A Cold Legacy

Starred review from November 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up-The final volume of the "Madman's Daughter" series (HarperCollins) accomplishes something too often lacking in trilogies-a third volume that is as compelling and well-written as the first installment. In this entry inspired by Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Juliet, Lucy, Montgomery, Balthazar, and Edward have escaped from their pursuers to the Scottish estate of Juliet's friend and benefactor, Elizabeth von Stein. They find the isolated estate inhabited by a number of young women and girls, "wards" of Elizabeth, and one very strange male child named Hensley, Elizabeth's son. Juliet also discovers that the secrets of the rich woman's ancestor Victor Frankenstein have been preserved by the family, and with no legitimate heirs, Juliet has been chosen to receive the knowledge of "Perpetual Anatomy." The heroine wonders if she can use this knowledge to save Edward, but the complicated process is fraught with danger. Intrigue, the growing fear of discovery by their pursuers, romances between Elizabeth and Edward as well as Juliet and Montgomery, danger from within the house and its inhabitants, and secrets abound. In addition to the outer turmoil, Juliet continues to worry whether or not as her father's daughter she, too, has the "madness" gene. The skillfully drawn and well-developed characters face their emotional upheavals and outside dangers with aplomb. Shepherd's adroit weaving of the Frankenstein story line into the already complex world of Dr. Moreau's daughter, brings an exciting new twist and a satisfactory ending to the trilogy. Fast-paced and romantic, this page-turning volume results in mixed emotions-contentment with the ending, but still a desire for more.-Janet Hilbun, University of North Texas

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2014
The mad scientist's daughter, Juliet Moreau, must flee or fulfill her diabolical biological destiny in the ghoulish series ender. After releasing monsters to kill three members of the King's Club, Juliet and her unhappy band of misfits seek refuge in Elizabeth von Stein's Scottish sanctuary. Edward Prince tries to recover from his self-poisoning and to battle his inner Beast, while Lucy Radcliffe frantically seeks unorthodox methods to save her split-personality lover. Montgomery James and Juliet want to marry-much to the delight of the mostly female and mysteriously mutilated household staff-but both deny and fear that she may be taking up her father's trade. Elizabeth invites Juliet to study Victor Frankenstein's rules for reanimation, but even the spectacularly unsettling child-thing, Hensley, cannot dissuade Juliet from (impossibly advanced) scientific experimentation. While Juliet's ad nauseam struggles over her inheritance may grate, her determination to redefine herself, defend her friends and destroy her foes is riveting. The story employs cliched Gothic horror elements-castles, odd servants, a Romany girl, a windmill and a windswept countryside-and relies heavily on Frankenstein and The Island of Dr. Moreau, threatening to fall under its predecessors' shadows. However, Shepherd (albeit anachronistically) addresses gender issues, English-Scottish politics, class divisions and medical ethics, ably intermixing them with horrific, romantic and comedic moments. Daddy issues aside, a creepy and compelling tale. (Horror. 14-18)

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December 15, 2014
Grades 9-12 On the run from the police after a horrific event, Juliet and her band of friends hope that the moors of Scotland and the remoteness of a benefactress' estate can offer them some much-needed respite in a time of turmoil. However, once arrived at the estate, Juliet begins to see that she is not the only one hiding secrets. Her benefactress possesses the skills and knowledge to heal and repair those whose physical ailments should have been fatal. With the police hot on their heels, Juliet must decide whether to continue the work of her benefactress or blaze a new trail of her own. Fast paced with an intriguing story line, this novel quickly draws readers in and keeps them hooked until the last page. This is the third part of a series, which began with The Madman's Daughter (2013), and with many allusions to events in the previous installments, those familiar with Juliet and her world will have a richer experience. Still, this can also stand alone, and newcomers will find much to enjoy here.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2015
Shepherd's trilogy following the female descendants of mad scientists ripped from nineteenth-century horror novels (The Island of Dr. Moreau and Frankenstein) concludes elegantly as Juliet and Montgomery take refuge in a Scottish manor and struggle to untangle questions of moral and biological heritage that have shaped their lives. Full measures of suspense, action, and romance are employed to tie up every loose end.

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