Thank you so much to Tor Books for the review copy!
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

There are no words for just how much I enjoyed Daughter of the Forest, a truly enchanting and unique novel. I was immediately ensnared from the very first page of Daughter of the Forest, which follows a young girl named Sorcha, who grows up in a magical, wild forest with her six older brothers. With a father completely focused on war and bereft of his wife, who died bearing his only daughter, Sorcha is completely raised and cared for by her brothers. Sorcha grows up running wild in a forest that is more than it seems, learning how to heal with its plants and to respect the magical forces and the nature that reside there. But her idyllic life comes to an end when her father unexpectedly remarries a wicked woman named Oonagh with strange powers, who promptly and systematically tries to destroy everything her new stepchildren hold dear.

“We all accepted that this land was a gate to the other world, the realm of spirits and dreams and the Fair Folk, without any question.”

Life as she knows it for Sorcha as a healer and sister is irrevocably over when Oonagh turns her brothers into swans. Fleeing for her life, Sorcha is told by her mysterious ally, the Lady of the Forest, that if she weaves her swan brothers each a shirt made out of a painful, thorny plant known as starwort, and places them over their necks one after the other, they can be changed back into humans. But there’s more than one catch, as there usually is in these types of fairy tales--each part of the making of the shirt, must be Sorcha’s doing and Sorcha’s alone--the harvesting of the thorny plant, the creation of the thread, the spinning of the shirts. And sweet, Sorcha, lover of telling tales cannot speak a single word or tell anyone of her plight in any way, shape, or form--for then her brothers can never be changed back and will remain cursed as swans forever. Though the brothers transform back into human form on midsummer and midwinter evenings, she is unable to speak to even them or to tell them of her mission to save those most precious to her.

“You must listen, and listen well. For indeed you have a choice. You can flee and hide, and wait to be found. You can live out your days in terror, without meaning. Or you can take the harder choice, and you can save them.”

So invested was I in brave, kind Sorcha’s quest to save her brothers that I stayed up until all hours of early morning in order to finish it. Daughter of the Forest is the most magical book I have read since A Bear and the Nightingale. It made me weep on multiple occasions for Sorcha is faced with more than just the evil of magic--she is faced with the pure evil of mankind. These parts of the novel were hard to read, as Daughter of the Forest conveys them in such a realistic way. But I loved kind, gentle Sorcha so much. The depth of dedication to and love for her brothers was even more astonishing than the magic of the tale and her surroundings. I loved the focus on this selfless, platonic love.

Throughout all of her tribulations, the magical, sentient forest is a character of its own, one providing a safe harbor for Sorcha until she is swept away by circumstance to the strange, foreign lands of Britain, who were forever at war with her own people. There she is faced with prejudice and fear, but also finds companionship in Lord Hugh “Red” of Harrowfield, who shelters her despite the disapproval of his family and neighbors. I thought I would be bored when Sorcha left the forest--but I was anything but. Not only does Sorcha have to confront a culture different from her own, but accusations of witchcraft, lechery, and a very different kind of love than the one she holds for her brothers--something that is more terrifying for her than any magic she has faced before. 

Though I found this love, slow-forming (which is to my personal taste), well-developed, and as beautiful as everything else in Daughter of the Forest, I could not help but to feel conflicted about it. This was the main reason that I gave this amazing book a 4.5 instead of 5 stars. I was somewhat dismayed that Sorcha ended up with the love interest that she did. In the beginning of Daughter of the Forest, we learned of a prophecy that she would end up with a Briton and that only the child of such a union could stop the war between her people of the forest and theirs. As such, I was sure that the younger brother of Red, Simon, whom she nursed back to health so tenderly after being tortured as prisoner of war by her family, would be the one for her. Since she healed more than just his physical wounds, I had hoped that the two would somehow find each other again, especially with her newfound connection to Red. But that was not the case and Sorcha winds up with Red, to the dismay of Simon and her newly human brothers. Though I wished it had gone a different way, the ending that Sorcha gets is still beautiful. 

“He would have told her--he would have said, it matters not if you are here, or there for I see you before me every moment.”

 Lines like those are enough to make any reader swoon and see that the speaker of them is still a great love match for Sorcha, even if he wasn’t my first choice for her. I also took pleasure in the fact that Sorcha remained so close to her brothers, and didn’t drop everything to be with a man. In many fairy tales, the maiden, once defeating a curse, moves away to be with her one true love in a castle or kingdom far away. But this is not so in Daughter of the Forest. [spoiler] Instead, Sorcha returns home to her forest with her beloved brothers and it is Red, not her, who gives up his home and moves to the forest to be with Sorcha.[/spoiler] What a breath of fresh air. 


Literally the only other thing stopping me from giving Daughter of the Forest a 5/5 star rating was that once Sorcha and her restored human brothers returned home, the Lady Oonagh fled immediately with her infant son! There was no vanquishing of evil or major battle. Although this means that there likely will be a conflict in future novels, I was disappointed. I also thought it a flaw that Oonagh was suddenly threatened by the brothers, though she wasn’t before. And frankly, she was more powerful than all of them before and able to turn them into swans! It just seemed like a bit of a leap for her to up and run this time, especially with all the havoc she had successfully reaped in their home in the meantime. There wasn’t really any explanation given for why she was so afraid of the seven siblings this time either, when she wasn’t before.

Honestly, I absolutely adored Daughter of the Forest and it is now one of my all-time favorite novels. I am not sure any review, especially mine, could adequately capture how magical, engrossing, and simply beautiful this novel is. I cannot recommend reading it enough for fans of fantasy, fairy-tales, romance, magic, or strong female characters. And for those that loved that Winternight Trilogy, you will certainly love Daughter of the Forest as well. I’m already planning to read more of the series and to purchase a hard copy of the novel.

I had no idea when I picked up this book it was a reissue of story first released twenty years ago and the first of an already completed series. I'd read other books by this author though and enjoyed them--and I think this one was even better... save for just a couple of things.

This is a sweeping fantasy with deftly woven worldbuilding and a heroine who shows unfathomable fortitude in the face of great misery and trials. It's impossible not to root for Sorcha as she accepts the painful challenges in front of her in order to save her brothers from the loss of their humanity.

Juliet Marillier crafts all of her characters very well, and though there were many, I never struggled with keeping them straight. In fact, each added to the richness of the story, immersing me completely in the tale...and investing me its conclusion.

My issues. Well, I wish Sorcha were just a few years older. Yes, I know part of the story is her youth, but so many fantasies insist on making their heroines children. It bothers me. Even starting her journey at 14 and ending it at 18 would have served its purpose while eliminating some of the gross factor involved with rape and, later, romance. Instead, the book started with her at 12 and ended with her 16 and just...no.

The other complaint--one many other readers share--is the on page rape. It's awful. And I feel like plain 'ole violence could've done the job in advancing the story without sexual violence.

Those things aside (and they may be dealbreakers for some readers) it was a very good book. I'll definitely continue with the series. And hopefully those two issues will have no reason to repeat themselves.

Please Note: There is a trigger warning at the end of this review.

There was a cartoon I used to watch as a kid called The Wild Swans. It was very short, made in the 60s in Russia, and dubbed in English. I would watch it constantly, captivated by the story, the drama, and the romance. Packed into an hour was the story of a young woman on a quest to save her brothers. One of my earliest childhood memories was of a female heroine - is it any wonder I grew up knowing I could be the hero of my own story? Daughter of the Forest tells the same story, differently, with its own spin on the classic fairy tale. It's emotional, scary and beautiful all at once, and it tells of humanity and the good in people, no matter where they come from. It also teaches that evil is everywhere, amongst your enemies and your family. Evil knows no borders but neither does good.

There once was a lord with seven children, six sons and one daughter. The wife having died in childbirth, he withdrew in his grief and showed no love towards his children, and so they became a family amongst themselves. Each unique in their own way, they all played together and protected each other, until one day it wasn't enough. An evil sorceress took control of their father, married him, and began to tear apart their family. Casting a spell on the brothers, she stole their humanity, but the sister escaped. In order to save her family, she was sent on a quest to create shirts for each of her brothers, which, when worn by them, would return to them their humanity. But it would not be easy, and she would have to go through many trials of pain and suffering before her brothers could be returned to her. She could trust no one, for enemies lurked everywhere. Of course, in every fairytale, good triumphs over evil. This is that fairytale.

I can't tell you how happy it made me to read this book! It brought back memories of that long ago cartoon that was so beloved by me as a child, and I couldn't wait to read it as a tale for adults. Of course, it was much bloodier and terrifying in this form, and I found myself struggling to contain my emotions as I worked through the tale. Sorcha suffered so much for her family, and her brothers suffered as well. It was hard to read as Sorcha witnessed the worst of mankind, but it was eventually made better as she saw the good as well. The hero of this story was Sorcha, but she found a guardian in a man who saw her for who she was, not what she was. When your life is on the line, the line between enemy and friend blur, and both of them realized that the person you are determines who your friends are. Treat people well, as you would want to be treated, and good will come back to you. It may take time, and it may not seem worth it, but in the end, you are better for it.

This is the first in a series, first written in 1999, so you have lots of reading to do! This is a wonderful start, written by an amazing author. Highly recommended.

Trigger Warning: There is a rape scene in the story, so please keep in mind if that is a concern for you.

DNFing at 36% because so far it's settled pretty much on the line of "things I can handle to read about right now" and I've a feeling what's coming will push it WAY over that line.

Thanks to reviewers and commenters who bring up things like: "...was very upset with one scene in particular (sexual assault, graphic, detailed) that was relived via memories throughout the remainder of the book. I tried to skip the scene to go on and read the rest of the book but it just kept coming up." because that's the kind of thing I *need* to know before going in.

As for what I've read so far (and since it's just over 1/3 I feel like it's a pretty good representation of the book as a whole) - It's a beautifully written retelling. The language isn't flowery, rather every word feels right and carefully chosen, so the story just settles over you. It starts out less-than-sunny and just gets bleaker as the story progresses.

In that way it reminds me (rather strongly) of Deerskin and Circe. It has the same mythical feel, and the same bleak, constant-beating-down of the mc (who is of course a woman - and that's why she has it so much worse than the men around her.)

I wouldn't recommend going into it without bracing yourself for that. The level of pain and impotent rage at the unfairness of it all that is felt by the mc is hard to read.

I first encountered this novel as a teenager looking to spend a book voucher (remember those?) It's been a life long favourite ever since, which has lost nothing for me in reading the reissue. It tells the story of the seven children of Sevenwaters, Sorcha and her six older brothers. Set in roughly 9th C Ireland (though more as backdrop than for especial historical accuracy) this is a beautiful retelling of the fairy story - The Wild Swans mixed with Irish folklore. It's a testament to the strength and endurance of love and the human spirit. Marillier understands Irish myth and custom well despite being Australian rather than Irish. All of the Sevenwaters books are well worth reading but especially this one - a tribute to the transformative healing power of storytelling. Highly recommend.

I went into this book thinking it was a re-telling of a fairy tale, and it is but it is so much more than that. It's well written and although it took me a few chapters or so to get into it, once I did I was engrossed. It's a dark re-telling with one bit in particular that was very hard to read (Warning: the rape of a child) but the story was so well done that it did balance it out in the end. If I have one criticism it would be that the book felt a bit too long.

I received an advanced reader's copy of Daughter of the Forest (Book One of the Sevenwaters Trilogy) by Juliet Marillier from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was the first book that I have read by Juliet Marillier and I was pleasantly surprised to find an enjoyable new author to follow.

Overall, I felt this was a solid action/fantasy/romance novel and I found it to be well written. The pace was just about right and even when there wasn't action happening, the author was deftly setting the stage for that next scene or challenge. The characters were well written and it was easy to empathize with the protagonist, Sorcha, as she tried to save her six brothers. It was easy to get lost in Daughter of the Forest and when the book was complete, I was honestly a little sad (will need to wait until the next book to see what happens)!

Looking forward to the next novel!

Sci fi/fantasy aren't my usual go to reading genres but i enjoy them from time to time and i definitely enjoyed this storyline.
Thank you to the writer, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Action, romance, and some fabulous magical elementals this book was wonderful. The characters were loyal and compassionate and I loved them so much. I didn't realize this was a rerelease until after I started reading it but man I am so glad. Because that means that all of the books hopefully are released because I need them now!!

How far would you go to save your family? Sorcha lives in Sevenwaters with her six brothers, they have a good life running around the forest and learning wonderful things but that all changes when their father's men capture a young Briton. Finbar needs her help and getting him away from the castle before they kill him. She knows that she can try & save him as he is badly hurt and she takes care of Simon for many months but their lives are about to change forever. She is taken back home and she has to leave Simon alone. Their father is about to marry and they know that there is something evil in her new stepmother. But they can't get rid of her and when they try she turns the brothers into swans and Sorcha is given the task of trying to save them. Her task is a hard one and she will be alone at this time until she can complete her task. But she is attacked and her best friend killed and she doesn't know if she can carry on as she is unable to talk to her brothers when they first appear and she fears that she isn't strong enough to save them. She knows that she has to leave this place if she wants to live but she fears everything at the moment and when another Briton saves her she fears the worst. Hugh has been trying to find his brother but he fears that he is dead and he has no choice but to go back home and he will need to take the young girl with him. This will be the start of their new lives and they will learn so much more than they ever thought possible. But she still has enemies even if he tries to keep her and she wishes that she could talk to red as she calls him but she can't as she needs to be able to save her brothers from the curse but she fears that she is running out of time. Red knows that he can't let her go he has come to love her and he hopes that she will stay. But how can he keep her safe when he has to go away again? Will she be able to overcome what is before her and bring her brothers home? Will they get their happy ever after or will it be time to let go? A great read, read this book so many years ago just a pleasure to read it again.I was lucky enough to receive a copy via NetGalley & the publishing house in exchange for my honest review.

A true fantasy classic in my opinion. I love Juliet Marillier's prose, and she has a tremendous gift for vivid historical settings. I was immediately deeply invested in Sorcha and her brothers. I obviously know how The Wild Swans ends but I was still frantically reading as I got toward the end, trying to see how Sorcha would get out of this mess!

This is my second reading of Daughter of the Forest, after about 5 years, and even after recalling some of the plot and conflicts, I enjoyed it just as much as the first time I finished it. In a time where retellings are popping up everywhere and the popularity has grown, this should be considered a classic example of a well-told fairy tale retelling.

This tells a version of “The Wild Swans” or “The Six Swans” when Sorcha, a young girl much beloved by her six brothers, gains an evil stepmother with evil intentions who turns her brothers into swans. Sorcha escapes and with the help of The Lady of the Forest learns of a way to break the curse. She spends the next years in isolation working to finish her difficult task when she gets kidnapped by the enemy and taken to a new land. There she continues to fight to free her brothers from their curse, battles those who view her only as an enemy and fear her strangeness, and grows to find acceptance and love.

Why I happily reread this novel is that I love a good magical adventure with a darker fairy tale aspect. Sorcha is a character who struggles through hardships no one should have to face (there is a rape scene), is clever, resilient, and does whatever she needs to help her family. The romance in the novel is also very touching and slow-building to a really meaningful relationship that had me in happy tears. There are too few books about this swan story retelling, and I highly recommend this novel/series to anyone who loves a classic fantasy, fairy tale retelling, developed characters, constant action, and a heart touching conclusion.

Thank you Macmillan- Tor/Forge and NetGalley for gifting this book in exchange for an honest review.

Daughter of the Forest is a fairytale retelling (of The Six Swans), relocated to the British and Irish Isles. While this version adds in appearances by the Fae Folk, the overall plot remains more or less the same as the original story. So, not something you would want to read if you are looking for unexpectedness and unpredictability. Most of the originality the novel comes from fleshing out the experiences of Sorcha, (the protagonist) as she tries to accomplish her assigned task.

This book is so beautifully written. The prose is lovely and lyrical and flows so easily that it's a joy to read. The descriptions were exquisite and the fairytale atmosphere skilfully woven. I loved the setting and the Irish mythology, and the story itself was captivating.

It is a very brutal story in many ways, made that much more so by how young Sorcha is. Granted, the same dissonance in age sometimes worked against the plausibility of the story, but the writing was compelling enough to draw me in like a magnet and soothe the nitpicky parts of my brain. I found each major character consistent in their actions, almost all of them showing believable motivations and personalities which I could infer from their words and their actions.

I'm not sure I was sold on the romance (though I rarely am), especially since Sorcha was so young for most of it. And I thought Sorcha's brothers were pretty awful. Even after all she did for them, they were still jerks and wouldn't let her make her own decisions. In fact this book made me really angry about men haha. And in that vein, I should warn that there's a pretty graphic rape scene that I did not enjoy reading.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fairytale-inspired fantasy, but it's a commitment!

It’s been ages since I’ve read the (hardcover!) this book which I loved years ago. It’s just as fabulous now reading it again! It’s hard to actually explain why this book is a favorite for many - the incredible writing, the many very well written character development, the slowly building connection between Red and Sorcha, and the wonderful strength Sorcha shows throughout the book. Whether it’s a re-read or a new book, I’m glad this is being re-released because there are, in my opinion, very few books that are better than this.

I was so excited to be able to read Daughter of the Forest under it's new cover. I have followed Ms. Marillier after reading Daughter of the Forest (mmmhhmmmm years ago) and truly fell under her spell as she brought me into the world of Sevenwaters. I've always loved retelling of tales and Ms. Marillier hooked me in this retelling of the Six Swans fairy tale that literally brought me to tears as I continued on with the series (I also have to give a shout out to another author in this realm -- Robin McKinley). Daughter of the Forest is a truly beautiful book in all its Celtic glory that stays with you for a very long time.