Book Review: The Inheritance of Beauty by Nicole Seitz

Excerpt: I saw magic one, real magic, and there’s something I’ve come to understand after all these years: magic can either come from one of two places, up above or down below. It’s sometimes hard to tell the difference, but I can. It’s all in the eyes. The magic of heaven comes through miracles, Divine Providence, and there’s a light in the eyes that tells you there’s something beautiful inside a person. But for those who are filled with darkness, the darkness itself seeps out of the pupils and tries to pull you in. I have seen this kind of magic. I have seen this kind of darkness. It came to our little town of Levy, South Carolina, in 1929. The Inheritance of Beauty, pg 25.

Back Cover: Beauty, like truth, is enduring. But only one can set you free.

Maggie Black came of age in the lush, fragrant lowcountry of South Carolina – spending her days with her beloved brother and the boy she would grow up to marry. But when a stranger arrived on summer, Maggie couldn’t imagine the evil he would bring with him. And though she escaped with her life, the ramifications of that fateful summer would alter all of their lives forever.

Now, some eighty years later, Maggie and her husband George are spending their remaining days in a nursing home, helpless as age slowly robs Maggie of her ability to communicate. When a mysterious package arrives, followed closely by a stranger whose identity haunts them, Maggie and George are hemmed in by a history they’d rather forget.

As the truth reveals itself, George knows he must face the past and its lifetime of repercussions. It’s the only way to free himself and his precious wife – if it’s not too late.

The Inheritance of Beauty is a rich and enchanting story about age and the ability of true beauty to transcend one’s life.

My Review: I have to admit that I did not care too much for this story. The plot was interesting in its own way, but the structure of the story made it difficult to identify with the characters. Throughout the story, the author gives us the point of very of no fewer than five individuals, switching back and forth over an eighty year time period. Because of the number of “main characters” it is really hard to identify with even one of them. Other than this, the story was interesting, but I don’t think I’ll be reading this book again.

My Rating:

My Recommendation: I’d rather not recommend this book.

(I received a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review.)