Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier

14 reviews

minniepauline's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Xenophobia, Rape, Physical abuse, Torture, Grief, Bullying, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Vomit, Medical content, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood

Minor: Miscarriage

lauramcc7's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Rape, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Torture, and Animal death

hurricanyounot's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I'd sell BOTH my kidneys if it meant I got to read this for the first time again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Confinement, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence

Moderate: Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Animal cruelty, Blood, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal death, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, and Incest

MAJOR Content Warnings: In chapter 6,

Sorcha is brutally raped at 14 years old.

Minor Warning Explanation: This story takes place in a time when people got married MUCH earlier in life, and, for those in higher positions in power, would often marry cousins. There is also a pregnant side character.

cmbossy's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I loved the whimsical fairy-tale style of this book. It was beautiful and sweeping, despite how sad and traumatic the main character’s journey is. The character’s youth added a sweet storytelling aspect and I thought it was great. Very dark storylines though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Sexual assault, and Rape

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Torture, War, Death, and Self harm

ashatroyal's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This is a story! The way it was woven and unfolded was amazing. A mix of history, lore and fantasy. The author did not spare us of heartbreak, sorrow, pride or joy. This book gave me all the feels. I cried. I yelled out loud. Sorcha experienced so much at such a young age. Like she is such a strong FMC who you can’t help but root for. She was dealt such a hand and tasked with such a challenge to save her family. Her loyalty knew no bounds. Oonagh was so evil. Honestly, I cannot believe what Red did. I felt like he gave “Jenny” no choice. He put her in an awful position trying to protect her. I felt so bad for Simon and Fin. The Fair Folk are so cruel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Gaslighting, Grief, Sexual assault, War, Violence, Body shaming, and Emotional abuse

clairereadstoomuch's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

Questo libro è stata una piacevole sorpresa.

E’ un romanzo dall’impianto fiabesco, la cui struttura segue perfettamente nella sua tradizione. Padre rimasto vedovo con sette figli di cui una sola figlia, che poi si sposa eventualmente con una strega cattiva di cui è stregato.
Nel vano tentativo di ribellarsi, i sei fratelli saranno anch’essi vittima di un incantesimo. Solo Sorha, la protagonista, riesce a salvarsi grazie al sacrificio dei fratelli. Sarà lei infatti l’unica a poter spezzare l’incantesimo. A costo di grandi sacrifici, del suo silenzio e di duro lavoro, Sorha si imbarca quindi in questo viaggio per riavere i fratelli.
Fedele alla struttura fiabesca, la povera Sorha ne passerà di tutti i colori prima di raggiungere il suo obiettivo. Ma non temete, perché tra la tante peripezie, Sorha troverà l’amore. Un amore proibito, impossibile e di convenienza che salverà la vita ad entrambi, in più modi.


All’inizio ho avuto un po’ di difficoltà ad entrare nella storia per lo stile narrativo è molto asciutto e crea una distanza notevole con quanto narrato. Forse è il prodotto dei suoi tempi o del genere testuale al quale appartiene ma alla fine dei conti, mi sono trovata grata per questa scelta. Se fosse stata una narrazione ricca di pathos, sarebbe stata una lettura parecchio pesante da digerire.

Superato questo gradino però la lettura scorre veloce, coinvolti tra le disavventure di Sorha, risulta veramente difficile metter giù il libro. E’ così che mi sono trovata da metà alla fine praticamente in un solo pomeriggio.

Ho davvero apprezzato il rapporto che Sorha ha con i fratelli, mi ha davvero emozionato. Per non parlare dell’interesse amoroso che pur attraverso la freddezza dei toni della narrazione riesce a mostrare tutto il suo interesse e amore.

“non è importante che tu sia qui o altrove, perché la tua immagine è davanti ai miei occhi in ogni momento. Ti vedo nella luce sopra l'acqua, nei giovani alberi che oscillano alla brezza di primavera. Ti vedo nelle ombre delle grandi querce, e sento la tua voce di notte, nel chiurlo del gufo.
Sei il sangue che mi scorre nelle vene, e il battito del mio cuore.
Sei il mio primo pensiero del mattino, e il mio ultimo sospiro prima di prender sonno. Tu sei... tu sei fibra delle mie fibre, respiro del mio respiro.” (ho urlato)

La cosa che mi ha incuriosita subito di questo romanzo è stato l’impianto folkloristico irlandese dal quale l’autrice ha attinto per la creazione di questo mondo. Ambientato nell’Irlanda del X secolo, risulta veramente facile credere alle storia di Sorha, di maledizioni e del popolo fatato.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Animal death, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Xenophobia, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, War, and Violence

Minor: Death of parent, Blood, Death, Torture, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Medical trauma

aarynn's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Torture, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual violence, Medical trauma, Grief, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Blood, Death, Child abuse, Alcohol, War, Grief, Incest, Kidnapping, Medical content, Murder, Death of parent, and Violence

kibbles15's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This is a well written emotional roller coaster of a fairy tale.  I literally could not put down the book and read it in one day.  The author did an amazing job of interpreting the Grimm Brother's Tale "The Six Swans" (or "the Wild Swans") in a way that makes you feel the literal pain that both the sister and the six brothers feel as they work to break a curse on their family.  In the process they are all presented with very real set-backs and trials.  Please note that this book contains references to torture and rape.  While it is a fairy tale, I would not recommend this book to young readers.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Rape, and Torture

Moderate: Murder, Vomit, Blood, Animal cruelty, Animal death, War, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief

Minor: Death of parent, Pregnancy, Racism, Religious bigotry, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail

deathmetalpainter's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Rape, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Confinement, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, War, Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, and Death of parent

pennym_'s review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

an incredible retelling. my only complaint is the large and unnecessary age gap between the main character and the love interest. if that hadn't been there it would have easily been 5 stars, perfection.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Animal death, Confinement, Grief, Pregnancy, Sexism, Vomit, Rape, and Violence