You Left Me Feeling Cold

Expected Publication:  January 27th, 2015

A Cold Legacy (The Madman's Daughter #3)

By: Megan Shepherd

Balzer + Bray/Harper Collins

ISBN-13:  9780062128089

After killing the men who tried to steal her father's research, Juliet -- along with Montgomery, Lucy, Balthazar, and a deathly ill Edward -- has escaped to a remote estate on the Scottish moors.  Owned by the enigmatic Elizabeth von Stein, the mansion is full of mysteries and unexplained oddities: dead bodies in the basement, secret passageways, and fortune-tellers who seems to know Juliet's secrets.  Though it appears to be a safe haven, Juliet fears new dangers may be present in within the manor's own walls.

Then Juliet uncovers the truth about the manor's long history of scientific experimentation -- and her own intended role in it -- forcing her to determine where the line falls between right and wrong, life and death, magic and science, and promises and secrets.  And she must decide if she'll follow her father's dark footsteps or her mother's tragic ones, or whether she'll make her own.

Review

       There are only a couple of other reviews posted for this book as of right now, but I feel like I'm the only one who was disappointed by the ending of this series, that I loved so well in the beginning.  I think the main problem for me though, is that after two books and some horrible experiences due to men trying to play God using science, Juliet still seems to not have learned ANYTHING.  In this one we go with Juliet and Co. to an estate on the Scottish moors, owned by the mysterious Elizabeth von Stein, the daughter of Juliet's late guardian - and also the last descendant of the infamous Dr. Frankenstein.  They are on the run from her father Lucy's men, after Juliet killed some people to make sure her father's work stayed unfinished and forgotten.  Elizabeth had claimed that the secrets of Frankenstein had been destroyed, but the servants at the estate are definitely not quite normal and after an incident at a bonfire celebration, she finally tells Juliet the truth about why she has been brought there - to continue the family legacy.

       We do see Juliet still struggling with her curiosity, which seems to verge on something unholy when it comes to experimental science.  Probably the part that annoyed me the most was her inability to completely quash her inner naievte when it came to the "good" that such science could do for people.  After the events of the first two books, you'd think Juliet would finally understand that some risks are just too high to be worth it and that playing God can have horrific and long-lasting consequences.  She seems to think that the greed of her curiosity is worth it though, high cost (i.e. lives) and other consequences be damned.  I did like the ending and the way that the new creation went off in search of the original Dr. Frankenstein's monster, to find someone else like him.  Also, I feel like Juliet finally gets it in the end, and won't be doing anything else monumentally stupid.  The narrative was interesting and I did enjoy the twist to the original Frankenstein tale.  But since I spent most of the novel wanting to wring Juliet's neck, I can't say it was my favorite in the series or that I was completely satisfied.

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

**I reviewed this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication date is January 27th, 2015.**