Review Detail

THE LEGACIES is an intriguing YA thriller that begins with the aftermath of a murder at an elite ball. However, whose murder and why is unclear - we only know that Bernie is left standing. The story then transports the reader back into the events leading up to it, starting with 4 days before the ball. Told in alternating sections between three teens with interjections from the investigation in the aftermath, the book captures the lies, drama, and betrayals that lead to the shocking end.

What I loved: While there is not a lot I want to say to avoid spoilers, this was such a riveting read of drama and betrayals around the pursuit of wealth and power. Bernie, Tori, and Isobel are caught up in this web from their parents (Bernie), private school, and desire to make something great out of their lives. The Legacy Club is a powerful society that inducts high school seniors among their elite ranks, and the ball is the final acceptance ceremony following a competition to win some money, which traditionally is donated back to the club as the inductees are not in need of it. Tori changes things, as her family is in financial trouble, and she is actually the recipient of one of the scholarships that the club hands out, allowing her to attend the private school alongside Bernie, Isobel, and others.

The book captures different elements of each of the three girls, with Tori desiring the wealth and power that comes with the club but wary of those within, Bernie knowing the club is her destiny as she is a legacy within the club but also worried about her mother, who disappeared this week, and Isobel who is suffering from substance abuse, feelings of inadequacy, and the weight of the secrets she is carrying. Their perspectives were well-balanced, and each felt compelling in her own right, building to the shocking answers to the mystery.

Along the way to the end, there are other, smaller mysteries that arise, such as where Bernie's mother has disappeared to, and these really kept the story moving in the middle as we track the events of the induction week that led to the murder. There are some really thought-provoking themes around lies, secrets, betrayals, socioeconomic disparities, power granted by wealth and connections, consequences, mental illness (substance abuse), and bullying. It built into a more complex story than it initially seemed.

What left me wanting more: As a small thing, the perspectives of the girls did not always feel distinct, and I frequently had to go back to check whose perspective I was reading in. Their voices blended together at times.

Final verdict: Overall, THE LEGACIES was a compelling YA thriller that kept the reader on their toes until the shocking end. Recommend for fans of LYING IN THE DEEP, I KILLED ZOE SPANOS, and ONE OF US IS LYING.