3.5 stars. 
 I really enjoyed the re-telling of several Celtic myths woven together in this one novel. This book reminded me of The Mists of Avalon and is high on my recommendation list for fairy tale lovers. It isn't one of the best fantasy novels I've ever read, but the story was engaging. What was especially enjoyable for me was how emotionally invested I was in the story. My heart broke for these characters when their tales took the dark, tragic turns found often in ancient folklore. 
 This doesn't get 4 stars because I find Juliet Marillier's writing to be somewhat repetitive at times, particularly at the beginning of Sorcha's ordeal when she's alone in the forest. There's a lot of air that could've been let out to make some of the storytelling more concise and keep up the momentum. 
 I also expected the book to end in a totally different place. Knowing the book is first in a series, I reached the end of a chapter that was completely tender and heartbreaking and seemed like a fitting conclusion to the tale. I was surprised when I turned the page on my computer (ebook) to discover there were two chapters left! Even though it was bittersweet, it had seemed like a good stopping point because the spell had been broken and the main story arc had been completed. The last two chapters wrapped up some loose ends and gave us a much happier ending, but it felt like they belonged in the next book. I realize now that book #2 in the series focuses on the next generation at Sevenwaters, so these last two chapters had to be included in Daughter of the Forest or not at all. It just felt a little rushed and took away from the poignancy of the third to last chapter.