Book Review: Legacy by Cayla Kluver

Pages: 496

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pub. Date: June 21, 2011

Source: Personal copy

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "In her seventeenth year, Princess Alera of Hytanica faces one duty: to marry the man who will be king. But her father's choice of suitor fills her with despair. When the palace guard captures and intruder—a boy her age with steel-blue eyes, hailing from her kingdom's greatest enemy—Alera is alarmed…and intrigued. But she could not have guessed that their clandestine meetings would unveil the dark legacy shadowing both their lands. In this mystical world of court conspiracies and blood magic, loyalties will be tested. Courage won't be enough. And as the battle begins for everything Alera holds dear, love may be the downfall of a kingdom."

Princess Alera lives in a world where duty is more important that anything else.  She must marry a man who will make a good king and her father, the king, has Steldor lined up already.  Unfortunately, Alera knows most girls in the kingdom would give anything to be with Steldor, but she can't get past his condescending attitude.  As Alera is trying to buy time to find what she hope will be another possible suitor that her father will approve of, there is an enemy intruder in her kingdom.  The intruder is Narian, who is about her age and holds some deep secrets.  Alera can't deny her attraction to the mysterious Narian, but what about the promise to her kingdom and her responsibilities?  Legacy by Cayla Kluver is the start to an exciting series that includes the very best of historical fiction, romance, fantasy, battles and a unique setting.  I was completely lost in Kluver's world and simply didn't want to be found.

Alera is like a character out of a Jane Austen novel, which is one of the reasons I enjoyed Legacy so much.  She has bodyguards, people to accompany her places, strict social rules, and a strict dress code. I found this fascinating, especially as Alera tries to challenge the conventions of her society by breaking the mold.  On the other hand, Steldor, in my mind, is Gaston from Beauty and the Beast. He's good looking, buff, and the hot leading man that everyone wants, but Alera knows how horrible and conceited he can be.  Obviously, this is a huge drawback for her.  Then walks in Narian, who is mysterious, elusive, strong, and the quintessential bad boy.  She can't help but be attracted to him, even though she knows it's not in her best interest.  I love that he challenges her, teaches her about a different way of life, and how to defend herself. Even up to the end of Legacy, I was unsure about Narian, but I, along with Alera, can't deny my interest.

The setting of Legacy is what every fan of high fantasy and fairy tales dream of.  It's a world with castles, beautiful countrysides, bodyguards, and kings and queens.  I loved reading about the kingdom, Hytanica, and their way of life.  Kluver created such an interesting world!

When I found out Kluver wrote Legacy at 16 years old, I was in shock. I found her writing to be impressive and I loved her use of imagery. I know many others got annoyed with her descriptions, but I hung on her every word. She would describe the clothing, the scenery, and the characters so well; it was easy to visualize.  I can only imagine that she will become even better as she gets older.

I am greatly anticipating Allegiance, the second book in this series, which comes out in February.  I can't wait to get lost in Alera's world again.  Legacy, in my opinion, is the love child of Jane Austen and Kristin Cashore, and if you know me, that's high praise.

*Buy Legacy

*Read an excerpt

*Pre-order Allegiance