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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
Parts of it were slow going, but overall, I enjoyed it, even without having read any other books in the series.
I had put off finishing the series. I'm not sure why... maybe because it had felt dragged out a bit. I'd say this book was more of a 3 1/2 than a flat 3 rating... but definitely not a 4 for me. The characters were easy to understand and were formed well. The ending... well, the ending was good but a little... odd? That's all I'll say about that. I am kind of torn between wanting more from Sevenwaters and being happy that it is done.
A fitting end to the Sevenwaters series!
Having read all the books now, I have to say that none of the books measure up to the perfection that is Daughter of the Forest. However, I enjoy the characters and I love the setting, so I have had a lot of fun reading this series.
Maeve is another interesting protagonist, with a fresh perspective and unique challenges. I loved her connections with animals, and dogs in particular! This is a book for dog lovers.
This book is a bit slower paced, but that was a good thing in my opinion. It gave us one last chance to be immersed in Sevenwaters, as we get reintroduced to the setting along with Maeve. I loved the journey that we go on in this book. It had the right amount of danger, suspense, magic, and mystery. It felt very right, again back to the Irish folk tale roots of Sevenwaters.
I was totally into this book, but the ending felt like there was something missing. It felt a little too neat, if that makes sense. The romance was also a little off, and also perhaps a little unnecessary.
Having read all the books now, I have to say that none of the books measure up to the perfection that is Daughter of the Forest. However, I enjoy the characters and I love the setting, so I have had a lot of fun reading this series.
Maeve is another interesting protagonist, with a fresh perspective and unique challenges. I loved her connections with animals, and dogs in particular! This is a book for dog lovers.
This book is a bit slower paced, but that was a good thing in my opinion. It gave us one last chance to be immersed in Sevenwaters, as we get reintroduced to the setting along with Maeve. I loved the journey that we go on in this book. It had the right amount of danger, suspense, magic, and mystery. It felt very right, again back to the Irish folk tale roots of Sevenwaters.
I was totally into this book, but the ending felt like there was something missing. It felt a little too neat, if that makes sense. The romance was also a little off, and also perhaps a little unnecessary.
This review contains [spoilers]. In fact, this review is almost entirely made up of [spoilers].
Flame of Sevenwaters is the most similar to the first, and in my opinion best, of the series Daughter of Forest. The heroine has hands which would put off any but the most loving of men, several male characters are enchanted into animals for most of the story, and two brothers tragically love the same woman.
But, for me, it lacked all the luster of the first. Maeve is much less likable than Sorcha was despite the fact that all through the story people and animals are supposed to be magnetically drawn to her inner kindness and warmth. Unlike all five preceding stories, the love story in Flame feels forced and unromantic. The Sevenwaters family does tend to fall in love hard; fall fast and fall forever. But normally the story has at least some semblance of meeting and growing to recognize their soul's counterpart.
The story telling itself was as excellent as ever. And, I actually loved that it all came back to Ciaran in the end. He is the seventh son of a seventh son whose birth set everything in motion and, though the stories are woven around the women of Sevenwaters, their tangled lives tell the tale of Ciaran becoming Prince of the Otherworld. It seems fitting for a druidic tale.
Flame of Sevenwaters is the most similar to the first, and in my opinion best, of the series Daughter of Forest. The heroine has hands which would put off any but the most loving of men, several male characters are enchanted into animals for most of the story, and two brothers tragically love the same woman.
But, for me, it lacked all the luster of the first. Maeve is much less likable than Sorcha was despite the fact that all through the story people and animals are supposed to be magnetically drawn to her inner kindness and warmth. Unlike all five preceding stories, the love story in Flame feels forced and unromantic. The Sevenwaters family does tend to fall in love hard; fall fast and fall forever. But normally the story has at least some semblance of meeting and growing to recognize their soul's counterpart.
The story telling itself was as excellent as ever. And, I actually loved that it all came back to Ciaran in the end. He is the seventh son of a seventh son whose birth set everything in motion and, though the stories are woven around the women of Sevenwaters, their tangled lives tell the tale of Ciaran becoming Prince of the Otherworld. It seems fitting for a druidic tale.
An amazing finish to one of my favourite fantasy series. I don't even know what I was expecting, but this book really made me sorry to be done with the Sevenwaters family.
Marillier continues to be one of my favourite authors. This book, like so many of her others, hit such an emotional place for me. Maeve was a strong heroine, and the portrayal of living with a disability was done so well. Maeve's attitude towards her family, her circumstances, and her injuries rang so true and made her a deeply sympathetic and multifaceted character.
Marillier continues to be one of my favourite authors. This book, like so many of her others, hit such an emotional place for me. Maeve was a strong heroine, and the portrayal of living with a disability was done so well. Maeve's attitude towards her family, her circumstances, and her injuries rang so true and made her a deeply sympathetic and multifaceted character.
After admittedly being disappointed with Seer of Sevenwaters, I was afraid I wouldn't like this one either, but thankfully this one brought back everything I loved about the series. The pace was much quicker and neater, and there was less dragging in the plot. I would venture though that if anything were to be changed, I would think to have Maeve and Sibeal swap stories- I think Maeve would have been a better choice for the type of plot carried out in Seer, but that might just be personal preferance on my part. I feel it would have made more sense for Sibeal to be involved in this story as her connection with Ciaran is so deep, it seemed she would have worked better in this type of setting, but what's done is done.
Maeve was a great character- I was admittedly annoyed with her attitude towards her parents at times, particularly when her family has greeted her with such warmth and love, but that passed and I was able to enjoy her much more later. Surprisingly unlike every other book in the series, Maeve's romance is left until near the very end of the book, and was certainly a clever twist. It's a bit strange to come to grips with, but it is fitting for Maeve and I suppose in the end it works. This book does focus more on the family ties than romance and deals very heavily with Maeve learning to be a part of her family again, particularly with her growing relationship with Finbar, and also Ciaran.
There were things that irked me. Connor's death was one- I had expected it might happen soon, but I was sad that there couldn't have been a little time with him at the beginning before he was gone. I was also disappointed that the Lady of the Forest didn't come back to help as Finbar's tale implied, even if that help might not be as expected. I get the reason behind this being that the Sight doesn't always reveal true, and Finbar being so young wasn't especially adept at deciphering his visions yet, but it was still something of a let down.
I'm also deeply curious about what Finbar's future is going to be. The way things have been laid out, Johnny is to inherit, and then Finbar after him, but with Finbar's gifts and the opening among the druids, I wonder if it's really his path to become a chieftan of Sevenwaters. But there's that issue with the succession- Johnny certainly won't be producing any heirs, so if Finbar becomes a druid, who's going to take over? My suspicions are that this will be a case where like with Liam having no children and letting Sean be his heir, it will pass again in a sideways manner, from Johnny to maybe one of Clodaugh's children or something. Who knows? And at this point I don't know if it even matters since there doesn't seem to be any indication of there being more in the series though that could always change.
That leads me to what was certainly the most powerful moment of the series- Ciaran's sacrifice. There are not words to express how much it shook me, even though I suspected it and half saw it coming. I was in tears at the depth of his love for his family and others, and seeing how far he's come from Son of the Shadows, it's just amazing. Ciaran's been one of my favorite characters, and my heart hurts for him, and I really want to know what's going to happen to him. It's quite ironic, that he ended up on this path, considering his mother's ambitions and all that mess there, but very fitting all the same. I also love that it brings the influence of the Sevenwaters family to a whole new level, protecting the Forest not only from the mortal realms, but now from the Otherworld as well. Love it. <3
Maeve was a great character- I was admittedly annoyed with her attitude towards her parents at times, particularly when her family has greeted her with such warmth and love, but that passed and I was able to enjoy her much more later. Surprisingly unlike every other book in the series, Maeve's romance is left until near the very end of the book, and was certainly a clever twist. It's a bit strange to come to grips with, but it is fitting for Maeve and I suppose in the end it works. This book does focus more on the family ties than romance and deals very heavily with Maeve learning to be a part of her family again, particularly with her growing relationship with Finbar, and also Ciaran.
There were things that irked me. Connor's death was one- I had expected it might happen soon, but I was sad that there couldn't have been a little time with him at the beginning before he was gone. I was also disappointed that the Lady of the Forest didn't come back to help as Finbar's tale implied, even if that help might not be as expected. I get the reason behind this being that the Sight doesn't always reveal true, and Finbar being so young wasn't especially adept at deciphering his visions yet, but it was still something of a let down.
I'm also deeply curious about what Finbar's future is going to be. The way things have been laid out, Johnny is to inherit, and then Finbar after him, but with Finbar's gifts and the opening among the druids, I wonder if it's really his path to become a chieftan of Sevenwaters. But there's that issue with the succession- Johnny certainly won't be producing any heirs, so if Finbar becomes a druid, who's going to take over? My suspicions are that this will be a case where like with Liam having no children and letting Sean be his heir, it will pass again in a sideways manner, from Johnny to maybe one of Clodaugh's children or something. Who knows? And at this point I don't know if it even matters since there doesn't seem to be any indication of there being more in the series though that could always change.
That leads me to what was certainly the most powerful moment of the series- Ciaran's sacrifice. There are not words to express how much it shook me, even though I suspected it and half saw it coming. I was in tears at the depth of his love for his family and others, and seeing how far he's come from Son of the Shadows, it's just amazing. Ciaran's been one of my favorite characters, and my heart hurts for him, and I really want to know what's going to happen to him. It's quite ironic, that he ended up on this path, considering his mother's ambitions and all that mess there, but very fitting all the same. I also love that it brings the influence of the Sevenwaters family to a whole new level, protecting the Forest not only from the mortal realms, but now from the Otherworld as well. Love it. <3
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
———————Spanish review bellow ———————
It's bittersweet to get to the end of this series. From the first book I loved it and I couldn’t put it down until I got to the last one.
In Flame of Sevenwaters we find the story of Maeve, who for two books was living far away at Harrowfield. As usual with this author, her story is full of adventures. However, in this book I felt like I had the answers in sight all the time, there were no surprises. I could see where the plot was going from 1/3 of the book. Unlike the previous ones that kept me intrigued almost to the end.
I think it has a very strong ending. For me there are still stories to tell (Conri and Aisha, Finbar’s). I’m sad the author already said goodbye to Sevenwaters. But I can cope with that, because I read it and it filled my days with fun and madness.
Thanks Juliet.
—————————————————
Es una dulce tristeza llegar al final de esta serie. Desde el primer libro la amé y no pude soltarla hasta que llegué al último.
En Flame of Sevenwaters encontramos la historia de Maeve, quien por dos libros estuvo apartada en Harrowfield. Como es costumbre con esta autora, su historia esta llena de aventuras.
Sin embargo, en este libro tuve las respuestas a la vista todo el tiempo, no hubo sorpresas. Pude ver hacia donde iba la trama desde 1/3 del libro. A diferencia de los anteriores que me mantuvo en intriga casi hasta el final.
Es una buena culminación. Para mi aún hay historias que contar y lamento mucho que la autora ya se despidiera de Sevenwaters. Pero estoy feliz porque lo leí y llenó mis días de diversión y locura.
Gracias Juliet.
It's bittersweet to get to the end of this series. From the first book I loved it and I couldn’t put it down until I got to the last one.
In Flame of Sevenwaters we find the story of Maeve, who for two books was living far away at Harrowfield. As usual with this author, her story is full of adventures. However, in this book I felt like I had the answers in sight all the time, there were no surprises. I could see where the plot was going from 1/3 of the book. Unlike the previous ones that kept me intrigued almost to the end.
I think it has a very strong ending. For me there are still stories to tell (Conri and Aisha, Finbar’s). I’m sad the author already said goodbye to Sevenwaters. But I can cope with that, because I read it and it filled my days with fun and madness.
Thanks Juliet.
—————————————————
Es una dulce tristeza llegar al final de esta serie. Desde el primer libro la amé y no pude soltarla hasta que llegué al último.
En Flame of Sevenwaters encontramos la historia de Maeve, quien por dos libros estuvo apartada en Harrowfield. Como es costumbre con esta autora, su historia esta llena de aventuras.
Sin embargo, en este libro tuve las respuestas a la vista todo el tiempo, no hubo sorpresas. Pude ver hacia donde iba la trama desde 1/3 del libro. A diferencia de los anteriores que me mantuvo en intriga casi hasta el final.
Es una buena culminación. Para mi aún hay historias que contar y lamento mucho que la autora ya se despidiera de Sevenwaters. Pero estoy feliz porque lo leí y llenó mis días de diversión y locura.
Gracias Juliet.
Can't wait for this to come out November 6th!
Update- Wow, what a whirlwind ending to the Sevenwaters series! Loved this story, although I predicted too much for there to be much surprise at the end. I still had doubts about my guesses though, so it wasn't COMPLETELY predictable. I loved the dogs and the time spent in the Otherworld. I feel like I got to know the Fair Folk better than ever. I really enjoyed the descriptions of their halls and appearances. Mark Maeve down as another strong, brave daughter of Sevenwaters. My only complaint was that at the beginning I was afraid she was going to go on and on about her flawed hands and how it would keep her from living a normal life. At first, Maeve tells us she's put all that behind her and gets on with life the way it is and I cheered....but then she kept talking about it, and yes she had to come to terms with it or she would have been a static character, but I could have done with less remindings that she would never lead a normal existence. (A pretty small complaint amid a load of praise.)
I think the way it ended was satisfying and didn't leave too many loose ends. I loved Finbar, but wanted to scream at all the characters to, "Just listen to Finabar, gosh darn it!!" I'm glad that he was named after the original Finbar, another of my favorites. All of these characters have become so dear to me, I feel as if they are family. I love tracing their stories back all the way to my beloved Sorcha. What an amazing, heart wrenching, and passionate world has been created!
So, Juliet Marillier, I have something to propose- Flame of Sevenwaters makes book number six in this series... wouldn't the number seven really bring things home to SEVENwaters? And I think we would all love a story starring our young and adventurous Eilis! Pretty pleeease! :)
Update- Wow, what a whirlwind ending to the Sevenwaters series! Loved this story, although I predicted too much for there to be much surprise at the end. I still had doubts about my guesses though, so it wasn't COMPLETELY predictable. I loved the dogs and the time spent in the Otherworld. I feel like I got to know the Fair Folk better than ever. I really enjoyed the descriptions of their halls and appearances. Mark Maeve down as another strong, brave daughter of Sevenwaters. My only complaint was that at the beginning I was afraid she was going to go on and on about her flawed hands and how it would keep her from living a normal life. At first, Maeve tells us she's put all that behind her and gets on with life the way it is and I cheered....but then she kept talking about it, and yes she had to come to terms with it or she would have been a static character, but I could have done with less remindings that she would never lead a normal existence. (A pretty small complaint amid a load of praise.)
I think the way it ended was satisfying and didn't leave too many loose ends. I loved Finbar, but wanted to scream at all the characters to, "Just listen to Finabar, gosh darn it!!" I'm glad that he was named after the original Finbar, another of my favorites. All of these characters have become so dear to me, I feel as if they are family. I love tracing their stories back all the way to my beloved Sorcha. What an amazing, heart wrenching, and passionate world has been created!
So, Juliet Marillier, I have something to propose- Flame of Sevenwaters makes book number six in this series... wouldn't the number seven really bring things home to SEVENwaters? And I think we would all love a story starring our young and adventurous Eilis! Pretty pleeease! :)
This is beautifully written, as are all the books in this series. Juliet Marillier is an exceptional writer, and I've loved this family, this place, and these books. That said, this is by far my least favorite book of the six. The romance made me eye roll so hard and the "climactic" last battle was...anticlimactic. This is an exceptional series, and I'm so glad I read it, but I wanted more from the conclusion.