"There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be…" John Lennon

'Everything happens for a reason', 'what will be will be'…these are phrases that we will hear constantly throughout our lives, usually during difficult moments to reassure ourselves that things will be ok. I think that I sit somewhere in the middle, flitting between what's meant to be will be, and, if you want it go and get it. There is a risk in waiting for things to happen to you, rather than knowing what you want and moving forward in ways that will get you closer to that point, however also sometimes having to accept that not everything is within your control. 

The Oxford Dictionary defines 'fate' as being "The development of events outside a person's control, regarded as predetermined by a supernatural power", or, "The course of someone's life, or the outcome of something, seen as outside of their control.' The definition of 'destiny' is "The hidden power believed to control future events." From this, it is easy to understand why the words fate and destiny are often used interchangeably, meaning different things to different people. 

This brings me nicely onto the three books I will be focussing on for this post; The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, and, One Day by David Nicholls. 

"People disappeared, reappeared, made plans to go somewhere, and then lost each other, searched for each other, found each other a few feet away."

The Great Gatsby, F.Scott Fitzgerald 

People that know me well will no doubt be surprised that I have chosen to write about The Great Gatsby. During discussions about classic books, I have been very clear on the fact that after being very excited to read it, I was left with a sense of disappointment. This could be for a number of reasons; it is a very descriptive book, and relatively slow paced. I am also a sucker for a happy ending and it wasn't quite what I'd expected, however upon reflection, its beauty lies in its tragedy, and F. Scott Fitzgerald writes beautifully with some of my favourite quotes having come from Gatsby. 

The story of Gatsby is narrated by Nick Carraway, who has recently moved to New York to start work, and is the neighbour of Jay Gatsby, a rather mysterious millionaire, whom no one seems to know much about, but it seems as though the whole city attends his rather extravagant parties. The novel unfolds in the Summer of 1922, and Nick details his developing friendship with Gatsby, capturing the 1920s era with its wealth, decadence and recklessness. Daisy Buchanan, Nick's cousin, plays a key role in Gatsby's story; Gatsby and Daisy had met and fallen in love in 1918, before Gatsby went to serve overseas. In the time that they have been apart, Daisy has married the wealthy Tom Buchanan, and it is no coincidence that Gatsby now lives in a mansion that overlooks Daisy's home, in the hope that one day she will appear. In the five years that they have been apart, Gatsby has concentrated on building his wealth as he sees this as going hand in hand with winning Daisy. 

So, how does this link back to fate and destiny? Well upon reading the book, it appeared to me that Gatsby had become so fixated on pursuing Daisy, seeing that as his wealth grew so did the certainty that him and Daisy would be together, that he had attempted to force what he believed to be his destiny.  In doing so, he seemed unable to determine between reality and fantasy. To me, this is equally as dangerous as being passive and letting moments pass you by. I never quite reached a conclusion in my own head as to whether Gatsby was actually in love with Daisy, or in love with the idea of it. 

I think that this is a book that everyone should read at least once; I should mention that I thought the film was excellent...Leonardo Dicaprio was born to play the part of Jay Gatsby!

"Life wasn't about becoming, was it? It was about being."

Life After Life, Kate Atkinson

I am not going to say too much about this book, because to do so would spoil the experience if you haven't already read it. It is so beautifully written, and really makes you pause and think about the consequences of what may seem like insignificant actions at the time, but how big an impact they can have on shaping our future. It makes the reader question whether, given the opportunity, would you want to live your life over and over again, in an attempt to get it right? It made me think about what 'getting it right' would mean, and the conclusion that I came to was that the decisions and mistakes that we make are the right thing for us at the time that we make them (although it doesn't always feel like that upon reflection!). 

At the start of the book, set in the Winter of 1910, a baby dies at birth; the story then starts again and tells the tale of the baby if she were to live…and so this continues throughout the book. It perfectly captures the idea of fate and destiny, and looks at whether we are responsible for changing the course of our own lives, or whether our fate is inevitable. I can't recommend this book enough - if you take nothing else from this blog, please at least follow this recommendation!

"Cherish your friends, stay true to your principles, live passionately and fully and well. Experience new things. Love and be loved, if you ever get the chance."

One Day, David Nicholls

I have a confession…I have never fully recovered from this book! It made me laugh, cry, and gave me hope, whilst breaking my heart. My friend Rachael gave me the book to read when we were living together, and I remember walking into her room sobbing after finishing it, to ask her why she would put me through such an ordeal! Don't let this put you off though, I promise you it is worth it. 

The book begins in 1988, on the day that Emma and Dexter are graduating from Edinburgh University, They meet that day, and spend the night together, discussing their futures and where they see themselves being at 40. They remain in touch over the years, forming a strong friendship which meets its own challenges throughout different points of their lives. Each chapter moves a year ahead, detailing where both Emma and Dexter are in their individual lives, and also in their relationship…which is for the most part a friendship. I don't think I would be spoiling it to say that it is clear from the beginning that Emma and Dexter are meant to be together, but are kept apart due to a number of setbacks, missed opportunities, bad timing, a reluctance to recognise their feelings for each other, and just sheer bad luck. 

It certainly leaves you with the message that life is indeed short, and we should live for every moment, as cliched as that sounds. Having first read this six years ago, I think I might just about be ready to go back and revisit it…or maybe not! 

I am conscious that I have focused on fiction to consider the roles that fate and destiny play in our lives, so I thought I would use a real life example to show that some things are meant to be, but we have some responsibility in recognising it and taking steps to get us there. My close friend, Jessica, who has actually been more of a sister given the close friendship between our mums, told me the story of how her and her now fiancé Ben met, and how they came to be together, and said that I could use it for my blog. I know you shouldn't have favourites, and certainly shouldn't announce it publicly, but after seeing them together they are my favourite couple! This is their story in her words (I love it!)…

"We met on a drunken night on holiday in Cyprus, my first night and Ben's last but one night. I was slumped in a chair drunk and Ben wrote a note from across the room for the waitress to give to me. I was so excited I confronted him about the note, and Ben told me he thought I was the most beautiful girl he's ever seen, and the fact that I was Welsh was a bonus! He realised how drunk I was, so wrote me another note and hid it in my bag to remind me that we had arranged to meet the following night, good job he did because I wouldn't have remembered!! We had an amazing night and of course danced the night away [Jess and Ben love to dance as you can see in the photo!] and in the morning said our goodbyes. We stayed in touch for a couple of months later but I decided that long distance wasn't what I wanted and ended it. Ben kept saying that he felt like we were giving up on something amazing but I still said no. About three months later, the maternity cover on my job ended and I either had to find another one or I was told there were jobs available in London. Since I was 18 I had always said that I wanted to move to London so thought I'm just going to do it. As soon as I moved I called Ben and told him I was now in London, and asked if he would be my London friend because I was on my own. We went out for dinner on my first week, and then planned a day of being a tourist for me a week later, after that we were inseparable and have been ever since. If it wasn't for my job not having a position for me in Cardiff, I wouldn't be where I am now, and me and Ben wouldn't be together."

So you see, the stories that we read in books are actually based on something that can happen to us at any given moment…so as a conclusion I guess what I've learned from the books I've read, my experiences, and the experiences of others, is to trust your instincts, realise that worrying isn't going to change anything, and that making a fool of yourself isn't going to kill you, it may just get you to where you need to be! 

"Those who do not believe in magic will never find it"

The word 'magic' can mean very different things to different people; for example it can mean power, a practice, a feeling, a moment, a quality that someone has. So bearing all of this in mind, really shouldn't we all believe in magic in some form?

I know that I do; I believe that we all have magic within ourselves that we practice every single day in some way, whether it is in our relationships, through our friendships, in our families, through our work and in so much more…wouldn't the world seem a harsher place if there was no such thing as magic?

The quote that I have used as the title for this post comes from Roald Dahl, a man who was a firm believer in all things magic, and, when I was reading his stories as a child, made me feel as though I could do anything I wished to. As an adult, I have read many books that reinforce this message. The three that I am going to focus on today are: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J K Rowling, Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, and, Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult.


"We've all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are." 
J K Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Usually my intention with a post is to hopefully sell a book so well that it will inspire other readers to give it a try…with the Harry Potter books I have no doubt that there is no need for me to give it the hard sell, surely there won't be anyone who hasn't heard of the Harry Potter series?! I was a bit of a latecomer to this, and it only came to my attention when I caught a bit of the film on TV (yes, I broke my own rule, and watched the film before reading the book!). After this, I became more tuned into the hype, and soon became 'that person' who was waiting outside Woolworths at midnight to get their copy of the latest book, in order for me to read it through the night to avoid finding out the ending through someone else!

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is the first book in the series; when we first meet Harry he is living with his aunt, uncle and cousin, and treated as somewhat of a slave and dogsbody by them. His living quarters are limited primarily to the cupboard under the stairs, and I think it's fair to say his quality of life is poor. As well as those around him, Harry is aware that there is something different about him, a power within him that enables him to make things happen. As his eleventh birthday draws near, letters start to persistently arrive for Harry, and in an attempt by his uncle to thwart them from Harry, the family are taken to stay at a deserted island where it is believed that the letters will not reach him. However, the power of magic should not be underestimated! As the clock strikes midnight on Harry's birthday, the legend that is Hagrid makes a forceful appearance to announce 'You're a wizard Harry!' Harry finally receives his letter, which contains the exciting news that Harry is due to start school at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry…now the fun begins and we are introduced to the wonderful world of Hogwarts! We slowly find out about Harry's past, and the events that have led him to this point. And of course, we meet his two sidekicks Ron (my absolute favourite!) and Hermoine. Each time I revisit the Harry Potter books, I am amazed by J K Rowling's incredible imagination; the names, the spells, the plot lines; truly outstanding.

Please do not rely on the films alone; yes, they are excellent adaptations, but as is always the case, so much of the detail is lost in translation.


"Hope can be a powerful force. Maybe there's no actual magic in it, but when you know what you hope for most and hold it like a light within you, you can make things happen, almost like magic."
Laini Taylor, Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is the first in a trilogy, and is probably my favourite of the three books. At the start we meet Karou, a seemingly typical art student in Prague, juggling her studies with her relationships. However, we soon realise that an element of Karou's life is shrouded in mystery, with her regularly disappearing to run secret errands for Brimstone, who raised Karou from a baby. Brimstone, and the others who live in his workshop and shared the upbringing of Karou, are chimera; half human, half beast. The workshop in which Karou was brought up is situated on a site from which both the human world as we know it, and the world of the chimera, Eretz, can be accessed. There are a number of portal doors across the world through which entry can be gained.

So, what happens at Brimstone's workshop, and how does this link to the errands that Karou runs for him, I hear you cry! Well, Brimstone is able to use teeth to rebuild new bodies for souls of the chimera to be reincarnated…enter Karou, who is required to collect teeth from the human world to enable Brimstone to continue his craft.

As you would expect in a fantasy novel of this kind, the chimera have an enemy in the form of the seraphim; angels. Karou gets drawn into the war when the seraphim close down the portals from the human world to Eretz, and Karou is no longer able to access Brimstone's workshop and her beloved chimera family.

Whilst Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a fantasy novel, it explores many themes that we can all relate to in everyday life; loyalty, war, treachery, forbidden love, and of course, magic! The prose is captivating, and Karou's story completely captured me, a true heroine. The fact that it is set against the backdrop of Prague, with its great culture, art and heritage adds to the magic, mystery and romance.

I read recently that Universal Pictures have acquired the rights to make a film adaptation; I can't wait to see what they do with it. As always, I would recommend reading the book first, not waiting for the film!


"I understood the need for miracles - they kept reality from paralysing you."
Jodi Picoult, Change of Heart

It is actually quite surprising that I haven't featured a Jodi Picoult book before now; she is one of my favourite writers, always tackling complex and sensitive issues, enabling the reader to consider them from a number of different perspectives. There are many of her books that will stay with me, however the one that stands out is Change of Heart, so much so that I can remember when and where I was when I finished it… it was on my 26th birthday whilst staying in a caravan in Llangennith...Rachael Jones, you may well remember how distraught I was at the end!

At the start of the novel, we learn that Shay Bourne is facing the death penalty after being convicted of two counts of capital murder of police officer Kurt Nealon and his young daughter Elizabeth, leaving his pregnant wife June alone. Eleven years have passed since his sentence; Shay is discussing with his prison mate that he wishes to donate his heart to a young girl he has seen on the news, who has a terminal heart condition. We soon learn that the girl in question, Claire, is the daughter of June and Kurt Nealon.

When Shay's heart is confirmed to be a perfect match for Claire, the book considers the perspectives of all of those involved in relation to law, medicine, religion and ethics. Throw in the added element that Shay appears to be able to perform miracles from which a media frenzy ensues, with him being hailed as a religious figure. This serves to add to the controversy and the torment that June is going through, in accepting the heart of a murderer (who has taken the life of her husband and eldest daughter) in order to enable her child to live.  As is usually the case, we learn that all is not as it seems, and there is a mammoth twist at the end…I won't spoil it for you!


So, what did I take away from each of these books? I believe that like Harry, we all have a power within ourselves which enables us to make things happen…like Karou, there may be times when we feel as though all is lost, however with hope and determination we can create our own magic and destiny…and, in the case of Shay, sometimes we all need to believe in something to get us through the darker times.

I believe in magic, do you?