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Heart's Blood (Whistling Tor #1)

by Juliet Marillier (Goodreads Author)

4.11 of 5 stars 4.11 · rating details · 4,880 ratings · 594 reviews

The national bestselling "fine folklorist and gifted narrator"(Publishers Weekly) of the Sevenwaters novels conjures a new sweeping romantic fantasy.

Anluan has been crippled since childhood, part of a curse that has besieged his family and his home of Whistling Tor. But when the young scribe Caitrin is retained to sort through family documents, she brings about unexpected...more

Hardcover, 402 pages

Published November 3rd 2009 by Roc Hardcover (first published October 2nd 2009)

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Lady of Light and Shadows by C.L. Wilson

Fantasy Romance

25th out of 138 books — 158 voters

The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier

Books Based on Myths, Legends, Fairy Tales, and Folktales

24th out of 247 books — 135 voters

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Sep 13, 2012 Kat Kennedy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kat-s-book-reviews, leaves-awesomeness-behind, favorites, australian-writer

Marquis de Sade is a rather famous figure. Mostly for a lot of kinky sex acts because all of his sex fantasies included violence, criminality and blasphemy. That and he really liked buttsecks!

Okay, so history remembers Marquis de Sade for the crazy, deviant man that he was. But I think we're all forgetting the real point to the story of Marquis de Sade... and that is love. Love that conquors all. Love that supports and love that understands and accepts. After all, the Marquis de Sade had a very...more

57 likes · like · see review

Jan 13, 2011 Tatiana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Tatiana by: Kat Kennedy

Shelves: 2011, fairy-tales

I think Juliet Marillier's most successful books are the ones that follow traditional fairy tales the closest. Heart's Blood and Daughter of the Forest are the best of hers I've read so far.

And as far as fairy tale retelling goes, nobody does it as well as Juliet Marillier does. She has that special ability to take a centuries-old tale and fill it with interesting new characters, historical details, original and always very atmospheric setting - and voila, a great story that doesn't feel like an...more

40 likes · like · see review

Nov 25, 2012 Keertana rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kick-ass-heroines, swoooon, rainy-day-re-reads, favorites, beautiful-prose

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Although Heart's Blood is only my second Juliet Marillier novel, I can already count her amongst my favorite authors...ever. Marillier has a distinct style of writing stories about kind, but fierce, female protagonists and tortured romantic interests, creating beautiful love stories all against a backdrop of fantastical imagination. If that isn't a recipe for success, then I don't know what is. Yet, with Heart's Blood, Marillier has surpassed her previous prowess, writing one o...more

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Aug 22, 2012 Kay rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of Beauty and the Beast...without the hints of bestiality

Shelves: life-after-death, myths-and-tales, quite-the-romantic

This was a lovely book. Juliet Marillier, how do you do it? How do you write about such beautifully scarred individuals learning to find courage, play my heart strings like a harp, and create such a unique, sincere rendition without unnecessary melodrama and violence?

This is quite possibly one of the best renditions of Beauty and the Beast I've read or seen (though the Disney version holds a special place in my heart, yes, even with the talking silverware).

I think the core element of Beauty and...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Kathleen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, series-opener, ya, beauty-beast

3.5 stars. Despite some pacing problems, Marillier spins a captivating yarn in Heart's Blood, set in Ireland in the 12th Century, when Anglo-Normans invaded. Content includes one sex scene (not graphic, this is YA), dark sorcery, mutilation, battery, murder, etc.

Some say this is similar to Beauty and the Beast, but the supposed "Beast" (Lord Anluan) is not all that ugly. Nor is "Beauty" forced to live with him. She arrives voluntarily, seeking a job and safe refuge. The similarity rests in the...more

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Nov 07, 2010 new_user rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Romance, Beauty and the Beast fans

Shelves: epic-fantasy

Are you feeling nostalgic about your Beauty & the Beast days? I mean the Disney movie. Then you should totally read Heart's Blood by Juliet Marillier.

Her novels are as elegantly picked out as her pseudonym. Marillier's heroes and heroines are always so classy. They never say, "That bastard is a villain! Let's chop him in three!" They always maintain their humanity, and it isn't because they're too innocent to think of crueler alternatives. They're just above that, dude.

Her heroes and heroin...more Are you feeling nostalgic about your Beauty & the Beast days? I mean the Disney movie. Then you should totally read Heart's Blood by Juliet Marillier.

Her novels are as elegantly picked out as her pseudonym. Marillier's heroes and heroines are always so classy. They never say, "That bastard is a villain! Let's chop him in three!" They always maintain their humanity, and it isn't because they're too innocent to think of crueler alternatives. They're just above that, dude.

Her heroes and heroines have a purity to them, despite their mistakes, etc. Somehow, you know they always mean well. Is it because they only commit errors once it's well established that they are Good People? I don't think so.

I loved Anluan. He's so brave and resilient. Even after all the bumps and bruises, he's still willing to get up if he sees hope-- which word was repeated much too often, by the way, LOL. Great secondary characters too. Just as endearing as Lumiere and Cogsworth, if less comedic, LOL.

Marillier is so adept at evoking emotion. We truly feel the weariness and loneliness of leadership and the other burdens facing Anluan, where oddly one never sees this depicted except in passing.

I loved the little similarities to B&B, from the lonely cart trip and scary woods to the mirrors. This makes me want to watch the movie all over again.

Of the books written in this theme, Heart's Blood is probably the most evocative of the emotion intended in the original that I've seen: the highs and lows, the terrible villainy/Fate, the beautiful heroics. She writes a fairy tale like nobody else. At the same time, the setting, characters, and plot are considerably different, so if you don't want to read a simple transcription of the movie, don't be worried.

That said, I've seen Marillier plumb the depths of emotion more deeply, and her language and concepts -e.g. ancient lawmen- seemed much more simplistic here than her usual or adapted to a modern audience. I think she wanted to appeal to more readers.

So this is not my favorite work from her but still a fabulous read! Even Marillier's lesser books are exceptional. Recommended for all B&B fans or romance fans! (PG-13, but if I like it, you know it's not kiddy, LOL.)(less)

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Dec 16, 2009 Erotic Horizon rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Every now and again I read a book that is simply perfection – Juliet Marillier – HEART’S BLOOD is one of those books for me. Prior to the release I remember seeing the cover and thought this book will knock my socks off and so said, so done.

The book starts of with Caitrin a young scribe making her way to parts unknown, running away from a greater evil. With only the bare minimum plus the tools of her trade as comfort, she is dropped off late in the evening in the woods near to what is known as W...more

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May 09, 2011 Chachic rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: actual-books-owned, received-as-gifts, retelling, aussie-books

Originally posted here.

Let me just say that I love the US cover in the edition that I have, showing a girl standing in front of a mirror in a library. The library and mirrors play major roles in the story so it's an appropriate cover design. Heart's Blood is a haunting retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I was surprised by how different the whole atmosphere in this one was compared to the Sevenwaters series. This one is much darker with a mysterious curse surrounding the chieftain of Whistling To...more Originally posted here.

Let me just say that I love the US cover in the edition that I have, showing a girl standing in front of a mirror in a library. The library and mirrors play major roles in the story so it's an appropriate cover design. Heart's Blood is a haunting retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I was surprised by how different the whole atmosphere in this one was compared to the Sevenwaters series. This one is much darker with a mysterious curse surrounding the chieftain of Whistling Tor, Anluan. Caitrin discovers the place while she's running away from her own problems. Desperate to be employed as a scribe, she willingly works for Anluan transcribing family documents. This is a perfect professional set-up for both - Caitrin knows not a lot of people will employ a female scribe and most people are afraid to visit Whistling Tor, let alone live and work there. As she learns the secrets of the area, Caitrin becomes determined to find a way to break the curse. I liked that Caitrin is a scribe, she was trained by her father who had the same profession, which is unusual in a world where women focus on domestic duties. I also liked that Caitrin has a complicated past and in the course of getting to know Anluan, she learns how to deal with her own troubles. This is retelling where Beauty does not just help the Beast but has to overcome other difficulties in her own life. The secondary characters were also well-developed and I liked how they had their own stories but they're united by their loyalty to Anluan.

I was able to predict part of the outcome of the story and as a result, I wasn't wowed by this story like I was expecting. I'm a fan of unexpected events that blow me away. I also would have loved the interactions between Caitrin and Anluan to have more depth - I felt like the two of them didn't have enough scenes together and I wasn't as invested in their love story as I would've liked. Though darker than her other books, Juliet Marillier's writing in Heart's Blood retains its standard beautiful and lyrical flow. While this book didn't displace my favorite Beauty and the Beast retelling from its position (the title belongs to Beauty by Robin McKinley), I still enjoyed reading this and I hope that Juliet Marillier will continue to write retellings for other fairy tales. She already has retellings for The Six Swans (Daughter of the Forest) and Twelve Dancing Princesses (Wildwood Dancing) but I'd love to read more. I guess I'm just glad that I still have a couple of books from her backlist to go through. I fell in love with her writing in the Sevenwaters series and I can't get enough of it, even if I don't end up loving her other books. Recommended for fans of fairy tale retellings or readers of dark, haunting fantasy.

PS: Wasn't able to take a picture of the back cover but I loved that The Book Smugglers has a quote on it. Yay Ana and Thea!(less)

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May 29, 2012 K. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi-dys, the-gothic, historical, ok-fine-its-ya, slippery-as-waterweed, surprise-bitch-i-m-good, 21st-cent, identity-and-psychology, society-culture-and-politics

I did it. I've broken my fairy tale re-telling cherry. I decided to start with Juliet Marillier's Heart's Blood as it seems highly regarded...and I know now why.

Heart's Blood contains all the essence of what we know of Beauty and the Beast, but is still an original in its own right. We have Caitrin, a talented scribe on the run from her abusive husband-to-be and his mother. She falls upon Whistling Tor, where the chieftain Anluan, a young man with physical deformities is suffering from many thi...more I did it. I've broken my fairy tale re-telling cherry. I decided to start with Juliet Marillier's Heart's Blood as it seems highly regarded...and I know now why.

Heart's Blood contains all the essence of what we know of Beauty and the Beast, but is still an original in its own right. We have Caitrin, a talented scribe on the run from her abusive husband-to-be and his mother. She falls upon Whistling Tor, where the chieftain Anluan, a young man with physical deformities is suffering from many things; among them prejudice and hostility from his subjects, self-loathing and self-doubt, and a century-old family curse. There is a motley gang of secondary characters, each one memorable and lovely.

For the majority of the book, I thought it was great. It was exciting and interesting, spooky and gripping. But near the end, Caitrin makes an observation that made my heart give, and from then on, this book had a death hold on my emotions. (view spoiler) .

There are many good-byes in this tale, many losses. From death to moving on and moving away. Marillier promises that you will feel these good-byes, all of them. And you do.

As for characterization, Caitrin upholds the backbone that our original Beauty had in her version of this tale. She stands up for herself, she is hopeful and kind and compassionate. She expects the good and accepts the rest. My problem was that she seemed much too virtuous, much too composed for a young girl of eighteen. She was too impressive. Caitrin had not a single reckless, selfish, angry bone in her body, thought in her mind, wish in her heart. And if she did harbour anything short of righteousness, it was out of loving intention. Every purpose she set for herself was for the betterment of those around her. She suppressed every unbecoming desire because it would be improper. She was too good to be true. ~~And she made me feel like shit.~~

The romance between our beauty and beast is deep and true. Caitrin and Anluan hold each other up. Their love for one another comes from a pure place, both wishing only to elevate the other. Caitrin, seeing past all of Anluan's defects and instead understanding him for the man he could be -- that he is -- was very moving. Anluan's male need to be able to properly satisfy a woman, but hindered by his disfigurement was touching. This is definitely one of the best presentations of unconditional love I've come across in young adult fiction, perhaps all fiction. It was sweet and sensual.

There's more to say but I think its best you experience this for yourself. It is a wonderful read, in any way you might want it to be. (less)

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Oct 03, 2011 Orlagh rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favourites

Fleeing her traumatic past, young scribe Caitrin arrives, bruised and alone, at the remote settlement of Whistling Tor. Desperate for work and shelter, she ignores the villagers' warning of an accursed cheiftan, malevolent whispering in the night, and a hill swarming with eerie manifestations, and seeks refuge in the crumbling fortifications atop the Tor.
Caitrin is drawn into the mysteries of brooding Lord Anluan's unconventional household. What do Anluan's skewed features and mercurial temper...more Fleeing her traumatic past, young scribe Caitrin arrives, bruised and alone, at the remote settlement of Whistling Tor. Desperate for work and shelter, she ignores the villagers' warning of an accursed cheiftan, malevolent whispering in the night, and a hill swarming with eerie manifestations, and seeks refuge in the crumbling fortifications atop the Tor.
Caitrin is drawn into the mysteries of brooding Lord Anluan's unconventional household. What do Anluan's skewed features and mercurial temper hide? What secrets lie in the ancient manuscripts of his library? Who are the men and women of the Host? And what is the dark entity that will do anything to keep Caitrin from uncovering the truth?
(From the blurb)

Before I even begin to review this book, I have to make a confession. I LOVE JULIET MARILLIER'S BOOKS! As yet, I've not read a single one which I didn't like, and that is a BIG call. I could be biased, as the series which I've read (Sevenwaters series) have been set in Ireland, and one was even based around an old Irish legend, but I don't care. Her books are amazing. If you haven't read them, you should go and do so now. Hearts Blood is a standalone book, and is not a part of the Sevenwaters series. It is a re-telling of the Beauty and the Beast fairytale, and is also set in 12th century Ireland.

The novel begins with Caitrin, a young scribe, fleeing from her personal demons. Her money runs out and she is left stranded in the woods near a settlement called Whistling Tor. She seeks shelter for the night in a nearby village, where the locals warn her that the Tor is cursed, and that she should keep away from it. Nonetheless, Caitrin needs work, and hears that the services of a scribe are needed up at the Tor. As she has worked alongside her father, a renowned scribe, and is capable in both Irish and Latin, she heads up to Whistling Tor to seek employment.

She is confronted by Lord Anluan, a young red-haired chieftan who is disfigured from a childhood palsy. Anluan is the master of Whistling Tor, and keeps a household of some rather unconventional and eerie serving staff. Caitrin learns that the Tor is cursed, and that Anluan is the only one who can control 'the host', who have been cursed and are bound to the Tor by his dark family history, which goes back more than a century. As the mysteries of Whistling Tor deepen, and hostilities towards Caitrin from some of the household (Muirne!) staff grow stronger, her relationship with with Anluan deepens, and the two are drawn together. Both characters begin to blossom, overcoming their own personal weaknesses. However, Anluan is bound by the curse, and as such, he orders Caitrin away (even though he loves her!) because he doesn't want her to be affected by the curse which has afflicted him all his life.

Oh my word, I loved this story. It is the best re-telling of the Beauty and the Beast fairytale I've come across. Caitrin is a likeable heroine, and although she is emotionally (and physically) battered, her confidence blossoms and grows throughout the course of the novel. By the end of the novel she is a strong and independent woman who faces those who have wronged her with confidence and ease.

Similarly, Anluan, who has been dogged by a terrible curse and afflicted with a debilitating palsy his entire life turns out to be the sweetest and most lovely character. Despite all that has happened to him, he still has the ability to hope, despite at times being incredibly wearied and downtrodden. Caitrin is the one bright spark in his life, and through the realisation of her own self worth she gives him the courage and the confidence to confront his own past.

The great thing about Marillier's books is that her secondary characters are just as well fleshed out as her heroes and heroines. Rioghan, Muirne, Gearrog and Eichri all had interesting back-stories, and whilst they didn't necessary provide any comic relief, they certainly added dimension to the story. The best thing about this novel though is the love between Anluan and Caitrin. Sure, Anluan is supposed to be 'The Beast', but despite his skewed features, there is absolutely nothing beastly about him. He is the sweetest man ever.

Definitely a five star read. I'll leave you with a quote from the man himself!

“How could you not know?" His voice was full of wonderment. "You changed me utterly. You were like a...like a bright, wonderful bloom in a garden full of weeds. Like a graceful capital on a page of plain script, a letter decorated with the deepest, finest colors in all Erin. Like a flame, Caitrin. Like a song.” (less)

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Mar 16, 2013 Stuti rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fairy-tale-and-or-retelling, recipe-for-awesomesauce, historical-fiction, fantasy-pr-everything-untoward, reviews

Two flightless birds learning to flap their wings, a forest of weeping specters and a handful of Heart's Blood. This book, in a nutshell.

Heart's Blood is not only a retelling of Beauty and Beast but of...umm... history, I guess you could say. The history of ancient Ireland. There are two aspects to this story; two situations plaguing the people of Whistling Tor. There's the accursed chieftain of the village and the threat of Norman invasion.

Caitrin is a young woman, afflicted by her past, who h...more

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Jan 14, 2010 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fantasy

Caitrin, a young scribe – and a woman in a man’s profession – is fleeing from her past and ends up at Whistling Tor. The place is old, and cursed, if the villagers are to be believed. But Anluan, the chieftain there, needs a scribe to translate his great-grandfather’s Latin documents and grudgingly allows Caitrin to stay. But as she begins to wade through the piles of parchment, Caitrin begins to have questions of her own – questions about Anluan’s ancestors and about the ghostly creatures that...more

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Oct 19, 2012 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fairy-tale-retelling, historical-fiction, twas-good, supernatural

I picked this up completely ignorant of the fact that this was a Beauty and the Beast retelling. See, I try to avoid reviews before reading a book, which is possibly one reason why I never knew this was a fairy tale retelling. Despite all that, I went in to Heart's Blood, and the moment the curse of Whistling Tor was explained, the moment our deformed hero, Anluan, made an appearance, I felt in my heart this drew close to Beauty and the Beast.
It's not that the curse was in any way similar to the...more

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Apr 06, 2011 Emma rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: retellings, historical-fantasy, ireland, standalone-fantasy, fantasy, 3-stars-and-a-half

I'm a big fan of Juliet Marillier; counting this one I've now read eight of her books. Quality-wise, Heart's Blood isn't on par with the Sevenwaters books (generally regarded as her best), but it's written quite differently and has strengths all its own.

The story is part fairy-tale-retelling, with some obvious "Beauty and the Beast" parallels--although it has little in common with the Disney movie; on the most basic level, the male lead isn't giant and furry, and there are no talking candelabra...more I'm a big fan of Juliet Marillier; counting this one I've now read eight of her books. Quality-wise, Heart's Blood isn't on par with the Sevenwaters books (generally regarded as her best), but it's written quite differently and has strengths all its own.

The story is part fairy-tale-retelling, with some obvious "Beauty and the Beast" parallels--although it has little in common with the Disney movie; on the most basic level, the male lead isn't giant and furry, and there are no talking candelabra--and I've seen the author call it part ghost story as well. I hesitate to agree: I don't do horror at all, and still loved this book. There are a lot of undead characters wandering around, but it's still squarely in the realm of fantasy rather than horror. This book also has a stronger mystery component than I've seen from this author before; most of the "secrets" revealed early on are quite obvious, but some actual surprises are held back until the end. And of course there's the romance element--to my mind, Marillier can't go wrong writing romance, so that was good as always.

Heart's Blood is set in 12th century Ireland, and I got more of a feel for the actual, historical place than I have in previous books from this author; while a good portion of the action of the book takes place in the uncanny fortress of Whistling Tor, we also get to see some of the regular, outside world through the eyes of a middle-class girl. The characters are in the same mold as Marillier's characters usually are: strong, independent (perhaps anachronistically so, but I'm not complaining) heroine; hero who's her dream man but needs her help working through personal issues.... but there are plot-related reasons for all of this, so it didn't feel to me like a mere recycling of a formula. There's a crowd of interesting secondary characters and a couple of strong subplots.

Speaking of the plot, it felt more intense than many of the other books I've read from this author. (Helps to have a mysterious, malevolent force lurking about I suppose...) Still, readers should know that while the beginning is interesting and the last 150 pages kept me up far later than I'd planned, it does sag in the middle, where the characters don't do much, the heroine gives a lot of speeches on the importance of hope and people exchange many wordy declarations of devotion, loyalty, etc. So my advice is... don't give up hope! The plot regains its pace and more than makes up for the lag. And the last 50-100 pages are pretty spectacular, with several climactic moments.

Overall, let's just say I'm no longer miffed about Marillier putting off the next Sevenwaters book to write this one. I'm glad to have added it to my collection and would recommend to anyone who likes a good, dark historical-fantasy-romance. (less)

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May 19, 2011 Nikki rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, fairytales, romance

I'm not sure Heart's Blood actually stands with my other five star books in terms of how much I loved it, but it's the first of Juliet Marillier's books I've read (the other two being Wildwood Dancing and Cybele's Secret) that I felt genuinely excited about and eager to read, once I'd started. I ended up loving it quite a lot, with 'just a few more pages' syndrome and, near the end, excited little eeps and sighs. I'd hoped to enjoy Marillier's work more than I did, so it was lovely to thoroughly...more

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Aug 22, 2010 Patricia Rodrigues rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: meus, livros-2010

Comprei este livro no sábado ao final da tarde e não resisti a passa-lo directamente para o cima da pilha, afinal um livro da Juliet tem prioridade. E digo-vos, foi a melhor decisão que tomei.
Sangue-do-coração conta-nos a história de Caitrin e Anluan, dois jovens que vivem atormentados com as suas mágoas e medos interiores, que acabam por se ajudar mutuamente.
Caitrin é uma jovem que apesar de ter sofrido agressões físicas nunca perde a esperança, ao contrario de Anluan que não consegue ter esper...more

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May 27, 2012 Amelia, the pragmatic idealist rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, all-kinds-of-fantasy, historical-fiction, own, mc-girl

Pretty good. Better than Wolfskin, but not as good as The Dark Mirror, of course, or Wildwood Dancing.
It started out REALLY well, but the last 1/3 of it just sort of fizzled out, for some reason. It's like the story lost steam. Amazing concept, though, and I love all the similarities to "Beauty and the Beast." Definitely one to pick up!

I plowed on through this one because the tone was more up my alley than her other books. The first 1/3 of the book was most heavily concerned with the eeriness o...more Pretty good. Better than Wolfskin, but not as good as The Dark Mirror, of course, or Wildwood Dancing.
It started out REALLY well, but the last 1/3 of it just sort of fizzled out, for some reason. It's like the story lost steam. Amazing concept, though, and I love all the similarities to "Beauty and the Beast." Definitely one to pick up!

I plowed on through this one because the tone was more up my alley than her other books. The first 1/3 of the book was most heavily concerned with the eeriness of the supernatural and the inspiration of "Beauty and the Beast," and this part of the story was by far my favorite. If you're even slightly familiar with Disney's Beauty and the Beast, you will notice delightful similarities between that film and this novel, both in the "Beast"'s characterization, the household staff (they're not enchanted objects, but...you'll see!) and other stuff, too. But about halfway into the novel, the focus left the B&B inspiration and took more of a historical turn (the invasion of the Normans to Ireland in the 12th century). And I like historical fiction as much as the next history major, but the change took away from the Gothic elements and fairytale scenario. Then the last 1/3... *facepalm*. This has really never happened in a JM novel that I've read, so it's really weird to say that I thought the book lost its focus big time. Usually my comment with JM books is that they take a long time to get going - in those cases, the last 1/3 of the story is the strongest. But like I said, Heart's Blood seemed to lose focus and steam toward the end. JM stated in an interview that this book has "elements" of the "Beauty and the Beast" tale in it, but that it's not a straight retelling, and I think that's kind of where the problem was, because according to the coverflap, the story is about Caitrin solving a family's supernatural curse in a Gothic suspense-romance style novel...so there was a lot of stuff in there that distracted from the overall story and made me kind of impatient. The story isn't about the heroine in and of herself, but how she relates to the hero and this cursed place...so, that was kind of a letdown. Most of the JM books I've read get better as the story goes along, and this one didn't.
For the most part, characterization was brilliant. I've already mentioned how cool the similarities are between Disney's Beast and Anluan, the awkward, brooding Tor chieftain. In fact, I'd say that Anluan is one of my favorite Marillier characters *ever*. I just wish he would have stayed "beastly" longer - he undergoes that character change into a nice, sweet, mannerly guy a little too soon. And then there's the main character, Caitrin. There was just something about Caitrin that wasn't as endearing as other Marillier heroines: Sorcha, Tuala, Nessa, and even Jena. In addition to a tendency towards a "greater than thou" attitude, there was just something "off" about her, especially the way she interacted with the Beastly character, Anluan. Their chemistry seemed very forced, almost like Marillier grew tired of telling sweet, subtle love stories and wanted something...idk..."earthier." It was kind of weird. When they got together (way quicker than in her other books, too) it didn't seem as significant and I didn't really have much of a reaction to it. And so that was a bummer. Oh, and there was one freaking conversation that I will never be able to unread. Sheesh!

I know I'm nitpicking, and probably unnecessarily. I enjoyed this book, and if you are a fan of JM's other works, you will most likely enjoy this one, too. It's not without its issues, and I guess I focused on the "issues" because they just seemed strange and not what you'd expect from this author. But still, if you are a fan of anything fairytale, anything Gothic romance, or anything "Beauty and the Beast," this book NEEDS to be on your TBR. Very well-done. My only caution is that you will probably enjoy the beginning better than the middle or end. That was the case with me.(less)

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Apr 20, 2012 Misty rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: juvenile-ya, own, excited-for, sci_fi-fantasy, historical, author-to-watch, read-in-2012, retelling, folklore-myth-fable-fairy-tall-tale

Initial thoughts: Just manages a 5, but only because I'm judging harshly based on my theory that nothing, ever, in the history of awesome, will ever top Daughter of the Forest.

Review:

As I've mentioned on an occasion or seventy, I am a BIG fan of Juliet Marillier and count her Daughter of the Forest not only as my favorite fairy tale retelling, but among my favorite books, period. Because of this, I am always just about equal parts excitement and trepidation when I start a new book by her. A par...more

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Aug 09, 2011 Alyssa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-favourites, enchanting-fairytale, ya, fairytale-retelling, fantasy, clean-romance

I love everything about this book: the compelling narrative, the complex and likeable characters, the gothic setting, the triumph of good over evil and of course, the bittersweet romance. This is what fairytales are all about.

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Sep 12, 2011 Tammie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, fantasy

Set in Ireland during the Norman invasion, this is sort of a re-imagining of Beauty and the Beast. I did not pick up this book because I wanted to read a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. In fact I did not even realize that this was considered a retelling of that story until I began to read it. While there are many elements from that story in this one, there are lot of fresh new ideas in it too, enough that for me it made this story a new one. This is the first book by Juliet Marillier that I'v...more

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Feb 03, 2013 Nymeria rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fairy-tales-retellings, meh, dimwit-land

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This is the first retelling of Beauty & the Beast that I've found somewhat boring and predictable.

It was very obvious who the "villain" of the story was and having that knowledge made for a frustrating read. Watching the characters moping around or going about their business blissfully unaware (or worse, somewhat aware but doing nothing about it. Yes, I'm talking about Caitrin, our heroine) made me want to give up on the book. There are some books where figuring out the mystery early on isn...more

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Oct 28, 2012 Olga Godim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-scifi

This tale is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast in its darker, Gothic incarnation. Although I’m not a fan of dark fantasy, I liked this novel.
The protagonist Catrin is a young scribe, on the run from her greedy, abusive relatives. Her mindless flight brings her to Whistling Tor, an enchanted castle with its strange cast of inhabitants. The owner of the castle, Anluan, is a crippled young man, dogged by a family curse that has already lasted a hundred of years.
Brought together by fate, the two...more

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Oct 14, 2012 Mika Shinigami rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I started reading this book because of Wildwood Dancing. These kind of stories are my favourite and Heart's Blood effectively captured my interest. Juliet Marillier has managed to put in every element of fantasy, love and logic in such a way that the story is successful and I really enjoyed it. Fantasy and romance with a little bit of action would be my cup of tea. When it's a little medieval though, I tend to fall in love with the book more. As such, her books are set in a time it feels really...more

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Jul 27, 2012 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adultfiction-womenwriters, squeaky-clean-fiction

A novelization of the Beauty and the Beast story (though the story had heavy Jane Eyre themes as well); set in mythical Whistling Tor (a cursed settlement set in Ireland during the 12th century).

The novel was a bit weak, but it held my interest to the end. Caitrin, the main female character, has left her comfortable home - is forced out by an aunt and cousin who claim ownership of her home when her father passes away. Her cousin, Cillian, is brutally abusive to her; so she runs away with a bit...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A cursed castle, a disfigured king whose subjects despise him, and a beautiful young woman with the ability to scribe on the run from abusive kin. This medieval fantasy by Juliet Marillier is lyrically written and sweetly rendered. Much like a fairytale, the village of Whistling Tor is placed under a curse from a hundred years earlier when the first King delved into sorcery to create an immortal army. Lord Anulan is a disfigured shell of a man who is burdened with the curse that hinders his abil...more

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Jun 25, 2012 Stephanie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The first book I am going to review is the most recent book published by Juliet Marillier who is one of my favorite fantasy writers. I have yet to read a book by her that has not been wonderful. This one is called Heart’s Blood. It is about a young girl running from a traumatic past who finds her way into a cursed forest. She learns about a position as a scribe up at Whistling Tor. The magic and power that radiate from the walls of that fortress would be enough to scare away any normal person an...more

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Jun 15, 2012 Beth rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was really excited to rediscover how much I like Juliet Marillier. I hadn't read any of her books in awhile, and I just raced through the rest of the Sevenwaters series. This book had good reviews on Amazon, and I thought the premise sounded interesting. The first half of the book was good and up to Marillier's usual standards. The second half was a little drawn-out and angsty. I haven't really wanted to skip ahead in any of this author's books, but I was tempted to in this one. Usually I'm re...more

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May 07, 2012 Carla May rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Carla May by: bonnie at backwards story

Shelves: beauty-and-the-beast-collection

My theory is that the tale of Beauty and the Beast will never get old because of the fact that it sets the stage for many different types of personalities and histories to come together and learn from each other. This has proven true for Heart's Blood, a 'beauty and the beast'-type story set in fairy-tale medieval Ireland (ca. 1100 AD).

Actually, if you love Jane Eyre and think it basically a 'beauty and the beast' story, then I reccommend Heart's Blood because it is basically Jane Eyre set in m...more

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Mar 28, 2012 Mira, a escriba rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Comecei a lê-lo mal me chegou às mãos e nunca mais me separei dele. A história começa com uma fuga a uma vida de pesadelo, de opressão e violência. Caitrin, uma rapariga assombrada pelo seu passado, entra na pequena família de Whistling Tor, embora com alguns percalços pelo caminho.
Neste livro, magia, mistério e amor entrelaçam-se e onde a fantasia é conjugada muito bem com o contexto histórico da Irlanda, no tempo das invasões normandas. O ambiente é muito intimo - pois a maior parte da históri...more

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Feb 09, 2012 Sandra rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 3-star, bertrand, meu, 2010

Peguei neste livro porque estava mesmo a precisar de um livro especial, que me enviasse directamente para o mundo da fantasia e este parecia ter mesmo isso.
Caitrin é uma jovem fugitiva que se aventura pelo país fora. Este acto é de elevada estupidez e irracionalidade uma vez que se trata da Idade Média, onde cada chefe tribal se vê confrontado com invasões de Normandos e onde uma jovem só e sem companhia é mal vista ou vista com desconfiança. Mas o desespero por se encontrar numa situação insust...more

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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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Daughter of the Forest (Sevenwaters, #1)

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Quotes from Heart's Blood

“How could you not know?" His voice was full of wonderment. "You changed me utterly. You were like a...like a bright, wonderful bloom in a garden full of weeds. Like a graceful capital on a page of plain script, a letter decorated with the deepest, finest colors in all Erin. Like a flame, Caitrin. Like a song.” — 35 people liked it

“Even in that time of utter darkness, somewhere deep inside me the memory of love and goodness had stayed alive.” — 32 people liked it

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Heart's Blood (Whistling Tor #1)

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