Daughter of the Forest

**definitely spoilers in here because I be yapping but also this IS a retelling of a well known story

The Fair Folk do not expect such selflessness...

JULIET MARILLIERRRR !!!!

But I have stepped out of the pattern, and there is no going back. I am not afraid, not for myself; but I am uneasy, for the real and the unreal draw ever closer together, tangling and twining so that I cannot tell them apart...Here I am telling tales, and half believing them.

this book came to me (by this I mean came off hold from BPL) at a very opportune time because I have been thinking an inordinate amount about the role of stories IN fairytales and the layers of narrative that may exist within each other and how stories look at each other. The thing about a show more retold fairytale is that you know what is going to happen. Sorcha will lose her brothers to the sorceress, and she will be sent on a lonely quest only possible by sheer strength of will, and she will triumph, and her brothers will return. It is the in between space which morphs to the story the narrator is trying to tell, and it is this which Marillier drops into the midst of the bitter Briton-Irish enmity, and it is this which she absolutely excels at. Yes this book was surprisingly long yes my attention span is lowkey SHOT (my history readings are taking it out back and shooting it tbh speaking of which I still have to do half of my reading for tomorrow aka in nine hours because it is 12:10am and i am busy being incoherent on goodreads instead) but I plowed through this because Marillier does grab and hold me captive for a span. It's as much the role of story in this--Sorcha telling Simon stories, telling herself stories, Red telling her stories, Red finding his judgement in story (CRAZYY)--and it is Sorcha's awareness that she has no narrative power over the situation she's found herself in for no fault of her own and what she does within the boundaries of the curse, and what she doesn't do, and the fact that this story continues beyond the original tale because there is more to tell, because this is real life and there's a sharp distinction between what is happening to her and the stories that she tells and receives and continues. This is a story, though, and so what we end up with is a story looking at stories and people and I am violently abnormal about that, and also there are consequences, because the story extends beyond the retold one. What the helly am I even saying bro

Real life is not quite as it is in stories. In the old tales, bad things happen, and when the tale has unfolded and come to its triumphant conclusion, it is as if the bad things had never been. Life is not as simple as that, not quite.

and do you want to talk about love and the ties that bind!! RAHHH yeah I don't even care if it was kind of wild at points (truly Conor just being Like That... of course someone had to be the Wise Guy) this is a FAIRYTALE even if it is historically rooted. The fae are Out To Get You and you Better Watch Out. the romance was fine I mean I REALLY like Red I just wish Marillier's girls weren't all like 15-16 and the men like 22+. Other than that slight quibble (it is more than slight) yeah man sure let me go feral about this real quick by the end I lowkey forgor about the sorceress because I was so stupidly invested in Sorcha and Red lmao but hey Ben and and John and Margery actually MVPs hope this helps. What's that about love and loyalty and trust and truth... I'm going insane. show less

This is, by far, one of my favorite books on my shelf. I first picked it up on chance browsing my library one day and haven't looked back since.

The first of a series, this book holds well on its own with excellent characters and a truly interesting story. Of course, as the synopses around the internet will tell you, the story is based around Sorcha, a young woman whose life has been turned upside-down by a sorceress stepmother (a little cliche, but it felt less so...the build up of the relationshiop between Sorcha and Oonagh is flawless). It follows a fairly classic Hero's Journey (a la Joseph Campbell) and is based heavily in Irish Mythology (see The Legend of the Children of Lir). The scenery and descriptions are detailed enough to show more make you feel as though you are actually in the kitchen at Sevenwaters, the woods on the way to the sea, and (spoiler!) the dank room in which the heroine is imprisoned. The beauty of this book relies heavily on Juliet Marillier's impeccable talent of storytelling and descriptive wiritng, and as such is a wonderful read. This is honestly one of a few books on my shelf I can't live without and find myself rereading on a consistent basis (if I'm not loaning it out trying to turn friends on to it). show less

I was blown away with this book. A childhood folklore story that came to life through the unique writing skill of this author. I simply could not put this book down.

From the first page, the first-person narrative left me spellbound. It took me back to my childhood when my parents told me this story. Later I could read it for myself but it is the first time it really made this impression on me. It felt so real and more than once tears simply dripped down my face.

The vow of silence played such a huge part of this book, magnifying the turmoil, fear and loneliness of the young Sorcha. The terrible fate of her brothers and the harsh environment she fell into shaped her into a mature woman beyond her years. A story filled with courage, show more faith and love. show less

Sometimes, I struggle with reviewing my favorite books because how can one describe perfection? It may seem hyperbolic, but Daughter of the Forest genuinely represents the perfect fairy tale retelling to me. Part fantasy, part historical fiction, Daughter of the Forest is a Celtic re-imagining of Hans Christian Andersen's The Wild Swans. Marilier's prose is beautiful without being overly ornate. Her characters are multifaceted and inspiring. Sorcha, the female protagonist, does not rely on brute force or superpowers to overcome evil; instead, she derives inner strength from her will and determination, love and kindness. Daughter of the Forest was a favorite of mine from adolescence, and it still holds a special place in my heart.

"He show more 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. I see you in the light of the water, in the swaying of the young trees in the spring wind. I see you in the shadows of the great oaks, I hear your voice in the cry of the owl at night. You are the blood in my veins, and the beating of my heart. You are my first waking thought, and my last sigh before sleeping. You are - you are bone of my bone, and breath of my breath." show less

Absolutely brilliant! Marillier takes the classic fairy tale of the six brothers who were turned into swans, and moves it to a celtic setting, which works extremely well. Great characters, a fabulous heroine and a tight plot around the familiar storyline make for a compelling read. I love her writing style and found myself glued to the pages.

Daughter of the Forest is a beautiful retelling of a classic fairytale that will sweep you up into its magic, mystery, and exquisite prose and never let you go. It's almost like two stories joined together, separate but inextricable. The first half is a story about family and growing up; the second half is about falling in love and becoming one’s own person apart from your family.

There are some extremely sad, depressing moments in this story, including a horrendous scene of sexual violence. But to me the most emotionally painful part is seeing Sorcha's brothers slowly fall apart. I can relate intensely to the pain of watching someone you love slip away from you and being powerless to stop it. You want desperately for them to be okay, show more but there's nothing you can do to make it better. Still, there are happy moments in this book as well. The romance is achingly sweet and tender - something to warm your heart even as it's being shredded.

I loved this story so much that I'm giving it 5 stars even though the villain does the whole I-have-you-in-my-clutches-so-let-me-tell-you-all-my-plans thing, and I hate that device with a fiery passion. But this book more than earned my forgiveness. Daughter of the Forest is one of those fantasy classics that will be on my shelf forever. I highly recommend it. show less

This was my first foray into fantasy. I'd never cared for it in the past, and I don't even remember why I allowed my friend to foist this title on me that summer. It was so engrossing that I couldn't even put it down, even to sleep. I pretty much stayed awake until it was done... and then I started to read it again. I suppose it helps that it's a retelling of one of my favorite fairytales, but the way it was told was so new to me at the time, and Juliet Marillier is such a masterful storyteller. It's a title that rests in the back of my head as everything that is Good and Perfect in the fantasy genre. I read the next two books and they weren't quite as good (really didn't care for the second book in fact, the characters I really liked show more mostly died and the rest were pretty annoying), but when friends as me for fantasy recommendations, Daughter of the Forest is always near the top of my list. show less