reclusivereader's review
4.0
Well, we did it. The original trilogy complete. What a ride.
"I cannot be part of this. The forest, the family, the -- the brotherhood. You must realize that."
What makes CHILD OF THE PROPHECY so interesting, but also easily unlikeable, is the shift. After two books featuring brilliant, self-sacrificing, and purely good, heroines, we are faced with something different in Fainne. She's not the hero. She's not purely good. She is, simply, an antagonist. A reluctant one but nonetheless it's true. She is brilliant, she is powerful, she shares her mother's temperament (making her difficult), and she's making choices that don't have good results. Because she's fighting for those she loves.. even at the cost of others. This disconnect, this unfortunate situation, is made worse because of her otherness. We, as a reader, have a connection to the Sevenwaters clan, the history, the losses and triumphs they have endured. But Fainne is outside of that while at the same time able to trace her own losses back to the choices (well meaning though they were) of those characters we love. We know their struggle, their guilt, and their enduring love. But Fainne doesn't. And even worse, her otherness, her disconnect, is compounded by her own gifts and her parentage (doubly so); neither of which are acceptable.
Perhaps my own spirit was damaged, my heart cracked into pieces, so that I could never be fine and good.
It makes her journey difficult in so many ways.
"You have the power to make us or break us, I think, and it will not be until the last that you will choose which way to go."
And honestly I totally understand why my buddy readers had a hard time connecting with this story and the lead. I'm sure, a hundred years ago when I first read this, I had the same issue. It's always been my least favourite of the trilogy, though still undoubtedly a Marillier and thus excellent (previously rated a four to the otherwise outstanding fives), but now, in hindsight, I can respect and appreciate this a little more -- the experience of reading it was also, likely, helped by the benefit of hindsight and knowing where the story would end up. Every character's journey in this saga has had pitfalls and struggles; Fainne's are just different and, unfortunately, come with collateral damage.
"The days where the children of Sevenwaters could roam the forest freely, without fear, are gone."
Then again, I'm so biased it's beyond comprehension, so there's that.
What likely also chips away some of the lustre with this final (ish) instalment is the lower romance content. Or, rather, the fact that we don't get enough time seeing it to really believe in it, maybe. But I think this ties into the fact that, considering the ending, their story isn't really for us. They are part of the whole but set apart from it. For reasons. Either way, though, I can admit it's the weakest part of the story but there were still moments I found lovely and moving.
"There will come a time, soon enough, when even that ancient wood will fall to the axe, to grant man his grazing land, his settlements, his towers and his walls. He thinks, in his ignorance, to tame the very earth, to force the very ocean to his will. And so he will lay waste the body of the mother who gave him birth; and will not know what he does. The old ways will be forgotten."
Equally this might be the least emotionally devastating of the stories. I definitely cried for a few reasons during the big conflict during the end but there were only one or two brief moments during the telling that actually got me choked up. Fainne's disconnect makes this less of an emotional journey and considering the books that came before that, too, is a change.
But.
This is my favourite series for so many reasons; for the emotions, the folklore, the magic, the heartbreak, the challenges, the strength, the wisdom, the losses, and the whole of it. These three books make up a generational story that, in my mind, is truly untouchable. But, again, biased.
The companions that follow the main Sevenwaters trilogy are the ones I don't know well at all, having only read them each once upon publication. Though I remember which characters they follow, and have vague memories of the plot, I don't have any real emotional attachment to them beyond the fact that they exist in this beloved world. I hope, with age and my enduring delight and respect for this saga, and the main trilogy fresh in my mind (though it never truly fades), I come out with some newfound love for them. I can't wait to read on.
Thank you to the Sevenwaters Squad — Micky, Steph, Amanda, and Cat — for coming on this journey with me. I know it wasn’t always what you expected (in good and bad ways) but I had a great time nonetheless.
4.5 stars
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
"I cannot be part of this. The forest, the family, the -- the brotherhood. You must realize that."
What makes CHILD OF THE PROPHECY so interesting, but also easily unlikeable, is the shift. After two books featuring brilliant, self-sacrificing, and purely good, heroines, we are faced with something different in Fainne. She's not the hero. She's not purely good. She is, simply, an antagonist. A reluctant one but nonetheless it's true. She is brilliant, she is powerful, she shares her mother's temperament (making her difficult), and she's making choices that don't have good results. Because she's fighting for those she loves.. even at the cost of others. This disconnect, this unfortunate situation, is made worse because of her otherness. We, as a reader, have a connection to the Sevenwaters clan, the history, the losses and triumphs they have endured. But Fainne is outside of that while at the same time able to trace her own losses back to the choices (well meaning though they were) of those characters we love. We know their struggle, their guilt, and their enduring love. But Fainne doesn't. And even worse, her otherness, her disconnect, is compounded by her own gifts and her parentage (doubly so); neither of which are acceptable.
Perhaps my own spirit was damaged, my heart cracked into pieces, so that I could never be fine and good.
It makes her journey difficult in so many ways.
"You have the power to make us or break us, I think, and it will not be until the last that you will choose which way to go."
And honestly I totally understand why my buddy readers had a hard time connecting with this story and the lead. I'm sure, a hundred years ago when I first read this, I had the same issue. It's always been my least favourite of the trilogy, though still undoubtedly a Marillier and thus excellent (previously rated a four to the otherwise outstanding fives), but now, in hindsight, I can respect and appreciate this a little more -- the experience of reading it was also, likely, helped by the benefit of hindsight and knowing where the story would end up. Every character's journey in this saga has had pitfalls and struggles; Fainne's are just different and, unfortunately, come with collateral damage.
"The days where the children of Sevenwaters could roam the forest freely, without fear, are gone."
Then again, I'm so biased it's beyond comprehension, so there's that.
What likely also chips away some of the lustre with this final (ish) instalment is the lower romance content. Or, rather, the fact that we don't get enough time seeing it to really believe in it, maybe. But I think this ties into the fact that, considering the ending, their story isn't really for us. They are part of the whole but set apart from it. For reasons. Either way, though, I can admit it's the weakest part of the story but there were still moments I found lovely and moving.
"There will come a time, soon enough, when even that ancient wood will fall to the axe, to grant man his grazing land, his settlements, his towers and his walls. He thinks, in his ignorance, to tame the very earth, to force the very ocean to his will. And so he will lay waste the body of the mother who gave him birth; and will not know what he does. The old ways will be forgotten."
Equally this might be the least emotionally devastating of the stories. I definitely cried for a few reasons during the big conflict during the end but there were only one or two brief moments during the telling that actually got me choked up. Fainne's disconnect makes this less of an emotional journey and considering the books that came before that, too, is a change.
But.
This is my favourite series for so many reasons; for the emotions, the folklore, the magic, the heartbreak, the challenges, the strength, the wisdom, the losses, and the whole of it. These three books make up a generational story that, in my mind, is truly untouchable. But, again, biased.
The companions that follow the main Sevenwaters trilogy are the ones I don't know well at all, having only read them each once upon publication. Though I remember which characters they follow, and have vague memories of the plot, I don't have any real emotional attachment to them beyond the fact that they exist in this beloved world. I hope, with age and my enduring delight and respect for this saga, and the main trilogy fresh in my mind (though it never truly fades), I come out with some newfound love for them. I can't wait to read on.
Thank you to the Sevenwaters Squad — Micky, Steph, Amanda, and Cat — for coming on this journey with me. I know it wasn’t always what you expected (in good and bad ways) but I had a great time nonetheless.
4.5 stars
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
jenno's review against another edition
5.0
This was amazing. Slow start but Marillier does not disappoint.
angelajuniper's review
4.0
My second favourite after Daughter of the Forest, this book interrupted my life until I neared the end and deliberately slowed down so it wouldn't finish too soon! A tale of woe, of longing, of family and love I felt (happily!) like I'd been put through the wringer once I was done.
gillianalice's review
4.0
I’m just enjoying the heck out of this series! Somehow, the author manages to write a different heroine every time, with a different kind of strength. Can’t wait for the next one!
jfcc's review against another edition
5.0
Impressionante. Magnificente. Brilhante. Mágico. Espectacular. Grandioso. Triste. Apaixonante. Foram quase cinco centenas de páginas de uma escrita fantástica e maravilhosa, palavras que me afectaram em todos os sentidos possíveis, uma linda história!
.
São muitas as coisas que posso dizer acerca deste livro e o quanto é imprescindível na vida de um leitor; acompanhar a jornada de Fainne, filha de Sevenwaters no entanto proveniente de uma linhagem maldita de feiticeiros, viver a sua vida, sentir as suas emoções foi uma experiência inesquecível.
.
Fainne vivia em Kerry, num lugar recôndito da Irlanda com o seu pai, Ciarán, um filho exilado de Sevenwaters que lhe ensinou a controlar a magia do mundo - a Arte. Como amigo, Fainne apenas tinha Darragh, filho de uma família nómada que todos os Verões passava por Kerry.
Apesar de uma vida isolada vivia feliz, até ao dia em que ela voltou. Lady Oonagh, a sua avó, a feiticeira que antes tentou destruir a família de Sevenwaters, mas que foi impedida pela incrível força de Sorcha, A Filha da Floresta, também avó de Fainne. Ora, Lady Oonagh incumbiu a Fainne um ódio terrível pela família de Sevenwaters e com isso a terrível tarefa de a destruir, impossibilitando o cumprimento da antiga profecia - a recuperação das Ilhas das mãos dos Bretões.
.
Ao longo do livro, observamos as difíceis decisões de Fainne, os seus erros, o controlo da sua mente pela sua terrifica avó; mas ao mesmo tempo a força com que se impõe ao controlo dela, como planeia salvar aqueles que ama, que profecia se cumpra e "destronar" a sua avó e o seu poder maligno do mundo!
Uma história de amor, magia, amizade e perdão, todos os elementos a que estamos habituados num livro de Marillier estão presentes e ainda mais alguns. Um romance belíssimo, que nos ensina o direito a uma segunda oportunidade para reparar o mal feito, que o verdadeiro amor tudo perdoa e que sozinhos na vida não somos nada.
.
Não pretendo contar a história, pois assim a magia do livro perde-se, mas recomendo vivamente a leitura do livro e dos seus antecessores; a viagem pelas terras da Irlanda através dos olhos de Sorcha, Liadan e Fainne ficará para sempre marcada em todas as minhas leituras e experiências de vida, lindo!
.
São muitas as coisas que posso dizer acerca deste livro e o quanto é imprescindível na vida de um leitor; acompanhar a jornada de Fainne, filha de Sevenwaters no entanto proveniente de uma linhagem maldita de feiticeiros, viver a sua vida, sentir as suas emoções foi uma experiência inesquecível.
.
Fainne vivia em Kerry, num lugar recôndito da Irlanda com o seu pai, Ciarán, um filho exilado de Sevenwaters que lhe ensinou a controlar a magia do mundo - a Arte. Como amigo, Fainne apenas tinha Darragh, filho de uma família nómada que todos os Verões passava por Kerry.
Apesar de uma vida isolada vivia feliz, até ao dia em que ela voltou. Lady Oonagh, a sua avó, a feiticeira que antes tentou destruir a família de Sevenwaters, mas que foi impedida pela incrível força de Sorcha, A Filha da Floresta, também avó de Fainne. Ora, Lady Oonagh incumbiu a Fainne um ódio terrível pela família de Sevenwaters e com isso a terrível tarefa de a destruir, impossibilitando o cumprimento da antiga profecia - a recuperação das Ilhas das mãos dos Bretões.
.
Ao longo do livro, observamos as difíceis decisões de Fainne, os seus erros, o controlo da sua mente pela sua terrifica avó; mas ao mesmo tempo a força com que se impõe ao controlo dela, como planeia salvar aqueles que ama, que profecia se cumpra e "destronar" a sua avó e o seu poder maligno do mundo!
Uma história de amor, magia, amizade e perdão, todos os elementos a que estamos habituados num livro de Marillier estão presentes e ainda mais alguns. Um romance belíssimo, que nos ensina o direito a uma segunda oportunidade para reparar o mal feito, que o verdadeiro amor tudo perdoa e que sozinhos na vida não somos nada.
.
Não pretendo contar a história, pois assim a magia do livro perde-se, mas recomendo vivamente a leitura do livro e dos seus antecessores; a viagem pelas terras da Irlanda através dos olhos de Sorcha, Liadan e Fainne ficará para sempre marcada em todas as minhas leituras e experiências de vida, lindo!
crescentsays's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
annakelcey's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
howlsmovinglibrary's review
4.0
I don't know particularly what to say about this book, it was both beautiful and slightly frustrating. I really enjoyed it, more so than the second book which I felt was too focused on romantic relationships rather than plot. This book definitely had a plot, but I couldn't help but feel that, as an ending to the original trilogy, it was slightly anticlimactic and, although not disappointing, it wasn't entirely rewarding either.
This book follows Niamh's daughter, Fianne, as she struggles to come to terms with her conflicting heritage as both a daughter of Sevenwaters and the descendant of the very person who tried to destroy it. As a character, I really liked Fianne because I felt she was different from the last two of the Sevenwaters protagonists. Both Sorcha and Liadan were characters who were very certain of themselves, and pretty much fully formed, with a strong will and a surety that Fianne just doesn't have. This means that her character is much more open for development - while Sorcha and Liadan's stories mainly served to confirm what we already knew about their personalities, this book is a lot more about testing and forming Fianne as a person, allowing her to become strong enough to fight off the evil influences around her. Fianne is a much more ambiguous heroine, and her record is far from spotless, but I found her more compelling in her flaws - she is still ultimately good in her heart, but unlike Sorcha and Liadan this good is both restricted by forces from outside and from within, and this book was mainly about Fianne being able to find that good in herself, and find the power to defeat those that would have it compromised.
Because of this, this book was a lot more about growing strong rather than simply staying strong in the face of danger. It was also, as the final installment of the trilogy, a lot more about the prophecy that has hidden in the background of the last two books. Throughout the book there is a sense of things finally coming to a head - the entire plot gears around the final battle for the mythical Islands, and those who would see it fail. Because of this build up, particularly when combined with the threads running through the last two books, I was slightly disappointed by the ending - I felt that, after so long waiting for the final outcome, it was all over incredibly quickly. There was also a feeling of incompleteness that ran through the whole story for me, as many of the threads which the initial first half of the book pursue, such as Fianne's interactions with Eamonn, her growing feeling of belonging in Sevenwaters, other characters' distrust of her, and her initial plans to fight off her grandmother's influence, were abruptly cut off by her movement to the warrior's Island, and although they were touched on at the end, they just weren't satisfactorily closed or brought together in a neat way. Perhaps it is slightly childish to want a big dramatic explosion of an ending, but if you can't have one in fiction, when can you? I spent the whole book waiting to see what would happen to the islands, and what would happen when Fianne finally felt strong enough to battle Lady Oonagh, and when both things happened I was just a bit like 'oh...that's it? Well, ok. I guess.'
There was also a bit of seesawing in the book which contributed to this feeling. Throughout the book, Fianne's situation is mostly one of blackmail, as her grandmother threatens to kill the people she loves if she doesn't do as she asks. In her claustrophobia, Fianne oscillates between utter obedience and frustrated defiance - but neither is particularly fruitful, she never takes a definite path and continues to flit between desperation and hope. I found it frustrating that she didn't really find a logical approac about how to combat her grandmother - even after she realised she was doing something wrong, her contingency plans were weak and ill thought out. One of her main coping mechanisms is simply to isolate herself, and although this makes sense it also leads to a lot of false starts within her relationships with other characters, and also doesn't make that much sense - why wouldn't you align yourself with the people your grandmother is clearly afraid of, and who have already defeated her once? Although I liked that Fianne's story was about finding herself and her strength, this development took a long time and parts of me were just screaming at the book 'what the hell are you doing??? Why? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?'
Overall, I think this book is very different from the other two in the trilogy, and I found that quite refreshing. Romance, although well written, is secondary to plot, there's a lot more magic, and this book definitely focuses more on isolation and alienation, in complete opposition to the clannish community than Sevenwaters has been in the last two books. I really liked seeing the Sevenwaters family from the perspective of someone on the outside looking in, and felt that this book was a welcome change in direction from Marillier, even if the destination wasn't quite what I had in mind.
This book follows Niamh's daughter, Fianne, as she struggles to come to terms with her conflicting heritage as both a daughter of Sevenwaters and the descendant of the very person who tried to destroy it. As a character, I really liked Fianne because I felt she was different from the last two of the Sevenwaters protagonists. Both Sorcha and Liadan were characters who were very certain of themselves, and pretty much fully formed, with a strong will and a surety that Fianne just doesn't have. This means that her character is much more open for development - while Sorcha and Liadan's stories mainly served to confirm what we already knew about their personalities, this book is a lot more about testing and forming Fianne as a person, allowing her to become strong enough to fight off the evil influences around her. Fianne is a much more ambiguous heroine, and her record is far from spotless, but I found her more compelling in her flaws - she is still ultimately good in her heart, but unlike Sorcha and Liadan this good is both restricted by forces from outside and from within, and this book was mainly about Fianne being able to find that good in herself, and find the power to defeat those that would have it compromised.
Because of this, this book was a lot more about growing strong rather than simply staying strong in the face of danger. It was also, as the final installment of the trilogy, a lot more about the prophecy that has hidden in the background of the last two books. Throughout the book there is a sense of things finally coming to a head - the entire plot gears around the final battle for the mythical Islands, and those who would see it fail. Because of this build up, particularly when combined with the threads running through the last two books, I was slightly disappointed by the ending - I felt that, after so long waiting for the final outcome, it was all over incredibly quickly. There was also a feeling of incompleteness that ran through the whole story for me, as many of the threads which the initial first half of the book pursue, such as Fianne's interactions with Eamonn, her growing feeling of belonging in Sevenwaters, other characters' distrust of her, and her initial plans to fight off her grandmother's influence, were abruptly cut off by her movement to the warrior's Island, and although they were touched on at the end, they just weren't satisfactorily closed or brought together in a neat way. Perhaps it is slightly childish to want a big dramatic explosion of an ending, but if you can't have one in fiction, when can you? I spent the whole book waiting to see what would happen to the islands, and what would happen when Fianne finally felt strong enough to battle Lady Oonagh, and when both things happened I was just a bit like 'oh...that's it? Well, ok. I guess.'
There was also a bit of seesawing in the book which contributed to this feeling. Throughout the book, Fianne's situation is mostly one of blackmail, as her grandmother threatens to kill the people she loves if she doesn't do as she asks. In her claustrophobia, Fianne oscillates between utter obedience and frustrated defiance - but neither is particularly fruitful, she never takes a definite path and continues to flit between desperation and hope. I found it frustrating that she didn't really find a logical approac about how to combat her grandmother - even after she realised she was doing something wrong, her contingency plans were weak and ill thought out. One of her main coping mechanisms is simply to isolate herself, and although this makes sense it also leads to a lot of false starts within her relationships with other characters, and also doesn't make that much sense - why wouldn't you align yourself with the people your grandmother is clearly afraid of, and who have already defeated her once? Although I liked that Fianne's story was about finding herself and her strength, this development took a long time and parts of me were just screaming at the book 'what the hell are you doing??? Why? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?'
Overall, I think this book is very different from the other two in the trilogy, and I found that quite refreshing. Romance, although well written, is secondary to plot, there's a lot more magic, and this book definitely focuses more on isolation and alienation, in complete opposition to the clannish community than Sevenwaters has been in the last two books. I really liked seeing the Sevenwaters family from the perspective of someone on the outside looking in, and felt that this book was a welcome change in direction from Marillier, even if the destination wasn't quite what I had in mind.
setaian's review
4.0
In the conclusion to the Seven Waters trilogy Fianne, finds herself the puppet of her grandmother, Oonagh in her plot to destroy the Fair Folk. Despite Fianne's inherent goodness Oonagh uses magic to poison her mind and twist her. She must find the strength to fight Oonagh's evil influence and end a war that has been waged for generations.
Another good instalment to the Seven Waters series and the end of the first trilogy. I'm not sure if I'll continue. I mean is it worth walking away while I still love it?
Another good instalment to the Seven Waters series and the end of the first trilogy. I'm not sure if I'll continue. I mean is it worth walking away while I still love it?