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Immortal #4
Destiny
In Destiny , the fourth and final book in Gillian Shields’s romantic, gothic Immortal series, Helen, Evie, and Sarah, the Sisters of the Mystic Way, must use their powers to battle for their souls.
Malevolent forces haunt Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies, the girls’ elite boarding school on the English moors. Dr. Franzen, an evil man from Helen’s past, has taken over as headmaster. And while Helen longs to believe her mother, the priestess of a coven of dark witches, has reformed, she fears her mother cannot be trusted. At least Helen can cling to the prediction 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?
Malevolent forces haunt Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies, the girls’ elite boarding school on the English moors. Dr. Franzen, an evil man from Helen’s past, has taken over as headmaster. And while Helen longs to believe her mother, the priestess of a coven of dark witches, has reformed, she fears her mother cannot be trusted. At least Helen can cling to the prediction 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?
384 pages, Hardcover
First published July 31, 2012
30 people are currently reading
3044 people want to read
About the author
Gillian Shields
59 books539 followersGillian Shields was born and brought up in Yorkshire, in the north of England. As she grew up, she had two passions:books and theater. Gillian’s love of books led her to read English at St. Catharine's College, Cambridge. After university she studied acting in London. She then taught in a drama school, the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts, for several years, becoming Vice Principal. She recently taught English and Drama at Beechwood Sacred Heart, a girls’ boarding school.
Having children gave Gillian an excuse to carry on reading children’s books, as well as a motivation to write them. She has a son and a daughter, and is married to Brian, who works for the New York Times Media Group.
Hobbies, Interests, and Enthusiasms
I am currently learning Italian (or trying to!) and have a secret fantasy about going to live on the beautiful island of Sicily one day, and having a little stone house with a lemon tree in the garden, and a view of the blue, blue sea! I am lucky, though, because I do live in a fantastic part of England, full of soft green fields and rolling hills and cottages that date back four hundred years.
I like to go for long walks and see the changes that the seasons bring, and I try to imagine how it all must have been years and years ago, and how the people lived. I was brought up in the north of England which is much more rugged and wild—the backdrop to Immortal.
I also enjoy being in the city—although I wouldn't want to live there all the time, it's fun to go window shopping or to big new exhibitions or shows, or just hang out in a coffee shop with a cappuccino and a notebook and watch the busy world go by.
Something I enjoy is painting. I have taken quite a few art classes and find it very creative to work with paint and charcoal and images instead of words, though somehow I can't help adding bits of poetry and scraps of words into my paintings, too… When I was at school, I was completely obsessed by the Pre-Raphaelites, and I love the way their art is so intertwined with poetry and stories. My best friend is an artist and she is incredibly inspiring to me.
I hate cooking but love the idea of being a good cook and welcoming all my friends and family to delicious meals. So I have lots of beautiful cookery books but I never get past the first couple of recipes. Every so often I get madly enthusiastic all over again, but it doesn't last.
When I am writing, I can't listen to music—I find it too distracting, but I love to listen to the radio when I am driving. I listen to pop music in the morning and classical music in the afternoon. That just seems right somehow. My son is really into music, so I enjoy sharing his enthusiasms. At the moment we are listening to Eminem, Akon, NDubz, Chipmunk, Kanye West, plus Greenday, Michael Jackson…the list goes on. My current absolute favorite is Paolo Nutini.
Another interest I have is this amazing charity called The Smile Train which carries out operations for disadvantaged children born with harelip/cleft palate. Sometimes I feel I don't realize how lucky I am, and so it's good to try and do something to help a child on the other side of the world who isn't so lucky. My family also tries to support Sightsavers International, who do simple cataract operations to restore the sight of hundreds of people in the developing world.
On a more self-indulgent note, I love to get to the theater whenever I can, and to the ballet, which I adore. In another fantasy life I would definitely be a ballerina!
I can't imagine getting through a day without reading or writing. I know it sounds a complete cliche, but there it is. I go to a writers' workshop once a week to meet other writers and exchange ideas and read work in progress, and that is hugely important to me. And every spare minute of the time at home I am reading, reading, reading…What would we do without stories?
Education
St Catharine's College, Cambridge University (MA in Englis
Having children gave Gillian an excuse to carry on reading children’s books, as well as a motivation to write them. She has a son and a daughter, and is married to Brian, who works for the New York Times Media Group.
Hobbies, Interests, and Enthusiasms
I am currently learning Italian (or trying to!) and have a secret fantasy about going to live on the beautiful island of Sicily one day, and having a little stone house with a lemon tree in the garden, and a view of the blue, blue sea! I am lucky, though, because I do live in a fantastic part of England, full of soft green fields and rolling hills and cottages that date back four hundred years.
I like to go for long walks and see the changes that the seasons bring, and I try to imagine how it all must have been years and years ago, and how the people lived. I was brought up in the north of England which is much more rugged and wild—the backdrop to Immortal.
I also enjoy being in the city—although I wouldn't want to live there all the time, it's fun to go window shopping or to big new exhibitions or shows, or just hang out in a coffee shop with a cappuccino and a notebook and watch the busy world go by.
Something I enjoy is painting. I have taken quite a few art classes and find it very creative to work with paint and charcoal and images instead of words, though somehow I can't help adding bits of poetry and scraps of words into my paintings, too… When I was at school, I was completely obsessed by the Pre-Raphaelites, and I love the way their art is so intertwined with poetry and stories. My best friend is an artist and she is incredibly inspiring to me.
I hate cooking but love the idea of being a good cook and welcoming all my friends and family to delicious meals. So I have lots of beautiful cookery books but I never get past the first couple of recipes. Every so often I get madly enthusiastic all over again, but it doesn't last.
When I am writing, I can't listen to music—I find it too distracting, but I love to listen to the radio when I am driving. I listen to pop music in the morning and classical music in the afternoon. That just seems right somehow. My son is really into music, so I enjoy sharing his enthusiasms. At the moment we are listening to Eminem, Akon, NDubz, Chipmunk, Kanye West, plus Greenday, Michael Jackson…the list goes on. My current absolute favorite is Paolo Nutini.
Another interest I have is this amazing charity called The Smile Train which carries out operations for disadvantaged children born with harelip/cleft palate. Sometimes I feel I don't realize how lucky I am, and so it's good to try and do something to help a child on the other side of the world who isn't so lucky. My family also tries to support Sightsavers International, who do simple cataract operations to restore the sight of hundreds of people in the developing world.
On a more self-indulgent note, I love to get to the theater whenever I can, and to the ballet, which I adore. In another fantasy life I would definitely be a ballerina!
I can't imagine getting through a day without reading or writing. I know it sounds a complete cliche, but there it is. I go to a writers' workshop once a week to meet other writers and exchange ideas and read work in progress, and that is hugely important to me. And every spare minute of the time at home I am reading, reading, reading…What would we do without stories?
Education
St Catharine's College, Cambridge University (MA in Englis
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
August 3, 2012
The Immortal series is a strange one, and Destiny is no exception. These books are evocative and deeply haunting, like there's some greater mystery to them beyond just the story being told by the words on their pages. Every time I finish one, I'm left with more questions than answers, never entirely sure of what I've just read. But I suppose that's Gillian Shields's intent, to create this aura of mysticism and mystery about her books that makes them strangely captivating and memorable. And it totally works.
Shields's writing sets off these books from almost anything else I've read. She deals in secrets, so even now that I've finished the fourth book, I still don't really understand the Mystic Way, the path of magic followed by boarding school friends Evie, Sarah, and Helen, any more than I did before I started the first book. And while Helen's mother, former Headmistress Celia Hartle, and her coven of witches are the obvious flesh and blood villains of the series, a mysterious archdemon-like figure, the Eternal King of the Unconquered Lords, threatens from beyond. Reality and magic blend together, aided by Shields's darkly poetic style, and though her writing does occasionally wander into the overly dramatic or sentimental at times, for the most part the story flows quite well. Each book adds an extra piece to the puzzle, wrapping up a pretty much self-contained plot, yet at the same time expands the size of the puzzle six or seven fold, adding plenty of new loose ends to be tied up.
Some stuff I would normally be bothered by, the intentional vagueness, the oversentimentality, the overreliance on faith, I think suits this book quite well. Helen's story may even be the best in the series, certainly better than Eternal. Coming into this book, Helen's not as well developed as Evie or Sarah, but she's already established as this tragic character, a victim of her mother. So she's torn between her mother and the past and her friends and the present, trying to balance her loyalty to Evie and Sarah with her hope that her mother can be redeemed, maybe looking for a little redemption for herself too. And her diary entries really add to her characterization as a tortured soul, down to her confessions to the mysterious Wanderer character, though it was pretty easy for me to guess who he is. But the way her character progresses, coming to terms with her childhood, her relationship with her mother, and opening her heart to her friends, it's all the makings of a really great, complex, and interesting character.
Although this is Helen's book, Evie and Sarah are back - the chapters alternate points of view among the three girls. I don't think Evie's as great as she was in the first two books - she sort of lost her spark when she lost Sebastian in the second book. And Sarah I still feel is the weakest link. I didn’t mind though, I like the focus on Helen’s character. And for a series I felt Betrayal did a good job of wrapping up, I'm surprised Destiny still manages to expand on the previous books and satisfyingly wrap up the storylines again, while still leaving an opening for a fifth book. Or maybe it's just because I have so many questions, about the Mystic Way, about the Eternal King, about the Guardians and Time itself, and Shields is just doing an awesome job of getting me to keep thinking about her premise, going through the plot without giving everything away.
Destiny, heck the entire Immortal series besides Eternal, is a series I really like reading because everything feels strangely unfamiliar even though the plot itself is not hard to follow. Shields writes these books in such a way that resolves everything that needs to be resolved yet leaves behind so many mysteries I can't help but keep reading.
Shields's writing sets off these books from almost anything else I've read. She deals in secrets, so even now that I've finished the fourth book, I still don't really understand the Mystic Way, the path of magic followed by boarding school friends Evie, Sarah, and Helen, any more than I did before I started the first book. And while Helen's mother, former Headmistress Celia Hartle, and her coven of witches are the obvious flesh and blood villains of the series, a mysterious archdemon-like figure, the Eternal King of the Unconquered Lords, threatens from beyond. Reality and magic blend together, aided by Shields's darkly poetic style, and though her writing does occasionally wander into the overly dramatic or sentimental at times, for the most part the story flows quite well. Each book adds an extra piece to the puzzle, wrapping up a pretty much self-contained plot, yet at the same time expands the size of the puzzle six or seven fold, adding plenty of new loose ends to be tied up.
Some stuff I would normally be bothered by, the intentional vagueness, the oversentimentality, the overreliance on faith, I think suits this book quite well. Helen's story may even be the best in the series, certainly better than Eternal. Coming into this book, Helen's not as well developed as Evie or Sarah, but she's already established as this tragic character, a victim of her mother. So she's torn between her mother and the past and her friends and the present, trying to balance her loyalty to Evie and Sarah with her hope that her mother can be redeemed, maybe looking for a little redemption for herself too. And her diary entries really add to her characterization as a tortured soul, down to her confessions to the mysterious Wanderer character, though it was pretty easy for me to guess who he is. But the way her character progresses, coming to terms with her childhood, her relationship with her mother, and opening her heart to her friends, it's all the makings of a really great, complex, and interesting character.
Although this is Helen's book, Evie and Sarah are back - the chapters alternate points of view among the three girls. I don't think Evie's as great as she was in the first two books - she sort of lost her spark when she lost Sebastian in the second book. And Sarah I still feel is the weakest link. I didn’t mind though, I like the focus on Helen’s character. And for a series I felt Betrayal did a good job of wrapping up, I'm surprised Destiny still manages to expand on the previous books and satisfyingly wrap up the storylines again, while still leaving an opening for a fifth book. Or maybe it's just because I have so many questions, about the Mystic Way, about the Eternal King, about the Guardians and Time itself, and Shields is just doing an awesome job of getting me to keep thinking about her premise, going through the plot without giving everything away.
Destiny, heck the entire Immortal series besides Eternal, is a series I really like reading because everything feels strangely unfamiliar even though the plot itself is not hard to follow. Shields writes these books in such a way that resolves everything that needs to be resolved yet leaves behind so many mysteries I can't help but keep reading.
March 6, 2023
The final book in the "Immortal" series and while it centers on the destiny of Helen Black, readers get the sense that one of our girls is not going to make it to the end of the book. I loved that Helen and her mother's relationship was explored in further detail because neither Evie nor Sarah could quite grasp it in their books.
2023 Update: Such a good series!
2023 Update: Such a good series!
March 1, 2019
This was okay, but I was put off a bit by the way the story was told through diary entries. Usually this wouldn't bother me, but because the entries varied between Helen, Evie and Sarah, if I had to put the book down, I often had trouble working out whose diary I was reading when I picked the book back up, which was a little frustrating.
This was an okay end to the series, although
This was an okay end to the series, although
January 9, 2012
Any readers eagerly awaiting Helen's complex story? This book alternates from different view points, but ultimately focuses upon Helen. Helen desperately wants that love that Miss Scratton promised will find her. However, Helen's plans must be put on hold when a Dr. Franzen arrives. Dr. Franzen is a man from Helen's past and one she knows it not the kind High Master he pretends to be. Darkness is back at Wyldcliffe and Helen and her friends of the Mystic Way must find a way to completely defeat the darkness.
Helen's character is complex. She is more mature and very passionate about those she loves. Her intelligent, inquisitive nature leads her into trouble at times, but she is amazing at thinking on her feet. The reader will enjoy reconnecting with Sarah and Evie as well. The other characters have an impact on the outcome of this novel, one that the reader will not expect. Helen's love interest will be intriguing and enigmatic at first. The reader will love watching their relationship develop.
The events are fast-paced and many are very exciting. The author knows just when the plot is starting to lag and manages to insert an event that will have the reader finishing "just one more chapter." The ending is both surprising and slightly heartbreaking, the reader will want another novel in the series, but will also be satisfied with this ending. This book is recommended to young adult/teen readers.
Helen's character is complex. She is more mature and very passionate about those she loves. Her intelligent, inquisitive nature leads her into trouble at times, but she is amazing at thinking on her feet. The reader will enjoy reconnecting with Sarah and Evie as well. The other characters have an impact on the outcome of this novel, one that the reader will not expect. Helen's love interest will be intriguing and enigmatic at first. The reader will love watching their relationship develop.
The events are fast-paced and many are very exciting. The author knows just when the plot is starting to lag and manages to insert an event that will have the reader finishing "just one more chapter." The ending is both surprising and slightly heartbreaking, the reader will want another novel in the series, but will also be satisfied with this ending. This book is recommended to young adult/teen readers.
May 29, 2012
In this fourth book of the Immortal series, Helen's story takes center stage but is told from various POV's. Without having read the previous books in the series, I wasn't sure I would be able to follow along with the storyline but the author gives enough background that it was easy enough to catch up on what was going on.
This book has an overall theme of good vs. evil, self-sacrifice and shows that each one of us was created for a purpose greater than ourselves. Having said that, I personally found the book to be a bit overly dramatic and Helen's character wasn't my favorite. She's whiny and moody to the point of rudeness and yeah, I understand she's grieving for her mother and doubts she'll ever find the kind of love her friends have but she didn't need to be so annoying about it.
I'm not sure how fans of this series will react to the ending; I guess it will depend on whether or not they're fans of Helen to begin with but I had mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I liked how certain "things" were connected in ways that brought some of the characters lives full circle but at the same time, the element of "love at first sight" seemed silly to me.
Again, this is the kind of book that while it may not be for me, someone else will most likely stay up till all hours trying to finish it.
This book has an overall theme of good vs. evil, self-sacrifice and shows that each one of us was created for a purpose greater than ourselves. Having said that, I personally found the book to be a bit overly dramatic and Helen's character wasn't my favorite. She's whiny and moody to the point of rudeness and yeah, I understand she's grieving for her mother and doubts she'll ever find the kind of love her friends have but she didn't need to be so annoying about it.
I'm not sure how fans of this series will react to the ending; I guess it will depend on whether or not they're fans of Helen to begin with but I had mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I liked how certain "things" were connected in ways that brought some of the characters lives full circle but at the same time, the element of "love at first sight" seemed silly to me.
Again, this is the kind of book that while it may not be for me, someone else will most likely stay up till all hours trying to finish it.
September 25, 2012
Finally completed the whole series with Destiny as the final book. Destiny is a book about Helen as the first two books were about Evie (*Immortal and Betrayal*) and the third book was about Sarah(*Eternal*). The story is told with chapters alternate points of view among the three girls, which is quite different from the previous books.
I would have hated this book if it weren't for the surprising ending. The book begins with Helen stuck in a dilemma, trying to decide whether or not to release her mother from the prison, trying to convince herself that her mother loves her. Well....I just don't like slow beginnings. It always kills my mood for reading.
I really love the part when Helen reveals her childhood tale. Its where we get to know her love for a young boy, Tom, whom she called the Wanderer. And then there's the ending, a surprising twist at the end! (*not gonna tell even in my review*). It was an ending that I wasn't expecting.
Destiny is definitely better than Eternal, I enjoyed this one more than Eternal.
"Twice or thrice had I loved thee, before I knew thy face or name....
"Set upon thine heart, as seal upon thine arm; for love is strong as death.'" -Helen/Tom/Lynton
I would have hated this book if it weren't for the surprising ending. The book begins with Helen stuck in a dilemma, trying to decide whether or not to release her mother from the prison, trying to convince herself that her mother loves her. Well....I just don't like slow beginnings. It always kills my mood for reading.
I really love the part when Helen reveals her childhood tale. Its where we get to know her love for a young boy, Tom, whom she called the Wanderer. And then there's the ending, a surprising twist at the end! (*not gonna tell even in my review*). It was an ending that I wasn't expecting.
Destiny is definitely better than Eternal, I enjoyed this one more than Eternal.
"Twice or thrice had I loved thee, before I knew thy face or name....
"Set upon thine heart, as seal upon thine arm; for love is strong as death.'" -Helen/Tom/Lynton
October 3, 2012
What an exciting way to end the miniseries by Gillian Shields! I soaked it up like a sponge and consumed it in one afternoon. It was that good. Helen in this book becomes the main characters while Evie and Sarah become the secondary characters. But this one was different from the third book since Evie and Sarah were still written from their point of views throughout the book. I found the ending brilliant and never knew what was going to happen. The pieces fitted so well that there wasn't any lost gaps in the story. I am happy to have read this tetralogy and can't wait for more books written by Gillian Shields.
October 22, 2012
I really wanted to read about Helen's story and how she found love also wanted to know how Evie and her sisters would beat the bad guys. I liked this book cause all my questions are answered and I liked the answeres, I liked the ending. Lynton is Helen's perfect match to be sure, and I did get a little emotional at the ending, at first I thought I was going to be mad but it turned out not to be a tragedy so it's all good. I only want one thing....now I want to read Velvet's story and see how she finds love so maybe there will be a new series for her, I can only hope.
November 21, 2016
Can you imagine being put in a situation for many years of having the feeling where you're not being loved? That is what Helen Black was put through. She sacrificed so much for her mother, sisters, and tried her best to find a guy who would fall in love with her, but she never got what she wanted in return. From seeing the book title, Destiny, and reading the summary, I already know that Helen will face her destiny. She will believe that things will change, and she will be loved and she'll love. The heading and picture lead me to knowing that it is Helen's turn to use her powers within the Talisman. The purpose of this type of text in the book is to teach me to always believe in my destiny. I should never be too impatient, and everything happens at a certain time in our destinies. Sometimes, our actions cause us to create our own destinies.
As I read this book and connect to my life, it reminds me of many situations that people are put through. This book reminds me specifically of girls or guys that are always not dating or not finding someone that loves them. Then, instead they just follow around their couple best friends, and thirdwheel most of the time, facing pain and loneliness. It's a lot like feeling odd and unwanted.
There's a question that I have been asking throughout my whole reading time of the whole series, and I yet haven't find an accurate answer for it. Though, my question is Why Doesn't Helen Black fall in love, or get loved? This doesn't make sense because all her friends at Wyldcliffe have boyfriends or guy friends, and she has no one. So far, the answer/reason was that it is because she is known as "Crazy Helen Black", who has weird breakdowns, scarred by her bleak past, and troubled with her relationship with her mother, who has caused her to be her enemy. Lastly, Helen Black will be happy, and she will be loved. She won't feel different, but she'll have to forget her past.
As I read this book and connect to my life, it reminds me of many situations that people are put through. This book reminds me specifically of girls or guys that are always not dating or not finding someone that loves them. Then, instead they just follow around their couple best friends, and thirdwheel most of the time, facing pain and loneliness. It's a lot like feeling odd and unwanted.
There's a question that I have been asking throughout my whole reading time of the whole series, and I yet haven't find an accurate answer for it. Though, my question is Why Doesn't Helen Black fall in love, or get loved? This doesn't make sense because all her friends at Wyldcliffe have boyfriends or guy friends, and she has no one. So far, the answer/reason was that it is because she is known as "Crazy Helen Black", who has weird breakdowns, scarred by her bleak past, and troubled with her relationship with her mother, who has caused her to be her enemy. Lastly, Helen Black will be happy, and she will be loved. She won't feel different, but she'll have to forget her past.
March 14, 2024
I started this series many years ago. I stopped after the first book because I didn't want the love between Evie and Sebastian to die. I recently picked back up the series and just couldn't stop reading.
I want to say this is my favorite out of the series because of Helen and how I could relate to her. She literally gave up everything for the people she loved without a second thought and believed in hope and love. It hurt when she gave up her life for Velvet, but I was also happy for Helen because she was finally happy and got what she wanted.
I want to say this is my favorite out of the series because of Helen and how I could relate to her. She literally gave up everything for the people she loved without a second thought and believed in hope and love. It hurt when she gave up her life for Velvet, but I was also happy for Helen because she was finally happy and got what she wanted.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 27, 2017
Immortal series
The three books were were capitivating from beginning to end. All told a different story but were still connected to the next. The author did a good job of letting you,the reader, see into the life of the boarding school but also through the magic of four girls who become sisters and friends for life.
The three books were were capitivating from beginning to end. All told a different story but were still connected to the next. The author did a good job of letting you,the reader, see into the life of the boarding school but also through the magic of four girls who become sisters and friends for life.
February 5, 2024
There were parts of this story where I wished Helen would just hurry up and tell her friends what was happening and then ask them for the help she so desperately needed. It became a little annoying hearing her continues to go on about her problems, when they could have easily been solved by involving her friends.
May 5, 2018
More satisfying than I expected even though the message was so heavy-handed. If anything I appreciated some things not going completely how I predicted.
May 27, 2020
Rarely does a book make me cry. This one did. Not for bad reasons.
March 11, 2024
I LOVED this series, but this last book was a bit disappointing. Reading it from all the different angles made it difficult to stay in it. Helen deserved so much better.
April 9, 2020
Loved this whole series, wow I laughed, cheered and cried. Amazing series
March 27, 2022
This book made a huge impact on me. I didn't expect Helen to die in the end. At first I was upset that she was going to go and leave everyone behind even Lynnton. But he revealed that he was her Wanderer and that he wanted her to go with him. That made me so happy and it brought tears to my eyes. I felt so bad for Helen. She wanted to believe that her mother had changed and was trying. Anyone in that situation would. But in the end Helen found out she shouldn't have trusted her at all. All three girls in the book discovered that Velvet was their fourth sister the one for fire. Sarah had a hard time excepting it because of Velvet's attitude and also Velvet caused accidents with her powers she couldn't control. Velvet was determined to show them that she could help them and that she wanted to. In the end the three girls accepted her help and Velvet nearly lost her life in the process. Helen sacrificed herself so Velvet could live a happy life. She went with her Wanderer to the death gates. Only the people present at the scene would know of Helen's death everyone else would not remember her because it's what Helen wished for and wanted. I loved this book it was such a great ending and everything just seemed to fit like a puzzle. At the same time it feels like we lost such a special and important puzzle piece. I'm wondering if someone else is now going to take over being the air element now that Helen has gone away for good. I'm happy that Helen found what she was truly meant for. She never felt like she had fit in or had a future so she was happy to sacrifice herself for Velvet. Helen's death made a beautiful impact on everyone in the end though. I'm so sad to see Helen go, but more than anything I would want such a beautiful and amazing character to have happiness no matter what that may look like to someone else. This was my favorite book in the series as well!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2012
As much as I love Harper ARC time, this is one time where my selection hit a low note. To fully give Destiny a chance, I read/listened to the first three books on audio and I must say, it took me a while to get through them, as it took me steeling myself for the next onslaught. The first two books centered around Evie, who is plenty self-involved enough, but the third book was Sarah, who was the only tolerable one of the lot. I was cautiously optimistic about Helen's story....
So to recap, this series takes place in a boarding school on the moors of idyllic England. Evie, Sarah and Helen, with the long dead Lady Agnes, are sisters in the Mystic Way. They're witches, for all intents and purposes, and they even get to do battle with the evil coven, which happens to be made up of their teachers. Trite and predictable as it sounds, you ask? Absolutely.
As for Destiny, I had high hopes for Helen's story, because she was certainly the more interesting of the 3 girls, and had a lot more to work with. Alas, I found her to be petulant, moody, and surpassed Evie's whining to a degree I couldn't never imagined. This book is also from several POV's, which I found distracting and confusing. I would set the book down and by the time I came back to it, be it a few hours or the next day, and have to reread the chapter before it. The POV switch may not have had much to do with that as the fact that the story limped along and didn't hold my attention.
The premise was interesting and unique, but the "voices" of the characters were just off for me. I think some younger teens would still enjoy all four of them very much, and that is the audience it's geared for, and I feel could do quite well. It just wasn't for me personally.
So to recap, this series takes place in a boarding school on the moors of idyllic England. Evie, Sarah and Helen, with the long dead Lady Agnes, are sisters in the Mystic Way. They're witches, for all intents and purposes, and they even get to do battle with the evil coven, which happens to be made up of their teachers. Trite and predictable as it sounds, you ask? Absolutely.
As for Destiny, I had high hopes for Helen's story, because she was certainly the more interesting of the 3 girls, and had a lot more to work with. Alas, I found her to be petulant, moody, and surpassed Evie's whining to a degree I couldn't never imagined. This book is also from several POV's, which I found distracting and confusing. I would set the book down and by the time I came back to it, be it a few hours or the next day, and have to reread the chapter before it. The POV switch may not have had much to do with that as the fact that the story limped along and didn't hold my attention.
The premise was interesting and unique, but the "voices" of the characters were just off for me. I think some younger teens would still enjoy all four of them very much, and that is the audience it's geared for, and I feel could do quite well. It just wasn't for me personally.
September 22, 2017
In my opinion, this series is at least a 5 Star raiting if not more. The first book doesn’t really draw you in that much that you are desperate but I was drawn enough that I wanted to finish the series. The first book just seems more like a prologue because you don’t really feel what Evie, Sarah and Helen are feeling until the second, third and fourth books. Evie’s Love for Sebastian was hard to watch because it was always going to end. Sarah, you feel her pain of nobody wanting her as more than a friend until a gypsy boy comes back for her because he can’t live without her and he’s in love with her. Helen I think you feel the most pain with. She’s been rejected by love her entire life. Her mother never wanted her and gave her to her evil lover so he could torment and scare and destroy her. She never had friends at school until Evie and Sarah came along and she never really felt like she belonged even with her father. Her wanderer, her Tom, her Lynton was the first person to show her love of friendship by protecting her always as a kid. The way Lynton always seemed to know her even though she’s a stranger, I just knew he would end up being her wanderer because she mentioned that Tom was always just there. Plus when she called for Agnes or Miss Scranton for help, Lynton was there to save her like he had always done!!!
Over all——I love this series would definitely recommend to keep reading if you stopped after the first
Over all——I love this series would definitely recommend to keep reading if you stopped after the first
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2012
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 21st 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.
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 21st 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.
February 16, 2016
Whoa....
I think the author is kind of out of blue thinker. When the series started we were told that the Fire was the greatest element of all but guess what it's changed now. The fire which makes desires and keep you live is not greatest but it's air which makes you breath. I don't know why earth being the body wasn't said as greatest or the water which runs as blood wasn't mentioned in the first part. I don't know how you can say one element is greatest when all are important for the life. when in first part they said it's fire I quite was satisfied bcs it provides the purpose of living which is more important than body in which you live since after death you will have to leave your body. But I didn't liked the fact that out of blue the author changed the very basic of this series.
The three person point of view kept me going and desire to know that how it ends kept me going but this part really had nothing which could have kept the book interesting. The first two part had love. Part 3 had the sisters and their problems and grief but part 4 was nothing.
I am sure like my review for like last 2 parts I am once again gonna say "out of blue".
Last verdict : Read to know how it ends but don't expect much. There are various truth which reveals in the end so you will like them.
I think the author is kind of out of blue thinker. When the series started we were told that the Fire was the greatest element of all but guess what it's changed now. The fire which makes desires and keep you live is not greatest but it's air which makes you breath. I don't know why earth being the body wasn't said as greatest or the water which runs as blood wasn't mentioned in the first part. I don't know how you can say one element is greatest when all are important for the life. when in first part they said it's fire I quite was satisfied bcs it provides the purpose of living which is more important than body in which you live since after death you will have to leave your body. But I didn't liked the fact that out of blue the author changed the very basic of this series.
The three person point of view kept me going and desire to know that how it ends kept me going but this part really had nothing which could have kept the book interesting. The first two part had love. Part 3 had the sisters and their problems and grief but part 4 was nothing.
I am sure like my review for like last 2 parts I am once again gonna say "out of blue".
Last verdict : Read to know how it ends but don't expect much. There are various truth which reveals in the end so you will like them.
February 4, 2015
Honestly this was the best book of the series. I wish the other three novels had been written in this multiple POV way. It was very enlightening and I think it could have shifted some of the resentment I felt towards Evie in book 2. My biggest problem with book 2 was the fact that Evie just kept whining about Sebastian. Had the book been written with Sarah and Helen's POV I think I would have dealt with it better. The ending was incredible.
This is Helen's book but I felt like it was really the book that brought the trio together as sisters. And then we find that Velvet has a bigger role. When she came out and said "The hunt rides for you Helen!" I burst into tears and just wanted to wallow in that moment. I love how Helen then changed everyone's views on that character and called her a "Dark rose"
In the end Helen did what she could to save everyone. Honestly I find myself wanting another book featuring Velvet. I feel like she has not had her story told yet. I actually like her even though she has some darker tendencies. I guess I want to know if Helen truly changed her for the better.
I wish we could have also seen a bit more of Helen's lover. But I guess that was some of the suspense in the novel.
This is Helen's book but I felt like it was really the book that brought the trio together as sisters. And then we find that Velvet has a bigger role. When she came out and said "The hunt rides for you Helen!" I burst into tears and just wanted to wallow in that moment. I love how Helen then changed everyone's views on that character and called her a "Dark rose"
In the end Helen did what she could to save everyone. Honestly I find myself wanting another book featuring Velvet. I feel like she has not had her story told yet. I actually like her even though she has some darker tendencies. I guess I want to know if Helen truly changed her for the better.
I wish we could have also seen a bit more of Helen's lover. But I guess that was some of the suspense in the novel.
March 12, 2014
OMG! I can't believe I am CRYING!! Maybe I'm a bit sensitive but this book had me crying from the moment Helen decided to sacrifice herself for her mother! This ending caught me totally off guard! I can't believe this. What happened to her after all this? Where did she go! Is she with Tom, The Wanderer, or whatever he's real name is!? And why did she never say their real names!UGH! What does Miss Scratton mean, Helen's "real name"? So many question. I hated, yet loved, this ending so much!
Best book of the entire series! I admit the first book was okay, I didn't like it so much. I LOVED Eternal, though. It was SO much better than the first two! It did make me cry a bit 'cause I thought Sarah was dead.
But Destiny? Oh, my! What a book! What an ending! Oh, how I wish I could dance with the wind...
I loved the cover, too! Simple and amazing! The feathers! Oh, my. I am in awe. The cover seems so...so...amazing! I am speechless! Like a beautiful goodbye, somehow. Maybe I'm just crazy, but... Peaceful! The cover seems so peaceful! I truly admire it.
Best book of the entire series! I admit the first book was okay, I didn't like it so much. I LOVED Eternal, though. It was SO much better than the first two! It did make me cry a bit 'cause I thought Sarah was dead.
But Destiny? Oh, my! What a book! What an ending! Oh, how I wish I could dance with the wind...
I loved the cover, too! Simple and amazing! The feathers! Oh, my. I am in awe. The cover seems so...so...amazing! I am speechless! Like a beautiful goodbye, somehow. Maybe I'm just crazy, but... Peaceful! The cover seems so peaceful! I truly admire it.
March 21, 2025
I know its a harsh for a Pre-teen series, but i thought highly of the other books considering the target age. I really felt like this book didn't need to exist. I feel that the important parts of this book could have been pulled and included in the 3rd. I did enjoy how it ended. But i couldn't wait for it to end, i had a hard time keeping consistent with reading this book. I'm glad the girls finally got the "Happy Ending" but it felt like a lot of filler that could have been left out and had this story going in the background of the other 3 books. I am incredibly disappointed with how Velvets story was over looked. If anything this book should have focused on her instead of Helen.
All this being said My over all rating is a 3/5. And i do recommend it for 7th-8th graders.
"It's not as simple as that," I said, "You cant just make yourself happy."...."No, but you can leave behind everything that's been making you unhappy for so long. Though you have to be sure that's what you really want. Prisoners can't be free if they love their prison more than liberty."
All this being said My over all rating is a 3/5. And i do recommend it for 7th-8th graders.
"It's not as simple as that," I said, "You cant just make yourself happy."...."No, but you can leave behind everything that's been making you unhappy for so long. Though you have to be sure that's what you really want. Prisoners can't be free if they love their prison more than liberty."
August 26, 2012
Sigh... I am rounding up to 3 stars only cause 2 stars didn't seem fair considering it was only Helen for most of the book that bothered me... That made no sense so let me explain. In this series, Sarah has always been my favorite character (maybe it's an earth thing). I never considered Helen "crazy Helen Black", she had a terrible upbringing and her mother never really liked her but through most of the book, her 'I don't deserve anything good' and 'I am unlovable' stuff just really got on my nerves - what the hell are Evie and Sarah? Miss Scratton for crying out loud? Her friends, they love her like a sister/mother - these people are all here for her. I understand that when you are told negative things after a while you start to believe them. Although, I am proud that she came around and realised what she had to do and did it with confidence and conviction. Velvet is great! what a fircracker!
It was a great way to close out the series.
It was a great way to close out the series.
July 16, 2014
I actually really loved this book, a lot. Although there was a slow build, I felt as if this one was the most personable one yet. Helen isn't my favorite character, that position belongs to Evie, but I have found that I relate to her a lot. She is a lonely and sad girl, but she doesn't let the sorrows of her past make her bitter. Her story has always been empowering, and I really enjoyed reading about her journey-past and present-and I thought ending the series with Helen's story was a fantastic idea. I loved the ending, although I did NOT see it coming, and despite being heartbreaking, it was unarguably, beautiful. It was a bit a cheesy at times, especially with the dialogue, but I did feel like Gillian Shield's did get her point across. I am so glad that I took a chance on this series, and I am sad that it is now over, definitely a stunning conclusion to a great series.
September 13, 2014
Some story! The story started off really slow, so I stopped reading for a bit. I urged myself to pick up this book again, and finish it. I am glad I did finish it, although the book brought me to tears close to the end. This is a good paranormal book that involves an amazing sisterhood between close friends. This whole series teaches you why you should not discard friends. Two heads are better than one, and three are better than two, throw in a fourth, and you have an inseparable friendship between four girls, that can not long be broken while following the mystic way. If you're looking for a book that has magic, and strong female roles that are also great friends ,then this is the book for you.
July 25, 2012
I won an advance copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads.
Destiny is the fourth book in a series geared toward teenagers that center around three girls that live in an English boarding school who happen to be witches.
I have not read the first three books in the series; I think if I had, then I might have enjoyed this book more. The author does do a good job giving background information on things a new reader might have missed in the other books; but I just didn't have a relationship with the characters that would have made this book more climatic.
I think that if I were ten years younger I would have enjoyed this book much more.
Destiny is the fourth book in a series geared toward teenagers that center around three girls that live in an English boarding school who happen to be witches.
I have not read the first three books in the series; I think if I had, then I might have enjoyed this book more. The author does do a good job giving background information on things a new reader might have missed in the other books; but I just didn't have a relationship with the characters that would have made this book more climatic.
I think that if I were ten years younger I would have enjoyed this book much more.
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