The Day of Destiny by Lavinia Collins

As Guinevere’s affair with Lancelot becomes public, Mordred forces Arthur’s hand and she is put to the pyre. Saved at the last minute by Lancelot, she is taken from Camelot to Joyous Guard, but before long Arthur gathers his armies to lay siege to the castle and begin a war that will threaten everything.
The Day of Destiny is the third title in Lavinia Collins’ highly acclaimed trilogy recounting life at King Arthur’s court from the point of view of Queen Guinevere.

I had mixed feelings when it came to reading Day of Destiny. My mixed feelings had everything to do with the fact that I didn’t want this story to end. You know that feeling you get when you’re really enjoying a book series and it’s time to read the last book, the final one and you’re not sure whether or not you should be excited or in mourning. Part of you is screaming inside over the pure exhilaration of finally reading how the story you have become wrapped up in ends but the other part of you doesn’t want to know because it’s the end, it’s time to say goodbye to characters, it’s time to walk away from the fantasy world you’ve enjoyed so much.

The last book in the Guinevere trilogy continues and wraps up the haunting, tragic and beautiful Arthurian tale of love and magic. Guinevere loves Lancelot and Arthur with all her heart but her lies have caught up with her and now Lancelot and Arthur are at war. She’s torn between her heart, her duty and her desires. While she regrets hurting Arthur she does not regret her love for Lancelot or on acting out upon her feelings for him. However, with Mordred manipulating Arthur at every turn, things have become far more complicated. Guinevere is going to have to fight even harder for herself, the men she loves, her friends and her Kingdom. The battle that has been raging in heart is now a battle with severe consequences. War has been brought down upon the Kingdom and many lives are on the line.

The ending to this wonderful story had my heartbreaking for the main characters. Guinevere showed such strength during emotionally wrenching moments. She stood tall with her chin raised as a warrior Queen facing everything that came at her with power, determination and love. Yes, she made some tragic mistakes and as Kay pointed out she could have done things differently but you have to wonder did it matter what choices she made when it seemed that her destiny, Arthur’s and Lancelot’s had already been set in stone. Perhaps no matter what steps were taken the ending was always going to end the same way.

Collins writing is riveting and classically beautiful. The ending had moments of deep sorrow that left me in tears and moments of romance that had my heart pounding. The scene with Kay, Lancelot, and Guinevere was well, I don’t want to give spoilers, but I will forever have that scene tucked away in a happy place in my mind. It was a perfect ending to a wonderful story of fantasy, legends and romance. 

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