Destiny

Author: Gillian Shields
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Release Date: July 31, 2012

Format: ARC

Source: For Review

Goodreads Description:

"Everything is connected. We weave in and out of one another's lives, like circles within circles, and everything is for a purpose.
Helen has always been the "crazy" one among the girls of Wyldcliffe, scarred by her bleak past and her troubled relationship with her mother, the former headmistress and leader of the Wyldcliffe coven, Mrs. Hartle.

But Miss Scratton promised Helen that a love "beyond the confines of this world" is waiting for her. Could this be Lynton, the mysterious music student who visits Wyldcliffe for his lessons? And what about the brooch her mother gave her--what can the Seal reveal about Helen's past and future?

Now that Miss Scratton is gone, life at Wyldcliffe takes an even darker turn. An unexpected threat arrives in the form of a new high master, whom Helen remembers from her unhappy childhood. Can Helen, Evie, and Sarah finally overcome Wyldcliffe's darkness? Will Lady Agnes come to their aid? And what sacrifices must they make to fulfill their destiny?

"Destiny" is the stunning conclusion to this gripping series about sisterhood, the circles of time, and love."

***

Destiny is filled with the same magic, mystery, and excitement that makes the rest of the Immortal series so awesome. I was a bit taken aback by the point of view because it is told from the perspective of all three girls, and I was only expecting to read from Helen’s point of view.

Even though the story is not exclusively told by Helen, we get a much deeper look into her character. Unsurprisingly, she is lonely and wounded by both her past and her mother. It really was heartbreaking to read some of her emotional scenes.

Often times while reading the Immortal series, I forget that it takes place in the 21^st century. Since Wyldcliff forbids all forms of technology, this is really easy to do. As I was reading Destiny, however, I realized that a big part of the reason that I feel like I am reading about girls in the Victorian era is the way they talk. The language is just so old fashioned! It would make more sense to have this be historical paranormal or to just write it using the modern way of speaking. That said, the writing itself is truly beautiful.

Gillian Shields delivers a satisfactory and surprising conclusion to the Immortal series. It was refreshing to learn more about all of the girls, but it was definitely time for their story to come to an end. Destiny is a captivating read with breath-taking prose and is definitely a must for fans of Gothic literature.

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