"Daughter of the Forest" First Impressions *No Spoilers*

[SFFBC, Ancillary Mod]

Come talk about your initial, general impressions!

Please save all discussion of particulars, details from the story, character choices, plot questions, etc. for the full spoiler thread.

Content warnings for those who want them: (view spoiler)[ rape, mutilation, religion, torture, negligence of children, loss of autonomy, harm to animals including graphic death of 2 dogs (hide spoiler)]

Specific warning for those who are sensitive to the first content warning mentioned: (view spoiler)[ There is a very graphic rape scene. In my copy, it starts page 198of 544, starting with the sentence "what came next is hard to tell," and ends page 201 with a page break ***. This scene can be skipped, but its ramifications are discussed for the next chapter or so after, so please keep your shields up. (hide spoiler)]

Continue talking about the rest of the books in the series thread.

[Beth]

I read this a few years ago so whatever first impressions I might have had are long gone. Happy to finally see Marillier make BOTM.

In re the "content warning" elements of the story, there are certainly things to say about that, specifically the one mentioned in paragraph 4 above. I'll hold off on that until others have an opportunity to read it, and keep it to the spoiler thread.

[Juulna]

Oh my goodness this is one of my favourite fantasy books! I’m sold on a reread now, this is so awesome! I recently read some of Marillier’s other works (Wildwood) so I’m definitely in the mood. <3

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

woohoo!

[Beth]

I'm a fan of Heart's Blood, too.

[Michelle]

Beth wrote: "I'm a fan of Heart's Blood, too."

I always liked that one, too!

[Laura]

I'm not far into the book yet, but I really like the setting and the atmosphere. So far it feels quite whimsical and almost a bit mystical. I was also surprised to see that it's set in Ireland, as I thought it would be set in a completely fictional world.

[Bonnie]

Laura wrote: "I'm not far into the book yet, but I really like the setting and the atmosphere. So far it feels quite whimsical and almost a bit mystical."

I'm a bit into Chapter 2. I also like the setting and the mood. Sorcha's voice reminds me of Kushiel in Kushiel's Dart, or Fitz and Bee in the Assassin's Apprentice books. Which I liked. So hopefully will like this too as the story goes on.

The context calls to mind The Mists of Avalon, melancholy tales of the British Isles, with new/Christian and old/Druid religions in opposition.

[Anna]

I've read this series several years ago, but I have a first impression about the audiobook. (I listened to the sample, I don't know yet if I want to reread.)

I'm aware that my understanding of all the different languages spoken on the British Isles (or elsewhere, but focusing on this book for now) through time isn't very good. That's why I always appreciate it when a book takes the time to point out when the expected modern English pronunciation of a name/word isn't the correct one. Welsh for example, I always try to sound it out, and I'm never correct :D but if the correct pronunciation is provided, I make sure to make a note of it. (Using Welsh here because it was the first example that popped into my head of a book that does have pronunciation hints. The Dark Is Rising series by Susan Cooper.) I don't remember if Sevenwaters has pronunciation hints, but if it does I must've forgotten. Imagine my suprise when about 30 seconds into the audiobook sample I learned that Sorcha is pronounced 'Srrrrha'? I wish I'd known. I can only guess how horribly I've butchered all the other names in the series in my head :S

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

haha

[Beth]

My internal pronunciation was more or less what would be the obvious one for an American English speaker: SORE-cha.

[Anna]

Beth, yep, mine too.

[Ellen]

I'm at 66% on this one. Usually what's mentioned in the content spoilers doesn't bother me so much but I'm having a hard time with this one. Especially(view spoiler)[cruelty and killing of a dog and then a second incident of cruelty to a dog (hide spoiler)]. Considering not finishing.

[Beth]

Although I'm not particularly sensitive to that subject, Ellen, I think it would be a good idea to add it to the content warnings in the first post, since it is a deal-breaker for some.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

oof yes i forgot that one. my apologies! updating.

[SFFBC, Ancillary Mod]

If it helps, I think that's the last of that thing to happen, Ellen. But I also can't guarantee that. =/

[Tamara]

I'm pretty sure the pronunciation IS 'sore-sha'.... And Juliet Marillier usually has a list of characters at the start of the book, along with suggestions for pronunciation of unusual names.

I did really like this book when I read it, ages ago, but the (view spoiler)[very traumatic scene that's sort of the crux of a lot of it has been very conflicting for me in considering whether I can say it's a favourite, and recommend it to others. I've mostly thought it didn't need to be like that, and wished that she'd chosen a different tack. She has explicit-ish sexual content (none of the rest like this one, though) in each of the first 3 books of this series. (hide spoiler)] But aside from that, these are excellent books. Hard not to include it in how you think of them, though.

The author includes difficult events in most of her stories, and then builds the story and character development around how they overcome them. I think she does this deliberately, wanting to tell the stories of people who've been excluded or experienced trauma, and give hope about how life is still beautiful, and those people also find sanctuary, love, purpose, callings, etc. Something like that. I love how she weaves in magic and wonder, family, friendship, and created families from unexpected people; also overcoming hardships through each of these factors, and one's own pluckiness.

[Anna]

The spoiler thread is open, please head over there to discuss!

[Ellen]

SFFBC wrote: "If it helps, I think that's the last of that thing to happen, Ellen. But I also can't guarantee that. =/"
Thanks

[Chris]

I'm only through chapter 1. Lots of scene setting and my life has lots of busy so I'm not really getting stuck in just yet. I might have to put off much reading of this until work settles in for a bit and I'm not in report card chaos.

[D]

Interested in what people say about this book because I started reading it a couple years ago and really liked the start, then wandered off around halfway through.

I've wondered if I should go back and finish it.

[DivaDiane]

I just started this and am only about 15 minutes in, but so far so good.

[Chris]

Anna wrote: "Imagine my suprise when about 30 seconds into the audiobook sample I learned that Sorcha is pronounced 'Srrrrha'?"

The Audible pronunciation is "Surrika," but a few times it is shortened to "Surra."

[DivaDiane]

Yes, the narrator often seems to give the name 3 syllables, but I think the 2nd is just a remnant of changing from the r sound to the guttural fricative of the ch. it’s a sound like in the German. One of the pronunciations of ch in German is [x] (which is a fricative with the back of the tongue against the palate and air passing gentle through - not k as we often hear a English speakers)

[Jen]

Finally got a hold of this one, I think it was lost in transit between libraries and my hold was taking way too long to come in, so I finally broke down and bought a copy. I’ve been looking forward to this one and suspect I’ll want to continue the series. But that’s just a first impression, we shall see..

I also just picked up a copy of the Little Women movie and I have Saoirse Ronan’s SNL monologue of how to say her name in my head, so I’m reading the MC’s name as “Sersha”.

[Chris]

I've finally found time in my life to get back to reading, and so I have. I'm not terribly far in yet (ch 1-4), but I can say it seems to have really great character building, but the actual plot events feel a bit jarring. I suppose that's the fairy tale aspect of it, though.