The Diva Review:
After my startling confession in my review of Beguilement, there was no doubt that I would read Legacy, the second volume in The Sharing Knife series. Bujold again does not disappoint in another five star book.
Dag and Fawn are now married in both the Farmer style and Lakewalker string-binding. They now must face Dag's family and people at Hickory Lake Camp. As was foreshadowed in the last book, Dag does not have high hopes for how he and his new bride will be accepted there, but they brave it together anyway.
The people of Dag's patrol are all there plus we meet the Camp Captain, Dag's mom and brother as will as many other a lakewalker. Fawn and Dag must fight years of tradition as they continue to grow together. Dag is once again faced with other peoples expectations (or failed expectations) of him by his family. Fawn begins to learn lakewalker ways and tries to fit in.
Like its predecessor, Legacy is a character-driven story of culture and romance. Although there is more action in this book, there is also a lot more introspection about the culture of the lakewalkers and how they deal with the farmers. This book is also written in a simple, unassuming style that if anything adds to the impact of the heavy seeming topics that unfold. I could easily see where a more sophisticated style (like in Ms Bujold’s novel Paladin of Souls) would detract the reader from the story. I am still amazed how Ms. Bujold can easily manipulate prose so readily and bend it (and the reader) to her sway.
Although I give this book five stars; I feel I have to offer up a few words of caution. If you have not read Beguilement yet, do so before you read this book… Legacy might not stand on its own very well at all. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the two books should have been made as one larger novel. Also, if you have to have sword fights, wondrous magical spells, and bigger then life battles, this may not be your book. And finally, this is the story of family and culture, of romance and tolerance (or intolerance), and like any argument you may have had with your family in that past, everything is not always resolved into neat little packages with bows on them. Personally, I found it an amazing change of pace and was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed such a story so immensely.
Lore
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