A Cold Legacy

“How do you ignore the voices in your head? The ones that won't let you just be happy. The ones that want more out of life. More like what men are free to do -- study what they want, go where they want, BE who they want”

5 STARS

READ THIS. PLEASE, TRUST ME AND READ THIS SERIES. I have read so many retellings, so many updated classics that I probably have burns on my retinas because of them and some of the absolute horrors I've witnessed, but this series is beautiful and thoughtful and amazing. This being the last installment made me hesitant to read it, simply because I didn't ever want the series to end, but you know the saying, and honestly I couldn't wait to read after the cliffhanger of the previous book. A Cold Legacy picks up right where Her Dark Curiosity left off: Edward in the throws of a transitional fever, Juliet and Montgomery engaged but against one another in Juliet's quest and insatiable curiosity for man's darkest desires, and Lucy forceful and headstrong in her love for Edward and her determination to save him. The Writing If I had a lifetime to take about Megan Shepherd's writing, it wouldn't be enough. It is everything that I aspire to, everything that I ever wanted from a novel, and I could not be more compelled to read everything this woman will ever write. It is descriptive in a way that doesn't overwhelm you, but completely immerses you into the book's world, from the candlesticks to the surgeries to the tender strings of headache plucked through so many of the characters. This is not a book you slip from, it grips you and pulls you through the moors and lochs of Scotland until you sink so fully into them, there is no hope of recovery from the novel. The Characters As always, Shepherd's characters have life coursing through the ink and paper of their bodies, because they make mistakes. These people are not put on pedestals, they do not seek to be perfect or to always make the right decision, and that's what makes them so believable, and so utterly captivating. Juliet, our protagonist, continues to wage war against herself and her nature, questioning her nurturing, loving mother compared with her enthralling, lethal father. She is the story of understanding oneself, and of understanding that our personalities come from within, not from any masks we place upon ourselves, or any impressions other people make of us. She makes mistakes, and she learns from them, and though the reader may want to scream at her at some points, she is interesting and likable despite her dark calling. Montgomery and Edward develop in a different relationship than previous. The love triangle has been eradicated with Juliet, and now with the discovery that they are brothers, they establish a different vein of contact, one of hesitant understanding, and almost a hopeful pursuit of friendship even after the trials and tribulations of the prior books. Edward held a particular interest in me simply because he battled so fiercely with the beast, quite literally, inside of him. It was an extreme in the physical form of Juliet's own internal battles, and that's what made it so compelling. It was the external representation of her torment, and that's why he terrified her so much, especially when the Beast took over, because in all his violence, with a scalpel in hand she could do just as much damage. Lucy and the other minor characters still held well in the story, with McKenna and Elizabeth holding particular interest, especially with Elizabeth's heritage as a Frankenstein. I was so worried that they would play her to be malicious or the insane scientist type, but all she ever wanted was to help people, to heal them with whatever knowledge she had, and it made her endearing, especially when foiled with Juliet's own quest and later squandering of her family's texts. The Story Though some areas were slower simply because of the description or the discovery of information, the book overall kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen and who the events would change. It was compelling, original despite its base in classical literature, and consumed me throughout every page. I loved the scientific aspect, coupled with all the conflicts of the book through internal and external issues between the characters. This is a story of violence, the violence of man and his abuse of nature, but also the abuse of ourselves in trying to conform with society's ideals. We are not perfect, and these characters know it, despite how hard they might try. A Cold Legacy blew me away, from the writing to the characters to the wonderful adventure Shepherd crafted and I will be sorry to see it leave, but if ever I need to delve into Juliet's head, her books will always be front and center on my bookshelf. Share your thoughts!