Prodigy, by Marie Lu: LEGEN–wait for it–DARY

Read Legend before you read this, or be spoiled like milk.

Prodigy's 370 pages cover the Republic, the Patriots, and the Colonies–the heights and depths of romance–utopia flipped on its head. It operates in contrasts that verify each other. Day and June both, in certain ways, become their reverses.

By DeviantArtist Patsie. 

June comes to shine as much as Day. By the end, I adored her. When Legend left us, she had just betrayed the Republic and escaped with Day to join the Patriots. I don't know if I've ever seen a story so earnestly acknowledge how difficult/confusing/frustrating it would be for a comfortable, respected soldier, who has fought for a community all along, to disavow allegiance. 

The ending is unpredictable and epic. A certain speech involves much sprezzatura. Day becomes even more of a spine-chilling character for his mono no aware (Very slight spoiler, so if you don't want to know, don't look it up.)

Marie Lu's own sketch of Day

These characters give something to aspire to. They are role models without being ideal. What manages to ground these fantastical characters and their inspiring story?

1. Technical text, in the form of date/place headings, news headlines, labels, profiles, etc. - An example from Legend (page 1):
   
   WANTED BY THE REPUBLIC
   FILE NO: 462178-3233 "DAY"
   WANTED FOR ASSAULT, ARSON
   THEFT, DESTRUCTION OF MILITARY
   PROPERTY . . . 
2. Constant death and grief - June never stops thinking about Metias. In the same way that we come to treasure and glorify memories of loved ones, he becomes almost divine. This is such a human example of how a character can become something so much more, so beyond themselves.
3. June's logical maneuvering and analysis An example from Legend: "I study her stance. She steps forward with her right foot. She's left-handed. Usually this would work to her advantage and throw of her opponents, but I've trained for this" (105).
4. The alternating points-of-view, forever verifying each other.
5. So much more I haven't thought of yet.