Destined (Pike novel)
The final installment of the Wings series.
The final book in Aprilynne Pike's young-adult fantasy romance series, Destined arrived in 2012. It follows Wings, Spells, and Illusions as the fourth and concluding installment. The novel entered the USA Today Bestseller list at position 115.
Quick Facts
- Author
- Aprilynne Pike
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Series
- The Wings Series
- Genre
- Young adult
- Fantasy
- Romance
- Publisher
- HarperTeen (US); HarperCollins (UK)
- Published
- May 1, 2012
- Format
- Print (Hardcover, Paperback)
- e-Book
- Audiobook
Facts from the source article.
Plot
The story begins immediately after Illusions, with Tamani, Shar, and Chelsea standing around Yuki, who is trapped in a circle of salt. Yuki tells Tamani she wanted to confess everything to him and that they are both used by people who do not truly love them—Laurel and Klea. Laurel arrives and asks what Klea wants; Yuki reveals that Klea already has what she wanted and, to gain her freedom, discloses that Shar poisoned Laurel's mother so she could not have children, ensuring Laurel's parents would adopt the baby left on their doorstep. Tamani swears he did not know and insists Shar is not a monster. Chelsea stays to watch Yuki while Laurel goes home; Yuki provokes Chelsea by saying she will always be second to Laurel in David's eyes. The next morning, Laurel returns and Chelsea leaves. Laurel wants to tell Jamison about Yuki, but Shar warns that opening the gate could reveal its location to Klea and that Queen Marion might order Yuki's execution. A troll breaks in, followed by Klea, whom Shar calls Callista. She shoots Shar and Yuki breaks free. As they flee, Tamani explains that Klea/Callista is the exiled Fall faerie Katya told Laurel about.
Characters
Laurel is a Fall faerie and the series' main character. She is a scion sent to live with humans as a child so she could inherit land containing a gate to Avalon. She struggles between her human life and her life in Avalon, as well as between her human love David and her faerie love Tamani. Tamani is a Spring faerie and Laurel's fear-gleidhidh, her guardian responsible for her safety and duties. He was Laurel's friend before her mind was erased and has loved her since childhood, eventually winning her heart. David is Laurel's best friend and former boyfriend, the first person she told about being a faerie. As a human, he can wield Excalibur to defend Avalon; at the series' end, he chooses to have his memories of faerie and Avalon erased. Chelsea is another of Laurel's best friends, who has long had a crush on David; they get together at the book's end, though the epilogue shows they eventually break up, and Chelsea marries a man named Jason and has a daughter named Sophie. Klea, whose real name is Callista, is a Fall faerie exiled for making potions from faeries, including poisons. She worked with Jeremiah Barnes and trolls to access Avalon and chooses to die from her own poison rather than be cured and imprisoned. Yuki is a Winter faerie raised by Klea to help her enter Avalon; she loves Tamani and eventually betrays Klea by making a key to open the gate without a Winter faerie, and is killed by Klea's poisoned sword. Shar is a Spring faerie and the sentry guarding the gate to Avalon, who has protected Laurel her entire life. To ensure Laurel's adoption, he sterilized her mother; he is killed by Klea while investigating her headquarters.
Critical reception
Destined earned a starred review from VOYA before its publication. Claudia Gray, a bestselling YA author, praised the book on its cover, calling the series' conclusion perfect. Romantic Times named it a top pick, commending Pike's creative reimagining of fairy tales and myths and noting the story's vivid details, action, adventure, and romance.
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