juliet marillier – GoodeyReads

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Fantasy
Length: 672 pages
Author: Juliet Marillier
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Release Date: October 22nd, 2015
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A magnificent saga set in the Celtic twilight of 10th century Ireland, when myth was law and magic was a power of nature, brilliantly brought to life: the legendary story of an evil stepmother opposed by a seventh child.

The keep at Sevenwaters is a strange, remote place, guarded by silent men who slip through the woodlands clothed in grey, and keep their weapons sharp. Invaders roam outside: raiders from across the sea bent on destruction. But now there is also an invader inside the keep: the Lady Oonagh, a sorceress as fair as day, with a heart as black as night.

Oonagh captivates Lord Colum and his six sons, but she cannot enchant his daughter, Sorcha. Frustrated in her attempts to destroy the family, Oonagh binds the brothers with a spell only Sorcha can lift. If she fails, they will die.

When the raiders break through, Sorcha is taken captive. Soon she will find herself torn between her duty to break the curse and a growing, forbidden love for her captor.

BEAUTIFUL.

This book really grew on me. It started off pretty slow, but the further I got into it and the more I grasped the writing style the deeper the connection to the characters became. It’s a harrowing journey of love and loss and the strength it takes to move forward when everything is pushing you back.

I loved the historical elements and how they played in to the fantastical. I loved Sorcha. I ached for her at her lowest and cheered for her at her highest. The resilient nature she possessed was, at times, unfathomable. I loved how much she continually cared when others kept trying to make her hard.

There’s a subtle and soft romance that’s woven into this book too. I loved the intensity and sacredness of it and how the relationship came to be. The tension is palpable and all of the action scenes had my heart in my throat. I loved the balance of quiet and loud, I adored so many of the side characters and love the vibes of an older fantasy book.

I’m not sure if I’ll read the next? This was a standalone and the next book has a big time gap between the two. Maybe one day!

Overall audience notes:

Historical Fantasy
Language: low
Romance: fade to black
Violence: high
Content Warnings: rape (on page and recounted), animal death, blood/gore depiction

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Rating: ☆☆☆
Audience: Fantasy Romance / Retelling
Length: 402 pages
Author: Julie Marillier
Publisher: Roc
Release Date: November 3rd, 2009
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Whistling Tor is a place of secrets, a mysterious wooded hill housing the crumbling fortress of a chieftain whose name is spoken throughout the region in tones of revulsion and bitterness. A curse lies of Anluan’s family and his people. The woods hold a perilous force whose every whisper threatens doom. And Anluan himself has been crippled by a childhood illness.

Then the young scribe Caitrin appears in Anluan’s garden, admiring the rare plant known as heart’s blood. Retained to sort through entangled family documents, Caitrin brings about the unexpected changes in the household, casting a hopeful light against the despairing shadows.

But even as Caitrin brings solace to Anluan, and the promise of something more between them, he remains in thrall to the darkness surrounding Whistling Tor. To free Anluan’s burdened soul, Caitrin must unravel the web of sorcery woven by his ancestors before it claims his life and their love.

BACKLIST B&tB.

This is a Beauty and the Beast retelling.

It was okay.

Honestly, got kind of bored about halfway through.

It was an interesting story [mostly]. It’s background was an Irish setting with all the things you’ve seen in B&tB. A small town with a mysterious ruler, magic, a woman who comes in to save the day (running from her own Gaston). For a retelling I thought it did line up on point for the original story. There were some additional tidbits to make it older, but that was mostly it.

I didn’t feel the chemistry between Caitrin and Anluan. It wasn’t bad, but I don’t know. Wasn’t working for me. I was also really confused by the magic. There were these magic mirrors that kept showing flashbacks? And then I would forget I was in a flashback, and things got convoluted at that point.

It’s a slow ride. I found myself forcing myself to finish, but was too far in to stop. The story wasn’t bad and I know others will probably really enjoy it. It was a not for me book.

Overall audience notes:

Fantasy romance, retelling
Language: little
Romance: kisses to some mild love scenes (mostly closed door)
Violence: war, skirmishes, physical
Trigger/Content Warnings: sexual assault, domestic abuse, ableism, loss of loved ones, suicide, suicide ideation, murder