Legacy

by Kerrigan Valentine

"My mother died before I was born. I did not know how, but my life would be different."

So vows Shannon Wright’s daughter, the eldest of so many unwanted daughters that the youngest are net even named. At the age of twelve, Shannon is old enough to be married and begin raising a family. She, however, has different dreams. Legacy is a fast-paced story of adventure as a brave and desperate young woman discovers the truth about her people’s past.

224 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2007

About the author

Kerrigan Valentine was born in Wisconsin and grew up in California, where she lives today with her partner. She has a bachelor's degree in Classical Studies. After graduating from college, she worked for several years in education with mildly to severely disabled children, and now divides her time between writing, occasional teaching and seasonal viticulture positions, and learning how to cook with limited success.

Reviews

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Legacy written by Kerrigan Valentine follows the life of Shannon Wrights daughter through many obstacles that she faces in her life, as well as showing how she is expected to do things she wants nothing to do with. For example Shannon is the oldest of all her other very many younger siblings, she has so an extraordinary amount that the younger ones go without names. The life she lives in expects her to find a spouse and begin a family of her own at the age of twelve, she however disagrees with how she is expected to marry and bare a child at such a young age. This is just one obstacle that she faces early in the book we see here how she’s expected to do things against her own opinion. She is later faced with the challenge of finding her youngest sister in the beyond where she finds herself meeting an army of women that are in the middle of a war. It is here that she starts her adventure rather than becoming a “proper lady”.
This novel while based on the strengths of being an independent woman is indeed very well put together. The plot line is developed clearly and understandably. Legacy’s take on social norms challenges the reader to look twice at their picture of proper men and women, as well as the concept of having to cope with war or having to live with peace. While there is room to improve on the development of imagery that gets portrayed from the book to the reader. Developing each scene in your head is very capable. I am pleased to say after reading this novel that Legacy is one of very few books I have enjoyed reading to the very end. However, due to the lack of imagery the book does take some more imagination to fill some empty spots. As a final thought I would like to include that I would recommend this novel to my fellow peers.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you liked Lois Lowry's Gathering Blue - or if you didn't like it, but wanted to - this is the book for you. This is a harsh world, where girls have no value, no respect and no rights. One girl decides that her life will be different and flees. But the world she flees into is no simplistic woman-only paradise - but it is a world where Shannon can create a place for herself as a person of value.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

May 2013

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a pleasant surprise from a free book from a first time author! Very well written, great characters and story that just draws you in. I took off a star for the hurried ending.