Prodigy

The characters are known, world-building is complete, and readers know the destination is still out of reach. It’s the second book of a trilogy—how will the author handle it? Lu opts for a high simmer of intrigue in her sequel to Legend. June and Day are crucial pawns in the game of political plot and counterplot as power at the top of the Republic changes hands. Love must take a backseat: for Day, to family and friends; and for June, to the greater good that is her lodestone now that her family is dead. The pair is separated for much of the book, and talk dominates action—the world-shaping machinations are the means to bring about a more personal, subtle pivot in the story. June and Day were once divided by ignorance and circumstance; now they are held apart by principle and choice. The portrayal of their dilemma is taut and insightful, and while the story line resembles a high plateau of tension rather than a conventional arc, there are enough unfolding questions to propel the narrative to its aching ending. Ages 12–up. Agent: Kristin Nelson, Nelson Literary Agency. (Jan.)