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Son of the Shadows (Sevenwaters #2)

by Juliet Marillier (Goodreads Author)

4.31 of 5 stars 4.31 · rating details · 12,285 ratings · 616 reviews

Beautiful Sorcha is the courageous young woman who risked all to save her family from a wicked curse and whose love shattered generations of hate and bridged two cultures.

It is from her sacrifice that Sorcha's brothers were brought home to their ancestral fortress Sevenwaters, and her life has known much joy.

But not all the brothers were able to fully escape the spell th...more

Paperback, 590 pages

Published June 17th 2002 by Tor Fantasy (first published 2000)

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Jan 09, 2013 Keertana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kick-ass-heroines

It is, for some reason, extraordinarily difficult for me to explain my feelings concerning this novel. Son of the Shadows is, as all the reviews proclaim, a worthy follow-up to Daughter of the Forest. In fact, both novels are so vastly different that it is practically impossible to compare them and, without a doubt, Son of the Shadows is a beautifully written story, just as heart-breaking and emotionally impactful as its predecessor. Yet, my feelings of awe for this piece are mixed in with guilt...more

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Dec 12, 2011 Kay rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: historical romance lovers

Recommended to Kay by: the first book

Shelves: fantasy, formidable-women, quite-the-romantic, faerie-poop

I devoured this book. Once I started reading it, I couldn't stop, and I finished the book in about fifteen hours with breaks in between. It made me wonder why it took me so long to read this second installment to the Sevenwaters series, though the answer came to me pretty quickly as I was reading. To explain why this is, I have to start off with my experience with the first book.

The first book, Daughter of the Forest, was an emotional journey. It was a tale about family, sacrifice, suffering, v...more

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Jun 16, 2009 Ori rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-would-die-for, reviewed, favorites

This is my favorite book of all time. My copy is dog-eared, and I'm looking around for another one. This was the book that set me off on my love for Juliet Marillier's books. The simple elegance of the prose was the perfect voice for Liadan, the main character. The love between Bran and Liadan spoke to me the first time I read it and has echoed deeper and deeper with every reading (of which there are many). In my opinion, this is better than the other two because the characters all have a way of...more

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Dec 31, 2011 Angie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: belovedbookshelf, girls-who-do-things

Since I reviewed Daughter of the Forest a few weeks back, it seemed only right to close the year out with the sequel. Just another one of those perfect books I read before I started reviewing books and then sort of shied away from reviewing because it's well nigh impossible to do justice to a book you have all the feelings for, you know? It also happens that this is not only one of my very favorite books of all time but one of my favorite winter reads, as the night of Midwinter's Eve plays rathe...more Since I reviewed Daughter of the Forest a few weeks back, it seemed only right to close the year out with the sequel. Just another one of those perfect books I read before I started reviewing books and then sort of shied away from reviewing because it's well nigh impossible to do justice to a book you have all the feelings for, you know? It also happens that this is not only one of my very favorite books of all time but one of my favorite winter reads, as the night of Midwinter's Eve plays rather a large role in the story. SON OF THE SHADOWS is one of those unexpected wonders and another example of how to absolutely kill it with a sequel. If you asked me if it was possible for Juliet Marillier to write a sequel as good as the first book, I would have immediately laughed out loud and uttered a resounding no. I truly didn't believe it was possible to follow Daughter of the Forest with anything that would even remotely measure up. Well, I was never happier in my life to eat my words. Because SON OF THE SHADOWS blew me out of the water. I finished it ready to say that it was not only as good as but better than its predecessor. I'm pretty sure I still think it is. It's hard because they're both stunning, and while Liadan is different from her mother Sorcha in many ways, she shares the strength and determination and goodness that made me fall in love with her mother. I love them both unreservedly, as I do both of these dear, dear books. If you haven't read this one, perhaps this winter is the perfect time to sink back into the world and family of Sevenwaters once more.

My mother knew every tale that was ever told by the firesides of Erin, and more besides. Folks stood hushed around the hearth to hear her tell them after a long day's work, and marveled at the bright tapestries she wove with her words. She related the many adventures of Cu Chulainn the hero, and she told of Fionn mac Cumhaill, who was a great warrior and cunning with it. In some households, such tales were reserved for men alone. But not in ours, for my mother made a magic with her words that drew all under its spell. She told tales that had the household in stitches with laughter, and tales that made strong men grow quiet. But there was one tale she would never tell, and that was her own.

Liadan has grown up surrounded by the love of her family and the peace and safety of the forest of Sevenwaters. The younger daughter of the beloved Sorcha--the young woman who sacrificed everything for her brothers and won them back from the clutches of the powerful sorceress Lady Oonagh--Liadan has tried to emulate her mother in every way. A talented healer, she spends her days making salves and medicines and taking care of the people of the keep. She is also a twin, an unexpected third child to her parents. And because she was unforeseen, her mother feels certain Liadan's path will be her own, that she is outside the pattern, and that her choices may have the power to change things for good or for ill. But Liadan has no idea just how outside the pattern her path will take her, until she is abducted on the road while on a journey to visit her sister. Taken by the band of the Painted Man, she is forced to offer her services as a healer or pay the price of failure with her life. From the tales whispered around firesides at home, Liadan knows the kind of ruthless killer the Painted Man is. And so she is determined to use her skills to save the man in question, and then return home to her family as soon as is humanly possible. But just as the Fair Folk took an interest in her mother's fate, an even deeper magic is at work in Liadan's. And though the outlook is bleak, and the people around her may not be entirely what they seem, the light of hope still burns as does Liadan's formidable will to survive.

To say that SON OF THE SHADOWS holds a special place in my heart is a bit of an understatement. Okay, it's a massive, massive understatement. I love it when an author shows you just how much she has in her arsenal by exceeding every expectation you had and then some. Where Daughter of the Forest was a retelling of a fairy tale, this one is all her own, and the places she takes it are incredible. I think about these characters on a regular basis, they've become so much a part of my consciousness. I fell in love with Liadan first, because she refused to give up on on those she loved. When she was backed into a corner, she pushed back with everything she had. Like her uncle Finbar, she wants more than the rules of her world will allow. And when she comes up against those constraints, she devises ways of holding onto those she has called hers. There is much of darkness in this book. Each character is forced to deal with the pain of their past and the shortcomings of their present. Some of them succumb to their faults and some rise above. But what I love best of all is the ways in which they reach out to each other, across the barriers of time, gender, race, and space. Across even the margins between this world and the next. As with its predecessor, the love story is second to none. I think I fell even harder for these two for how hard they had to work to keep their happiness. Amid the harshness and the violence surrounding them, their bond was doubly precious for its ability to outlast adversity and to mend that which is broken. Here is one of the passages closest to my heart. It comes early on and it just encapsulates Liadan (and the lovely writing):

I sat there and made my breathing slow and calm, and told myself what I had told others many a time: Breathe, Liadan, the pain will pass. The night was very quiet; the darkness a living thing, creeping in around the two of us. I felt how tight strung his body was; I sensed his terror, and how he fought to conquer it. I could not hope to touch his mind, nor did I wish to see more of the dark images it held. But I could still speak, and it seemed to me words were the only tool I had for keeping out the dark.

"Dawn will come," I told him quietly. "The night can be very dark, but I'll stay with you until the sun rises. These shadows cannot touch you while I am here. Soon we'll see the first hint of gray in the sky, the color of a pigeon's coat, then the smallest touch of the sun's finger, and one bird will be bold enough to wake first and sing of tall trees and open skies and freedom. Then all will brighten and color will wash across the earth, and it will be a new day. I will stay with you until then."

The color of a pigeon's coat. One bird brave enough to sing of tall trees and open skies and freedom. That is Liadan. That is the power of her hope and her incomparable will. In this beautiful book of light and shadow, of choosing who you will be and protecting those you love, hers is the light that shines the brightest. You could do far worse than give your heart to her and to her story. It will be safe in her hands. (less)

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Nov 05, 2012 Neide Parafitas rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: borrowed, leituras-2012, favourites

Juliet Marillier é definitivamente uma grande contadora de histórias!!

Este é mais um livro maravilhoso que conta agora a história de Liadan, filha de Sorcha, que tal como a mãe herdou o dom da visão e de curar.

Liadan é avisada pelas criaturas encantadas de que deverá permanecer para sempre em Sevenwaters ou não conseguirá que as ilhas sagradas sejam reconquistadas aos Bretões, mas esta recusa-se a fazê-lo.

Entretanto Liadan conhece o Homem Pintado e descobre que este é muito diferente do que diz...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Terry (Ter05 TwiMoms/ MundieMoms) rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone- but read Daughter of the Forest first

Shelves: could-not-put-it-down-books, read-more-than-once, favorites, epic-series, favorite-series, historical, romance, supernatural

This is what I consider a ten star book. I am rewriting my review after reading this for the third time and after having read the entire series. There are a lot of wonderful authors out there, but not nearly as many master story-tellers. Juliet Marillier is exactly that. This is the second in the Sevenwaters series and set in 4th century Ireland. Reading this for the second time, I was questioning what made it such a beautiful read. It is an unforgettable romance and yet Bran and Liadan are apar...more This is what I consider a ten star book. I am rewriting my review after reading this for the third time and after having read the entire series. There are a lot of wonderful authors out there, but not nearly as many master story-tellers. Juliet Marillier is exactly that. This is the second in the Sevenwaters series and set in 4th century Ireland. Reading this for the second time, I was questioning what made it such a beautiful read. It is an unforgettable romance and yet Bran and Liadan are apart for much of the book. Or are they? When two people are bound the way this outlaw and the innocent daughter of Sevenwaters are, are they ever truly apart? Liadan is an amazing strong female character which is so common in this author's books. But with the gift of "sight", an ability to communicate through the mind with her twin brother, Sean, and at times with Bran, she often considers her gifts to be a curse because of the confusion they cause. Throughout the book she carries secrets that if exposed could cause the death of loved ones and maybe the destruction of her entire world. Should her loyalty be to family, to the faery Queen and her consort who clearly instruct her as to what she should do, to the "old ones" who were there since the beginning of time and who she is descended from? Or should her loyalty be to the man she loves, the Painted Man, and reviled outlaw. And how can what Liadan desires fit in? She is told that she can't have the two most important things in her life, but she is determined not to give up either one. This is the story of Liadan's choices, her bravery, and her love.

This book is meant to be read following Daughter of the Forest which is the story of Red and Sorcha, Liadan's parents. They and the rest of her family that we knew in Daughter of the Forest are with her as well as new characters. Her uncle, Finbar, is a part of this story as he lives between the mortal world and the otherworld with his swan wing as the result of a curse in the previous book. Finbar is the rock she clings to when all seems so confused and twisted. Having read the following books, Finbar remains a central figure and spiritual part of the Sevenwaters story. Another new character that remains in the next books is the young Druid, Ciaran. His story is tragic and closely connected to the previous book - and to the books to come. The first time I read this book I thought the son of the shadows was Liadan's Bran. But two re-reads later I realize that it is Ciaran, and that makes more sense even though he is not the main character of this book. I love the way each book in this series is the story of another couple in the Sevenwaters saga and yet includes ongoing stories of those we learn to love in each book.

[Comment from my second reading in 2011] - Master story teller. I had read this book before and yet sat up until 1:30 this morning reading to the end because I could not put it down. It is my favorite of the series but they are all wonderful.

[Comment from my third reading in 2012] - I had not re-read Daughter of the Forest until this week, and it was so compelling that I had to pick up this book and re-read it for the third time. I had to laugh at my comment above - I read it this time in less than 24 hours and hardly put it down. I marked a few favorite quotes that perhaps give a sample of this author's writing.

Liadan: "So I rode back to Sevenwaters on the Painted Man's horse, with his coat to keep me warm, with a necklace of wolf claws in my pocket and blood on my hands. So much for being able to change things. So much for the Fair Folk and ancient voices and visions of death. What was I but one more powerless woman in a world of unthinking men? Nothing had changed. Nothing at all, save deep inside,where nobody could see."

Liadan to Sorcha: "I did not journey beyond he margins, Mother, though I did see the Fair Folk, and they spoke to me. This child's father is a mortal man, and I will not give his name."

Sorcha's brother, Finbar to Liadan: "I am the beat of a swan's wing on the breath of the wind. I am the secret at the heart of the standing stone. I am the island in the wild sea. I am the fire in the head of the seer. I am neither of that world nor of this. And yet, I am a man. I have blood on my hands. I have loved and lost. I feel your pain, and and know your strength."

Finbar again, " Oh yes. And he saw you, make no doubt of it. But that is nothing new to him. Your image is before his eyes through every battle, through every flight, through every subtle knife stroke, through every long dark night. You bound him to you with your courage and with your tales. You hold him to you now. You captured a wild creature when you had no place you could keep him. He cannot escape you, however hard he might wish it to be otherwise."
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Sep 21, 2008 Pauline rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction, fantasy, own, read-2008, reviews

"Son of the Shadows" is the second book in Juliet Marilee’s Sevenwaters Trilogy. It continues the story by leaping ahead a number of years, with Sorcha's daughter being the main character of the story.

I loved the first book "Daughter of the Forest", and was looking forward to being captured by this second book. Unfortunately I was not captured. The second book takes a different approach to story telling compared to the first book. The first book was based on one of the Grimm brothers' tales, bu...more "Son of the Shadows" is the second book in Juliet Marilee’s Sevenwaters Trilogy. It continues the story by leaping ahead a number of years, with Sorcha's daughter being the main character of the story.

I loved the first book "Daughter of the Forest", and was looking forward to being captured by this second book. Unfortunately I was not captured. The second book takes a different approach to story telling compared to the first book. The first book was based on one of the Grimm brothers' tales, but the second book caries on with the Sevenwaters family.

Sorcha is old and she and Red have three children consisting of a boy named Sean and a girl named Liandan who are twins, and share a mind link like Sorcha and Finbar did in the first book, and Sorcha and Red have an older daughter named Niamh, who is beautiful and who lives life for the moment.

The story circles around Liandan who has a great number of gifts, she is able to touch peoples' minds and comfort them, she is a healer like her mother, she is gifted and the fairy folk are watching her.

Liandan falls in love with a painted man who is known as an assassin and whose skill is renowned. The painted man is not unscarred, but has a long history from childhood of tragic events that created him and he is afraid of the dark. Liandan bares his child and she swears to love no other, but the painted man.

The story consists of a number of themes. One that I found overwhelming was the way the men had control of the female’s lives and how the men basically mucked everything up by being control freaks. Liandan is able to voice more independence than the other females in the book, but her life is still focused mostly on fixing problems that the men have caused. The book seems to be crying out that women need to be free to make their own choices and free from the prejudices and double standards that men have for themselves and for women.

I was looking for a fairy tale and I got a book that seems to be pointing out the problems of men controlling affairs, but the women fall in love with them anyways, so everything is okay as long as you have lust and love, but it is hard to tell the difference between the two, especially in this book which has many lustful scenes.

I felt the book was divided in which way it should tell the story. To totally degenerate all men as being controlling and wrong or to tell a story about magic and love, the book could not make up its mind and so it was unsatisfying.

“Son of the Shadows” is an in-depth book and written with skill, but with conflicts of message. It does not live up to its predecessor, and it focuses more on lustful scenes and men controlling the affairs then on a fantasy tale as the first did.
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Oct 07, 2012 Isamlq rated it 4 of 5 stars

So impressed was I with Sorcha in Daughter of the Forest that I jumped into the sequel with not a glance at the summary. Granted it’s taken me took 2 months before doing so. So, Why the gap if it indeed was that awesome? Simply, it was so intricately plotted my brain reeled; the people in it so real, my heart broke for each thing that happened. By its end, I was exhausted: happy and giddy with the outcome, happy to have met them but also exhausted. This one has left me feeling much the same.

Bot...more So impressed was I with Sorcha in Daughter of the Forest that I jumped into the sequel with not a glance at the summary. Granted it’s taken me took 2 months before doing so. So, Why the gap if it indeed was that awesome? Simply, it was so intricately plotted my brain reeled; the people in it so real, my heart broke for each thing that happened. By its end, I was exhausted: happy and giddy with the outcome, happy to have met them but also exhausted. This one has left me feeling much the same.

Both books don’t limit themselves to magic and fey because things could get and did get ugly, and brutal… so I was gob smacked after each big thing. Still, moving forward is made easy because of the link they had to each other. It’s just one of the things I loved along with some of the magical, some of the political and complicated, and as said, a lot of those connections: romantic or otherwise.

Now, if there’s anything to complain about, it’s that that closeness between brother and sister in book 1 isn’t as deeply felt in this one. Like Sorcha, Liadan is the center of the family, but unlike the first, where the brothers are as specifically drawn and thus made individual, Liadan’s brother and sister weren’t. I knew Sorcha’s brothers; I watched them suffer with her. Sean and Niamh were merely extras here pushing Liadan forward. In fact, this is all about Liadan and how she’s her father and mother’s miniature. She is the good daughter, the (too) understanding sister, and then eventually the woman in love.

And then came the Painted Man. Plus his Merry Band of what’s it. It’s obvious where things were headed once he’s introduced, but I read on despite the predictability because like her he too is special. They’re perfectly matched: skilled at what they both do, independent and inspiring of loyalty, but unlike her, not untouched by what’s dark. The last is what draws the two closer.

Then there are those eventual discoveries on how they’re connected beyond the present romantic; how all of them are in fact linked somehow. I love that. That neat bridging of one thing to another thing is what I enjoy. That truly one person briefly encountered at some point is not just a character but vital the things that follow.

4/5
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May 01, 2012 Elisabete rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, juliet-marillier, 2012

Adorei!!! Se já tinha gostado do primeiro achei este ainda melhor. É um dos melhores livros que já li, estou ansiosa por continuar esta série.
Adorei conhecer as personagens principais e relembrar as outras já conhecidas, apesar de não concordar com alguns dos desenlaces que a autora deu a algumas delas, mas a história é tão boa que compensa tudo.
A Liadan é uma mulher incrível que herdou as melhores características da sua mãe e do seu pai, teve uma força e esperança inimagináveis até finalmente...more

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May 19, 2010 Gemma rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, reviewed

I have to admit that I really didn't want to read this book. I'm relatively new to the whole Sevenwaters series, and after reading Daughter of the Forest (which I wholeheartedly adored), I wasn't sure whether any of the others could really match up.

Since this book doesn't follow Sorcha & Red, the protagonists from the first book, and instead focuses on their children, I was pretty reluctant to see the characters I loved so much turn into oldies. Call me ageist, but since DOTF ended so happil...more I have to admit that I really didn't want to read this book. I'm relatively new to the whole Sevenwaters series, and after reading Daughter of the Forest (which I wholeheartedly adored), I wasn't sure whether any of the others could really match up.

Since this book doesn't follow Sorcha & Red, the protagonists from the first book, and instead focuses on their children, I was pretty reluctant to see the characters I loved so much turn into oldies. Call me ageist, but since DOTF ended so happily, I wasn't sure I wanted to see Sorcha ill and dying.
However, the lure of Sevenwaters was too much for me, and so I delved straight in to Son of the Shadows - and thank you, past me! This book, while maybe not quite matching up to the first in my eyes, comes extremely close.

This is mainly because the characters are so different. So many series nowadays with different characters in each book follow the same formula, with perhaps a change of hair colour for the "heroine" and a different species for the "hero". Which, quite frankly, bores me to hell.

Liadan, however, is so different to Sorcha in so many ways that this book retains the originality & magic of the first without copying it. Sure, there are common threads - the whole 'kidnapping' thing, slightly more serious here, and the fact both Sorcha & Liadan are gifted healers well loved by all. But Liadan is a lot more outspoken and gutsier than Sorcha - Sorcha was unbelievably brave, but in more of a quiet and vunerable way. Liadan has a lot more bite, and she matches Bran well.

Ah, Bran - totally loved him. I mean, I loved Red, and I still do, but I think Bran takes the biscuit for me (even if he was unbelievably annoying at times).
Liadan was so loyal and faithful towards him, even when he sent her off abruptly just because of her name (?), kept running off to be a mercenary as he wanted to remain 'free' (commitment phobe, anyone?) and generally said some quite awful things to her at times.
His past was really horrific, if a tad unbelievable, but it was his obvious love for Liadan and strength that really won me over. Also, some people may be put off by the whole baby thing, and I admit I was at first. DON'T BE, HONEST. :L I am really not big on a kid element in romance, but Juliet Marillier managed to make it seem like this wonderful thing that happened to Liadan, a symbol of her love for Bran, and it acually just made the story better IMO.

If you want a brilliant fantasy with great characters and a cracking romance, pleasepleasePLEASE read Son of the Shadows (& the rest, too). It'll gives you hours of enjoyment, and I sincerely hope Marillier keeps on writing amazing books, especially where Sevenwaters is concerned - I would hate to leave it behind forever when I've only just found it. :) Five Stars!

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Dec 29, 2010 João rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: home, read2008, bought2008, authors-foreign, 5-stars

Parti com elevadas expectativas para esta nova história de magia, de feitiçaria e de amor, e devo dizer que superou tudo aquilo que eu esperava. "A Filha da Floresta" modificou completamente as minhas futuras leituras, pois nunca tal livro conseguiu-me transportar para um mundo tão "real" de amor e fantasia (apesar de haver outras histórias pelas quais me apaixonei mais intensamente que penso nunca serem ultrapassadas)! Tenho a certeza absoluta que os próximos livros que ler deste tema não chega...more

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Dec 02, 2008 Meredith rated it 3 of 5 stars

Meh. I wish she hadn’t made it a series. So why did I give it 3 stars? It was well written—I like Miss Marillier’s prose.

Now I will proceed to tell you why I gave it three stars instead of five.

Son of the Shadows didn’t flow well, and the characters were rather bland. They read like reheated character ideas she probably had for the last book, but threw out and decided to use for the sequel. That may be why this book felt a loooot like the last one: forbidden love, healer protagonist, protagonis...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Knucklefish rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 13, 2012 Alyssa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

I don't think I can give a Juliet Marillier book anything less than at least 4 stars. Her storytelling ability is mesmerising and you could easily get lost in the fairytale-like world of the Sevenwaters. An overall wonderful reading experience and highly recommended for those who enjoy reading about magic, love, sacrifice and human endurance.

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Apr 02, 2013 L.M. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi-book-challenge, favorites, historical-fantasy, romance

If you read my review for Daughter of the Forest, you’ll know that I have a very special relationship to Juliet Marillier’s Sevenwaters series. Every year, I try to reread some of the Sevenwaters novels and this year, I started with Son of the Shadows. This second installment of the series follows Liadan–the daughter of Sorcha and Red. Liadan is both similar and different than her mother. Like Sorcha she loves the hearth and home and knows the importance of family. But unlike her mother, Liadan...more If you read my review for Daughter of the Forest, you’ll know that I have a very special relationship to Juliet Marillier’s Sevenwaters series. Every year, I try to reread some of the Sevenwaters novels and this year, I started with Son of the Shadows. This second installment of the series follows Liadan–the daughter of Sorcha and Red. Liadan is both similar and different than her mother. Like Sorcha she loves the hearth and home and knows the importance of family. But unlike her mother, Liadan makes some decisions that challenge the wills of the Tuatha De.

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:

Beautiful Sorcha is the courageous young woman who risked all to save her family from a wicked curse and whose love shattered generations of hate and bridged two cultures.

It is from her sacrifice that Sorcha’s brothers were brought home to their ancestral fortress Sevenwaters, and her life has known much joy.

But not all the brothers were able to fully escape the spell that transformed them into swans, and it is left to Sorcha’s daughter Liadan to help fulfill the destiny of the Sevenwaters clan. Beloved child and dutiful daughter, Liadan embarks on a journey that shows her just how hard-won was the peace that she has known all her life.

Liadan will need all of her courage to help save her family, for there are dark forces and ancient powers conspiring to destroy this family’s peace–and their world. And she will need all of her strength to stand up to those she loves best, for in the finding of her own true love, Liadan’s course may doom them all . . . or be their salvation.

Though Daughter of the Forest will always remain my absolute favorite book EVER, Son of the Shadows is a very, VERY close second. I adore Liadan. I felt that I could very closely relate to her character, though she and I are in such vastly different life circumstances. I adore Marillier’s prose and lyrical descriptions. I love the way this masterful author can weave a world that feels so real despite the presence of magic and impossible beings. As with all Marillier’s works, I feel myself drawn to the divine and to the peace that can be found in relationship and nature. Every single sentence in this book is a masterful work of art.

Favorite Son of the Shadows quotes:

>>“Don’t you long for something different to happen, something so exciting and new it carries you along with it like a great tide, something that lets your life blaze and burn so the whole world can see it?”

>> “I have listened to many tales in my life, and told a few of my own. If this has taught me anything, it is that there are
some occurrences that change the course of things, that make an alteration far beyond their own apparent magnitude. It
is like the throwing of a tiny pebble into a pool, how it makes an ever-expanding circle of ripples, spreading right
across the water’s surface.”

>> “You bound him to you with your courage and your tales. You hold him to you now. You captured a wild creature when you had no place you could keep him.”(less)

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Mar 21, 2013 Lynn O'Connacht rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is my fifth book by Marillier and I still can't tell her narrators apart worth for toffee. That and the fact that I felt the romance was rather predictable kept the narrative from coming alive for me. T_T I want to love Marillier's work. She's an incredibly talented storyteller. I love the story in this book. I love the way Marillier weaves stories together and through one another and juggle different strands and situations and subplots. I love the relationships she sketches between the cha...more

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Mar 16, 2013 Mynameisntcollins rated it 4 of 5 stars

There are times that I hate how certain novels will suck me in, and won't let me back out to the real world until I've finished with it. "Son of Shadows" was one of those books. Of course, so was "Daughter of the Forest", so I should have expected it. This novel was the story of Liadan, one of Sorcha's daughters. Of course, as close knit a family as that of Sevenwaters, the rest of the family is part of the story too. We see what has become of the 6 brothers from the previous novel, as well as t...more

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Jan 06, 2013 Kate rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Der zweite Teil der Sevenwater-Reihe hat mich genauso gefesselt wie der Erste.

In diesem Teil geht es um Liadan, der Tochter von Sorcha und dem Roten. Liadan ist eine bemerkenswerte Frau, die ihren Weg geht mit allen Höhen und Tiefen und Hindernissen, die ihr in den Weg gestellt werden.

Bei "Tochter der Wälder" hatte ich zu Anfangs ein paar Startschwierigkeiten, hier jedoch nicht. Ich habe fast das komplette Buch an einem Tag gelesen, weil ich einfach nicht aufhören konnte bzw. wollte.

Für mich gab...more

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Jan 05, 2013 Kathy Cowley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, romance, re-read

The second book in the Sevenwaters series, this book is by far my favorite. I've read it at least 4 or 5 times, and it's one of those books that resonates with me.

Liadan realizes that the fairy folk have started to interfere with her family's lives again; she also discovers that she has several powerful gifts which she may be able to use to change their fates.

The first book in the series is about fairy magic (though not cutesy fairies--these are fairies that are just as willing to destroy you a...more

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Nov 06, 2012 Kaylie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

I had very high expectations when I first began this book, they were met and exceeded. "Son of the Shadows" is the sequel to to "Daughter of the Forest" which is easily one of the best books I have ever read. "Son of the Shadows" was just as good if not better than the first book in the series.
"Son of the Shadows" takes place roughly seventeen years after the first book and is narrated by Liadan, the second daughter of Sorcha and Red. Liadan is much like her mother both in apperance and temperme...more I had very high expectations when I first began this book, they were met and exceeded. "Son of the Shadows" is the sequel to to "Daughter of the Forest" which is easily one of the best books I have ever read. "Son of the Shadows" was just as good if not better than the first book in the series.
"Son of the Shadows" takes place roughly seventeen years after the first book and is narrated by Liadan, the second daughter of Sorcha and Red. Liadan is much like her mother both in apperance and tempermen, at the same time she manages to be a much different character than her mother was. For one thing Liadan does not complacently accept her "fate" she fights it tooth and nail. (view spoiler) Another huge difference between Sorcha and Liadan is the level of attachemnt each of them has to Sevenwaters. While each of them are clearly devoted to their home Liadan is more than willing to abandon it permanatnly for the sake of a loved one, the same does not hold true for Sorcha.
The story is set in motion when Liadan's older sister Niamh falls in love with the druid Ciaran, who is unsuitable for her in more ways than one. In an attempt to force the two young lovers apart Niamh's family marry her off to a powerful cheiftan in a strategic alliance. At Niamh's request Liadan accompanies her sister part of the way to her new home. On the return journey Liadan is kidnapped by a group of outlaws who are in need of her skills as a healer. While Liadan fails to save the man that she was supposed to heal she falls in love with the band's leader, Bran.
Bran falls in love with Liadan as well. But he sends her away after he finds out her true heritage.....And well you will jus have to read and find out for yourself!
In Which I Discuss The Things I Did Not Care For. SPOILERS ABOUND
(view spoiler)
In Which I Talk About the Most Heartbreakind Subplot Ever
(view spoiler)
In Which I Talk About the Nature of Good and Evil
I mentioned in my review of the first book that the line between good and evil was crystal clear. In "Son of the Shadows" that line starts to blur a bit. Liadan herself is clearly on the side of good, even if she is more than willing to defy destiny/the fair folk/the prophecy etc. But the hero Bran? He is not a very nice person. It is clearly stated the he has done some terrible things in his life, he lives with a great deal of biterness towards Sevenwaters, Harrowfield, and most tragically his mother. He does improve after meeting Liadan and after he learns the truth about his past. The Character that is the most morally ambiguous is Eamonn. He is difficult because unlike Oonagh and Richard we are given reasons beyond ambition for him being the way that he is. He claims that it is Liadan's rejection of him that drives him to his actions. And to a certain point there is some sympathy to be had for him. That is until the reader finds out that he had Liam assassinated. Eamonn betrayed his allies and had the man who loved his mother murdered becaude he was rejected? I found sympathy lacking after that.
In Which I Compare This to Other Books in the Series
Like I mentioned in my previous review this is one of my favorite books in the series. It is also easily the most emotionaly taxing to read. HAVE A BOX OF TISSUES ON HAND
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Aug 04, 2012 Helen rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is like Lirael (the Second Book) of the the Old Kingdom Trilogy by Garth Nix in that while I prefer the story of the first book, I like the heroine of the second book better.

Even though it lacks the elegance of the first book, Mariller's prose is wonderful as ever and I enjoyed getting to know Liadan and seeing how she finds happiness. She is a very likeable heroine, and strong, even more so than her mother Sorcha. Especially so, considering Mariller's adherence to historical accuracy...more

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Jun 12, 2012 Katherine rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: juliet-marillier

While there are a number of books I really like, very few deserve the full 5 stars. Sometimes, I can't even pinpoint where exactly they fall short, but you just feel it. This book is nothing less than 5 stars. If I could give it more, I would. I completely fell in love with these characters (and every character in her books since).

Juliet Marillier has a very unique style that cannot be pigeon-holed into one category. Her writing is very elevated in sentence structure and word choice, but it is n...more

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Jan 28, 2012 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read Heir to Sevenwaters first (it's set in the same world, but written after the trilogy) and bought Son of the Shadows by accident (meant to buy the first book).

There's nothing especially innovative about the worldbuilding here. I mean, stop me if you've heard this setup before: in an ersatz Ireland with magic and the Fair Folk, the protagonists are members of the fading Old Religion as ersatz Christianity spreads. Yup.

What saves it is the author knows it isn't terribly original, so she se...more

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Jan 08, 2012 Kathy Huynh rated it 4 of 5 stars

There was a two year gap between reading the first and the second book. I couldn't bring myself to continue when Son of the shadows is set almost 20 years later. I wanted my favourite characters to still remain young, not bone weary and tired. I wanted the happy ending to stretch out and not be diminished abruptly by this new generation. So although I loved Daughter of the forest I couldn't get my self to read book two at the time. I picked this novel up at a book exchange in Vietnam and accepte...more

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Jan 04, 2012 Orlagh rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favourites

Son of the Shadows tells the story of Liadan (don't you just love that name?!). Liadan is the daughter of Sorcha and Red. She has a twin brother named Sean (with whom she can communicate telepathically), and an older and beautiful sister named Niamh. Niamh is carefree and in some ways reckless, and when a young druid named Ciaran comes to Sevenwaters with her uncle Conor, she throws caution to the wind and becomes entangled in a doomed romance with him, spurning her 'intended' suitor Eamonn, who...more Son of the Shadows tells the story of Liadan (don't you just love that name?!). Liadan is the daughter of Sorcha and Red. She has a twin brother named Sean (with whom she can communicate telepathically), and an older and beautiful sister named Niamh. Niamh is carefree and in some ways reckless, and when a young druid named Ciaran comes to Sevenwaters with her uncle Conor, she throws caution to the wind and becomes entangled in a doomed romance with him, spurning her 'intended' suitor Eamonn, who transfers his affections and intentions to Liadan. Liadan makes no promises to Eamonn, telling him that she wishes to consider his offer of marriage for some time before giving him an answer.
During this time, she is summoned to the village to help heal an ailing woman. This turns out to be a ruse, and she is kidnapped by the painted man's band of warriors. They take her back to their hideaway to help heal a gravely injured man. When their leader Bran (the painted man - aptly named for one side of his body is covered in tattoo's) learns of her arrival in the camp he is outraged. Initially he shows Liadan no kindness whatsoever, and even attempts to forbid her from telling his warriors stories (ancient Irish legends) for fear that they will instil false hope and therefore weaken his men. Liadan soon realises that his bark is far worse than his bite. Bran has had an incrediably traumatic childhood - the kind that still gives him nightmares.
Liadan and Bran become closer, and eventually share a moment of passion which is ruined when he finds out whose daughter she is. He sends her away from him, but orders her not to marry another - for he will kill them if she does.
As the story continues, events at Sevenwaters change. Niamh (who was married off in a strategic match following a disturbing revelation about Ciaran) returns home and is not the person she was. Liadan is pregnant, and refuses to marry Eamonn - who shows a side which he previously kept hidden. And Bran, god love him, for all his hatred of the Sevenwaters family, cannot stay away from Liadan.
This book is sad in many places, but it has a happy and triumphant ending. It is about loss, but also about love.

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Sep 03, 2011 Myla Abujan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Son of the Shadows is the second installment for the Sevenwaters series. It follows the story of Liadan, the daughter of Sorcha and Red, as she experiences the ups and downs of the journey set forth for her. I found that I enjoyed reading this book but I liked the first book way better. I think I read this book just so I could find out what happened to Sorcha and Red. Despite the reasons for reading, I found myself to be just as enthralled by Son of the Shadows as when I was reading Daughter of...more

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Aug 29, 2011 Jen rated it 4 of 5 stars

I think I liked this better than the first book, Daughter of the Forest, actually. It's rare that a sequel even lives up to the original, let alone outshines it, but I think the characters in this were easier for me to relate to and I think Marillier found her sea legs a bit more--"Daughter" was her debut, I believe, after all.
One of the things I appreciate about this book is that, right from the title, there's ambiguity--who is the son of the shadows? There are two very strong candidates, one o...more

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Aug 01, 2011 Madame X rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

I adored Daughter of the Forest, and since I know a lot of people consider Son of the Shadows to be the best of the Sevenwaters trilogy I was prepared to be blown away. At first I was. The heroine, Liadan, is Sorcha's youngest daughter, so from the first page it was wonderful to visit Sorcha and Red and see them as the happy couple and loving, supportive parents that they were so clearly going to become. Liadan is wonderful, and her story kicks into gear when she's kidnapped by a band of mercena...more I adored Daughter of the Forest, and since I know a lot of people consider Son of the Shadows to be the best of the Sevenwaters trilogy I was prepared to be blown away. At first I was. The heroine, Liadan, is Sorcha's youngest daughter, so from the first page it was wonderful to visit Sorcha and Red and see them as the happy couple and loving, supportive parents that they were so clearly going to become. Liadan is wonderful, and her story kicks into gear when she's kidnapped by a band of mercenaries for her healing skills. This whole section of the book completely stole my heart.

Mariller weaves elements of fairy tales into her books, and for a while I felt like I'd been transported into Neverneverland, and Liadan was Wendy among the Lost Boys - only, this time, Wendy and Peter Pan get to hook up. The Painted Man, Bran, is half-savage, damaged but infinitely competent and self-controlled. He's so easy to fall in love with and root for.

But here's the thing. I'm not the kind of person who intentionally buys books that will have me in tears over and over again (once is fine, more than that and I start to feel exploited and/or masochistic), and Son of the Shadows made me cry and cry and cry. Once Liadan goes home to Sevenwaters, she and Bran don't get to see one another very often so the fun romantic elements become less prominent. Instead, we get one heartbreak after another. A lot of people die in Son of the Shadows. A lot of people suffer terribly at the hands of others. A lot of people are really, really sad.

In Daughter of the Forest, Sorcha had a painful task and it was vividly described, but she pursued it out of love. And the love between Sorcha and Red was strongest, and most poignant, during Sorcha's darkest hours, when she needed it most. Liadan has no task, but she is surrounded by violent people. Bran is himself a very violent man who has committed many murders, and maybe just to make him look a little bit better by contrast, a lot of other male characters in the novel are also revealed as hardened killers. Son of the Shadows is a LOT bloodier than the first book, and there's a lot of collateral damage. There's a lot of torture and rape and cruelty and theft. It just got really hard for me to read, because I knew that every time I turned the page as likely as not I would encounter some new painful event that would make me cry again.

So Son of the Shadows is beautifully written, and painful as it was I could hardly put it down. But I don't think you could pay me to read it again. It's good, and I'd recommend it, but with a pretty strong caveat: if you are the type of person who cries when you read sad things, keep a box of tissues handy and don't take this book onto the subway.(less)

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Apr 06, 2011 Emma rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 5-stars, ireland, historical-fantasy, fantasy, awesome-fantasy-written-by-women, 10-best-books-2008-and-earlier

Son of the Shadows is one of my favorite books out there, and I've read a lot; this is one I just keep coming back to. And yet, I find myself agreeing with much of the criticism other reviewers have posted; I think this book is great for a particular demographic but certainly not for everyone.

Technically this is a sequel to Daughter of the Forest, but Son of the Shadows picks up the story a generation down the road with new main characters, and thus it is entirely possible to read it as a stand...more Son of the Shadows is one of my favorite books out there, and I've read a lot; this is one I just keep coming back to. And yet, I find myself agreeing with much of the criticism other reviewers have posted; I think this book is great for a particular demographic but certainly not for everyone.

Technically this is a sequel to Daughter of the Forest, but Son of the Shadows picks up the story a generation down the road with new main characters, and thus it is entirely possible to read it as a standalone. As other reviewers have noted, Daughter of the Forest is based on a fairy tale but Son of the Shadows is not, although elements of Irish mythology still abound.

This is the story of Liadan, the daughter of Sorcha, the previous heroine, who at the age of sixteen finds herself with two major problems. One is keeping her family together: there's her older sister Niamh, who embarks on a disastrous love affair; her twin brother Sean, with whom she has an increasingly difficult relationship; her mother, who is seriously ill; her father, who left more problems behind in Britain than he thought; and of course a diverse set of uncles, all of them pulling her in different directions. The other plotline revolves around her love life: Liadan really has to work at it to find a more socially unacceptable man than her mother did, but she succeeds and the result is probably the most beautiful love story I've ever read. It's a story of forbidden love that's actually tasteful--by which I don't mean sexless, but that there are a limited number of poignant scenes rather than the characters constantly mooning over one another, making out or declaring their undying love every other page. It's also refreshing to read a romance that, despite being female-oriented and narrated in first person from her perspective, still includes a love interest who has a life of his own and takes it seriously.

Aside from writing a great romance, Marillier's strengths in this book include a lyrical writing style, a strong and resourceful heroine, a refreshing take on visions of the future (for once they're not inevitable), a vivid sense of place, and the ability to draw a reader in so that you really care about the family interactions and enjoy the slow pacing. I'll be the first to admit that the book isn't perfect, though: the romantic hero is a bit too quick to share his feelings, running counter to his character; the poetic tends to take precedence over the way real people talk; Liadan is maybe a little too flawless; and toward the end there's a deus ex machina of sorts, which makes much more sense after reading the next book, Child of the Prophecy, but really bothered me the first time through. But then, there's a certain beauty to the setting and characters here that makes these problems less egregious than they would normally be.

I'll be in the minority in saying that this is actually my favorite of the Sevenwaters trilogy; I prefer Liadan's relative freedom of action to the agonizing internal conflicts faced by Sorcha and Fainne in the other books. But even if you haven't read the others, if this one sounds remotely interesting to you, give it a try! If you only like it half as much as I do, it'll still be worth your time. (less)

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Mar 18, 2011 Tina rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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About Juliet Marillier

Juliet Marillier was born July 27, 1948 in Dunedin, New Zealand and grew up surrounded by Celtic music and stories. Her own Celtic-Gaelic roots inspired her to write her first series, the Sevenwaters Trilogy. Marillier was educated at the University of Otago, where she majored in music and languages, graduating BA and a B Mus (Hons). She has said in an interview that this academic training strengt...more

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“Don't you long for something different to happen, something so exciting and new it carries you along with it like a great tide, something that lets your life blaze and burn so the whole world can see it?” — 85 people liked it

“I wish- I wish I could dry these tears, I wish I could make this better for you. But I don't know how.” — 67 people liked it

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Son of the Shadows (Sevenwaters #2)

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