The Last Will of Moira Leahy

Aug 09, 2009 Therese Walsh rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

Shelves: writers-unboxed, women-s-fiction

I loved writing this book, and I hope that you love reading it.

Jan 24, 2012 Jackleen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: family-dynamics, general-fiction, mystery, paranormal-suspense, suspence, reviews, womans-fiction

The Last Will of Moira Leahy is a captivating, haunting debut novel by Therese Walsh. This is a heart wrenching, soul searching story of grief and loss, as the surviving sister, Maeve, tries to reconcile herself to a life without her identical twin, Moira. Normally at this point I would say what genre this novel would fit into, however; The Last Will of Moira Leahy does not fit into any one specific category. Walsh wrote this novel much like knitting a multi-coloured sweater. It is not blue nor...more The Last Will of Moira Leahy is a captivating, haunting debut novel by Therese Walsh. This is a heart wrenching, soul searching story of grief and loss, as the surviving sister, Maeve, tries to reconcile herself to a life without her identical twin, Moira. Normally at this point I would say what genre this novel would fit into, however; The Last Will of Moira Leahy does not fit into any one specific category. Walsh wrote this novel much like knitting a multi-coloured sweater. It is not blue nor red nor purple but a pleasing blend of suspense, woman’s fiction, mysticism, coming-of-age story, romance, a journey and a sprinkling of the paranormal, while exploring the family dynamics of grief, as well as, the actions and reactions of those left behind. Beautifully written, The Last Will of Moira Leahy will reach in and squeeze your heart.

What makes a novel exceptional is not necessarily the story itself, but the manner and method used to construct the story. The Last Will of Moira Leahy is written in alternating first person current time and third person back story from 1995 to 2000; two separate story lines that build on each other in momentum and suspense. The pace of the story adds greatly to the suspense as all the right notes are pitch perfect. Walsh manages with both her lovely writing style and the manner in which she has constructed her novel, to demonstrate how family dynamics both pulls and pushes its members closer and further apart much like magnets as they can simultaneously attract and repulse.

Maeve’s story is from the first person view point in current time and is gripping in its description of isolation and loneliness, emphasizing oneness and being alone. The reader is confronted with a pervading sadness as we meet this character who is not only separated from her friends and family, but, from her true self as well. The Maeve we meet in the beginning of the novel does not stray from routine and has virtually erased herself to the point that she has bleached her once dramatic red hair. Once a musical protégée, Maeve has suppressed this talent and has been living an isolated life in academia as a professor of languages. She is haunted by sounds of piano music and dreams of little girls with red hair; Maeve fears for her own sanity. She quietly keeps these fears to herself. Maeve attends an auction to distract herself from her tragic memories of November and becomes obsessed with purchasing a Javanese dagger, keris. The keris is very similar to a knife that belonged to her grandfather lost years ago by herself and Moira playing pirate out in the bay in Castine, Maine. Reminded of happier times with Moira, Maeve forcefully bids and successfully purchases the keris. A note from the previous owner is later found with an invitation to Rome with the incentive to find out more about the meaning behind this specially carved blade. Completely out of character, Maeve embarks on a on a journey to Rome in search of the origins of the keris, only to be led on a journey of self discovery and healing.

The back story of Maeve and Moira’s childhood is told from Moira’s point of view, third person set at a distance, emphasizing the distance in time and place. As children Maeve and Moira are extremely close to the point that they feel each others emotions and pains, and even have their own language. Their mother wants the girls to have separate identities and emphasizes the difference between the girls. Adding stress to family life, the girl’s mother takes on the care of their grandfather after he suffers a stroke. Maeve becomes the talented fun loving twin and Moira the dependable home body, her mother’s good girl. As the girls enter adolescence, Moira, living in her sister’s shadow, begins to pull away from Maeve in a desperate search for a separate identity and self worth. Moira’s need to define herself and exert her own will in opposition to the expectations of both her mother and sister comes to a head when both girls become attracted to the same boy. Moira craves adventure, and, willfully, embarks on a secret romance. In doing so she must sever her most intimate relationship with her sister, Maeve.

The threads of the story weave together as Maeve, now in Rome, learns of the magical properties of the keris that mysteriously links to the past she has tried to forget. Notes are nailed to Maeve’s door with only the Javanese word eling, meaning remember. Maeve is joined by Noel, a long time friend and not quite yet a boyfriend. Afraid of becoming too close again to another, Maeve must confront her fears of intimacy as Maeve and Noel together search Rome for the previous, and now, elusive owner of the keris. More mysterious notes direct Maeve to different locations within the city where she finds painful memories of her tragic past along with the beautiful sites of Rome. The keris exerting its own will, leads Maeve back to remember and confront her past. Only in her memories of her sister, Moira, can Maeve find the forgiveness she needs to allow herself to let go of this past, and, the will to really live her life.

Even though the reader is well aware that Maeve lost her twin tragically at 16 from the very first page of the story, this is a novel of exquisite suspense as Walsh delivers a well paced story leading the reader irresistibly to the surprising conclusion. The book was impossible to put down. Walsh has written a wonderful story of grief and forgiveness, remembering and letting go. We would all be so lucky to have a magic knife or keris fly into our lives to cut through the illusions and delusions in which we surround ourselves, and help us clearly see our selves and those people who are most important to us, and; in doing so, help us find our own truth. Therese Walsh you are very talented and must write more books.

Highly Recommend.

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Sep 26, 2012 Sarah Miller rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Last Will of Moira Leahy, by Therese Walsh, is a novel about one’s self and their journey to discover it. The Main character Maeve is scarred by the lost mysterious lost of her sister. Maeve is a hollow woman who is living a fraction of her old life. When she with a Javanese dagger, keris, in a auction, strange things start to happen. Maeve is soon swept into a quest to find answers about the keris but soon starts to find out answers to her past.

I liked the novel, it was a love story yet it...more The Last Will of Moira Leahy, by Therese Walsh, is a novel about one’s self and their journey to discover it. The Main character Maeve is scarred by the lost mysterious lost of her sister. Maeve is a hollow woman who is living a fraction of her old life. When she with a Javanese dagger, keris, in a auction, strange things start to happen. Maeve is soon swept into a quest to find answers about the keris but soon starts to find out answers to her past.

I liked the novel, it was a love story yet it seemed too predictable. There is some tension and mystery created by the switching from past and present tenses, plus the physical mystery of the keris and Ermanno. I appreciated the human connections since I do not have siblings, and yet I cloud feel the strife and overall issues from the characters in the novel, especially the twins. I also appreciated the use of language and the involvement of music. Yet after the story reached the climax and we find out able what happened to Moira the story starts to resolve and becomes less interesting. This was the only part that I found annoying. The overall story made me react, but the hype started to drag near the end.

In the beginning of the novel Maeve is very guarded, we cannot see into her well. We know that she has suffered a trauma relating to her sister, yet have to discover why. But the story processes and she follows the mystery of the keris, we see more of herself develop. From the out of time excerpts we can see the original nature of Maeve. She is daring and adventurous, yet currently she is not. Her journey and forgiveness towards Moira allows Maeve to confront her issues from her past and allow her to rediscover her true self.

The central conflict of the novel is set on two fronts. One side, Maeve is battling Ermanno, the empu’s brother. He is stalking her and keeping her away from his brother. He wants the keris to make his black magic stronger. He physically threatens her and leads to her overall resolution with the other conflict of the story. On the other side Maeve is facing the supernatural powers of the keris, which is the manifestation of her sister’s spirit. The keris guides her through her experiences in Rome and helps her rediscover herself and Moira’s spirit allows Maeve to resolve the issues from her past.

The main theme that I found in the novel was, a person’s identity is not controlled by who they are, but defined by their actions. Maeve is so haunted by her past identity that she rejects any part of her old self. She is now consisted of being a work-a-holic that does not want to find pleasure in her life. She bleaches her red hair so she does not look like her twin. She is no longer able to play the saxophone from her guilt. The only passion that has survived is her love of language. This is a stark difference from the Maeve that we see in the past. Past Maeve is daring, ambitious, and not afraid of her future because she has Moira. Yet as the twins grow older they come into a love triangle with their neighbor. He loves Maeve and Moira loves him. Since they are twins Moira starts using Maeve’s identity and tricks the neighbor. This is not done out of spite but desperation. The betrayal of Maeve’s identity is compounded with the loss of Moira. Maeve’s journey to Italy reawakens her old identity and she starts to rediscover herself and reconnects and forgives her sister for betraying her. The theme is presented hopefully from the author, which gives it the interpretation of the characters completing their own destiny. The theme presented the idea that I define who myself is, and if I am unhappy with my self and life then it is my will that will change my future.

Because Maeve gives up so much of her self there are many things about her old life that take on new roles. The main motif that I noticed was language, even though Maeve restricted herself from all of the aspects of her past she still indulges in language. Maeve becomes a language teacher, this allows her to travel to places in a certain aspect, which is the lingering of her wanting to travel with her sister as a child. When she travels to Rome she has a better connection with the people because she can speak their language. Finally when Maeve starts to reconnect more with her sister’s ghost, her starts to relearn their twin language that they had both forgotten long ago. Language allows Maeve to further connect with her dreams, past and people. A major symbol is music, it represents Moira’s connection with Maeve. As children one played piano and the other played saxophone. When Moira experienced her accident Maeve sunk her sax in the ocean. Maeve is constantly hearing the piano play, which both physically and spiritually represents Moira and Maeve still being connected. A major literary device that is used in the novel is flashbacks, however there is a twist. While the present is told from the point of view of Maeve the past is mainly told from Moira’s point of view. This adds a creative twist on the use of flashback.

Walsh has a very creative writing style, which is shown in her use of imagery and word choice. “After Maeve left, Moira looked across the Penobscot at the burgeoning clouds on the horizon. She wished her arms would grow long enough to reach into them, that she could somehow move their dark shapes where she wanted, make it rain and thunder, make the air jump with lightning. Fly. But she was second born and earthbound and not meant for such things”(Walsh 88). The use of imagery shows Moira’s pain of being looked over and her desire to be noticed and not to be compared to her doppelganger. The overall descriptive attributes of the novel adds to what the reader experiences from the novel. Since a majority of the novel is set in Rome, we learn more about the culture and the people from the way it is described in Maeve’s trip. “We won’t tell your mother about this. She doesn’t need to know about another lost child. We’ll never speak of this again-not to another soul, not even to each other”(217). The word choice of the passage is stressed and meant to be taken as an order, yet the words display something sad and that has to be kept a secret. The overall word choice of the novel is used to further connect with the characters on a deeper level because the main lesson that we take away from this novel is individuality and how it affects people. We could not see this change in the characters if the readers were not able to connect with them.

Even though I found the end of the book dull, I stilled enjoyed the resolution of the novel. Overall I would recommend the novel. I became hooked to the shifting time period of the plot and the overall mystery of the keris and Moira. Many sleepless nights reflect time well spent on this book. The only reason that I felt this novel was too predictable was upon reflection when the plot seemed more basic. When I was reading the book I enjoyed it and find it time well spent.
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Sep 26, 2012 Jackie Casey rated it 4 of 5 stars

This novel of The Last Will of Moira Leahy by Therese Walsh is one of grief, sadness, finding ones self, and letting go. It is definitely one of the better books I have read recently. I enjoyed getting to know each character and getting a glimpse of the past through the time changes in the book that switches through the present day with Maeve and the past experiences between Moira and Maeve. What almost annoyed me in this novel though, was the suspense leading up to find out how Moira died. In t...more This novel of The Last Will of Moira Leahy by Therese Walsh is one of grief, sadness, finding ones self, and letting go. It is definitely one of the better books I have read recently. I enjoyed getting to know each character and getting a glimpse of the past through the time changes in the book that switches through the present day with Maeve and the past experiences between Moira and Maeve. What almost annoyed me in this novel though, was the suspense leading up to find out how Moira died. In the very first page we read about Moira's death, but we are not given any details about the specifics or how it happened. I created and imagined many different dramatic ways she could have died and what might've happened, only to find out that she was simply hit by a car. Even though it was still a tragic loss, it led me to disappointment knowing it was not as exciting as the book had led me to believe. It is interesting though to be able to see the changes that take place with Maeve. In the beginning of the novel, she lives an isolated life as a professor of languages. She is timid and shy with many feelings that she puts aside. Maeve is still depressed from the loss of her identical twin sister and is out of touch with herself. In the end of the novel, we see a more wild and free Maeve roaming around. She can express herself more and has less sadness towards the world. She feels as though she has come to terms with herself and better understands what happened with her sister, Moira. A big change in this attitude, was Maeve buying the Javanese dagger at an auction she went to because the dagger reminded her of good times with her sister. A while after she buys this dagger, she receives a note with an invitation to Rome to learn more about the dagger and previous owner. Maeve's first big step in changing is accepting this invitation and going out of her comfort zone to roam around Rome, even though it brings up many memories of her sister. I believe this was a big stepping stone if Maeve's transformation as a character. Also, I feel as though the main conflict in this book is man vs. self. Maeve against herself, trying to find out who she really is. I believe that is also the main theme of the book, along with trying to uncover the truth and get past these feelings of depression and anger. The theme was developed straight from the beginning when it mentioned Maeve as more of a loner, who previously has lost her identical twin sister. The author, Therese Walsh, could relate well to this theme because her sister lost her dad at a young age and was around to see the effects it can have on someone. This novel made me realize how sad I would be to lose someone that close to me, and how I probably would not be in any condition better than Maeve. This book used a lot of literary devices such as synonyms that helped me understand the theme more and process it better. I really enjoyed Walsh's style of writing the book, using one form in first person as Maeve, and one in third person of Moira. For example, one of the quotes from the book says, "I'd never seen another blade like the one I'd lost to the sea, and the desire for it tugged at me as if a line were rooted in my mouth" (Walsh 5). This demonstrates the first person perspective through the eyes of Maeve and all of her thoughts. In other chapters though, there is a different point of view. "Moira kept a close watch on her sister, but only once did she spy Maeve walking with Ian near the docks. After, she felt so hurt, so angry, and so unwilling to discuss those feelings that she blocked Maeve" (87). This quote shows the story shown sort of through Moira's eyes. It describes her feelings and well as her insights on things. I really enjoyed how Walsh used this kind of writing style in this book to make it more interesting to read. Overall, I would recommend this book to others because it really made me think deeper about myself and was a very interesting read. It brought up a great deal of emotions and is a great read for anyone who likes mystery, suspense, passion, coming-of-age, and romance. (less)

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Sep 26, 2012 Monika rated it 4 of 5 stars

Therese Walsh’s The Last Will of Moira Leahy is a compelling account of one girl’s struggle to overcome the grief of losing her twin sister. Overall, I personally found the book very intriguing to read and certainly very interesting. Walsh’s use of flashbacks and out-of-time sequences makes the reader crave to hear more of Maeve and Moira’s story, while the mystery and intrigue of Maeve’s journey to Rome with the keris sparks a different kind of interest. I found the highlight of the novel to be...more Therese Walsh’s The Last Will of Moira Leahy is a compelling account of one girl’s struggle to overcome the grief of losing her twin sister. Overall, I personally found the book very intriguing to read and certainly very interesting. Walsh’s use of flashbacks and out-of-time sequences makes the reader crave to hear more of Maeve and Moira’s story, while the mystery and intrigue of Maeve’s journey to Rome with the keris sparks a different kind of interest. I found the highlight of the novel to be when Moira’s full story is revealed; the twists and turns continue on from there and build up to a profound and memorable ending. Maeve and Moira’s story and their development as characters played out wonderfully as the reader is exposed more and more to Maeve’s reasons for the grief and pain that has dominated her for so long. Throughout the novel it often seems as if the central conflict is within Maeve, she is fighting against herself and her struggle to let go of her past dominates her present. However, Walsh also includes the conflict between Maeve and Ian, Maeve and her mother, and Maeve and Moira. This adds to the dynamic between characters and allows for more contribution of these characters to the overall storyline. Another important aspect of this novel was its theme, which explored the grief of losing a loved one. Walsh achieved this by building a strong connection between Maeve and Moira in the beginning of the novel and focusing on the incredible amount of pain that comes with the severing of that bond and the pain of living on without it. I believe that the development of the theme displays Walsh’s ability to write thoughtfully and intricately. She displays a unique style throughout the novel. For example, “What would it be like to be in a coma? What would it be like to die and still breathe and breathe and breathe? My vision flashed white, to an image or me or Moira – one of us – seconds away from stabbing her shadow, and I knew even as my throat coated with acid. Like purgatory”. Her poetic and thought-provoking writing style is full of dense meaning that never allows for a dull moment. Yet another example of this can be seen when Walsh delves deep into the thoughts of Moira in relation to her actions, “Moira despised herself, too – for the choices she’d made and the damage she’d done, the damage her lies would still do. Maybe hating herself had made it easier, somehow, to do it all in the first place – actions that required no pride or sense of self-worth”. All in all, I would certainly recommend this book for others to read.(less)

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Sep 26, 2012 Aida rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Last Will of Moira Leathy, is one of those books that no one can put down once they pick it up. It was interesting, relatable, intriguing, and most of all it was memorable. The characters, I felt were like my own friends, the plot line, I felt that I had been through, and the theme is something that I will always look back on. Comparing yourself to others and competing with them will only get you in trouble and make things ten times harder on yourself as a person. I appreciated the fact tha...more The Last Will of Moira Leathy, is one of those books that no one can put down once they pick it up. It was interesting, relatable, intriguing, and most of all it was memorable. The characters, I felt were like my own friends, the plot line, I felt that I had been through, and the theme is something that I will always look back on. Comparing yourself to others and competing with them will only get you in trouble and make things ten times harder on yourself as a person. I appreciated the fact that this book hit so close to home with me and that nothing was sugarcoated. This book made an impression and because of that, this book is one that many people will refer to. Therese Walsh’s writing style is unique and straight to the point and full of imagery. “Music surged through me, silvery and serene. I closed my eyes and saw Moira and me dancing on the beach in Castine, our hands clasped and bodies tuned to wind” (Walsh 252). The readers know how to react to certain things and since the writing style is direct, readers do not have to question motives or why things happened the way they did. It is as if a movie is playing in the reader’s mind without any interruptions. Not only is this book easy to read, but this book is fun to read. It keeps you wanting more. All the elements that I love are in this book; mystery, suspense, and romance. However there were moments that were predictable at times. Such as Maeve losing herself and letting go of all the things she once held so dear because of her sister. As the book went on, Maeve developed into who she really is and who she is meant to be. Learning to let go but still remembering the good is the key to moving on. She at the end of the book is now whole again. In addition, I feel that this is one of those books that anyone can re-read a million times and every time learn something different about him or herself. I would definitely recommend this book to all those looking for a strong plot line. Everyone can relate to it and everyone will find themselves in one shape, way, or form throughout the book. (less)

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Sep 26, 2012 Elias Ferriera rated it 5 of 5 stars

This novel really took by surprise. I first read this book for school, not knowing how intriguing it would be to me. It wasn’t really a romance novel or a mystery novel. It was simply a novel about life. Try as might, I could not pin any labels like “antagonist” or “protagonist” to any of the characters. They were simply people with all of their faults and strengths. I love the complex relationship between Moira and Maeve. It seemed to be a foil to the relationship between the empu and his broth...more This novel really took by surprise. I first read this book for school, not knowing how intriguing it would be to me. It wasn’t really a romance novel or a mystery novel. It was simply a novel about life. Try as might, I could not pin any labels like “antagonist” or “protagonist” to any of the characters. They were simply people with all of their faults and strengths. I love the complex relationship between Moira and Maeve. It seemed to be a foil to the relationship between the empu and his brother, which seemed to be rather black-and-white. Moira constantly struggles with her inner demons as well as letting go of her past.
The words that Walsh uses always seem appropriate for the current tone of the story. The connotation of different words leaves a different imprint upon the reader. “I shattered. Broke like I’d never cried before. A thousand glass-shard tears filled my eyes, and I bled them out. Oh, Moira! Why didn’t you send it?” (Walsh, 273). From this quote, I felt Moira’s moment of crushing despair. It’s a critical moment in the book when Maeve finally finds out what was really going on between Moira and Ian. The words carry such weight that you can’t help but feel sorry for her. It would have been simpler to say, “ I cried a lot”, but that would leave a different impression that seems less appropriate for such a critical plot event. It wouldn’t be as dramatic as the original quote.
“Vivid scent hit me first-dusky brass and bittersweet cane. My mouth watered, but no instrument lay atop the matted-plush in-sides. Instead, there were folded notes, mementos, my passport, a few reeds from my old sax, and some stones from Castine…Oh, God. Nauseous. Bleeding memories. I hated eling.” (61). Besides having such symbolic significance to Maeve, this passage has such emotional force that it’s almost too hard too read. Maeve’s pain is felt through her words. I wouldn’t usually think of memories as bleeding. I find it interesting how Walsh incorporates her word choice into specific passages. No matter how unusual her syntax seems, the words always seem to fit.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone. After reading the whole thing, I think that it was a good read (pun intended). I found that it was exactly what I wasn’t expecting. As cliché as it may sound, I had trouble putting this book down. Unlike many books that I’ve read, this book made me think. I was deeply satisfied by the end of the book. There was a sense of fulfillment that I felt when I finished reading. There are so many good things going on in the pages of the book that I could probably write a book about this book. I believe that anyone one that decides to read this book will not be disappointed.
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Sep 27, 2012 Thanh rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Will of Moira Leahy became an intruding book that allows the readers to open their minds to the magical and mysterious world we call Earth. The book was so fascinating and mind boggling that I had a hard time putting the book down myself. I found myself having a connection with the main character, Maeve Leahy. I realized that we both had lost someone we loved and cherished but gained something else, strength to move on. Maeve represents those who had lost something as well but slowly contin...more The Will of Moira Leahy became an intruding book that allows the readers to open their minds to the magical and mysterious world we call Earth. The book was so fascinating and mind boggling that I had a hard time putting the book down myself. I found myself having a connection with the main character, Maeve Leahy. I realized that we both had lost someone we loved and cherished but gained something else, strength to move on. Maeve represents those who had lost something as well but slowly continuing to move on while many obstacles stand in their way.

From the beginning of the story, Maeve is like a cold robot, doing everything with the same routine. She refuses her past and doesn't reconnect with the people she loved. As the story continues, Maeve starts to open her heart to those who care for her and accepting her past slowly as time goes by. To the end of the story, Maeve welcomes not only her past but also everything about herself.

I thought the theme was about those who have suffered hardship should continue to strive for happiness and accept not only yourself but also your past. I learned that anyone have the ability to go through the path of life as long as they acknowledge everything about them. I say that the big conflict is man vs. society and man vs. self.

Therese Walsh uses a blade called a keris to symbolize strength and remembrance of the past in the book. In the book, the keris helps Maeve come in connect with her past and herself like a guidance. The music that she hears in her head symbolizes as recalling of the past, another door that Maeve must come through. Water is also other theme that I found after reading the book. To me, it had symbolized big events occurring in the book such as a meeting.

"The blade was gone. I heard, faintly, the splash of water, and turned to look over the side, my nails scratching at the brick. The keris had fallen into the Tiber River."
This view of writing style has this beginning sense of urgency to reclaim the keris or this blade. Walsh is able to write something that enables readers to feel that emotion of losing something over the edge. I see her writing as a piece of a film that is playing in my eyes, describing what each character felt or acted. Together, this writing style allows the novel to be intruding, capturing the readers mind.

"Really who? I'm Alvilda the fearless back from my adventures. Are you of royal blood, mate?"
Walsh adds in her novel this sense of adventure of the human mind to continue to go forth to a whole new journey. She gives imagery by adding people from old stories and allowing everyone to envision each part in their own way. I see this writing style as words that combine together that gives off a detail picture. In the novel, she uses this type of writing style to explain the scenery, places and objects around Maeve throughout the story.

I would recommend this novel to others who would love suspense, magic, mystery and most of all mind boggling events that give the book more spice.(less)

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Sep 26, 2012 Leninah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Overall, The Last Will of Moira Leahy is a great book. The bits of romance and the relationships between family and friends were some elements that I appreciated. I think that there were not any parts that annoyed me. I had the most reaction towards the end of the book because it reveals what actually happened in the past for Maeve and Moira Leahy. The main point of view of this book is seen from Maeve Leahy’s eyes. In the beginning, she does not allow herself to live without care and tries to...more Overall, The Last Will of Moira Leahy is a great book. The bits of romance and the relationships between family and friends were some elements that I appreciated. I think that there were not any parts that annoyed me. I had the most reaction towards the end of the book because it reveals what actually happened in the past for Maeve and Moira Leahy. The main point of view of this book is seen from Maeve Leahy’s eyes. In the beginning, she does not allow herself to live without care and tries to repress feelings and memories of the past. Later, Maeve obtains a type of freedom that she could feel within herself. She transforms into the person she was before. The change in between took place because she resolved central conflicts she had with herself and some supernatural events. It is almost as if Maeve was reborn.
Learn to forgive, always love, and live happy are some of the themes I gathered after reading. The theme developed along with the main character’s journey of searching for a type of fulfillment. The author’s attitude was positive because I am sure she did not intend to give this story a dark feeling. The theme and overall novel somewhat contributed to me as a person because it showed me that I should appreciate my loved ones no matter what. I learned that there is always a way to free yourself of troubles and live happily, but it may not be easy.
One of the main symbols in the story is the keris because it represents Maeve’s past that she was pushing away. The author also used foreshadowing and flashbacks to keep the book interesting. The foreshadowing gives the reader a desire to find out what is going to happen next. The flashbacks were important to this story since it provided information from the past that would not be directly mentioned from the main character. The author’s writing style definitely keeps the book entertaining as well. For example, “She gave me a wry smile, then dipped a potato chunk into a puddle of ketchup” (Walsh 49). I do not know what it is, but this line just gave me so much happiness since it was beautifully written. I was pleasantly surprised to see such ordinary objects described perfectly and it creates a vivid image. Another example, “I felt distracted though, my days full of incessant mind music, my nights littered with dreams of gushing water and that omnipresent door” (47). The author uses wonderful adjectives and words, which makes the writing flow together like musical notes. Her style of writing greatly affects the book because it creates a memorable mood and tone.
I would recommend this book to others because it is great to read. The way it is put together creates a good feeling, in my opinion. However, I do not think I would recommend this book to males. I feel that females are able to relate more to this story since it is told from a female’s point of view. Also, females would have the ability to appreciate the more romantic parts of the novel.

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Sep 26, 2012 Neda Sarrami rated it 5 of 5 stars

Hello! My name is Neda Sarrami, and I read your book as a part of a literature circle group in my English class. I appreciated the specific and bold voice that you had, and the eery details that contributed to that. I really liked how what happened to Moira was not revealed until almost the end of the book. The element of surprise when I found out that she was really in a coma sent shivers down my spine (in a good way), and it was really exciting to suddenly change my point of view on the story....more Hello! My name is Neda Sarrami, and I read your book as a part of a literature circle group in my English class. I appreciated the specific and bold voice that you had, and the eery details that contributed to that. I really liked how what happened to Moira was not revealed until almost the end of the book. The element of surprise when I found out that she was really in a coma sent shivers down my spine (in a good way), and it was really exciting to suddenly change my point of view on the story. I feel that Maeve starts out as being contained and stressed. She is introduced as a character that consistently rejects society, and acts in a way that causes society to reject her. She is afraid of any other human, afraid of building close relationships with anyone. Noel, however, is one person she cannot resist, and towards the end of the book, the positive changes in her character show how much he has affected her. He helps her open up, and let out the stress; he shows her that life can still be good and beautiful, and when something is missing, one just has to let it go. I think the central conflict in the book was of the "man vs. self" form, between Maeve and her supposedly guilty conscience. Moreover, throughout the book, I thought there was a clear theme about sibling rivalry portrayed. The main theme of the book was how a perfect sibling relationship can go really wrong, because of an innocent mistake that turns into a really big problem. I feel that music was a main symbol in the book, which represented Maeve and Moira's past, and it was important because it always reminded Maeve of Moira's jealousy towards Maeve; which had started from Maeve's talent in music. the keris, of course, was a major symbol, which showed Maeve's journey towards finding her past, present, and a hopeful glance towards her future. I think the simple diction made the book very easy to understand, and it also contributed to the effect of the imagery used in the book. There were many times in the book where I witnessed different writing styles which also was very interesting. "What I mean is that I've tried to differentiate you girls from the beginning, and it's been like fighting...fighting the tide. But I keep at it, because I know it's important for the two of you to have separate identities" (86). In this quote, the writing was very direct, and the author did not hold back any details about Mrs. Leahy. The author very directly informed the reader of Mrs. Leahy's controlling personality, and that adds a tense edge to the writing style. In other places, the writing style was ambiguous, and it revealed details about the book in a way that the reader had to really understand the book to find out. Not just long after the first quote, Mrs. Leahy says "You need to need to find your true self. You won't always be joined at the hip to Maeve. You won't always be together" (87). This writing style was a way of foreshadowing the destiny of Maeve and Moira's relationship in a very vague way. It is the beginning of the small clues that lead the reader to finding out how the love between Maeve and Moira was destroyed. This writing style is not boldly direct, or intense, but it creates a creepy background and a slightly scary foreshadow as to what is going to happen later on. I would definitely recommend this book to girls, especially adolescents, but maybe not so much to boys. All in all though, it was a great book, and even though there might be a few feminine touches here and there, anyone who reads it would definitely find it to be spectacular.(less)

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Sep 25, 2012 Chad Flores rated it 3 of 5 stars

Hi there! My name is Chad Flores, I read this book for my English 3 Honors class recently in a lit circle group. This book was really great, and very touching in most parts, but the reason I give it the honest rating I did was it's not particularly my kind of book. This book can be quite depressing and I feel as though in parts it drags on a bit. With all do respect, I gave it three stars. The theme of this novel I believe is always stay true to a sibling. The way the main character acted with o...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Angelopatti rated it 3 of 5 stars

I thought that The Last Will of Moira Leahy by Therese Walsh was a good book that i only liked. I didn't think that it was a very great book because it wasn't my favorite type of genre, but it still had parts that were able to entertain me. I appreciated that the book had some parts that had suspense and mystery which i love to read about. The book did not really bother me much but the parts that did were the boring parts of the book such as conversations between Maeve and Noel. I reacted the m...more I thought that The Last Will of Moira Leahy by Therese Walsh was a good book that i only liked. I didn't think that it was a very great book because it wasn't my favorite type of genre, but it still had parts that were able to entertain me. I appreciated that the book had some parts that had suspense and mystery which i love to read about. The book did not really bother me much but the parts that did were the boring parts of the book such as conversations between Maeve and Noel. I reacted the most to when Maeve and Moira were kids and how it talked about them. Those parts of the book i put great interest into. I found these parts interesting because there was more of a plot and story to that that made me think a lot more about the keris and how Moira ended up dying.
The main character in the story is Maeve Leahy who is Moira Leahy's twin sister. At the start of the book Maeve was a more scared and jittery character who sounds like she should be in a asylum. The reason for that is because of how peculiar she acts at the start of the story with the dreams and flashbacks she has. As the book moves on she thinks she needs a doctor and it keeps getting worse especially when she buys the keris. In the end of the novel you figure out that her weird mind boggles are really just Moira just trying to talk to Maeve. So by the end of the book Maeve is a changed character for good because she sends Moira from purgatory to heaven.
This book was more of a man versus self because of Maeve fighting with her mind and feelings throughout the whole story. Even though it was her sister in her mind she also had feelings racing through her head about people and what was going on. So this book would be based on man versus self.
I thought a lot about the theme of this story and it took me awhile to realize the best one for it. In my opinion it is you don't really realize what you have until it's gone. I put this because Maeve throughout the story is fighting with herself on how her sister died and if it was somehow her fault. Maeve didn't realize how much she loved her sister until she was gone which is really how it is with a lot of people even with material possessions. Until the end Maeve fights with her mind and sister until she forgives her and herself to set herself free of regret.
One literary device the author used was allusion, which was used a lot throughout the book. Allusion was used to explain dreams and things that you were going to figure out later in the book. Dreams showed allusions to what the keris actually was and how Moira was trying to talk to Maeve. Another literary device was personification and it was used to represent what the keris was. The keris was supposed to be a lifeless but spiritual object and the author gave it human like attributes. One was how the keris was able to move and became hot like somebody's body temperature.
This quote shows how Therese Walsh uses a lot of imagery in her writing style. "I'd walked halfway across the bridge leading to my hotel when the keris gave a great flare of heat. Someone ran close. I stopped, turned as Ermanno charged out of the dark and rammed into me. I tried to catch my fall, and the keris clattered to the ground"(263). Therese uses a lot of imagery to explain the whole action that is going on in the scene. This is something i like in a book and it helps show what is going on so you get a bigger picture of the action or environment. Another one is the way she goes into how people feel. "I unfolded myself with careful movements, propped my back up against the door. I faced Sri Putra. "I'm not afraid," I said, though of course i was. "Moira's my twin. She's in a coma. She's brain-dead.""(260). Therese goes into depth on what the characters are thinking and it really helps explaining that so that the reader can capture a better understanding of the character.
To me this story was something that i liked but i can't say i really enjoyed it. Other than that i would recommend this book to people who like in depth thoughts and mystery. That was what really caught me and how it made it a bit boring. Others have different opinions though so maybe you might like it. This book was good enough that i would recommend it to people though and Therese Walsh is also a wonderful writer so that's what kept me interested and hooked on the book. If you like how i explained her writing style then this book is great for you.
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Mar 26, 2012 Chris Blake rated it 5 of 5 stars

Identical twins share a special bond. Therese Walsh’s stirring debut novel, “The Last Will of Moira Leahy,” explores the bonds that hold twins together and the painful consequences that occur when those ties are broken.

The story begins when Maeve, a language professor in her mid-20’s, impulsively bids on a keris, a Javanese dagger, at an auction house. She wins the keris and weird things begin to happen, which unlock memories of the loss of her twin sister, Moira, nine years earlier.

Walsh altern...more Identical twins share a special bond. Therese Walsh’s stirring debut novel, “The Last Will of Moira Leahy,” explores the bonds that hold twins together and the painful consequences that occur when those ties are broken.

The story begins when Maeve, a language professor in her mid-20’s, impulsively bids on a keris, a Javanese dagger, at an auction house. She wins the keris and weird things begin to happen, which unlock memories of the loss of her twin sister, Moira, nine years earlier.

Walsh alternates between Maeve’s first-person point-of view in the present and scenes from the past, told from Moira’s third-person viewpoint. Growing up in the coastal Maine community of Castine, Moira is overshadowed by her twin sister, Maeve, a child prodigy and a gifted saxophone player. Their bond is shattered when they both become interested in the same boy, their neighbor Ian. Moira’s quest ends tragically, and Maeve, torn apart by grief, abandons her promising musical career and retreats to a safer harbor.

The search for the meaning behind the keris leads Maeve to Rome, where she connects with Noel, her close friend who is trying to unravel mysteries of his own family. The intrigue deepens when Maeve attempts to contact the man in Rome who can unlock the mysteries behind the keris, only to be thwarted by his sinister half-brother.

Meanwhile, Walsh skillfully weaves in the tragic story of the loss of Maeve’s twin through the chapters entitled, Out of Time. As both narratives build to a climax, Maeve’s inner turmoil and search for resolution with her twin sister come together in a scene that packs tremendous emotional power.

This book is difficult to pigeonhole into a specific genre and that’s part of its appeal. Walsh draws on elements of mystery, romance, historical fiction and the paranormal and beautifully blends these into a suspenseful and poignant story of love, loss, and redemption. It takes a gifted writer to make these diverse elements work, while building the suspense in a way that is authentic. Walsh is such a writer and I can’t wait to read more from her.

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Mar 03, 2011 Lolly LKH rated it 3 of 5 stars

I don't know about this one. I didn't hate it but I didn't LOVE it either. There were mythical elements to this tragic romance, but I wasn't able to really feel the magic of it. The story is about twins,Mauve being a musical prodigy and the other sister Moira, who comes to feel she is in her sister's shadow when a boy comes into the midst of their twin-ship. This novel goes back and forth between the past and present, and there is a strange connection between Mauve and a keris (Javanese dagger)...more

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Feb 08, 2011 Vaughn Roycroft rated it 5 of 5 stars

This story opens with a bang, when Maeve Leahy feels strangely compelled to attend an auction, and then to bid on and purchase a Javanese blade called a keris. I was immediately hooked, drawn into Maeve’s suddenly turbulent world.

We quickly glean that something tragic has happened with Maeve’s twin, Moira, and that the keris Maeve has purchased seems—at least to her—to possess a mystical power. The blade and the special bond the twins share both become apt metaphors over the course of the tale,...more This story opens with a bang, when Maeve Leahy feels strangely compelled to attend an auction, and then to bid on and purchase a Javanese blade called a keris. I was immediately hooked, drawn into Maeve’s suddenly turbulent world.

We quickly glean that something tragic has happened with Maeve’s twin, Moira, and that the keris Maeve has purchased seems—at least to her—to possess a mystical power. The blade and the special bond the twins share both become apt metaphors over the course of the tale, relatable and adaptable. Walsh deftly entwines so many literary devices and techniques, I wondered briefly just what genre I had wandered into: mystery, paranormal, spiritual, romance—what was it? I quickly surmised it didn’t matter, and surrendered to be carried along on her lovely prose.

Indeed, very early on, I fell in love with reading this book. By that I mean I loved the actual process of reading it—not something that always happens for me, even with some books I end up liking. The primary, present-day storyline is carried by a sharp, first-person narrative from the point-of-view of Maeve herself. But this is pleasingly interspersed with a progressive back-story told, with a perfectly distanced third-person point-of-view, by her twin Moira. The style has a comforting cadence, but also builds an increasingly urgent tension.

This book has it all: a mysterious talisman with a dangerous side, a journey (actually a fine travelogue for Rome), a romance, a dark past, and spiritual revelation, all carefully woven into a satisfying story and an emotional journey for the reader. I found myself wondering if Walsh was actually a: twin, Javanese weapons expert, sailing aficionado, musician, travel agent, linguist, or all of the above. Most importantly, whether she is any or all of those, she is an exceptional and polished writer. Most would be shocked after reading it to learn Last Will is Walsh’s debut novel.

So do yourself a favor and buy this beautifully written, artfully woven, and emotionally powerful book.
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Jan 17, 2011 Christi Craig rated it 5 of 5 stars

"November always lingered, though, crackling under the foot of my memory like dead leaves."
~(from chapter one, Prodigy)

From the very beginning of Therese Walsh's debut novel, readers fall easily into a story of loss, discovery, and healing.

The story takes place in Castine, Maine and in Italy. For reasons I won't mention (no spoilers here; you'll have to read the story), twin sisters - Moira and Maeve Leahy - are torn apart. The loss of that relationship haunts Maeve and paralyzes her so that hea...more

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Nov 15, 2010 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-stars, fiction

Nearly a decade since tragedy stole her twin sister from her, Maeve Leahy is living a cold if functional life. She has drained the color out of her life, and she has buried her emotions in her academic career. "Bring on winter," she states in the opening paragraph; she's not afraid of grief or of cold, but of having to feel. Her life takes a magical turn when she impulsively buys a keris, a Javanese sword, at an auction after fighting an attraction to it: it reminds her of a sword she and her si...more Nearly a decade since tragedy stole her twin sister from her, Maeve Leahy is living a cold if functional life. She has drained the color out of her life, and she has buried her emotions in her academic career. "Bring on winter," she states in the opening paragraph; she's not afraid of grief or of cold, but of having to feel. Her life takes a magical turn when she impulsively buys a keris, a Javanese sword, at an auction after fighting an attraction to it: it reminds her of a sword she and her sister lost in the sea while playing pirates as children.

It's a standard plot: a possibly mystical item of exotic origin sends previously cloistered woman off on an adventure. This book shines, however, because Walsh's prose is graceful and immensely readable, and her structure is perfect: Maeve's contemporary narrative, and the "Out of Time" passages from Moira's memories. I am a big fan of twinned narrative lines in novels; my two favorite books, Mary Doria Russell's The Sparrow and Connie Willis's Doomsday Book, employ this technique, and Walsh effectively uses her twin narratives to illuminate and enrich both the present and the past, the inner lives of both Moira and Maeve. The way the story is told is perfect for the story that's being told.

Maeve and Moira themselves are also at the heart of the book's strength. Their emotions (as well as Maeve's repression of hers) their relationship, and their love are the book's heartbeat, and Moira's absence in Maeve's adult life is depicted, interestingly enough, as a forceful presence. I found myself completely wrapped up in Maeve and her journey to healing. She felt very real to me. At one point, I was in tears and unable to see the pages and was frustrated (with myself!) because I urgently wanted to keep reading on. Maeve's relationship with Noel also struck me as realistic, always a bit edgy and not over-idealized, and I found myself caring for him and his journey as well.

The "suspense" plot involving the empu was less engaging to me, and I didn't follow it as closely as I followed Maeve's emotional life. However, both elements--the external and the internal plots--ended satisfactorily for me.

I borrowed a copy of this book but upon finishing promptly bought a copy of my own, because I can see myself longing to reread this in the future.(less)

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Aug 29, 2010 Donna Radcliff rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is another instance I wish we could do half stars...this book was really more a 3.5 read than a 3. If you liked The Lace Reader or you'll like this book.

Maeve Leahy goes into a decade long deep-freeze at the loss of her identical twin sister, Moira. These two sisters had that mystical bond that is peculiar to twins, at least until their 16th year when everything goes horribly wrong.

For the past 10 years Maeve has buried berself in her academic and professional life. She keeps everyone at a...more

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Aug 27, 2010 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was wandering around the library the other day and for some reason this book jumped out at me. I'm not sure why. It sounded mysterious and interesting, but it also sounded like female fiction that I'm rarely interested in (ex: Nora Roberts, Nicolas Sparks, Mary Higgins Clark).

It ended up being a lot more interesting than I thought it would be. Some of the main themes are about not letting your past hold you back, not letting your role in your family prevent you from pursuing your talents and s...more

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Feb 24, 2010 Carolyn Hill rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book has all the elements I like -- mystery, suspense, family drama, mysticism, and a little romance. It's a real page-turner with lovely writing, a welcome combination. I didn't give it five stars because of a few minor annoyances. I found the main character Maeve's voice to be overly frenetic and disjointed at times. I know this was undoubtedly intentional to convey her psychological distress, but I thought she was a bit overwrought and the narration jumpy. I would have liked more interac...more

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Oct 19, 2009 Cheryl rated it 5 of 5 stars

Twin sisters, Moira and Maeve were inseparable. They shared a bond that only twins could share. Though Maeve has the ability to sense when bad things were going to happen to the people she loved. It was almost like she was cursed. I mean...would you want the ability to know that something was going to happen and you may not be able to prevent it.

As Moira and Maeve grew up; Maeve became the popular one that everyone wanted to hang out with. Moira was known as the boring one. Moira developed a cr...more

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Sep 26, 2012 Ruby rated it 5 of 5 stars

This riveting novel of self realization and forgiveness was definitely worth reading. Although the beginning was confusing and slightly difficult to follow, as soon as I reached the second chapter I was hooked. I especially enjoyed reading the anecdotes that Ms. Walsh inserted at the end of every chapter that linked back to the twins’ past. It was like reading a mystery where I had to keep flipping the pages to find out what happens next, or why Maeve acts a certain way. Thinking back now, I sup...more This riveting novel of self realization and forgiveness was definitely worth reading. Although the beginning was confusing and slightly difficult to follow, as soon as I reached the second chapter I was hooked. I especially enjoyed reading the anecdotes that Ms. Walsh inserted at the end of every chapter that linked back to the twins’ past. It was like reading a mystery where I had to keep flipping the pages to find out what happens next, or why Maeve acts a certain way. Thinking back now, I suppose it was like starting at two different ends of a rope and slowly unraveling each end until I reach the reconciliation in the middle and reveal the whole story. In the beginning of the novel, Maeve seems like an introverted character. Little of her is known at the start, except that she finds fascination in a certain keris at an auction, and that she has bleached her hair until it reached an almost-white color. At the end of the novel, Maeve is slowly turning back into the person she used to be, before Moira’s accident. The central conflict in this book is Maeve’s struggle to move on from her sister’s accident. In addition, she fights to suppress anything within her that links to her past, such as the musical notes she hears, or the urge to create music again. The theme of this novel is that sibling bonds are stronger than anything else, and that forgiving someone’s mistakes allows one to move on. In this novel, the theme is shown in the scene when Maeve communicates with Moira’s spirit through the keris. Moira urges Maeve to move on with her life and to forgive her for her mistakes. Some symbols and motifs present in this novel are music and the keris. The music symbolizes Maeve’s inability to accept her sister’s death and the connection between Maeve and Moira. The keris, too, represents the sisters’ bond. Ms. Walsh has a very eloquent and descriptive writing style that ultimately compels readers to experience the emotions of both the sisters in riveting ways. “…I’ve felt the span of that month like no other, as if each of the calendar’s thirty perfect little squares split in two on the page…November always lingered, though, crackling under the foot of my memory like dead leaves” (Walsh 3). This particular passage, the opening of the novel, creates a sense of despair and longing that allows readers to experience the emotions of Maeve. Another quote, “The puppets that had charmed me weeks ago now dangled by their necks, their legs ripped off, cut off, burned, their brass tubes bent” (Walsh 247), utilizes profound imagery that allows readers to visualize exactly what things look like. Overall, I would definitely recommend this novel to other people, because this novel was not only written eloquently, but it also allowed me to feel a range of emotions that I used to reflect on my own personal life. (less)

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Sep 26, 2012 Holly rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Last Will of Mora Leahy by Therese Walsh is a compelling story that shows the struggle of coming to terms with the past and dealing with death. Overall, I appreciated the way Maeve transformed from being so closed up to remembering her past with forgiveness. However, the sibling rivalry between the empu and Ermanno seemed too black and white. If it were more complex, the side story would stand out and appear more significant. The scene in which Ian rapes Maeve is rather surprising, but it a...more The Last Will of Mora Leahy by Therese Walsh is a compelling story that shows the struggle of coming to terms with the past and dealing with death. Overall, I appreciated the way Maeve transformed from being so closed up to remembering her past with forgiveness. However, the sibling rivalry between the empu and Ermanno seemed too black and white. If it were more complex, the side story would stand out and appear more significant. The scene in which Ian rapes Maeve is rather surprising, but it also shows how much grief Maeve needs to deal with in order to accept her past and really adds greatness to her victory of forgiving herself and everyone else.
It was truly inspiring to see such a closed up character eventually learn to open herself up. The conflict between man vs. himself was described with such hope that anyone with internal conflicts can relate. It was beautiful to read such elegant words about the reunited sisters towards the end because all of the suspense, with the talking blade and the envy of Ermanno, resulted into a self satisfying resolution. Maeve's transformation from being able to talk about her past with Noel to actually going back home and facing all of her former encounters is absolutely amazing.
Walsh's use of flashbacks and symbolism really help move Maeve's journey along and add to this theme centered around hope. However, the theme was not just about hope, but about learning to let go and realizing that even though everything can be lost, other important events and people come in to play. For example, Maeve lost her virginity, her sister and her mother's trust all at once, but later in life, she gains the love of Noel, a job she loves, a family she can go back to and the burden of keeping her past bottled inside. The author tries to communicate that the past will always follow a person which is why it is essential to come to terms with it. She conveys that there is always hope for things to get better.
Lastly, Walsh's writing style is both beautiful and comical. "Moira drifted there, like a water angel with a billowing ruby halo, her hand over mine and eyes locked with mine in the warm womb of the strange sea" (267, Walsh). Walsh's words are so imaginative and descriptive, so readers can see this scene perfectly as it is being read. Her diction is so artistic that she can really emphasize the beauty in this scene and in the entire story. "I was grateful the lobby was empty when we stepped inside, because I couldn't imagine what I looked like in Noel's sopping coat and my skimpy outfit" (182). At some points in the story, Walsh adds a bit of comic relief. Maeve, a girl use to wearing baggy sweatshirts and sweatpants, makes fun of herself in these new, fancy clothes which is definitely something a person like her might think. I would recommend this book, not only because it is a beautiful story and an enjoyable story, but it is also inspiring and relatable to those who have lost a loved one. This book contains just the right amount of tragedy and love to create a satisfying read.(less)

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Sep 24, 2012 Adrienne rated it 4 of 5 stars

My overall reaction to the novel was a good one. Above all else, I enjoyed the layout of the plot. Although the story takes place in Maeve's present life, woven throughout it are flashbacks and memories. This made The Last Will of Moira Leahy much more relate able for me because I could get a sense of what the twins' lives were like when they were my age. One thing I did not like about the book was that I thought it was too unrealistic. Some events such as the secret notes, traveling to Italy,...more My overall reaction to the novel was a good one. Above all else, I enjoyed the layout of the plot. Although the story takes place in Maeve's present life, woven throughout it are flashbacks and memories. This made The Last Will of Moira Leahy much more relate able for me because I could get a sense of what the twins' lives were like when they were my age. One thing I did not like about the book was that I thought it was too unrealistic. Some events such as the secret notes, traveling to Italy, and this mysterious dagger were a little too unbelievable. There were times that I would read certain parts of the book and find myself thinking it was silly.

In the beginning of the novel, Maeve is a completely different character than at the end. When the reader first meets Maeve, she is detached from the rest of the world and feels as though a part of her is missing because of the death of her twin sister. When Maeve travels to Italy, her intent is to find answers to all the questions in her life but she ends up finding herself. At the end of the novel, Maeve is her own person and is living for herself. She began to do things that made her happy without feeling her sister's presence lingering on her.

The central conflict in The Last Will of Moira Leahy is man vs society. Maeve's situation is her against the world. Maeve really doesn't have anyone on her side. Her best friend is too committed to work, her relationship with her parents is weak, and her twin sister is dead.

I believe that the theme in the novel is to live for yourself and do what makes you happy. In the beginning of the book, the reader can see that Maeve is not doing this. She is stuck in her dark past and is letting the death of Moira take over her life. At the end of the novel, Maeve lets go of this and does what makes her happy. When she does this, her whole world changes.

The most obvious and important symbol in The Last Will of Moira Leahy is the dagger. When the reader finds out that this is the same dagger she had when she was a child, it is seen that it symbolizes her past and her present. In the time between when she had the dagger as a child and when she bought it at the auction, Maeve's life changed so much. The dagger also represents the constant in Maeve's life. Even after Moira died and Maeve traveled to the other side of the world, she is still the same person, the only difference is everything around her.

“November always lingered, though, crackling under the foot of my memory like dead leaves” (Walsh 3). The Last Will of Moira Leahy has wonderful imagery. Throughout the novel, the author uses vivid descriptions to paint a picture in the reader's mind. This helps the reader get a precise view of where the novel takes place and what is going on. “Just in case playing tic-tac-toe with yourself could be used as evidence of insanity” (11). Walsh's writing style gives a very deep look into Maeve's thoughts. The reader has a first hand look into her mind and knows everything that she is thinking. This is useful because the reader is aware of who Maeve truly is and not just who she wants to show to other people.

I would definitely recommend this book to others. This novel was very original and unlike any others I have read. It was interesting to see a very different plot layout along with a very well written story.

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Jun 21, 2010 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction-nos

A story of a young woman navigating the loss of her twin sister years ago, dipped in mysticism and travel. I chose this off the shelf, which is a very rare way for me to choose what to read (good job, cover designer). This kind of feels like a three-star book to me, because I didn't like most of it but what I did like deserves another star. What I didn't like: I felt like I was never allowed to forget that I was reading literature (as opposed to plain old fiction), if that makes sense; the story...more

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May 02, 2010 Riley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010

I originally bought this because the author is an online friend of mine, but the 5-star rating is 100% genuine from me as a reader. This book is going to stay with me for quite a while, I can tell.

I do think the book takes a little while (50-60 pages?) to settle into itself, but once it does, it really works. The dual narrative structure begins to flow, the twins distinguish themselves (both in the story and in the reader's mind), and the dual mysteries propel you through the story. The book ble...more

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May 14, 2010 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Moira Leahy always struggled growing up in the shadows of her wildly talented and fun-loving twin sister, Maeve. In the fall of their sixteenth year, Moira falls in love with a boy named Ian. What she quickly realizes though is that Ian’s love is meant for Maeve,and once again Moira feels as though she is in Maeve's shadow. Thanks to being identical, she can easily pass herself off as Maeve to receive Ian’s affection. They meet secretly at night and Ian falls deeper and deeper in love with Maeve...more Moira Leahy always struggled growing up in the shadows of her wildly talented and fun-loving twin sister, Maeve. In the fall of their sixteenth year, Moira falls in love with a boy named Ian. What she quickly realizes though is that Ian’s love is meant for Maeve,and once again Moira feels as though she is in Maeve's shadow. Thanks to being identical, she can easily pass herself off as Maeve to receive Ian’s affection. They meet secretly at night and Ian falls deeper and deeper in love with Maeve…never knowing that he is actually meeting Moira.

Secrets are hard to keep from a twin sister, and Moira has to make a conscious effort to block Maeve from reading her thoughts and discovering her secret. When the lies become too much, a fateful
accident occurs that changes Moira and Mave’s lives forever.

Now grown, Maeve has become a workaholic and professor of languages at a small college in upstate New York. She dreams often of her twin and is haunted by what happened that fateful night. She is detached from everyone in her life, but one night an auction changes her life.

At the auction a keris (a Javenese dagger) is put up for auction and it reminds Maeve of the long lost days of playing pirates with her sister. An uncontrollable urge to win it, whatever the cost, allows her to be the proud owner of the keris.

This dagger takes her on a wild adventure to Rome, to discover its origin and ultimately, to find a love that she thought she lost. Her adventure is full of magic, mystery, love lost, and love found. It is a story of self-discovery through an unlikely antique that will take the reader on a lovely little ride.

The beginning was a slow build for me, the middle was fast-paced and exciting, the ending a little long, but full of great twists that surpr ised me. It was a fantastically solid read from a brand new author,whom I discovered through GoodReads by author Allison Winn Scotch (a personal favorite of mine).

What I love even more though was that Therese is also a tweeter and I received several sweet tweets from her when she saw that I was reading her book. There is something special about an author that engages like that and I am excited to not only get the opportunity to share about her book, but also engage with her personally.

A fantastic debut and I look forward to reading more from Therese Walsh.
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Jan 10, 2010 Holly Lee (Bellas Novella) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, amazon-vine

First impressions are great with a cover as beautiful as this. The image is pulled straight from the pages of the book, a very memorable scene that the entire book builds up to.

I started reading The Last Will of Moira Leahy without knowing much about it. I was very quickly swept into the story and found it to be quite engaging.

The story centers around Maeve Leahy who lost her identical twin sister Moira one unfortunate November in their teens. The book splits time equally between the story lea...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Courtney Conlan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review of The Last Will of Moira Leahy by Therese Walsh
The book The Last Will of Moira Leahy, by Therese Walsh, was a nicely written, compelling novel. I liked the style of the book and the storyline of the twin girls who were so close together and then so far apart. The idea of the keris in the book made the novel more unique and original. Also, reading about the keris forced me to learn about something new that I otherwise probably would not have researched. There was nothing in the book I tr...more
Review of The Last Will of Moira Leahy by Therese Walsh
The book The Last Will of Moira Leahy, by Therese Walsh, was a nicely written, compelling novel. I liked the style of the book and the storyline of the twin girls who were so close together and then so far apart. The idea of the keris in the book made the novel more unique and original. Also, reading about the keris forced me to learn about something new that I otherwise probably would not have researched. There was nothing in the book I truly disliked or wish could have changed, although the scene of Maeve and Moira meeting one last time in the water was definitely a little mind boggling. I related to Maeve and Moira in some parts because I have sisters and we fight a lot. Overall, I greatly enjoyed reading this book.
Maeve is hurt, broken, and feels no closure for her twin sister’s “death” in the beginning of The Last Will of Moira Leahy. She is cut off of almost any connection to her old life aside from her friend Kit and occasionally seeing or talking to her father. She also comes off as slightly mental with her hallucinations. By the end of the book, Maeve has accepted closure and is finally moving on with her life. This change is caused by her interest in the keris and trip to finding out the importance of it. When she is finally able to forgive herself for her past, Maeve is able to move into the present.
The main conflict in the novel ended up being between Maeve and herself more than anything else. Throughout the book Maeve struggles to keep ahold of herself. She limits herself and pretends to be happy even though she is not, and refuses to talk about her past. Maeve tries to erase everything that has happened to her by not acknowledging it, but it backfires and only makes it worse. Maeve refuses help by everyone and chooses to internally debate (or more or less ignore) her personal conflicts.
One of the main themes in the book was the struggle between a family. The novel includes flashbacks that appear to portray a close-knit family, but as the book wades on more troubles and grief appears. Moira and Maeve go from being as close as two sisters can be to two distant figures who share an identical appearance. Their mother seems cynical and un-approving of Maeve’s actions and decisions. She often reprimands her daughter and holds some sort of a grudge against her. Walsh’s theme represents the main plotline of the story as well: a family that has fallen apart and cannot put themselves back together. The theme made me think of my own family and friendships and the ways we have fallen out or built ourselves back up.
Music was a motif in Walsh’s novel. Music represented the relationship between Moira and Maeve. Maeve was a prodigy on the saxophone and Moira was good on the piano. Moira was jealous of Maeve’s playing abilities and attempted to learn, only to have the idea shunned by her mother. Music represents the love the twins hold for each other. When Maeve and Moira are sixteen and not close anymore, they do not play their instruments often. After the accident, Maeve does not play the sax at all. It is not until many years later, when she finally “sees” Moira one last time and forgives herself, that she is able to once again play the saxophone. Maeve playing her music again at the end of the novel symbolizes that her and Moira are close once again, even though Moira is now truly dead.
Therese Walsh is a talented author whose words casually cause detail rich images to fill my mind. A few of her sentences sum up her writing talent. “November always lingered, though, crackling under the foot of my memory like dead leaves” (Walsh, 3). This sentence introduces a depressed yet serene state that many parts of the novel seem to be. Walsh uses imagery to enrich the sentence, thus creating a better mental picture while reading the novel. “At least some who were lost could be found” (24). This sentence does not really cause your imagination to flow; rather it stirs the emotions inside of you. It tells of Maeve’s internal despair and hopelessness. Walsh’s sentences do a good job of either informing the reader on feelings that they can then relate to themselves, or painting a detailed picture with imagery.
I would definitely recommend this book to others because I found it very intriguing. The end of the book especially holds lots of surprises and secrets. The Last Will of Moira Leahy was clear in vocabulary but complex in meaning. Although it is more of a chick book, I think the book could be enjoyed by anyone. The novel was pretty difficult to put down once I started reading it, and the suspense just added to my will to keep on turning the pages. This is a book I would recommend to almost anyone.
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Nov 03, 2011 Heather Wilson rated it 4 of 5 stars

What a lovely mix of magic, mysticism, paranormal activity, romance, mystery...There's a ton of "categories" this wonderful story could fall into and yet any description that chooses just one or even two of them would be incomplete. What makes this story work is that the magic/mysticism/paranormal is handed so lightly and elegantly.

Maeve loses her twin, Moira, at age sixteen. Afterwards, she changes - she restrains her love of music, keeps her passionate nature hidden. She becomes similar to Mo...more What a lovely mix of magic, mysticism, paranormal activity, romance, mystery...There's a ton of "categories" this wonderful story could fall into and yet any description that chooses just one or even two of them would be incomplete. What makes this story work is that the magic/mysticism/paranormal is handed so lightly and elegantly.

Maeve loses her twin, Moira, at age sixteen. Afterwards, she changes - she restrains her love of music, keeps her passionate nature hidden. She becomes similar to Moira, who she once told was afraid of everything. But when she buys a mysterious relic, a keris with mystic powers, she is forced to take an "aventurra", one that insists she comes to terms with the loss of her sister and that she find herself again.

Therese Walsh has a lovely, simple, unpretentious writing style. What I was particularly impressed with was her ability to describe without going overboard. I also enjoyed the structure of the story. Mostly told in Maeve's point of view, there are "Out of Time" chapters, essentially flashbacks from Moira's point of view. Unlike with traditional flashbacks, though, I didn't feel jarred away from the story. It felt as if Moira's story happened as Maeve's story happened, which was extremely interesting. Because Moira's story is about her separating from Maeve - becoming more of who Maeve was, and Maeve's story is about separating from Moira, becoming more of who she (Maeve) used to be.

There are so many breathtaking aspects of the story, especially the romance that has been waiting for Maeve all along. The characters, important and minor,are well developed and three dimensional. While I sometimes found Maeve exasperating, that only made me love her more. Because that's true to life. The locations (Betheny, NY, Castine, NY and Rome) are all utilized so very well, particularly Rome.

There is a twist at the very end of the story that made me gasp because of its perfection, and sealed the beauty of this story. This is not one I'll soon forget, and I hope to read more from Therese Walsh soon.

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