Birdwing

by Rafe Martin

Once upon a time, a girl rescued her seven brothers from a spell that had turned them into swans. But one boy, Ardwin, was left with the scar of the spell's last gasp: one arm remained a wing. And while Ardwin yearned to find a place in his father's kingdom, the wing whispered to him of open sky and rushing wind. Marked by difference, Ardwin sets out to discover who he is: bird or boy, crippled or sound, cursed or blessed. But followed by the cold eye of a sorceress and with war rumbling at his kingdom's borders, Ardwin's path may lead him not to enlightenment, but into unimaginable danger.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Fairy Tales, Adventure, Retellings, Magic

359 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2005

About the author

Rafe Martin is an award-winning author and storyteller, as well as a lay Zen teacher in the Harada-Yasutani koan line. He is founding teacher of Endless Path Zendo, Rochester, NY.

He is the recipient of the prestigious Empire State Award for the body of his work, as well as multiple American Library Association Notable Book Awards and Parent's Choice Gold Awards. He has been featured at such storytelling events as the Joseph Campbell Festival of Myth and Story, The Sierra Storytelling Festival, and the National Storytelling Festival. He is the father of two grown children and lives with his wife, Rose, in Rochester, NY.

Reviews

[Mir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ardwin Birdwing is the youngest of the seven princes who were turned into swans by their evil stepmother. He is the one whose coat of nettles was unfinished when time ran out, and one arm remained a wing.

This story begins years after the enchantment has been broken. Rose, the savior sister, is married with children, as are most of the princes. They were eager to put the trauma and strangeness of their curse behind them. Ardwin cannot, since he is marked by physical difference and also by greater sympathy for and understanding of animals.

The first half of the book dragged a bit. Although Ardwin has the discipline to learn the martial arts despite his handicap, he lacks emotional maturity. Normal for a teenager, but I got a bit tired of his temper and self-pity. All right, missing an arm is no joke, and neither is feeling like you don't fit into the human world completely, but considering the witch's power it was a fairy tale with a happy ending. And Ardwin is still privileged compared to most people in his society: he is the king's son, with a comfortable and wealthy life, health, caring friends and family. Friends and family to whom he isn't very nice.

Fortunately Ardwin gets on the road for some adventures just at the point where I was getting sick of his whining and considering dropping the book. The middle section, with episodic action and introduction of new and colorful (if mostly somewhat two-dimensional) characters, was the most fun part of the book. The ending was also good, but weirdly fast-paced, so much so that it almost seemed anticlimactic because everything wrapped up so quickly. But fine. I liked the bit at the end that was told by The Horse.

Verdict: nothing special, but a good fun read for anyone into coming-of-age type fantasy or fairy-tale adaptations.

[Corinne Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Wild Swans is one of my very favorite fairy tales, and this story takes off where that story ends. Only this time, we are seeing the world through the eyes of the youngest brother, in this story named Ardwin, whose knitted shirt was not finished in time and he still has the wing of a swan. The enchanted wing gives him a view into the world of animals, enabling him to hear their thoughts and to catch of glimpse of things to come.

Among his family and community, however, life for Ardwin is fraught with discontent and restlessness. Living neither fully in the human world or the animal world, he feels he doesn’t really belong anywhere and eventually leaves his castle to seek peace and belonging. The friends (and enemeies, of course) that he meets along the way help him to look deep and find out who he truly is.

I did like this book, but honestly, sometimes it left me feeling a bit blah. The romance was lackluster – I never felt that the author delved into Ardwin’s relationships very deeply. There were about ten different coincidences at the end to wrap it up nicely that felt like a bit much. That being said, if you like the story of the swan brothers as much as I do, this retelling is worth reading if only to bring that world back to life with a broader stroke.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was an aspiring playwright in my college days, and came across "The Seven Swans" in Grimms' Fairy Tales, I was haunted by image of the youngest brother who, at the end of the story, remained with a swan's wing. I imagined a sequel to that fairy tale, as a play, and even drafted several scenes. I never completed the darn thing, for two reasons, I think: one is that writing was damned hard work (and I was discovering my talent for improv gave me satisfaction with much less effort), and two, the story was going to go into some dark places that I decided were better admired from a distance than getting all up close and personal and messy.
In any event, storyteller Rafe Martin has, with this young adult novel, done a much better job imagining the post-traumatic stress of the boy with the wing than I could have done. Quite enjoyed immersing myself in the world Martin has envisioned (he thought it out carefully). I liked following the twists and turns of the story (yes, many were predictable, but I have to say the Act 2 reversal caught me by surprise)... although a certain animated movie franchise set in a fairy tale world has, unfortunately, polluted my imagination enough that a certain talking animal in this novel kept being voiced in my mind by a comedian.

[Melissa Jacobson · Rating 1 out of 5]

this was such a frickin disappointment. I was so excited for this book. The cover is great, the premise is great, and the first chapter is great. Unfortunately after that this book went downhill fast. The dialogue was stilted and awkward and the characters were so boring that they annoyed me. Yes. They annoyed me with how boring they were. I have no been so disappointing in a book in a long time. Rip my expectations for this. This book is proof that cover buys are dangerous.

[Alice · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is without a doubt the worst retelling of this particular fairy tale that I have ever read. I'm usually a fan of reimagined fairy tales, but not when they are done as poorly as Birdwing This book is probably intended for a younger audience, but even taking that into account, this book is dreadful. The dialogue is awkward and forced, the pacing is inconsistent, and the main character, Adrwin, is irritating beyond belief. Fairy tales aren't supposed to be believable, but this story simply cannot be taken seriously. In the end, everything comes together, and by everything, I mean absolutely every detail in this story has a part in the resolution. Everything is far too convenient, even for a fairy tale. This reads like a really dreadful translation that has already been translated once or twice along the way. The writing is clumsy at best, and the word choice is often bizzare for a children's book. If you're looking for a fairy tale, look again, because you can do a lot better.

[Abbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was weird. It was kind of disjointed and had all these threads that would be opened and then juggled kind of inexpertly, but it still somehow kept me really interested the whole time. I could pick out really clunky dialogue and prose and sometimes Martin would kind of shoot for that Ye Olde Tale kind of language and not quite hit it, but yet I really enjoyed the whole thing. I'd still recommend it even with tons of problems in execution. That and it's like a 6th grade reading level so it's just kind of still a breeze.

[missART · Rating 3 out of 5]

Similar to Shannon Hale (who wrote The Goose Girl) this story revolves around the retelling of a classic fairy tale. But in this case, what happens AFTER the "ever after". We follow Ardwin on his version of a Hero Journey where life lessons are learned and accepting yourself for who you are is the theme. It took me awhile to get through this book. I guess it just didn't have that spark and pull for me. But it is a good young middle reader book. I would recommend it as such.

[Literary Strawberry · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this a lot more than I actually did. I /love/ the concept-- it's a really neat fairy tale, and a relatively unknown one, so a good choice for a re-telling-- but I just didn't care about the main character or his journey at all, and the whole thing was really slow and kind of unfocused. The love interest didn't even show up until the last fourth of the book, so I didn't have time to care about that either. I don't know. I'm sure other people will like it, it just wasn't for me.

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ardwin is the youngest in his family, cursed with one arm that is a swan's wing. He is feared and reviled by the world, and sets out to seek an adventure that will lead him to his true home. But he will never find peace until he learns to accept himself, wing and all.

This is a continuation of the fairy tale of the brothers who are transformed into swans and saved by their sister who weaves shirts of nettles to break the curse. One little brother's shirt is unfinished, missing a sleeve, and that arm remains a swan's wing.

I loved Ardwin's character! He's a very deep thinker, and he puzzles through many ideas about identity, instinct, belonging, love, and hate, and forgiveness. There are so many wonderful themes that he wrestles with, but he ultimately finds where he truly belongs.

The plot is wonderfully fantastical, full of wizards, enchantresses, talking animals, deep earth magic, and impossible plot twists that kept me guessing and wondering and perfectly in awe.

I did not like the plot line involving the enchantress Evron. She was too strange and mysterious, and I never quite understood her purpose in the story.
I also did not like how quickly and neatly everything was wrapped up in the end. Much too Deus ex Machina. But still... a good ending.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and it made me think deeply about some interesting issues. It's a beautifully complex story with many shining characters. Any fantasy reader would love this one!

[Isaac H · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I created you. To be a sign of the old magic."

[Evie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I tried. I got little more than halfway before I began furiously flipping pages, just to find out what happens.

The main issue that I had with this book was that I do not like the main character. That's a pretty tough issue for a reader to overcome, and usually the unlikable part gets developed further at an earlier point in the plot.

Ardwin is a reflection of the swans he so desperately wants to reunite with: selfish, suspicious, quick to anger, and really just doesn't think. Allow me to pick through everything I was severely annoyed by.


Ardwin, the last goose brother, still has a swan’s wing for a left arm. He blames his sister Rose Red for it still being there, even though she had to remain silent while weaving nettle shirts for 6 effing years. You know what else she had to do in that time? Have 3 babies. Can you imagine silent child birth? No? Yeah. Neither can I. I was so agitated by his attitude towards her that I adored when she chewed him out. It was a "how dare you!" moment I had been wanting for ages, yet Ardwin just goes right back to feeling he's been wronged. Even after their apparent resolve, he asks his sister and brother-in-law to lie to his father's men just so he can get some distance between them. How incredibly arrogant, to yell at your sister, blame her for your anger, and then ask her to help save your life. If their relationship was mended before this point, I missed it. It didn't feel genuine at all.

So, Ardwin’s being a little biznitch, which would be understandable with him being on the run from his corrupt father and everything, except that he’s just always like this. He has affection for his friend Skye, yet when she comes on the journey with them, he treats her like a burden. He blatantly says that everything is more complicated with her being there, but oh he likes her. He wants to run away with her all of a sudden. Because, when a boy likes you, he’s mean to you, right? (no)

Anywhoozles, Skye and his friend Stephen hook up the night before Ardwin has to leave. Not a good thing for friends to do since they both know he likes Skye, but screw his feelings. Understandably Ardwin feels betrayed, goes off without saying good-bye, but he has these comments afterwards that they must not care about him at all. Yeah, buddy. Because when people don’t care about you, they run away from home so that you’re safe and risk their life protecting you as you chase after swans and run away from your father their king. You know what their protecting you makes them? Traitors. Sure, what they did was tactless. In a later conversation, they basically admit that they don't understand how he feels, but go on protecting him anyhow. Pretty good friends, even if Stephen "stole" Skye. At the end, I did see that they apologize. Everyone's happy, and Ardwin sees how childish he was. Yay~

I understand that characters can't and shouldn't be perfect. I truly do. What bothers me about this retelling was that Ardwin is like this for more than half the book. I can't get behind a person that I don't like for that long. At some point, I was like "you know what, screw it. What's the gist." The romance is cute, I suppose, and it's clever the way he ends up with the goose girl. Overall, I also had issues with the writing. It was flat, told more than showed, and felt as if the author was just trying to get mundane details out of the way in order to establish a scene quickly. There were just too many moments where it read like "His eyes moved around the room. They found the box on the table. He went to it and opened it." No no no! His eyes flew about the room, alighting upon the box on the table. Play on his wing. Bring it into his eyes. Do something more with this.

This gets two stars because it spurred me to start writing again, if only to make sure that I wasn't doing the things this book did. /sigh I always feel guilty leaving these kinds of reviews, but there you have it.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing. This book is from the Brother's Grimm tale of the six swans. I had never heard of the story before. My 6th grade daughter brought this book home from school and suggested I read it. I love the characters in it. I really liked Prince Ardwin's story. He really struggled with having a swan's wing instead of 2 healthy arms. The wind had some wonderful abilities, though, and enabled him to be able to communicate with animals. There were a lot of times that Ardwin saw this wing as a curse. When he was faced with the possibility of having his wing removed, he decided to escape the kingdom with his friends and make his way to the swans. He wanted to see where it was that he fit in with the world. There were so many adventures! I absolutely loved the innkeeper's wife! There was also some romance and lots of intrigue. Also, what a wonderful, unexpected ending!

[K T · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy this, definitely. According to Amazon it is aimed at ages 11 to 16. I'd say the writing style is oriented more toward the younger end, although there are a couple unexpected mature theme moments. I picked it up because it is a sequel to The Seven Swans, one of my favorite fairy tales. An interesting take on the youngest brother. He is very skilled, goes on a quest, funtimes. The writing is competent, but whenever people had serious conversations it was really flat and awkward.

The plot is entertaining. A lot of it is just traveling, but that is fine by me. Found Evron the most interesting and Belarius the most tedious. Would have liked to see Alene get to actually use her spear that is mentioned every time there's an in-text description of her.

[Allison · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate giving this such a low score, but it really had hard time keeping my attention. It’s a middle grade book, and I think people tend to give MG books a pass sometimes because, oh, it’s for younger readers, it’s allowed to not be as well-written. Which 1) is a disservice to MG readers, and 2) doesn’t mean the author is allowed to spend his time writing these long drawn out scenes (more drawn out than they needed to be) before hastily wrapping up the end with a (I’m sorry) really dumb deus ex machina. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Also, the cover has Ardwin’s bird wing on the wrong arm. 🤦🏻‍♀️

[Tessa · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea is brilliant but I didn't like her method of going about it at all.

[Red · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a happy accident while cleaning through a school library with limited reading variety. I found it good then, and later, good enough to purchase and reread, it starts much like any Brother's Grimm tale or fairy tale of the older variety would, with some drag, some stalling, and you hoping it gets to the point or something happens before you skip to another story, when it takes action and starts moving is when it's good as gold. The build up gets you to know the main character, his motivations, the wind up right before the swing really leaves you hoping he will accomplish these goals set in stone, and from there it's a ride worth the wait. It did have moments that nearly bucked me off and left me too flustered to continue, some lines have to be read twice, but the ride is definitely worth it.

It fits into the category that would appeal to teenagers and kids who feel like they don't fit in most, but alienated adults could just as easily see the m.c as a likable character from start to finish. Definitely recommend this for at least one good read before you put it on a shelf.

I'd praise the cover art, as it stands out from all my other books, but I feel that might look a bit silly.

[Helle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first bought Birdwing about 15 years ago when it was first released and kept it since. I finally have read it! I was really pleasantly surprised by this book. In Birdwing, Rafe Martin combines fairy tale and legend in a way that is unique. The style of writing works in and out of retelling fairy-tale and into the inner workings and depth of Ardwin and the others. At times, Ardwin's story is fresh and present, while at other times, it feels as if the events are being viewed from above (perhaps a bird's eye view). Overall, I found Martin's writing to be compelling and subtle. Birdwing will remain on the shelf to be read again.

[Just Me · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have recently finished this book for the fourth time, and have come to find that my prior review was stunningly lacking. Even as I type, words are swirling around in my head as to what to say in this review, and I hope that I get it all down in an organized way (truthfully, probably not going to happen).

This book, like all books, has its faults. Faults that become clear after it has had time to sit and gather dust on a bookshelf as well as in my mind. Faults that spring out as I read it, as if it is the first time. For one, the descriptions are lengthy, and often comprised of unnecessary synonyms. The word choice is sometimes baffling. The characterization is sometimes off.

Yet, Birdwing persists in being one of my favorite novels of all time.

Rereading this, I've realized that this book is largely what inspired me to write. Eleven-year-old me had no idea that similar organization, prose, and even ideas would be born from this book. She only knew that she liked fantasy and read this on a dare, even if she secretly found it interesting (please excuse her for the use of third person). Like all books, Birdwing has its shining points. The scenery is lush and believable. The story itself has a real and tangible quality, side by side with elements that make it its own fairytale of sorts. It has all the elements of a great fantasy (hero? Check. Journey? Check. Pithy dialogue? Check.), as well as all the earmarks of a classic fairytale, complete with wonderful coincidences, cunning twists, and richly-written characters. It holds a very dear place in my heart, as well as a special place on my shelf.

Even if I didn't realize it at the time, this book was one of the many factors that led to my pursuit of the written word, and for that I am grateful.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Birdwing picks up where the Grimm's "The Six Swans" tale ends. Rafe Martin proposes that the "happily ever after" ending might not have been so happy for the brother who was turned back into a human but left with one swan wing. Birdwing tells this brother's story (Ardwin) as he copes with the "curse" of the remaining wing that also gives him unique insight into the thoughts of living creatures around him.

When Ardwin is faced with the prospect having his wing forcibly removed in order to be replaced with a golden arm so that he will be fit to marry a neighboring princess, he departs on a journey with the resolve to come to terms with his wing. Along the way he meets numerous characters who help him come to a different understanding of his one-winged existence.

Birdwing is a coming-of-age story for Ardwin. But it's also a story of growth for his whole family as they attempt to come to terms with their past decisions and hurts in order to heal and move on to the future. While Ardwin is not the most likable of characters and the story ties up almost too neatly, fairy-tale readers and those who enjoy discussions about differences will still likely find Birdwing to be an engaging flight to embark upon.

[Mary-Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ardwin is stuck between two worlds. He once flew the skies with his five brothers, under the spell of a witch who turned them into swans. His sister rescued them all, with one minor hitch - Ardwin was left with one wing instead of an arm. Now that he's passing from childhood to manhood, Ardin must figure out what the wing means to him and how he will live his life. Turning away from his family and friends, Ardwin goes on a quest to find himself and his place, but it is not as easy as he imagined. He is forced to face his fears, abilities, and hurts, but it turns out that he is not alone. Ardwin has a unique connection to the animal world, loyal family and friends, and a strange step-mother. Plus, there's an unexpected friendship with an eccentric genius, and an attraction to a very different sort of girl. Ardwin doesn't know where his path will take him, but it will be a path of his choosing.

[Rhonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Birdwing" is a magical tale of Prince Ardwin who is not fully transformed from a swan into a human. It is search for self/quest story that young boys and girls will relate to. Characters are multi-dimensional and are seen for their admirable traits as well and their disappointing qualities. I like this real look at people. Who among us are totally selfish or without altruistic motives? I recommend this to young people 10-18 and the adults who love them.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty good story for mature 11 yr olds or 12 yr olds. It's got a little something in it for boys and girls. I thought it was a bit of a slow starter. In other words, it's easy to put this book down until around the 4th chapter. Probably a good book to have on hand for a child on vacation who needs some rainy day reading....

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like books that take classic fairy tales and write them as in-depth novels, sometimes with a character that most wouldn't immediately think of their story and continue to after the fairy tale ended. This book definately delivered. Light and entertaining but with a few layers of how one looks at oneself, this is a very good read that I would recomend to most anyone.(Horse is my favorite!)

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delicious blend of The Six Swans and Goose Girl, liberally sprinkled with The White Snake and featuring a delicate hint of Bearskin. My favorites of the non-Disneyfied fairy tales, gathered together in a "what happened next" tale that is just marvelous.

[Melissa T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting expansion of an old fairy tale, but when it came down to it I wasn't too attached to the characters. The developing plot and creative ideas weren't quite enough to bring the somewhat flat characters to life for me.

[Samyuktha jayaprakash · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first real experience with fantasy ( new ones) and omfg was I blown away. I appreciate authors who acknowledge the readers's intelligence and Rafe Martin has mightily impressed me. His way of writing has captured my heart and imagination ^_^ I truly love this story! =)

[Lena · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!

[April Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book because my daughter loved it and it spawned beautiful conversations between her and me about what it is to be human and how we each deal with our gifts and our wounds.

[Jennifer Sommer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I have read so far this year. I was reluctant to read it because the cover did not grab my attention, but it was not like anything I was expecting to read! “It was on the last day of the six years during which she was not to speak or laugh if she hoped to free her brothers from enchantment, that her own sentence was to be carried out. Five of the six shirts were done, but the last and littlest was still missing its left sleeve. As they led her to the stake and the fire was about to be lit, she looked up and saw six swans flying through the sky. Her heart leapt with joy at the sight of them. The swans touched the ground before her and with lowered necks walked forward. Quickly she threw the shirts over each of them. At once their swans’ skins fell off and there, once again, stood her own brothers, strong and handsome. Only the youngest and littlest lacked a left arm, and in its place there remained a swan’s wing.” (From “The Six Swans” by the Brothers Grimm). From this fairytale the author has written a wonderful possible scenario set in the middle ages of what became of that littlest brother. Not human and not swan, he tries to find his place in the world while living with a unique handicap, and the world makes him the cause of a war. This is beautifully written and the author is an excellent storyteller. Good for grades 6-12.

[airy xie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mungkin ini satu-satunya buku yang membuatku sangat fokus ingin membacanya tanpa diselingi bacaan lain (selain surat kabar dan gosip di media sosial).

Sebetulnya sudah cukup lama aku membaca tentang kisah pangeran angsa, dan selalu bertanya-tanya ada apa sebetulnya dengan akhir cerita kisah ini. Kenapa kisah ini harus berakhir seperti itu? Kenapa nanggung sekali, setengah lengan baju, kenapa tidak sekalian saja satu baju tidak dapat diselesaikan? Apa arti 'happy end' dalam judul yang satu ini.

Jadi seperti sebuah nasib ketika dipertemukan dengan buku ini.

Ini buku pertama Rafe Martin yang kubaca, dan sungguh beliau adalah seorang story teller yang luar biasa. Kata-katanya sederhana dan menarik untuk dibaca, karakternya memiliki keunikan. Aku jatuh cinta seketika pada Horse ketika Ardwin diperkenalkan padanya.

Rafe Martin pov dalam cerita ini menyuguhkan keberadaan yang tidak dapat dihindari, anggap itu adalah 'berkat' tuhan yang pada awalnya kita anggap sebagai beban. Pun kita masih selalu punya pilihan, menerimanya saja ataukah melawan dengan harapan siapa tahu mendapatkan kebahagiaan yang sungguh diinginkan.

Satu-satunya bagian yang boleh dibilang menggangguku dalam cerita ini hanya lah 4 orang penjahat yang menganggu Ardwin dan me awan Alene. Mungkin dalam setiap cerita memang ada saja seseorang yang dilahirkan hanya menjadi gangguan bagi orang lain tanpa alasan?