Champion
Marie Lu
Published Date: Nov 5, 2013
Genre: YA, dystopia, sci-fi
Rating: 5 stars aren't enough.

Synopsis:
He is a Legend.
She is a Prodigy.
Who will be Champion?

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps-Elect, while Day has been assigned a high-level military position.

But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them: just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything.

With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion.

This will be a long review for I am still in awe and emotional about this book. Let me just pour atleast 80% of my feels. I know this review won't make up to the intensity of feels I had yesterday and I have now, but let me try. I am wearing my heart on my sleeves as I type this review.

I've been meaning to write a coherent review for this for a whole 24 hours already, but everytime I start typing my mind automatically goes blank and the feelings I have for this book washed over me like a tornado. It's still fresh and raw. I am still in tangled mess of emotions, but a little sober compared yesterday while I literally sobbed while clutching the book to my chest. Sigh. Why so emotional, Abby?

If I can breakdown the things that made me love this book, I probably end up writing the whole book. Everything was just satisfying and wonderful. First of first, Champion picked up what Prodigy left 8 months later. Day & June were apart for 8 months because of Day's goddy reason. Day also has Eden to watch an eye for and he will do anything just to protect his little brother while June has to train as a contender Elector-Pricep. With the plague that caused the Colonies to go ballistic over Republicans, the two government set in into a war of power, territory & governance. This war needed Day. Day needed June. Republicans needed everything they have to stop the Colonies taking over them completely. Will they make it?

Marie Lu never disappoints her reader in feeding us a very vivid writing and exceptional world building. It was the way she crafted and weaved the politics and romance that made me gush over the series over and over. It's so hard not to be sucked into her writing when I feel like the scenes in the books just lay infront of my eyes in play mode like a movie. That's how descriptive and technical her writing can be. But on the other hand, she molded the characters in a way that they stay true to their form all through out the story. Especially in Champion where the characters were bent into their extent almost breaking them.

Plotwise, Champion is no different from the other books in the series. It had the same struggle of the Republican against the Colonies, but it was the wild twists & more vehement action scenes that will put the readers into the verge of grabbing a chair. Antartica and its futuristic cool jeebus. I was in awe while reading that part. What can I say? Some time later in the future, a dystopian book might came into reality. It is not hard to immersed myself in Champion's set up for it provides all the details that wipes away the confusion of any reader. Action-packed and more kickass stunts from the characters. Well done. Hats off.

Romance. I don't know. I don't know. I love Day & June as a couple and every moment they were together made me sigh in relief and contentment. I just want them to end up happy after all the goddy shits they've been through - they deserve happiness. Their love was so pure and whole. They broke each other especially June on Day, but at the same time they filled out the empty spaces and helped heal the wounds. Sacrifice. Their relationship was a big a sacrifice. Their relationship was vulnerable, but so strong and touching. The romance didn't overshadow the main plot of the story. As Marie Lu always says "sideline;" the romance was the beautiful sideline and it will always be. The maturity of their relationship was as fresh as their childhood, and as feverish as the morning sun - calming, wonderful. Their relationship overthrew the denseness of any other romance in any YA book.

No matter what happens in the future, no matter where our paths take us, this moment will be ours.

The siblings relationship was so strong. The other love that will never waver will be the sibling love - Day & Eden ; June & Metias. This book can uphold the love of Day to Eden for he'll be willing to sacrifice himself just for the welfare and safety of Eden. I cried for June's lost and when she visited her brother's grave. "We're the same age now." 

June was a very intelligent, strong-willed and admiring heroine. I wasn't a fan of her during Legend, but as I said in Prodigy, I totally cave into her. She was so vigorous and plain smart. Her sharp and keen senses always put me off guard and I love her for that. She didn't allow her overwhelming emotions for Day to meddle with her job for the Republic. But like any person, she can be bent to the utmost, but she never broke. Until the end she exhibited such strong character - physically & emotionally. She had to bear what's unbearable although it might ruin her into pieces, she still did what will make Day happy - free. Because that is how love has to works. I cried for her so damn much. Her POV was so gripping and poignant to read; my heart was also aching for her lost & sacrifices. Despite her tough disposition, her vulnerability is what makes her more praise-worthy.

I am not a politician. I am a soldier.

Daniel Altan Wing or 'Day' as he wanted to be called by his non-family. AHHHHHH I don't know. It's really hard to talk about him while my heart is still yearning for more of him. I need more of him. I am not ready to bid my goodbye to him yet. Not yesterday. Not now. Not even in the upcoming tomorrows. *Inhale Exhale* So here it goes. I've been raving about him ever since Legend and my love for him just skyrocketed up to the far galaxies. I don't think that any other hero has this effect on me (maybe Jem Carstairs) but still my feelings for him is so different in a new whole level. He was just so brave and astonishing in every possible way. His grace in fighting; his irrevocable love for his family; his unwavering love for June; his sincere and genuine love for his fellowmen; his indomitable spirit; his charming & playful personality; his simple Hi & Hello & Hey. In short, he was simply extraordinary. June was right, "He loves so wholly. It is in his nature." Am I done? No. I want to tell you a lot of crap about my feelings for him, but I'll have to do it some other time in some other post. 

I feel so out of place here. No matter how much money the Republic throws at me, I will forever be the boy from the streets.

Secondary characters like Anden (charming & refined Electro Primo), Eden (the cool & smart kid that was full of hope), Tess (she surprised me with her development), Pascao (cool dude you got there). They brought out different hues to the story. I learned to love them all.

"Too bad everyone in the Republic isn't a soldier." -Eden

The ending wasn't the most flawless of all, but it left me satisfied with happy tears. I had a few questions regarding the 10 years time gap between Champion's set up and its epilogues timeline. But nevertheless, the ending was as brilliant as the characters. I didn't expect that because I thought Day was dying. And I was scared; too stunned to even continue. When I read Legend I thought that in the end of the series, Marie Lu will just unite the two government and make USA again, but no, she didn't. She stayed true to the reality. She stayed true to what is inevitable - that despite everything a peace treaty will always be better than unity of Republican and Colonies.

His scars will never fade. I am certain of that much. But perhaps ... perhaps ... with time, with age, we can be friends again. We can heal. Perhaps we can return to that same place  we once stood, when we were both young and innocent. Perhaps we really meet like other people do, on some street one balmy evening, where we each catch each other's eye and stop to introduce ourselves. Echoes of Day's old wish come back to me now, emerging from the mist of our early days. Perhaps there is such a thing as fate.

This has to be one of the saddest yet most inspiring line Day said.

I reach out to touch one of the walls, imagining that I can feel his life and warmth through it, and I look around again, up toward the rooftops and then all the way to the night sky where a few faint stars can be seen, and there I think I really can see him. I can feel his presence here in every stone he has touched, every person he has lifted up, every street and alley and city that he has changed in the few years of his life, because he is the Republic, he is our light, and I love you, I love you, until the day we meet again I will hold you in my heart and protect you there, grieving what we never had, cherishing what we did. I wish you were here. I love you, always. -June

Who was the Champion? 
Marie Lu.
Because even her acknowledgements brought more tears tears to my eyes. 

Rating? All the stars in the universe. My favorite dystopian series ever. Ever. And Champion can perfectly fall in line with Clockwork Princess in the best series ender.