Child of the Prophecy
Encyclopedia
Child of the Prophecy is an historical fantasy
novel by Juliet Marillier
and the third book in the Sevenwaters Trilogy
first published in 2001
. Book Three steps slightly out of the tradition of Sevenwaters, with the young heroine Fainne being raised far from the homestead, in Kerry
. Fainne is the daughter of Niamh and Ciaran, and is a dangerous combination of four races.
) had drowned in the sea when Fainne was quite young, her father Ciarán, the son of Lady Oonagh (Daughter of the Forest
) and a former druid (Son of the Shadows
), teaches her the art of sorcery during her childhood, including the Glamour, the art of changing one's appearance at will. Fainne becomes close friends with Darragh, one of the tinkers who returns every summer. When Fainne is old enough, Ciarán decides that she must go to her mother's family at Sevenwaters to learn of her heritage, after her grandmother teaches her some new lessons. Fainne's grandmother arrives just after Ciarán departs and teaches Fainne with very strict and harsh methods how to use her gift to make people bend to her will and do her bidding, especially men.
After her grandmother's training is over, Fainne is told that she must go to Sevenwaters and thwart the long scheme of the Túatha Dé Danann to get back the sacred islands. The alliance that is preparing to take back the islands forcibly from Edwin of Northwoods is led by her cousin Johnny, the child of Liadain and Bran (Son of the Shadows
) and child of the prophecy (that a child of Briton and Erin and of neither, marked by the raven, would save the sacred islands). To force Fainne to do this, her grandmother threatens her father with sickness and a slow death. Her grandmother gives her a charm to wear to protect her from the people of Sevenwaters; in reality, this charm allows her grandmother to see Fainne and to partially control her thoughts.
During the trip to Sevenwaters, Fainne and Darragh's easy friendship is broken when they quarrel over the use of her sorcerer's gift. Darragh gives up the travelling life and accepts a job taking care of horses. Fainne arrives at Sevenwaters and gradually becomes accepted as part of the household. After she settles in, she is goaded by her grandmother to start a fire which disfigures her young cousin Maeve and kills a visiting druid. While Maeve is slowly recovering, Fainne and the other young girl cousins are invited to visit their Uncle Eamonn at Glencarnagh, where Eamonn shows great interest in her. Disappointed at Fainne's continued lack of progress, her grandmother threatens harm to all those Fainne loves, including Darragh, who visits one day. Fainne then bargains with Eamonn for marriage in exchange for information that will allow Eamonn to kill his longtime enemy the Painted Man, Johnny's father.
Fainne returns to Sevenwaters and Eamonn's formal proposal of marriage is refused by her uncle Sean. She turns into a moth to spy on a secret meeting at Sevenwaters. Johnny and his mother Liadain decide to take Fainne to the island of Inis Eala where they are preparing for the final battle for the sacred islands. Darragh forces his way into the band of warriors by showing his prowess as a swimmer. Given hope by an unexpected encounter with her uncle Finbar (Daughter of the Forest
), Fainne transforms into a dove and follows the warriors to the final battle for the islands. Johnny and Bran lead a small secret mission to sink the Britons' ships, during which Eamonn's spy mistakenly attacks Johnny instead of Bran and is killed. An injured Johnny is captured by the men of Northwoods. Johnny's men believe him dead but go on with the attack under Bran's leadership. Fainne transforms back to human and awaits the right moment to act, coached by the Old Ones.
During the battle, the overrun Britons use Johnny as hostage to force the alliance to retreat. Johnny challenges a Northwoods champion to single combat, with the terms being complete control of the islands. During their fight, Fainne comes out of hiding, pushed by her grandmother to kill Johnny at this pivotal moment. Eamonn saves Fainne from death but dies from the Briton arrow himself. At the last moment, Fainne defies her grandmother with the help of her uncles Finbar and Conor the archdruid and is punished by the sight of Darragh being pushed off a cliff. Ciarán then appears to protect his daughter from his mother, who boasts of killing his wife Niamh. Ciarán is almost killed by her himself, but Finbar throws himself in the path of Lady Oonagh's death bolt and dies in his stead.
Thwarted, Lady Oonagh reveals the second part of the prophecy, that once the child of the prophecy has retaken the islands that person must climb up to The Needle and remain in solitude watching over the islands. Johnny, a warrior and leader, is not suited to this task; all believe the prophecy has failed. Then Fainne volunteers, as she meets all the criteria of the prophecy: she is both of Erin and Britain and has a scar given her by her father's familiar Fiacha, a raven. Her childhood learning the lore in silence and solitude has prepared her for this task. The Túatha Dé Danann
reveal themselves to take Fainne away. The Lady Oonagh still threatens to kill Fainne and is finally turned into a mouse by Fainne and is quickly eaten by a passing bird.
The Fair Folk then tell everyone that they all must leave the islands that night or else they die, as the prophecy has been fulfilled and they must begin their lives anew. Fainne is brought by the Fair Folk to the Needle where her and her descendants must remain performing the old rituals, shrouded in the mists hidden from the world until men again remember his bond with the earth, his mother once more. How will she have descendants she asks? It seems that the Fair Folk and the old ones saved Darragh and turned him into a selkie
and Fainne sings him back into a man. Darragh tells Fainne that he is willing to give up his original life to be with her. They are left alone on the island. The island is then shrouded in the mists only to be seen briefly by the occasional seaman until that time in the far future when men again remember.
There is an excerpt in the end that gives the readers a peek into Fainne's life. She has two children, a boy and a girl.
said that "Marillier's strong voice and rolling, lucid prose seem appropriate for a 10th-century Irish tale, and her command of a fantasy story's
elements make this an excellent conclusion to a fine trilogy."
The Library Journal
said that Marillier "captures the feel of myth in this Celtic-laced saga that belongs in most fantasy collections".
Historical fantasy
Historical fantasy is a sub-genre of fantasy and related to historical fiction, which makes use of specific elements of real world history. It is used as an umbrella term for the sword and sorcery genre and sometimes, if fantasy is involved, the sword-and-sandal genre too...
novel by Juliet Marillier
Juliet Marillier
Juliet Marillier is a New Zealand-born writer of fantasy, especially historical fantasy. She currently lives in Western Australia. While Marillier writes mostly for adults, her recent books have included Cybele's Secret, a sequel to her novel for young adults Wildwood Dancing. Cybele's Secret won...
and the third book in the Sevenwaters Trilogy
The Sevenwaters Trilogy
The Sevenwaters Trilogy is an historical fantasy series by Juliet Marillier which was first published as a series of three novels between 1999 and 2001...
first published in 2001
2001 in literature
The year 2001 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:* The film version of J. R. R. Tolkien's classic book, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, is released to movie theaters...
. Book Three steps slightly out of the tradition of Sevenwaters, with the young heroine Fainne being raised far from the homestead, in Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
. Fainne is the daughter of Niamh and Ciaran, and is a dangerous combination of four races.
Explanation of the novel's title
The sacred island were taken by the Britons, the prophecy states that it will take a child that was neither of Britain nor or Erin but at the same time both, who is marked by the raven to take the sacred island back. Without the Child of the Prophecy the quest to regain the sacred islands will fail.Plot summary
Fainne is a sorcerer's daughter growing up in Kerry. Her mother, Niamh (Son of the ShadowsSon of the Shadows
Son of the Shadows is an historical fantasy novel by Juliet Marillier and the second book in the Sevenwaters Trilogy first published in 2000. It follows the path of Sorcha and Red's third child, Liadan, a girl who lives outside the pattern of the 'Fair Folk', also known as Túatha Dé Danann...
) had drowned in the sea when Fainne was quite young, her father Ciarán, the son of Lady Oonagh (Daughter of the Forest
Daughter of the Forest
Daughter of the Forest is an historical fantasy novel by Juliet Marillier first published in 1999 It is loosely based on "The Six Swans" . A girl must sew six shirts from a painful nettle plant in order to save her brothers from a witch's enchantment, remaining completely mute until the task is...
) and a former druid (Son of the Shadows
Son of the Shadows
Son of the Shadows is an historical fantasy novel by Juliet Marillier and the second book in the Sevenwaters Trilogy first published in 2000. It follows the path of Sorcha and Red's third child, Liadan, a girl who lives outside the pattern of the 'Fair Folk', also known as Túatha Dé Danann...
), teaches her the art of sorcery during her childhood, including the Glamour, the art of changing one's appearance at will. Fainne becomes close friends with Darragh, one of the tinkers who returns every summer. When Fainne is old enough, Ciarán decides that she must go to her mother's family at Sevenwaters to learn of her heritage, after her grandmother teaches her some new lessons. Fainne's grandmother arrives just after Ciarán departs and teaches Fainne with very strict and harsh methods how to use her gift to make people bend to her will and do her bidding, especially men.
After her grandmother's training is over, Fainne is told that she must go to Sevenwaters and thwart the long scheme of the Túatha Dé Danann to get back the sacred islands. The alliance that is preparing to take back the islands forcibly from Edwin of Northwoods is led by her cousin Johnny, the child of Liadain and Bran (Son of the Shadows
Son of the Shadows
Son of the Shadows is an historical fantasy novel by Juliet Marillier and the second book in the Sevenwaters Trilogy first published in 2000. It follows the path of Sorcha and Red's third child, Liadan, a girl who lives outside the pattern of the 'Fair Folk', also known as Túatha Dé Danann...
) and child of the prophecy (that a child of Briton and Erin and of neither, marked by the raven, would save the sacred islands). To force Fainne to do this, her grandmother threatens her father with sickness and a slow death. Her grandmother gives her a charm to wear to protect her from the people of Sevenwaters; in reality, this charm allows her grandmother to see Fainne and to partially control her thoughts.
During the trip to Sevenwaters, Fainne and Darragh's easy friendship is broken when they quarrel over the use of her sorcerer's gift. Darragh gives up the travelling life and accepts a job taking care of horses. Fainne arrives at Sevenwaters and gradually becomes accepted as part of the household. After she settles in, she is goaded by her grandmother to start a fire which disfigures her young cousin Maeve and kills a visiting druid. While Maeve is slowly recovering, Fainne and the other young girl cousins are invited to visit their Uncle Eamonn at Glencarnagh, where Eamonn shows great interest in her. Disappointed at Fainne's continued lack of progress, her grandmother threatens harm to all those Fainne loves, including Darragh, who visits one day. Fainne then bargains with Eamonn for marriage in exchange for information that will allow Eamonn to kill his longtime enemy the Painted Man, Johnny's father.
Fainne returns to Sevenwaters and Eamonn's formal proposal of marriage is refused by her uncle Sean. She turns into a moth to spy on a secret meeting at Sevenwaters. Johnny and his mother Liadain decide to take Fainne to the island of Inis Eala where they are preparing for the final battle for the sacred islands. Darragh forces his way into the band of warriors by showing his prowess as a swimmer. Given hope by an unexpected encounter with her uncle Finbar (Daughter of the Forest
Daughter of the Forest
Daughter of the Forest is an historical fantasy novel by Juliet Marillier first published in 1999 It is loosely based on "The Six Swans" . A girl must sew six shirts from a painful nettle plant in order to save her brothers from a witch's enchantment, remaining completely mute until the task is...
), Fainne transforms into a dove and follows the warriors to the final battle for the islands. Johnny and Bran lead a small secret mission to sink the Britons' ships, during which Eamonn's spy mistakenly attacks Johnny instead of Bran and is killed. An injured Johnny is captured by the men of Northwoods. Johnny's men believe him dead but go on with the attack under Bran's leadership. Fainne transforms back to human and awaits the right moment to act, coached by the Old Ones.
During the battle, the overrun Britons use Johnny as hostage to force the alliance to retreat. Johnny challenges a Northwoods champion to single combat, with the terms being complete control of the islands. During their fight, Fainne comes out of hiding, pushed by her grandmother to kill Johnny at this pivotal moment. Eamonn saves Fainne from death but dies from the Briton arrow himself. At the last moment, Fainne defies her grandmother with the help of her uncles Finbar and Conor the archdruid and is punished by the sight of Darragh being pushed off a cliff. Ciarán then appears to protect his daughter from his mother, who boasts of killing his wife Niamh. Ciarán is almost killed by her himself, but Finbar throws himself in the path of Lady Oonagh's death bolt and dies in his stead.
Thwarted, Lady Oonagh reveals the second part of the prophecy, that once the child of the prophecy has retaken the islands that person must climb up to The Needle and remain in solitude watching over the islands. Johnny, a warrior and leader, is not suited to this task; all believe the prophecy has failed. Then Fainne volunteers, as she meets all the criteria of the prophecy: she is both of Erin and Britain and has a scar given her by her father's familiar Fiacha, a raven. Her childhood learning the lore in silence and solitude has prepared her for this task. The Túatha Dé Danann
Tuatha Dé Danann
The Tuatha Dé Danann are a race of people in Irish mythology. In the invasions tradition which begins with the Lebor Gabála Érenn, they are the fifth group to settle Ireland, conquering the island from the Fir Bolg....
reveal themselves to take Fainne away. The Lady Oonagh still threatens to kill Fainne and is finally turned into a mouse by Fainne and is quickly eaten by a passing bird.
The Fair Folk then tell everyone that they all must leave the islands that night or else they die, as the prophecy has been fulfilled and they must begin their lives anew. Fainne is brought by the Fair Folk to the Needle where her and her descendants must remain performing the old rituals, shrouded in the mists hidden from the world until men again remember his bond with the earth, his mother once more. How will she have descendants she asks? It seems that the Fair Folk and the old ones saved Darragh and turned him into a selkie
Selkie
Selkies are mythological creatures that are found in Faroese, Icelandic, Irish, and Scottish folklore....
and Fainne sings him back into a man. Darragh tells Fainne that he is willing to give up his original life to be with her. They are left alone on the island. The island is then shrouded in the mists only to be seen briefly by the occasional seaman until that time in the far future when men again remember.
There is an excerpt in the end that gives the readers a peek into Fainne's life. She has two children, a boy and a girl.
Characters in Child of the Prophecy
- Fainne: Daughter of Ciarán and Niamh
- Ciarán: A young druid, son of Lord Colum and the Lady Oonagh, he falls in love with Niamh.
- Darragh: Fainne's best friend and love interest. He does not like to see Fainne use her sorcerers' gift.
- Lady Oonagh: Fainne's Grandmother a powerful and dangerous sorceress.
- Sean: Lord of Sevenwaters, Fainne's uncle.
- Aisling: Wife to Sean, Lady of Sevenwaters, and mother to Murrin, Maeve, Deirdre, Clodagh, Sibeal, and Eilis.
- Conor: Leader of the Druids, Ciarán's half brother.
- Liadan: Sister to Sean, Lady of Harrowfield, married to Bran ('the Chief'), and mother to Johnny, Fintan, Cormack, and Coll.
- Bran (a.k.a 'The Chief', and 'the Painted Man'): Husband of Liadan, Lord of Harrowfield, and father to Johnny, Fintan, Cormack, and Coll.
- Johnny: Liadan's son, believed to be 'child of the prophecy'. Heir to Sevenwaters.
- Coll & Cormack: Liadan's other sons.
- Fintan: Liadan's son who is the heir to Harrowfield
- Muirrin: Sean and Aisling's oldest daughter, she is the healer at Sevenwaters like her Aunt Liadan.
- Maeve: She is injured in the fire started by Fainne
- Deirdre, Clodagh, Sibeal, Eilis: Sean and Aisling's other daughters.
- Eamonn: Lord of Sídhe Dubh, tries to seduce Fainne, eventually agrees to marry her in exchange for information on Bran.
- Dan Walker: Darragh's father, a Tinker. He delivers messages for Ciarán.
- Peg: Darragh's mother
- Roisin: Darragh's sister
- Snake: In charge of battlecraft on the island of Inis Eala.
- Gull: The healer on Inis Eala
- Biddy: Gull's wife, she was Evan's sweetheart, the smith who died in Son of the ShadowsSon of the ShadowsSon of the Shadows is an historical fantasy novel by Juliet Marillier and the second book in the Sevenwaters Trilogy first published in 2000. It follows the path of Sorcha and Red's third child, Liadan, a girl who lives outside the pattern of the 'Fair Folk', also known as Túatha Dé Danann...
- Sam and Clem: Biddy's sons from a previous marriage, they live on Inis Eala.
- Corentin, Gareth, Godric, Mikka, Snake, Waerfrith, Rat, Sigurd, Mikka and Wold: Warriors on the island of Inis Eala.
- Breanna, the fletcher and Annie, the cook: young woman who lived on Inis Eala
- Finbar: Brother of Conor, the man with a swan's wing from Daughter of the ForestDaughter of the ForestDaughter of the Forest is an historical fantasy novel by Juliet Marillier first published in 1999 It is loosely based on "The Six Swans" . A girl must sew six shirts from a painful nettle plant in order to save her brothers from a witch's enchantment, remaining completely mute until the task is...
, he lives in a cave on the far side of Inis Eala. - Edwin of Northwoods: Leader of the Britons holding the sacred islands.
- Fiacha: Ciarán's raven who follows her Fainne.
Literary significance and reception
Publishers WeeklyPublishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
said that "Marillier's strong voice and rolling, lucid prose seem appropriate for a 10th-century Irish tale, and her command of a fantasy story's
elements make this an excellent conclusion to a fine trilogy."
The Library Journal
Library Journal
Library Journal is a trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey . It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional practice...
said that Marillier "captures the feel of myth in this Celtic-laced saga that belongs in most fantasy collections".
Characters of Irish mythology mentioned
Spellings shown below are the one used in the novel- Túatha Dé DanannTuatha Dé DanannThe Tuatha Dé Danann are a race of people in Irish mythology. In the invasions tradition which begins with the Lebor Gabála Érenn, they are the fifth group to settle Ireland, conquering the island from the Fir Bolg....
: The "Fair Folk" - Fir BolgFir BolgIn Irish mythology the Fir Bolg were one of the races that inhabited the island of Ireland prior to the arrival of the Tuatha Dé Danann.-Mythology:...
: The "Bag Men" they inhabited Ireland before the Túatha Dé Danann - Brighid
- ClurichaunClurichaunThe clurichaun , or clobhair in O'Kearney, is an Irish fairy which resembles the leprechaun. Some folklorists describe the clurichaun as a night "form" of the leprechaun, who goes out to drink after finishing his daily chores. Others regard them as regional variations on the same...
: Dan Walker tells a tale about a Clurichaun during the trip to Sevenwaters. - MorríganMorríganThe Morrígan or Mórrígan , also written as Morrígu or in the plural as Morrígna, and spelt Morríghan or Mór-Ríoghain in Modern Irish, is a figure from Irish mythology who appears to have once been a goddess, although she is not explicitly referred to as such in the texts.The Morrigan is a goddess...
- Fomhóire: The "Old Ones"
- DadgaThe DagdaThe Dagda is an important god of Irish mythology. The Dagda is a father-figure and a protector of the tribe. In some texts his father is Elatha, in others his mother is Ethniu. Other texts say that his mother is Danu; while others yet place him as the father of Danu, perhaps due to her...
: "The Good God" - Tír na nÓgTír na nÓgTír na nÓg is the most popular of the Otherworlds in Irish mythology. It is perhaps best known from the story of Oisín, one of the few mortals who lived there, who was said to have been brought there by Niamh of the Golden Hair. It was where the Tuatha Dé Danann settled when they left Ireland's...
: The isle of dreams - Cú ChulainnCú ChulainnCú Chulainn or Cúchulainn , and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore...
: - Fionn mac CumhaillFionn mac CumhaillFionn mac Cumhaill , known in English as Finn McCool, was a mythical hunter-warrior of Irish mythology, occurring also in the mythologies of Scotland and the Isle of Man...
: - Manannán mac LirManannán mac LirManannán mac Lir is a sea deity in Irish mythology. He is the son of the obscure Lir . He is often seen as a psychopomp, and has strong affiliations with the Otherworld, the weather and the mists between the worlds...
: god of the Sea - SelkieSelkieSelkies are mythological creatures that are found in Faroese, Icelandic, Irish, and Scottish folklore....
: Mythological creature that can transform from seal to human.
Celtic Seasonal Festivals mentioned
- ImbolcImbolcImbolc , or St Brigid’s Day , is an Irish festival marking the beginning of spring. Most commonly it is celebrated on 1 or 2 February in the northern hemisphere and 1 August in the southern hemisphere...
: 1 February - Beltaine: 1 May
- Lugnasad: 1 August
- SamhainSamhainSamhain is a Gaelic harvest festival held on October 31–November 1. It was linked to festivals held around the same time in other Celtic cultures, and was popularised as the "Celtic New Year" from the late 19th century, following Sir John Rhys and Sir James Frazer...
: 1 November - Meán Geimhridh: winter solsticeWinter solsticeWinter solstice may refer to:* Winter solstice, astronomical event* Winter Solstice , former band* Winter Solstice: North , seasonal songs* Winter Solstice , 2005 American film...
- Meán Fómhair: autumn equinox
Allusions to actual geography
- KerryCounty KerryKerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
: Fainne and her father Ciarán live here during Fainne's childhood. - Tirconnell: Where Fainne's mother went to live as part of her forced marriage.
- Skellig rocks: Darragh show Fainne these rocks as the last sight of the Kerry cost on their journey to Sevenwaters.
- UlsterUlsterUlster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
: Sevenwaters is within Ulster. - NorthumbriaNorthumbriaNorthumbria was a medieval kingdom of the Angles, in what is now Northern England and South-East Scotland, becoming subsequently an earldom in a united Anglo-Saxon kingdom of England. The name reflects the approximate southern limit to the kingdom's territory, the Humber Estuary.Northumbria was...
: The area in Briton where Harrowfield is located. - ArmoricaArmoricaArmorica or Aremorica is the name given in ancient times to the part of Gaul that includes the Brittany peninsula and the territory between the Seine and Loire rivers, extending inland to an indeterminate point and down the Atlantic coast...
: Where Corentin was born - Isle of ManIsle of ManThe Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
: Some think that the sacred islands are either north or south of the Isle of Man.
Awards and nominations
Child of the Prophecy was a finalist for the 2002 Aurealis Awards for Fantasy NovelPublication history
- 2001, Australia, Pan Macmillan ISBN 9780732910938, Pub Date 1 August 2001, Trade Paperback
- 2002, Australia, Pan Macmillan ISBN 9780330363549, Pub Date 1 June 2002, Paperback
- 2002, USA, Tor BooksTor BooksTor Books is one of two imprints of Tom Doherty Associates LLC, based in New York City. It is noted for its science fiction and fantasy titles. Tom Doherty Associates also publishes mainstream fiction, mystery, and occasional military history titles under its Forge imprint. The company was founded...
, ISBN 978-0312848811 Pub date 20 March 2002, Hardcover - 2003, USA, Tor BooksTor BooksTor Books is one of two imprints of Tom Doherty Associates LLC, based in New York City. It is noted for its science fiction and fantasy titles. Tom Doherty Associates also publishes mainstream fiction, mystery, and occasional military history titles under its Forge imprint. The company was founded...
, ISBN 978-0765345011 Pub Date 16 June 2003, Paperback - 2002, UK, Harper Collins, ISBN 978-0002247382, Pub Date 2 April 2002, Paperback
Sources, references, external links, quotations
- Child of the Prophecy entry on official Juliet Marillier website
- In-depth interview with Juliet Marillier at Writer Unboxed, where Juliet also blogs.