Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier: Review

Daughter of the Forest
By: Juliet Marillier
Copy received from library

Summary (from Author Website):
First published in 1999, Daughter of the Forest is loosely based on the traditional story of The Six Swans, which appears in Grimm's Fairy Tales and has been re-told in many versions, including one by Hans Christian Andersen.

In Daughter of the Forest, the fairy tale story - a youngest sister must maintain complete silence while weaving shirts from nettles in order to return her swan brothers to human form - is combined with a family drama set on both sides of the Irish Sea. More than anything, this is a story about the bond of love between siblings.

My Review: This was the August selection for Tell Me What to Read. I have to confess that I didn't read this book until September. For some reason I was really daunted by it.

I think it is the rule with fantasies (epic and non) that at least 50 pages must be devoted to setting up the world. I am not sure how else to get around this, but I tend to skim the first parts of fantasies for this reason.

I could not for the life of me keep all the brothers straight. Thankfully, the ones that were most useful to the story stood out in a way that I was able to keep pace with what was going on.  So, if a lot of characters in a book scare you, be not afraid. Marillier has written over and over again what the key points of each character are.


I was told by Angie that there is a very graphic rape scene in this book. I kind of wish I hadn't known that before I started reading. Through the first half of the book I kept waiting for it to happen and wondering how it was going to fit into the story.  When I finally got to it, I just skipped over it and moved on. I didn't need the gory details. Just knowing it happened and why it was important to the story was enough for me.


I LOVED Sorcha's romance. I saw it coming from a mile away, and I enjoyed every minute of it. It was sweet, endearing and totally worth waiting the whole book for (almost).

Equally as heartwarming was Sorcha's relationship with her brothers. I bawled nearly cried when they showed up the first summer and helped her chop wood and such. It was a heartwrenchingly beautiful display of family kindness that is so rarely found in literature. 

Sorcha was so real and wonderful. I ached for her. I triumphed in her small successes and mourned with her when she found herself in awful situations. By the end of her journey, I really felt like she was my best friend.

If you love fantasy, definitely check this one out. Thank you so much to Angie for recommending it.


My Rating:

Profanity: None
Sexuality: Graphic rape scene
Drugs/Alcohol: None
Violence: Moderate

The Princess and the Bear by Mette Ivie Harrison

The Princess and the Bear

By: Mette Ivie Harrison

Synopsis (From Goodreads):

He was once a king, turned into a bear as punishment for his cruel and selfish deeds. She was a once a princess, now living in the form of a hound.


Wary companions, they are sent—in human form—back to a time when magic went terribly astray. Together they must right the wrongs caused by this devastating power—if only they can find a way to trust each other.
 
But even as each becomes aware of an ever-growing attraction, the stakes are rising and they must find a way to eliminate this evil force—or risk losing each other forever.

My Review:
My first impression of the book was that it was a little slower than The Princess and the Hound.  Also, this book is really more of a companion novel rather than a sequel. It could definitely hold it's own. (I'd recommend reading Princess and the Hound first though, just because it's easier that way and you wouldn't run the risk of spoiling the first book).

The writing in this book is so beautiful, it's obvious that Harrison knows her stuff. It's so eloquent and smart. The character development is wonderful, and the relationship between King Richon and Chala is so well done. It grows in a way that is not only possible but beautiful.

Like I said, the book was a little slower than Princess and the Hound. Also, the writing is different than you'd find in other fairy tales. I was reading a bio of Mette Ivie Harrison and saw that she has a Ph.D. in German Literature, so her writing style heavily reflects that type of book. I find it absolutely wonderful and really cool to read, but not all readers will feel the same way as me. Have you ever read some of the original fairy tales? They are nothing like the Disney versions that we have today. Many of them are much darker and more gruesome.

I didn't feel like The Princess and the Bear was gruesome, but it certainly isn't light-hearted. The themes in the book were deep and let's face it, the cat man was just creepy.  And, the book doesn't quite end happily-ever after.  But, if you like the older-style fairy tale, this book is definitely for you!


Book-A-Likes: Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier, Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George

My Rating:

 4 Stars!

Profanity: None
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild, mentioned once
Sexuality: None
Violence: Moderate

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier: Review

Wildwood Dancing

By: Juliet Marillier

Description (From Goodreads.com): 

High in the Transylvanian woods, at the castle Piscul Draculi, live five daughters and their doting father. It's an idyllic life for Jena, the second eldest, who spends her time exploring the mysterious forest with her constant companion, a most unusual frog. But best by far is the castle's hidden portal, known only to the sisters. Every Full Moon, they alone can pass through it into the enchanted world of the Other Kingdom. There they dance through the night with the fey creatures of this magical realm.

But their peace is shattered when Father falls ill and must go to the southern parts to recover, for that is when cousin Cezar arrives. Though he's there to help the girls survive the brutal winter, Jena suspects he has darker motives in store. Meanwhile, Jena's sister has fallen in love with a dangerous creature of the Other Kingdom--an impossible union it's up to Jena to stop.

When Cezar's grip of power begins to tighten, at stake is everything Jena loves: her home, her family, and the Other Kingdom she has come to cherish. To save her world, Jena will be tested in ways she can't imagine--tests of trust, strength, and true love.

 

Review:

This was a wonderful retelling/mashing of the 12 Dancing Princesses and the Frog princes with some vampires thrown in for fun.  I tend to really enjoy fantasy that has interesting historical lore, and this book had plenty of that. The Transylvanian setting was intriguing, and added a lot of depth to the story.  The book had a lot of foreshadowing which made the book slightly predictable, but there was still plenty of surprises and twists that quickened the pace.

My one real complaint with the book is that there were just too many sisters. Sometimes their personalities melded together and I'd have to read back through parts of the book to get the story straight.  Also, at one point in the book, one of the characters falls in love with a "forbidden" lover and basically stops caring about everything else in her life. I wasn't impressed by it, but thankfully it didn't cloud up the story too much.

I loved Jena's character, and her relationship with her frog Gogu.  It was really a best friend relationship that was both touching and incredibly funny at times. Another wonderful part of the story is the villain and how he weasels his way into the story. It was a great example of how we shape our character by our actions, no matter how well-intended we may be.

 

I will definitely pick up the sequel and see how the story continues.

Rating:

I gave the book 5 stars

Book A-Likes:

The Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George. Recommended for those who like fairy-tale retellings and fantasy

Profanity: None

Drugs and Alcohol: None

Sexuality: Mild

Violence: Mild