Legacy

Reviews for Legacy

Elizabeth Ho OAM

Chair, History Trust of South Australia

…Rich in detail, Legacy stylishly immerses us in the time and space of the colonial era in Penang, Malaysia, its sister city Adelaide, South Australia, and a wider imperial world beyond. I have thoroughly enjoyed Rose Gan’s weaving of the fascinating Light family story into a vast tapestry of empire, faithfully portraying the depth of colonial hegemony and the complexities of identity and intercultural tension. Speaking as an Adelaidian, the imagining of the remarkable life of our gifted Eurasian city planner, Colonel William Light—from naval cadet to visionary—is particularly compelling and emotionally resonant. A wonderful read!

Herald Van Der Linde

Author and Historian: Majapahit and Jakarta

…Rose Gan has that unique gift for fusing meticulous research with vivid storytelling and beautiful prose to bring the past to life. She takes us on a walk through the bustling and dusty streets of Georgetown, sits us down for a cool drink on shady verandah in Calcutta and invites us to join a dance with dark-eyed beauties, clad in kebaya, in early 19th-century Batavia. This was a time when diverse peoples —the Malays, Chinese, Bugis, Javanese, Dutch, British, and Tamils—navigated an era rife with ambition, intrigue, colonial arrogance and war. Amongst the soldiers, swindlers and scandals stood people such as Captain Francis Light, adventurer and statesman and founder of modern-day Penang. Her series is centered about his life and are an excellent gateway to rediscover the vibrant and tumultuous days of “old Penang’ and Maritime Southeast Asia.  "Legacy" is the final of this series, with focus on William Light, his son and founder of Adelaide. It is an absolute pleasure to read. Let’s hope Rose Gan will pick up her pen again and delve into another part of SE Asia history.

Lee Su Kim

Author and Academic: Kebaya Tales, Manek Mischief and Sarong Secrets

…A fascinating, compelling read. Rose Gan takes us on a kaleidoscopic journey into the past – to the era of empires. In ‘Legacy’, we get insights into the lives of the children of Francis Light,  their harrowing adventures and dramatic twists of fate, all the while facing racial prejudice because of their mixed heritage. The double-crossing, betrayals and machinations of colonial personalities including renowned figures such as Stamford Raffles reveal the challenges and pitfalls of that era. Despite the setbacks, William Light, the son of Francis Light and Martinha Rozells, achieved ultimate success in the founding of Adelaide, a similar accomplishment in the footsteps of his father. Meticulously researched, beautifully created, this book is truly a treasure.