The Legacy - Kirsten Tranter

The story revolves around Tess, a young woman in her thirties who is grappling with the sudden death of her mother, Magda. Tess has always felt somewhat distanced from her mother, who was a complicated figure in her life. Magda’s death brings up unresolved feelings, and Tess is left trying to reconcile her mother’s legacy with her own sense of identity.

At the center of the narrative is a diary that Tess discovers after Magda’s death. The diary, written by Magda in her younger years, offers glimpses into a past that Tess never knew about—a past full of passion, pain, and secrets that Magda had kept hidden from her daughter. Through the diary, Tess begins to uncover a side of her mother she never knew existed, leading her to question her own memories and understanding of their relationship.

As Tess digs deeper into the mystery surrounding her mother’s life, she finds herself on a journey not only to understand Magda’s choices but to discover what has been left unsaid between them. Along the way, Tess also encounters the people who were once close to her mother—friends, lovers, and family—each of whom offers a different perspective on Magda's life and legacy.

The narrative also explores Tess's own life and relationships. As she confronts the emotional impact of her mother's secrets, Tess begins to reevaluate her own choices, her own loves, and the legacy she will leave behind. The novel is rich in introspection, capturing Tess’s emotional and psychological evolution as she pieces together the complex puzzle of her mother’s past and her own future.