Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Daughter of The Mountain
    Daughter of The Mountain
    Daughter of The Mountain
    Audiobook11 hours

    Daughter of The Mountain

    Written by Vella Munn

    Narrated by Stephanie Brush

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Jessie Speer set out for California, following her father's dream which turned into a nightmare, and it killed her family. Now, snow clogged mountains, beautiful but heartless, held her prisoner. She prayed for a miracle. Blizzard after blizzard left her aching with cold, one step away from starvation. As months passed, Jessie almost stopped believing in warmth, safety and rescue. Only Daniel Bear was willing to brave the fearsome mountain to answer the stranded settler's desperate need. But even he might be too late.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBooks in Motion
    Release dateJan 15, 2009
    ISBN9781605482330
    Daughter of The Mountain
    Author

    Vella Munn

    I'm married, the mother of two sons, grandmother to four, and happily owned by two rescue dogs. My hobby, for lack of a different word, is digging in the dirt. I love going for walks and hate shopping. Also writes as Dawn Flindt and Heather Williams.

    More audiobooks from Vella Munn

    Related to Daughter of The Mountain

    Related audiobooks

    Historical Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Tuesday, July 14

      Jun 19, 2020

      EIGHT MONTHS AGO, OUR FAMILY of five moved from a four-bedroom, two-bath rental home to a nine-hundred-square-foot, two-bedroom, one-bath rental home. It squeezed us in more ways than one. We lost a bathroom in the process, and bathrooms are importan

      1 min read

    • Article

      A ‘Ghastly Scalp’

      May 21, 2019

      A ‘Ghastly Scalp’
      9 min read

    • Article

      War Horse

      Feb 24, 2021

      War Horse
      8 min read

    • Article

      Cookie’s Story: Love Isn’t Enough

      Nov 20, 2018

      It was January and the snow came up around my boot tops as I traipsed across the yard and knocked on the door. Rose and Dan, an elderly couple, were wearing coats inside the frigid house. People had been calling the authorities about a thin mare they

      1 min read

    • Article

      Montana Whitetail

      May 5, 2020

      Montana Whitetail
      6 min read

    • Article

      Prepare For The ICE AGE

      Feb 13, 2022

      Prepare For The ICE AGE
      1 min read

    • Article

      Healing His Heart

      Nov 23, 2023

      Healing His Heart
      2 min read

    • Article

      Pets Are Pawsome!

      Dec 8, 2021

      Wherever there’s tinsel, you’re sure to find our little Midge. Warren Jones, Rozelle, NSW Buddy loves his best pal Santa. Hayley Carter, Kilaben Bay, NSW Juno is ready to deck the halls this Christmas! Jude Durrant, Surry Hills, NSW The

      1 min read

    • Article

      Final Farewell

      Mar 23, 2020

      Final Farewell
      1 min read

    • Article

      Few And Far Between

      Sep 28, 2020

      Few And Far Between
      7 min read

    • Article

      Book Club

      Feb 24, 2021

      Holly Hepburn whisks us off to the Orkney Islands, where her latest novel is set. Merina Wilde thought she had it all – a writing career and the love of a childhood sweetheart – until it was all taken away. To rediscover her passion for writing she h

      1 min read

    • Article

      Home Entertainment

      Dec 5, 2019

      The flightless angry birds and the scheming green pigs take their fued to the next level. When a new threat emerges that puts both Bird and Pig Island in danger, the birds team up with the piggies to call a truce and form an unlikely superteam to sav

      1 min read

    • Article

      Read! Read!

      Jun 11, 2023

      Have you ever had a bad week? Remember what it was like? Well, Justin Chase is currently stuck in the middle of the worst week ever! Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday were a truly terrible time, and now Thursday has arrived! Justin is experiencing a cas

      2 min read

    • Article

      Change of Heart

      Jun 7, 2020

      Change of Heart
      1 min read

    • Article

      Christmas TV

      Dec 10, 2020

      Christmas TV
      2 min read

    • Article

      Out This Week

      Sep 18, 2023

      Out This Week
      1 min read

    • Article

      Eye Of A Little God

      Dec 29, 2023

      ▶ RELEASED 2 JANUARY 288 pages | Hardback/ebook ▶ Author AJ Steiger ▶ Publisher Severn House AJ Steiger’s first adult fiction novel has some of the trappings of a horror story – curses, sinister phone calls, hints of possession – but it’s more accura

      1 min read

    • Article

      ‘A Blissful Landing’

      Feb 18, 2021

      PONIES were our salvation last spring when we were stuck at home day after day. They offered varied time away from the house and were ridden more than ever. With all three children back in the homeschool routine, we should be leaning heavily on our f

      2 min read

    • Article

      Travel Happy

      Jul 1, 2020

      Travel Happy
      1 min read

    • Article

      Out of Africa

      Oct 24, 2019

      Out of Africa
      9 min read

    • Article

      Out Now! Books

      Dec 7, 2022

      Wishes Come in Threes by Andy Jones Phyll is having a difficult summer. Her family has to move to the seaside, but it's a long way from perfect. Her mum is sick, she has an enemy called Hilda, and someone is stealing dogs. Then Phyll meets Mr Djin

      1 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Daughter of The Mountain

    4.5/5

    66 ratings63 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      I can't say it knocked my socks off, but I can say it's quite possibly the smoothest book I've ever read.

      Most fairy tale adaptations change the fairy tale to some degree in order to add interest to the story. Deerskin makes the serving girl princess and her beloved prince dog lovers, The Book of Joby makes our modern-day Job King Arthur, etc. I think the strictest adaptation I've read was the one where the other half of the book was about a gay man during the height of the AIDS epidemic (which I have not been able to remember the name of for years), so even there there was something beyond the strict fairy tale to keep interest.

      Daughter of the Forest doesn't really do that. I mean, there's bits and pieces around the edges (the largest change being her healing her future husband's brother before the sorceress who curses her brother ever arrives, but for the most part it's a very close retelling that hits all the high spots of the original tale and yet manages to retain interest. Well enough that I was up half the night reading it, even. Because the characters are well-crafted and touching, the brothers and the husband strike just the right notes, and overall it's just extremely well-written. I could easily see this becoming one of my comfort read books.
    • 4/5
      Sorcha is the seventh child and only daughter of a seventh son who is constantly at tensions with his neighbors over land. Sorcha spends most of her days playing and being loved by her six older brothers, but when an evil sorceress bewitches her father and puts her brothers under a terrible spell, only Sorcha can break it—though it might be the death of her.I was one of those kids (I’m sure you’ve known a few of us) who read our Complete Grimm Brothers’ Fairy Tales cover to cover until the book was in tatters. Among the hundreds of extraordinary—and, admittedly, some not-so-extraordinary—tales, however, the one about the girl who must endure great travails to free her six older brothers who have been turned into swans has always been one of my favorites, because it’s just so emotional, and the girl is so admirable. Happily, Juliet Marillier keeps my favorite aspects of the original fairy tale, and dresses it up in an astounding world of Irish historical culture and intricate political relationships.Unlike other retellings that may push aside the original for the sake of setting, DAUGHTER OF THE FOREST stays true to the tale at its core. Sorcha endures almost unimaginable sufferings in her quest to free her brothers, gets unwillingly pulled into social politics, and is wrongly accused of things that were not her intention. She is a strong protagonist not because she’s very active, but simply because she endures. The first 150 pages or so feel a little slow, but once the book moves into the frameworks of the original tale, I couldn’t put it down.This is a book I would’ve loved to death back when I first started reading fantasy in middle school, alongside lifetime favorites Robin McKinley and other admirable fantasies by authors like Garth Nix. As it is, DAUGHTER OF THE FOREST is still an incredible book, full of the richness of my favorite kind of high fantasy. I’m glad I chose this one as my first Marillier book, and look forward to reading her other books in the future.
    • 5/5
      One of my all time favourite books, beautiful reworking of the Six Swans into a story of drama, sacrifice and love. Sorcha must undertake a tortuous task to free her brothers from a spell cast upon them by the sorceress Lady Oonagh.
    • 5/5
      Daughter of the Forest, the first book in the Sevenwaters trilogy is a deft, careful, and lyrical recreation of a Celtic myth. Sorcha is a character to respect, root for and be mystified by. The book will have you rooting for the characters, crying out in anger and passion, and leaves the reader with a satisfying ending. I highly recommend this book.
    • 5/5
      I bought this book years ago, based solely on the facts that I love the fairy tale of the wild swans and the cover art is absolutely gorgeous.I have never regretted it. Daughter of the Forest is one of my favorite books.Set in a (mostly) pre-Christian Ireland, the old fairy tale is told fairly straight: a widowed father marries again, to a sorcerous who turns his sons into swans from jealousy. The daughter is given the chance to save her brothers by the Good Folk- she must make shirts of nettles for all her brothers, and never speak a word until her task is complete.The author's use of language is what makes Daughter of the Forest so special. She moves her way through the story as if it were a dance- familiar steps turned into something magical.
    • 5/5
      I loved this book and as it is the 1st of 3, you just have to read the other 2. There is a rape scene so beware before allowing your child to read it. Aside from that, it keeps you hooked right through. Loved it.
    • 3/5
      Daughter of the Forest is an enjoyable read. It was a bit disconcerting at first having the story told in first person. The reason for this becomes clear as the story unfolds.I liked how an old fairy tale ,familiar from my childhood has been developed into such an engrossing story. The end of the book leaves a few threads unfinished. I hope these will be addressed in the second book.
    • 4/5
      Daughters of the Forest is an excellent retelling of a Hans Christian Anderson story of the Seven Swans. I loved all the characters within the book, and loved the story between Sorcha and Red. I am an avid fan of retelling of fairy tales and this one did not disappointment. It is one of my favorites.

      I might get around one day in reading the sequel to this book, which I do own a copy of, but if you haven't read this one, what the heck are you waiting for.
    • 4/5
      A little slow, and kind of girly. I really enjoyed the romance, and I love books about old England/Ireland, but there's not quite enough humor and irreverence for this to be my favorite kind of book.
    • 5/5
      This is, by far, one of my favorite books on my shelf. I first picked it up on chance browsing my library one day and haven't looked back since.The first of a series, this book holds well on its own with excellent characters and a truly interesting story. Of course, as the synopses around the internet will tell you, the story is based around Sorcha, a young woman whose life has been turned upside-down by a sorceress stepmother (a little cliche, but it felt less so...the build up of the relationshiop between Sorcha and Oonagh is flawless). It follows a fairly classic Hero's Journey (a la Joseph Campbell) and is based heavily in Irish Mythology (see The Legend of the Children of Lir). The scenery and descriptions are detailed enough to make you feel as though you are actually in the kitchen at Sevenwaters, the woods on the way to the sea, and (spoiler!) the dank room in which the heroine is imprisoned. The beauty of this book relies heavily on Juliet Marillier's impeccable talent of storytelling and descriptive wiritng, and as such is a wonderful read. This is honestly one of a few books on my shelf I can't live without and find myself rereading on a consistent basis (if I'm not loaning it out trying to turn friends on to it).
    • 4/5
      Marillier's most direct rewriting of myth, and potentially her best book. She excells at worldbuilding and character development. The relationships between the characters- all of them- are moving.
    • 5/5
      Being unfamiliar with this particular legend, I was totally caught off guard by how the story unfolded. The main character is really a strong lead with a lot of character and determination. I was rooting for her throughout and afraid for her at all the right moments. The romance was well paced and the author's descriptions were vivid. A really great read.
    • 5/5
      Daughter of the Forest is the first book in the Sevenwaters trilogy, and is based on the Irish myth "The Children of Lir" I so love this book, it reads like a very dark fairytale and the heroine Sorcha has to go through many trials to save her family. One of my absolute favourite reads ..
    • 4/5
      Marillier's most direct rewriting of myth, and potentially her best book. She excells at worldbuilding and character development. The relationships between the characters- all of them- are moving.
    • 5/5
      Loved this. The prose, the characters (especially Sorcha herself, and her brother Finbar). Very eager to read the next!

      [Note that there is some distressing triggery stuff in the first third]
    • 4/5
      Started out at five stars as a retelling of "The Six Swans" but the story petered out to three stars at the overlong ending that strayed too much into trilogy building romance. Still, a worthy adaptation of one of my favorite fairy tales.
    • 4/5
      So the final 100 pages or so were brilliant. If I had been reading on my Kindle, it would have been endless highlighting.
    • 4/5
      “For a rather long book, I read it in a very short period (like 3 days). It is not demanding reading and the story is very entertaining. An evil witch, the unassuming heroine, the unexpected love interest, etc, the book has it all. A very pleasing and well-rounded story. Rating: 4 out of 5 starsSuggested With: Warm tea on a quiet night.”
    • 5/5
      A well written powerful story, the first of the Sevenwaters series. Juliet Marillier finds inspiration for this story from a Grimm brothers fairytale 'the six swans'. The elements from this tale are cleverly woven throughout 'Daughter of the forest. The young evil stepmother, a sorceress of much power. The children, six brothers and one sister. The girl, Sorcha endures many hardships, and must draw on inner reserves of courage and strength to reach her goal.
    • 3/5
      07/29/12 ***I just realized that this is a reworking of the Grimm Brothers' THE TWELVE BROTHERS***

      DAUGHTER OF THE FOREST, the first entry in Juliet Marillier’s Sevenwater Trilogy, is a rather plain vanilla fantasy set in what would be Ireland and Great Britain. This is also Marillier’s first fantasy series. The story revolves around Sorcha, the seventh child of a seventh son, who is required by the Lady of the Forest to attempt a vexing task in order to save her six brothers from a curse put on them. It’s a pretty basic good versus evil story, with a few supernatural elements thrown in.
      Young Sorcha leaves her family for three years in order to accomplish her task and endures many hardships.
      In my opinion, the weakness of the book is that the “exciting” scenes were lacking some excitement. On the positive side, it’s a nice story that’s fit for YA readers.
      This would be a good introductory book for someone who is just beginning to read fantasy books, as it isn’t a very complicated world compared to other series.
      I liked the fact that all of the main characters were flawed in some way – not overwhelmingly, but enough that it made them more realistic. Overall, I would recommend DAUGHTER OF THE FOREST for your reading pleasure.
    • 5/5
      This is the book that changed my mind about fantasy novels. Great story about a sister's sacrifice to save her brothers.
    • 5/5
      This book is what really got me started in fantasy and Irish lore. I have read it several times and never get tired of it! The beginning IS quite slow, but later we learn that we need this information, regardless of the slow pace.
    • 4/5
      I think this book was really a good read. It is based on a fairytale. It is about brothers that are changed into swans by an evil stepmother and a little sister that tries to break the spell by weaving shirts of very nasty plants that hurt her and she has to remain silent for as long as she is working on the shirts. The story is set in a Celtic/Irish environment. There are some magical components in the story, like the evil sorceress, magic animals (the swans) and a magic forest. But I think that people that are not die-hard fantasy fans will also like this book.
    • 2/5
      Very enjoyable. It was nice to read a well-written but traditional story. For all I enjoy meta-fiction and good ol' breakin' down of the hierarchies...well, it was nice to sink into a fantasy world.
    • 4/5
      I loved the atmosphere in this book. The woods, the magic, the fairies. The bond between Sorcha and her brothers was heart-warming. It was quite easy to lose myself in this book and live Sorcha's life alongside her. The reason I haven't given this 5 stars is mostly because of the ending. First, I was a bit disappointed in Sorcha's brothers' attitude after they were rescued. After all Sorcha has done for them, you would think they might trust her a bit more to make her own decisions. And you'd think that Sorcha would make this clear to them. Also, the end seemed to drag on a bit. I wasn't quite as captured by the story as I was in the beginning. But it was a lovely read and I'm definitely going to look for the sequels...
    • 5/5
      WOW, excellent story. Shed a few tears in this one. You do not have to be a fantasy fan for this. This is one of my top 10 favorites.
    • 5/5
      Rereading this series, because it's been five years and I need a refresher before heading into the latest book...

      This continues to be one of my favorite books. The mythological elements are flawlessly woven into the plot, and the protagonist is one of that rare breed of female characters that don't need to show traditionally "masculine" traits to be undeniably strong. The story is significantly darker than one might expect going in (rape, character death, and other unpleasant themes prevail), so I wouldn't recommend this for a younger audience, but if you love original fairy tale retellings and can make it through the doom and gloom, you must pick this book up.
    • 5/5
      Believe it or not, I had never heard the fairy tale about six brothers who are turned into swans by their evil stepmother. I failed to pick up the book sooner, because I thought the premise was silly, but Juliet Marillier makes everything seem probable, that two worlds that mirror the other exist, and that there is a link between both worlds. And we as the reader are held captivated.This tale is about a sister who goes through much hardship to free her brothers from this curse, and yet so much more.The relationship between Sorcha and her brothers shows such devotion, and you honestly feel the love they have for each other. Every emotion is shown in its purest form. This novel is all about love, selflessness, loyalty and perseverance amidst adversity.This is by far one of the best fairy-tale retellings that I have read.Sorcha makes difficult decisions, and you feel a bond with her. Not one character is flat, and you feel as if you know them personally. And as the reader you start to see the bigger picture that Marillier is painting. Not one character means more than another, because somehow they are all intertwined.Daughter of the Forest was simply magical. There is something about the way Juliet Marillier tells a story. It feels like you are sitting at a campfire and she is addressing only you, just weaving her tale. Her writing is an art form. You think you know what a good book is, and then you actually read one and…wow.Although I love happy endings, she deals with situations realistically. Realistic in a poetic way, and not jarring. It’s storytelling at its best.Many passages were so beautiful I just had to read them again. Simply put, just read it. It’s hauntingly poetic.
    • 5/5
      I read it a couple of years ago, and I never wrote a review, because I was just so overwhelmed and moved by it that I didn't feel I had anything of worth to say, other than that I loved it, and that doesn't really do much to tell other readers WHY I loved it. What if they have different taste than I do, after all?But I'm going to try, because this book, and this author, are worth it. It's a retelling of a fairy tale, as many probably already know, so I won't rehash the plot. The author is able to paint a vivid picture without using flowery purple prose. It's been said that with the best writing, one won't recall a sentence. The words should disappear as the reader is lost inside the story. That is what this author does. She has a strong heroine, Sorcha, who I became deeply attached to fairly quickly. I also became very attached to all of her brothers. Ms. Marillier paints a very poignant picture of a family that loves each other, which is actually a bit of a rarity in many books.I wept many times throughout the book as I got into it. And I read it quickly once I did. Despite the sorrow the character goes through in the course of the story, it has the sort of ending I love, a happy one. It seems to prove that one can write a classic fairy tale with a happy ending, without sacrificing depth or believability.
    • 5/5
      This is really a beautiful book. Juliet Marillier has a way with description that sweeps the reader in and just doesn't let go. Sorcha's pain is at times hard to take, and near the end brought me to tears, which is very rare. This is my second time reading this book, and the first time was long enough ago that I didn't remember the story at all. How lucky I am, then, to experience this twice. I highly recommend it, and now I'll be out to secure the next two books in the trilogy while I have this one fresh in my memory.One minor historical issue exists though. Marillier definitely sets this book during the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain, which is obvious when she talks of the Vikings, yet she gives her English/British characters in Northumbria distinctly Norman French names, like Richard and Hugh. Very, very weird. I don't let that stop my enjoyment, but I thought it worth mentioning.