Sorcha is the seventh child of a seventh son, Lord Colum of Sevenwaters. Her elder six brothers adore and watch out for her as her mother died delivering her. Her life has been happy and full of wonderment until her father becomes enamored of a wicked sorceress who has him under her spell. Things begin to change quickly for Sorcha as her stepmother seeks to control their lives and pit father, brother and sister against one another. In an act of true inhumanity, the stepmother transforms Sorcha's six brothers into swans and Sorcha's only hope of lifting the curse is to weave six shirts, one for each brother, out of the painful starwort nettle and to not utter a word until her task is complete. Agreeing to the monumental task, Sorcha sets off on a long road full of suffering to restore her brothers and her family. But along the way she meets those will aid and alter her story forever.Set in a pre-Christian Ireland, Marillier's work is full of Celtic mythology and descriptions of people and place that I felt myself right there along Sorcha as she traveled across the land. Marillier's characters never have a easy time of things and this book is certainly no exception - Sorcha pays dearly to gain what she wants with many casualties along the way. This was no easy read for me and is definitely recommended to mature readers only. I find that Marillier can create some truly good characters. They prove themselves time and again. But Marillier allows even her good characters to face challenges and difficulties that forever change them - usually for the better, but not always. Likewise, Marillier's villains are truly evil. There are some folks in this book that are too creepy to think about. It's an amazing book though - based on a Brothers Grimm fairy tale - but competely unique and spellbinding in its heartbreak and joys. ( )

I'm modestly recommending this book not only to the fantasy fans, or just to those who can not do without a great Irish enchanted story, or only to Marion Zimmer Bradley's fans who see the "The best Celtic romance since The Mists of Avalon" advertising on the cover and get intrigued by it, or only to those who love fairytales retold, but to everyone, EVERYONE reading this... because this is one of those books that make our hearts beat furiously through all the chapters that seem so scarce, that fill our eyes with tears and wash our face with them at the last pages, that make us feel brave because that's what the protagonist needs to be; and for all this, this is one of those books that live long and lovingly in our imagination. When you read Daughter of the Forest you become her, you become Sorcha (or Jenny =)...) you feel with her, and for her, for she wins the reader's appreciation both with her unflinching courage, and understandable vulnerability. Only 5? nah ... a million stars ... ( )

Going into this book, I was only slightly familar with the tale which it is based on. I had only encountered it previously in the novel Birdwing, which I completely recommend. Although I won't compare the two to each other, as they take the tale in completely different directions.

I, for one, loved this book. From the first chapter I was hooked, and would have read it one sitting, but I had other work to do. The narrative is engrossing and beautiful. I loved how everything was described, and how in depth the characters were. Every character was distinguishable and bursted with their own personality. You would think six brothers would be hard to keep straight, but it was very easy. The story, though at times slow-paced, was magically told. I loved every minute of it, although I know people who were put off by the one scene in which the narrator was raped. The narrator herself was nice enough, but was sometimes too nice. I swear this girl is a saint, and I sometimes would roll my eyes at her unbreakable goodness. She did not end up with I guy I expected, which is always a nice surprise. I loved this book, and even though I know there are sequels, I think this would be a great stand-alone. ( )

A well written powerful story, the first of the Sevenwaters series. Juliet Marillier finds inspiration for this story from a Grimm brothers fairytale 'the six swans'. The elements from this tale are cleverly woven throughout 'Daughter of the forest. The young evil stepmother, a sorceress of much power. The children, six brothers and one sister. The girl, Sorcha endures many hardships, and must draw on inner reserves of courage and strength to reach her goal. ( )

One of my all time favourite books, beautiful reworking of the Six Swans into a story of drama, sacrifice and love. Sorcha must undertake a tortuous task to free her brothers from a spell cast upon them by the sorceress Lady Oonagh. ( )