Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
What is it about?
A historical fantasy novel that is loosely based on the legend of the “Children of Lir” and the fairy tale “The Six Swans.” It’s the first book in Juliet Marillier’s Sevenwaters series.
OK, but what is it really about?
Set in ancient Ireland, “Daughter of the Forest” unfolds in the 9th century when Celtic chieftains and lords must defend their land against the onslaught of the British. Young Sorcha, the only daughter of Lord Colum of Sevenwaters, grows up far from the battlefields together with her six older brothers: Liam, Diarmid, Cormack, Conor, Finbar and Padriac. But their sheltered, peaceful life comes to an abrupt end when their father marries Lady Oonagh, a powerful witch that puts a curse on the family. It now falls upon Sorcha, the only sibling to escape, to fulfil a seemingly impossible task to save her brothers. In order to break the spell, she must go on a life-threatening, perilous journey.
Is it any good?
I first read this book many years ago when I was traveling in Vietnam and stayed at a hotel that belonged to a German-Vietnamese couple. The hotel also housed a small library with a colourful selection of books. Because I had already finished the book I had brought with me on the trip, I was grateful for the opportunity to borrow one from the library. “Daughter of the Forest” was one of the few that were available in German. I almost didn’t choose it – at 656 pages and with only two more nights at the hotel, I assumed I wouldn’t have enough time to finish it, I didn’t like the cover at all, and I wasn’t really into the fantasy genre at the time. But when I read the summary and learned that it was a retelling of the fairy tale “The Six Swans,” I quickly changed my mind. I love that fairy tale, and I was curious about the author would turn it into a fantasy novel.
I’m so glad I decided to pick up this book after all, because as soon as I started reading, I simply couldn’t stop. I immersed myself in the world of Sorcha and her brothers and was enthralled by their story – as if the Fair Folk of the forest had cast a spell on me as well. Juliet Marillier is a highly gifted storyteller, perfectly combining history and fantasy to create a rich world full of mystery, magic and darkness, but also filled with hope, love and resilience.
Sorcha’s journey isn’t an easy one. On the contrary, it is often extremely hard to stomach. Even though I have read this book before (and more than once), there were some things I had forgotten about, both good and bad, and as I discovered them again, I found myself weeping with and for Sorcha as many times as she made me smile.
Even when her path leads her far away from home, and Sorcha has to learn how to survive among strangers and enemies, even when she makes new friends and slowly lets herself trust others and learn to love again, it is the relationship with her brothers that is the backbone of this story. The strength of the siblings of Sevenwaters, their unbreakable bond, their seven hearts beating as one – it’s simply amazing how the author turned a short fairy tale into an epic tale of family, betrayal, revenge, loyalty and love.
Favorite character?
Sorcha is the most obvious choice here, and I adore her. At the beginning of the book, she is just 12 years old, and over the course of the story, we see her becoming a young woman, overcoming loss, incredible pain and trauma, forced to give up on her carefree childhood by losing everything that is dear to her.
And then, there’s Finbar. The one brother who has always been closest to her, the one she can talk without words, the one who is Sorcha’s other half. He’s not only Sorcha’s favorite brother, he’s also mine. I have found myself drawn to Finbar, developed a strong attachment to him, suffered with him the most and cried ugly tears about his fate. If Sorcha is the beating heart of this story, Finbar is its quiet, sombre, beautiful soul.
Most memorable quote?
“You know not, yet, the sort of love that strikes like a lightning bolt; that clutches hold of you by the heart, as irrevocably as death; that becomes the lodestar by which you steer the rest of your life. I would not wish such a love on anyone, man or woman, for it can make your life a paradise, or it can destroy you utterly.”
Conclusion?
I decided to read “Daughter of the Forest” again because when I’m not in a good place mentally, I like to read for temporary relief and escape – but sometimes, I find it hard to focus, so I fall back on books that I already know and love. I haven’t touched the Sevenwaters trilogy in a while, but knew that it’d be easy to take the plunge into Juliet Marillier’s finely crafted world again. It’s definitely not a comfort read in the literal sense because there is nothing about Sorcha’s journey that is comfortable – but by the time she sets out to save her siblings, we are already so emotionally attached to her and her brothers that it’s impossible not to read on.
What I really like about this novel is that the author shows in a clear, yet often painful way that the world isn’t black and white – one character may make a decision that seems to be the best solution at the time, but the very same decision might cause pain and heartbreak for another. One person’s happiness can result in someone else’s downfall. The breaking of a curse doesn’t necessarily result in a happily ever after for everyone involved.
“Daughter of the Forest” is the first book in the Sevenwaters series. I have read all of them but this one – as well as the second one, “Son of the Shadows,” which I also loved – is truly special: otherworldly, remarkable, extraordinary (insert another positive word of your choice here). I am wondering why the Sevenwaters series hasn’t been adapted for the big screen yet. I’d be the first in line to watch.
Trigger warnings: sexual assault, trauma, torture, physical abuse, emotional abuse
AT A GLANCE
Title: Tochter der Wälder (original title: Daughter of the Forest)
By: Juliet Marillier
Published by: Knaur (2003) – original version was published by Pan Macmillan (1999)
Pages: 656
Language: German