Ironically enough, I wound up loving Child of the Prophecy more than its predecessor, Son of the Shadows. For many, this original concluding foray into Sevenwaters was a disappointment, sadly lacking in comparison to the beauty that was Daughter of the Forest and the epic that was Son of the Shadows. As someone who left the latter feeling more than a little disappointed and was prepared to feel the same way from this installment, Child of the Prophecy proved to be a pleasant surprise. A very pleasant surprise. I wound up devouring this over a brief weekend in NYC, unable to set it down on the subway, train, or bus. And yes, I did get many strange glances at my oft grief-stricken expression, not to mention the stray tears, but it was so, so worth it. If, like me, you've been putting off this series under the assumption that this novel is the weak link, let me convince you otherwise; truly, it isn't. What makes Child of the Prophecy a difficult novel to like is the fact that it is a difficult novel to enjoy. Sorcha and Liadan, our past heroines, are women who have grown loved and sheltered in the woodlands of Sevenwaters. Fianne, however, has grown up secluded near the ocean with only her father. Niamh, Fianne's beautiful mother, committed suicide shortly after Fianne was born and, as a result, Fianne has always wondered why she was never enough to keep her mother alive. Furthermore, Fianne's limp and sorceress status keep her secluded from others; all except Darragh who patiently befriends her and loyally returns for her every summer, though he is a traveling man. As such, from the beginning itself, Fianne is a very different heroine, one whose path does not merely lie in testing her endurance, but also in discovering her own path. Our novel truly begins, though, when the Lady Oonagh, Fianne's grandmother, blackmails her granddaughter into infiltrating Sevenwaters and preventing a prophecy from coming true. Johnny, the son of Liadan and Bran, is the titular child of the prophecy upon which the hopes of Sevenwaters lie as they face a perilous time nearing war with the Britons, specifically the Northwoods who neighbor Harrowfield. Fianne, though recognizing the evil intents in her grandmother's plan, is powerless to stop her as the Lady Oonagh threatens to kill Ciaran, Fianne's father. Thus, Fianne travels to Sevenwaters, little realizing that her extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins will fill her heart with love and weaken her resolve. Fianne, who has known little of love in her life and has seen its destructive hand in her family, will now discover the true power, both of family and, most importantly, of love. Fianne, from the beginning itself, was a protagonist I loved, merely because of her flaws. Unlike Sorcha and Liadan, Fianne is not without her evil attributes. In fact, on more than one occasion Fianne commits acts with terrible consequences, choosing not to intervene and prevent certain actions from unfolding. While this may indicate the presence of evil, what it really indicates is a character who is confused and afraid. Fianne fails to see her own beauty, both outward and inward, and also fails to recognize the power she holds. All these qualities make her an easy pawn for the Lady Oonagh and the struggles Fianne must face mold her character into one with many, many grays. It is difficult to decide if Fianne can even be considered a good person after all the evil she has done, no matter the good she does as well, but these are the precise reasons I love her character so. Fianne is not the perfect heroine Sevenwaters usually gives us. Along her way she finds way to defy her grandmother, to stand up to her and to stand up for what is right, and though she returns to being a pawn, time and time again, each time she learns and her experiences steadily give her the confidence she needs in herself to finally overcome evil. Without a doubt, Fianne's growth as a character is the best this series has delivered so far, and likely will be for her circumstances lend themselves to so much room for improvement. Fianne's steady will, her courage and determination to find a way to do right while leading her grandmother to believe she is doing wrong is such a tricky and difficult path, but she treads it realistically, with equal parts despair and hope. Although I was not comfortable with some of the decisions she was forced to make at the hand of her grandmother, I recognized their worth in her growth as a human and, ultimately, appreciate their value. Marillier wouldn't be herself, though, without rich secondary characters as well. We meet almost the entire Sevenwaters cast again, sans Red who has sadly passed away by this point, and are exposed to the changes that have taken place in the past eighteen years. While our favorite characters remain the same, time has changed them and their circumstances as well. Additionally, there is a slew of new characters, all in the form of Fianne's numerous cousins, all of which I loved. Yet, the secondary character who stole my heart - and Fianne's too! - was Darragh. Darragh and Fianne are childhood friends and while Fianne cannot see it, Darragh slowly falls for her with time. Now, however, entrusted with the Lady Oonagh's deadly task, Fianne sends Darragh away, fearful that her grandmother may threaten to harm him next. Thus, Fianne and Darragh are often apart for most of the novel. Although Darragh always returns to Fianne, their moments are short and their romance is not an overwhelming majority of the novel. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that this is perhaps the most subtle of Marillier's romances, but one of the most beautiful nevertheless. While Darragh and Fianne are kept apart, their memories of one another never are and through small thoughts and subtle gestures, the longing these two share is built-up. Although I don't parade as a hopeless romantic, the truth it, the sheer longing and uncertainty and love and affection between these two had me shaking with emotion near the end of the novel, despite the lack of emphasis it was given in the book. Darragh's kindness and his love give Fianne the strength to persevere on and while he isn't a leader like Red or Bran, his innocence and gentle nature are exactly what Fianne need, not to mention his loyalty and undying faith in his best friend, despite the horrors she confesses to him. For me, at any rate, these two definitely join the ranks with Sorcha & Red and Liadan & Bran. Without a doubt. While Child of the Prophecy was a surprisingly quick and engaging read for me, it did have its low points. For one, the portrayal of the Lady Oonagh was disappointingly Disney-like for my tastes. After shrouding this evil sorceress for two novels and building up her legend, actually meeting the woman was a disappointing shock. Marillier failed to convey the true hatred that resided within Lady Oonagh's heart and her dialogue depicted her as a blood-hungry witch. Additionally, the death of a major character, both from Son of the Shadows and this novel, was dealt with very sloppily, in my opinion. For fear of spoilers, I won't mention any names, but this character and Fianne shared a large story line, one that was integral both to Fianne's growth and the plot of the novel. Thus, to see the character killed off in a quick and hurried fashion, mostly as a matter of convenience, was confusing, to say the least. In some ways, this novel didn't carry forth the same level of well-rounded excellency as Marillier's novels always do, with a few points shoddily disregarded or merely disappointing, but ultimately, one cannot deny that Child of the Prophecy is an excellent conclusion to this original trilogy. Not only did it exceed my expectations, but it wormed its way into my heart as well. Well and truly, Child of the Prophecy is far from being the disappointment of this series. In fact, I suspect there isn't one to be found.
Ich hätte es nicht für möglich gehalten, doch im Vergleich zum zweiten Band hat das „Kind der Stürme“ nochmal eine Steigerung erfahren. Nach zwei heldenhaften Märtyrinnen als Protagonistinnen wird einem mit der Zauberin Fainne endlich einmal charakterliche Abwechslung geboten. Fainne wird sich wohl nicht in das Herz jeden Lesers einschleichen können, da sie durch ihren zwielichtigen Charakter antagonistische Züge aufweist, doch bei mir hat sie damit voll ins Schwarze getroffen. Sie ist stark, ohne sich für jeden und alles aufopfern zu wollen, was sie mir unglaublich sympathisch gemacht hat. Ich habe schon angefangen, Komplexe zu bekommen, weil ich mit Sicherheit nicht diesen selbstlosen Mut wie Sorcha oder Liadan aufbringen könnte …Dennoch muss ich zugeben, dass ihre Dickköpfigkeit, sich von anderen nicht helfen zu lassen, doch an meinem Geduldsfaden gezerrt hat und ich sie manchmal gerne schütteln wollte, weil sie so lange gebraucht hat, wieder den rechten Weg zu finden. Allerdings muss man es so sehen … wir sind Menschen und als solche machen wir Fehler, benehmen uns manchmal allzu verbissen oder irrational. Auch ist mir positiv aufgefallen, dass hier mehr Fantastik mit reingebracht wurde, was durch Fainne als Jung-Zauberin unausweichlich ist. Dadurch wird dieser Band der Bezeichnung „historische Fantasy“ erstmals richtig gerecht. Im Gegenzug wurde der Schwerpunkt ein wenig von der Liebesgeschichte genommen. Ich hatte nichts gegen den höheren Romantikanteil der ersten Sevenwaters-Bücher, aber war ebenso begeistert davon, von der Liebe weg und mehr zur Magie geführt worden zu sein. Und obwohl es oft heißt „Alt bewährt sich“, so finde ich den Ausbruch aus Marilliers normalem Plot- und Protagonistenschema großartig! Besonders die Idee, wie die Autorin die Thematik behandelt hat, dass diese alte Hexe von Stiefmutter aus dem ersten Band hier sehr eng mit Fainne in Kontakt steht, hat gezeigt, dass Marilliers Reihe eine runde Sache ist. Oft wenn der Leser auf alte Bekannte stößt, erlebt er einen dieser „Aha“-Momente und fühlt sich vollkommen in die Welt und das Handlungsgeflecht integriert. Zu viel möchte ich über den Inhalt jedoch nicht verraten, denn ich denke – Fans dieser Reihe werden es sowieso lesen wollen (zumindest würde ich es ihnen raten, sollten sie oben genannten Faktoren nicht abgeneigt sein) und Neueinsteiger sollten nicht durch Spoiler ernüchtert werden. Trotzdem kann ich sagen, dass das Ende dieses Buches durch Spannung, ergreifende Momente und die eine oder andere Überraschung besticht. Ebenfalls die Tatsache, dass unser „böser“ Gegenspieler eine Heldentat vollbringt und sich dadurch selbst in ein ganz neues Licht stellt, hat mich begeistert. Was gibt es besseres als Gegenspieler, die man verstehen und denen man auch Mitleid gegenüber empfinden kann, sodass man selbst in einen inneren Konflikt gerät? Eine gewisse Großmutter allerdings … mei oh mei, die kann froh sein, dass ich ihr mal nicht schnell einen Besuch habe abstatten können. Mit Sicherheit kann man aus meinen Worten heraushören, dass auch dieses Buch mich wieder überzeugt und glücklich gemacht hat. Zu sagen bleibt … Ha! Band 4 liegt schon neben mir und kann sofort gelesen werden – der Tag ist gerettet!Nur eine Frage hätte ich noch … wieso hat man dieses Buch „Das Kind der Stürme“ genannt und nicht, wie es z.B. im Englischen heißt, „Das Kind der Prophezeiung“? Diesen Titel hätte ich als viel logischer empfunden, da es hier kaum um Stürme geht. Doch natürlich passt sich die Bezeichnung gut den ersten beiden Reihentiteln an.
What do You think about Child Of The Prophecy (2003)?
Este terceiro livro da Trilogia de Sevenwaters devia ter sido o coroar de glória da história, contudo, na minha opinião ficou aquém dos anteriores. Nem as personagens tiveram o carisma a que estávamos habituados, nem o final foi o que esperava. Impunha-se o fechar do círculo; a resolução de todas as questões pendentes nos dois últimos. É verdade que se resolveu a questão das ilhas e eliminou-se de vez a ameaça de Lady Oonagh, no entanto, achei a bruxa pouco convincente; os diálogos com Fainne muito pobres, os próprios feitiços muito “déjà vu”. Ou então, já li demasiados livros e vi demasiadas séries do género e as bruxas andam a pecar por repetição de talentos. Também não gostei do final dado à heroína desta história; a solução final assemelhou-se mais um castigo que a uma honraria, mas, lá está, neste género de histórias há sempre um “infeliz” que dedica a vida a uma causa renunciando ao mundo e aos seus. Nem o remate final, à laia de “amor e uma cabana” me deixou mais satisfeita. Embora tivesse começado mal provou que merecia mais e melhor.Apesar disso e fazendo um balanço da trilogia, acho que foi das melhores que li. Sempre numa linguagem acessível e fluida, chegando a atingir um ritmo verdadeiramente frenético, a autora criou histórias envolventes, que nos fazem esquecer da vidinha e mergulhar num mundo de magia, de amores com tanto de impossíveis como de indestrutíveis, personagens fortes que defendem as suas causas sem renunciar aos seus valores. No fundo, tudo o que se procura num bom livro de fantasia e entretenimento.
—Carmo Santos
I really liked the premise of this (a flawed, villianously conflicted MC) and loved being back in the Sevenwaters world. However, this took me forever to read. At times I just felt it dragged on and not much at all happened, then suddenly major! exciting! events would unfold and then it would fall back into a lull again. Maybe it's just me not being that great at fantasy (I can be an impatient reader at times and this book requires settling in for the long haul). Or maybe this book needed a good hundred or so pages cut out? haha. Either way, Marillier is a gifted writer and I am hopeful I'll enjoy the next book in the series a little more than this one. Really only a 2.5 stars if we're going off enjoyment...
—Nomes
Really more of a 3.5 stars out of 5, or a B-. Juliet Marillier is one of my favorite authors, and I have read almost all of her books. And have loved them all. She is a superb storyteller, and in the Sevenwaters books she creates a mystical, magical early medieval Ireland that is breathtaking and beautiful. Her language is so rich and lyrical that I often find myself re-reading passages just to relive them. And, in addition to her heroines and heroes, she gives us a crowded canvas of characters, all of whom have their distinct voices and personalities, and all of whom I became invested in. Her Sevenwaters books are the saga of a remarkable family, and I love reading about each succeeding generation, while learning about the later lives of the characters from the earlier books. Daughter of the Forest and Son of the Shadows, the first two books in this trilogy, are two of my all-time favorite books in any genre.Therefore, it was difficult for me to rate this book. It has all the superb writing, story telling, and rich characterization of her two earlier Sevenwaters books. But, since my standards for Ms. Marillier are so high, I had several problems with the book.The first was the heroine, Fainne. I really like that Marillier tried a totally different type of heroine from those in the first two books. Since Marillier tells the story in the first person, we are given a comprehensive and in-depth explanation for why Fainne is the way she is. However, she is still difficult to like. Because she has been raised in isolation by a sorcerer father, and has a crippled foot, she has no social confidence or skills whatsoever. She also fears that because her family has dark magic that she may be tainted by their evil. This certainly explains her standoffishness and insecurity, but to me she became unsympathetic because even when people were trying to be kind to her, she snapped and snarled at them. And while understandable from her background, she suspected the motives of almost everyone in her extended family. It all just made her unpleasant.Also, she did some very terrible things. She did them to protect people she loved, and she wrestled with her conscience over them. But she did them anyway, with devastating results. This was hard to take. Clearly her story was about her confronting her insecurities and fears; accepting herself and embracing her magical abilities; and making amends for the great damage she caused. So, in the end it was about her redemption and atonement, and accepting her full power, and using it to help others, not hurt them. However, for me, it was still difficult to like her and excuse her actions.Also, the romance was not very believable. Fainne and Darragh were childhood friends (he was her only friend). He was a wonderful character, and I loved him. Darragh was everything Fainne was not. He was great with people, charming, and kind. He was loyal and steadfast to her. But she rejected him again and again throughout the book, and not nicely or kindly. Yet he kept coming back to her, and even made considerable sacrifices for her. I just didn't find this credible, and I wanted to shake him at several points in the book. So the romance didn't ring true for me. I want to reiterate that from my experience Juliet Marillier cannot write a bad book. But, because of the reasons I listed, I didn't enjoy this book as much as the first two books of the trilogy (both of which I gave 5 stars), so I am probably rating it lower than it deserves.
—Gerrie
