Daughter of the Forest Review
by Jody Wurl

As a voracious reader and fan of fantastical literature, it has become harder and harder for me to lose myself in a book. "Been there, read that" has become an unconscious litany when I first start a new story. This book captured me immediately. The story is based on the Celtic folk tale of the seven swans, so I "knew" the story. It is Marillier's gift for language and character that make this novel so gripping. I could barely put it down until I finished it. And then I read the second book, which is just as good. Unfortunately, I now have to wait for the conclusion of the trilogy.

The setting of this series is based on an ancient Ireland that has been invaded by the Britains. The context of the story is the on-going battle of the Irish to protect what they have, and to regain three sacred islands taken by the British. Sorcha is the youngest of seven children born to the Lord of Sevenwaters. Her six older brothers fall under a curse cast by their evil stepmother, and Sorcha makes the choice to save them at great cost to herself. She flees from Sevenwaters, and is captured by British warriors and taken far from her home, where she must complete her quest among her people's enemies. Violence and intolerance warp the tale, and myth and magic weave it toward an ending where difficult choices are made in the name of love. The quest to save the children of Sevenwaters comes at a high cost. Every action has a consequence, and Marillier does not ignore the fact that Sorcha and her brothers will continue to deal with the repercussions of this tale well past the final page of the book. There is no tidy happy ending, and that is what sets this book apart from many found in the genre. If your taste in fantasy includes melancholy beauty in story and language, you need to read Daughter of the Forest.

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