(Image from Barnes & Noble)

(Note:  Although this review will not contain spoilers for Prodigy, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from its predecessor, Legend.  As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.)

After their desperate escape from Los Angeles, June Iparis and Day Wing are on the run, heading toward Vegas.  As the Republic's two most wanted criminals, it's not easy to hide in the bustling city.  A group of Patriot rebels takes them in, but their help comes with a price—June and Day must assassinate the new Elector, Anden Stravropoulos.  The pair are all about taking down the Republic, but murder?  It doesn't help that their new leader wants none of the same things his father did or that he appears to be legitimately trying to change things for the better.  The Patriots want him gone; June and Day are expected to make that happen.

As June and Day head into Denver to plot Anden's demise, June's wracked with indecision.  What if Anden actually does the things he's promising to do for her country?  Can she really kill him, when he might be the only one capable of bringing about change and progress?  Or should she put a halt to the revolution before it's too late?  June's trying to focus on her mission, not the way Anden looks at her, believes in her, makes her feel—she needs to think like the cold, callous soldier she's been trained to be.  But that's not easy when so many are counting on her.  Will she make the right decision?  Can she save her country from ruin?  And, what about Day?  Has their union been a huge, disastrous mistake?  June's got to straighten out not just her head, but also her heart, before her warring feelings get in the way of her duty.

Like Legend before it, Prodigy by Marie Lu is an intense, exciting adventure about two courageous teens intent on changing their world.  With constant action, a heady romance, and lots of political intrigue, it's an entertaining tale from beginning to end.  This series doesn't bring a lot of originality to the genre, but it's an enjoyable one, nonetheless.   

(Readalikes:  Legend and Champion by Marie Lu)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (no F-bombs), violence and sexual innuendo

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find