthwhile heroes and not mere children who I have a hard time believing can actually pull these insane stunts. They were also somehow more believable as a couple here as well. Somehow their struggles within their relationship feel realistic enough that I almost forgot it was born out of an insta-love situation.
The pacing was consistent throughout the novel, which is to say it keeps you at the edge of your seat all the time. I know the other books in the series were the same way, but in this book you can't help but feel the same sense of urgency and dread the characters feel. You begin needing to keep reading until you reach the end because the stakes are too high to look away from. All in all, I think Marie Lu deserves a lot of kudos for putting this little series together so masterfully. I'm looking forward to what kind of series she'll do next!
Finishing a series of books, especially if it's a series that came as a surprise like this one always leaves me kind of speechless. If anything, the experience of reading the Legend series was akin to watching a simple bud slowly blossom into a rose. From the first book to this last one, the growth among the characters, as well as the author herself, was tremendous. 'Impossible to miss' might be a more apt description. Marie Lu found her stride in Prodigy and it seems like she rode on that with this third book. Her writing style is obviously much more polished, allowing her to explore her characters in a deeper and more moving manner. To say this series has come a long way in all aspects would be an understatement. Each book was an improvement upon the last, and frankly I've never been more honoured to bear witness to an author's growth the way I did as I read each book in this series.
Having had broken essentially every barrier that made me second-guess the first book, I still think the second book is the strongest of the three. However what I love about this book was that it provided me with a satisfactory ending. As we readers are well aware, the ending is always the hardest part to read, and it is also arguably the most critical. It leaves us with an overall impression about the series that lingers in our minds before we permanently tuck the set of books away.
I'm lucky to be a part of the group that found the ending to be just right. Lu has this way of manipulating situations until you aren't quite sure what to expect next. Most YA novels tend to give you the sense of the ending early on, but this was different. Literally up until the very last page I wasn't absolutely sure if we were actually going to get the "happy ending". The epilogue is what actually sealed the deal for me; its bittersweet nature fitting perfectly with the dynamics of the series as a whole. It was at once sad but still offering an open-ended glimpse to something hopeful.
What I appreciate most about this book is how it culminated with such clarity and force the journey of the characters towards maturity. The epilogue specifically was quite moving. Marie Lu has developed her characters in a believable manner, slowly dragging out their path towards emotional growth alongside their physical ageing. And in the end she finally manages to convince me that Day and June are worthwhile heroes and not mere children who I have a hard time believing can actually pull these insane stunts. They were also somehow more believable as a couple here as well. Somehow their struggles within their relationship feel realistic enough that I almost forgot it was born out of an insta-love situation.
The pacing was consistent throughout the novel, which is to say it keeps you at the edge of your seat all the time. I know the other books in the series were the same way, but in this book you can't help but feel the same sense of urgency and dread the characters feel. You begin needing to keep reading until you reach the end because the stakes are too high to look away from. All in all, I think Marie Lu deserves a lot of kudos for putting this little series together so masterfully. I'm looking forward to what kind of series she'll do next!