Rating: 
Summary: It's really 3.5 stars.
Review: I really wish I liked Liadan, because this book is worth so much more than a measly 3.5 stars. Yet Liadan turned me off- I found myself wishing for Niahnm as the main character- she was so much more human. Liadan was always perfect and everybody always told her how perfect she was. I mean, Niahnm has a twist with a guy who could become quite good if given the chance, and she's banashed and married off to an abusive husband, yet Liadan (spoiler alert!!) has sex with a guy and gets pregent- and this guy happens to be a hired assassan(sp please!), and her family just tells her that they trust her decision, and our proud that she's found a man to love! This is a serious injustice, and I wished that someone had hit Liadan harder over the head the little fool! I mean, I understand the families motive, and the idea of forbidden love was intresting- but I can never agree with what they did, and how Liadan just sat by and let it happen, agreeing with what her parents(Sorcha included) did.
Speaking of Sorcha, she was so diffrent. This author has started tending to make her characters into gods, as we can see from how every body goes on and on about how great Sorcha is and how her strength and determination saved them all... blah blah blah. We know what she did- now get over it! Goddness, you made Sorcha so unlikable! Plus, this author also ruined Red in this book- and than made Bran so similar to Red execpt perfect- it made me sick.
EVERY SINGLE CHARCTER WAS MADE OUT OF CARDBOARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!(And she shouldn't have killed off most of Sorcha's brothers)
Besides that,this book was very good-though the characters resembled the Fair Folk in being less human, and much less likeable.
Rating: 
Summary: The Last Four Chapters....I couldn't put it down!
Review: If you enjoy reading of Erin, Druids, the Fairy Folk, and the "Ancient Ways", this trilogy is one of the best I've read yet.
I've started with the "Son of Shadows" first..lol, but I now have the other two.
The imagery you receive as you read it is wonderful. It makes your heart beat alittle faster, and it makes you cry. Something not many books can do.
Awesome book!!!
Rating:
Summary: A Fantasy Filled With Love, Magic and Celtic Lore- Excellent
Review: Since my childhood, I have always loved a good fairy tale and Juliet Marillier's Celtic-themed Sevenwaters trilogy is a real winner - for both teens and adults alike. "Son of the Shadows," book two in the series after "Daughter of the Forest," is every bit as good as book one. A second generation of the Sevenwaters family is introduced here and many familiar folks from the first book have roles to play also. The characters are wonderful. They change and grow so much throughout the novels, that it is easy to care about and empathize with them. And the magic is...well, simply magical.Sorcha, the "Daughter of the Forest," married her beloved British husband Hugh of Harrowfield, who gave up his ancestral home to move to Erin and live with his wife at Sevenwaters. Together they became stewards of the enormous estate which, with its magical forest and strong ties to the old, druidic faith, prosper under their care. They have been blessed with three children: Niamh, who is as beautiful as she is willful; Sean, strong and capable like his father; and Sean's twin, Liadan, who, like her mother, is a gifted healer and seer. Liadan's birth was not foreseen by the fairy folk, the Tuatha de Danaan, who so frequently intervene in the lives of this family. It is they who are determined to preserve the old ways through those of the Sevenwaters line. Neither Liadan's mother nor the magical beings who populate the age-old forests of Sevenwaters had counted on Sean, (whose birth was predicted as part of a prophecy), having a twin sister. This lack of foresight gave Liadan the power to change things previously ordained - to defy prophesy. But Liadan does not want power nor does she want a position of leadership in the clan. She is shy, and prefers the art and lore of healing to the more common pleasures of girls her age. Yet, it is Liadan who is finds herself thrust into the midst of the enemy, and taken away from the family that has loved and sheltered her. She is carried off to heal a dying outlaw, a mercenary in the band of the notorious and feared "Painted Man." This is a beautiful tale of familial devotion, self-sacrifice, steadfastness, adventure, travel - and above all, of love that must be strong enough to defy all odds - with a hero who is worthy of the exceptional young woman Liadan is. Although the plot and subplots are very strong this novel is definitely character driven. And, as noted before, Ms. Marillier develops her cast of characters and gives them great depth. As with all fairy tales, there is magic at work here, just the right amount to awe but not to disturb reality too much or take away from the characters' independence and ability to choose. Although "Son of the Shadows" can be read and enjoyed without reading the first book, I strongly recommend reading "Daughter Of The Forest" before picking-up this terrific novel. ENJOY!
JANA
Rating:
Summary: Good, but not great
Review: The only reason I rated this book three stars is because I rated Daughter of the Forest four stars. I really enjoyed Daughter of the Forest despite its length. As usual, Son of Shadows was well-written and in depth, but it lacked the appeal its prequel had. Maybe I just like fairytale renditions, but this book was just not as captivating. I think that Sorcha's and Red's tale was a little ruined; I didn't understand why things had to end the way they did. Liadan's story is great, but it still doesn't match up to her mother's tale. Also, some of the passages are quite boring; there are a couple of really despisable characters. All in all, the storyline was good. If you liked Daughter of the Forest, you should continue with this one.
Rating: 
Summary: A few problems, but very good
Review: I really enjoyed "Son of the Shadows" the second time I read it. Early in the story there is an incident between Niamh and an unnamed druid. When it is discovered what these 2 characters have done, the other characters in the book come down on them like a ton of bricks. The reaction to what they had done was totally out of proportion to what they had done. I came to hate most of the characters in the story. Two thirds of the way through the story you find out there was more to that incident than you knew at first. At that point, I really had to go back and re-read the story from the beginning. "Oh, so that's why everyone was so upset. Maybe they aren't the small minded, hateful prudes they appeared to be". Even after discovering why everyone was so upset, the incident seemed artificially contrived. I loved the main character Liadan even though I question her taste in men. On the one hand he is an interesting, strong-minded character that knows what he wants and knows how to get it. On the other hand he is a whiner that blames all his problems on others and doesn't take responsibility for his past actions. He was so young when unfortunate circumstances overtook him it's a little hard to believe he would connect his problems with specific people he never knew.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent and Astounding
Review: I thought this was a very well done sequel to book one of the series. I really loved teh new characters, bran especially, he is unlike any other character in books of this genre. It really livened it up! I was captivated the whole way through, and thought the story line great, with just enough umph and mystery on the ending to make me read the last book. Definitly read this book if you have read the first, if you have not, READ IT! great great great is all i can say!
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