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The Legacy of Eden
"To understand what it meant to be a Hathaway, you'd first have to see Aurelia."
For generations, Aurelia was the crowning glory of more than three thousand acres of Iowa farmland and golden cornfields. The estate was a monument to matriarch Lavinia Hathaway's dream to elevate the family name - no matter what relative or stranger she had to destroy in the process. It was a desperation that wrought the downfall of the Hathaways - and the once prosperous farm.
Now the last inhabitant of the decaying old home has died - alone. None of the surviving members of the Hathaway family want anything to do with the farm, the land, or the memories.
Especially Meredith Pincetti. Now living in New York City, for seventeen years Lavinia's youngest grandchild has tried to forget everything about her family and her past. But with the receipt of a pleading letter, Meredith is again thrust into conflict with the legacy that destroyed her family's once-great name. Back at Aurelia, Meredith must confront the rise and fall of the Hathaway family... and her own part in their mottled history.
"Our farm was like the world when people still thought it was flat. And when you left it, it was as if you had simply sailed too far and fallen off the surface into the void."
For generations, Aurelia was the crowning glory of more than three thousand acres of Iowa farmland and golden cornfields. The estate was a monument to matriarch Lavinia Hathaway's dream to elevate the family name - no matter what relative or stranger she had to destroy in the process. It was a desperation that wrought the downfall of the Hathaways - and the once prosperous farm.
Now the last inhabitant of the decaying old home has died - alone. None of the surviving members of the Hathaway family want anything to do with the farm, the land, or the memories.
Especially Meredith Pincetti. Now living in New York City, for seventeen years Lavinia's youngest grandchild has tried to forget everything about her family and her past. But with the receipt of a pleading letter, Meredith is again thrust into conflict with the legacy that destroyed her family's once-great name. Back at Aurelia, Meredith must confront the rise and fall of the Hathaway family... and her own part in their mottled history.
"Our farm was like the world when people still thought it was flat. And when you left it, it was as if you had simply sailed too far and fallen off the surface into the void."
365 pages, Paperback
First published January 24, 2012
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January 8, 2012
It's hard to talk objectively about The Legacy of Eden because it is an intensely personal novel. How much you relate to it may well rest upon how horribly dysfunctional your family is. Or was. And I'm not just referring to your parents occasionally fighting or you uncle occasionally getting drunk and being thrown out of bars. This book is about the kind of family dysfunction that is a sickness spreading down the family lines until nobody is left unscathed.
In Meredith's family, that sickness began with her grandmother, Lavinia. The book chronicles Lavinia through her marriages, her children, her children's marriages and then to her grandchildren. In every single one of them you see the signs and symptoms of the sickness in all its forms and variation. You watch as, one by one, it ravages and destroys the family from the inside out.
Anybody looking for a great deal of events and a fast-moving plot are best to avoid this one. Davy takes her time skillfully weaving the tale. She hops backwards and forwards and slithers through time to bring her narrative together.
Where The Legacy of Eden really shines is its characterization. Each person in this novel is like a finely crafted portrait. Lavinia stands out as the strongest character, but all of them have their place - whether they make you fall in love with them, respect them, fear for them, mourn them or despise them. What you will probably not do, is get bored of them.
Davy's writing is quite masterful. Her prose are beautiful and whimsical and Meredith's voice is not a completely horrible headspace to be in.
I really, really loved this book as I was drawn into the mystery and intrigue. I'm not entirely sure I'll ever read it again. It's the kind of book that makes you look back on your own family legacy and look at the cracks and rotten tree limbs. For some, it'll give that strange sense of nostalgia for something both horrible yet infinitely familiar.
And I guess horrible yet infinitely familiar is the perfect way to sum up the story and most of the characters.
In Meredith's family, that sickness began with her grandmother, Lavinia. The book chronicles Lavinia through her marriages, her children, her children's marriages and then to her grandchildren. In every single one of them you see the signs and symptoms of the sickness in all its forms and variation. You watch as, one by one, it ravages and destroys the family from the inside out.
Anybody looking for a great deal of events and a fast-moving plot are best to avoid this one. Davy takes her time skillfully weaving the tale. She hops backwards and forwards and slithers through time to bring her narrative together.
Where The Legacy of Eden really shines is its characterization. Each person in this novel is like a finely crafted portrait. Lavinia stands out as the strongest character, but all of them have their place - whether they make you fall in love with them, respect them, fear for them, mourn them or despise them. What you will probably not do, is get bored of them.
Davy's writing is quite masterful. Her prose are beautiful and whimsical and Meredith's voice is not a completely horrible headspace to be in.
I really, really loved this book as I was drawn into the mystery and intrigue. I'm not entirely sure I'll ever read it again. It's the kind of book that makes you look back on your own family legacy and look at the cracks and rotten tree limbs. For some, it'll give that strange sense of nostalgia for something both horrible yet infinitely familiar.
And I guess horrible yet infinitely familiar is the perfect way to sum up the story and most of the characters.
February 9, 2018
Beautiful. Poignant. Packed with secrets tantalisingly revealed. My kind of book.
February 19, 2014
Initial reaction: FINALLY finished. It's good but flawed and extremely sluggish in turns. There are quite a bit of characters to keep up with as well, but ultimately, I liked the intimacy of the narrative even if there were things I didn't like about it. More expansion to come in the full review. Probably rating this around 3 or 3.5 stars.
Full review:
This book took me two years to read or thereabouts.Dude, where's my medal? Kidding. I finally finished it in 2014 (still had a copy of the ARC book on my Kindle, how about that?)
On a serious note, I think finding the space and time to read this was much more rewarding after several tries than when I picked it up initially, but I'm going to say for the record that this is not a book that all will enjoy. Sometimes it can get depressing or just plain infuriating.
This is a story of a very flawed, broken family; the bulk of what you'll get from it is *drama*. It is told from the perspective of a woman who wanted to leave her family past behind, but at the death of an uncle, she's having to return to the farm where all of these horrible things happened in her past. No one else will do it because they want nothing to do with the place, and there are more than a fair share of ghosts she has to confront for what they are.
The eerie thing is that I was reading this book aside Daphne du Maurier's "Rebecca" and surprisingly - I found some subtle parallels. That might have factored into why I was able to enjoy this a little more than when I picked it up.
Sadly - there are a LOT of characters to keep track of in this piece. The pacing can be a little tedious and sometimes you want to throw things at these characters to knock sense into them.
*still writing, long review*
Full review:
This book took me two years to read or thereabouts.
On a serious note, I think finding the space and time to read this was much more rewarding after several tries than when I picked it up initially, but I'm going to say for the record that this is not a book that all will enjoy. Sometimes it can get depressing or just plain infuriating.
This is a story of a very flawed, broken family; the bulk of what you'll get from it is *drama*. It is told from the perspective of a woman who wanted to leave her family past behind, but at the death of an uncle, she's having to return to the farm where all of these horrible things happened in her past. No one else will do it because they want nothing to do with the place, and there are more than a fair share of ghosts she has to confront for what they are.
The eerie thing is that I was reading this book aside Daphne du Maurier's "Rebecca" and surprisingly - I found some subtle parallels. That might have factored into why I was able to enjoy this a little more than when I picked it up.
Sadly - there are a LOT of characters to keep track of in this piece. The pacing can be a little tedious and sometimes you want to throw things at these characters to knock sense into them.
*still writing, long review*
August 10, 2014
Seventeen years ago, Meredith left her family and her beautiful childhood home vowing never to return. In the present day, she receives a letter informing her that the sole inhibitor of the now decaying house, a cousin, has died and that the property is to be sold. Calling her estranged sisters, they decide to go back one final time to lay some ghosts to rest.
Meredith's narration is taken from her own child-to-adult observations, as well as from the secrets and stories her grandmother Lavinia told her on her death-bed. In the 1940s, Lavinia is a young woman determined to rise to the top no matter who gets in her way, be they family, friend or foe. Cold and manipulative, she rules her husband, sons and hated step-daughter, bending them to her will on a daily basis, whilst cunningly biding her time with her cruellest of strikes. Unsurprisingly her children become dysfunctional disasters, as do their own children in turn, and the family implodes time after time until it collapses completely.
Meredith blends the different generations - grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts, cousins, sisters - together, telling their stories in and out of order, hinting of events to come and their devastating consequences, and musing over her conflicted feelings towards each family member. Deep and dark, she tells a haunting tale of regret, guilt and defiance.
I really enjoyed this, it drew me in right from the very first page. I loved it's style and format, it's painfully fleshed out characterisations, it's destructive power. It's a book that's best read in as few sessions as possible so as not to interrupt its poignant flow; each damaged and desperate character has a role to play, with all roads leading back to the indomitable Lavinia.
Meredith's narration is taken from her own child-to-adult observations, as well as from the secrets and stories her grandmother Lavinia told her on her death-bed. In the 1940s, Lavinia is a young woman determined to rise to the top no matter who gets in her way, be they family, friend or foe. Cold and manipulative, she rules her husband, sons and hated step-daughter, bending them to her will on a daily basis, whilst cunningly biding her time with her cruellest of strikes. Unsurprisingly her children become dysfunctional disasters, as do their own children in turn, and the family implodes time after time until it collapses completely.
Meredith blends the different generations - grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts, cousins, sisters - together, telling their stories in and out of order, hinting of events to come and their devastating consequences, and musing over her conflicted feelings towards each family member. Deep and dark, she tells a haunting tale of regret, guilt and defiance.
I really enjoyed this, it drew me in right from the very first page. I loved it's style and format, it's painfully fleshed out characterisations, it's destructive power. It's a book that's best read in as few sessions as possible so as not to interrupt its poignant flow; each damaged and desperate character has a role to play, with all roads leading back to the indomitable Lavinia.
February 2, 2012
Meredith has created her own life, without a past. She's changed her name and the way she lives. She wants to forget it all, but that is hard to do when she receives a letter from a lawyer. She calls her sister but she is shocked and angry that Meredith is even contemplating calling the law firm. But Meredith isn't finished with her past and so she calls. The law firm is willing to sell the property and the land but they want someone in the family to come and inventory - see if they want anything. Meredith is that person and she agrees. But as she comes to that revelation, she begins to see the ghosts of her ancestors and speaks to them. Is she going crazy or is she coming to her own self-realization?
Her memories take the reader back into the past of Ann Marie Parks, who would later become Meredith's grandmother. Ann Marie is a cold woman but she has a reason for everything she does, and her actions have dire consequences. The reader begins to become acquainted with the family; her grandfather Cal, her sisters Claudia and Ava, her Aunt Piper and Julia. The farm, once golden, is harboring deep dark secrets and Meredith slowing reveals them, and the part she played in them.
The Legacy to Eden is a mixture of an epic family saga and a gothic mystery, with tendrils of shadow looming waiting for the reader to open the drapes and let the sunshine in to reveal the secrets. The characters are all diverse and Davy does an impeccable job of slowing peeling back the layers of each one to give more clarity to the reader. I found myself immersed in their world and turning the pages, wanting to know more. A highly recommended read!
Her memories take the reader back into the past of Ann Marie Parks, who would later become Meredith's grandmother. Ann Marie is a cold woman but she has a reason for everything she does, and her actions have dire consequences. The reader begins to become acquainted with the family; her grandfather Cal, her sisters Claudia and Ava, her Aunt Piper and Julia. The farm, once golden, is harboring deep dark secrets and Meredith slowing reveals them, and the part she played in them.
The Legacy to Eden is a mixture of an epic family saga and a gothic mystery, with tendrils of shadow looming waiting for the reader to open the drapes and let the sunshine in to reveal the secrets. The characters are all diverse and Davy does an impeccable job of slowing peeling back the layers of each one to give more clarity to the reader. I found myself immersed in their world and turning the pages, wanting to know more. A highly recommended read!
February 15, 2012
It has been years since Meredith has seen or set foot on Aurelia. Aurelia is a piece of property that lies on more than three thousand acres of land. Meredith receives a letter. The letter tells her that her cousin has passed away and that Aurelia will be dissolved and auctioned off to the highest bidders. The attorney suggests to Meredith that it would make things easier if someone in the family was to come down to Aurelia and sign the papers. Once back at Aurelia, Meredith remembers both the good and bad times of her family.
I tried to get into this book but I just was not feeling the vibes. The characters felt old-fashioned and not so much in a good way. For this type of story to really work for me, the characters have to be engaging, jump off the pages and make me feel something for them. Thus is did not happen for me end I did not wish to continue learning about the Hathaway family or their secrets. Like for example, when Meredith’s grandmother, Lavinia left with Meredith’s grandfather, who at the time was her lover. Yeah, Lavinia was an adulteress. Well, anyways, when Meredith’s grandfather came to the house to confront Lavinia’s current husband that he was taking Lavinia away with him, he asked Lavinia if she wanted to go and she nodded her head yes. He than left the room without a fight. This is when I knew I was probably not going to enjoy this book as I had hoped. Although, Lavinia and Meredith’s grandfather were a nice match, I yelled in my head that Lavinia’s current husband needed to show some fight and be more of a man. This book may not have been my cup of tea but it does not mean it might not appeal to you.
I tried to get into this book but I just was not feeling the vibes. The characters felt old-fashioned and not so much in a good way. For this type of story to really work for me, the characters have to be engaging, jump off the pages and make me feel something for them. Thus is did not happen for me end I did not wish to continue learning about the Hathaway family or their secrets. Like for example, when Meredith’s grandmother, Lavinia left with Meredith’s grandfather, who at the time was her lover. Yeah, Lavinia was an adulteress. Well, anyways, when Meredith’s grandfather came to the house to confront Lavinia’s current husband that he was taking Lavinia away with him, he asked Lavinia if she wanted to go and she nodded her head yes. He than left the room without a fight. This is when I knew I was probably not going to enjoy this book as I had hoped. Although, Lavinia and Meredith’s grandfather were a nice match, I yelled in my head that Lavinia’s current husband needed to show some fight and be more of a man. This book may not have been my cup of tea but it does not mean it might not appeal to you.
September 3, 2014
Meredith erfährt, dass ihr Cousin gestorben ist und somit das alte Familienanwesen “Eden” und die zugehörige Farm verkauft werden sollen. An Merediths Reaktion ist gleich zu erkennen – in dieser Familie ist etwas schiefgelaufen. Sie entschließt sich dennoch, die alten Geister zu konfrontieren und zur Farm zu reisen, um die Sachen ihrer Eltern durchzugehen. Dabei erinnert sie sich an die Geschichte der Familie, die ihr größtenteils die Matriarchin der Familie, ihre Großmutter Lavinia erzählt hat.
Wer mich kennt, weiß, dass ich nichts so sehr liebe wie Familiengeschichten, die ein Geheimnis, einen Konflikt in der Vergangenheit bergen. Daher konnte ich bei diesem Erstlingswerk der britischen Autorin nicht widerstehen. Lavinia, die zentrale Figur neben der Erzählerin Meredith, ist eine faszinierende Persönlichkeit. Man weiß von Anfang an, dass sie kein Engel war, nein, sie ist beinahe verhasst bei ihren Nachkommen. Dennoch kann man als Leser nicht umhin, gelegentlich auch Sympathien für sie zu entwickeln. Solche zwiespältigen Charaktere mag ich sehr gern. Die Geschichte der Familie ist tragisch, ein wenig wie der Aufstieg und der Fall der Buddenbrooks. Was zum endgültigen Zerwürfnis, auch zwischen Meredith und ihren Schwestern geführt hat, erfahren wir erst am Schluss, man kann es sich jedoch schon eine Weile vorher ungefähr denken. Es gibt keinen atemberaubenden Twist, wie etwa in den Büchern von Kate Morton, dennoch habe ich diese Familiengeschichte gerne gelesen und hoffe, dass wir noch mehr von Nelle Davy hören werden und dass sich vielleicht auch ein deutscher Verlag findet.
Wer mich kennt, weiß, dass ich nichts so sehr liebe wie Familiengeschichten, die ein Geheimnis, einen Konflikt in der Vergangenheit bergen. Daher konnte ich bei diesem Erstlingswerk der britischen Autorin nicht widerstehen. Lavinia, die zentrale Figur neben der Erzählerin Meredith, ist eine faszinierende Persönlichkeit. Man weiß von Anfang an, dass sie kein Engel war, nein, sie ist beinahe verhasst bei ihren Nachkommen. Dennoch kann man als Leser nicht umhin, gelegentlich auch Sympathien für sie zu entwickeln. Solche zwiespältigen Charaktere mag ich sehr gern. Die Geschichte der Familie ist tragisch, ein wenig wie der Aufstieg und der Fall der Buddenbrooks. Was zum endgültigen Zerwürfnis, auch zwischen Meredith und ihren Schwestern geführt hat, erfahren wir erst am Schluss, man kann es sich jedoch schon eine Weile vorher ungefähr denken. Es gibt keinen atemberaubenden Twist, wie etwa in den Büchern von Kate Morton, dennoch habe ich diese Familiengeschichte gerne gelesen und hoffe, dass wir noch mehr von Nelle Davy hören werden und dass sich vielleicht auch ein deutscher Verlag findet.
February 18, 2012
The Legacy of Eden offers a detailed look into the life of the Hathaway family- a once prestigious clan held in high regard within their community who succumb to ruin. Secrets, misspent wealth and loss riddle the family's destruction and define the younger generation. One of them being Meredith Pincetti who travels back to Aurelia and shares the story of her family...the one she knows of and the one her dead relatives bring forth.
Jumping into Eden held much promise in the first 100 pages, I felt the writers voice was unique and the story layered with many deep levels had the opportunity to stand out in its genre. In the beginning I really loved how Davy introduced us to the family...even the dead ones.....giving it an almost Gothic like feel and setting the tone for a great saga-story. Unfortunately though, I lost my connection to the book half way through and really struggled to finish. Let me say first that Davy is a gifted writer and I know people out there will enjoy her drawn out prose, however for me the hardest part was the pacing, I felt that I slogged through the last half of the book and even with the exquisite style of writing the characters failed to engage or provoke any emotion for me as a reader.
Jumping into Eden held much promise in the first 100 pages, I felt the writers voice was unique and the story layered with many deep levels had the opportunity to stand out in its genre. In the beginning I really loved how Davy introduced us to the family...even the dead ones.....giving it an almost Gothic like feel and setting the tone for a great saga-story. Unfortunately though, I lost my connection to the book half way through and really struggled to finish. Let me say first that Davy is a gifted writer and I know people out there will enjoy her drawn out prose, however for me the hardest part was the pacing, I felt that I slogged through the last half of the book and even with the exquisite style of writing the characters failed to engage or provoke any emotion for me as a reader.
January 22, 2013
The Legacy of Eden written by Nelle Davy is published by MIRA a division of Harlequin.
Merideth gets a letter from a law firm informing her of the death of her cousin and telling her that he died in debt and his farm and all property was being sold to pay off those debts.
Merideth and her two sisters had been raised on the farm and none of them have fond memories of the place. Merideth is the only one that feels a sense of duty. She decides to travel to Iowa and go through the house and see to things before the farm is sold.
The ghost of her family appear to her now and memories long buried come bubbling to the surface.
The story is told in flashbacks as Merideth remembers her talks with her grandmother.
The farm - Aurelia- is the center of the lives of Hathaway family. Lavinia, Merideth's grandmother, begins the story of their family back when she was child and how she came to marry Cal Hathaway.
The story switches back and forth between the past and present as Merideth faces the past and comes to terms with the present and her future.
This family's history is mired in scandal and tragedy. Lavinia is a stong willed, manipulative, controlling woman that took charge of the farm and the family once she and Cal were married. Her need to have everything her way spreads resentment, kills relationships, and has far reaching effects on the family for generations to come.
This is a dark family drama that sort of leaves you to decide if Merideth is able to make peace with her ghost and move forward or is she accepts her fate as one of Hathaways.
The books is very absorbing. There is something that Merideth is leading us to that we know will explain everything, but we also know it won't be all that pleasant. But, I couldn't seem to tear myself away from the book until I knew what the worst secret of all might be.
This book was published by Harlequin MIRA and usually in my mind I equate that with romance of some kind, maybe women's fiction and romantic suspense. However, this book seems to defy any set genre.
So, be forewarned, this is not a romance novel.
This is a family saga with the theme of forgiveness interwoven through out. I'm not really sure what to make of Merideth's end story. I would like to think that she was both accepting of who she was and who her family was, but also that she was able to put her demons to rest and let go of the past and go on with her life, whatever that might be.
From a personal standpoint my three star rating has more to do with the book not really being the type of book that I really like to read. It was still a good book and I'm glad I read it because I really enjoyed the writing and I think the author has talent.
I think the book will appeal to fans of literature and drama. Over all a B-/C+
Merideth gets a letter from a law firm informing her of the death of her cousin and telling her that he died in debt and his farm and all property was being sold to pay off those debts.
Merideth and her two sisters had been raised on the farm and none of them have fond memories of the place. Merideth is the only one that feels a sense of duty. She decides to travel to Iowa and go through the house and see to things before the farm is sold.
The ghost of her family appear to her now and memories long buried come bubbling to the surface.
The story is told in flashbacks as Merideth remembers her talks with her grandmother.
The farm - Aurelia- is the center of the lives of Hathaway family. Lavinia, Merideth's grandmother, begins the story of their family back when she was child and how she came to marry Cal Hathaway.
The story switches back and forth between the past and present as Merideth faces the past and comes to terms with the present and her future.
This family's history is mired in scandal and tragedy. Lavinia is a stong willed, manipulative, controlling woman that took charge of the farm and the family once she and Cal were married. Her need to have everything her way spreads resentment, kills relationships, and has far reaching effects on the family for generations to come.
This is a dark family drama that sort of leaves you to decide if Merideth is able to make peace with her ghost and move forward or is she accepts her fate as one of Hathaways.
The books is very absorbing. There is something that Merideth is leading us to that we know will explain everything, but we also know it won't be all that pleasant. But, I couldn't seem to tear myself away from the book until I knew what the worst secret of all might be.
This book was published by Harlequin MIRA and usually in my mind I equate that with romance of some kind, maybe women's fiction and romantic suspense. However, this book seems to defy any set genre.
So, be forewarned, this is not a romance novel.
This is a family saga with the theme of forgiveness interwoven through out. I'm not really sure what to make of Merideth's end story. I would like to think that she was both accepting of who she was and who her family was, but also that she was able to put her demons to rest and let go of the past and go on with her life, whatever that might be.
From a personal standpoint my three star rating has more to do with the book not really being the type of book that I really like to read. It was still a good book and I'm glad I read it because I really enjoyed the writing and I think the author has talent.
I think the book will appeal to fans of literature and drama. Over all a B-/C+
February 5, 2012
Written in the spirit of Gone With The Wind or Fried Green Tomatoes you are going to love The Legacy of Eden by Nelle Davy! Truly an epic novel about an Iowa Farming Family who though quite prosperous create their own tragedies by infighting, and machinations of the matriarch grandmother Lavina Hathaway. A family with secrets not discussed, a family envied by all in the county because on the surface they are rich and successful.
Is a family’s value all in the land they own or is there more? For some in the Hathaway family Aurelia(the family farm land) was all that mattered. What tears a family apart. Can the spirits of the generations who came before tell you who you are or who you will become? Of course every family has secrets but we must ask ourselves if they are too tender to explore after reading The Legacy of Eden by Nelle Davy.
Though receiving an uncorrected copy for review there wasn’t too much that I couldn’t get my mind around and enjoy the reading through the few typographical errors. It’s very well written and draws you in to each character enough so you’ll want to know more about them. It does jump timeline from past to present but not so much that you can’t comprehend what is taking place. I very much enjoyed reading The Legacy of Eden and highly recommend you pick up a copy when it’s released in February 2012!
Is a family’s value all in the land they own or is there more? For some in the Hathaway family Aurelia(the family farm land) was all that mattered. What tears a family apart. Can the spirits of the generations who came before tell you who you are or who you will become? Of course every family has secrets but we must ask ourselves if they are too tender to explore after reading The Legacy of Eden by Nelle Davy.
Though receiving an uncorrected copy for review there wasn’t too much that I couldn’t get my mind around and enjoy the reading through the few typographical errors. It’s very well written and draws you in to each character enough so you’ll want to know more about them. It does jump timeline from past to present but not so much that you can’t comprehend what is taking place. I very much enjoyed reading The Legacy of Eden and highly recommend you pick up a copy when it’s released in February 2012!
February 23, 2012
I had recieved this book as part of the VBT# from MediaMuscle and I was captivated by the cover , I had the one on the right as I started reading it, it took a while for me to get past the few pages as I wasn't over excited with the book. For me, it was a little bit slow but if you are a fan of the historical fiction and enjoyed books like The Secret Life of Bees , Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly . The types of novels that take place throughout the different generations . The Legacy of Eden talks to us about the Hathaway family especially the women. For generations , the house Aurelia has been in the family. It stood tall and showed class and was the crowning glory of Iowa. The house was a momument , a means to elevate and raise the Hathaway name into society starting with the Grandmother Lavinia. The house now is decaying and has become run-down , once filled with life , the house is rotting away and the youngest grandchild Meredith has inherited the home but she want's nothing to do with it , as for Meredith the Aurelia house brings nothing but bad memories. Reluctantly, Meredith arrives at Aurelia and the novel starts to pick up as it takes us on a journey throughout the Hathaway Woman and in order for Meredith to find comfort and joy, she must re-live and re-discover the true meaning of what Aurelia stands for.
A good read for fans of Historical Fiction and Family Sagas
A good read for fans of Historical Fiction and Family Sagas
December 4, 2016
El legado del Edén es la historia de una familia marcada por la ambición, el orgullo y el ansia de poder. Es una íntima conversación con una de las protagonistas, Meredith, quien se abre a nosotros y nos revela los acontecimientos y los secretos que han marcado a su familia durante generaciones; una familia que se presenta como un eco lejano, como un grupo de fantasmas bajo las sombras de lo que alguna vez se esperase que fuera el comienzo de algo grande.
Como en toda conversación, los viajes temporales ocurren con bastante frecuencia, así como también se mezcla la realidad con el recuerdo...recuerdos que a veces son bastantes escalofriantes, algo que se debe en gran medida a la ambientación y a la forma en la que se narran los sucesos.
Es una historia que, siendo ficticia, bien podría ser tomada por real.
[...] y de pronto me pareció que nuestra casa no era una casa: era una tumba y nosotros éramos los fantasmas que la habitaban porque los que nos habían precedido al menos se habían liberado con la muerte, mientras que nosotras seguíamos aún ancladas por el recuerdo.
Como en toda conversación, los viajes temporales ocurren con bastante frecuencia, así como también se mezcla la realidad con el recuerdo...recuerdos que a veces son bastantes escalofriantes, algo que se debe en gran medida a la ambientación y a la forma en la que se narran los sucesos.
Es una historia que, siendo ficticia, bien podría ser tomada por real.
[...] y de pronto me pareció que nuestra casa no era una casa: era una tumba y nosotros éramos los fantasmas que la habitaban porque los que nos habían precedido al menos se habían liberado con la muerte, mientras que nosotras seguíamos aún ancladas por el recuerdo.
September 21, 2014
Dysfunctional Family... well that's a polite way of describing the family in this book, really they are well let's just stick with Dysfunctional. Nelle Davy, created a story around this family going from past to present to paint the whole picture and story to the reader. I loved that the most about this book, we really get to see it all.
I really enjoyed this book and the way the author did just that, shows it all to us, every little detail. Yes it does take some time and it is a slow paced book, but I think it had to be for the reader to see the whole story and understand what these characters were going through. Each character in this book, Nelle Davy, makes them just as special as the main character, even if you end up hating them.
To Read More of my review click Here
I really enjoyed this book and the way the author did just that, shows it all to us, every little detail. Yes it does take some time and it is a slow paced book, but I think it had to be for the reader to see the whole story and understand what these characters were going through. Each character in this book, Nelle Davy, makes them just as special as the main character, even if you end up hating them.
To Read More of my review click Here
November 30, 2011
This book is amazing, terrifying, enticing, haunting, and brilliant all at the same time. Reading it is like watching a train wreck. You can't stop reading even though know it can't end well. Amazing! I even ended up burning rolls for Thanksgiving because I couldn't put the book down to get them out! It's roll burning good!
May 22, 2012
Good story, strong characters. I struggled a bit with her writing style - run on sentences and overuse of pronouns had me confused sometimes and I had to go back and re-read paragraphs frequently. And the ending was a bit disappointing - no surprises, just confirmed what the reader already assumed from page 1. Looking forward to book club discussion and Skype session with the author tonight!
November 17, 2014
Really enjoyed rereading this book, all the complicated family stuff, and yeah, sad, but good!
October 30, 2019
This traced the history of a dysfunctional family over 3 generations. Meredith was the main narrator but her grandmother’s voice came through as Meredith recalled conversations with her as she drifted into dementia. It wasn’t a very uplifting tale as all the characters were flawed. There was quite a few characters to remember. The focus was on the female members of the family with each one having a chapter revealing their role in the saga. These were strong characters. The men, however, were drawn very hazily and drink seemed to feature very heavily in all their lives.
The book was rather laboured in parts ( it seemed long) but I was interested enough in the characters to keep reading to see how the story developed. The ending was disappointing- no surprises despite the attempted build up throughout that there was going to be a great secret revealed. I am rather ambivalent about the book. It didn’t really move me but I did finish it.
The book was rather laboured in parts ( it seemed long) but I was interested enough in the characters to keep reading to see how the story developed. The ending was disappointing- no surprises despite the attempted build up throughout that there was going to be a great secret revealed. I am rather ambivalent about the book. It didn’t really move me but I did finish it.
February 19, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. The writer did a phenomenal job at the setting, creating a grand farmhouse built from the ground up. I really enjoyed the way each character was described in detail and you could see the evolution of the characters as they grew individually and as part of a sometimes very twisted family unit. Touches of themes of family duty, sibling rivalry, death, alcoholism, and forgivness.
July 15, 2025
A story of inter generational dysfunction and class structure.
This novel follows the matriarch Lavinia as she raises and buries her sons and still tries to protect the Hathaway family name.
Nelle Davy weaves the narrative skillfully and poignantly, focusing on the desperation that many of the characters experience.
The story’s protagonist, Meredith returns home to confront the ghosts of past, the lies told and the demons of dysfunction.
A great read, beautifully written and powerful.
This novel follows the matriarch Lavinia as she raises and buries her sons and still tries to protect the Hathaway family name.
Nelle Davy weaves the narrative skillfully and poignantly, focusing on the desperation that many of the characters experience.
The story’s protagonist, Meredith returns home to confront the ghosts of past, the lies told and the demons of dysfunction.
A great read, beautifully written and powerful.
November 13, 2014
Reviewed on Alexa Loves Books
I have recently realized that I am, in general, a fan of novels that weave a family dynamic into the story. The relationship between family members is a fascinating one indeed – bound together by blood doesn’t always mean the most peaceful of tales.
As The Legacy of Eden clearly shows us, sometimes, behind a wonderful façade that other people see and that you choose to remember, there are always the memories that lurk in the deepest, darkest corners of our minds. This novel navigated turns and twists in the life of one family living on one property, the farm Aurelia in Iowa, beautifully. The end result is a tale that reveals the secrets and history of the Hathaways.
The Characters
While telling a tale with an incredibly large cast of characters can be no easy feat, I thought Nelle Davy did a wonderful job. It is to be noted, of course, that the narrator’s voice is decidedly feminine and thus we only find out about the men in the story based on their impressions.
The Hathaways in their entirety are the centerpiece of this novel. It is their lives we learn about, their memories we experience, their stories we live through. To me, it felt kind of like a pulling back of the curtain on their private lives. They might have put up a good front to the rest of the world, but now, in this particular moment, with the death of Cal Jr who runs the farm as a catalyst, everything that was hidden is coming to light.
Meredith is the main narrator in the story. She’s an artist, who has long since tried to escape the family’s history by leaving for university and taking her mother’s last name. It saddened me that she spent so much time away from her family, running away in fact, but it also intrigued me and I wanted to understand why she did it.
The book is an exploration of the story behind her apparent desertion and her need to bury everything related to the Hathaways. Her journey is explosive, slightly insane and very emotional, especially as you see how she’s been the unfortunate harbor of a lot of knowledge about the things that went on with the Hathaways. This is made manifest when the “Hathaway ghosts” come to visit her, reminding her that she cannot run away from the past.
Apart from Meredith, the book is divided into sections separated by the way of using three other women in Hathaway history – her grandmother Lavinia, her aunt Julia and her sister Ava. Each of these three women are fully fleshed out characters, via the memories of the tales Meredith has heard from her grandmother and that she herself has experienced. We see the good things and the bad things about them, and it’s an interesting conundrum as you try to decide whether to hate them, like them or just feel plain sorry for them (which was me for most of the book).
The Story
It is the history of the Hathaways that forms the bulk of this tale, which should come as no surprise considering what I mentioned in my overall opinion. As dirty laundry is aired and moments that have passed are laid out for the reader to see, it clearly becomes a challenge or an invitation to make of the Hathaways what you will.
And friends, there is a lot of incredibly dirty laundry aired out. Every family has their secrets. But the ones harbored by the members of the Hathaway clan are incredibly scandalous. One of the incidents at the forefront is one that Meredith witnesses and that is alluded to at the beginning of the novel. It’s easy enough to figure out what happened, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg, really. There’s so much dirt under there it’s incredible.
But then you read about lighter moments, happier moments. You discover affections for certain characters and sympathy for the losses and struggles they go through. And you wonder if you really should judge them, considering there might be a reason behind everything they did.
The novel goes back and forth between flashbacks into moments of the past (dating all the way back to Lavinia’s entry into the Hathaway clan) and the ongoings of the present (the death of Cal Jr., Merey’s cousin, and the dissolution of Aurelia). I thought it was a good way to relate past to present, to show us why Merey struggled so much with returning home and dealing with Aurelia. And it didn’t get confusing at all to me, even though it’d jump back and forth quite often.
One of the best takeaways from the novel is how honesty proves to be one of the best ways to finally let go of the things haunting you from the past. This novel shows us Meredith’s journey as she tries to come to terms with her Hathaway heritage, incidents she bore witness to, in order for her to move on with her life. It is left to the reader to figure out if her journey was a success at the end of the novel.
Personally, I say you should…
Invest in reading this novel if you’re a fan of books that feature a strong family dynamic, with a journey delving into the character’s history and family life. It’s an interesting read, albeit slow-paced one, but I actually quite enjoyed getting to know the Hathaways, their stories and what was left for them in the future. Meredith’s journey is an interesting one to follow.
(This was originally posted on Alexa Loves Books.)
I have recently realized that I am, in general, a fan of novels that weave a family dynamic into the story. The relationship between family members is a fascinating one indeed – bound together by blood doesn’t always mean the most peaceful of tales.
As The Legacy of Eden clearly shows us, sometimes, behind a wonderful façade that other people see and that you choose to remember, there are always the memories that lurk in the deepest, darkest corners of our minds. This novel navigated turns and twists in the life of one family living on one property, the farm Aurelia in Iowa, beautifully. The end result is a tale that reveals the secrets and history of the Hathaways.
The Characters
While telling a tale with an incredibly large cast of characters can be no easy feat, I thought Nelle Davy did a wonderful job. It is to be noted, of course, that the narrator’s voice is decidedly feminine and thus we only find out about the men in the story based on their impressions.
The Hathaways in their entirety are the centerpiece of this novel. It is their lives we learn about, their memories we experience, their stories we live through. To me, it felt kind of like a pulling back of the curtain on their private lives. They might have put up a good front to the rest of the world, but now, in this particular moment, with the death of Cal Jr who runs the farm as a catalyst, everything that was hidden is coming to light.
Meredith is the main narrator in the story. She’s an artist, who has long since tried to escape the family’s history by leaving for university and taking her mother’s last name. It saddened me that she spent so much time away from her family, running away in fact, but it also intrigued me and I wanted to understand why she did it.
The book is an exploration of the story behind her apparent desertion and her need to bury everything related to the Hathaways. Her journey is explosive, slightly insane and very emotional, especially as you see how she’s been the unfortunate harbor of a lot of knowledge about the things that went on with the Hathaways. This is made manifest when the “Hathaway ghosts” come to visit her, reminding her that she cannot run away from the past.
Apart from Meredith, the book is divided into sections separated by the way of using three other women in Hathaway history – her grandmother Lavinia, her aunt Julia and her sister Ava. Each of these three women are fully fleshed out characters, via the memories of the tales Meredith has heard from her grandmother and that she herself has experienced. We see the good things and the bad things about them, and it’s an interesting conundrum as you try to decide whether to hate them, like them or just feel plain sorry for them (which was me for most of the book).
The Story
It is the history of the Hathaways that forms the bulk of this tale, which should come as no surprise considering what I mentioned in my overall opinion. As dirty laundry is aired and moments that have passed are laid out for the reader to see, it clearly becomes a challenge or an invitation to make of the Hathaways what you will.
And friends, there is a lot of incredibly dirty laundry aired out. Every family has their secrets. But the ones harbored by the members of the Hathaway clan are incredibly scandalous. One of the incidents at the forefront is one that Meredith witnesses and that is alluded to at the beginning of the novel. It’s easy enough to figure out what happened, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg, really. There’s so much dirt under there it’s incredible.
But then you read about lighter moments, happier moments. You discover affections for certain characters and sympathy for the losses and struggles they go through. And you wonder if you really should judge them, considering there might be a reason behind everything they did.
The novel goes back and forth between flashbacks into moments of the past (dating all the way back to Lavinia’s entry into the Hathaway clan) and the ongoings of the present (the death of Cal Jr., Merey’s cousin, and the dissolution of Aurelia). I thought it was a good way to relate past to present, to show us why Merey struggled so much with returning home and dealing with Aurelia. And it didn’t get confusing at all to me, even though it’d jump back and forth quite often.
One of the best takeaways from the novel is how honesty proves to be one of the best ways to finally let go of the things haunting you from the past. This novel shows us Meredith’s journey as she tries to come to terms with her Hathaway heritage, incidents she bore witness to, in order for her to move on with her life. It is left to the reader to figure out if her journey was a success at the end of the novel.
Personally, I say you should…
Invest in reading this novel if you’re a fan of books that feature a strong family dynamic, with a journey delving into the character’s history and family life. It’s an interesting read, albeit slow-paced one, but I actually quite enjoyed getting to know the Hathaways, their stories and what was left for them in the future. Meredith’s journey is an interesting one to follow.
(This was originally posted on Alexa Loves Books.)
March 19, 2020
Enjoyed this book although did find it a bit hard going at times, as jumped from past to present rather quickly at times. Found it a bit hard to keep up with what time period the story was at, but as I said still enjoyed it.
June 29, 2022
Tiene un contenido algo oscuro, habla de los tantos problemas de la familia y sus oscuros secretos.
No me esperaba esa trama pero me gustó, no suelo leer libros de este tipo y es por ello que le doy 4 estrellas
No me esperaba esa trama pero me gustó, no suelo leer libros de este tipo y es por ello que le doy 4 estrellas
July 27, 2017
wasn't keen on any of the characters and didn't think there was much of a twist.
August 27, 2018
3.5 For me. The book left me with lots of unanswered questions.
December 18, 2018
This book was definitely not what I thought I was going to get when I picked it up, but the writing was enjoyable nonetheless.
January 8, 2019
Nearly gave up a few times, hard going at first.
Had to keep reading to find out what would happen but not nicest if people and all hating each other.
Had to keep reading to find out what would happen but not nicest if people and all hating each other.
July 5, 2019
I kept waiting (and reading) to find out the big secrets. But I never understood why the characters did what they did...
August 17, 2019
I found this book really frustrating because every page was a tease making you think you were going to find out who did what but then she left you hanging all the way through. Good page turner!
September 24, 2019
Not my usual read and a lot of characters to get your head round but an interesting one, doesn’t make you like any of the characters particularly as they all had their faults and secrets!
November 16, 2020
Good book if not a little confusing
Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews