Legend-Prodigy-Champion Series

The "Legend-Prodigy-Champion Series" written by Marie Lu is a really interesting exploration of how a fascist government in a dystopian world can be overcome, and teaches young adult readers ways that they can fight an evil government that uses its people. The two protagonists, Day and June are teens who see injustice throughout the Republic, a post-apocalyptic nation that is controlled by a dictatorship, and they combat the wrongs of their government. Through Day and June's journey to end the republic's evil reign over North America, teens learn how to question the morality and ethics of their government’s authority.

Throughout the book, Marie Lu demonstrates that anyone, even with ethnic and economic disadvantages, can change the world for the better. For example, many of the people who took a role in the patriots were variously gay, black, poor, rich, Asian and female. On the flipside, the republic's armies had male, female, gay, black, poor, Latino, and many, many more types of persons. Even June’s brother, Metias, was gay. Not only that, Day and June were of very different backgrounds. June was very wealthy, white, lived in rich sectors and had a perfect trial score (a test taken at age ten to spot genetic anomalies) while Day was dirt poor and lived on the streets, of Asian heritage and scored a 674/1500 on his trials. Despite these radical differences, they fell in love and fought the republic, together.

Another point that really resonated with me as a YA (Young Adult) reader was that Marie Lu, all throughout the books, beckoned the reader to ask questions. Not only did she raise questions about the themes of the book, but about morality and ethics. In some parts of the book, the protagonists would make very controversial decisions. For example, at one point in the book the main characters agree to murder many, many soldiers who were "innocent" per se. These soldiers were low ranking lackeys who had no idea of the evils of the republic. To these men, they were doing a great service to their country and its people. Is it really okay to kill these people who knew if they stepped out of line they would be killed? However, this raises the other side of the story. Is it okay to go along with this evil government even if they threaten your life? Not only are these questions of morality and ethics asked, but one of the most present themes of the book was morality and ethics. These books, unlike “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins, actually had protagonists that were imperfect. Katniss, the protagonist of “The Hunger Games”, was selfless and unrealistically ‘good’ while Day and June were selfish and in some ways were driven by reasons other than justice. Marie Lu showed that no one is perfect, and that you don’t have to be perfect to change the world.   

All in all, these books are written to almost warn YA readers, who are the "next generation" of how to prevent these evil governments from rising to power. Lu writes in a way that engages readers but at the same time poses sophisticated, intellectual topics. Books like these, 1984 and Fahrenheit 451 are what maybe help keep the next Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, ISIS, Boko Haram, Taliban, and Joseph Kony of the Lord’s Resistance Army from rising to power, and history from repeating itself.