I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Legacy by Ellery A. Kane
Genres: Dystopian (YA)
Pages: 257
Goodreads
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. Lex discovers an ally in Quin McAllister, a magnetic Guardian Force recruit with a haunting past that binds them together. 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.
This one had so much potential. If you know me, you know I love dystopian, end-of-the-world, post-apocalyptic, type of books. So, of course, I jump at the chance to read any sort of dystopian novel.
This one just didn’t work for me, unfortunately. The main plot itself wasn’t actually that bad. An abuse of an emotion-controlling drug to create a “super soldier”. It kind of reminded me of a Captain America premise. What didn’t work was the world-building. The plot was never fully cohesive because of that lack of world building. Was it a dystopian world? Was it a modern world? I was never sure. I never had a good image in my head of what the setting actually was. When I don’t feel immersed into the world, the story falls around me.
On top of that, the book just dived right into the story with very little explanation. For the majority of the beginning, I felt a little lost, and it didn’t really clear up until almost the end.
I was really rooting for the main character. Lex seemed like slightly naïve but very capable of taking care of herself. That was sort of true. However, for a lot of her earlier inner-monologues, she talked about her mother. How her mother told her about X, or told her how to do X, or a fond memory of her and her mother when she was X age. It became redundant. Then, once the mom stories ended, her character became infatuated with a boy. While she initially came off as intelligent, it started to seem like she was quick to trust and boy crazy.
All in all, I never felt fully connected with Lex. A lack of connection with the main character is just another reason I felt disconnected from the overall story.
The love interest, Quin, wasn’t much of a savior to the story either. He was the typical angsty teenage boy with a mysterious and dark past — but that “dark past” wasn’t enough to give depth to his character. His relationship with Lex was too much of an insta-love to be convincing.
It just didn’t work for me as a whole. The main plot could have been the basis for a wonderful story, but the characters and lack of world building brought it down. The characters felt flat and I never felt connected to Lex. I was also never convinced of the romance. In fact, I think it could have been better without the romance because that means there would have been more time spent on the world building.
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| Overall: | 1.5 / 5 |
13 Comments
Gah I hate wasted potential in books!!! Sorry this didn’t work for you!
It is unfortunate 🙁 Right when I get out of a slump, I read 3 books I’m not particularly fond of. Like…what? xD
I think this is the lowest rating I’ve ever seen from you! Sorry it was such a disappointment. And I can see why if the main relationship is instalove between an MC you can’t connect with and a stereotypical brooding teen boy with a dark past. It doesn’t sound particularly great…
I do tend to like books! I’m usually not SUPER picky so most books I read are 3+ stars. But I do have a few under 3 ;P
To me, it wasn’t just instalove it was INSTALOVE. Like, the most insta of love I’ve read in a while xD If that makes sense.
I love dystopia but this sounds totally meh plus that cover is a bit bland too. Thanks for sharing!
It is a bit bland isn’t it ? I hate “reviewing” cover art because the whole “don’t just a book by it’s cover” — but that one is sort of meh. haha
Bummer, it does have a good premise. Can’t really have a dystopian without good worldbuilding though, and of course teenage boy with dark past… sigh. Don’t they all? lol Too bad this disappointed… I do like the sound of the drug element though.
It did have a good premise. Something I didn’t really touch on in the review in depth was how the world building was lacking. It was super confusing because within San Fransisco it was a dystopian/abandoned city but then where Lex actually lived (outside of san fran) was like a normal suburban neighborhood? It was so weird!
The premise sounds amazing, it sucks it kinda fell flat. Do you know if it’s a standalone or a series?
I believe it’s a series but idk if I want to continue :/
Yeah I don’t really blame you. There’s nothing worse than when a book has huge potential and falls flat.
I really enjoyed this book, but I think if I read it again, I might have some more problems with it. It was one of my first books that I had for review so I think I wasn’t as picky as I should have been (or at all, if I’m being completely honest). I have the second book, but have yet to pick it up. Maybe I’ll do a re-read of both.
Ah, let me know if the second book is any better if you read it!