Rating: 
Summary: compelling twist on an old fairy tale
Review: A fan of fairy tales since I was young, I naturally picked this book up. However, this is not a typical retelling of the "Swan Brothers" story--it is so much more. With richly drawn characters and backstory, this book follows the heroine, Sorcha, as she struggles to create the shirts to free her brothers from the spell that has turned them into swans. There are no blanket happy endings here; the brothers are greatly changed from their experiences, and Sorcha has plenty of trials of her own. A beautiful, realistic (in a fantasy way) story. I couldn't put it down, and can't wait for the next one.
Rating:
Summary: A beautifully spun Trilogy that you won't put down!!!
Review: I have read the entire Sevenwaters Trilogy and from the moment I picked it up, I couldn't will myself to put it down. I'm writing my review under Daughter Of the Forest because this is where you'll need to start.
Others have covered the plot of these books, so I will explain why I gave it 5 out of 5:
This tale will keep you enchanted from the instant you turns the first page! I have read the Avalon series (Marian Zimmer Bradley)and I can honestly say that(besides the Mists of Avalon), Juliet Marillier's Trilogy surpasses these books. Her ability to decribe the characters in such intricate detail will leave you feeling like you personally know them!(I found myself wanting them to jump out of the page! Especially Coner and Finbar in the Daughter of the Forest, Lydan in Son of the Shadows, and Darragh in Child of the Prophecy).
Marillier leave you with the feeling that this fansty, a story so unbelivable, could actually happen. She writes constistantly beautiful from front cover to back! Trust me... If you love to read celtics tales, you will love this!( I've read Daughter of the Forest 3 times now, and I am beginning to read the entire Trilogy again!I'm sitting for my final exams this year...and if I can find time to do this, I'm sure you can too!!!)
Be warned...if you read this you are likely to experience many emotions...If you love a good laugh and a good cry, not to mention a good tale..READ IT!!!
Rating:
Summary: the best book
Review: this is a great book about family and how much you'll do for them. It is about a young girl named Sorcha who has 6 brothers and of all of them she is the youngest. Her father marries a woman who enchants Sorcha's brothers and she must endure hard tasks to save them. This is a great fantasy book that takes an old tale and puts it into such detail that you can actually see and feel the characters. There's nothing more you could add to this novel to make it even better. I'm a big fantasy reader and once you start reading this novel, you will never put it down.
Rating: 
Summary: a flawed favorite
Review: This book drew me in at the beginning with its lush poetic imagery that allows one to believe in the possibility of the world of fairy tales. Marillier spends a lot of time establishing her settings and characters, and she does it with relentless beauty. And yes, as some readers have pointed out, this is often at the expense of the plot. However, the slow pace is worth it, as it generates both greater believability and empathy for the characters. The first third or so of the book is the best; it is tightly written and powerful. At about the time of the Lady Oonagh's curse, however, I began to feel that the author was switching genres; the story morphs from the panoramic retelling of a legend to having all the conventions of a historical romance novel, replete with new-age oversimplifications and a few anachronisms, as well. However, no matter what genre the author is writing in at the moment, and a few queasy political-correctnesses aside, the whole book is very thorough and well-written. It is hard to put down, although I went from feeling like I was learning something (at the beginning) to making frequently accurate predictions as to what was going to happen next. One thing I did notice as being curiously absent from the narrative was any plan being made on the parts of any of the seven siblings as to how to deal with Lady Oonagh when the spell was finally broken. Surely that would have been a concern for anyone. Were they just thinking they would go home and tell on her, and everything would be all right? Was she at one moment a powerful sorceress who could change people into swans, and the next moment weak-willed and impotent? What was to prevent the Lady Oonagh from changing everyone into pink flamingoes the moment they reappeared? It was strange that no one thought to worry about that. I also found myself wondering what exactly had happened to Lord Richard of Northwoods. We never do get to find out. Even within a trilogy context, this is sloppy and unexcusable. After reading about his overdone-but-amusing Snidely Whiplash villainy for this long, we want to know where he is at this point in time, at the close of the story. I know this is very petty, and I don't hold it against the author, but there are also lots of typos in this book. So why did I give it four stars? I believed in the characters, the story was engrossing and the evocative atmosphere the author managed to conjure up was bewitching.
Rating:
Summary: Daughter of the Forest brings light to an old tragedy
Review: In the poetic prose of Newcomer Juliet Marillier comes the story of a brave girl, a tragic spell, an evil temptress, a voyage of discovery, the tragedy of ignorance and the triumph of love eternal. This skillfully woven tale has many interlaced storylines and plots that come full circle in parallel with Druidic storytelling. The colorful relationships and cacophany of emotions keep the reader interested and addicted. This is a perfect tale of the seven children of a seventh son and the spell cast upon them that blankets the scenery as you are lured in to their chaotic existence and are helpless but to watch the tale unfold. Young Sorcha is the only hope for her six brothers when an evil sorceress, who has captured the heart of their father, casts a spell upon them and turns them into swans. Now Sorcha alone can save them; the task put before her seems impossible and helpless. But for the love of each other and their homeland "Sevenwaters" Sorcha would never have been set to the task before her. As it sweeps through the lush groves of Olde Ireland, to the high seas of the British Isles and into a strange land, this classic tale of good vs. evil is a shining example of classic fairy tale writing given a face lift.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Story
Review: Juliet Marillier is a brilliant author, and I highly recommend this book. Until I read Daughter of the Forest, I didn't think I could get so engrossed in a book, I just couldn't put it down! Though based on a myth, it's so well-written that you feel like _you_ are Sorcha going through all the pain and joys with her. Well worth reading and re-reading; it's at the top of my favorites list.Cailla
Rating:
Summary: A masterful retelling!
Review: I'm a sucker for retellings of fairytales, and this one is of the highest quality! This is based on the tale of the six brothers whose wicked stepmother turns them into swans; in order for the curse to be lifted, their sister must weave six shirts of nettles, and may never speak a word the whole time. Sorcha Sevenwaters is the witty, insightful narrator of this story. The seventh child of Lord Colum of Sevenwaters, Sorcha is a healer, even at the young age of twelve. Her mother died giving birth to Sorcha, and Colum's heart was broken. When he remarries, it comes as a shock to all of his children, and as the evil nature of his new wife becomes apparent, they plan to spirit Sorcha away from her. She foils their plans, however, by laying a curse that turns them all into swans. Deirdre, the Forest Goddess, tells Sorcha that she can lift the curse, but that the path will be long and hard...and she's right. Her task will bring her pain, force her from her beloved Ireland, and endanger her life again and again. But she swears she will have the strength to save her brothers. I'm pretty well-versed in Irish mythology, and at many points I felt a sort of deja-vu. Juliet Marillier has done a masterful (or mistressful?) job of creating an engaging heroine whose years of self-sacrifice may be for nothing. The years of outward silence for Sorcha are brilliantly narrated. The descriptions and storylines are sweeping, yet the characters are very human. This is the first book in the Sevenwaters Trilogy; though it stands quite well on its own, I was left aching for more about these characters.
Rating: 
Summary: Blah
Review: The cover art says it all for this book: pretty in concept but gray and boring in execution. Anyone who has ever read a really GOOD telling of the six swans tale is bound to be disappointed by this retelling. Sorcha's narration is not compelling and the things that have been added to "fill out" the tale are joltingly modern. No.
Rating:
Summary: I Loved This Book!
Review: Juliet Marillier's fist book in the Sevenwaters Trilogy is one of the best books I've ever read! At first I didn't think this book would be any good, but after reading the first couple of chapters I realized that this book is going to become an instant classic.A must read!!!
Rating:
Summary: Enchanting
Review: I started this book reluctantly, as I am waiting for the 6th installment of the Outlander series. I was hoping for a stunning beginning something to draw my attention, and quickly, with a boom. Far from the boom, I wanted it was a simple beginning, but the results were the same, from the very first page I was taken in, and I couldn't put the book down. This is a rare fairy tale, with all the elements so well told, that you cry and rage and hold your breath with hopeful expectation for Sorcha. Each page was better than the last. If you like fairy tales, like Tam Lin you will love this book!
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