Generational Legacies

     "The Inheritance"
       By Michael Philips

Synopsis: (taken from back cover) The death of the clan patriarch has thrown the tiny Shetland Islands community of Whale's Reef into turmoil. Everyone assumed MacGregor Tulloch's heir to be his grand-nephew David, a local favorite, but when it is discovered that MacGregor left no will, David's grasping cousin Hardy submits his own claim to the inheritance, an estate that controls most of the island's land. And while Hardy doesn't enjoy much popular support, he has the backing of a shadowy group of North Sea oil investors. The courts have frozen the estate's assets while the competing claims are investigated, leaving many of the residents in financial limbo. The future of the island--and its traditional way of life--hangs in the balance.

Loni Ford is enjoying her rising career in a large investment firm in Washington, DC. Yet in spite of her outward success, she is privately plagued by questions of identity. Orphaned as a young child, she was raised by her paternal grandparents, and while she loves them dearly, she feels completely detached from her roots. That is until a mysterious letter arrives from a Scottish solicitor. . . .

Past and present collide in master storyteller Phillips's dramatic new saga of loss and discovery, of grasping and grace, and of the dreams of men and women everywhere.

My Thoughts: "The Inheritance" is a well written historical novel. The author provides detailed background and historical information throughout the book. I am sure that Phillip's fans would be thrilled with this new novel, however, I found it extremely difficult to read. The culture, dialect and lifestyle of the Whales Reef community was thoroughly described as the past and present is blended in this tale. I must admit that this book was just not "my cup of tea". Those who are thrilled with historical facts would be drawn into the story, I am sure, but I am just not one of those fans. 

The story gets off to a very slow start, which I suppose is good for some readers, as they absorb the intense thoughtful details. For me, it just did not grab my attention and by the third chapter, I wanted to give up. I did manage to finish the book, but it took me a while. The tale jumps between characters and places challenging me to attempt to find a connection. As the plot developed, those connections were made but by then , I was lost amid a lot of facts that I no longer cared about. 

Michael does have an outstanding talent of painting a detailed picture of the setting on a Scottish Isle. I could picture the scenery quite clearly. To me , this was the  most interesting part of the book. With his many talents, I am sure that Michael Phillips's new book would appeal to many readers of historical fiction. I am simply not one of them. 


This book was provided by Bethany House, and Graf-Martin Communications , in exchange for a fair and honest review. Available now at your local booksellers.