Review: The Legacies by Jessica Goodman
Thank you Penguin Teen, Razorbill for my copy of The Legacies! All thoughts are my own.
I often say I don’t read thrillers, but when I do, they’re YA thrillers and usually by Jessica Goodman. Now, I was all about the idea behind this book. There’s nothing quite like the intrigue of the “rich people behaving badly” trope, especially for those of us who grew up watching Blair and Serena on Gossip Girl. I picked this book up because I needed a fast paced book to get me back into a good reading routine…and sadly this didn’t do the trick.
I really enjoyed The Counselors from this author in 2022 so maybe I missed the more summery setting, but I do still think this will be a fun book to put in your beach bag this Summer if you want something totally escapist and a little unbelievable!
Synopsis:
“
Old money. New secrets. One killer party.
Scoring an invitation for membership to the exclusive Legacy Club in New York City is more than an honor. It gives you a lifetime of access to power and wealth beyond any prep school doors and guaranteed safety and security as Legacy Club members always look out for their own. That is, after you make it through a rigorous week of events and the extravagant gala, the Legacy Ball.
So it’s not surprising when Excelsior Prep seniors Bernie Kaplan, Isobel Rothcroft, and Skyler Hawkins are nominated as Legacies; their family pedigrees have assured their membership since birth—even if they're all keeping secrets that could destroy their reputations. But scholarship kid from Queens Tori Tasso? She’s a surprise nominee, someone no one saw coming. Tori’s never fit in this world of designer bags, penthouse apartments, and million-dollar donations. So what did she do to secure her place?
The night of the Legacy Ball is supposed to be the best night of these seniors’ lives, a night of haute couture, endless champagne, and plenty of hushed gossip.
Everyone expects a night of luxury and excess.
No one expects their secrets to come out.
Or for someone to die trying to keep them hidden.” —NetGalley
What I Liked:
The World—I love a good rich people behaving trope. As a Gossip Girl girlie (OG, of course) I was quite excited by the premise of this book set in the mysterious world of elite Manhattan schools.
The Intrigue—There’s an air on intrigue that surrounds this book because it feels like the ending could be very predictable but at the same time, the writing keeps you on your toes.
What Didn’t Work For Me:
The Pacing—Things felt a little stale for me, even with the dual timeline.
Things Felt Low Stakes?—Shockingly! This could be a me problem but this book almost put me in a reading slump. I thought it would be fast paced and exciting, but it didn’t make me want to read it.
Character Authenticity: 3/5 Spice Rating: N/A Overall Rating: 3.5/5
Content Warnings:
infidelity, grief, loss of a parent, medical malpractice, substance abuse, death