Book Review: Daughter of the Otherworld – Shauna Lawless

Book Review: Daughter of the Otherworld – Shauna Lawless


Series:
Gael Song Era 2 #1
Release date: September 11th 2025
Publisher: Head of Zeus
Pages: 448
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

Over a hundred years after she went missing, Isolde, born to the family of a famous Irish king and a powerful immortal, inexplicably reappears.

Her mother’s kin, the Descendants, are one of the two magical races of Ireland. But no Descendant can understand the reasons for Isolde’s disappearance, and worse yet, she is giftless – born with no magical ability, a dangerous thing when the magic-rich Fomorians, ancient enemies of the Descendants, are growing in strength.

The Fomorians no longer control any Irish kingdoms, but they still desire control over the mortal world. They seek to spread their dangerous webs wider by manipulating England’s Norman lords to invade Ireland.

Not yet eighteen, Isolde’s world is about to change for ever. But when death and destruction seem inevitable, her true worth will show itself, for Isolde is far more than she seems.

Review

Shauna Lawless is back with a new book in The Gael Song series, and it is absolutely unputdownable. Isolde, daughter of Fódla, has reappeared after her disappearance one hundred years ago. But worringly, Isolde has no magical abilities, and the strength of the Fomorians is growing. Soon, everything Isolde knows begins to change, and war is once again on the way. Will Isolde be able to stop the Fomorians from taking control, and at what cost?

I’m pretty sure I could read fifty books about Gormflaith and never grow bored. She’s an absolutely magnificent character, and I’m so happy to be back seeing her scheme and manipulate to get what she wants. Lawless is a master storyteller, and I got completely swept away in this story. The plot is engaging, and I was pretty much on the edge of my seat for the last few chapters of the book. This series feels incredibly detailed and well-researched, and I love the way Lawless weaves magic and history together in this story. Lawless has such a beautiful writing style that you can’t help getting swept up in the story.I really liked that there were some old familiar faces in this story, as well as some new ones. Isolde is a great protagonist, and I loved getting to see her develop and grow as a character. Daughter of the Otherworld is definitely one of my favourite reads of the year, and I am already dying to get my hands on the next instalment. If you’re a fan of historical fantasy and haven’t had the chance to check out The Gael Song series yet, this should absolutely be your next read.