How do you want to feel today? In 2041, the choice is yours. San Francisco is deserted, the Bay Bridge bombed, and the BART subway trains grounded. The Guardians, members of an elite and mysterious government-appointed military police force, are maintaining order at all costs—thanks to emotion-altering drugs like Emovere that suppress fear and anxiety. Lex Knightley, daughter of a prominent forensic psychiatrist, risks entering the devastated city to partner with the Resistance, a group of rebels intent upon exposing the dangers of Emovere. As she uncovers the secrets of the Guardian Force and confronts the truth about her family, Lex begins to realize that even those closest to her are not quite who they seem.
Rating: 3.7/5
Legacy was pleasantly surprising. It was not the typical dystopian novel, and this statement does not mean that the plot slightly veered from stereotypical dystopias; it swerved into an entirely different road and took it's own course for the dangerous journey that is YA dystopias. The plot was completely different and unique in comparison to other novels and, to be honest, it was arguably a great deal better. In addition to the entertaining and attention drawing plot, there was diversity in characters which is always an endearing aspect to any book. With that being said, there were a few bothersome qualities, one of which was the unexpected shifts from the main plot to the romantically dominant subplot.
It can not be emphasized enough how unique and entertaining the plot of Legacy was. It's mind-blowing. The reason I find it to be so interesting is because of how easily our own future could parallel with the events that happened in this story. The emotion altering drugs could be made and they could be used for the wrong reasons but with good intentions. Which brings me to my next point: the very confused characters. The main character was female. Even though she had a love interest who made his way to the top of the list of main characters, Lex Knightley is ultimately the one who lead her team. She was a good female lead and that, on it's own, gives Legacy a huge bonus in terms of characterization. Along with a great protagonist were side characters that were equally as important. The characters talked about real issues that happen in everyday life, but they didn't do it in a manner that was 'obnoxious' (for lack of better word). It was subtle and sat well with the rest of the plot which goes to show just how talented the author is and how expertly Legacy was written.
As mentioned previously, this particular novel had a flaw, and that flaw was the abrupt transitions between main plot and subplot. It got to a point where certain scenes in said subplot where completely useless to the development of the actual story. For example, there were a few chapter towards the end that were dedicated to a certain relationship while other characters were doing far more interesting tasks that dealt with the main plot. It did, however, play a major role on the characters' personalities and developments. So while it was not completely useless, it could have been avoided or redone to help with the movement of the story. But as a side note, it should be mentioned that the main character did not only have romantic relationships, but her relationship with her mom was a dominant trait in the book as well.
The story tied up really nicely in the end, but it still had room for a second novel which, I personally think, is how all books should end. Legacy is most definitely a page turner and it could easily be said that if the summary provided interests you enough, you will enjoy it thoroughly. This isn't just interesting in theory, it's interesting in every way. I recommend this to readers who are interested in a thought provoking but 'edgy' plot with a dash of romance and sappy one-liners.
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