The Sevenwaters Trilogy

A Historical Fantasy trilogy written by Juliet Marillier. The books are set in a fictional version of 9th century Ireland and focus on the Sevenwaters family, the lords and custodians of a mystical forest. The books are written in first person from the perspective of young female protagonists and emphasize romance and family relationships.

The original three books skipped a generation between each book, with the overarching political story dealing with a feud between Sevenwaters and a British family, Northwoods, over the control of a group of mystical islands. While Marillier did not originally intend to write any further books in the series, they proved to be so popular that she eventually agreed to return to Sevenwaters for another three books. The later books begin shortly after the ending of the original trilogy, and are shorter and lighter in tone.

Books in the series include:

Tropes used in The Sevenwaters Trilogy include:

Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder: Eilis
All Girls Want Bad Boys: Liadan chooses Bran (aka The Painted Man) the leader of a group of outlaws over the seemingly steady Guy Next Door Eamonn.
And Your Little Dog, Too: Richard (and others) threaten Sorcha by going after her dog
Arc Number: Seven
Arranged Marriage: Niamh and Fionn
Babies Ever After
Batman Gambit: The evil plot of Heir to Sevenwaters
Because Destiny Says So: Johnny's motivation (and his friends' and family's) throughout the third book: he has to win the battle and save the islands because he's the child of the prophecy. (Or is he?) Also the excuse for much meddling by the Fair Folk throughout the series.
Bittersweet Ending
Burn the Witch: Richard's favorite pastime
Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: An unfortunate complication that comes with the name Eamonn.
Cycle of Revenge: The feud between Sevenwaters and Northwoods
Dead Guy, Junior: Niamh, Cormack, Eilis and Finbar are recurring names, and these are just the ones born after their namesakes are dead.
Death of the Hypotenuse: Mac Dara's murder of Aidan in Heir to Sevenwaters
- In Son Of The Shadows Dog admits to having feelings for Liadan who gently rebuffs him and falls for Bran instead. Dog is slain in battle almost immediately thereafter, preventing his feelings from becoming an issue.
Don't You Dare Pity Me!: Red says this almost word-for-word
Everyone Can See It: Sexual tension between main characters is almost always obvious to the observers before the participants
Evil Matriarch: Oonagh
Evil Uncle: Red's Uncle Richard
The Fair Folk
Feminist Fantasy
Fiery Redhead: Averted
Florence Nightingale Effect: Simon falls in love with Sorcha while she's treating his injuries.
Friend to All Living Things: Darragh, or at least to horses
Heroes Want Redheads: Several examples
Heroic Sacrifice: Finbar, and arguably Eamonn
Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: Hugh and Sorcha
Incest Is Relative: Niamh and Ciaran, her mother's half-brother.
Infant Immortality: Baby Johnny in Daughter of the Forest is rescued from a fire, and between books survives an outlaw attack and living with a man who had no qualms about killing his own wife. In Son of the Shadows, the guards make clear that they'd take care of baby Johnny after they murdered his parents. And in Heir to Sevenwaters, the villain actually tries to kill Becan, but he's brought back to life.
Instant Messenger Pigeon: Fiacha the raven in Son of the Shadows
It's Not You, It's My Enemies: Fainne and Darragh; she refuses to even tell him that she's interested to divert the attention of her evil grandmother.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Bran
Kissing Cousins: Simon and Elaine
Lap Pillow: Darragh to Fianne
Love Hurts
Love Makes You Evil: Eamonn
Lucky Seven
Magical Incantation
More Than Mind Control
Never Found the Body: Simon
Never Suicide: Niamh, who was actually murdered by Oonagh in Child of the Prophecy and Firinne, who was killed by Mac Dara in Heir to Sevenwaters
Not Brainwashed: Oonagh likes to try this
Oireland: Averted
One True Pairing: Every protagonist is in one
Parental Abandonment: In Daughter of the Forest, Lord Colum's wife is dead and he allows the household staff to bring up his children. Disappeared parents are the reason for Bran's dark past and Cathal's angst. Also happens with Ciaran, although he was probably better off that way...
Parental Marriage Veto: Since the books are set in the Middle Ages, this one is always a hurdle. Actually exercised by Richard when Elaine wants to marry Simon, and by Niamh's whole family when she wants to marry Ciaran.
Please Don't Leave Me: Since he's a "tough guy", Bran says it without the "please."
The Power of Love
Private Military Contractors: Bran & Co
Rape as Drama: Attempted rape, that is.
- And then there's the actual Rape as Drama in Daughter of the Forest
Ravens and Crows: Fiacha
Self-Made Orphan: Bran. Okay, he wasn't related to the abusive adoptive father, but coming from a seven-year-old this is still disturbing.
She Cleans Up Nicely: Sorcha
Snake Oil Salesman: The Master
Stockholm Syndrome: Liadan falls in love with the leader of the mercenaries who kidnap her. The reverse is also true, with apparently the entire crew experiencing Lima Syndrome.
Token Minority: Gull
Twin Telepathy: Liadan and Sean, Clodagh and Deirdre
The Unpronounceable: Fainne's name is pronounced "Fawn-ya"
- Pretty much all the names, save for Briton names, are hard to pronounce. Likely owing to their Gaelic and Celtic roots, which has sounds and pronunciations not traditionally found in English.
Trilogy Creep
Voluntary Shapeshifting: Oonagh and Fainne have this power
Whole-Plot Reference: The first book is very heavily based off a fairytale that dates back to ancient Ireland, in a tale called "Children of Lir". It's also known in versions by The Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen.
Wicked Stepmother: The Lady Oonagh.
Words Can Break My Bones
You Can Keep Her: Oonagh's response when Richard tries to get a ransom for Sorcha (although that's not all Oonagh asks for)