September 8, 2008
Returning to the land of the Sevenwaters trilogy (Daughter of the Forest
, etc.), Marillier deftly weaves a fey story of human interaction with the Fair Folk. Clodagh, the third daughter of the lord of Sevenwaters, is the practical one who keeps things running while her aging mother awaits the birth of a male heir. At her sister's wedding, she meets rude, closed-off Cathal, one of her cousin Johnny's personal guards. Shortly after, when the Fair Folk replace the newborn heir with a changeling creature, Clodagh and Cathal put their lives and sanity on the line to rescue the child. Marillier's gripping tale of adventure and enduring love bobbles slightly at the start, mostly due to Clodagh's modern attitude and cadence, but slides quickly and assuredly into a grand tale of ancient Erin.
October 15, 2008
As Chieftain of Sevenwaters, Lord Sean cares for one of the last havens of the ancient Fair Folk. When his wife, Lady Aisling, gives birth to a son and heir, their joy soon turns to grief when the child disappears and a grotesque changeling is left in his place. Daughter Clodagh, who had been the baby's caretaker during Aisling's recovery from a difficult labor, seeks to reclaim her brother by traveling deep into the Otherworld accompanied by a warrior who may hold the key to their success. The Australian author of the Celtic inspired "Sevenwaters Trilogy" and "Bridei Chronicles" brings to life a favorite theme of classic storytelling: the plight of the changeling child. Vividly detailed with strong characters and a firm grounding in Celtic myth, Marillier's latest saga of a young woman's quest belongs in most libraries.
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