Daughter of Destiny: Guinevere's Tale Book One, by Nicole Evelina begins the series. The writing is clear and organized. It is a new view of Guinevere and her life as a child and young woman. The story is a tale about Guinevere's years at Avalon and being a priestess. Her character is a strong individual, a strong female. She makes friends and enemies. Her psyche abilities of prediction lead her home again. She experiences physical love and the power of friendships. The social context of a female in this period of history binds women to the needs of men, and for Guinevere, her Father directs her future.

Book 1 is beautifully written and well organized. The historic facts of the period are mostly silent about Guinevere. This story gives the myth of young Guinevere shape and reason. The text and style are easy to read. Readers of fantasy and myth will enjoy the novel as it adds another layer of possibility to history.
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Acquired Book By: I received a complimentary copy of “Daughter of Destiny” direct from the author Nicole Evelina in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

A solemn plea for a reader's mind to open itself to the possibility everything previously known about Camelot,... of Arthur and Guinevere in particular may not have been the honest truth of how they lived those enchanted lives of age. This is implorious bequest on behalf of Guinevere is quite telling of how fact and fable can become so entangled as to have nary a fragment left which befits the truer tale of their story. This clever beginning reminded me why I love "Ever After" starring Drew Barrymore because it was from the point of view that none of use 'knew!' the real Cinder girl who inspired 'Cinderella'. Evelina made Guinevere's voice so authentically honest, you could not wait to find where truth, fiction and fact intersect and depart!

We step inside Guinevere's life as a young child, on the formidable cusp of womanhood she has to make a choice which will set her sails onto a new path wherein she is meant to learn about her gift of sight. Even at her age without training, Guinevere could see glimpses of both the past and of the future; making her precognitive intuition jarring and intriguing for her young mind. As we take stock of Avalon upon arrival through Guinevere's eyes, we see a resplendent countryside of greenery, growth and renewal of life.

Avalon is a place where self-reliance is forged and a sense of community pulls together the tasks of living where each individual is meant to pull their own weight in order to keep everything in running order. This was a new concept to young Guinevere as she came from a home where servants aided the household and where the most labouring she was used too was learning how to wield a sword; courtesy of her mother. Her heritage is enriched through her mother, whose tribe passed down traditions she is even now remembering and holding quite dear to her heart. In this place, where the outside world is unseen and life murmurs it's own calling of normalcy, Guinevere is attempting to sort out who she is and the talent which unsettles her soul.

One of several young girls who were taken to Avalon to learn more from the women who guide their learning, we start to recognise others who are with her, such as Morgan; a young girl presumed to be descended from the fey. It is within this tender acquaintance with a girl whose her equal, Guinevere begins to develop the unnecessary inclination to best someone who is only seeking recognition as she feels a bit lost and disconnected in the world. These passages of childhood angst between Guinevere and Morgan are interesting, because they show the two girls' character and their choices of how they wish to be known. Conceptually, to have each of these known women alighting inside a story about their youth and their growth into womanhood is a creative method to give us further insight into who they truly were rather than what we could only imagine as truth.

A favourite bit of the narrative set during Guinevere's girlhood years in Avalon is the exploration of herbology and apothecary practices. Avalon is ruled by the elements and as such, so are the women who call Avalon home, as they are students of an ancient art where magic and knowledge walk together rather than apart. Most of their Earthen magical is rooted directly to the land and to the powers instilled in them from birth; it's their pursuit of how to tame what is naturally gifted to them that winks out a pleasurable read, as you see how inter-connected the Earth becomes with their dedication to serve others. Knowledge is paramount to Avalon, in order to best be of use to those who live outside this shielded land where power struggles and the deception of man is rampant.

Daughter of Destiny carries us so far inside Guinevere's internal conflict of soul-searching, self-identity and spiritual awakenings that it is a hard ending to accept that a premonition held so much inside it to befall a footpath in which she was following straight into a destiny she nearly choked on accepting. It's not that it's a future without honour, it's merely Guinevere grew into a woman who sought for independence from men and the manner in which her life was meant to shaped within the shadows of a husband-yet-known. She wanted more of her life than what was expected of her and as we reached the concluding chapters of this first installment we see how churning her choices are and how difficult it is for her to accept what on faith alone she must take as solace to her path.

Evelina has taken us into the heart of Guinevere and her girlhood peers, as we walk inside those hours she spent on Avalon honing her talent and learning about the world from a point of view not concurrent to her parents or ancestral home. Evelina re-develops the image of Guinevere and the back-story therein, allowing us the grace to re-examine what we think we know of the characters being brought back to life inside this trilogy. It's a curious undertaking, because although it's rooted in a canonical history of literature, mythos and lore; there is a new attempt at re-developing a story whose depths are grounded by the character's will of heart and spirit of passage through their growing years.

The research Evelina put into this work of a trilogy is evidenced by how she chose to tell the story, first through direct sight of Guinevere approaching hard choices and managing her emotions in the thick of it and secondly, through enlivening the background with such scope of depth as to embrace the mystical and mythology of how Camelot exists. She even kept the continuity alive by bringing together the origins of those who call Avalon home with their familial heritages and beliefs; such as I celebrated in seeing Guinevere's Rhiannon and Lugh arriving in time for her ascension to Priestess of Avalon. The fundamentals of religion and ancestry are inter-woven to the core of who Guinevere is and what she stood for thereby granting the reader a more grounded vision of the woman Guinevere became latter in life.

// This is a quotation of my full review originally shared via jorielovesastory.com

There are a lot of different depictions of Guinevere and the story of King Arthur, Lancelot, and Camelot. One in particular that I liked was the Mists of Avalon, the movie. Such a mystical and mythical time it was. Or was it? We really do not know for sure but Nicole Evelina gives us her take and another perspective on the classic tale. Daughter of Destiny takes place before Guinevere is Queen to Arthur's King.

This story starts in the Spring of 491 with Guinevere arriving on the island of Avalon to begin her training as a priestess. She came from wealth where her family had slaves and servants to do their bidding. In Avalon, on the other hand, she has to learn to do for herself, washing her clothes, chores etc. She is proficient in wielding a sword, though, being trained by her mother. Guinevere also has the 'sight' and this is another reason she has been brought to Avalon, to learn to control her powers.

Life goes on and things are pretty normal and she meets and falls in love with a man but things are not meant to be as tragedy strikes at home and she is bidden to return home to Northgallis where she survives by her wits and her mother's ways, she is a Pagan Celt and even though there is an increased surge of Christianity she intends to follow the old ways.

Her first love, Aggrivane, arrives in Northgallis and because of this relationship, she is sent to Pellinor where she is virtually treated like a slave but befriends the daughter of the household, Elaine, and Morgan another trainee from Avalon. In spite of being under lock and key if you will, she still manages to spend time with Aggrivane, even though it is against her father's wishes. The novel ends with Guinevere becoming engaged to King Arthur.

Daughter of Destiny is the first in a trilogy, very well researched and thought out, if you want to learn more about Camelot and it's inhabitants, pick up this book. I eagerly await the second in the series where we learn more about King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, the threat of the Saxon's, Irish and Pict's and their invasion of Britain. Whether you believe or not, this is a story not to be missed for the historical fiction fan. ( )

I love the King Arthur legend. I’ve read more books than I can count about Camelot, etc. That is what initially drew me to this novel. I was very intrigued at looking at the tale from Guinevere’s viewpoint. If you consider the story as we know it now it all falls apart because of her infidelity. But seriously – history or in this case the legend was written by men and therefore it’s got to be the woman’s fault, right? Taking a look at the story through her eyes might be very interesting.

I was hooked from the first paragraph. I found myself pulled into Guinevere’s world from her trip to the mystical island of Avalon at 11 years of age through her advancement to Priestess and beyond. It is a book of magic and mystery drawing on the tales of the old tribes of what is now England and Ireland. It does require releasing yourself into the time and suspending modern reality to fully enjoy the book but if you do that you will be richly rewarded.

This is the first book of a trilogy and it takes you from Guinevere at 11 just up to her engagement to King Arthur. The bulk of the book covers her time at Avalon as she learns the skills and arts of being a priestess. It is also the beginning of her relationship for lack of a better word with Morgan (Morgaine). Their immediate dislike is never fully explained other than two intelligent, competitive girls trying to be number one. It seems a bit weak as the start of a hatred that causes so much trouble later on. But perhaps there is more to be revealed.

If you are a fan of the Arthurian legend read this book. If you like historical fiction read this book. If you want a good story read this book. It’s a magical ride with a wonderful cast of characters – familiar if you know the story and if you don’t, you’ll get to meet them from a unique point of view. ( )