La traición de los cisnes

by A.B. Poranek, David Tejera Expósito (Translator)

EL DESTINO DEL REINO DEPENDE DE QUE ELLA TOME LA DECISIÓN CORRECTA...

La magia está prohibida en Auréal desde hace mucho tiempo. Odile siempre ha sabido que ella sería la responsable de restaurarla.

Criada por un hechicero, ha pasado años preparándose para el robo más importante de su vida. El plan es simple: hacerse pasar por una princesa, infiltrarse en el palacio, robar la corona mágica y devolver la magia al reino.

Pero, tras el inesperado asesinato del rey, se ve obligada a pedir ayuda a Marie, la verdadera princesa. Juntas empiezan a desenmarañar una telaraña de mentiras y engaños que hace que Odile no tenga muy claro en quién confiar.

Pronto, Odile deberá tomar una decisión: ¿elegirá su misión o a la chica de la que se ha enamorado?

UN FASCINANTE RETELLING DE EL LAGO DE LOS CISNES, PERFECTO PARA FANS DE V. E. SCHWAB Y ALLISON SAFT

Genres: Fantasy, Lesbian, Romance, Queer, LGBT, Retellings, Young Adult

416 pages, Paperback

First published June 24, 2025

About the author

A. 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.

Reviews

[nikki | ཐི༏ཋྀ​​݁ ₊ ݁ . · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[A.B. Poranek · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[˚ཐི adri ཋྀ˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

You see the way I pre-saved this book? very demure… very mindful… A gothic swan lake retelling AND they’re sapphic? very cutesy! 🦢

[jenny reads a lot · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Sylvie {Semi-Hiatus} · Rating 4 out of 5]

*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. 😫

[Cristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[lexie · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!!

[rose ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“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

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

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[jagodasbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Kalena ୨୧ · Rating 5 out of 5]

⋆.˚✮ 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

[alyssa✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

devoured this one!! the sapphic swan lake retelling i didn’t know i needed 🦢🖤

[DianaRose · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely loved this sapphic (and overall queer) swan lake retelling, and getting to meet a b poranek was such a dream 🥹

[bri · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

[tazzy!! ☆ ⋆˚꩜｡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚


⋆⭒˚.⋆ (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.’”⋆✴︎˚｡⋆


*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

[kezzie ʚ♡ɞ · Rating 5 out of 5]

✩ 5 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓼 *ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚
~
perfection, everything i want in a book <3 no notes (except more screen time for some characters)

[zara · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

[✩ Yaz ✩ · Rating 3 out of 5]

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

[sakurablossom95 · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[gracie · Rating 1 out of 5]

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

[ೀ riaaa (school !)⊹ ᰔ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars, rounded down. rtc
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 🥳🥳

[Sabrina · Rating 2 out of 5]

"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.

[inês · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[°❀⋆.monica ೃ࿔*:･ · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[tamara ౨ৎ˚⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

˖ ࣪ ⟡˚ 4.25 stars ˚⟡ ࣪ ˖

childhood friends now enemies to lovers lesbians + forbidden love gays? that’s all you need to know.

immaculate 🤌

[Madi Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not NOT a monster romance👀

[steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

my first 5 star read in over a year, and it's from the same author? we love to see it

[Wendy Darling · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Kat]

Please please please please please plea-

[Abbey Lavinia ꕥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

another 5 ☆ cover!! i have the illumicrate version which is also stunning 😭 i love books!!!!