Book III of The Prophecy
by
On a blustery January day in 1952, Mina Kota gives birth to her daughter, Miriam. Mina and her mother, Punita, endeavour to protect Miriam from their business associates and raise her in a loving home in post-war Amsterdam. As she grows to adulthood, Miriam struggles with her identity. She demands that Punita teach her how to read tarot cards and seeks to fulfill their predictions, while pursuing the one thing from which her elders sought to shield her innocence: sexual desire.
Hart Lange is born at the end of 1949 into a family of soldiers whose wartime experiences drove their need to survive, sometimes against treacherous odds. They are a family bound together by a web of enduring love.
When Miriam meets Hart, she sees an opportunity to change her life and achieve her dreams. When Hart shares his longing for a child, she sets out to oblige him, thereby securing her future-or so she thinks. Hart loves his wife and son, and believes his family is a happy one. However, his love blinds him to Miriam's willfulness. Too late, he realizes that he's failed to heed his mother-in-law's warning. When Miriam disappears, taking their son Matthew with her, Hart is devastated. Although Hart's search for his son is relentless, he fears that he will never see Matthew again.
Together, The Crest, The Emerald and The Destiny tell of the challenges and changes that external forces place on everyday people, who must rise above their own expectations to meet family obligations and responsibilities-no matter how reluctant they may be to do so. They provide the reader with an opportunity to consider life from an alternate perspective.
“I speak many languages, but not so well anymore. When I was young, my German was perfect.” Hart felt the woman’s scrutiny. “You remind me of someone I met long ago. They were German soldiers, at least one was. The father, he was tall with dark hair and black eyes. His son, Paul, was too young to be a soldier then, but my cousin told me that he became a soldier in the last war.” She sighed. “They were kind for German soldiers, not like the ones who came here. Gerhard Lange helped us find my father. He was taken by the Brown Shirts …”
Hart set his sleeping son on the sofa beside him.
“You mentioned Gerhard Lange, and his son Paul,” he said, shifting toward the edge of the sofa. “Paul Lange is my father!”
“I thought so. I wanted it to be so. The cards have been telling me that you would come.” She held out her hand to him.”
Indie Reader Five-Star Review 2020 wrote:"The Destiny is Book III of The Prophecy by Jerena Tobiasen, a historical tale featuring compelling characters and strong themes. This is a powerful tale that explores themes of war, love, family, parenting, and heartbreak. It features compelling characters. I particularly enjoyed the way the author writes the character of Miriam. Since her birth, there seem to be external circumstances from which the family wants to protect her. Keeping her innocent is all they want but the involvement with tarot cards spells doom. The Destiny is a twisty tale that is emotionally rich with sophisticated characters. The post-war setting is intelligently depicted and I loved how the author writes the backgrounds of the characters, which makes the reader feel as though they are interacting with real people. The writing is strong and the descriptions are arresting. The story is suspenseful with hints of mystery. I am a fan of Jerena Tobiasen's gift for storytelling and character."
"The Destiny is the third and final book in Jerena Tobiasen's The Prophecy, an epic historical saga set in the post WW2 years which follows Mina Kota's daughter, Miriam, as she struggles to bring up her child and make ends meet in a difficult world. The book pulls no punches with a climactic ending that marks a great ending to the hard to put down trilogy."
