Rating: 
Summary: One of the best books of all time
Review: As of today, I am only about halfway through Son of the Shadows, but I am already completely captivated and utterly in love. Daughter of the Forest is probably one of my favorite books of all time, and I think that Ms. Marillier has done a wonderful job (so far) in the sequel. It is refreshingly different, yet has all the same characters that I loved so much from the first book. The little twists and turns in the plot that unfold slowly from chapter to chapter have kept me up far into the night, unable to stop reading. Liadan is very strong, and I admire her for it. And Bran, well, I think I fell head over heels in love with Bran the moment he made his first appearance. They are so perfect for eachother, and I am filled with joy at the thought that their fates are so closely and undeniably entwined. I like him as much as, perhaps slightly more than Red, who I loved with all my heart. All the characters are well drawn out and described. I feel each pain, each joy, I weep for Bran, for Liadan, for Niamh. I am positive that this book, this trilogy, when I am finished, will be my favorite of all time, and that's saying a lot!
Rating: 
Summary: Good book!
Review: The 2nd book of the Sevenwaters trilogy, this one is even better than the first! The story continues, only with Sorcha's daughter this time, and proves just as delightful as the first. I definately cant wait to pick up the 3rd one in this series, and they will become a permanent addition to my collection.
Rating:
Summary: READ IT
Review: I bought Son of the Shadows the day it came out and spent a sleepless night finishing it. I am an avid Science Fiction and Fantasy reader and I can honestly say there have been very few authors who have been able to lure me so completely into the character world. I can not think of a better compliment to give Marillier than to say her character developments remind me of Orson Scott Card's. She makes you understand why people are the way they are and to sympathize. Son of the Shadows in a continuation of the Seven Waters Trilogy and tells the story of Liadan, the daughter of Sorcha and Hugh (who were the main characters of Daughter of the Forest). While not as fantasy driven as Daughter of the Forest it still keeps hold the fairy tale basis established in the first book. Marillier's is so good at pulling you into her story that every pain and joy she writes becomes your own, not allowing you to see it as just a story. It is an excellent compliment to Daughter of the Forest, which has quickly become one of my favorites and I would recommend it to anyone who appreciates a well thought out and well-written story
Rating:
Summary: The magical 2nd book in the Sevenwaters Trilogy
Review: Liadan's mother made history in Sevenwaters when she saved her brothers from an evil Sorceress's horrible curse. Now things are different, most of Sorcha's brothers have either fled Sevenwaters or died, and Sorcha and Red live in Sevenwaters with their three children. Liadan looks foreword to living a simple life in Sevenwaters but the fair folk have other things in mind. Sevenwaters and their allies are still at war with the Britons and they find a new foe in the Painted man, ruthless mercenaries that kill without mercy. Liadan wants nothing to do with them but when she is kidnapped by a troop of painted men her whole life turns upside down. In the short time she spends with them Liadan's view on everything is changed dramatically and she leaves carrying something special with her, something that may be the key to the prophecy, the prophecy that will free all of Erin from British tyranny.I loved Daughter of the Forest and Son of the Shadows is just as good. Juliet Marillier once again manages to weave a tale of mystery, suspense, and romance which are rooted in Celtic myths. Liadan is just as likable as her mother Sorcha, if not more. I highly recommend this book and trilogy to fans of fantasy fiction that's not afraid to be a little romantic and a little different. I can't wait to read the final book in the Sevenwaters Trilogy, Child of the Prophecy, to see how my favorite characters' journey ends.
Rating:
Summary: Even better than Book One.
Review: That's more like it. I gave Book One (DAUGHTER OF THE FOREST) 4 stars, so I'll have to give this one 5 stars. I liked it better simply because it was not as depressing. Although Liadan had her own difficulties, she did not go through the miseries that her mother (Sorcha) did. The Liadan/Bran story was actually enjoyable (sans tissues). It will be interesting to see how Book Three measures up.
Rating: 
Summary: Had possibilities...
Review: Juliet Marillier is a talented writer, and her approach to fantasy, so different from the usual epic fantasy, is welcome. That she bases her work on traditional Celtic myth adds richness to the tale, and the extent of her research in that area is admirable. Her debut novel, "Daughter of the Forest" was a good book, but this sequel falls short of the mark and raises significant problems with the author's approach to storytelling. The flaws inherent in this work were also traceable in the earlier, and I have been forced to conclude that the reason "Daughter of the Forest" was good was partially because Sorcha, the heroine, was mute throughout most of it. Even with that, her flawless character and the tendency of other characters to congratulate her on her "strength" was irksome at times, but not unduly so. Here, however, Liadan is very much in capacity of her powers of speech, and that is where the problems come in. Marillier does not seem to realize that it is often the most flawed characters that are the most realistic, and that the reader is much more capable of relating to someone who experiences internal conflicts and makes mistakes, since most humans fall into that category. Liadan is flawless. This is irritating at first, and then becomes increasingly annoying as the story goes on. For example, when Liadan is in the outlaws' camp, she always knows exactly what to say and what to do, and soon has all the outlaws worshipping her. This is regardless of the fact that she is sixteen and has never been away from home; we are still supposed to believe that her proficiency at interacting with grown, hostile men somehow makes sense. Never once does she say the wrong thing or do the wrong thing, and suffer the consequences. Somehow, she is always ready with a wise saying or lecture, and is always on the highest of moral grounds in all her arguments. To exacerbate this, most of the characters throughout the novel, at some point or another, compliment her on how wonderful she is. From beginning to end, Liadan is tirelessly perfect: always strong, always wise, and always right. To say that this is irritating would indeed be an understatement. Then there's the romance. To say that it was predictable is something akin to saying that cheese is a dairy product. Worse yet, Bran is simply cliche and never comes to life off the page, resembling Rhett Butler but minus the sense of humor. He is, of course, perfect as well, or he would not be a fit match for Liadan: he is "the best at what he does," compassionate under the alpha male exterior (i.e. he's that combination of Sensitive Guy and Aggressive Hunk so idealized in the romance genre), and his faults are only as a result of past wrongs. And even though he and Liadan knew each other for barely any amount of time before the requisite sex scene, the reader is meant to believe that their love is all-enduring and all-powerful. These flaws were impossible to overlook, since they concern central elements in the novel. That is not to say that the book has no redeeming qualities: as in the first book, Marillier demonstrates her capacity to weave a plot that does not consist of journeys or quests, and that originality is appreciated. The characters are not completely flat, else there would be no draw whatsoever to keep reading; and the element of suspense, though slight, is also a hook to keep the reader with it until the end. By the end, however, suspense was more or less dead as far as I was concerned, and the climactic bits in which Liadan fully demonstrates her widely acclaimed "strength" tended to be ponderous and anti-climactic. In addition, by the end the characters had gotten on my nerves to the extent that I really didn't care what happened to them. I consider this a pity, because I think Juliet Marillier has a lot of potential. Were I called upon to pinpoint her main weaknesses, I would say that in the future she needs to think about developing main characters who are not amazingly special, but who are actually human like most humans; someone whose pain we can feel because it is like our own. George R.R. Martin's Tyrion and Robin Hobb's FitzChivalry are characters who will haunt the fantasy hall of fame, not because of their good points but because of their poignant struggle with human frailty. Additionally, it is a pity that someone with the author's undisputed ability should be constantly reducing her novels to generic romance novels. I will be watching this writer in the hopes of her developing a wider range in the future. I will not, however, be buying the hardcovers.
Rating:
Summary: The second in an excellent series!
Review: After reading Daughter of the Forest, and waiting for ages for this second book, my expectations were a bit too high for Son of the Shadows. This book is excellent but I didn't feel it had as much in it as Daughter of the Forest but at least I was able to get to like the love intrest better than last time! At first I was upset that Liaden was so boring and didn't want anything but Sorcha's old garden. I was upset that she didn't have a task/quest to do like Sorcha. As time went on I grew to like Liaden because of the man she choose and the path she took. This book is worth a read once you've read the first in the Sevenwaters trilogy and I am eagerly awaiting to read the third - Child of the Prophecy! Juliet Marrillier has done a wonderful job.
Rating:
Summary: Magical
Review: Liadan continues Sorcha's path. Beautifully written and expressive. I love the way the tales weave into the lives of the people of Sevenwaters. I admire Liadan's patience and her love of her family as well as her striving to protect her son and Bran. I look forward to reading the last book in this trilogy. I usually do not re-read books (exception - Mists of Avalon) but I know that I will read these again. If you love Celtic tales and myth you will love these books.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible!
Review: Readers of Daughter of the Forest, the first book in the Sevenwaters trilogy, will love this book. It is just as crafty and smart as its predecessor and Marillier grays the lines between good and evil really well. The main character, Liadan, is a gem because even though she follows in her mother's legacy, she is not a carbon copy of her mother; she is her own person and follows her own heart. It shows Marillier's ability, not just to adapt an old tale and make it her own, but to create purely unique and untold stories as well. I loved it from beginning to end and can't wait to read the conclusion of the series. This book is as heart-wrenching and hard to put down as the first book, if not moreso.
Rating:
Summary: "WOW!"
Review: I loved this book even more than Daughter of the forest. The story continues with Sorcha's children especially Lidian who is so much like her mother (which I liked as I loved Sorcha!)Once again VERY well written and I was enthralled till the end
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