The Legacy of Eden by Nelle Davy

“The Legacy of Eden” is the debut novel by young female author Nelle Davy and I must admit it is an impressive debut.

For the last seventeen years of her life, Meredith Hathaway has tried to forget her history but this is difficult when the ghosts of the past are constantly haunting her and reminding her of the life that she left behind.

But one day, her life is torn apart when a letter arrives and she realises that she must confront her past and the demise of the Hathaway dynasty.

On her journey of discovery, Meredith tells the story of the four main Hathaway women, Lavina her grandmother, Julia her aunt, her sister Ava and herself. The Hathaway empire began in 1946 in Iowa, when one woman, Lavina Hathaway was determined to change her fate and ensure that her family succeeds at all costs. The empire that she founded Aureila, a huge magnificent home that people admired and envied now lies empty, a former shadow of it’s self. As Meredith confronts her past, the ugly ghosts return to haunt her, giving her no choice but to face the truth.

I will be honest when I first began “The Legacy of Eden” I found it a slow read that was hard to get into but when I read further, I discovered how interesting the characters were particularly Lavina, the cold-hearted, manipulative grandmother and founder of Aurelia. It was fascinating to read how she controlled people into doing what she wanted and everything had to be done her.

“The Legacy of Eden” is an extraordinary debut book, beautifully written and wonderfully charming filled with haunting, controlling characters and picturesque settings that are so descriptive that it conjures up images of the farmland and homestead that Meredith is trying to escape, so vivid that you feel you are alongside Meredith as she reveals the gripping destruction of the family empire.

Nelle Davy has excelled in writing a break through book as she takes you on the rocky road of Meredith’s life and proves that blood is definitely thicker than water. With such an wonderful introductory book, Nelle Davey is definitely one of of the authors of 2012 to look out for.

You can buy [amazon_link id=”1848450931″ target=”_blank” ] The Legacy of Eden on Amazon [/amazon_link] and other good bookshops.