Before You Read

Welcome to our very first blog about the book Legend. We hope you enjoy!

Are We There Yet?

1. Judging by the amount of technology this society has, how is Day not in their system
2. Why does Day only tell his brother that he is alive, rather than telling his entire family
3. Why does Day think that it's safer for his mother to think that Day is dead?
4. What is the relationship between Tess and Day?
5. With the technology they have, why won't they help those with "the plague," rather than sentencing them to death?

And Then What?

When observing the first page and the cover, one might assume that this novel is a story of a fugitive, who escapes from the law undetected. After reading the first paragraph, one realizes this novel must also involve warring "nations." Readers clearly recognize that Day may be the protagonist of the novel. He seems to be wanted by the Republic for extreme criminal offenses. Day seems to be a boy who believes neither the Republic's way of life nor the Colonies' way of life. Considering the title of the novel, maybe Day will become known as the "Legend" because of his stealth. Legend will most probably be the account of his escapes from the Republic's security.

Who Did It?

The author of the book is Marie Lu, a thirty-year-old female. She was born with the name Xiwei in Beijing, China.  Currently residing in Los Angeles, California, she has been writing young adult literature for sixteen years. Although she only lived in China for the first five years of her life, most of her life work is based on those five years of her life. While in China, she witnessed the horrific preparation for the Tiananmen Square Massacre in 1989. In that same year, she moved to America. When she arrived, her family settled down in Texas. After completing her years of high school, she went off to the University of Southern California. Marie Lu's life has been one of her major inspirations for her novels.

http://www.gradesaver.com/author/marie-lu/

Where are We Again?

Legend takes place many years in the future. Technology has advanced. Power has strengthened. Everything free has been eradicated. America has been divided into two countries--the Republic and the Colonies. The plot of the story focuses mainly in what used to be Los Angeles, most of which has been flooded by a hurricane and has been replaced with a large lake. Ruled by the totalitarian "Republic," the two conflicting sections constantly cause wars. As described in the first chapter, propaganda against the Colonies is widely used. This world has fallen into dystopia.

http://legendmarielu.wikia.com/wiki/The_Colonies_of_America