Fate’s Final Destiny: A Novel of Love, Betrayal, Heroism, and Devotion by E.T. McNamara
3 stars
Fate’s Final Destiny is an historical family drama. It begins in the Depression years of American history in the dust bowl region of Oklahoma. Michael and Cindy grew up on adjoining farms; they became friends from an early age and their relationship became closer during their teenage years. All they wanted was to be together but this wasn’t to be.
Cindy and her family moved away and the sweethearts were wrenched apart. Moving forward to the Second World War: Michael joined up and Cindy trained to be a nurse. As the title of the book suggests, fate played a large part in this love story.
I liked the idea of this story with its background set in the farming community of a small town of the era. The Depression years and the hardship for all at these times interests me. I also enjoy stories which feature the war years and as the focus of much of this book was on the battles in the Pacific region, this was different from many of the war era stories set in Europe.
The writing moves the story along at a good pace, but the style tends to fall back on ‘telling’ rather than ‘showing’ the details. There are also occasions when the historical events of the time are written more like a report rather than being part of the character’s experiences.
The ending is good, very much in the style of the closing scenes of an old film; it made me smile.
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”Fate’s Final Destiny” is an epic story of two life-long friends who fall in love, only to have fate tear them apart. Set during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, the story begins in Goodwell, Oklahoma. Caught up in the tidal wave of world events, they find themselves beginning new and separate lives. Never fully understanding the reasons for their separation, they find it difficult to move on. As they and their families are experiencing the life-changing events of Pearl Harbor and the war in the Pacific, these members of the Greatest Generation find themselves swept up by both current and future events. Whether it be the life-or-death decisions made on the battlefield or aboard a navy hospital ship, fate affects both their lives. As the two star-crossed lovers become entangled in the major events that shaped our nation’s destiny, readers will be able to go along with them on their journey through one of the most interesting periods of American History.
Rosie Amber 