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Timeless Fairy Tales #7
Swan Lake
Will she choose to save her country or free herself?
Cursed to be a swan by day, Odette spends her nights leading a band of smugglers and delivering illegal goods. Though she longs for her spell to be broken, she is stuck flattering the evil sorcerer who cursed her.
When the kind and witty Prince Alexsei tracks Odette and her crew to their camp, Odette fears he is yet another complication she must manage. Instead, Alexsei slowly endears himself to her and searches for a way to break her curse--but with every visit he risks alerting the sorcerer to his presence.
When the sorcerer launches an attack against the royal family, Odette is pulled between her love for Alexsei and her loyalties to her crew. Will she choose to fight with Alexsei, or fulfill her responsibilities as a leader and smuggler?
SWAN LAKE is retelling of the ballet, and is the seventh book of the TIMELESS FAIRY TALES series. The books in this series take place in the same world and can be read all together, or as individual, stand-alone books. If you enjoy compelling characters, sweet romance, and magical jokes, download a sample or buy it today!
Cursed to be a swan by day, Odette spends her nights leading a band of smugglers and delivering illegal goods. Though she longs for her spell to be broken, she is stuck flattering the evil sorcerer who cursed her.
When the kind and witty Prince Alexsei tracks Odette and her crew to their camp, Odette fears he is yet another complication she must manage. Instead, Alexsei slowly endears himself to her and searches for a way to break her curse--but with every visit he risks alerting the sorcerer to his presence.
When the sorcerer launches an attack against the royal family, Odette is pulled between her love for Alexsei and her loyalties to her crew. Will she choose to fight with Alexsei, or fulfill her responsibilities as a leader and smuggler?
SWAN LAKE is retelling of the ballet, and is the seventh book of the TIMELESS FAIRY TALES series. The books in this series take place in the same world and can be read all together, or as individual, stand-alone books. If you enjoy compelling characters, sweet romance, and magical jokes, download a sample or buy it today!
203 pages, ebook
First published June 16, 2016
386 people are currently reading
1845 people want to read
About the author
K.M. Shea
119 books4,777 followersMy pen name is K. M. Shea, but my readers—I prefer to call them Champions—call me Kitty.
I love to write funny, clean stories with strong characters. Books like that are among my favorite to read so naturally I love writing stories like that as well. My philosophy is that life is tough, so books should be something that makes you relax and laugh!
VISIT MY FACEBOOK GROUP
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VISIT MY AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE
https://www.amazon.com/K-M-Shea/e/B00...
VISIT MY WEBSITE
https://kmshea.com/
I love to write funny, clean stories with strong characters. Books like that are among my favorite to read so naturally I love writing stories like that as well. My philosophy is that life is tough, so books should be something that makes you relax and laugh!
VISIT MY FACEBOOK GROUP
https://www.facebook.com/groups/27090...
VISIT MY AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE
https://www.amazon.com/K-M-Shea/e/B00...
VISIT MY WEBSITE
https://kmshea.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews
March 2, 2020
"Great gog - He's one of those people:happy, charming, and irritating!"
Swan Lake (Timeless Fairy Tales, #7) by K.M. Shea
So it is YA week on GR and I have posted a few comments proudly proclaiming my love of YA among other genres. I pity adults who think they are to old to read YA. What books they are missing out on!
So while I like YA, I do not often read Fairy Tales, although that seems to be changing. This is a short read about Odette cursed by a sorcerer to become a swan. There are others like her. And she is only a swan for part of the day. The other part, she can take human form.
Naturally, there is a prince and magic involved. It is almost the exact opposite of another YA I read about a month ago, called "The Wicked deep" (which landed on my favorites list). That book was dark, brooding, eerie and haunting.
While this did not land on my faves of all time, it is a short, sweet and fun read that I would recommend to anyone who wants a book to feel uplifted by. The story is sweet as sugar, the cover art is exquisite (as many others have mentioned) and I enjoyed the book very much. Four stars from this proud YA reader!
Swan Lake (Timeless Fairy Tales, #7) by K.M. Shea
So it is YA week on GR and I have posted a few comments proudly proclaiming my love of YA among other genres. I pity adults who think they are to old to read YA. What books they are missing out on!
So while I like YA, I do not often read Fairy Tales, although that seems to be changing. This is a short read about Odette cursed by a sorcerer to become a swan. There are others like her. And she is only a swan for part of the day. The other part, she can take human form.
Naturally, there is a prince and magic involved. It is almost the exact opposite of another YA I read about a month ago, called "The Wicked deep" (which landed on my favorites list). That book was dark, brooding, eerie and haunting.
While this did not land on my faves of all time, it is a short, sweet and fun read that I would recommend to anyone who wants a book to feel uplifted by. The story is sweet as sugar, the cover art is exquisite (as many others have mentioned) and I enjoyed the book very much. Four stars from this proud YA reader!
June 23, 2016
K.M. Shea is one of the few authors on my automatic buy list. And by automatic buy list, I mean I'll go without food in order to buy her books on the day they come out if I have to.
After the epicness of her Snow Queen books, it took a bit to step back into the world of the Timeless Fairy Tales series (which happens in the same world as the Snow Queen, just in the future).
I enjoyed this book. It was an interesting take on Swan Lake (though, I'm more familiar with the Barbie version and the Swan Princess than I am with the actual ballet). I loved the twist that Odette and the other swans were smugglers. It seemed like a perfectly ingenius idea for a bunch of humans forced to transform into swans. I also really, really liked the twist with Rothbart and the hints about the overarching storyline in the Timeless Fairy Tales. Perhaps we're finally getting closer to discovering the main bad guy and how all of these stories tie together?
However, I didn't connect as much with the characters in this book. I liked them, but I didn't adore them like I do with many of K.M. Shea's characters. It felt like a little more time could've been spent on them. I struggled to remember who was who in the smuggler band and I felt like I really didn't get a good feel for their dynamic.
Still, I really enjoyed this book. I gobbled it up in a few days (would've been shorter if I didn't have to go about life and adulting and stuff).
After the epicness of her Snow Queen books, it took a bit to step back into the world of the Timeless Fairy Tales series (which happens in the same world as the Snow Queen, just in the future).
I enjoyed this book. It was an interesting take on Swan Lake (though, I'm more familiar with the Barbie version and the Swan Princess than I am with the actual ballet). I loved the twist that Odette and the other swans were smugglers. It seemed like a perfectly ingenius idea for a bunch of humans forced to transform into swans. I also really, really liked the twist with Rothbart and the hints about the overarching storyline in the Timeless Fairy Tales. Perhaps we're finally getting closer to discovering the main bad guy and how all of these stories tie together?
However, I didn't connect as much with the characters in this book. I liked them, but I didn't adore them like I do with many of K.M. Shea's characters. It felt like a little more time could've been spent on them. I struggled to remember who was who in the smuggler band and I felt like I really didn't get a good feel for their dynamic.
Still, I really enjoyed this book. I gobbled it up in a few days (would've been shorter if I didn't have to go about life and adulting and stuff).
June 17, 2016
I've read all the books in this series, and compared to other books this one seemed to be a step in the wrong direction.
The plot was good. Shea always has decent plots even if the romance takes forever (not even kissing until they say I love you!). But I found the character development of the main character to be disappointing. Odette has an unrealistic savior complex, but tries to pass herself off as selfish even though it's obvious to absolutely everyone that's she's not, including herself. There was no logical reason for her to hide her good intentions, and I think that took away from the story.
On a more positive note, this book left off with some awesome potential stories. The mystery about Rothbart is especially intriguing. Learning more about Koslovka was cool too since it has been mentioned so often but no information was ever really given. If only the author provided a map.
The plot was good. Shea always has decent plots even if the romance takes forever (not even kissing until they say I love you!). But I found the character development of the main character to be disappointing. Odette has an unrealistic savior complex, but tries to pass herself off as selfish even though it's obvious to absolutely everyone that's she's not, including herself. There was no logical reason for her to hide her good intentions, and I think that took away from the story.
On a more positive note, this book left off with some awesome potential stories. The mystery about Rothbart is especially intriguing. Learning more about Koslovka was cool too since it has been mentioned so often but no information was ever really given. If only the author provided a map.
Want to read
June 22, 2016I LOVE SWAN LAKE!!!! And I LOVE THE TIMELESS FAIRY TALES SERIES BY K.M. SHEA!!!
Can't wait to read this!
Can't wait to read this!
July 18, 2023
4 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️This was a great retelling of Swan Lake. Likable characters, witty banter, cute love story, fun, and adventure. Another great one by Shea!!!
May 12, 2021
I want to point out that I have never seen the full play of Swan Lake. I know the concept to a point due to watching Black Swan featuring Natalie Portman. Now that being said I love Shea’s writing. I first found her through the first book of the series. I loved her twist to these classics and I also love the clean romance.
Swan Lake is about Odette who for four years now has been cursed to be a swan by day and her normal human self by night along with twenty-two others. She meets Prince Alexsei who wins his way into her camp. Odette and Alexsei along with friends have to find a way to break the curse and defeat the evil sorcerer.
Once again I love Shea’s reimagining. I didn’t quite know how I felt about Odette there at first but I did end up liking her. Now she’s not anywhere near my favorites from this series but I will say she ranks above Dylan (The Little Selkie).
Alexsei was adorable and I admired his brother’s dimwittedness as the comedy relief. I can’t wait to jump into the next book and see the adventure continue and how Angelique will help save the day next.
Swan Lake is about Odette who for four years now has been cursed to be a swan by day and her normal human self by night along with twenty-two others. She meets Prince Alexsei who wins his way into her camp. Odette and Alexsei along with friends have to find a way to break the curse and defeat the evil sorcerer.
Once again I love Shea’s reimagining. I didn’t quite know how I felt about Odette there at first but I did end up liking her. Now she’s not anywhere near my favorites from this series but I will say she ranks above Dylan (The Little Selkie).
Alexsei was adorable and I admired his brother’s dimwittedness as the comedy relief. I can’t wait to jump into the next book and see the adventure continue and how Angelique will help save the day next.
July 9, 2016
I love this book series and how the Author writes but lately the books aren't as enjoyable as the first few books of the series. Good characters, nice plot and well written but I still feel something "magical" is missing.
Beside Odette no one was introduced enough - especially as a love interest Alexsei was rather boring even if he had potential as someone interesting to read about) I would have loved to know more about Odile, Benno and Yakov... I know it was Odette's (and Alexsei's) story, but still...
Beside Odette no one was introduced enough - especially as a love interest Alexsei was rather boring even if he had potential as someone interesting to read about) I would have loved to know more about Odile, Benno and Yakov... I know it was Odette's (and Alexsei's) story, but still...
January 3, 2019
A Beautiful Retelling
I don't know much about the story of Swan Lake, my previous exposures are limited to a Barbie movie and The Swan Princess. That being said, I loved this retelling.
The evil sorcerer, Rothbart, has cursed Odette to turn into a swan by day. In this story, she has 22 other cursed companions who make up a smuggling ring. When the crown prince tries to shoot one of her swans, she goes to the palace to confront him, and get him to stop. Instead, she meets his brother, Alexsei. Alexsei, and the Crown Prince won't leave her alone after that. They insist on helping her, and in Prince Yakov's case, annoying her.
The female characters in this story really shined, from Odette, to the Empress, to the princes' childhood friend. These women were strong, brave, and had a biting wit. I especially loved the way that the Empress talked to her sons. The romance between Odette and the prince was very sweet. I loved the moments between them when she was a swan.
This was a great addition to the Timeless Fairytale series. It can stand alone. Since the other stories are so great, I wouldn't recommend missing them though. I can't wait to see what story comes next!
Content: clean (mild action scenes, some kissing), appropriate for a young audience.
I don't know much about the story of Swan Lake, my previous exposures are limited to a Barbie movie and The Swan Princess. That being said, I loved this retelling.
The evil sorcerer, Rothbart, has cursed Odette to turn into a swan by day. In this story, she has 22 other cursed companions who make up a smuggling ring. When the crown prince tries to shoot one of her swans, she goes to the palace to confront him, and get him to stop. Instead, she meets his brother, Alexsei. Alexsei, and the Crown Prince won't leave her alone after that. They insist on helping her, and in Prince Yakov's case, annoying her.
The female characters in this story really shined, from Odette, to the Empress, to the princes' childhood friend. These women were strong, brave, and had a biting wit. I especially loved the way that the Empress talked to her sons. The romance between Odette and the prince was very sweet. I loved the moments between them when she was a swan.
This was a great addition to the Timeless Fairytale series. It can stand alone. Since the other stories are so great, I wouldn't recommend missing them though. I can't wait to see what story comes next!
Content: clean (mild action scenes, some kissing), appropriate for a young audience.
May 6, 2019
Another good retelling. This series is a good fit for my tastes. They are uplifting and happy so those who like their fairy tales to be dark and include brutal losses won't be satisfied. The tales are loosely based on their originals but contain enough to be recognizable. The characters are varied and populated with strong females of many types and also portray strong relationships amongst females. The male characters are not diminished to make the heroine shine.
All the stories in this series include action, adventure, character development and diverse types of strong females (and heroes). There is some light romance, and no real steam as they are clean books. Basically they're just good fun escapist readings that are very satisfying.
All the stories in this series include action, adventure, character development and diverse types of strong females (and heroes). There is some light romance, and no real steam as they are clean books. Basically they're just good fun escapist readings that are very satisfying.
January 16, 2018
Swan Lake is elegant and exciting. This one has beauty, intrigue, and adventure! Faerie tale lovers rejoice, for this one is a magical read!
Evil sorcerers, hell-hounds, and wyverns, oh my! This installment in the Timeless Fairy Tales series was definitely exciting and unique! It offered all of K.M. Shea's writing style charm, strong character building, and full realized fantasy world allure.
I loved the way this one flowed. I loved the excitement of the story and the intrigue of Odette being the leader of a group of smugglers. I also really enjoyed the personality and character twist of Rothbart and his evil sorcery experiments!
As always, the faerie tale world that Shea has created was alluring and captivating. It was so well developed and came to life in the story. Everything was vivid and vivacious! Since book one in this series, I have felt like I have been living in a beautiful dream world.
The characters were so well done, as always. Odette stood out to me because of her fierce loyalty to her group of Swan Smugglers. Alexsei was a strong, noble man that knew he had met his match as Odette was stealing his heart. Odile was moral and caring, and stunned me with her amazing ability, and Alexsei's mother, the empress, wowed me with her humor and intelligence. Odette's band of thieves matched her, well with their individual talents, and followed her with pride.
All my reviews have been gushing, but I have not been able to help myself. Swan Lake was exhilarating and beautiful. It was emotional, humorous, and magical. It had amazing characters, dangerous creatures, an interesting villain, and the expected cameo of a favorite Enchantress In Training. It was a love story, not just between Odette and Alexsei, but a love story among friends. It was powerful and entertaining, and definitely a must read!
Thank you to the author for sending me this free e-copy in exchange for my honest review, and as part of my Faerie Tale Friday posts.
Evil sorcerers, hell-hounds, and wyverns, oh my! This installment in the Timeless Fairy Tales series was definitely exciting and unique! It offered all of K.M. Shea's writing style charm, strong character building, and full realized fantasy world allure.
I loved the way this one flowed. I loved the excitement of the story and the intrigue of Odette being the leader of a group of smugglers. I also really enjoyed the personality and character twist of Rothbart and his evil sorcery experiments!
As always, the faerie tale world that Shea has created was alluring and captivating. It was so well developed and came to life in the story. Everything was vivid and vivacious! Since book one in this series, I have felt like I have been living in a beautiful dream world.
The characters were so well done, as always. Odette stood out to me because of her fierce loyalty to her group of Swan Smugglers. Alexsei was a strong, noble man that knew he had met his match as Odette was stealing his heart. Odile was moral and caring, and stunned me with her amazing ability, and Alexsei's mother, the empress, wowed me with her humor and intelligence. Odette's band of thieves matched her, well with their individual talents, and followed her with pride.
All my reviews have been gushing, but I have not been able to help myself. Swan Lake was exhilarating and beautiful. It was emotional, humorous, and magical. It had amazing characters, dangerous creatures, an interesting villain, and the expected cameo of a favorite Enchantress In Training. It was a love story, not just between Odette and Alexsei, but a love story among friends. It was powerful and entertaining, and definitely a must read!
Thank you to the author for sending me this free e-copy in exchange for my honest review, and as part of my Faerie Tale Friday posts.
November 8, 2022
I'm slowly making my way through this series. Don't get me wrong. I love each and every book and I really enjoy Shea's writing skills, but it's simply not the kind of series to devour. Very likely because at this point the stories are still very much stand-alones without cliffhangers. However, yesterday I all of a sudden was in the mood again for a nice fairytale retelling and I didn't have that much time to read, so this thinner book in the series seemed perfect!
I have to admit that I'm not really familiar with the original tale of Swan Lake. I read quite a few retellings based on the story, but for some reason it seems hard to find the common elements apart from the prince, the evil sorcerer and of course the girl being a swan by day and a girl by night. Therefore this almost felt like reading an original tale with a very fairytale like vibe and I was constantly curious what would happen next.
What I really loved about this story is that there is so much going on and that it's only after the very last page that we understand everyone's motives and wishes. We have a very nice and decent girl leading the biggest smuggler group in the area. We have a prince who is determined to step out of his brother's shadow, but has no idea how to do it. And we have an evil enchanter who seemingly does the most horrible things just because he likes to. It's all explained eventually and worth waiting for!
Of course the romance in this book is kinda predictable, but I really like how both characters interact and how they really bring the other everything they want and need. Our future princess sees the prince who's not used to being seen and for sure not by girls. Our prince shows kindness, understanding, curiosity and most of all trust. I like that they talk so much and that they both want what's best for the other, even if that's not them.
And there seemed to be some information about the bigger story arc! I'm excited to find out more!
I have to admit that I'm not really familiar with the original tale of Swan Lake. I read quite a few retellings based on the story, but for some reason it seems hard to find the common elements apart from the prince, the evil sorcerer and of course the girl being a swan by day and a girl by night. Therefore this almost felt like reading an original tale with a very fairytale like vibe and I was constantly curious what would happen next.
What I really loved about this story is that there is so much going on and that it's only after the very last page that we understand everyone's motives and wishes. We have a very nice and decent girl leading the biggest smuggler group in the area. We have a prince who is determined to step out of his brother's shadow, but has no idea how to do it. And we have an evil enchanter who seemingly does the most horrible things just because he likes to. It's all explained eventually and worth waiting for!
Of course the romance in this book is kinda predictable, but I really like how both characters interact and how they really bring the other everything they want and need. Our future princess sees the prince who's not used to being seen and for sure not by girls. Our prince shows kindness, understanding, curiosity and most of all trust. I like that they talk so much and that they both want what's best for the other, even if that's not them.
And there seemed to be some information about the bigger story arc! I'm excited to find out more!
Read
October 19, 2022I love K.M. Shea so much, but this is 100% a clean romance so beware of that before going in if you are keen on more spice. Odette here is such a cunning person, perhaps more so than others I have read which I enjoyed a lot. Maybe the best addition for me here is how Odile is portrayed, not as a mastermind as her father but someone who is very shy and struggles. Just very well done imo. However i must admit that this isnt my fave in this series which I think Rumpelstiltskin is or Puss In Boots. However there is nothing wrong with this, just that rhe character selection isn't for me: while Puss in Boots features a prickly heroine which I enjoy just generally more.
February 21, 2018
This fairy tale retelling features humans who turn into swans as a curse from an evil mage. Much to their dismay they are discovered by a prince. Odette, the Swan Queen, works hard to keep her swan family safe while they earn a living as couriers for the kingdoms of the world. The mystery and magic of the mage and his daughter force the swans and the royal family to go on the defensive. All this while the Swan Queen must accept that she is lovable in order to break the curse. It would be a spoiler, but the revelation at the end is the best part!
May 25, 2021
it was fun and a warrior women are always a huge welcome for me to read but i'm starting to feel that all of K.M. Shea's main female characters are just one person because they all have this one unmistakably common trait, they're all illogically selfless and very can't help but sacrifice themself. at least here, the plot more or less was the same, but it ended with a twist at the end that was very surprising. it turned out that Rothbart was a decent guy who loved his daughter! however, I NEED TO KNOW WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING!!!
i think the conflict in this book could be more interesting if only the evil sorceress suzu was included. usually, i love the side characters in K.M. Shea's books but unlike the other books by this author, i think the side characters were not very engaged here, they were only some blurry wallpaper, filling in the background. but it turned out to be a fun read and i still love it.
i think the conflict in this book could be more interesting if only the evil sorceress suzu was included. usually, i love the side characters in K.M. Shea's books but unlike the other books by this author, i think the side characters were not very engaged here, they were only some blurry wallpaper, filling in the background. but it turned out to be a fun read and i still love it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2024
This felt like a darker version of the Swan Lake Barbie movie. It was a vibe.
June 20, 2016
Really enjoyable book. KM Shea has a remarkable talent for taking innately misogynist stories and finding a way to rewrite the narrative in a way that gives back agency, professionalism, and leadership to the women. Odette -- rather than being the epitome of a woman just shat on by men, with her body stolen from her, and then ultimately dying because her "lover" couldn't recognize her -- here is a badass leader of a smuggling ring who have learned how to use their by-day swan bodies to become the best smugglers on the continent. She is courageous, brave, intelligent, and more caring than she's willing to admit. She trains relentlessly, manipulates the sorcerer to help her people in whatever way she can, and fights her own battles. The ending and looming evil felt a little forced, but it didn't take away from the sheer energy and creativity of this retelling. I've really enjoyed all the stories in the Timeless Fairy Tales series and am looking forward to when we find out who has been pulling the strings of all the villains for the last 7 books. Official prediction: the evil mirror buried during the Snow Queen books.
August 26, 2016
I guess I could give this book 4 stars but compared to Rumpelstiltskin it wasn't as good. Swan lake is one of my favorite stories I adore the music and the romance of the story. It was interesting...smugglers? That was an interesting plot device. I felt that Odette was the typical dystopian female character: strong willed and stubborn, skilled with a weapon, has issues trusting others and falling in love, gorgeous but doesn't believe it, just overall I felt like her flaws and weaknesses were annoying and shallow almost like "wow my OC flaw is that she is clumsy" being clumsy is not really a great character flaw. The romance felt one sided and wasn't very developed. However there was one point in the end I have to admit I did cry a little it was very touching and well written but besides that one part it wasn't my favorite.
August 1, 2016
~3.5 stars~
This was a creative fairytale re-telling. While I didn’t love it as I have with some others in this series, I still enjoyed it for the most part. The plot was fast paced, and I did like all of the characters. I also appreciate it being offered as a kindleunlimited. I'll definitely check out more of this writers work and any new books released in this series.
This was a creative fairytale re-telling. While I didn’t love it as I have with some others in this series, I still enjoyed it for the most part. The plot was fast paced, and I did like all of the characters. I also appreciate it being offered as a kindleunlimited. I'll definitely check out more of this writers work and any new books released in this series.
August 26, 2016
I liked the earlier books better. I just didn't feel a connection between hero and heroine. And the fact that the heroine's brother liked her too irritated me. The heroine always made it clear she preferred the hero.
April 19, 2018
Like K. M. Shea's other fairy tale adaptations, Swan Lake features a clever and calculating version of Odette who leads and protects the other cursed swans of the lake. For this reason, she is given the nickname "Swan Queen" like in the ballet, though her shortcomings prevent her from wearing that title with pride. Odette was the first of Rothbart's victims Unlike the others, she came to him voluntarily in exchange for paying off her family's debt. Just like in the original story, Odette, along with Rothbart's other victims, are swans by day and humans by night. Odette trains the others to do smuggling jobs for an unknown client while also working to keep their curse a secret by preventing others from coming near the lake in case Rothbart finds them and curses them as well.
Her plan works out just fine for four years until two princes discover the secret of Swan Lake and insist on trying to help find a way to break curse despite Odette's numerous protests. One major difference between this version and the ballet as well as Richard Rich's famous film is that instead of making the prince's companion a bumbling friend who has no real significance to the story, Alexsei visits Swan Lake with his brother Yakov, who is a self-proclaimed expert at charming ladies. Odette's lack of interest in Yakov is a tribute to her astute ability to see past people's outward appearances. In fact, she finds Yakov just as cheesy as any modern princess would find a superficial prince of old. Odette's relationship with Alexsei is slow and filled with doubt due to a lack of self-esteem on both sides. Alexsei sees himself as unworthy of love due to living in his brother's shadow, and Odette views herself as an unimportant peasant in spite of her strong leadership abilities.
Rothbart's daughter Odile, while still Odette's foil, is very different from the dark seductress portrayed by Natalie Portman's character in the 2010 movie Black Swan. Since this version of Odette is a strong modern warrior as opposed to the frightened mousy version in the ballet, Odile is shy and delicate to contrast her. Also in contrast to the original story, is on Odette's side in wanting to stop her father, making things rather awkward when Rothbart transforms her into an Odette lookalike at the ball to try to fool the princes. Odile's mother is mentioned on occasion, but never seen in the context of the book. She is implied to be a wicked sorceress like Rothbart. Though she does not inherit all of her parents' magic, Odile has an enchanted flute that she uses to tame wild animals, which comes in handy when Rothbart releases some extremely dangerous wyverns near the end of the book.
It seems to me that K. M. Shea is a lot better at writing high fantasy than she is at realistic romance stories. She was able to bring the myth of the selkies to life in The Little Selkie. With Swan Lake, she brings us a fully realized world of dark magic, dragons, and magical transformations. I found Odette to be a lot easier to relate to than Elle from Beauty and the Beast because she keeps fewer secrets from the audience, and her intentions of protecting everyone under Rothbart's spell were clear from the beginning. It was interesting to see the unassuming Prince Alexsei strip down her protective layers one by one until they both saw each other for who they truly are. I really enjoyed this version of "Swan Lake" and felt that it added a much-needed modern perspective to the classic ballet.
Her plan works out just fine for four years until two princes discover the secret of Swan Lake and insist on trying to help find a way to break curse despite Odette's numerous protests. One major difference between this version and the ballet as well as Richard Rich's famous film is that instead of making the prince's companion a bumbling friend who has no real significance to the story, Alexsei visits Swan Lake with his brother Yakov, who is a self-proclaimed expert at charming ladies. Odette's lack of interest in Yakov is a tribute to her astute ability to see past people's outward appearances. In fact, she finds Yakov just as cheesy as any modern princess would find a superficial prince of old. Odette's relationship with Alexsei is slow and filled with doubt due to a lack of self-esteem on both sides. Alexsei sees himself as unworthy of love due to living in his brother's shadow, and Odette views herself as an unimportant peasant in spite of her strong leadership abilities.
Rothbart's daughter Odile, while still Odette's foil, is very different from the dark seductress portrayed by Natalie Portman's character in the 2010 movie Black Swan. Since this version of Odette is a strong modern warrior as opposed to the frightened mousy version in the ballet, Odile is shy and delicate to contrast her. Also in contrast to the original story, is on Odette's side in wanting to stop her father, making things rather awkward when Rothbart transforms her into an Odette lookalike at the ball to try to fool the princes. Odile's mother is mentioned on occasion, but never seen in the context of the book. She is implied to be a wicked sorceress like Rothbart. Though she does not inherit all of her parents' magic, Odile has an enchanted flute that she uses to tame wild animals, which comes in handy when Rothbart releases some extremely dangerous wyverns near the end of the book.
It seems to me that K. M. Shea is a lot better at writing high fantasy than she is at realistic romance stories. She was able to bring the myth of the selkies to life in The Little Selkie. With Swan Lake, she brings us a fully realized world of dark magic, dragons, and magical transformations. I found Odette to be a lot easier to relate to than Elle from Beauty and the Beast because she keeps fewer secrets from the audience, and her intentions of protecting everyone under Rothbart's spell were clear from the beginning. It was interesting to see the unassuming Prince Alexsei strip down her protective layers one by one until they both saw each other for who they truly are. I really enjoyed this version of "Swan Lake" and felt that it added a much-needed modern perspective to the classic ballet.
April 18, 2021
3.5 stars, rounded to 4
Reasons for rounding up:
-It got me out of a writing slump (for a Swan Lake retelling, incidentally)
-It had a lot of setup for the Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling in this series, which I now really want to read (ELVES!!!)
What I liked:
-Smugglers; a take on Swan Lake I haven't come across before
-Evil Sorcerer with Issues (and he even got his own little motive chapter at the end!)
-
-Misha; everyone needs a sarcastic/needling second in command that isn't trying to kill you
-This is a standalone! I could tell it was part of a larger world, and several instances seemed to be nods to other stories in the series, but I haven't read any of the other stories and this stood on its own very well.
-Yakov; oblivious though he is, he did manage to save the day/help the MCs save the day multiple times
-The diversity of the characters; a nice blend of sarcastic, kind, funny, determined, and more! If this was a longer story, I would've loved more side character moments. As it is, the side characters are described enough to get an idea of what most of them are like without overwhelming the main cast
What I didn't like so much:
-The nickname Swan Queen. I mean, it's a cool nickname, but Odette hates it to the point of grinding her teeth whenever she's addressed as such. Her group purportedly respects her...but if she hated it that much, and they respected her, why would they use it? The group dynamic seems more like siblings than a black market smuggling group, but siblings tend to lash out if their annoyances/grievances aren't addressed. I was waiting for Odette to yell at them or thrash them (), since she seems to fill the eldest sister dynamic most of the time. But no; she just grinds her teeth, thinks about how much she hates it, and does nothing for four years. As the eldest of six, I can attest to the fact that minor annoyances left unaddressed/ignored spiral into anger or violence. Sometimes it can be minutes, months, or years, but it does eventually spiral into something more. So...that bothered me.
-Alexsei. He's just active enough and shows just enough annoyance to not be grating. However, the frequency of his smiling/"soft tiger eyes" made me want to slap him. Just once, to see if his expression is capable of change. I think he frowned a little bit when his elder brother tried to woo Odette, and another time when the "mistaken identity" bit of the tale came into play, but otherwise I have no recollection of him outwardly expressing any other emotion. Which is what Odette needed/wanted, I guess...?
-The beginning of the last chapter. I mean, it started out with a magical-forest-I-wish-this-was-a-movie intro, but something about the description...made it read like a fanfic? The style was different from the tone/voice of pretty much the entire book. I think the sudden deluge of adjectives, along with the somewhat stilted Elf-speech, is what pushed it over the edge...
Despite it being a relatively serious transaction, I chuckled/cringed during that whole scene.
Not sure if I'd pick this one up again; I would have to be in the mood for it. But overall, it isn't a book I regret reading, and I'm definitely going to check out other books in the series.
Reasons for rounding up:
-It got me out of a writing slump (for a Swan Lake retelling, incidentally)
-It had a lot of setup for the Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling in this series, which I now really want to read (ELVES!!!)
What I liked:
-Smugglers; a take on Swan Lake I haven't come across before
-Evil Sorcerer with Issues (and he even got his own little motive chapter at the end!)
-
-Misha; everyone needs a sarcastic/needling second in command that isn't trying to kill you
-This is a standalone! I could tell it was part of a larger world, and several instances seemed to be nods to other stories in the series, but I haven't read any of the other stories and this stood on its own very well.
-Yakov; oblivious though he is, he did manage to save the day/help the MCs save the day multiple times
-The diversity of the characters; a nice blend of sarcastic, kind, funny, determined, and more! If this was a longer story, I would've loved more side character moments. As it is, the side characters are described enough to get an idea of what most of them are like without overwhelming the main cast
What I didn't like so much:
-The nickname Swan Queen. I mean, it's a cool nickname, but Odette hates it to the point of grinding her teeth whenever she's addressed as such. Her group purportedly respects her...but if she hated it that much, and they respected her, why would they use it? The group dynamic seems more like siblings than a black market smuggling group, but siblings tend to lash out if their annoyances/grievances aren't addressed. I was waiting for Odette to yell at them or thrash them (), since she seems to fill the eldest sister dynamic most of the time. But no; she just grinds her teeth, thinks about how much she hates it, and does nothing for four years. As the eldest of six, I can attest to the fact that minor annoyances left unaddressed/ignored spiral into anger or violence. Sometimes it can be minutes, months, or years, but it does eventually spiral into something more. So...that bothered me.
-Alexsei. He's just active enough and shows just enough annoyance to not be grating. However, the frequency of his smiling/"soft tiger eyes" made me want to slap him. Just once, to see if his expression is capable of change. I think he frowned a little bit when his elder brother tried to woo Odette, and another time when the "mistaken identity" bit of the tale came into play, but otherwise I have no recollection of him outwardly expressing any other emotion. Which is what Odette needed/wanted, I guess...?
-The beginning of the last chapter. I mean, it started out with a magical-forest-I-wish-this-was-a-movie intro, but something about the description...made it read like a fanfic? The style was different from the tone/voice of pretty much the entire book. I think the sudden deluge of adjectives, along with the somewhat stilted Elf-speech, is what pushed it over the edge...
Despite it being a relatively serious transaction, I chuckled/cringed during that whole scene.
Not sure if I'd pick this one up again; I would have to be in the mood for it. But overall, it isn't a book I regret reading, and I'm definitely going to check out other books in the series.
February 4, 2023
I was trying to remember what the original fairytale of Swan Lake is and I'm pretty sure it isn't a fairytale originally - am I right? It's a ballet, yeah? Well, I found out that the ballet has its origins in a fairytale, which all feels quite satisfying. It's a very simple fairytale: prince needs to find a wife; gets mopey; goes off on his own and finds a lake full of swans, one of them wearing a crown; at moonrise, the swans turn into maidens; the curse can be broken by true love's kiss; the evil sorcerer throws a curveball by transforming his daughter to look like the swan queen (black swan!) but it all comes out all right in the end because this is a fairytale :) So, it goes down pretty much like the ballet.
Shea has used the names from the ballet (I'm not sure if names survive from the fairytale) - Odette (the Swan Queen), Rothbart (the sorcerer), and Odile (the sorcerer's daughter). The twenty-three swans that Odette is leader of (she isn't a true queen in this version) are part of a smuggling ring that isn't revealed fully until the end, but advances the plot of the Timeless Fairy Tales series as a whole.
I just... this one didn't gel for me. I didn't feel much for the characters; it was saccharine; and I was bored. So far, this is my least favourite of the stories, mostly because of the (lack of) character development. Odette seems entirely unrealistic, trying to pass herself off as selfish to put Prince Aleksei off... it just didn't work and made little sense.
On the plus side, we had an evil villain who wasn't one-dimensional (yay!), and some fun mythic creatures: wyverns, elves, goblins, chimeras, hellhounds, giant moths and other various things that Rothbart had been experimenting on. It was also good to see a little of Kosokova, gradually building up the world (but I really want a map!). We had a standard intervention from enchantress-in-training Angelique, and a mention of Gemma from Rumplestiltskin, who will be able to rehabilitate the hellhounds. (And references to Severin, Elle and a few others, which is always fun).
Just a bit disappointed - it feels quite lacklustre even compared to the others.
Shea has used the names from the ballet (I'm not sure if names survive from the fairytale) - Odette (the Swan Queen), Rothbart (the sorcerer), and Odile (the sorcerer's daughter). The twenty-three swans that Odette is leader of (she isn't a true queen in this version) are part of a smuggling ring that isn't revealed fully until the end, but advances the plot of the Timeless Fairy Tales series as a whole.
I just... this one didn't gel for me. I didn't feel much for the characters; it was saccharine; and I was bored. So far, this is my least favourite of the stories, mostly because of the (lack of) character development. Odette seems entirely unrealistic, trying to pass herself off as selfish to put Prince Aleksei off... it just didn't work and made little sense.
On the plus side, we had an evil villain who wasn't one-dimensional (yay!), and some fun mythic creatures: wyverns, elves, goblins, chimeras, hellhounds, giant moths and other various things that Rothbart had been experimenting on. It was also good to see a little of Kosokova, gradually building up the world (but I really want a map!). We had a standard intervention from enchantress-in-training Angelique, and a mention of Gemma from Rumplestiltskin, who will be able to rehabilitate the hellhounds. (And references to Severin, Elle and a few others, which is always fun).
Just a bit disappointed - it feels quite lacklustre even compared to the others.
June 13, 2025
Odette has made the most of her cursed life, she is the unofficial leader of the Black Swan Smugglers and earned the name Swan Queen. She thinks her fellow cursed swans are being ridiculous, she cares for them and feels responsible for the curse they are under since she was the first that Rothbart had experimented his magic on. Luckily this curse is a nicer version than what was used on a royal family, they keep their minds and change between human and swan with the sunset and sunrise. Still, a cursed life is a cursed life and they all long to be free. Alexsei seems to be living in the shadow of his older brother Yakov. Where Yakov is bright, engaging, and attracts attention Alexsei is liked by all and feels easily forgotten or overlooked. They balance each other out as heir and princes to the Empire of Kozlovka though. But Alexsei's greatest wish is to be actually seen by someone and not overshadowed by his brother. When Odette comes to give a warning about hunting swans in the forest surrounding Swan Lake, she happens to pick the wrong brother. Alexsei is instantly smitten and knows there is something under the threatening warning he received. He discovers the curse swans and finds himself on an adventure to help defeat Rothbart and aid the kingdoms in rooting out black sorcery.
The one thing I will spoil, and it shouldn't be a surprise with this author, is that this version has a happy ending. How KM Shea reimagined the characters and events makes for an enthralling story and adds depth where I didn't know I needed it. I enjoy a morally gray character and the fact that the FMC is a smuggler but to help others is a fun twist. I liked how the MMC from the original story was split between Alexsei and Yakov, it helped emphasize the elements of being seen and going past the superficial. We also get to see a bit of the warped logic of a villain at the end which was bittersweet.
The one thing I will spoil, and it shouldn't be a surprise with this author, is that this version has a happy ending. How KM Shea reimagined the characters and events makes for an enthralling story and adds depth where I didn't know I needed it. I enjoy a morally gray character and the fact that the FMC is a smuggler but to help others is a fun twist. I liked how the MMC from the original story was split between Alexsei and Yakov, it helped emphasize the elements of being seen and going past the superficial. We also get to see a bit of the warped logic of a villain at the end which was bittersweet.
May 22, 2025
I loved it!
It was so enticing that I couldn’t put it down, this book grabbed my interest from the very first page. I couldn’t put it down, I had to know what happened next. The story is well written with a very good storyline. This is Book Seven of the Timeless Fairy Tales series, each book in this series takes place in the same world and can be read all together, or as individual, stand-alone books. This is a retelling of the ballet Swan Lake, with compelling characters, sweet romance, and magical jokes. Will she choose to save her country or free herself?
Cursed to be a swan by day, Odette spends her nights leading a band of smugglers and delivering illegal goods. Though she longs for her spell to be broken, she is stuck flattering the evil sorcerer who cursed her. When the kind and witty Prince Alexsei tracks Odette and her crew to their camp, Odette fears he is yet another complication she must manage. Instead, Alexsei slowly endears himself to her and searches for a way to break her curse, but with every visit he risks alerting the sorcerer to his presence. When the sorcerer launches an attack against the royal family, Odette is pulled between her love for Alexsei and the severe consequences that pitting herself against the sorcerer will bring. Can she fight at Alexsei's side, and survive? So with all that and more this story pulls you in and holds you tight. It’s a must read. I highly recommend to everyone.
It was so enticing that I couldn’t put it down, this book grabbed my interest from the very first page. I couldn’t put it down, I had to know what happened next. The story is well written with a very good storyline. This is Book Seven of the Timeless Fairy Tales series, each book in this series takes place in the same world and can be read all together, or as individual, stand-alone books. This is a retelling of the ballet Swan Lake, with compelling characters, sweet romance, and magical jokes. Will she choose to save her country or free herself?
Cursed to be a swan by day, Odette spends her nights leading a band of smugglers and delivering illegal goods. Though she longs for her spell to be broken, she is stuck flattering the evil sorcerer who cursed her. When the kind and witty Prince Alexsei tracks Odette and her crew to their camp, Odette fears he is yet another complication she must manage. Instead, Alexsei slowly endears himself to her and searches for a way to break her curse, but with every visit he risks alerting the sorcerer to his presence. When the sorcerer launches an attack against the royal family, Odette is pulled between her love for Alexsei and the severe consequences that pitting herself against the sorcerer will bring. Can she fight at Alexsei's side, and survive? So with all that and more this story pulls you in and holds you tight. It’s a must read. I highly recommend to everyone.
May 14, 2018
Nice read
This book is really interesting, the story of the Swan Princess or in this case Queen is a blonde Spitfire Who creates a band of Smugglers known as the Black Swan smugglers to deliver goods around the continent whilst suffering from a curse at the hands of the evil sorcerer Rothbart, Which means that by day they are swans but by night they become humans once again. But in attempt to protect the people of her group she challenges the local prince's to stop their hunting so that people may be safe, but this leads to the prince's to follow her and end up discovering her dealings and the people who work with her. Along with the prince's and others they Forge together to tackle their curse and deal with Rothbart and his experiments on animals in turning them into something dastardly.. Paving the way to Friendship, love and New Beginnings.
The story did take me a while to get into it as even though I do love the story of the Swan Princess it has never gripped me as much as the other princesses. But I persevered and found I enjoyed this story and the twist in the tail at the end of the story showed me that even those who are bad can do something good for those who are in need..
This book is really interesting, the story of the Swan Princess or in this case Queen is a blonde Spitfire Who creates a band of Smugglers known as the Black Swan smugglers to deliver goods around the continent whilst suffering from a curse at the hands of the evil sorcerer Rothbart, Which means that by day they are swans but by night they become humans once again. But in attempt to protect the people of her group she challenges the local prince's to stop their hunting so that people may be safe, but this leads to the prince's to follow her and end up discovering her dealings and the people who work with her. Along with the prince's and others they Forge together to tackle their curse and deal with Rothbart and his experiments on animals in turning them into something dastardly.. Paving the way to Friendship, love and New Beginnings.
The story did take me a while to get into it as even though I do love the story of the Swan Princess it has never gripped me as much as the other princesses. But I persevered and found I enjoyed this story and the twist in the tail at the end of the story showed me that even those who are bad can do something good for those who are in need..
July 19, 2022
dnf. I was liking this series and then I got to this book and...aaagh. I already had problems with the guy-meets-girl-and-girl-tells-guy-to-eff-off-but-guy-is-convinced-he-can-make-her-love-him trope from this series' Cinderella retelling, but like...it was even worse in this one? Odette tells whats-his-face MULTIPLE TIMES, "go away, you're literally in danger and putting other people in danger, Leave Me And My Crew Alone" and he just...doesn't? Because he's a prince and Needs To Know What's Up and is also Intrigued By Sexy Smuggler Girl? Ugh. I HATE IT. I got about 1/3 of the way into this book and just couldn't take it anymore. I get that it's a fairytale retelling. But don't give me an enemies-to-lovers story where one party convinces the other - through manipulation and basically stalking and other very sketchy ways - to "fall in love". No. Stop it. Get some help.
I honestly don't know if I can continue this series, which makes me sad, because I love fairy tale retellings, but if there are more stories with this trope...I'll pull all my hair out and I'm too young to be bald.
Two stars for Odette, because she was a good character. -3 stars for the freaking prince.
I honestly don't know if I can continue this series, which makes me sad, because I love fairy tale retellings, but if there are more stories with this trope...I'll pull all my hair out and I'm too young to be bald.
Two stars for Odette, because she was a good character. -3 stars for the freaking prince.
February 22, 2023
Odette may be cursed with no way to break it herself, but that does not mean she is sitting around waiting for someone to save her. Instead, she is the leader of all the others who have been cursed as she selflessly works to protect and to provide for them and their families. She is a brilliant leader who often fakes it till she makes it and hides her burdens well behind a sometimes pleasant sometimes sarcastic facade. She is hilarious and inspiring and a bit like Robin Hood. Alexsei is an observant younger prince who has always stood in his older brother's shadow both figuratively and literally. Can two loyal selfless people finally admit to what their hearts most want?
Swan Lake is full of mystery and adventure as well as funny misunderstandings and lots of humor. It is my favorite retelling of Swan Lake yet. It can be read on its own with minimal spoilers or as part of the Timeless Fairy Tale Series.
Swan Lake would be enjoyed by those who like fairy tale retellings, strong active heroines and heroes, significant side characters, Robin Hood, magic, clean romance, non-gory fights, a main character fighting back against all odds, magical creatures, and lots of laughs.
Swan Lake is full of mystery and adventure as well as funny misunderstandings and lots of humor. It is my favorite retelling of Swan Lake yet. It can be read on its own with minimal spoilers or as part of the Timeless Fairy Tale Series.
Swan Lake would be enjoyed by those who like fairy tale retellings, strong active heroines and heroes, significant side characters, Robin Hood, magic, clean romance, non-gory fights, a main character fighting back against all odds, magical creatures, and lots of laughs.
December 6, 2021
3.5 stars
Not 4 or 5 because it took me a while to finish it (2 days) This book was nice! I liked it. Although it definitely wasn’t close to one of the better books of this series.
I really liked how odette was very stronk instead of how she is in the ballet. But I didn’t really like how she didn’t seem to change much in the book. Odette in the end is the same as odette in the beginning. I at least would’ve liked seeing how she finally got over calling herself selfish, and realised that it’s okay to care for others and it’s okay to show it. No need to hide it behind many many walls and layers. It would’ve been nice to see her at bit more open. Alexsei also didn’t really have a personality I felt like. He was just made for Odette and there wasn’t much depth in his character. He just always understood her, without any reason why he might understand. You know?
Anywho it was nice nonetheless, so 3.5 stars!
Not 4 or 5 because it took me a while to finish it (2 days) This book was nice! I liked it. Although it definitely wasn’t close to one of the better books of this series.
I really liked how odette was very stronk instead of how she is in the ballet. But I didn’t really like how she didn’t seem to change much in the book. Odette in the end is the same as odette in the beginning. I at least would’ve liked seeing how she finally got over calling herself selfish, and realised that it’s okay to care for others and it’s okay to show it. No need to hide it behind many many walls and layers. It would’ve been nice to see her at bit more open. Alexsei also didn’t really have a personality I felt like. He was just made for Odette and there wasn’t much depth in his character. He just always understood her, without any reason why he might understand. You know?
Anywho it was nice nonetheless, so 3.5 stars!
January 25, 2018
Swan Lake was an interesting story because the villain had ulterior motives that threw some interesting plot twists into the story. Some of the minor characters were also the best, such as the prince’s mother. Her dry sense of humor added some great spice to the story.
Odette was a great character, showing strength through her role. Much like the heroines of the other novels in the series, she is not some helpless maiden in need of rescue. The prince was equally interesting in his attentiveness and the methods he used to help Odette.
I recommend this series and particularly this book to anyone who enjoys a retold fairy tale with strong female leads. The nice thing is that the men are equally strong, complementing the heroines. The novel is clean and uplifting, and has some complexity that makes this one of the best in the series.
Odette was a great character, showing strength through her role. Much like the heroines of the other novels in the series, she is not some helpless maiden in need of rescue. The prince was equally interesting in his attentiveness and the methods he used to help Odette.
I recommend this series and particularly this book to anyone who enjoys a retold fairy tale with strong female leads. The nice thing is that the men are equally strong, complementing the heroines. The novel is clean and uplifting, and has some complexity that makes this one of the best in the series.
May 31, 2021
Just by chance started two nonfiction books that will require thinking and emotional energy to process in the middle of a much needed holiday weekend...so decided to also dip back into KM Shea’s fairytale world for some fluffy escapism to counterbalance the other books.
These are very light and fairly straightforward stories-perfect for a weekend read, or even to stretch out a bit during the work week without too great a risk that one will keep me up too late.
I liked this one though I’ve liked others in the series a bit more. I did like the tie in to the other swan fairy tale.
I think, now that I’ve read seven of these and two of the Enchantress books, I’m mostly reading these for the tie ins to that series, which I may like more because it’s original and isn’t primarily based on a preexisting storyline.
These are very light and fairly straightforward stories-perfect for a weekend read, or even to stretch out a bit during the work week without too great a risk that one will keep me up too late.
I liked this one though I’ve liked others in the series a bit more. I did like the tie in to the other swan fairy tale.
I think, now that I’ve read seven of these and two of the Enchantress books, I’m mostly reading these for the tie ins to that series, which I may like more because it’s original and isn’t primarily based on a preexisting storyline.
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