Daughter of the Forest is the first book of the Sevenwaters series. It follows Sorcha's journey as she struggles to break the curse her stepmother Lady Oonagh casted upon her brothers, turning them into swans.
Synopsis[]
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.
Plot Summary[]
Part I[]
The novel opens with Sorcha describing her childhood at Sevenwaters. []
Part II[]
Part III[]
Part IV[]
Main Characters[]
Erin[]
- Sorcha
- Liam
- Diarmid
- Conor
- Cormack
- Finbar
- Padriac
- Lord Colum
- Eamonn of the Marshes
- Father Brien
- Eilis Redbeard
- Seamus Redbeard
Briton[]
- Hugh of Harrowfield
- Simon
- Lady Anne
- Margery
- Ben
- John
- Johnny
- Richard of Northwoods
- Elaine of Northwoods
Fair Folk[]
Fairy Tales and Storytelling[]
Besides being a retelling of the Wild Swans (or Six Swans) fairy tale, Daughter of the Forest focuses on storytelling as a vital part of family life.
Awards[]
Winner[]
- Le Prix Imaginales for best novel in translation (2010)
- American Library Association's Alex Award (2001)
Finalist[]
- Aurealis Awards, recognising the achievements of Australian science fiction and fantasy writers (1999)
- RWA (Romance Writers of Australia) Award for Romantic Novel of the Year (2000)