Medley Of Mysteries In Cora Lockhart's Debut Novel -- Review of her "The Inheritance of Being"

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Reviewer: Forrest Schultz schultz_forrest@yahoo.com 770-583-3258

Blog Address: http://newsciencefictionandfantasyreviews.blogspot.com

July 7, 2012

Medley of Mysteries in Cora Lockhart's Debut Novel

A review of

Cora Lockhart The Inheritance of Being (Paramour Press, 2012)

$13.50 368 pp ISBN-10: 0615595995 ISBN-13: 978-0615595993

Reviewer: Forrest W. Schultz

Cora Lockhart has burst upon the literary scene with a novel involving a plethora of complex interlocking mysteries. As the preface and rear jacket indicate, the tale uncovers the atrocities of Eugenics, but it does much more than that. It also exposes the crudity of the psychology of the mid-twentieth century both in its diagnoses and its therapies. And it shows how the wealthy used insane asylums to dispose of eccentric family members.

The story, though, is much more than an expose'. The characters are people struggling with emotional problems, forbidden romances and the meaning of life. And sprinkled into the mix are various elements of Irish folklore and fantasy, including selkies and curses and Tir na og.

And there is more: the biology and psychology and mysteries of the twin phenomenon are very important in the story. One of the main characters, Lux Madigan, in a twin who struggles with a hole in her heart, both biologically and spiritually.

And there is a mystery in the life of the author as well: where will she move to when she leaves Atlanta? We are hoping her new abode will be here on the Southside, where she is now working as a librarian at the Clayton County headquarters library. Maybe her Irish magic will lead her to her Tir na og on the Southside! I recommend the Southside as a good place to live and I recommend Cora's tale as a good summer read!

Information on Cora and her writing is available at http://www.coralockhart.com/.