Daughter of the Forest facts for kids

Daughter of the Forest is an exciting fantasy novel written by Juliet Marillier. It was first published in 1999. The story is based on a classic fairy tale called "The Six Swans" by the Brothers Grimm. In this magical adventure, a brave girl must sew six special shirts. She uses a very painful plant to make them. This difficult task is the only way to save her brothers from a witch's curse. The biggest challenge? She cannot speak a single word until her mission is complete.

Exploring the Story of Sorcha

This section tells you more about the main character, Sorcha, and her amazing journey.

Sorcha's Family and a Dark Spell

The story begins in ancient Ireland, at a place called Sevenwaters. Sorcha is the youngest child of Lord Colum. She has six older brothers who have always looked after her. Sadly, Sorcha's mother passed away when she was born. Because of this, her father often seems to ignore her.

Life changes when her father marries a new wife, Lady Oonagh. Lady Oonagh is not kind. She uses dark magic to attack Sorcha and her brothers. Sorcha is the only one who manages to escape into the deep forest. Her brothers are not so lucky. They are all turned into beautiful swans by the curse.

A Difficult Quest Begins

Sorcha soon learns how to break the terrible spell. She must spin and weave six shirts. These shirts must be made from a plant that causes great pain. The most challenging part of her task is a strict rule. Sorcha must not speak at all until the very last shirt is finished. If she speaks, the spell will not break.

Sorcha agrees to this difficult quest. She spends several years living hidden in the forest. During this time, she works tirelessly on the shirts. It is a lonely and painful journey for her.

A New Land and New Dangers

After many years of hard work, Sorcha faces another challenge. She is saved from drowning by a British lord named Hugh of Harrowfield. People call him "Red." When Red decides to return to Britain, Sorcha goes with him. Red believes Sorcha knows something important about his brother, Simon. Sorcha had helped Simon recover after he was captured by her father.

Sorcha stays with Red in Britain. She continues to work on her special shirts. However, new dangers appear in this foreign land. Red's uncle, Lord Richard, becomes a threat. Sorcha must bravely protect herself from his attacks. All the while, she keeps working to save her beloved brothers.

Awards and Special Recognition

Daughter of the Forest has received some important awards. These awards show how much people enjoyed the book.

• The novel won the 2001 American Library Association Alex Award.
• It was also a finalist for the 2000 Aurealis Awards for Fantasy Novel.