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A review by savage_book_review
Legacy by Gemma Malley
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Something is happening to those who take the Longevity pill. Those who are supposed to live forever are getting ill. And worse, they're dying. Richard Pincent has to find out why his drugs are no longer working, or risk his entire empire crumbling. Could Anna and Peter hold the key? Or has Mother Nature finally had enough of being denied?
This is certainly the best flowing of the three stories - the reader is comfortable enough with the world now that it's easier to fall straight into the narrative. It maintains a good pace throughout, keeping things moving while also allowing the characters to have moments of stillness, and the building of tension is steady almost until the climax. There are a few perspective shifts throughout, not just to each of the main characters but some supporting cast too. Surprisingly, this doesn't have a huge impact on the flow of things, but there is still a momentary jolt when you switch to a lesser character and it takes a moment to remember how they fit into the story.
If my maths is right, we're about 10 months on from the end of 'The Resistance', but Anna and Peter's relationship has shifted again, this time feeling like a couple on the brink. To me, Jude has the most realistic development, and Sheila almost feels like she's regressed rather than progressed, so to some extent the feeling of time that has passed between the end of the last book and now feels inconsistent. It's not a comfortable dynamic for either pair, but it works for the tale being told. It also reminds you how young these characters are, which again sometimes feels at odds with the way they are portrayed.
The twists and turns do make for a few surprises; some bits you'll be able to predict, others not so much. However, the resolution is a little rushed for my liking - without spoiling anything, I wasn't particularly impressed with a scientist who thinks they've been able to thoroughly investigate an item in literally 30 seconds. As the whole story hangs on their discovery (or lack thereof), I do feel that the story could have been taken in a slightly different direction so as to make these investigations feel more realistic and dramatic. There are a couple of revelations that are also squeezed into the same scene, and so it came across to me as if the author had forgotten her word limit and realised she was a bit too close to it. Likewise, there are a couple of seemingly loose threads through the book that feel important when you're reading them, but don't actually lead anywhere.
Overall, I think the premise of the trilogy makes for a great story and I really enjoyed the ideas set forth, even if the writing style wasn't always to my taste. I would love to see this developed into a TV or film series, as I think that medium would allow for some additional exploration of this particular dystopia. For once, I don't think I'd complain if they went "off-book" as there is so much more that could be done with this world and these characters.
A good end to a good series.
This is certainly the best flowing of the three stories - the reader is comfortable enough with the world now that it's easier to fall straight into the narrative. It maintains a good pace throughout, keeping things moving while also allowing the characters to have moments of stillness, and the building of tension is steady almost until the climax. There are a few perspective shifts throughout, not just to each of the main characters but some supporting cast too. Surprisingly, this doesn't have a huge impact on the flow of things, but there is still a momentary jolt when you switch to a lesser character and it takes a moment to remember how they fit into the story.
If my maths is right, we're about 10 months on from the end of 'The Resistance', but Anna and Peter's relationship has shifted again, this time feeling like a couple on the brink. To me, Jude has the most realistic development, and Sheila almost feels like she's regressed rather than progressed, so to some extent the feeling of time that has passed between the end of the last book and now feels inconsistent. It's not a comfortable dynamic for either pair, but it works for the tale being told. It also reminds you how young these characters are, which again sometimes feels at odds with the way they are portrayed.
The twists and turns do make for a few surprises; some bits you'll be able to predict, others not so much. However, the resolution is a little rushed for my liking - without spoiling anything, I wasn't particularly impressed with a scientist who thinks they've been able to thoroughly investigate an item in literally 30 seconds. As the whole story hangs on their discovery (or lack thereof), I do feel that the story could have been taken in a slightly different direction so as to make these investigations feel more realistic and dramatic. There are a couple of revelations that are also squeezed into the same scene, and so it came across to me as if the author had forgotten her word limit and realised she was a bit too close to it. Likewise, there are a couple of seemingly loose threads through the book that feel important when you're reading them, but don't actually lead anywhere.
Overall, I think the premise of the trilogy makes for a great story and I really enjoyed the ideas set forth, even if the writing style wasn't always to my taste. I would love to see this developed into a TV or film series, as I think that medium would allow for some additional exploration of this particular dystopia. For once, I don't think I'd complain if they went "off-book" as there is so much more that could be done with this world and these characters.
A good end to a good series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Police brutality, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Abandonment