Legacy Review

Monday, June 6, 2011

Title: Legacy
Author: Cayla Kluver
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Published: June 21, 2011
Genre: YA, Historical Fantasy
Pages: 304
Source: Netgalley

The first boy disappeared on the day of his birth, on a night when the pale yellow moon of the nighttime sky turned red and bathed the heavens in the ghastly color of blood, on the same night the Kingdom of Cokyri abruptly ceased its merciless attack.

Across the land of Hytanica, under the shadow of the crimson moon, infant boys continued to vanish. Not until the blood had faded from the sky did the disappearances stop and the bodies of the murdered infants were found outside the gates of the city, a final word from the greatest enemy Hytanica had ever known. For the next sixteen years, peace reigned, but one mystery remained unsolved. The Cokyrians had abducted forty-nine newborns, but returned only forty-eight bodies.

Now, as seventeen-year-old Princess Alera of Hytanica is besieged from all sides by suitors vying for the Throne, a teenage Cokyrian boy, Narian, is encountered within the walls of her Kingdom, a boy who will show Alera a world where women serve a purpose and not just a husband. As Narian helps Alera find her voice, she struggles against an arranged marriage that will shatter the life she has scarcely begun to live. And when Narian's shocking past is uncovered, and war with Cokyri looms once more, he must fight to defy a fate ordained at his birth.
Alera is the princess and heir to the throne of Hytanica, and now at age of seventeen, she has one year to find a suitable husband who meets her father's standards to rule the kingdom at her side. Unfortunately, there is only one such man that meets his standards, and Alera can't stand the mere sight of him. With her days of freedom numbered, Alera finds herself concentrating on political affairs once the Cokyrians begin infiltrating the palace. But there's a rumour floating around - there is a mole, and nobody is sure who they can trust anymore. Alera finds the one person who can tell her what she needs to know, Narian, and he's a Cokyrian. Though he's the enemy, and she's just a woman, she finds herself discovering a world that she's never known...and she was never supposed know.

I was, I must admit, first intrigued by Legacy based on the cover because I'm a huge cover slut. That said though, this book was so much more than the cover. Written by author, Cayla Kluver, when she was just fifteen years old, Legacy defies the author's age and fits well into the realm of historical fantasy - a difficult genre to write. With lyrical and poetic prose, a relatable and heartening protagonist and a world of adventure far more vast than the world we live in, Legacy has all the makings of a fantastic fictitious world. This coming-of-age tale is one filled from start to finish with mysteries, lies, intrigue and a touch of romance that blooms throughout.

Alera was a fabulous protagonist for Legacy. She was the perfect balance between snarky and tempestuous and quirky teen on the verge of adulthood. Because she was living in a world where women are inferior to men, Alera's struggle was that much more harrowing because you could sense her inner struggle to live up to her potential while trying to reconcile it with the values and beliefs under which she was raised. The introduction of Narian in Legacy was perfect to complement Alera's struggle. He was, technically, the enemy, but as a prisoner, Alera was given a unique upper hand that allowed her to sense the power she might have had if she'd been born into the Cokyrian society. Narian is making Alera grow up in the wake of the prophecy that could destroy Hytanica, and while Cokyri was supposed to be the enemy, I couldn't help but love them for what they did for women. From start to finish, the secondary characters in Legacy like Steldor, Alera's suitor, kept me guessing and longing desperately for book two. It's also important to note how thorough the world-building was. Clearly defined and illustrated, I felt like I was able to step into Alera's world, which is quite a feat.

I was a bit worried about the length of Legacy, but I didn't get bored on a single page, and it never felt tedious. All in all, I think Legacy was a beautiful read that deserves far more credit than it's received thus far. With two more books to come in the series, I'm eagerly anticipating what's next. I give this book a 5 out of 5, and I highly recommend this book to fans of YA, especially those who enjoy historical fiction and fantasy, as well as fans of books like Graceling.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

33 comments:

  1. I have this one in my que as well. Good to know that you enjoyed it so much... Its on my list for next week. Thanks for the review!

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  2. Well, you have totally convinced me to read this one. I was on the fence because I've seen reviews that are polar opposites, but I totally trust your judgement. =)

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  3. Oh good! I got this through NetGalley too and I was hoping it would be good. I adore high fantasy books and I'm so happy to hear this one has a good MC and a slowly developing romance. I'm confused though, does the book have 304 pages or 500?

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  4. Fifteen?! And I felt that Veronica Roth made me feel inferior by writing Divergent when she was 21. No, but seriously, that's super impressive. All the more to her. Especially if she can get such high praise from you! I believe this is the first review I've read for this one, and gosh, does it sound fantastic! Excellent.

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  5. A fabulous protagonist and historical fantasy? I can't wait! It sounds fabulous. Glad you enjoyed it so much, Melissa!

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  6. Really glad you liked this. Starting it today :)

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  7. YEAH I'm so glad you loved it!! I'm still stuck in the middle and need to finish it, but I loooved the first part. Now I'm ever more excited to read on!

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  8. Wow!5 out of 5! That is high praise. I thought you were going to say it didn't live up to the cover. That's amazing that she wrote it so young!
    One more add to the pile! Really great review!

    Heather

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  9. I am not a big fan of historical fiction but after that awesome review I am tempted to give this a try!

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  10. I do love historical fiction and based on your awesome review, I need to check this one out.

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  11. Oh not what I was expecting from looking at the clothes they are wearing. But the story sounds amazing

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  12. Wow! A 5 out of 5 - this one must be good! I love the cover too! :)

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  13. I haven't been too sure about this book at all, but that's a great review and rating. It's kind of pushing me a lot nearer to adding it to my wish list.

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  14. Great review - now I want to read it myself! Thanks!

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  15. This was written when the author was only 15??? That is truly amazing. I too am a cover slut so I do the same thing. Thanks for putting this one on my radar!

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  16. Awesome review. Looking forward to reading this one I have it waiting for me at netgalley!

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  18. Wow! I must read this one. Writing a book, and that too a fabulous one like this one, at the age of 15 is amazing! Great review.

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  19. You're right. I hadn't heard of the book before, but maybe more recognition will come as the release date approaches. I have to admit, the synopsis is a bit off putting. Who wants to read about dead babies? But your review is stunning. Thanks, Mel.

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  20. Wow, she wrote this when she was fifteen? That's amazing. And also makes me feel completely untalented:) I could barely write a term paper when I was fifteen let alone a full novel with amazing characters that would cause a reviewer like you (meaning someone who writes very thorough, well-thought out reviews) to give it a coveted 5 out of 5. Adding this to the list!

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  21. Wow, five stars! I've been really looking forward to Legacy, but I was a bit doubtful that a book written by a 15-year-old would be very good. But dang, you make it sound amazing! I'm definitely putting Legacy on my list! :)

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  22. I didn't even have this one on my radar at all but your review has completely convinced me that I MUST get this book!

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  23. Graceling?? Ok, I'm IN!!

    Thanks for the awesome review, Melissa! I can't believe she was only 15 when she wrote this.

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  24. Super excited you liked it! I hoping to get it on netgalley so I can read it soon!

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  25. I'm picky about my historical fiction but was attracted to this one because of the cover too. I'm so glad it lived up to your expectations. Oh, and I loved Graceling which is why I'll be reading this one soon.

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  26. I agree that the cover is the really incredible thing about this book. I'm glad the inside stands up to it. Do you think the cover is appropriate - as pretty as it is. It doesn't look like a high fantasy cover.

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  27. I haven't read your review yet for this book, because I have a galley of it through Netgalley as well and am planning on reading it soon. So, I'd like not to spoil myself, but I wanted to let you know that I'd be bookmarking this review and coming back to read it once I've finished reading. The cover of this book is seriously gorgeous and I am really excited to read it. :)

    Suz @ A Soul Unsung
    My IMM #006 --> Check it out!

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  28. Okay, you convinced me. I need to read this one. I love the cover and I'm so glad that it really lives up to that cover. I still need to read Graceling but I've been wanting to get to that one. Looks like I just added a book to my wishlist.

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  29. I haven't heard anything about this book, though I noticed it on Goodreads a while back and was a little curious. Now, I want to read it. Fantasy and high-fantasy, which Legacy seems to be, can be so difficult to do well, but I will be checking this one out for sure. Great review.

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  30. This sounds like my kind of book! Thanks for the great review, Melissa.

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  31. I'm so glad this one is good! I'm a big cover slut too. Happy to hear the world and characters are fantastic!

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  32. It sounds like such a heavy fantasy for me, but I think I'll be willing to give this one a try. I can't help but be lured in by the gorgeous cover.

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  33. Wow, she wrote it at 15? That is incredible. While this does sound a bit heavy, I love a book with a strong female lead. If I'm feeling in the mood for some historical fantasy, I'll be sure to grab this one.

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