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The Legacy - It's a Right Mess Carol
When Carol’s Dad dies, she is left all alone in the world.
By choice.
Her life is not perhaps something she would have chosen for herself, although she does choose that exact life over and over again. She chooses it each and every day. In fact, it takes a lot of time, effort and energy to be Carol.
Then a chance encounter with a substantial amount of cheese, leads to visitations from her deceased father and three entities intent on showing Carol the error of her ways, but will she listen to them, let alone make the necessary changes in her life…
Told in a vaguely familiar format, this is the story of someone who, like many others, was affected by divorce.
And like many others, she was forced to choose between her parents.
Only the choice was not tangible and it was not taken publicly, it was a clandestine choice that only one parent and the child, Carol, were party to, and they kept secret this choice all the way to her father’s dying day. Not that Carol was going to confess to it even then…
The Legacy – It’s a Right Mess Carol, explores the impact of the actions of a parent upon a child during the crisis of a divorce. Actions that occur in the midst of crisis and are then rationalised and largely forgotten by the adult but that become part of the very fabric of the child’s life. A life that is far from ideal. But we can always do something about that…
…can’t we?
By choice.
Her life is not perhaps something she would have chosen for herself, although she does choose that exact life over and over again. She chooses it each and every day. In fact, it takes a lot of time, effort and energy to be Carol.
Then a chance encounter with a substantial amount of cheese, leads to visitations from her deceased father and three entities intent on showing Carol the error of her ways, but will she listen to them, let alone make the necessary changes in her life…
Told in a vaguely familiar format, this is the story of someone who, like many others, was affected by divorce.
And like many others, she was forced to choose between her parents.
Only the choice was not tangible and it was not taken publicly, it was a clandestine choice that only one parent and the child, Carol, were party to, and they kept secret this choice all the way to her father’s dying day. Not that Carol was going to confess to it even then…
The Legacy – It’s a Right Mess Carol, explores the impact of the actions of a parent upon a child during the crisis of a divorce. Actions that occur in the midst of crisis and are then rationalised and largely forgotten by the adult but that become part of the very fabric of the child’s life. A life that is far from ideal. But we can always do something about that…
…can’t we?
125 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 13, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 19, 2022
A twist on an old tale
At first I thought this would be a terribly depressing book. I've known far too many people affected by divorce in their childhood who have never recovered and spend a lifetime with trust and abandonment issues.
But halfway through the book takes on a lighter tone and the ghosts are really funny and the ending was good because I was left with the feeling Carol would go on to have a positive life, indeed I was planning it for her!
Not a long read but a good one.
At first I thought this would be a terribly depressing book. I've known far too many people affected by divorce in their childhood who have never recovered and spend a lifetime with trust and abandonment issues.
But halfway through the book takes on a lighter tone and the ghosts are really funny and the ending was good because I was left with the feeling Carol would go on to have a positive life, indeed I was planning it for her!
Not a long read but a good one.
April 11, 2022
This is a book about a person. Just one, unremarkable person.
People fascinate me. I can sit for hours and watch the world go by and speculate about the back stories of the people around me safe in the knowledge that the truth is pretty much always stranger than any fiction.
We all of us follow patterns and get caught up in cycles and travel a rut well travelled.
I had in mind Philip Larkin's This Be The Verse, because being a parent is really difficult and seems to be getting more and more difficult these days and even if parents get it largely right, they still leave an unenviable legacy.
The character in the book hits one of those pot holes in life and this should be an opportunity for her to take stock of her life and maybe do something about it, after all, that's what happens in so many other stories. In real life that is far more unusual. No one has time for that sort of thing. So cue some visitations and some gentle shoving along the way...
...will it be enough though?
People fascinate me. I can sit for hours and watch the world go by and speculate about the back stories of the people around me safe in the knowledge that the truth is pretty much always stranger than any fiction.
We all of us follow patterns and get caught up in cycles and travel a rut well travelled.
I had in mind Philip Larkin's This Be The Verse, because being a parent is really difficult and seems to be getting more and more difficult these days and even if parents get it largely right, they still leave an unenviable legacy.
The character in the book hits one of those pot holes in life and this should be an opportunity for her to take stock of her life and maybe do something about it, after all, that's what happens in so many other stories. In real life that is far more unusual. No one has time for that sort of thing. So cue some visitations and some gentle shoving along the way...
...will it be enough though?
June 13, 2026
another enjoyable read
This was an entertaining and heartfelt story that combines humour, family drama, and relatable characters. Jed has a talent for creating situations that feel authentic while keeping the reader engaged with witty dialogue and unexpected twists.
What stands out most is the way the story explores family relationships and the complications that can arise when the past catches up with the present. The characters are well developed, each bringing their own personality and perspective to the story, making their struggles and triumphs feel real.
Jed’s writing style is relatable and engaging, balancing comedy with emotional depth. The story moves at a steady pace, keeping the reader invested from beginning to end. There are plenty of moments that make you smile, but also scenes that encourage reflection on family, responsibility, and what we leave behind for future generations.
An enjoyable read yet again :)
This was an entertaining and heartfelt story that combines humour, family drama, and relatable characters. Jed has a talent for creating situations that feel authentic while keeping the reader engaged with witty dialogue and unexpected twists.
What stands out most is the way the story explores family relationships and the complications that can arise when the past catches up with the present. The characters are well developed, each bringing their own personality and perspective to the story, making their struggles and triumphs feel real.
Jed’s writing style is relatable and engaging, balancing comedy with emotional depth. The story moves at a steady pace, keeping the reader invested from beginning to end. There are plenty of moments that make you smile, but also scenes that encourage reflection on family, responsibility, and what we leave behind for future generations.
An enjoyable read yet again :)
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews