Take a blender. Pour a dose of facts, another dose of fiction, some amazing characters, some romance, a dash of conspiracy & violence and some suspense. Blend it all and you get “Destinies” as a result!
The protagonist of this novel is Catherine II, also known as Catherine the Great. She was the most renowned and the longest-ruling female leader of Russia, reigning from 1762 until her death in 1796. Ms.Morrow has managed to keep her character very real & true to the original person. She is fierce yet giving, cruel yet loving, ruthless yet caring… The character has so many facets that as a reader I loved to love and hate her simultaneously throughout the novel. The other prominent character in this Novel is that of the ‘fictional’ Christian. We are introduced to him as a 14 year old boy who is worried about leaving behind his best friend and his horse when his parents decide to take Catherine’s offer of settling down in Russia. The innocent little boy grows through and with the Novel and the book is mostly narrated through Christian.
For those weak in world history (like me) this is a great treat. An interesting history lesson that takes us back in time to Catherine’s rule and gives us a glimpse of the lives of the noble bloodline. In the Foreword of the book Ms.Morrow has mentioned that she has portrayed Catherine and few members of the royal court have been portrayed as they lived. Indeed she has done a great job of it as she has done with building and maintaining a sense of suspense throughout her work.
An amazing and gripping page-turner!
Review Copy received from the Author
