Rebel was the suprise 4th book in what was supposed to be the Legend trilogy. And it’s own I have very mixed feelings about. There was something poignantly wonderful about the ending of Champion, when Day and June meet each other after a decade apart from one another. Even though it’s a moment without clear answers, without a glimpse into the future, there’s something beautiful about the possibilities.
This one was Eden’s story, as he finds his own way and purpose in the world. It hasn’t been easy, being the celebrated Day’s little brother. And he has frequently chafed at the bonds that his overly protective big brother has put on him. But as the story unfolds, their relationship changes in surprising ways.
As always, I loved the world-building. There were hints of the author’s future Warcross books at the end of Champion, more fully expanded in Rebel. It’s a world that has got threads of the merit system currently being developed in China, which makes it all the more frightening with its implications.
And June and Day… while this was mainly Eden’s story, it was also June and Day’s. They’d been apart for ten years at the end of Champion, and then there was even more separation before the start of Rebel. The feeling from the end of Champion, that they were meant to be, gets lost with the neverending half-relationship, all the time apart.
So I had mixed feelings. The storyline was good, but it just didn’t have the same magic as the previous novels.
My recommendation: Honestly, this was a take-it-or-leave it book for me. It was a good story, but it just didn’t add much to the fuller series.