Review: Prodigy KNOCKED Me Flat on My Buttocks!

Prodigy by Marie Lu

Genre: YA

5 Stars

Goodreads Says: June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request—June and Day must assassinate the new Elector.

It’s their chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long. 

But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she’s haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood—what if the Patriots are wrong?

In this highly-anticipated sequel, Lu delivers a breathtaking thriller with high stakes and cinematic action.

WOW! Just WOW!

I’m sitting here trying to take it all in. I’m happy, proud and sad all at once!

The very first thing I must mention about Prodigy is just how much growth is in this book. Everything is more cohesive, the world building awesome, the character development is on point, the action is intense and in your face and awesome, the flow is fast paced and smooth, the plot and the journey consistent, believable and amazing; the ending absolutely heart breaking. 

Legend, book one in the series, was a good book but it lacked a more thorough background. The reader was left wondering what exactly had taken place that led to the United States being completely ripped apart.  We had to take things at face value. The action and intrigue are what kept me going through that one.  In Prodigy, book two in the series, I find myself thinking this is what Legend needed to be.  We now know what caused the United States to be torn into pieces and really what happened to all of North and South America. 

This book also lent for a better understanding of Day and June and what made them tick.  I think I had a pretty good idea in Legend but the writing in Prodigy made them more solid as characters.  June is just kick ass.  Day and June are definitely prodigies. They are pretty brilliant, however, where Day lacks June is stronger. They balance each other out in different ways and together they are a power couple.  If their relationship was foggy in Legend it will be crystal clear in Prodigy. June might be the one lacking experience in the emotional department as far as knowing how to express it but she is clearly the more logical and loyal one.  She simply sees things more clearly pretty much in everything that transpires.  June only sees and trusts Day. Day’s loyalty is more dispersed and that is what gets him in trouble.

Prodigy had great characters. They were strong and there for a reason.  Something else I must mention about the entire series that is extremely important to me and has left a lasting impression in my eyes; I absolutely love that about 98% of the characters are people of color.  It almost felt like every single one was and hey, that sits awesomely with me! We need more diversity in books and Marie Lu tackles this brilliantly. The characters are written in such a relatable fashion proving that people are people regardless of ethnicity or color and I could see myself living any of their lives while reading this book. Marie Lu doesn't fall into any stereotype traps to prove their ethnicity. They just are who they are. The only indication they are people of color is their names.  I LOVE THIS!

Emotional connections are important to me. For a writer to make you feel throughout a book is sometimes very hard to achieve. Let me tell you this was executed awesomely. I felt so many emotions that I thought I was going to burst by the time I reached the last word on the last page. There are moments of tenderness, angst, fear, heart-breaking sadness, uncertainty, adrenaline rushes, and intensity.  Happy moments didn't really come because a sense of urgency and that the shoe was about to fall loomed over the entire time.  This book literally had me on my toes. I just couldn't take a breather.  Intense, y’all. Intense.

I highly recommend this book and the series! Beware: The ending will absolutely crush you. I have faith though… I do!

Please checkout Marie Lu's website. It's full of awesome Legend Series artwork drawn by her.  She didn't ask me to post this. THIS IS ALL ME! She is awesome in many ways and I think she totally deserves the credit.