Thank you for the gifted copy of The Legacies by Jessica Goodman.
When I first read that this book was about students in an elite private school on New York’s Upper East side, I immediately thought of Cecily von Ziegesar’s Gossip Girl series. Much like Blair Waldorf, The Legacies’ Bernie Kaplan is straight-laced and very aware of what behavior is required to keep up appearances while her best friend Isobel Rothcroft is a care-free reckless party girl like Serena Van der Woodson.
The Legacies has the glamour of Gossip Girl while being a fast-paced thriller and murder mystery! In alternating chapters that detail what happened leading up to the Legacy Ball and after, readers will wonder who didn’t leave the ball alive and who is responsible? In addition to the murder mystery, Bernie’s mother Esther Kaplan, chair of the Legacy Ball has disappeared during the big week of preparation and activities leading up to the ball. Where could she be?
Over the course of the story, Bernie’s character grows as she learns more about her parents’ past and present activities. She discovers that the biggest privilege afforded to members of the exclusive Legacy Club is being part of a network built on legacy and loyalty where members take care of one another. Opportunities are granted not by what you know, but who you know,
I appreciated the cultural diversity of several of the supporting characters. The ending was satisfying and I enjoyed the twists and turns as secrets were revealed.
Note: Given that the target audience of this book is age14 and up, I will mention that there are references to drinking, prescription drug abuse, profanity, and sexual relationships.
When I first read that this book was about students in an elite private school on New York’s Upper East side, I immediately thought of Cecily von Ziegesar’s Gossip Girl series. Much like Blair Waldorf, The Legacies’ Bernie Kaplan is straight-laced and very aware of what behavior is required to keep up appearances while her best friend Isobel Rothcroft is a care-free reckless party girl like Serena Van der Woodson.
The Legacies has the glamour of Gossip Girl while being a fast-paced thriller and murder mystery! In alternating chapters that detail what happened leading up to the Legacy Ball and after, readers will wonder who didn’t leave the ball alive and who is responsible? In addition to the murder mystery, Bernie’s mother Esther Kaplan, chair of the Legacy Ball has disappeared during the big week of preparation and activities leading up to the ball. Where could she be?
Over the course of the story, Bernie’s character grows as she learns more about her parents’ past and present activities. She discovers that the biggest privilege afforded to members of the exclusive Legacy Club is being part of a network built on legacy and loyalty where members take care of one another. Opportunities are granted not by what you know, but who you know,
I appreciated the cultural diversity of several of the supporting characters. The ending was satisfying and I enjoyed the twists and turns as secrets were revealed.
Note: Given that the target audience of this book is age14 and up, I will mention that there are references to drinking, prescription drug abuse, profanity, and sexual relationships.