Feather & Nettle

by H.S.J. Williams

Prince Topaz is the younger brother of eleven older sisters, but despite their differences, they are as tight-knit as can be. They will have to rely on each other more than ever when their father returns with a witch for a wife, and if they hope to save their family and the kingdom, they must risk all. For a curse paid for in nettle can only be broken by the same.

Subscribe to the author's website and receive a link to Feather & Nettle, a 4,400 word gender-swap retelling of The Wild Swans!

Genres: Fantasy, Fairy Tale Retellings, Retellings, Novella, Short Stories

Subscription Short Story

First published June 27, 2018

About the author

From the beginning, H. S. J. Williams has loved stories and all the forms they take. Whether with word, art, or costume, she has always been fascinated with the magic of imagination. She lives in a real fantastical kingdom, the beautiful Pacific Northwest, with her very own array of animal friends and royally loving family. Williams taught Fantasy Illustration at MSOA. She may also be a part-time elf.

Reviews

[Sarah Cnossen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a sweet retelling of one of my ever-favorite Hans Christian Anderson’s faerietales, ‘The Wild Swans’. I love the gender-bent twist! It’s a quick, easy read & the writing style is well written, with the perfect feel of a faerietale.

[☆ serethiel ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, goodness! This was such a marvelous story... I simply cannot wait for Fairest Son! <3

[E.F. Buckles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute, quick and easy read. I don't know the fairytale it's retelling, so I'll have to look it up and see how it compares, but this version felt very traditional and I really enjoyed it. And it's free for subscribers to the author's website, so can't really go wrong with that! ;)

[Grace Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good gender-swap retelling of "The Wild Swans". Short and to the point.

Even though I would have liked a little more description and character development, I did really enjoy the characters personalities. Especially Topaz's.

Content in Book:

1. Violence. (Trying to attack someone with knives and a dinner knife. Hand-to-hand combat. Etc.)

2. Trying to burn someone alive.

3. Curses, magic, witches.

Who I Would Recommend This Book Too:

Those who like fairytale retellings. Those who want a gender-swap retelling of "The Wild Swans". Those who want a quick free book to read.

[Elizabeth Dragina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well that was definitely a wondrous adventure captured in few words. The description was magical and the plot was excellent.

It's got the wonderful feels of a fairy tale. . . ^.^ And it's free link for subscribers!

I'm sure however, one or two more good edits could have filled in all the areas I didn't like. ^.^

That cover is pretty neat though.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet story to read!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely little gender-swapped retelling of The Seven Swans— except, in this case, there's eleven of them, but oh well. I liked the concept and the way the curse was handled; my only real complaint is that I wish it had been expanded a bit more.

[Lavay Byrd · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED THIS!
Despite being the only boy among eleven sisters, Topaz stands so well on his own two feet as a strong and capable young man. And each of his sisters stand out so perfectly! (From the motherly eldest Garnette to quiet librarian Diamond to Topaz's mischievous twin Citrine... I could go on and on!) But when a wicked witch ensnares their father the king and transforms the princesses into swans, Topaz and his sisters work together to save their kingdom.

This was such a beautiful fairy-tale retelling, especially when romance is replaced by the strong theme of family! (Honestly, it's SO hard to find a fairytale retelling that's not a romance, so this is a treat.)

You'll want to subscribe to H.SJ. Williams' newsletter to read it!

[Sarah Ryder · Rating 4 out of 5]

A super sweet yet also intense and high stakes retelling of The Wild Swans! I liked how you really get to know the characters even though this story is only like 17 pages, and the gender bent/swapped element just added to this sweet tale.

It read like a classic fairytale but with a more updated, modern style, and I really enjoyed it.

Content: magic; characters are transformed into birds; injuries (not detailed); a character is nearly burned to death (not detailed and he is saved)

[Bt · Rating 1 out of 5]

It seemed like the beginning of an interesting story, rather than an actual interesting story. Feather & Nettle is just... a version of the Wild Swans story with most of the action taken out. I'm not really sure what the point of it is. The main character is a boy, and the siblings have a small little bit of personality, and other than that, this doesn't add anything to the Hans Christian Anderson story. It's predictable and a little boring. I feel like all I did was read a paraphrase of 1/3 of Anderson's story. It wasn't specifically bad, but I just don't see the point.

[Kimberly Perry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was very creative how the author used a gender-swap to retell the fairy tale "The Wild Swans". I loved the sacrifice and heroism exhibited by Prince Topaz out of love for his older sisters. The story is told as a short story, but I think it would be interesting to see this plotline in a longer piece of work, perhaps as a novelette or a novella.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a super sweet and short retelling of The Wild Swans with a gender-swap twist!

I don't think I've ever heard of The Wild Swans... But I'm definitely intrigued enough to do some research!

I am absolutely dying to read more H. S. J. Williams! Her books sound so magical. ✨

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet story if a little predictable

[Faith Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable retelling of one of my absolute favorite fairytales!