Customer Reviews

Child of the Prophecy (The Sevenwaters Trilogy, Book 3)

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

"Child of the Prophecy" is the concluding book in Juliet Marillier's extraordinary Sevenwaters trilogy, and perhaps the most powerful of all three novels. I think this is partly so because Fainne, daughter of the renegade druid Ciaran and Niamh, the Sevenwaters daughter who was lost to the clan long ago, is the strongest of Marillier's heroines. This in no way diminishes the strength of Sorcha and Liadan, nor the roles these remarkable women played in the trilogy's first two books.

Fainne was brought up in almost total solitude after her mother's death. She and her father lived alone in the Honeycomb, a network of caves on the Kerry coast. It was, at best, an austere and lonely existence, especially for a child. Ciaran schooled her unceasingly in Druid craft and lore and Fainne didn't really want more out of life than to please her father - and pleasing him meant becoming proficient in all he taught. Ciaran, a great Druid priest, had little time for his daughter, other than to pass on his knowledge. He spent most of his life continuing to learn the ancient ways.

This story is set in a period when magic is fading and Christianity is fast becoming the dominant religion of Erin and Britain. The Old Ones are being driven to the Western Realms, beyond the reach of mankind. The ancient groves and forests are being destroyed and without them the true knowledge of the land will disappear. The prophecies say there is a way to prevent the total disappearance of this priceless lore...and that salvation lies within the Sevenwaters clan. It is to this end that Ciaran works to pass his knowledge to his daughter.

The wicked sorceress Oonagh is Fainne's grandmother. She emerged from the shadows in book one, "Daughter of the Forest," to exert her evil ways and plan the destruction of all the Sevenwaters clan had worked for. Ciaran saw the necessity to leave his child for a time under Oonagh's tutelage. With her grandmother, Fainne would learn magic that she had never known or imagined before, and she would learn terrible fear as well.

Fainne is such a complex character. Her heritage is one of extreme darkness and of light - of both good and evil. The best of generations of the Sevenwaters clan runs in her blood, as does the evil of Oonagh. In order for the prophecy to succeed, Fainne must overcome her dual nature and prevail against her grandmother's power, while protecting those she loves.

Many characters from the previous books are present here: Conor the Druid, swan-winged Finbar, Liadan and her family, and vengeful Eamonn. So are the Fair Folk, (Tuatha de Danaan), and Old Ones. They await the Prophecy's end which will decide their own fate. All depends on Fainne's actions.

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 "Child of the Prophecy" can be read without reading the first two books, I strongly recommend reading them to best understand and enjoy this wonderful novel.
JANA

I don't agree with or understand some of the opinions of this book. The intrigue and contrast in this book was amazing. Fainne was amazing.

The Daughter of the Forest will always hold a special place in my heart. Sorcha, Red, Ben, John, Finbar, Conor, Lady Oonagh, Simon, Margarie...they are all such amazing characters. The plot is incredible, the feelings so true, and the terror so real. Juliet captured my heart with this book.

I waited for the second book with such anticipation, and at first I was dissapointed, Liadan was so different than Sorcha. And the whole set up of the book was so much different. Liadan wasn't set to a task as Sorcha was, Liadan didn't care to marry, Liadan wasn't Sorcha. Then it hit me, if Liadan was like Sorcha, what would the fun of the book be? I read it a second time, and I fell in love. Bran is such a passionate person. Eamonn was so good at what he did. Liadan was so amazingly refreshing. Once I had read Son of the Shadow 5 million times, I couldn't wait for Child of the Prophecy.

And when I got the book, I read. I didn't read like I normally did, though. Usually I sit in my bed or on my couch, I don't put the book down until I'm finished, but this was different. I was reading a trilogy and this was the third book. Once I closed the back cover, all would be over, all would be solved. So, I went to the forest by my house. I laid on my hill and read as the wind whipped though my hair. I could hear the wind rustling in the trees. As I read the book, I came to a knew understanding of mother nature, and of it's beauty. I read slowly, I cherised every chapter, every page, every word. Once I was done, I was done...sure I could read it again, but I knew what happened. For the first 2 days I read slowly; I was only about half through the book by the end of the second day. But when I started reading the third day, I couldn't stop. It was the most beautiful thing in the world. Fainne was so much different then Sorcha and Liadan in every respect. She looked different, she was raised different, and she was born different. A sorceress, bound to a certain path by ancient, evil things. The book was such a surprise. I thought I would be disappointed when I turned the final page, but Juliet must be a sorceress herself, for when I finally closed the last book in my favorite series, a great peace filled me. I don't know how to describe it. All is not well, the future definetly isn't going to be all roses and sunshine, but every thing felt right. It was beautiful.

I highly recommend this book and this trilogy, if you've got any sort of magic in you, you'll love it. Good, evil, love, hate, joy, terror, smiles, tears, men of Briton, men of Erin, a complete and utter feeling of peace that is nothing other than rightness, and surprise that grip the heart and soul. Juliet can do anything.

The conclusion to the Sevenwaters trilogy varies in tone from both its predecessors - I don't want to say it's darker, but it does deal with far more ambiguous definitions of good and evil, including a heroine who isn't nearly as pure and selfless as Sorcha and Liadan.

Said heroine is Fainne, the product of the incestous liason between Niamh, Sorcha's older daughter, and Ciaran, Sorcha's half-brother by the evil sorceress Oonagh. Fainne has been tutored by her father and grandmother in the arts of sorcery, and is sent to Sevenwaters to sabotage the Irish plan to take back the all-important Islands from the British. If you skipped a lot of the battle and strategy talk in the first two books, like I did, you might want to review them first, as they play a big role in the final 1/3 of this book.

As I said, Fainne is a completely different sort from her aunt Liadan and her grandmother Sorcha, and there were times I felt Marillier let her protaganist off too easily. As Oonagh's pawn, Fainne is coerced/blackmailed into doing some truly horrible things, and even though she doesn't technically do them of her own free will a bit more accountability seems to be in order.

I don't know why Marillier abandoned the references she included at the beginning of "Son of the Shadows", if anything they would be more useful here. Two items I felt would be indispensable: a family tree (to sort out the confusion created by the relationship between Niamh and her uncle Ciaran, which makes Sorcha, for instance, both Fainne's grandmother and aunt) and a copy of the Prophecy, which plays such a huge role in the later part of the book but which isn't repeated anywhere until the book is almost over.

I couldn't relax as much with this book as much as I did with "Daughter" and "Son", which, despite the hardships faced by their main characters, had at least a few moments of love and beauty. There's none on display here, and the entire book feels tense and bleak because of it. So, while the writing remains as skillful as ever, I can't help but wish Marillier loved her characters as much as she makes her readers love them. While I have no objection to creating characters that are complex and have varied motives, abandoning beloved characters by the wayside just plain hurts. I wish I could give half-stars; "Child" deserves more than 3 but I just couldn't rate this one as high as the first two. Consider my rating a 3.5.

"Daughter of the Forest" was outstanding. I didn't think "Son of the Shadows" could possibly top it and actually avoided reading it for a while. When I finally did, it left me breathless. The first two titles in this series were completely spellbinding, riveting, and unforgettable, blending a perfect fantasy realm with impeccably developed characters and just enough romance to keep even the most diehard romantic (me) satisfied.

I guess that's why I went into "Child of the Prophecy" with such high hopes. After all, after such incredibly appealing prequels, what else could one expect?

I'm afraid I must say that I found "Child of the Prophecy" to be something of a letdown. After the brilliant, strong characters of Sorcha, Liadan, Red, and Bran, I found Fainne and Darragh, and even the Lady Oonagh herself most disappointingly unrounded, static characters. They simply lack the leaping-off-the-page vitality of Marillier's earlier characters.

The plot itself, as it progressed, held me interested enough, mostly to see how Fainne would fare in this final showdown with the sorceress who has plagued the family of Sevenwaters for so long. I suppose being based in Irish legend, the ending of the book was suitable, yet I found it highly unsatisfying.

While it kept me intrigued to go on, the plot seemed to drag its way through, taking forever to come to a conclusion. Fainne's plight to defy her grandmother eventually became even a little tiresome as it went on. It was more of a read-because-you-want-to-see-what-happens book than a read-because-it's-so-outstandingly-good book like the others.

Thinking back on it (it's been a while) I can't say I was exactly upset with the ending, but I just didn't feel...complete. It did a nice job of tying the three books together and bringing a close to the series, but really...although it took me by surprise and almost made me cry (and would have if I'd been half as riveted by the plot and connected to the characters as I was with the other two books), I was disappointed.

The book seemed to be getting good towards the end, in the chapters leading up the final scene, but the end was almost irritating in its unfairness (call me childish, but really, having to live in a tower forever after is just too much) and I was a little annoyed by Fainne's complacency in accepting her fate. It seems to me that if Liadan or Sorcha had been the Child of Prophecy, and this fate had come to them, they would have fought it in some way.

Still, for any fan of the first two novels in the series, I recommend this one, since (a) you obviously want to know what happens, and (b) the plot itself is easy to absorb yourself in and suspenseful enough to keep you reading.

I'm no expert on literature, Irish legends, or fantasy epics, but simply as a reader, I found it acceptable but not on a par with the first two. After their outstanding characters and plots, this one just didn't hit me quite as hard.

At first I was a little disapointed with this book, it seemed a major departure from the previous two novels. However, like the previous novels Child of the Prophcey is very well written; details, people, and especially emotions come alive. This last novel of the triology didn't leave me hanging, questions were answered, and I was definately satisfied, especaily with the nice twist in the end. Overall this novel ends the trilogy with emotion and a profound message illustrated with graceful and detailed writing. I feel like I'm repeating myself, and probably am, but I was just so satisfied with this book, and that is the best way I can describe it.

CHILD OF THE PROPHECY is the incredible final chapter in the brilliant Sevenwaters Trilogy. I'd never heard of this Juliet Marillier, and chances are you hadn't either, but it won't be long before everyone with an interest in fantasy, historical fantasy, or celtic-themed fiction (or just good fiction in general) knows her name and her amazing talent.

This last installment tells the story of Fainne, daughter of the outcast sorcerer Ciaran, and kin to the folk of Sevenwaters, who were the focus of the first two books. Fianne is also the granddaughter of the Lady Oonagh, the sorceress who tried to destroy Sevenwaters and was thwarted only by the courage of Fianne's other grandmother, Sorcha. Raised by her father and briefly but painfully schooled by her grandmother, Fainne has a momentous choice to make that is more difficult than it sounds, and will decide the destiny Sevenwaters, Ireland, and ultimately our earth herself.

I had a very difficult time putting this book down to get on with my daily life, so that's a hazard to reading it. Another is that this one, as much as the other two, packs an emotional punch that can be incredibly painful. Sure, the ending is happy (well, what did you expect?), but there are (at least) two sides to everything, and Fainne's tale is fraught with heartache and sorrow and terrible pain. It's a tale to match the old celtic legends, and reading it is so much more than just an afternoon diversion.

I rushed to the book store and bought a hard cover (which I almost never do) because the first 2 books in this series were so awesome. I can't say I was sorry I did it, because Marillier is a fantastic writer, with an unusual ability to make you breathe her world of magic and nature. I have no fault to find with the story line, but I just found it so hard to like the heroine. I like strong female protagonists, and you really can't say this one was strong. However, JM was true to her story, and you have to respect that. After all, you can't expect to like a girl who has been brought up by a cold and distant father and an evil and controlling grandmother.

AS usual, she blended this story seamlessly with her previous one, and she gives her readers such a fresh view of medieval life lived side by side with magic. The novel's journey towards the final showdown between an evil sorceress and the family which has always been her enemy, is satisfying. But, I felt a little sceptical with the reintroduction of some characters from the previous tales. For instance, why would a clairvoyant, who had seen his death decades ago, not recognize when the time had come? Why would any self respecting woman of even minor intelligence, who had been brought up specifically to recognize and wield magic and power, take so long to recognize her place in the prophecy? I am willing to work at ignoring these little glitches, because Marillier deserves the extra slack, but there's no doubt that this tale is less satisfying than the previous 2.
All in all, this final chapter of a riveting 3 volume tale, left me unsatisfied, but feeling like I really should get over my little problems and appreciate a wonderful, original tale very well told.

I've read many reviews saying that the Child of the Prophecy isn't as good as the first two books. Although I believe the second book of the trilogy is my favorite I think this book deserves its own praise. Child of the Prophecy is different from the first two books of the series. You get a very different heroine from Sorcha and Liadan. Fiadan's path is not so clear and you're not even sure at the beginning of the book who's side she's on, good or evil. I think Marillier is one of the most skilled writers at bringing romance to life and I have a hard time deciding whether she did a better job in Son of Shadows or Child of the Prophecy. In either case this is a masterful romance, and so much more besides. Fiadan has to deal with difficult choices of write and wrong that occur repeatedly through the story and I think it's interesting to have a heroine who commits some truly monstrous acts but who you relate to and like all the same. Also if you don't fall in love with Darragh you have a heart of ice. The only problem with the book had was a bit of trouble in the ending which is to be understood considering this is the conclusion of the entire trilogy. This book is a must read as well as the rest of the Sevenwaters Trilogy.

I read the reviews for this book before getting it, and I was reluctant to buy it for two reasons. The first was that many people said that it wasnt as good as the others, and the second was that I had been looking forward to another book that took place at sevenwaters, and the idea of reading about some sorcerers daughter did not sound appealing to me.
However, when i finally bought the book and started it, i realized I was badly mistaken. This book was just as good as her other books, and it kept me reading well into the night.
Fianne is a sorcerers daugher, granddaughter of Lady OOnagh, who tried desperately to destroy the sevenwaters family years before, and product of a forbidden love between Ciaran and Niamh. In this book, we follow Fianne as she goes to Sevenwaters to join her family as Lady Oonagh watches over, trying to make Fianne finish off what she started years before. It is up to Fianne to decide the fate of many and the future, facing many trials along the way.
This story was deeply touching, and many times I wished that I could smack some sense into some character or strangle another. Not many stories can induce real feelings in me, but I found myself close to tears or very happy at certain points within this book.
Juliet Marillier is a great writer, and I hope to see many more books by her in the future.

While, like _Son of the Shadows_, _Child of the Prophecy_ is never quite as wonderful as _Daughter of the Forest_, it is nevertheless a good book, and worth reading if you liked the first two.

This one is darker in tone. In _Daughter_, the heroes and villains were clearly delineated; in _Son_ the line between the two was more hazy, but the heroine herself was beyond reproach. In _Child_ the heroine, Fainne, is a conflicted and flawed character in ways that Sorcha and Liadan never were.

Fainne, child of the forbidden union of Ciaran and Niamh, is raised by her father in the lonely reaches of Kerry. When her father falls ill, Fainne's grandmother, the evil Oonagh, takes Fainne under her wing. The sorceress has a diabolical plan that will destroy all of the good of Sevenwaters, and Fainne is to be her tool. Through threats and emotional blackmail, she presses the girl into her service; through trickery, she causes Fainne to do some truly terrible things. Fainne feels she is destined to be forever evil and forever alone, and so she does not fight back--until the people of Sevenwaters reach out to her, and she begins to understand love and family. "You forget," says one character, "that every girl has two grandmothers."

Once Fainne begins to grow a spine, the dark and depressing narrative turns passionate and exciting. How can she carry out Oonagh's scheme? Is it possible to fight her? How strong can Fainne be?

Again, while this is not the romantic "fairy tale" of _Daughter_, it is an engaging story and a fitting ending to the Sevenwaters saga. Fainne is much more than she seems. If you can get through the first half of the book, you'll love the second half.