WHEN the writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the author of One Hundred Years of Solitude and other classic novels, died 10 years ago, he left behind an unfinished novel, Until August. The novel was published this week, unleashing a backlash from scholars, writers and fans who’ve taken exception not with the novel itself, but rather with what they see as an act of betrayal that endangers Garcia Marquez’s legacy.

Before his death, Garcia Marquez asked his sons, Rodrigo Garcia and Gonzalo Garcia Barcha, to destroy the novel. They did not. They could not. I understand.

The life of a work of art does not end when its creator dies. Artists too rarely leave clear instructions on what to do with their works, especially unfinished ones, which can lead to messy legal battles. Even when the instructions are specific, it can put executors in an impossible position. The heirs inherit the responsibility to preserve and promote the artist’s legacy so that it can be appreciated for generations to come.