Book Review: Salem's Legacy
Salem's Legacy (Vengeance Trilogy #3)
Author: Aaron Galvin
Published by: Aames and Abernathy Publishing
Publication Date: 31 Aug 2015
Page Count: 280
Buy it at Barnes and Noble or Amazon
Source: ebook provided by author
Audience: Young Adult – Historical Fiction
It's always hard to say goodbye to a book series you have loved when you know it's the end. I have enjoyed reading the Vengeance Trilogy and can honestly say that Salem's Legacy was a great ending to a long, hard journey these characters faced.
The final book in the Vengeance Trilogy, Salem's Legacy, picks up a few months after the end of the second and still follows Rebecca and her quest for vengeance against those who killed her family and friends. She, along with a few others - some she trusts and some she doesn't - must journey into the city of Boston in search of Cotton Mather. Boston is a completely foreign place to Rebecca, who vaguely remembers her life in the small town of Winford and has fond memories of her life with the Miamiak Tribe out in the wilds of the forest. As she searches for clues to the whereabouts of Mather and his followers, she must don the disguise of a pious and humble young lady, exchanging her leathers and furs for lady's dresses. Soon however, these uncomfortable clothes are the least of her worries as she is betrayed and ends up in the hands of those she is looking for. She fights her way out of their clutches, striving to end what was started so long ago.
It is a struggle sometimes to find new things to say about a book in a series when you have already reviewed the earlier ones, but I will strive to do just that so as not to bore you. In saying that, I am not in any way saying the book wasn't good or that I didn't enjoy reading it. I loved the book, and I came to care for the characters quite a bit, wanting to see them all succeed and survive to the end.
What I loved about the trilogy itself, is that each book is set in a different place, in completely different surroundings. The first was set in a small town with probably barely a hundred people, the second is set out in the wilderness, parts in her village, but most traveling through the woods; and the third is mainly set in the bustling city of Boston where you see the finery of the rich mingling with the dirt of the poor. I love the contrasts of all three places, each one bringing their own set of hardships and wonder.
Salem's Legacy pulls everything together at the end. It answers many of the questions that plague you from the beginning, it brings you more of the people Sarah read about in the journal in the first book, and it even rewards you with a surprise or two. I liked that I wasn't too sure how Rebecca and her companions were going to break free from their imprisonment and was shocked and pleasantly surprised by the answer. Though sadly, not everyone survives, it was still a great read and I'm glad Galvin was willing to sacrifice characters for the greater good of the story.
Galvin, again, gives you, the reader, a great amount of detail into the life and times of the 1700's in America. This time we get some of the intricacies of a booming city, a look at the people there. I'm glad he took to the time required to research, and give as accurate a look into those time as he could. If you aren't already fascinated with or interested in the Salem Witch Trials, I think that after reading this series, you will want to find out more about what really happened all those years ago.
I've never known whether a great book, or series of books, is better for answering every single question so you're not screaming in frustration at the end, or if it's better to actually leave a couple of questions, let your imagination do a bit of the work. I think that both have merit in different ways. Galvin does leave you with some unanswered questions, but nothing too pertinent to the main storyline, just a couple of 'what happened to...' type queries.
I am sad to leave behind the characters and stories that Galvin pulled from the Salem Witch Trials, but I look forward to reading more of his other works.
One Last Thought: There were some grammatical errors, but not enough to detract from the story itself.
Favorite Thing About This Book: The characters. From the hate filled Rebecca, to the cowering Mary, to the witches full of drug-lust, each one has a great amount of depth.
First Sentence: The winter chill grants life to my escaping breath.
Favorite Character: Rebecca
Least Favorite Character: Elisabeth
Synopsis
History is the story of events, with praise or blame.
Rebecca Kelly believes in the latter.
After months of traipsing through the wilderness, she and her companions arrive in colonial Boston to bring vengeance against those aiding in the deaths of their loved ones.
When Rebecca finds the city a foreign hunting ground littered with spies, fate forces her to align with strangers. Questioning identities, motives, and loyalties, she discovers the plots that began in Salem stretch further than anyone could have imagined…and it will be her actions which determine whether history attributes praise or blame to the true masterminds of Salem’s legacy.
History is the story of events, with praise or blame.
Rebecca Kelly believes in the latter.
After months of traipsing through the wilderness, she and her companions arrive in colonial Boston to bring vengeance against those aiding in the deaths of their loved ones.
When Rebecca finds the city a foreign hunting ground littered with spies, fate forces her to align with strangers. Questioning identities, motives, and loyalties, she discovers the plots that began in Salem stretch further than anyone could have imagined…and it will be her actions which determine whether history attributes praise or blame to the true masterminds of Salem’s legacy.
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Learn more about Aaron and his books
Author Bio
Aaron Galvin cut his chops writing stand-up comedy routines at age thirteen. His early works paid off years later when he co-wrote and executive produced the award-winning indie feature film, Wedding Bells & Shotgun Shells.
He is also an accomplished actor. Aaron has worked in everything from Hollywood blockbusters, (Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight, and Clint Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers), to starring in dozens of indie films and commercials.
Aaron is a native Hoosier, graduate of Ball State University, and a proud member of SCBWI. He currently lives in Southern California with his wife and daughter.
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