“ | I wish I could print up a sign and tape it to my forehead. 'I officially do not want to kiss Ethan Wate now please let me be friends with him. | ” |
— Olivia, stating she is officially over Ethan and wishes to simply be friends with him
|
Olivia Durand, nicknamed and commonly known as "Liv", an British girl who moved from England to Gatlin in order to follow her Keeper training inside of the Lunae Libri. She is the girlfriend of John Breed, who went to England with her when they graduated high school as she decided to further her education at Oxford University.[1]
Biography[]
Olivia "Liv" Durand was first introduced to Ethan Wate as Marian Ashcroft's Keeper-in-training.[2] She had been born in the England and raised there until she moved to the United States in small town Gatlin in order to follow her Keeper training inside the Caster Library. Here she meets teenage resident Ethan Wate with whom she falls in love with. For a short period, due to the temporary severed connection between him and Lena, Ethan was attracted to her as well and even nearly shared a kiss with her. But it soon became obvious that he would always love Lena, something Liv comes to accept.
The two soon decide that, after verifying that they are not attracted to each other romantically, they both wished to continue being friends expressing to each other that they missed the other's company and being able to talk to one another. Also, despite her initial jealousy and deep hatred for her, Liv soon even makes amends with Ethan's girlfriend Lena. Although they both deeply hated the other due to their feelings for Ethan in the beginning of the series, they manage to put their rough history behind them and form a friendship.
Due to breaking the rules of a Keeper by participating with Ethan in performing a Cast during their journey together in order to free Macon from the Arclight, she is forever unqualified to be a Keeper. This is another loss and sacrifice she also comes to accept during her time in Gatlin. After getting over her love for Ethan, she falls in love with John Breed and opens a nicer side to him no one ever thought he could have. As a result of too falling in love with her, John Breed also begins to evolve as a person and sheds his cocky attitude for her and becomes a better person, also becoming deeply protective over her. Also while in Gatlin, Liv also develops a close father-daughter like bond with Lena's uncle, Macon.
The two study the effects of Lena's Claiming on both the Mortal and Caster worlds and begin to grow close like a father to a daughter; making Lena jealous of their friendship.[3] Liv and John attended the graduation to report because Boo couldn't be there.[4]
Characteristics[]
Personality[]
Liv is shown to be sweet, kind and friendly to just about everyone. She also though has a tendency to somewhat blurt out information to those whom she trusts without thinking; such as when she reveals to Ethan how she was informed all about his deceased mother and how she was involved in the Caster world. She is shown to be kind and respectful to just about everyone as seen with Lena who, despite treating her unkindly, is kind towards her.
However, she is shown to have a hidden vicious side that was unleashed and displayed when she was put under a cast of fury (a furor) by Ridley.[5] Liv severely bashed Lena about how wrongfully she had treated Ethan and how he was "breaking his heart" over "a Caster girl who doesn't give a rat's ass about him" while he just loved Lena so much.[6] She also mocked Lena's Goth-like dressing and accused her of being selfish and thinking that everything was about her, even slapping her. She got into a physical fight with Lena attempting several times to attack her, but was restrained by Ethan who barely kept things calm until the cast passed. Despite the two girl's rough history, Lena and Liv eventually made amends and seemed to be good friends, displaying Liv's ability to forgive and forget.[7]
Since Liv was a soon-to-be Keeper, Liv has displayed a large amount of intelligence about the Caster World and its creatures, environment and nature. She mostly carries a red notebook along with her that contains all of her studies, research and information that she has ever come across in her time as a Trainee.
Physical attributes[]
Liv is described as being tall, blonde, with blue eyes, often pointing out how different she was from Lena.
Relationships[]
Ethan Wate[]
Main article: Ethan and Liv.[]
During the time when Ethan's heart is shown to break over Lena pushing him away,[8] he begins to slowly become attracted to Liv. It is implied she eventually fell in love with him but never made her feelings known although they were more than clear. Because of the attraction that grew in her and Ethan's time together, it caused a minor love triangle between the three. Ethan's feelings for Liv almost began to grow beyond friendship due to how well she treated him with a strong hint of romantic tension between them. He even began to compare Liv to Lena,[9] knowing how much easier it'd be to be with Liv romantically compared to her. Ethan nearly kisses her after catching Lena and John dancing together at a Caster world nightclub during the mix of his strong anger and jealousy at the sight of it.[10] Although, luckily, he pulls back before their lips could actually touch.
However though, despite his questioned feelings, Ethan ultimately declares his love to forever be for Lena when he and Lena made up; considering Liv as nothing more than a friend.[11] Despite this declaration, Ethan often ponders about his connection with Liv,[12] hinting at possible lingering feelings for her. She vanishes temporary but is seen again with Macon studying with him the effects Lena's claiming had on both the Mortal and Caster worlds.[13] Ethan is shown to miss her company although strictly as a friend. She and Ethan resumed their friendship officially verifying that there was nothing more than friendship between them, though there are hints of lingering feelings on Liv's part towards Ethan.[14] However when she ultimately falls in love with John,[15] her little romantic affection left for Ethan totally disintegrates and dissolves, cementing an official non-romantic tensioned friendship.
Lena Duchannes[]
Liv and Lena's relationship was, for a great while, hostile and tense due to Lena suspecting Liv's feelings for Ethan, in result, treated Liv coldly and harshly even upon personally meeting her. Lena saw Liv in a negative light and automatically hated her upon seeing her and Ethan together even though she had never even met her. Lena barely hid her feelings of hatred toward Liv herself. Despite Lena's cold and harsh treatment of her, Liv hid her secret dislike of Lena treating her with respect. However, it did nothing to stop the hostile treatment she receives in return. Lena initially did not trust Liv around Ethan, fearing she would try to steal Ethan from her and made indirect remarks towards Liv that "Ethan is hers". One example being when Macon needed Lena for a moment and Lena seemed genuinely torn between going with him since it'd mean having to leave Liv alone with Ethan. But when Ethan urged her to go with him, she kissed Ethan in front of Liv in a somewhat overly passionate manner before looking directly at her "meaningfully" before leaving the two alone to see Macon. Lena, it being implied, also saw Liv as a threat towards her relationship with Ethan since Liv was a mortal and could do things with Ethan she could not such as kissing and being able to fit in with students at school.
Lena's jealousy over Liv also had Ethan on his toes; often worrying about Lena's reaction to his spending time with her and seeing her repressed anger upon finding out that he invited her to a party.[16] Things continued to remain this way with Lena treating Liv coldly and making it blatantly clear she didn't want her around Ethan and Liv barely acknowledging it, although she implied she knows how Lena thought of her. However, when Ridley performed a furor cast, causing everyone the wave-like spell hit to act angrily, Liv openly expressed her ferocious feelings towards Lena calling her "emo" and selfish and not caring about Ethan and bashing her greatly; opening a whole new vicious side to Liv, even slapping her so hard to leave a mark on her face. Lena fought back with Liv; both verbally and physically accusing her trying to steal Ethan from her. But Ethan ended up barely holding the two back from clawing at each other until the cast passed. However soon after this, when Liv's remainder of feelings for Ethan eventually dissolve and she falls in love with John, the two make up and even became close friends.
Marian Ashcroft[]
Marian is Liv's former trainer with whom she was training with to become the next Keeper of the Gatlin Caster library. She is shown to greatly respect her even risking her own life to help her when she breaks a major Caster-world law.
John Breed[]
- Main article: Olivia and John
John Breed is Liv's boyfriend. This was quite unexpected, with John being a hybrid, and Liv being a mortal. She spends large amounts of time with him to learn more about his past. However the two gradually began to spend more time together outside of learning about his relationship with Abraham, his guardian as a child, and to learn more about each other. The atmosphere between the two eventually eased into romantic tension as the two began to learn more about each other and Liv opens up a nicer, friendlier side of John none of the group suspected he had, due to his rude and cocky nature. John eventually falls in love with Liv, growing protective of her. Soon Liv also realizes she herself has fallen for John and the two fall deeply love.
Macon Ravenwood[]
When Liv helped Ethan free Macon Ravenwood from the Arclight, he told her that since she sacrificed her Keeper position for his life, he was in her debt.[17] The two grow closer as he began helping her with her studies as they researched Lena's Claiming effects on both the Caster and Mortal worlds.[18] The two grow close to where Liv expresses that Macon has become a fatherly figure to her (it is also hinted at that she never really knew her own father growing up as a child). Lena also says that Macon had been spending a high amount of time with Liv lately during the novel and it is even implied she has become jealous of the two's growing father-daughter like relationship.
Quotes[]
- "I'm such an idiot."
- "I'm not a Keeper. Not yet. One day, maybe, I'm training."
- "Waywards. You think you can go wherever you want."
- "That was incredibly powerful magic. An apparition able to possess a Dark Caster."
- "Careful with that! Are you completely mental?"
- "Do you know what it feels like to hang out with a guy when you have feelings for him? Help him look for his girlfriend who doesn't want to be found? Watch him break his own heart, and yours, over some stupid Caster girl who doesn't give a rat's ass about him?"
- "You may not be able to stop this."
- "I do. And unless you have more convincing math, you'll have to shut up and listen to me for once."
- "So, you want to add an expelled Keeper-in-Training into the mix?"
- "I don't admit anything except that you're a bloody little bitch who thinks the world orbits around your pretty little curls."
- "I have Macon. He's been wonderful to me, almost like a father."
- "Why do people say things like that? I don't know comfortable Lena will feel around me. Which is why we need those T-shirts, I suppose."
- "I was thinking after I saw you yesterday. It's not like I can't speak to you without trying to kiss you. You're not that irresistible."
Trivia[]
- Liv is described as having a thick English accent that often makes her mispronounce words; for example when trying to say "South Carolina" and pronouncing it as "South Carolin-er" .
- Liv's first love is with Ethan with whom she developed a crush on, but ultimately falls in love with John Breed when realizing her love for Ethan will always go unrequited as long as Lena is around.
- Liv invented a Selonometer, used to measure the pull of the moon.
- Her quote "I'm such an idiot" is ironic since she is opposite of an idiot, but may also express subconscious self-hatred.
- Olivia is the only English character in the series.
- Olivia Durand, alongside any other character to have only appear starting from the second, third and fourth novels of The Caster Chronicles series, does not have a film portrayal.
References[]
- ↑ Dangerous Creatures, chapter needed specified
- ↑ Beautiful Darkness, chapter needed specified
- ↑ Beautiful Chaos, chapter needed specified
- ↑ Dangerous Dream, section needed specified
- ↑ Beautiful Chaos, chapter needed specified
- ↑ Beautiful Darkness, chapter needed specified
- ↑ Beautiful Darkness, chapter needed specified
- ↑ Beautiful Darkness, chapter needed specified
- ↑ Beautiful Darkness, chapter needed specified
- ↑ Beautiful Darkness, chapter needed specified
- ↑ Beautiful Darkness, chapter needed specified
- ↑ Beautiful Chaos, chapter needed specified
- ↑ Beautiful Chaos, chapter needed specified
- ↑ Beautiful Chaos, chapter needed specified
- ↑ Beautiful Chaos, chapter needed specified
- ↑ Beautiful Chaos, chapter needed specified
- ↑ Beautiful Darkness, chapter needed specified
- ↑ Beautiful Chaos, chapter needed specified