DAUGHTER OF THE FOREST: Book 1 (The Sevenwaters Trilogy)

Product Information

The book works both as a fantasy and a romance, while still remaining faithful to all of the significant elements of the original fairy tale. Not to mention I’m almost certain that I would have said something out loud by accident at some point. Starwort, he said, taking a good look at my hand, which was swelling and turning an alarming shade of red. Fainne is to complete a task for her grandmother--go to her mother's home, to meet her family for the first time. I don’t remember Finbar answering, but later that day, as dusk was falling, he took me back to the lakeshore.

This is not something that triggers me personally so I found it to work as a part of Sorcha’s character development, but others may not see it in that way. Her father sent Simon to die because Elaine fell in love with him, and Simon cannot inherit because he is the youngest son. Indeed, it is the very fact that we, along with Sorcha, get to know and like her brothers, that makes the swan enchantment and the lengths Sorcha must go to to break it such an overwhelming presence in the story. Small reminders are dotted throughout, naturally and explicitly, reminding you that this was not ok, and here’s why.Despite a fearsome reputation, these strange warriors aren't abusive or even rude to her--all they want is for her to heal their friend, a wounded blacksmith. A classic fantasy novel with…well, all of the above, I think so so many people would enjoy reading this one.

We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works. It definitely could’ve been evened out more, as there is a sex scene that’s touched upon, but nowhere near as graphic as the r*pe scene. Yet, it is a story whose very premise becomes more horrific the more you think about it, especially to anyone who's ever grabbed a handful of nettles. Indeed, it’s interesting that where in some books, nebulous, and unquestioned magic feels like a weakness, here, with Marillier’s mix of the mundane and spiritual, and the way the magic interweaves through the books setting, the mystery itself was a strength.Knowing nothing of any other form of parental guidance, I accepted this as the way things were done. Together they embark on a perilous journey, compelled by powerful forces—and even more powerful feelings. It took me entirely off guard, and while I don’t require trigger warnings for what I read, it did leave me feeling a tad shaken. After years of solitary struggle, Sorcha is saved from drowning by a British lord, Hugh of Harrowfield (a. Lord Colum of Sevenwaters is blessed with seven children but it is Sorcha, the youngest child and only daughter, who alone is destined to defend her family and protect their land from the invading Britons.

She blames Sorcha for disturbing her household and indirectly because Sorcha's people allegedly killed Simon. She is fearful that he will try to claim his rights as a husband, but he assures her that, if she wants, the marriage will be only in name and will protect her. But while this comment is made, I can’t help but feel like the consistent portrayal of trauma works as an effective counterattack to that mindset.A pretty hefty fantasy book set in an old historical setting, the world politics itself can be enough of an undertaking. Change is inevitable, though, and once Sorcha and her brothers were into their early twenties and teens, their father decided to remarry.

And, yes, fairytales within fairytales – it’s just so cunning and really appeals to readers (myself included) who love that sort of thing in the first place. She builds a world with similar structure and atmosphere to what I remember of Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Mists of Avalon. She is directly forbidden use of writing or pictures and must communicate entirely through gestures.

And again, it surprised me, because it would have been so easy to just…forget about women, in this patriarchal world. All that being said, Marillier nowhere engages in preaching or sermonising, and all of the assumptions are background ones, indeed even Sorcha’s chief objection to the idea of an arranged marriage at the start of the novel, is more a twelve year old’s desire for things to stay the same, than an objection to the concept of arranged marriage generally. In a short space of time, Marillier has given us enough information to care about each one of Sorcha’s brothers and be upset at their fate.