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Siren Spell
A modern Russian fairytale retelling of deadly sirens, ballet, and theatre that's perfect for a dark night. In this tale Kirkus calls "strong and insightful", Giselle dreams of dancing in the ballet for which she was named, but her grandmother issues a haunting warning against performing the ballet, lest it lure the vain and deadly sirens who inspired the tale back to town. When the creatures arrive and begin claiming lives, Giselle is forced to choose between her passion for dance and saving the boy who whispers poems to her, snatching backstage kisses.
389 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 14, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 18, 2018
I was very pleasantly surprised by this book! There are so few reviews that it made me hesitant to pick it up but I’m so glad I did because I thoroughly enjoyed it! I haven’t often come across stories about sirens so this one was a special treat and it was sirens well done on top of it. I really loved how the author wove the legend of the sirens together with dance, it made for such an enthralling story. I really enjoyed the details we got about dance as well, it was really interesting and you could tell the author knew her stuff. My only minor issue is that I didn’t really connect with any characters but I really enjoyed the story nonetheless.
March 26, 2016
Its easy to tell when an author does no research and just sort of, "makes stuff up." Unless it's distracting to the main story (*cough Anna and the French Kiss *cough) most readers just notice the issue, sigh, and move on, especially in the fantasy genre. However, the clear amount of research that went into getting the dance aspect correct made the story so very satisfying to a former dancer.
The story centers around Giselle, her family, and the disappearances around Foulweather (Portland) that are blamed on willis, more commonly known as sirens who prey on unfaithful men.
As I stated above, Swanson didn't merely look up a few dance terms and watch a few episodes of Dancing with the Stars to write this story-which is good, seeing as most of the plot revolved around dance. She clearly talked with people who had done dance for a long time, and threw in details that only someone who had danced would pick up on, such as how hair must be cut (you can't have a part) ideal height, damage done to feet, diet requirements, and the kind of outfits favored by dancers outside of class. This alone elevated the setting so much, even though Swanson did a perfectly serviceable job describing the town of Foulweather and the highschool that Giselle attends.
One of the most interesting aspects of the novel was the approach to the fantasy side of the novel. The story used its fantasy element to reflect the struggles of the main character, but it was never the focus of the story. While I would normally be a lot more interested the the sirens instead of *gag* personal drama, the author handled it extremely well. The siren story was merely there to
enhance the character's inner struggle and it somehow worked.
*Begin Spoilers*
One of my favorite aspects of the book was the contrast between the theater department and the ballet studio. As someone who had been involved in both, I laughed when Giselle, who is used to the strict Russian ballet studio, is stunned into silence when thrown into a production of a Midsummer Night's Dream where the teacher is chummy with all the students and if someone doesn't like an aspect of a script, they cross it out or re-interpret it. It was a lot of fun.
The personal struggle in the book stemmed from Giselle quitting ballet after finding out that she would not be starring in the ballet she was named after even though she was the best, due to her height. She blames her mother (who cast the play) for pushing her away and the boy whose shorter stature caused her not to get the role. Her life is turned upside down, and I appreciated the author treating the situation respectfully; not dismissing the issue like Giselle was making a big deal out of nothing, and clearly indicating why Giselle acted the way she did even when she was in the wrong.
The family elements were done well here, too. Even characters who had a few lines were at least outlined enough to feel like real people, not plot devices. And the romance (which clearly shown to be damaging instead of good) didn't overwhelm the story.
The climax where the sirens force the boy who had wronged her to dance to his death and Giselle finally lets go of her hurt and decides to forgive who had wronged her, imagined slights and real ones, didn't feel cheesy, but powerful.
*End Spoilers*
Overall, it's hard for me to shout to the rooftops about this book since even though it was well-written, the things that made this book so good for me were personal. I love dance, I love drama, and I loved how the author addressed a common emotions that can tear teenagers apart (change, jealously, betrayal, lust, and lifelong passions.) I loved how well the stories of the ballet, the sirens Giselle, her family, and the play all intertwined seamlessly without ever feeling forced. It hit all of my reader sweet spots, and I hope that Cidney Swanson considers writing other one-offs like this in the future.
Color me impressed.
The story centers around Giselle, her family, and the disappearances around Foulweather (Portland) that are blamed on willis, more commonly known as sirens who prey on unfaithful men.
As I stated above, Swanson didn't merely look up a few dance terms and watch a few episodes of Dancing with the Stars to write this story-which is good, seeing as most of the plot revolved around dance. She clearly talked with people who had done dance for a long time, and threw in details that only someone who had danced would pick up on, such as how hair must be cut (you can't have a part) ideal height, damage done to feet, diet requirements, and the kind of outfits favored by dancers outside of class. This alone elevated the setting so much, even though Swanson did a perfectly serviceable job describing the town of Foulweather and the highschool that Giselle attends.
One of the most interesting aspects of the novel was the approach to the fantasy side of the novel. The story used its fantasy element to reflect the struggles of the main character, but it was never the focus of the story. While I would normally be a lot more interested the the sirens instead of *gag* personal drama, the author handled it extremely well. The siren story was merely there to
enhance the character's inner struggle and it somehow worked.
*Begin Spoilers*
One of my favorite aspects of the book was the contrast between the theater department and the ballet studio. As someone who had been involved in both, I laughed when Giselle, who is used to the strict Russian ballet studio, is stunned into silence when thrown into a production of a Midsummer Night's Dream where the teacher is chummy with all the students and if someone doesn't like an aspect of a script, they cross it out or re-interpret it. It was a lot of fun.
The personal struggle in the book stemmed from Giselle quitting ballet after finding out that she would not be starring in the ballet she was named after even though she was the best, due to her height. She blames her mother (who cast the play) for pushing her away and the boy whose shorter stature caused her not to get the role. Her life is turned upside down, and I appreciated the author treating the situation respectfully; not dismissing the issue like Giselle was making a big deal out of nothing, and clearly indicating why Giselle acted the way she did even when she was in the wrong.
The family elements were done well here, too. Even characters who had a few lines were at least outlined enough to feel like real people, not plot devices. And the romance (which clearly shown to be damaging instead of good) didn't overwhelm the story.
The climax where the sirens force the boy who had wronged her to dance to his death and Giselle finally lets go of her hurt and decides to forgive who had wronged her, imagined slights and real ones, didn't feel cheesy, but powerful.
*End Spoilers*
Overall, it's hard for me to shout to the rooftops about this book since even though it was well-written, the things that made this book so good for me were personal. I love dance, I love drama, and I loved how the author addressed a common emotions that can tear teenagers apart (change, jealously, betrayal, lust, and lifelong passions.) I loved how well the stories of the ballet, the sirens Giselle, her family, and the play all intertwined seamlessly without ever feeling forced. It hit all of my reader sweet spots, and I hope that Cidney Swanson considers writing other one-offs like this in the future.
Color me impressed.
June 4, 2019
Siren Spell had been wasting away on my Kindle for nearly a year. I decided to take a chance on this YA fantasy and I'm so glad I did. It has a lot of my favorite elements: Russian culture, ballet, high school drama, murder and a splash of horror lite. I will politely overlook the love triangle.
In truth I almost put this down in the first 10 pages because Swanson came in hard and fast with the siren mythology and it was a little to much. Luckily, she backed off once information overload was complete and the story began to work its charm.
I took off a star because there wasn't as much ballet in this book as advertised. I would prefer it to be the main event as in some of my other favorites like Aria of the Sea or Wildwood Dancing, etc. Luckily I will accept drama as an acceptable alternative having been a drama nerd in high school. I did find it a little bit hard to believe that Giselle was star dancer and also just happened to be good enough to cast as a lead in the play, but I am willing to suspend belief this once.
Despite these minor gripes that probably wouldn't pertain to the average reader, I found Siren Spell to be better than average YA with appealing characters and a lot of heart. Babushka muttering "Ochre, ochre" hit my funny bone just right on more than a few occasions. In addition, the book had a wonderful atmosphere that felt like grey skies and hygge with a touch of that nebulous prickling feeling that causes your hair to stand on end.
On an extremely random side note: I am one of those people that enjoys the little details that others may find annoying. In Siren Spell, the family often ate soup as they are dancers that need to maintain their figures. One night they made dumpling soup which so captured my imagination that I took it upon myself to do the same. I made "Lightning Photon Soup" from the blog Foraging at Home which I found after a quick Internet search. It was a huge success and both my husband and I decided that it was a welcome addition to our meal rotation.
I heartily recommend Siren Spell to those who enjoy YA with some suspenseful fantasy elements and family drama.
In truth I almost put this down in the first 10 pages because Swanson came in hard and fast with the siren mythology and it was a little to much. Luckily, she backed off once information overload was complete and the story began to work its charm.
I took off a star because there wasn't as much ballet in this book as advertised. I would prefer it to be the main event as in some of my other favorites like Aria of the Sea or Wildwood Dancing, etc. Luckily I will accept drama as an acceptable alternative having been a drama nerd in high school. I did find it a little bit hard to believe that Giselle was star dancer and also just happened to be good enough to cast as a lead in the play, but I am willing to suspend belief this once.
Despite these minor gripes that probably wouldn't pertain to the average reader, I found Siren Spell to be better than average YA with appealing characters and a lot of heart. Babushka muttering "Ochre, ochre" hit my funny bone just right on more than a few occasions. In addition, the book had a wonderful atmosphere that felt like grey skies and hygge with a touch of that nebulous prickling feeling that causes your hair to stand on end.
On an extremely random side note: I am one of those people that enjoys the little details that others may find annoying. In Siren Spell, the family often ate soup as they are dancers that need to maintain their figures. One night they made dumpling soup which so captured my imagination that I took it upon myself to do the same. I made "Lightning Photon Soup" from the blog Foraging at Home which I found after a quick Internet search. It was a huge success and both my husband and I decided that it was a welcome addition to our meal rotation.
I heartily recommend Siren Spell to those who enjoy YA with some suspenseful fantasy elements and family drama.
October 19, 2024
This book has been on by TBR for a long time now for approximately 4 years, Due to blurb and reviews i was afraid to pick this beautiful cover book. But i am glad i did and read it within the day. The concept of Siren is amazing that prey on unfaithful people.The story centers around Giselle, her family, and the disappearances around Foulweather, Portland that are blamed on willis who are part of Sirens
I really loved how the author weaves the legend of the sirens together with dance, making it a captivating story. I really enjoyed the author covering the details that we got to know about dance as only someone who had danced would pick up on, such as how hair must be cut , ideal height & weight, damage done to feet, diet requirements, and the kind of outfits favored by dancers outside of class.The only issue is that I didn’t really connect with any characters but I enjoyed the story nonetheless, the dance aspect made the story satisfying especially in the fantasy genre because of it science fiction nature and ballet dance.
The story used its fantasy element to reflect the struggles of the main character, but it was never the focus of the story. The siren story was merely there to enhance the character's inner struggle and it somehow worked.
In Conclusion, Overall, it was well-written, the things that made this book so good for me were personal. I love dance, I love drama, and I loved how the author addressed common emotions that can tear teenagers apart like change, jealousy, betrayal, lust, and lifelong passions. I loved how well the stories of the ballet, the sirens Giselle, her family, and the play all intertwined seamlessly without ever feeling forced.
I really loved how the author weaves the legend of the sirens together with dance, making it a captivating story. I really enjoyed the author covering the details that we got to know about dance as only someone who had danced would pick up on, such as how hair must be cut , ideal height & weight, damage done to feet, diet requirements, and the kind of outfits favored by dancers outside of class.The only issue is that I didn’t really connect with any characters but I enjoyed the story nonetheless, the dance aspect made the story satisfying especially in the fantasy genre because of it science fiction nature and ballet dance.
The story used its fantasy element to reflect the struggles of the main character, but it was never the focus of the story. The siren story was merely there to enhance the character's inner struggle and it somehow worked.
In Conclusion, Overall, it was well-written, the things that made this book so good for me were personal. I love dance, I love drama, and I loved how the author addressed common emotions that can tear teenagers apart like change, jealousy, betrayal, lust, and lifelong passions. I loved how well the stories of the ballet, the sirens Giselle, her family, and the play all intertwined seamlessly without ever feeling forced.
September 16, 2018
I have to say that I honestly was not sure what to expect from this book, but I am glad I gave it a chance. This book is well written and the research that Cidney Swanson had to do on the whole dance world in order to write this story as well as she did is very impressive. I learned a lot just by this story.
Giselle is determined to land the main role in a ballet that she is named for. Her grandmother who is Russian warns her that she thinks this is a bad idea because she has always heard that this play will draw these mean siren's back into the town when they are not welcome at all.
This story is so well orchestrated with the ballet world and the folklore world messing together to provide us with a great story. This is also a coming of age story for Giselle that I thought was done well too.
With Giselle being the main character, she soon discovers for herself who the sirens are actually after. They prey on unfaithful men so when Giselle figures it all out, she is able to play the role of her character that much better.
This was a good read and I was impressed with how Cidney Swanson wove the world of ballet with the world of fantasy and sirens so well. I recommend that you give this one a chance for yourself, you might be pleasantly surprised as I was!
Giselle is determined to land the main role in a ballet that she is named for. Her grandmother who is Russian warns her that she thinks this is a bad idea because she has always heard that this play will draw these mean siren's back into the town when they are not welcome at all.
This story is so well orchestrated with the ballet world and the folklore world messing together to provide us with a great story. This is also a coming of age story for Giselle that I thought was done well too.
With Giselle being the main character, she soon discovers for herself who the sirens are actually after. They prey on unfaithful men so when Giselle figures it all out, she is able to play the role of her character that much better.
This was a good read and I was impressed with how Cidney Swanson wove the world of ballet with the world of fantasy and sirens so well. I recommend that you give this one a chance for yourself, you might be pleasantly surprised as I was!
February 23, 2018
From beginning to end I loved this book, all the elements where wonderfully woven together. The author realy did her reaserch on ballet and many other subjects. This book had me feeling creeped out at kne point and then caught up in the whirlwind of emotions at others. The overall theme of pride, acceptance and family was prevalant throughout the book. I would most certanly reccomend this book!
Thanks Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest reveiw.
Thanks Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest reveiw.
August 20, 2021
I admit - I don't know the story of Giselle or much about A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Through the book the stories become clear - both about confused love groupings i.e. he loves her, she loves him, he loves ... with a bit of cheating in the middle. Oh, and throw in some supernatural beings seeking vengeance.
The fictional stories are woven into the surface story.
Well written with engaging characters
Through the book the stories become clear - both about confused love groupings i.e. he loves her, she loves him, he loves ... with a bit of cheating in the middle. Oh, and throw in some supernatural beings seeking vengeance.
The fictional stories are woven into the surface story.
Well written with engaging characters
April 7, 2022
Although I thought this story started out a bit slowly, it picked up steam and I found myself fully engaged. My daughter took ballet through college, and so I enjoyed the insights into ballet which figures prominently in the story. The reference to a ballet posture compared with an “everyone else’s” posture gave me a chuckle. I am most certainly in the latter category and have had that pointed out on many occasions!
October 22, 2022
Mother Daughter Troubles
The conflict in the story is timeless. Mother steps all over daughter's dreams. There is no apology for the hurt. Mother and daughter both suffer. But in the process of working through the pain, Giselle develops greater understanding for her mother, sister, and Grandmother. It's a good story, well written and affirming.
The conflict in the story is timeless. Mother steps all over daughter's dreams. There is no apology for the hurt. Mother and daughter both suffer. But in the process of working through the pain, Giselle develops greater understanding for her mother, sister, and Grandmother. It's a good story, well written and affirming.
April 19, 2023
I am torn between 3 and 4 stars here. I almost dropped it in the middle but then I checked the end of the story and went back and finished it because I liked how it ended. I found a Giselle a little frustrating during the book sometimes but I really like how the story continued and she grew as a character.
May 7, 2018
A very different look at ballet and myth, and the complicated relationship between three generations of the Chekhov family. Loved it!
Want to Read
March 18, 2022🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/17/2022)! 🎁
March 21, 2022
Beautiful Fantasy
A fun read with fantastic and fun characters. Am Exceptional story line with great flavor. A great read while will keep you turning the pages.
A fun read with fantastic and fun characters. Am Exceptional story line with great flavor. A great read while will keep you turning the pages.
February 1, 2023
Well written fantasy.
May 1, 2024
Very nice story.
March 14, 2016
complex, realistic and satisfying
This is the best YA dance fiction book I've read so far. The book shows a love of ballet with a real sense of the dancer's joy and struggle, it takes a humorous and compassionate view of drama people, and it actually has a story beyond a simple plot.
Swanson writes real people--even real teenagers, which is even harder to do, I think--and she asks us to understand them, even when we're not liking them very much. Giselle, the main character, spends much of the book being furious and cold. She's understandably hurt and embarrassed when she loses a lead role she deserves and has come to expect, purely because she's too tall. Her inner dialogues feel painfully accurate and it's easy to understand the choices she makes, especially since she feels badly treated first by her mother and, almost right after, by her first crush, James.
I liked the way Giselle's relationships were handled. On the female side:
Giselle and her sister Katya were each other's strongest supporters;
Katya's friends made room for Giselle in their drama class, even though she got a lead role and they could have resented her;
Giselle's circle of friends could include Morgan, who was kept in the group despite saying rude hurtful things.
THERE MAY BE SPOILERS HERE!!!
On the male side:
The guys in the story were not always strong, brave or intelligent, while the girls did get to be those things. I was very relieved that Giselle actually chose to stand up for herself with James, rather than allowing her physical response to him to choose for her. Too many YA books stick the heroine with an unworthy guy because he's 'hot', as if that makes it okay for him to treat her like a receptacle. The path Giselle's friendship with Marcus took began in a typical YA way with conflict and insult, but it didn't continue like that for long. Instead Giselle took responsibility for her decision to resent Marcus at their first meeting, and he was gracious when she apologized. There was no tired love triangle between Giselle, Marcus and James. When Giselle realized James was not truly interested in her, she didn't fall apart completely or run after the next guy who seemed interested, and Marcus didn't just replace James in the boyfriend role. Instead, Marcus and Giselle developed a very natural feeling friendship, which began with both of them appreciating the other person's gifts and strengths and acknowledging their own weaknesses.
Not all the people in the book are likable:
Ruslana Chekov is a hard woman, James is a smarmy seducer, Morgan, one of Giselle's friends seems to have a nasty streak, and then there are the sirens, who are wholly lost in their own pain and desire for revenge...
Regardless of their unattractive qualities, though, Swenson deepens the power of her story by asking us to care about all of the characters in some way, and it really works. We're not just being asked to witness Giselle's transformation, we're being asked to join her in being changed, either by making different choices or by better understanding the choices we've made.
There's one small off-note in Swenson's portrayal of the woman who tries to buy the dance studio out from under the Chekovs--there's nothing to like about her, and she's the one character who comes close to being a cardboard villain. The story might have been even better if she'd been given a few good points to temper her role as the rapacious bigot who tramples over any and everyone, but her part is so small that I think it's a very minor issue.
This is the best YA dance fiction book I've read so far. The book shows a love of ballet with a real sense of the dancer's joy and struggle, it takes a humorous and compassionate view of drama people, and it actually has a story beyond a simple plot.
Swanson writes real people--even real teenagers, which is even harder to do, I think--and she asks us to understand them, even when we're not liking them very much. Giselle, the main character, spends much of the book being furious and cold. She's understandably hurt and embarrassed when she loses a lead role she deserves and has come to expect, purely because she's too tall. Her inner dialogues feel painfully accurate and it's easy to understand the choices she makes, especially since she feels badly treated first by her mother and, almost right after, by her first crush, James.
I liked the way Giselle's relationships were handled. On the female side:
Giselle and her sister Katya were each other's strongest supporters;
Katya's friends made room for Giselle in their drama class, even though she got a lead role and they could have resented her;
Giselle's circle of friends could include Morgan, who was kept in the group despite saying rude hurtful things.
THERE MAY BE SPOILERS HERE!!!
On the male side:
The guys in the story were not always strong, brave or intelligent, while the girls did get to be those things. I was very relieved that Giselle actually chose to stand up for herself with James, rather than allowing her physical response to him to choose for her. Too many YA books stick the heroine with an unworthy guy because he's 'hot', as if that makes it okay for him to treat her like a receptacle. The path Giselle's friendship with Marcus took began in a typical YA way with conflict and insult, but it didn't continue like that for long. Instead Giselle took responsibility for her decision to resent Marcus at their first meeting, and he was gracious when she apologized. There was no tired love triangle between Giselle, Marcus and James. When Giselle realized James was not truly interested in her, she didn't fall apart completely or run after the next guy who seemed interested, and Marcus didn't just replace James in the boyfriend role. Instead, Marcus and Giselle developed a very natural feeling friendship, which began with both of them appreciating the other person's gifts and strengths and acknowledging their own weaknesses.
Not all the people in the book are likable:
Ruslana Chekov is a hard woman, James is a smarmy seducer, Morgan, one of Giselle's friends seems to have a nasty streak, and then there are the sirens, who are wholly lost in their own pain and desire for revenge...
Regardless of their unattractive qualities, though, Swenson deepens the power of her story by asking us to care about all of the characters in some way, and it really works. We're not just being asked to witness Giselle's transformation, we're being asked to join her in being changed, either by making different choices or by better understanding the choices we've made.
There's one small off-note in Swenson's portrayal of the woman who tries to buy the dance studio out from under the Chekovs--there's nothing to like about her, and she's the one character who comes close to being a cardboard villain. The story might have been even better if she'd been given a few good points to temper her role as the rapacious bigot who tramples over any and everyone, but her part is so small that I think it's a very minor issue.
November 22, 2015
Cidney Swanson has done it again! If you aren't a fan of hers by the time you read the Rippler series or the Saving Mars series, I don't know what to say. She definitely made it into my favorite authors category by those two series. But this one book stands alone. I don't think it's going to be a series. It could be I liked the characters enough. But the ending was too satisfying to need to know more.
Not long ago I read an illustrated children's book about mermaids. So I was still in the mood to read more about mermaids.This book did not disappoint me. But it wasn't just about mermaids. It was about family, ballet, Russian immigrants, living with a single mom and a grandmother. It was about two sisters who were teenagers, who are somewhat typical as teens. It is always difficult being a teenager and it is always difficult to have a teenager. Teens need to become their own person and feel the parents are in the way. Parents just tried to guide their children as they always have. And so it is in this book. What I liked about how Cidney Swanson does it, is there seems to be no judgment from the author about either of those parts of a family. And there wasn't a lot of angsty, teenage romance happening. The adolescent sisters seem to have a bit of common sense in their choosing of friends and boys. It felt more natural to me than a lot of these young adult books do.
It was fun too to notice that this book takes place in Oregon. Is it because I live here now that I notice It more?
If you're looking for a little bit of fun check out Siren Spell. I loved it!
Not long ago I read an illustrated children's book about mermaids. So I was still in the mood to read more about mermaids.This book did not disappoint me. But it wasn't just about mermaids. It was about family, ballet, Russian immigrants, living with a single mom and a grandmother. It was about two sisters who were teenagers, who are somewhat typical as teens. It is always difficult being a teenager and it is always difficult to have a teenager. Teens need to become their own person and feel the parents are in the way. Parents just tried to guide their children as they always have. And so it is in this book. What I liked about how Cidney Swanson does it, is there seems to be no judgment from the author about either of those parts of a family. And there wasn't a lot of angsty, teenage romance happening. The adolescent sisters seem to have a bit of common sense in their choosing of friends and boys. It felt more natural to me than a lot of these young adult books do.
It was fun too to notice that this book takes place in Oregon. Is it because I live here now that I notice It more?
If you're looking for a little bit of fun check out Siren Spell. I loved it!
February 28, 2016
****
I enjoyed Siren Spell. While ballet is prominently featured throughout it is the family history and folklore that stands out. The maturing of main character Giselle never felt forced, but more of a natural progression sparked by circumstances.
I enjoyed Siren Spell. While ballet is prominently featured throughout it is the family history and folklore that stands out. The maturing of main character Giselle never felt forced, but more of a natural progression sparked by circumstances.
March 6, 2016
An amazing story about a girls love for dance, and I, for one, know exactly where she is coming from.
August 30, 2018
A charming book with heavy emphasis on ballet/performance culture.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews