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A Treachery of Swans
An enthralling sapphic retelling of Swan Lake, for fans of Allison Saft and V.E Schwab.
Magic has long been outlawed in Auréal . Odile has always known she’d be the one to restore it.
Raised by a sorcerer, Odile has spent years preparing for the heist of a lifetime. It’s relatively simple. Impersonate a princess, infiltrate the palace, steal the king's enchanted crown and restore magic to the kingdom.
But when the King is unexpectedly murdered, she’s forced to recruit the help of Marie, the real princess, and the two begin to unravel a web of lies and deceit that leaves Odile uncertain of who to trust.
Soon though Odile must decide – her mission or the girl she’s falling for?
The fate of the Kingdom depends on her making the right choice. . .
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Reviews for Where the Dark Stands Still
'A deeply romantic debut'. Sarah Underwood, NYT Bestselling Author of Lies We Sing to the Sea
'The dark, gothic fairy tale of my dreams' Kika Hatzopoulou, author of the Sunday Times Bestseller Threads that Bind
'Folkloric and beautiful' Lyndall Clipstone, author of Unholy Terrors and the World at the Lake's Edge duology.
Magic has long been outlawed in Auréal . Odile has always known she’d be the one to restore it.
Raised by a sorcerer, Odile has spent years preparing for the heist of a lifetime. It’s relatively simple. Impersonate a princess, infiltrate the palace, steal the king's enchanted crown and restore magic to the kingdom.
But when the King is unexpectedly murdered, she’s forced to recruit the help of Marie, the real princess, and the two begin to unravel a web of lies and deceit that leaves Odile uncertain of who to trust.
Soon though Odile must decide – her mission or the girl she’s falling for?
The fate of the Kingdom depends on her making the right choice. . .
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Reviews for Where the Dark Stands Still
'A deeply romantic debut'. Sarah Underwood, NYT Bestselling Author of Lies We Sing to the Sea
'The dark, gothic fairy tale of my dreams' Kika Hatzopoulou, author of the Sunday Times Bestseller Threads that Bind
'Folkloric and beautiful' Lyndall Clipstone, author of Unholy Terrors and the World at the Lake's Edge duology.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 24, 2025
797 people are currently reading
47561 people want to read
About the author
A.B. Poranek
3 books1,568 followersA. B. Poranek grew up sharing her time between Ontario, Canada and rural Poland, and eventually completed a veterinary degree at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences. A lover of mythology and history, she enjoys exploring both in her writing. When she isn't off on yet another inadvisable adventure, she can be found in London, where she spends her free time drawing strange creatures and trying to keep her plants from dying.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,866 reviews
April 20, 2025
This was a fun retelling of Swan Lake with sapphic rep and lots of atmospheric writing and elaborate details.
The mystery was intriguing and had me guessing for a bit. I don't know Swan Lake very much at all myself, but I think this was probably a creative twist on it with its own lore and magic.
I think I would've liked a little more interaction between Odile and Marie in the beginning, but it does build on through the book and they have some great moments later in. I also really liked the two side characters – the Dauphin and Odile's brother – and wouldn't have minded a little bit more of them.
I admittedly did not love this as much as I liked Where the Dark Stands Still. I think there was something more whimsical about the magic and that book that was missing for me in this one, but I definitely still enjoyed it and it was a pretty fast pace read for me.
Overall, it's a very solid YA fantasy and I think a lot of readers will enjoy it.
an honest arc review ♡
_______________
french gothic sapphic swan lake meets phantom of the opera retelling??? please send it to me rachel
The mystery was intriguing and had me guessing for a bit. I don't know Swan Lake very much at all myself, but I think this was probably a creative twist on it with its own lore and magic.
I think I would've liked a little more interaction between Odile and Marie in the beginning, but it does build on through the book and they have some great moments later in. I also really liked the two side characters – the Dauphin and Odile's brother – and wouldn't have minded a little bit more of them.
I admittedly did not love this as much as I liked Where the Dark Stands Still. I think there was something more whimsical about the magic and that book that was missing for me in this one, but I definitely still enjoyed it and it was a pretty fast pace read for me.
Overall, it's a very solid YA fantasy and I think a lot of readers will enjoy it.
an honest arc review ♡
_______________
french gothic sapphic swan lake meets phantom of the opera retelling??? please send it to me rachel
June 4, 2025
Just coming on here to inform readers of a spelling error in the published US editions of the book - this error is not present in the UK editions or digital editions. The French word sorcière is used several times through the novel, and it is unfortunatley missing the accent due to a mistake made by the publisher in the final copyedit pass. This will be corrected in all future editions. I do apologise, and I hope this doesn't affect anyone's reading experience!
August 23, 2024
You see the way I pre-saved this book? very demure… very mindful… A gothic swan lake retelling AND they’re sapphic? very cutesy! 🦢
November 15, 2025
I so wanted to love this one and I so want to be able to have more to say about it but the truth is it’s very forgettable. I’m wracking my brain to remember what I liked about it and all I’ve come up with is, it was atmospheric and vibe-y.
I really enjoyed Where the Dark Stands Still so I was slightly bummed not to love this one but I was just so very uninterested in the plot. I saw the ending coming from a mile away way and spent the majority of this books asking “where is the sapphic romance I was promised?”
Perhaps if I would have written this review right after finishing I’d have more to give you but alas, I waited and I just feel so “meh” about this one.
I do think this author has the whole, atmospheric, dark, gothic, vibe-y writing thing down!
I think if you’re really into Swan Lake this might work better for you.
3.25⭐️| IG | TikTok |
Thank you NetGalley and Simon Teen for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed Where the Dark Stands Still so I was slightly bummed not to love this one but I was just so very uninterested in the plot. I saw the ending coming from a mile away way and spent the majority of this books asking “where is the sapphic romance I was promised?”
Perhaps if I would have written this review right after finishing I’d have more to give you but alas, I waited and I just feel so “meh” about this one.
I do think this author has the whole, atmospheric, dark, gothic, vibe-y writing thing down!
I think if you’re really into Swan Lake this might work better for you.
3.25⭐️| IG | TikTok |
Thank you NetGalley and Simon Teen for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
August 16, 2025
*Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review!*
4.25 stars!
Treachery of Swans completely swept me away from the very first chapter. A.B. Poranek has such a lyrical, captivating writing style that makes every page feel atmospheric and alive, almost like you’re stepping into a dark fairytale. The blend of mythology, folklore, and gothic undertones is stunning, and it gave the story a hauntingly beautiful quality that lingered with me long after I finished reading.
What stood out most to me were the characters—they’re layered, morally complex, and written with such emotional depth. I loved how Poranek explored themes of love, betrayal, and survival while keeping the relationships at the core raw and believable. The tension between trust and treachery was woven so brilliantly that I found myself questioning everyone’s motives right alongside the protagonist.
The pacing felt perfect, balancing quieter, lyrical moments with high-stakes scenes that had me unable to put the book down. On top of that, the worldbuilding was immersive without being overwhelming—the details of the setting and the swan mythology added richness and atmosphere without ever slowing the story.
Overall, Treachery of Swans is a beautifully written, atmospheric, and unforgettable book. It’s the kind of story that enchants you while also pulling at your heart, and I know it’s one I’ll be thinking about for a long time. A.B. Poranek has written something truly special here, and I can’t wait to see what they do next.
****************
What in the Kate Bush is happening with this cover?? 😫 I’M OBSESSED!!! 😩
****************
A SAPPHIC SWAN LAKE RETELLING WITH WHITE SWAN AND BLACK SWAN WITH A HINT OF THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA???!!!
I needed this like yesterday. 😫
4.25 stars!
Treachery of Swans completely swept me away from the very first chapter. A.B. Poranek has such a lyrical, captivating writing style that makes every page feel atmospheric and alive, almost like you’re stepping into a dark fairytale. The blend of mythology, folklore, and gothic undertones is stunning, and it gave the story a hauntingly beautiful quality that lingered with me long after I finished reading.
What stood out most to me were the characters—they’re layered, morally complex, and written with such emotional depth. I loved how Poranek explored themes of love, betrayal, and survival while keeping the relationships at the core raw and believable. The tension between trust and treachery was woven so brilliantly that I found myself questioning everyone’s motives right alongside the protagonist.
The pacing felt perfect, balancing quieter, lyrical moments with high-stakes scenes that had me unable to put the book down. On top of that, the worldbuilding was immersive without being overwhelming—the details of the setting and the swan mythology added richness and atmosphere without ever slowing the story.
Overall, Treachery of Swans is a beautifully written, atmospheric, and unforgettable book. It’s the kind of story that enchants you while also pulling at your heart, and I know it’s one I’ll be thinking about for a long time. A.B. Poranek has written something truly special here, and I can’t wait to see what they do next.
****************
What in the Kate Bush is happening with this cover?? 😫 I’M OBSESSED!!! 😩
****************
A SAPPHIC SWAN LAKE RETELLING WITH WHITE SWAN AND BLACK SWAN WITH A HINT OF THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA???!!!
I needed this like yesterday. 😫
June 24, 2025
Adding .5 stars for the offhanded Barbie of Swan Lake nod.
I feel like this book had two different personalities. It is a very melodramatic tale, which at times played well with the dark theatrical atmosphere we were crafting. But at other times, it veered towards the juvenile which didn’t flow with the tone we had previously set. I was hoping the prose would better capture the devastating beauty and grace of the ballet. Instead, it had very woe-is-me characters, wince worthy flirting, and stilted dialogue.
I did appreciate the portrayal of an emotionally abusive parental figure. Odile’s journey as she unravels the brainwashing her father put her through to keep her loyal was definitely the strongest aspect of this book. I was also really invested in her relationship with her bother, Damien. Seeing Odile realize that she was turned against him in order to keep her isolated added great dimension to her character. And I liked watching her make friends with Amie despite vowing to hate him. Seeing her barriers slowly broken down was what kept me invested in the story.
However, I’m going to be completely honest I did not buy Odile being an actress for even a second. Her performance as Marie was abysmal. She barely tried to impersonate her, and I’m supposed to believe she grew up in the theater? The entire plot hinges on this, like BRO.
Marie was giving manic pixie dream girl. She was so much more of an idea than an actual character. When she was having her little speech about how she’s not actually perfect, she’s a coward who aches for freedom, I was rolling my eyes at how monotone she sounded. She’s supposed to be super clever, but half the time I felt like she didn’t have a single thought in her head. Just meant to sit and look pretty. Odile’s romance with her was cute, but nothing groundbreaking. I felt like the angst was lacking and the ending felt very unsatisfactory.
For an entertaining read with the occasional eyeroll-worthy moments, this book delivered. It had a sweet enough romance and nostalgic fairytale vibes. But I couldn't help but crave more from the execution considering the story it was retelling.
I feel like this book had two different personalities. It is a very melodramatic tale, which at times played well with the dark theatrical atmosphere we were crafting. But at other times, it veered towards the juvenile which didn’t flow with the tone we had previously set. I was hoping the prose would better capture the devastating beauty and grace of the ballet. Instead, it had very woe-is-me characters, wince worthy flirting, and stilted dialogue.
I did appreciate the portrayal of an emotionally abusive parental figure. Odile’s journey as she unravels the brainwashing her father put her through to keep her loyal was definitely the strongest aspect of this book. I was also really invested in her relationship with her bother, Damien. Seeing Odile realize that she was turned against him in order to keep her isolated added great dimension to her character. And I liked watching her make friends with Amie despite vowing to hate him. Seeing her barriers slowly broken down was what kept me invested in the story.
However, I’m going to be completely honest I did not buy Odile being an actress for even a second. Her performance as Marie was abysmal. She barely tried to impersonate her, and I’m supposed to believe she grew up in the theater? The entire plot hinges on this, like BRO.
Marie was giving manic pixie dream girl. She was so much more of an idea than an actual character. When she was having her little speech about how she’s not actually perfect, she’s a coward who aches for freedom, I was rolling my eyes at how monotone she sounded. She’s supposed to be super clever, but half the time I felt like she didn’t have a single thought in her head. Just meant to sit and look pretty. Odile’s romance with her was cute, but nothing groundbreaking. I felt like the angst was lacking and the ending felt very unsatisfactory.
For an entertaining read with the occasional eyeroll-worthy moments, this book delivered. It had a sweet enough romance and nostalgic fairytale vibes. But I couldn't help but crave more from the execution considering the story it was retelling.
January 4, 2026
2.5 ⭐, rounded down.
finally facing my fears and writing this review... prepare for incoherence
summary: sorceress Odile is prepared to execute a magical heist that took 17 years worth of preparation, but when the king of Aureal unexpectedly dies, she must get to the bottom of all the intrigues and mysteries that await her beneath the facades of royalty, all with the help of Marie d'Odette. she is put through a journey of self-discovery and has to face her evil father. (????)
this is a YA romantasy !
« ☆ —⋆——꒰ঌ·☆·໒꒱ ——⋆— ☆ » ☆ —⋆——꒰ঌ·☆·໒꒱ ——⋆— ☆ »
yes, this is a YA romantasy. & this romantasy promises a swan lake retelling in a france setting with french mythology, from the POV of the villain Odile who then falls in love with Odette.
having read Where the Dark Stands Still from the same author (twice) and ADORING it, i was incredibly excited for this because i thought i'd be getting all those beautiful barbie vibes, and so much tension since we're seeing the villain's perspective. and somehow, this managed to fall SO flat. it was so bad that i could not get myself to believe that this is the author who wrote where the dark stands still.
i still don't believe it. whatever happened, something went very wrong with the editing.
story structure
me being me i'd like to begin with covering the literary aspect of this, because it was all so incredibly messy.
in the first 25%, nothing useful happened at all. all we get from this book is overly-done descriptions and metaphors about ballrooms as a mouth full of teeth, annoying inner monologue from Odile who thinks she is superior and stupid, boring scenes about characters i couldn't care less about !!!!! after the middle or like 75% in is when things start to happen. but even once they do, i'm too frustrated about the first 50% to care and they don't make sense. there is NO depth in this story whatsoever and it literally reads like a first draft with how many writing errors i found. even as i write this review im bored as fuck. i hate talking about this book bc it left me feeling nothing but annoyance. each plot point felt like it was only half-done, like Poranek expected us to be happy and content with that. no depth. no nothing .
my biggest issue of all is that this was not a swan lake retelling. it was a murderer mystery with two characters that had the names as the ones in swan lake and a girl who turned into a swan. everything other than that didn't align, and there were no aspects of this that were enjoyable. i hated the false marketing so much. if you want to pick this up, expect a murderer mystery FIRST and then the swan lake aspect as a secondary thing. it was seriously lacking.
writing
this book seems to prioritize descriptions over the actual plot, but then you soon realize that not even the writing can redeem it. the dialogue was so fucking bad that i literally wanted to rip out my eyes; there are ellipsis on EVERY PAGE. there's not a single piece of dialogue that you'll read without those three dots. i didn't have anything against ellipsis before this story but now i do. how does a writer not understand when to moderate the usage of '...' in speech and in writing in general?? a PUBLISHED AUTHOR.
the characters stuttering was another issue i can't get past. i don't even want to talk about the banter or the dialogue in se. i've never read dialogue so cringy, so bad, so lacking.
since this is set in a french world, several of the names are difficult to remember or pronounce, and the lack of glossary was honestly so difficult to deal with. i still dont remember some names. the worldbuilding was this way as well.
Odile Regnault is the main character, the sorcerer's daughter, the villain. her evil father raised and trained her to know how to pull off heists and steal. i expected a lot more emotional maturity from her, but even if she thinks she's tough and emotionless, she behaves like a whiny edgy 12 year old and her emotional regulation is nonexistent. for someone who claims to be so unfeeling and wicked, she LOVES outbursts. she is, quite literally, INTOLERABLE. i don't know how i managed to finish this book from the pov of such a character, and i don't know how Poranek managed to write her so badly. like you genuinely have to try your hardest to write a character this horrible …
add to this all of the back-and-forth that was happening in her head between trusting her father and hating him and being downright dumb about it. this might be a sensitive topic, about learning to untrust a bad parental figure, but the amount of chances Odile had to see that her father was not who she thought were PLENTLY and they were all overlooked for the sake of the plot, for the sake of making her want to magically realize at the 75% mark.
too many times was Odile forgiven for literally no reason. the characters claimed she was really this amazing person who is so much more than she thinks she is but babygirl... she already thinks she's everything 😭😭 she had this whole 'im-a-wicked-villain-and-im-better-than-u-all' demeanor, which made her do a HORRIBLE job at the heist she was supposed to perform. THAT'S when you know it's forced, when the main character has done nothing for anyone or anything but all the other characters think otherwise.
when i ask for a nothingburger at mcdonald's and they pull out Marie d'Odette d'Auvigny !!! 😫😫 from Odile's abysmal narration we gather that Marie is an adventurous soul who wants to be free and wants to fly, she's wild and creative etc etc. but where does this actually show? cus it's definitely not in this book. all Marie does throughout is go with whatever Odile tells her to and stays quiet throughout everything, proving that she's indeed a wildcard with a free spirit who longs to disobey rules and fly!! soft fmcs are my favs yet even i couldnt care less for Marie. she is ONLY there for the sake of Odile, and though her involvement in the plot may make it seem otherwise, it all feels like an illusion. she's not really important.
romance & found family 💨🏃➡️
Poranek so badly wanted us to believe that Marie and Odile would be a match made in heaven, that lackluster development + cringy banter + Odile's outbursts + Marie's nothingness = a love story full of depth and tension.
WRONG 🤗🤗
as is typical of Odile's erratic character, she treated Marie like absolute SHIT and then made all the guilt she was feeling about herself. she was selfish and even by the end of the story, when they were falling in love, Odile had not improved even by a little bit. besides switching between her swan form and her human form, nothing about Marie changed, either: all she did was continue to forgive Odile for what?? of course, an important part of this story was the lesson of forgiving bad people and whatever, but Odile didn't do anything to mend her mistakes. if she did then i certainly don't remember, so for Marie to continue wanting to be around her made no sense.
like previously mentioned, their banter was cringe and forced, and every time Poranek wrote a moment between them that was meant to be cute i had to put down the book for a few. this was such a downgrade compared to her first book, her debut.
at 75% the little found family group had been formed, and when i tell u i couldn't give less of a damn about these characters??? like i saw the forced found family from a mile away but i was still surprised when the characters were gathering together as though they'd kill for each other. THEY HARDLY KNEW EACH OTHER.
« ☆ —⋆——꒰ঌ·☆·໒꒱ ——⋆— ☆ » ☆ —⋆——꒰ঌ·☆·໒꒱ ——⋆— ☆ »
ending the review here bc irdgaf anymore but let's just say i'm so disappointed. i can't believe Poranek wrote an absolute gem of a story just to come out with this flop 😭
--------------
there's nothing worse than an author u loved utterly disappointing u with their 2nd book 😟😟 this was DREADFUL, and im angry as fuck.
-------------------------------------
i started this some time ago!! but decided not to log until i got to 50 pages now im really reading it. if your name is maryam, ignore this review. mixed opinions on this so far.
update: ab poranek im ur biggest fan 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ this book is coming out on my BIRTHDAYYY WE'RE LITERALLY FATED.
where the dark stands still ruined my life... so i will DEFINITELY be tuned in for this book 🥳🥳
finally facing my fears and writing this review... prepare for incoherence
summary: sorceress Odile is prepared to execute a magical heist that took 17 years worth of preparation, but when the king of Aureal unexpectedly dies, she must get to the bottom of all the intrigues and mysteries that await her beneath the facades of royalty, all with the help of Marie d'Odette. she is put through a journey of self-discovery and has to face her evil father. (????)
this is a YA romantasy !
« ☆ —⋆——꒰ঌ·☆·໒꒱ ——⋆— ☆ » ☆ —⋆——꒰ঌ·☆·໒꒱ ——⋆— ☆ »
yes, this is a YA romantasy. & this romantasy promises a swan lake retelling in a france setting with french mythology, from the POV of the villain Odile who then falls in love with Odette.
having read Where the Dark Stands Still from the same author (twice) and ADORING it, i was incredibly excited for this because i thought i'd be getting all those beautiful barbie vibes, and so much tension since we're seeing the villain's perspective. and somehow, this managed to fall SO flat. it was so bad that i could not get myself to believe that this is the author who wrote where the dark stands still.
i still don't believe it. whatever happened, something went very wrong with the editing.
story structure
me being me i'd like to begin with covering the literary aspect of this, because it was all so incredibly messy.
in the first 25%, nothing useful happened at all. all we get from this book is overly-done descriptions and metaphors about ballrooms as a mouth full of teeth, annoying inner monologue from Odile who thinks she is superior and stupid, boring scenes about characters i couldn't care less about !!!!! after the middle or like 75% in is when things start to happen. but even once they do, i'm too frustrated about the first 50% to care and they don't make sense. there is NO depth in this story whatsoever and it literally reads like a first draft with how many writing errors i found. even as i write this review im bored as fuck. i hate talking about this book bc it left me feeling nothing but annoyance. each plot point felt like it was only half-done, like Poranek expected us to be happy and content with that. no depth. no nothing .
my biggest issue of all is that this was not a swan lake retelling. it was a murderer mystery with two characters that had the names as the ones in swan lake and a girl who turned into a swan. everything other than that didn't align, and there were no aspects of this that were enjoyable. i hated the false marketing so much. if you want to pick this up, expect a murderer mystery FIRST and then the swan lake aspect as a secondary thing. it was seriously lacking.
writing
this book seems to prioritize descriptions over the actual plot, but then you soon realize that not even the writing can redeem it. the dialogue was so fucking bad that i literally wanted to rip out my eyes; there are ellipsis on EVERY PAGE. there's not a single piece of dialogue that you'll read without those three dots. i didn't have anything against ellipsis before this story but now i do. how does a writer not understand when to moderate the usage of '...' in speech and in writing in general?? a PUBLISHED AUTHOR.
the characters stuttering was another issue i can't get past. i don't even want to talk about the banter or the dialogue in se. i've never read dialogue so cringy, so bad, so lacking.
since this is set in a french world, several of the names are difficult to remember or pronounce, and the lack of glossary was honestly so difficult to deal with. i still dont remember some names. the worldbuilding was this way as well.
Odile Regnault is the main character, the sorcerer's daughter, the villain. her evil father raised and trained her to know how to pull off heists and steal. i expected a lot more emotional maturity from her, but even if she thinks she's tough and emotionless, she behaves like a whiny edgy 12 year old and her emotional regulation is nonexistent. for someone who claims to be so unfeeling and wicked, she LOVES outbursts. she is, quite literally, INTOLERABLE. i don't know how i managed to finish this book from the pov of such a character, and i don't know how Poranek managed to write her so badly. like you genuinely have to try your hardest to write a character this horrible …
add to this all of the back-and-forth that was happening in her head between trusting her father and hating him and being downright dumb about it. this might be a sensitive topic, about learning to untrust a bad parental figure, but the amount of chances Odile had to see that her father was not who she thought were PLENTLY and they were all overlooked for the sake of the plot, for the sake of making her want to magically realize at the 75% mark.
too many times was Odile forgiven for literally no reason. the characters claimed she was really this amazing person who is so much more than she thinks she is but babygirl... she already thinks she's everything 😭😭 she had this whole 'im-a-wicked-villain-and-im-better-than-u-all' demeanor, which made her do a HORRIBLE job at the heist she was supposed to perform. THAT'S when you know it's forced, when the main character has done nothing for anyone or anything but all the other characters think otherwise.
when i ask for a nothingburger at mcdonald's and they pull out Marie d'Odette d'Auvigny !!! 😫😫 from Odile's abysmal narration we gather that Marie is an adventurous soul who wants to be free and wants to fly, she's wild and creative etc etc. but where does this actually show? cus it's definitely not in this book. all Marie does throughout is go with whatever Odile tells her to and stays quiet throughout everything, proving that she's indeed a wildcard with a free spirit who longs to disobey rules and fly!! soft fmcs are my favs yet even i couldnt care less for Marie. she is ONLY there for the sake of Odile, and though her involvement in the plot may make it seem otherwise, it all feels like an illusion. she's not really important.
romance & found family 💨🏃➡️
Poranek so badly wanted us to believe that Marie and Odile would be a match made in heaven, that lackluster development + cringy banter + Odile's outbursts + Marie's nothingness = a love story full of depth and tension.
WRONG 🤗🤗
as is typical of Odile's erratic character, she treated Marie like absolute SHIT and then made all the guilt she was feeling about herself. she was selfish and even by the end of the story, when they were falling in love, Odile had not improved even by a little bit. besides switching between her swan form and her human form, nothing about Marie changed, either: all she did was continue to forgive Odile for what?? of course, an important part of this story was the lesson of forgiving bad people and whatever, but Odile didn't do anything to mend her mistakes. if she did then i certainly don't remember, so for Marie to continue wanting to be around her made no sense.
like previously mentioned, their banter was cringe and forced, and every time Poranek wrote a moment between them that was meant to be cute i had to put down the book for a few. this was such a downgrade compared to her first book, her debut.
at 75% the little found family group had been formed, and when i tell u i couldn't give less of a damn about these characters??? like i saw the forced found family from a mile away but i was still surprised when the characters were gathering together as though they'd kill for each other. THEY HARDLY KNEW EACH OTHER.
« ☆ —⋆——꒰ঌ·☆·໒꒱ ——⋆— ☆ » ☆ —⋆——꒰ঌ·☆·໒꒱ ——⋆— ☆ »
ending the review here bc irdgaf anymore but let's just say i'm so disappointed. i can't believe Poranek wrote an absolute gem of a story just to come out with this flop 😭
--------------
there's nothing worse than an author u loved utterly disappointing u with their 2nd book 😟😟 this was DREADFUL, and im angry as fuck.
-------------------------------------
i started this some time ago!! but decided not to log until i got to 50 pages now im really reading it. if your name is maryam, ignore this review. mixed opinions on this so far.
update: ab poranek im ur biggest fan 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ this book is coming out on my BIRTHDAYYY WE'RE LITERALLY FATED.
where the dark stands still ruined my life... so i will DEFINITELY be tuned in for this book 🥳🥳
October 13, 2025
now what took me so long to read this?? LOVED the atmosphere, was totally engaged in the plot (i read along with the audiobook) and while the romance could’ve been a tad more developed for my taste they ultimately stole my heart (also loved the ode to barbie)
thank you to simon teen for finished copy!!
thank you to simon teen for finished copy!!
May 4, 2025
A sapphic Swan Lake retelling with delicious slow burn and a trickster, witty villainess (who just wants to be loved, someone hug her).
I’m not the delicate, white-feathered bird they believe me to be. I’m the darkness of cold gutters and merciless nights, the bruised shadows beneath a thief’s desperate eyes. I’m nothing but a lie, a twisted reflection, a black swan.
Odile aims to bring magic back by gaining the
trust of Marie d’Odette, taking her place, seducing the Dauphin of Auréal, and fool him long enough to steal the Crown.
Odile has a past with Marie and it is easy to trick her and magic the beatific swan into an actual white swan. It is easy to become Marie and win her way into the Prince’s trust.
It is not so easy when Odile starts to realise maybe she starts to trust them too.
If the Théâtre is a gluttonous creature, the Château is a violent one, bleak and lifeless against the pit of night. Its towers are sharp as wolf’s teeth, the few lit windows slit like a snake’s pupils. There’s something vigilant about it, something prowling–as though it is grinning, lips pulled back, a predator anticipating a kill.
This reminded me of The Little Thieves waaay too much. Both a positive and negative thing. To be compared to one of my favourite YA fantasy series, but also I couldn’t look past the similarities at times.
Take the main character energy.
The camaraderie Odile views as ridiculous (but she finds herself enjoying too much).
The whole swapping places and coming to see things aren’t always brighter on the other side.
Everyone in this story longs for freedom. The character work and emotions were spectacular.
There is yearning throughout - for more, for love, for difference.
She laughs, and it sounds like spring rain, pure and sweet. I want to gather it up in my palms, feel it trickle between my fingers. I want to forget I ever heard it.
If you want absolutely no SPOILERS whatsoever, don’t read on. They are not explicit, just general feelings about the ending.
What I didn’t like:
This had an emotionally wrung ending, then suddenly changed pace to make it seem like it wasn’t going to be a standalone, and then…
Well, I’ll let you find out.
I just didn’t like it, and in the author’s note, it seems this was a decision made coming off responses from her previous standalone; Where The Dark Stands Still.
Sadly, no sassy, purple unicorn nor ballet.
Gorgeous arc gifted by Penguin Random House UK Children’s.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
I’m not the delicate, white-feathered bird they believe me to be. I’m the darkness of cold gutters and merciless nights, the bruised shadows beneath a thief’s desperate eyes. I’m nothing but a lie, a twisted reflection, a black swan.
Odile aims to bring magic back by gaining the
trust of Marie d’Odette, taking her place, seducing the Dauphin of Auréal, and fool him long enough to steal the Crown.
Odile has a past with Marie and it is easy to trick her and magic the beatific swan into an actual white swan. It is easy to become Marie and win her way into the Prince’s trust.
It is not so easy when Odile starts to realise maybe she starts to trust them too.
If the Théâtre is a gluttonous creature, the Château is a violent one, bleak and lifeless against the pit of night. Its towers are sharp as wolf’s teeth, the few lit windows slit like a snake’s pupils. There’s something vigilant about it, something prowling–as though it is grinning, lips pulled back, a predator anticipating a kill.
This reminded me of The Little Thieves waaay too much. Both a positive and negative thing. To be compared to one of my favourite YA fantasy series, but also I couldn’t look past the similarities at times.
Take the main character energy.
The camaraderie Odile views as ridiculous (but she finds herself enjoying too much).
The whole swapping places and coming to see things aren’t always brighter on the other side.
Everyone in this story longs for freedom. The character work and emotions were spectacular.
There is yearning throughout - for more, for love, for difference.
She laughs, and it sounds like spring rain, pure and sweet. I want to gather it up in my palms, feel it trickle between my fingers. I want to forget I ever heard it.
If you want absolutely no SPOILERS whatsoever, don’t read on. They are not explicit, just general feelings about the ending.
What I didn’t like:
This had an emotionally wrung ending, then suddenly changed pace to make it seem like it wasn’t going to be a standalone, and then…
Well, I’ll let you find out.
I just didn’t like it, and in the author’s note, it seems this was a decision made coming off responses from her previous standalone; Where The Dark Stands Still.
Sadly, no sassy, purple unicorn nor ballet.
Gorgeous arc gifted by Penguin Random House UK Children’s.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
June 24, 2025
“they will tell the story, later, of the white swan and the black, but they will tell it wrong.”
this one is for the lesbians who grew up on barbie of swan lake 🦢
a treachery of swans is a haunted, gothic retelling of swan lake full of mysteries and sapphic yearning. odile is sent to the palace to steal an enchanted crown, disguised as marie d’odette—but when the king is murdered, she’s forced to turn to turn to the real marie for help and finds her loyalties torn between the sorcerer who raised her and her new companions.
while a treachery of swans wasn’t exactly what i hoped it would be as an adult reader (i think my expectations were a little too high because i’ve heard nothing but good things about poranek’s first novel, where the dark stands still), teenage me would have been obsessed and it’s a YA fantasy, so my rating reflects that! this book is a great example of yearning with a sweet, sapphic romance. odile and marie are both engaging characters and i really enjoyed the dauphin as well, i just wanted more of that dark, atmospheric fairytale vibe—it’s there at the beginning and end, but lacking in the middle. i don’t think i’m quite this book’s target audience anymore, but it was still an enjoyable read and i expect a lot of readers will really love it.
“fighting can be exhausting.”
“so can standing still.”
arc provided by netgalley and simon and schuster children’s publishing in exchange for an honest review.
rating: 3.5/5.0 stars, rounded up
April 27, 2025
A. B. Poranek queen of making me shit tears at the endings
this book was marvellous, so atmospheric and fairytale like and also momentarily scary, I was feeling every emotion possible
Odile, I love her and her scheming, she can do no wrong and Marie, my swan princess made me cry on two separate occasions and that sloooow burn was perfect
this sapphic Swan lake retelling was everything I was hoping it'll be and much more, there were twists I did not seen coming, that left my jaw on the floor and it was so dreamy, it pulled me right into the story and didn't let go until I finished it
and what was that ending??? left me in shambles just like Where the dark stands still did
Thank you Netgalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for honest review.
this book was marvellous, so atmospheric and fairytale like and also momentarily scary, I was feeling every emotion possible
Odile, I love her and her scheming, she can do no wrong and Marie, my swan princess made me cry on two separate occasions and that sloooow burn was perfect
this sapphic Swan lake retelling was everything I was hoping it'll be and much more, there were twists I did not seen coming, that left my jaw on the floor and it was so dreamy, it pulled me right into the story and didn't let go until I finished it
and what was that ending??? left me in shambles just like Where the dark stands still did
Thank you Netgalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for honest review.
August 5, 2025
⋆.˚✮ 5 stars ✮˚.⋆
⤿ Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the physical arc copy in exchange for an honest review!
how fantastic, this utterly encapsulated my attention and drew me into this dark sapphic retelling of Swan Lake. becuase i was a dancer for 14 years of my life i really adore watching ballets, and Swan Lake is my favorite of them that I've seen. when i found out A.B. Poranek was writing this retelling, i was even more thrilled as I loved her debut, Where the Dark Stands Still, which was also five stars for me. happy to say that this landed at a solid five stars for me too, and every piece of it was perfect.
in this story, Odile is a person with magic in a nation that's exiled it, abandoned with her brother when she was a young girl she was taken in by a secret sorcerer. now in the present day, he has prepared her for the heist of a generation, one that is intended at it's end to bring magic back to their nation so that sorcerers will not be hunted and killed. the plan is simple, infiltrate the castle parading around as a princess, steal the enchanted crown and bring magic back. but the plan goes awry when the king is unexpectedly killed and she is forced to recruit Marie d'Odette the princess she is impersonating to unravel the lies and deceit in the castle and the world itself.
there were so many moments where i could see the original Swan Lake story shining though this world and plot it was twisted into, but there were also so many unique elements engineered by Poranek to make a new story. i really really enjoyed this unique magic system, especially how sorcerers have golden blood they need to keep hidden from others. as well, the overall plotline kept me very involved in the story- it was written so perfectly where things were constantly happening but there were great moments for Odette and Odile to connect still. Poranek knows how to perfectly blend these together to create a great story.
i went into this book knowing that this was a sapphic romance story, but i was happily surprised to find out that it was also a queer romance in general, with a male x male couple as well. both of these relationships were well developed and i didn't feel like either of them were rushed. i won't spoil who the other relationship is, but i greatly loved seeing both grow together throughout the story. the ending made me very emotional in terms of the romance, first in a bad way and then a good way, and it was exactly how i was supposed to feel haha.
i cannot recommend this book enough, two five star books in a row for A.B. Poranek makes me very excited to continue to see what she is going to write in the future. this was utterly perfect and i have actually zero complaints.
↬ trigger warnings: manipulation, child abandonment, animal death and injury, violence and gore, murder and death, depiction of grief, injury and gore
⤿ Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the physical arc copy in exchange for an honest review!
how fantastic, this utterly encapsulated my attention and drew me into this dark sapphic retelling of Swan Lake. becuase i was a dancer for 14 years of my life i really adore watching ballets, and Swan Lake is my favorite of them that I've seen. when i found out A.B. Poranek was writing this retelling, i was even more thrilled as I loved her debut, Where the Dark Stands Still, which was also five stars for me. happy to say that this landed at a solid five stars for me too, and every piece of it was perfect.
in this story, Odile is a person with magic in a nation that's exiled it, abandoned with her brother when she was a young girl she was taken in by a secret sorcerer. now in the present day, he has prepared her for the heist of a generation, one that is intended at it's end to bring magic back to their nation so that sorcerers will not be hunted and killed. the plan is simple, infiltrate the castle parading around as a princess, steal the enchanted crown and bring magic back. but the plan goes awry when the king is unexpectedly killed and she is forced to recruit Marie d'Odette the princess she is impersonating to unravel the lies and deceit in the castle and the world itself.
there were so many moments where i could see the original Swan Lake story shining though this world and plot it was twisted into, but there were also so many unique elements engineered by Poranek to make a new story. i really really enjoyed this unique magic system, especially how sorcerers have golden blood they need to keep hidden from others. as well, the overall plotline kept me very involved in the story- it was written so perfectly where things were constantly happening but there were great moments for Odette and Odile to connect still. Poranek knows how to perfectly blend these together to create a great story.
i went into this book knowing that this was a sapphic romance story, but i was happily surprised to find out that it was also a queer romance in general, with a male x male couple as well. both of these relationships were well developed and i didn't feel like either of them were rushed. i won't spoil who the other relationship is, but i greatly loved seeing both grow together throughout the story. the ending made me very emotional in terms of the romance, first in a bad way and then a good way, and it was exactly how i was supposed to feel haha.
i cannot recommend this book enough, two five star books in a row for A.B. Poranek makes me very excited to continue to see what she is going to write in the future. this was utterly perfect and i have actually zero complaints.
↬ trigger warnings: manipulation, child abandonment, animal death and injury, violence and gore, murder and death, depiction of grief, injury and gore
June 3, 2025
devoured this one!! the sapphic swan lake retelling i didn’t know i needed 🦢🖤
October 11, 2025
absolutely loved this sapphic (and overall queer) swan lake retelling, and getting to meet a b poranek was such a dream 🥹
July 24, 2025
Tender and ravenous in equal measure, this romantic retelling offers a glittering homage to its source material while bringing its shadows into the light. A story worthy of a standing ovation.
Disclaimer: the author is a friend and I was gifted an ARC. All opinions are my own.
CW: violence, abusive parent, blood and gore, gun violence, fantasy prejudice/bigotry, death of father, death of mother (past), grief, illness (past), drowning, self harm, imprisonment, claustrophobia
Disclaimer: the author is a friend and I was gifted an ARC. All opinions are my own.
CW: violence, abusive parent, blood and gore, gun violence, fantasy prejudice/bigotry, death of father, death of mother (past), grief, illness (past), drowning, self harm, imprisonment, claustrophobia
July 15, 2025
Now this is how you do justice to a Swan Lake retelling! This was dark, creepy with the gothic eerie atmosphere and a bit depressing at times which was fitting for the tone of the story. It was everything I could’ve hoped for and more. I loved every minute of it!
And to top it off, that cover was just immaculate!! Chef’s kiss!!! I love how gorgeous they look! Absolutely immaculate. I would frame it if I could!
I loved A.B. Poranek’s novel Where the Dark Stands Still last year, it was one of my favourite reads. This just cements her place as an auto buy author for me now. The writing and story absolutely delivered.
The story follows Odile, who as a young girl befriends noblewoman Marie d’Odette, while her brother, Damian meets the Dauphin of the kingdom. Their paths diverge and reconnect years later. There’s love, betrayal, magic, court politics, and so many twists I didn’t see coming. Found family themes are also strong here (which always has my heart).
But let’s talk about the sapphic romance between Odile and Marie because OH MY GOD. The slow burn!!! The tension!!! The YEARNING!!! Every scene they shared had me holding my breath. Their dialogue was practically poetry! The way they danced around each other’s feelings had me screaming internally. God the dialogues they shared together just oozed yearning. They way they were practically confessing their love for one another but without actually saying the actual words!
I loved how both Odile and Marie are such complicated characters who deeply regret their past actions, which made their long and complicated history all the more real. Odile makes some terrible choices, but I completely understand her reasoning and even root for her at times because her intentions were clear and I empathized with her more than I expected.
My one critique? I just wished the prince and Damian had more scenes cause they were such interesting side characters that deserved more!
I highly recommend this sapphic swan lake inspired retelling if you’re into a gothic atmospheric read with an old theatre house full of costumes and hiding spots that gives Phantom of the Opera vibes!
Thank you @SimonTeen for the ARC!
And to top it off, that cover was just immaculate!! Chef’s kiss!!! I love how gorgeous they look! Absolutely immaculate. I would frame it if I could!
I loved A.B. Poranek’s novel Where the Dark Stands Still last year, it was one of my favourite reads. This just cements her place as an auto buy author for me now. The writing and story absolutely delivered.
The story follows Odile, who as a young girl befriends noblewoman Marie d’Odette, while her brother, Damian meets the Dauphin of the kingdom. Their paths diverge and reconnect years later. There’s love, betrayal, magic, court politics, and so many twists I didn’t see coming. Found family themes are also strong here (which always has my heart).
But let’s talk about the sapphic romance between Odile and Marie because OH MY GOD. The slow burn!!! The tension!!! The YEARNING!!! Every scene they shared had me holding my breath. Their dialogue was practically poetry! The way they danced around each other’s feelings had me screaming internally. God the dialogues they shared together just oozed yearning. They way they were practically confessing their love for one another but without actually saying the actual words!
I loved how both Odile and Marie are such complicated characters who deeply regret their past actions, which made their long and complicated history all the more real. Odile makes some terrible choices, but I completely understand her reasoning and even root for her at times because her intentions were clear and I empathized with her more than I expected.
My one critique? I just wished the prince and Damian had more scenes cause they were such interesting side characters that deserved more!
I highly recommend this sapphic swan lake inspired retelling if you’re into a gothic atmospheric read with an old theatre house full of costumes and hiding spots that gives Phantom of the Opera vibes!
Thank you @SimonTeen for the ARC!
July 31, 2025
*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚
⋆⭒˚.⋆ (07/27/25 - 07/30/25) ⋆⭒˚.⋆
3.5 ☆ ⋆˚꩜｡ 🦢
general thoughts ⋆⭒˚.⋆ 👑
this book COULD HAVE BEEN A FIVE STAR BUT AGGHHHH 💔💔💔 okay like it was really good but not good enough to get any higher than a 3.5 🙁 i LOVED the atmosphere and the swans and the COVER????? the cover will always have me gagged omg pretty women afgshhshshsjsj 🤭🤭 the story was fine until like the last quarter then it really had me enthralled like that one plot twist?? i was GASPING. and the magic was really cool too 😛 i wanted a bit more sapphic-ness and romancey stuff but it was cute!!
characters ⋆⭒˚.⋆ 🤍
odile - i really liked her backstory and she’s SO HOT so that’s a plus 🤭 loved her brother
marie - MY TYPE FR??????? ugh i need her SO BADLY i fear she’s so 🤭🤭
tws/cws ⋆⭒˚.⋆ ‼️
violence, gore, poisoning (sorry if i missed any!! 💗)
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆“‘i told you, sorciere,’ says marie - infuriating, ethereal, unbreakable marie, marie who betrayed me, and whom i betrayed in return. ‘i’m good at puzzles.’”⋆✴︎˚｡⋆
*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚
⋆⭒˚.⋆ (07/27/25 - 07/30/25) ⋆⭒˚.⋆
3.5 ☆ ⋆˚꩜｡ 🦢
general thoughts ⋆⭒˚.⋆ 👑
this book COULD HAVE BEEN A FIVE STAR BUT AGGHHHH 💔💔💔 okay like it was really good but not good enough to get any higher than a 3.5 🙁 i LOVED the atmosphere and the swans and the COVER????? the cover will always have me gagged omg pretty women afgshhshshsjsj 🤭🤭 the story was fine until like the last quarter then it really had me enthralled like that one plot twist?? i was GASPING. and the magic was really cool too 😛 i wanted a bit more sapphic-ness and romancey stuff but it was cute!!
characters ⋆⭒˚.⋆ 🤍
odile - i really liked her backstory and she’s SO HOT so that’s a plus 🤭 loved her brother
marie - MY TYPE FR??????? ugh i need her SO BADLY i fear she’s so 🤭🤭
tws/cws ⋆⭒˚.⋆ ‼️
violence, gore, poisoning (sorry if i missed any!! 💗)
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆“‘i told you, sorciere,’ says marie - infuriating, ethereal, unbreakable marie, marie who betrayed me, and whom i betrayed in return. ‘i’m good at puzzles.’”⋆✴︎˚｡⋆
*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚
August 9, 2025
dnf at 43%
I was so excited for this and really wanted to like it but it's been 4 months since I started the arc and 2 months since the book came out and I just can't force myself anymore.
I am not familiar with the original story of Swan Lake so I essentially went into this as an independent fantasy book and that's where the problem is I believe. The book is unable to hold itself up if the reader is not obsessed with swan lake, or willing to overlook things for the sake of sapphics. As pretentious as it sounds, it's very tell not show. There's no room for individual thinking or inference and it was so frustrating to read. Considering the backstory btw the mcs (met as young teens, had an implied falling out but liked each other then), I'm expecting there to be tension but there's nothing. Even when the stakes are revealed there's still no tension!! Not even the opening betrayal of turning her into a swan and stealing her identity moved me.
The characters are weak, especially odile which is crazy because the entire book is in her pov. The plot is boring and far too convenient for me to take it seriously. I do like the relationship between odile and her brother though, I just wish I cared enough to actually finish the book.
Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC on exchange for an honest review
I was so excited for this and really wanted to like it but it's been 4 months since I started the arc and 2 months since the book came out and I just can't force myself anymore.
I am not familiar with the original story of Swan Lake so I essentially went into this as an independent fantasy book and that's where the problem is I believe. The book is unable to hold itself up if the reader is not obsessed with swan lake, or willing to overlook things for the sake of sapphics. As pretentious as it sounds, it's very tell not show. There's no room for individual thinking or inference and it was so frustrating to read. Considering the backstory btw the mcs (met as young teens, had an implied falling out but liked each other then), I'm expecting there to be tension but there's nothing. Even when the stakes are revealed there's still no tension!! Not even the opening betrayal of turning her into a swan and stealing her identity moved me.
The characters are weak, especially odile which is crazy because the entire book is in her pov. The plot is boring and far too convenient for me to take it seriously. I do like the relationship between odile and her brother though, I just wish I cared enough to actually finish the book.
Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC on exchange for an honest review
November 10, 2025
✩ 5 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓼 *ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚
~
perfection, everything i want in a book <3 no notes (except more screen time for some characters)
~
perfection, everything i want in a book <3 no notes (except more screen time for some characters)
April 20, 2025
oh my GOD what a fucking ride. my brain is too fried to come up with anything aside from gay and beautiful and i wish i could inject this book into my veins and i wish there's a sequel for this but alas... rtc
July 7, 2025
3.5 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
They think I will be an easy meal, I realize, the Swan Princess of Auvigny, pearlescent and pure-hearted and ripe for their devouring. But they’re wrong. I’m not the delicate, white-feathered bird they believe me to be. I’m the darkness of cold gutters and merciless nights, the bruised shadows beneath a thief’s desperate eyes. I’m nothing but a lie, a twisted reflection, a black swan.
A.B. Poranek takes me on another fairytale-esque rendezvous in this lushly gothic Swan Lake retelling.
This story is one grand performance orchestrated by a conniving villainess who seduces us into her game of deceit and treachery.
The raw emotions and the tenderness Odile shows to only Marie was incredibly potent and powerful, despite the mask Odile prefers to wear it easily crumbles around Marie.
The story is quite character-driven as it centers on a wicked plan devised by Odile's adoptive father (the sorcerer) to gain the trust of Marie d’Odette. Take her place. Seduce the Dauphin of Auréal and fool him long enough to steal the Couronne du Roi.
The court politicking takes center stage which means the romance is not as prominent as I hoped it would be, it still is beautifully tender.
However, the pacing felt unstable at times so I had to push myself through some scenes.
Poranek knows how to deliver proper emotional punches at the very last scene
They think I will be an easy meal, I realize, the Swan Princess of Auvigny, pearlescent and pure-hearted and ripe for their devouring. But they’re wrong. I’m not the delicate, white-feathered bird they believe me to be. I’m the darkness of cold gutters and merciless nights, the bruised shadows beneath a thief’s desperate eyes. I’m nothing but a lie, a twisted reflection, a black swan.
A.B. Poranek takes me on another fairytale-esque rendezvous in this lushly gothic Swan Lake retelling.
This story is one grand performance orchestrated by a conniving villainess who seduces us into her game of deceit and treachery.
The raw emotions and the tenderness Odile shows to only Marie was incredibly potent and powerful, despite the mask Odile prefers to wear it easily crumbles around Marie.
The story is quite character-driven as it centers on a wicked plan devised by Odile's adoptive father (the sorcerer) to gain the trust of Marie d’Odette. Take her place. Seduce the Dauphin of Auréal and fool him long enough to steal the Couronne du Roi.
The court politicking takes center stage which means the romance is not as prominent as I hoped it would be, it still is beautifully tender.
However, the pacing felt unstable at times so I had to push myself through some scenes.
Poranek knows how to deliver proper emotional punches at the very last scene
June 3, 2025
"Rothbarte gives me a look midway between resentment and pride. "You were always too clever, weren't you? Impatient, reckless, but clever when forced to be.""
(Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!)
A Treachery of Swans is about the black swan of Swan Lake, a young girl willing to do anything to be loved as she is and gain the power she rightfully deserves even if it means harming those she cares for the most. Even if it means trapping and impersonating her once closest friend, Marie d'Auvingy, and seeking the ruin of the Kingdom. The unfortunate part is that I do not believe her.
This story is one that is character-driven being completely focused on Odile. For that, the entire story suffers due to her being a frustrating character to follow.
Poranek wants the audience to believe that Odile is cunning, sly, viciously manipulative, but she isn't. Odile, when told she needs to act convincingly like Marie, she actively doesn't. She will tell the audience "I know what Marie would say in this situation, but that response is annoying, so I choose not to say it. She barges into rooms, speaks out of turn, acting completely unlike how Marie had been conducting herself in the years following the necklace incident (which from this point on I will refer to as necklace-gate), and sees no consequence. It seems the excuse for why Marie (who is Odile in disguise) is acting so out-of-character is that Anne, the prince's stepmother, doesn't like her. For that reason, Odile is not questioned. In cases where others should find this sudden "wild" behavior of Marie suspicious, no one does, because the author requires Odile to be a prolific actor, she doesn't write Odile to be one.
Further, Odile solves only one aspect of the story's mystery. The other aspects are explained to her, typically by Marie, at length. At one point Marie says she read a journal, explains a key aspect of the mystery, then in the following chapter when she discusses this with the big bad, she's called clever. She didn't solve anything. Why is she being praised for Marie reading one book? It's lackluster, as you're constantly being told that Odile is the one to watch, the villain in the wings, and she's not... particularly good at anything. She's broody in an inauthentic manner. You don't enjoy watching her in the slightest.
Further, we have to discuss necklace-gate. Long story short, Odile and Marie, when they were 13, had a falling out because Marie didn't stand up to her mother to "protect" Odile and Odile stole (and then eventually returned) the necklace she had come to the palace with the intent to steal. The consequences of Odile stealing and returning the necklace are bad for Marie, but Odile sees no consequence. She tells us that while she is threatened with punishment for wearing this necklace when she shouldn't have, no punishments actually come. So, you wonder where her burning feelings of "betrayal" come from, considering in this flashback she continues to speak incredibly poorly of Marie. They are supposedly friends, the best of friends, yet Odile refuses to see Marie's struggles and talks down on her. Few teeny moments where Odile has spurts of affection for Marie doesn't save their interaction. Odile doesn't convincingly like Marie. I cannot stress that by this poorly written flashback ruins the rest of the story.
This leaves us with Odile and Marie's romantic relationship, of which they do not have. There are hardly any scenes where the tension feels genuine. It's there because it has to be. Marie has this unwavering, unconditional love for Odile which is strange considering Odile treats her like garbage pretty much at any chance she can get. The one moment where Marie feels wronged by Odile, she forgives her a few chapters later in a single conversation. No tension. No concern. What's the purpose in this? I suppose it's attempting friends to enemies to lovers but it's completely one sided. The chemistry is nonexistent because there are hardly scenes for Marie and Odile to interact in. While the romantic relationship is a subplot, that doesn't mean their entire relationship to one another doesn't take narrative precedence. They're on the cover together!
All of this made me think of the anime Princess Tutu, a story that uses elements of Nutcracker, Cinderella, Ugly Duckling, and Swan Lake to tell its own fairytale. Rue, the black swan of the story is a villain as well, one who manipulates and hurts the person she claims to love and care for the most. She does these things because it is the kind of love she receives from her father and, therefore, believing it is the only kind of love that exists. When she realizes what she has down and how terrible she has been to this person, she takes ownership of her wrongs and while despairing, finds a way back to that person and apologizes. Odile, in A Treachery of Swans is hand waived all responsibility of her actions by Marie, who suffered the most because of Odile. And we can discuss the moral gray areas of abused individuals becoming abusers but point blank I think there should be an understanding that you are responsible for what you have done and should apologize. Odile... girl. It makes you wonder why this character was chosen as the main POV to begin with.
There's even more I could sit here and discuss, but this is already too many words. This last part I want to offer some recommendations. If you want a dark, brooding main character that feels as though they are responsible for a terrible occurrence who falls in love with a lighthearted "always hopes for the best" kind of person, read A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft. It's written similarly and hits most of the same plot beats as this book but does so in a better manner. The "Odile" of that book is a "villain" for pretty justifiable reasons and while you're hoping for her to make different choices, you root for her nonetheless. The second would be Princess Tutu a 20 year old anime that handles the conversation of abuse and the cyclical nature of abuse very well in comparison to A Treachery of Swans.
2/5 Stars. The bones are pretty, but the substance significantly impairs what could have been.
(Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!)
A Treachery of Swans is about the black swan of Swan Lake, a young girl willing to do anything to be loved as she is and gain the power she rightfully deserves even if it means harming those she cares for the most. Even if it means trapping and impersonating her once closest friend, Marie d'Auvingy, and seeking the ruin of the Kingdom. The unfortunate part is that I do not believe her.
This story is one that is character-driven being completely focused on Odile. For that, the entire story suffers due to her being a frustrating character to follow.
Poranek wants the audience to believe that Odile is cunning, sly, viciously manipulative, but she isn't. Odile, when told she needs to act convincingly like Marie, she actively doesn't. She will tell the audience "I know what Marie would say in this situation, but that response is annoying, so I choose not to say it. She barges into rooms, speaks out of turn, acting completely unlike how Marie had been conducting herself in the years following the necklace incident (which from this point on I will refer to as necklace-gate), and sees no consequence. It seems the excuse for why Marie (who is Odile in disguise) is acting so out-of-character is that Anne, the prince's stepmother, doesn't like her. For that reason, Odile is not questioned. In cases where others should find this sudden "wild" behavior of Marie suspicious, no one does, because the author requires Odile to be a prolific actor, she doesn't write Odile to be one.
Further, Odile solves only one aspect of the story's mystery. The other aspects are explained to her, typically by Marie, at length. At one point Marie says she read a journal, explains a key aspect of the mystery, then in the following chapter when she discusses this with the big bad, she's called clever. She didn't solve anything. Why is she being praised for Marie reading one book? It's lackluster, as you're constantly being told that Odile is the one to watch, the villain in the wings, and she's not... particularly good at anything. She's broody in an inauthentic manner. You don't enjoy watching her in the slightest.
Further, we have to discuss necklace-gate. Long story short, Odile and Marie, when they were 13, had a falling out because Marie didn't stand up to her mother to "protect" Odile and Odile stole (and then eventually returned) the necklace she had come to the palace with the intent to steal. The consequences of Odile stealing and returning the necklace are bad for Marie, but Odile sees no consequence. She tells us that while she is threatened with punishment for wearing this necklace when she shouldn't have, no punishments actually come. So, you wonder where her burning feelings of "betrayal" come from, considering in this flashback she continues to speak incredibly poorly of Marie. They are supposedly friends, the best of friends, yet Odile refuses to see Marie's struggles and talks down on her. Few teeny moments where Odile has spurts of affection for Marie doesn't save their interaction. Odile doesn't convincingly like Marie. I cannot stress that by this poorly written flashback ruins the rest of the story.
This leaves us with Odile and Marie's romantic relationship, of which they do not have. There are hardly any scenes where the tension feels genuine. It's there because it has to be. Marie has this unwavering, unconditional love for Odile which is strange considering Odile treats her like garbage pretty much at any chance she can get. The one moment where Marie feels wronged by Odile, she forgives her a few chapters later in a single conversation. No tension. No concern. What's the purpose in this? I suppose it's attempting friends to enemies to lovers but it's completely one sided. The chemistry is nonexistent because there are hardly scenes for Marie and Odile to interact in. While the romantic relationship is a subplot, that doesn't mean their entire relationship to one another doesn't take narrative precedence. They're on the cover together!
All of this made me think of the anime Princess Tutu, a story that uses elements of Nutcracker, Cinderella, Ugly Duckling, and Swan Lake to tell its own fairytale. Rue, the black swan of the story is a villain as well, one who manipulates and hurts the person she claims to love and care for the most. She does these things because it is the kind of love she receives from her father and, therefore, believing it is the only kind of love that exists. When she realizes what she has down and how terrible she has been to this person, she takes ownership of her wrongs and while despairing, finds a way back to that person and apologizes. Odile, in A Treachery of Swans is hand waived all responsibility of her actions by Marie, who suffered the most because of Odile. And we can discuss the moral gray areas of abused individuals becoming abusers but point blank I think there should be an understanding that you are responsible for what you have done and should apologize. Odile... girl. It makes you wonder why this character was chosen as the main POV to begin with.
There's even more I could sit here and discuss, but this is already too many words. This last part I want to offer some recommendations. If you want a dark, brooding main character that feels as though they are responsible for a terrible occurrence who falls in love with a lighthearted "always hopes for the best" kind of person, read A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft. It's written similarly and hits most of the same plot beats as this book but does so in a better manner. The "Odile" of that book is a "villain" for pretty justifiable reasons and while you're hoping for her to make different choices, you root for her nonetheless. The second would be Princess Tutu a 20 year old anime that handles the conversation of abuse and the cyclical nature of abuse very well in comparison to A Treachery of Swans.
2/5 Stars. The bones are pretty, but the substance significantly impairs what could have been.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2025
4.5 stars
Thank you Simon & Schuster, Netgalley and A. B. Poranek for providing me an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
As someone who LOVES the Swan Lake ballet (and got into it through the cinematic masterpiece 'Barbie in the Swan Lake'), I can say this reimagining is hands down glorious. The lore and visuals from the ballet are alluded to, but always with a singular twist. Even the ending was kept in a way that both honored the original but solidified this version as its own thing. So, if you are a huge fan of the ballet, iI would highly recommend this because it is so satisfying to see all the little nods to it, and imagine perfect scenes as the ballet (e.g. the black swan pas de deux), whilst beiung surprised with the direction this follows.
The characters themselves also kept surprising me, especially when it came to each of their fears and the flaws they try to hide. In particular, our main character (and narrator), Odile/Black Swan has a beautiful arc and I loved how she was able to clear herself from the bitterness of another and understand that the love she thought she'd been given was not true. Because love doesn't lie, manipulate or try to isolate us from the world. It's truly something that I think a lot of people could resonate with because chances are most of us have been caught in toxic relationships.
The quiet growth of Marie Odette/White Swan was very in line with her character, who so desperately needed to stay under the radar and please everyone but herself. Her courage and strength coming through whenever she felt compelled, and her yearning for freedom relatable as a lot of the female experience is about conformity. Every now and then she would surprise me with how much she repressed inside of her and it was really fun to see her break out of her mold at the end.
The romance is slow to develop but the tension was there from the get-go. I love how they learn to trust each other over time, sharing secrets and vulnerabilities that lead to their being able to admit to each other (and themselves) that they don't wish to ignore their feelings, revealing them fully. I thought that the romantic pacing was well executed despite the slow build up, giving time for the reader to fully understand the world, stakes and these characters' flaws and the necessary growth for each.
The only reason this is not five stars is the pacing of the overall plot. I find that it started out with a bang and it became slow almost right after, only picking up closer to the end. It took me a long time to go through the middle as a result, feeling slightly that things were being dragged unnecessarily.
Finally, the ending was a banger. Very true to the source material, but with a perfect epilogue to boot.
Thank you Simon & Schuster, Netgalley and A. B. Poranek for providing me an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
As someone who LOVES the Swan Lake ballet (and got into it through the cinematic masterpiece 'Barbie in the Swan Lake'), I can say this reimagining is hands down glorious. The lore and visuals from the ballet are alluded to, but always with a singular twist. Even the ending was kept in a way that both honored the original but solidified this version as its own thing. So, if you are a huge fan of the ballet, iI would highly recommend this because it is so satisfying to see all the little nods to it, and imagine perfect scenes as the ballet (e.g. the black swan pas de deux), whilst beiung surprised with the direction this follows.
The characters themselves also kept surprising me, especially when it came to each of their fears and the flaws they try to hide. In particular, our main character (and narrator), Odile/Black Swan has a beautiful arc and I loved how she was able to clear herself from the bitterness of another and understand that the love she thought she'd been given was not true. Because love doesn't lie, manipulate or try to isolate us from the world. It's truly something that I think a lot of people could resonate with because chances are most of us have been caught in toxic relationships.
The quiet growth of Marie Odette/White Swan was very in line with her character, who so desperately needed to stay under the radar and please everyone but herself. Her courage and strength coming through whenever she felt compelled, and her yearning for freedom relatable as a lot of the female experience is about conformity. Every now and then she would surprise me with how much she repressed inside of her and it was really fun to see her break out of her mold at the end.
The romance is slow to develop but the tension was there from the get-go. I love how they learn to trust each other over time, sharing secrets and vulnerabilities that lead to their being able to admit to each other (and themselves) that they don't wish to ignore their feelings, revealing them fully. I thought that the romantic pacing was well executed despite the slow build up, giving time for the reader to fully understand the world, stakes and these characters' flaws and the necessary growth for each.
The only reason this is not five stars is the pacing of the overall plot. I find that it started out with a bang and it became slow almost right after, only picking up closer to the end. It took me a long time to go through the middle as a result, feeling slightly that things were being dragged unnecessarily.
Finally, the ending was a banger. Very true to the source material, but with a perfect epilogue to boot.
June 23, 2025
this is AB Poranek’s second novel and she has only further solidified herself as an auto-buy author for me!
a treachery of swans follows our main character odile, who is tasked for the biggest heist of her life - infiltrate the castle, impersonate a princess, steal the crown, and restore magic in the kingdom, super simple stuff!!!! (of course everything goes wrong 🤩)
I really enjoyed the writing and the story flowed so well between scenes! multiple times I didn’t realize how much I had read in one sitting because of how immersive it was. I loved the setting and how it was based on the swan lake, but also had characteristics that made it stand on its own as a separate story.
I adored odile as a character, she’s flawed and complex and has so many layers to her! she was a villain in the best way possible and you can’t help but root for her. marie was the perfect antithesis to odile’s character and the YEARNING between them had me feeling all types of way 🤭 I just couldn’t get over how adorable the two of them were!
overall thoughts - this was a wonderful gothic YA fantasy with complex characters and an interesting plot. I would recommend this for people who enjoy the works of adalyn grace, ava reid, and allison saft!
thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and AB Poranek for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
a treachery of swans follows our main character odile, who is tasked for the biggest heist of her life - infiltrate the castle, impersonate a princess, steal the crown, and restore magic in the kingdom, super simple stuff!!!! (of course everything goes wrong 🤩)
I really enjoyed the writing and the story flowed so well between scenes! multiple times I didn’t realize how much I had read in one sitting because of how immersive it was. I loved the setting and how it was based on the swan lake, but also had characteristics that made it stand on its own as a separate story.
I adored odile as a character, she’s flawed and complex and has so many layers to her! she was a villain in the best way possible and you can’t help but root for her. marie was the perfect antithesis to odile’s character and the YEARNING between them had me feeling all types of way 🤭 I just couldn’t get over how adorable the two of them were!
overall thoughts - this was a wonderful gothic YA fantasy with complex characters and an interesting plot. I would recommend this for people who enjoy the works of adalyn grace, ava reid, and allison saft!
thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and AB Poranek for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 29, 2025
˖ ࣪ ⟡˚ 4.25 stars ˚⟡ ࣪ ˖
childhood friends now enemies to lovers lesbians + forbidden love gays? that’s all you need to know.
immaculate 🤌
childhood friends now enemies to lovers lesbians + forbidden love gays? that’s all you need to know.
immaculate 🤌
June 6, 2025
This is not NOT a monster romance👀
June 30, 2025
my first 5 star read in over a year, and it's from the same author? we love to see it
August 1, 2025
I don’t read a lot of YA these days, but I’m glad I made an exception for this one. Atmospheric setting, assured writing, antiheroine, queer romance, compelling magic, and of course, shades of Swan Lake!
Thoroughly enjoyed.
Thoroughly enjoyed.
Want to read
August 19, 2024Please please please please please plea-
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