Destiny: As Good a Book as Thornbirds or Evergreen

I love a good novel. And I’ve read dozens of them. But every once in a while, a book comes along that really moves me, that gets to my soul and I know that I will never forget it.

Recently, I read such a book. It’s title is Destiny, and it was written by Sally Beauman, a British woman. As a fellow writer, I have such respect for the depth of her characters, the way their lives wove together and their paths crossed.

Even more than that, I’m impressed by the history. The book was written in 1987 but much of the book takes places during World War II. Also, a great deal of it takes place in France in addition to England with supporting story lines in both California and Alabama.

Destiny was ever bit as good as Thornbirds and Evergreen and I recommend that any woman who loves to read get themselves to their local library or on to Amazon and read this book.

The first third of the book primarily centers around two brothers, Jean-Paul and Edward. There is a lot of sex, prostitution, lying, cheating, drinking, loneliness and pain and suffering. The usual stuff.

The middle third of this 838-page tome is like a coming of age for the boys. They graduate, go out into the world and find their way in life, with both good and bad at every turn.

In the final third of the book, there is a settling down, but that doesn’t prevent the characters from suffering pain. If anything, they suffer more.

I really enjoyed being able to visualize the beauty of both France and England. The details make it easy for the story to come to life.

In the end, I didn’t want this book to end. The characters, especially Edward and Helene, are unforgettable. I highly recommend it to all.

Please check out my novel, In Fashion's Web on Amazon.