A Throne of Swans

A Throne of Swans #1

by Katharine Corr, Elizabeth Corr

When her father dies just before her birthday, seventeen-year-old Aderyn inherits the role of Protector of Atratys, a dominion in a kingdom where nobles are able to transform at will into the bird that represents their family bloodline. Aderyn's ancestral bird is a swan. But she has not transformed for years, not since witnessing the death of her mother - ripped apart by hawks that have supposedly been extinct since the long-ago War of the Raptors. 

With the benevolent shelter of her mother and her father now lost, Aderyn is at the mercy of her brutal uncle, the King, and his royal court. Driven by revenge and love, she must venture into the malevolent heart of the Citadel in order to seek the truth about the attack that so nearly destroyed her, to fight for the only home she has ever known and for the land she has vowed to protect.

Written in rich detail and evocative language, this is the start of an irresistible, soaring duology about courage, broken loyalties and fighting for your place in the world.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Retellings, Romance, Young Adult Fantasy, Fiction, High Fantasy

352 pages, Paperback

First published December 5, 2019

Reviews

[Lena · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seems like authors didn't even try. The only original thing about this book is a world of bird-shapeshifters and even that wasn't that interesting. Characters are typical cliches, plot is predictable and main character along with her love interest are too boring to even be annoying.

[Katrin D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh. My. God.

This was absolutely amazing! A little savage, a little heartbreaking and very original. Why aren’t more people talking about it???

[ʚ Aileen ɞ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, at least I liked Aron.

[Ivana - Diary of Difference · Rating 4 out of 5]

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#1 A Throne of Swans - ★★★★



A Throne of Swans by Katharine & Elizabeth Corr is the first book in the series. An epic fantasy about courage, secrets, betrayals and love. 

Synopsis

When her father dies, Aderyn inherits the role of Protector of Atratys, a dominion in a kingdom where nobles can transform into birds. Aderyn's ancestral bird is a swan, But since witnessing the death of her mother, Aderyn hasn't been able to transform. Aderyn must venture to the Citadel to seek the truth about her mother's death and to fight for the land she has vowed to protect!

My Thoughts:

From the first moment I read the synopsis of A Thorn of Swans, I was intrigued. I am a sucker for fantasies that involve badass princesses. The cover of this book is also incredible. 

From the very first pages we familiarise ourselves with Aderyn. She has already lost her mother, in fact, watched her die, and now she has lost her father too. She has been grieving her whole life, but she has also been wanting to find out what really happened that day. When her father dies and some clues are unveiled, she needs to travel to the Citadel to find answers.

However, this decision comes with a huge risk because of her current inability to transform into a swan. The punishment, if someone finds out the truth, is death. 

On this trip, she is accompanied by Lucien, who is there to serve as an advisor and protector for Aderyn. They have a dynamic and interesting relationship, bonding over their vows to protect their kingdom. Lucien is also one of the few people that knows Aderyn cannot transform.

Following Aderyn's story, we witness revealing of secrets, betrayals, drama and gossip. She is determined to find answers, which sometimes includes trusting the wrong people and finding out more than she can cope with.

I was struggling with the fact that this book lacks strong side characters. People that are not main characters, but who you root for. Aderyn was an amazing character, but also the only one that had everything it takes.

The story was very unpredictable until the very end, and quite unexpected at all times.

I loved the plot twists and the cliffhanger at the end. I also shipped the romance, so I was quite perplexed with how the book ended regarding the romantic topic. Some questions remained unanswered and I am sure that the second book in the series will tackle them. 

I highly recommend A Throne of Swans if you love epic fantasies, castles, kingdoms and cool princesses!

Thank you to ReadersFirst and Hot Key Books, for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[JustJJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review and others @ Bookerification

Rating: 3 stars
 
It is very rare for me to be undecided in the rating I want to give a book right after I finish reading it. Yet, here I am, confused because I was not fully enthralled by the contents of this book, but I still found myself constantly drawn to it by something I can not put my finger on.

"I have learned that it is possible to stand in the open air with the wind on my face and still suffocate"
 
'A throne of Swans' is a book heaving with a great deal of potential on account of the fascinating and creative world established within its pages. In fact, I found the world-building to be the strongest feature of this book. It is both detailed and easy to grasp as the information is gently layered to lure readers into the fabricated world.
 
Within this world is Aderyn, the main character who tragically falls short of being a relatable and canny protagonist. Instead, I found her character childish, naïve and irritating for several reasons:  

One, her entire objective throughout this book is to avenge her family, but somehow she ends up doing very little of this herself. After all, why would she when she has a posse of oh-so-attractive men who are more than willing to do everything for her?

Two, Aderyn is unreasonably stubborn and constantly ignores the good advice she is given. Of course, this regularly leads her into trouble, but never fear, the oh-so-attractive posse are always at hand to save her. 

Three, at one point, Aderyn slaps another character in response to their hurtful words. Now, do not get me wrong, I am someone who is all for violence and action, but this slap simply felt like a child throwing a tantrum. It was downright uncivil! She even has the gall to expect an apology from the poor person that she struck?! It is no surprise that after this, all attempts to present Aderyn as a kind and caring character were quickly dismissed with an eye roll for the trouble.

Unfortunately, the other characters in this book do not fare any better. Each one is simply too one-dimensional and uninteresting for me to find engaging. Even the love interest does not have much depth to his character. One moment he is berating Aderyn for her actions and the next he is confessing his undeniable love, with no middle ground.
 
“A good man can still do terrible things"

Besides Aderyn’s need for vengeance, the storyline also includes political and mystery elements. However, these failed to generate enough suspense and tension to keep me intrigued. The use of numerous cliques associated with the Young Adult Fantasy genre also made the storyline very predictable and dull. Honestly, I had corrected guessed the romantic interest just from a  conversation about him that occurs before he makes his first appearance. 

Now that I have had a chance to probe my feelings about this book, I realise that my confusion on what rating to give this book comes from a place of frustration. 'A throne of Swans' has so much potential but still somehow misses the mark. Yes, the world-building is great and fascinating, but everything else is painfully average. Fewer cliques, a stronger atmosphere, and some well-developed characters could have turned this book into a masterpiece.

________________________________


Full review to come @ https://bookerification.com/

I'm not quite sure how I feel about this book... It wasn't great, but it also wasn't awful

[Bookphenomena (Micky) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I think this will be the final completed read of 2019 for me and the year couldn’t have finished in a better way. What more can a bookworm ask for than a book that you cannot put down and that you think of when you aren’t reading it? A THRONE OF SWANS was all of this and with the most delicious cover too.

This book had the sense of a traditional fairytale but with more identifiable traits in the characters. So, while it had a historical feel, the behaviours and actions had more of a fantastical-contemporary feel, if this doesn’t make sense, just give it a go. The world was unusual and brought a freshness with it, this was a world built on humans that shift into different birds. Aderyn, the protagonist and Protector of her lands, was of swan heritage but she was unable to shift, putting her life at risk.

This world had defined classes, those who could fly and the flightless; the nobles and servants. Some areas in the kingdom were more cruel to the flightless than others. Aderyn was new to her position as Protector and so she had her advisor Lucien and others who tried to influence her, Aron, Seigfried the King. I had no more idea than Aderyn whom she should trust. The world was interesting, the world-building was easy to grasp as it unfurled and the whole context conjured an enticing atmosphere.

There were elements that were unpredictable and some that were predictable but none of that interfered with the enjoyment of the narrative. There was a gentle complexity to the budding relationships in this book with interweaving of characters and crossing-over of affections. All this was secondary to the strong leading story direction which I loved.

The writing was easy to fall into and as I said, the book itself demanded to be read at all times. I cannot believe that I will have to wait a year for the next book to come out, there isn’t a desperate cliff just a desire on my behalf to read on with these characters. This was my first book by Katharine & Elizabeth Corr and I really enjoyed their style and creativity.

Thank you to Hot Key Books and Darkroom Tours for the early finished copy.

[Hannah Books Life Other Oddities · Rating 1 out of 5]

Proudly proclaiming itself as ‘the most thrilling fantasy you will read all year’ Throne of Swans boasts high expectations on its cover. With dull prose, a washed out lead and predictable storyline, sadly this novel does nothing but disappoint. Throne of Swans will be published January 2020, I read a proof I won at YALC this year.
Set to inherit the powerful dominion she is trapped in Aderyn longs for freedom. Seizing her opportunity upon her father’s death, with nothing but fleeting knowledge of the outside world and a dangerous secret, Aderyn leaves for the king’s court, desperate to avenge her mother’s murder that still leaves her dangerously scarred. Suddenly she steps into the dangerous world of secrets and politics she should have been raised in, yet has little understanding of. In a world where nobles are marked by their ability to transform into birds and executed if they loose this power nothing can be more dangerous for this flightless dominion ruler than entering her uncle’s, the King’s, court. Especially when her claim to the throne and the important dominion under her control ensures that the court must surely want her dead.
“We can’t any of us out-fly fate.”
Aderyn, our protagonist, narrates with equal parts niavity and selfishness. As the young, inexperienced and doted upon leader of a powerful dominion her narrative rings with gullibility as she determinedly ignores the advice of others for a pointless quest that she earnestly undertakes, forsaking a dominion she claims to love. The events of the novel are so self inflicted it’s impossible for any reader to truly care about her situation. Even her character development is marred by inexperience: rather than truly regretting her choices or growing in maturity she simply convinces herself of the justification behind her decisions. Her friendship with her flightless maid, Letya, further served to highlight her priveledge and ignorance as they talked endlessly of tiresome problems the flightless face yet never sought solutions, Aderyn’s focus always on herself.
The surrounding characters present little complexities: Aderyn, her mother and her father’s loyal clerk are good, kind and attractive, while the other nobles were ugly, greedy and cruel. Sparsely detailed beyond their rich, greedy stereotypes it is a struggle to recall which noble is which. The central characters show minimal character development throughout the novel: Odette remains ignorant and uncaring about politics or her role as heir to the throne, Aron is portrayed, and the reader is often told, as the perfect just ruler, continuely resentful to have lost his birthright and Lucien is permanently arrogant. While these characters present unique flaws and details that effect the plot none of them overcome these issues or even realise they are flaws, their characters remaining stubbornly flat during the events of Throne of Swans.

World building proved an easy task for the Katherine and Elizabeth Corr as their simple setting was merely a predictable feudal system, the nobles ability to transform into birds providing the only sprinkle of originality. The reader is presented with a cliché backdrop: nobles are cruel to the flightess, a wicked tyrant rules and peasants are left struggling. Although the sparse and unexplained details about medieval castle design is correct the world holds little originality and the setting adds nothing to the saturated fantasy genre. It was further disappointing that the only unique aspect this world held: the nobles ability to transform, shaped the world itself very little. Aside from nobles flying to court and additional landing platforms placed atop castles the world was impacted disappointingly little from this development. The authors favoured the unimaginative medieval feudal system and standard setting any reader would recognise.
The writing style was tedious and simple. Descriptions were few and it fell to Aderyn’s narration to tell of the state of the realm. The reader was told the roads were bad, which dominions were cruel and the kindness Aderyn’s family showed towards the peasants but this world building was never detailed through action or event. Neither captivating nor beautiful, with an unengaging commentary from Aderyn’s perspective, there is little encouragement for a reader to continue. At times it was difficult to discern the events of the novel and impossible to connect with the protagonist from such an uncompelling monologue, the only description the novel presents being a typical ball scene where Aderyn’s dress is described in some detail. The reader is predictably told that Aderyn looks beautiful by a male character and the dreary monologue continues.
Similarly, Aderyn’s affection for Lucien was told to the reader but never shown, as the authors make no attempt to build chemistry between the two characters. Their romance was fast moving, from knowing little of each other to sex in one paragraph without a single conversation in the middle. This whirlwind romance quickly leaves Aderyn and Lucien to a declaration of love as the two begin discussing marriage. Most worrying was Lucien’s demeaning tone and derogatory comments, dismissive at best but more often taken to be bullying, towards only Aderyn. These cruel quips were quickly forgiven and dismissed as Lucien explained his love for Aderyn had fueled his degrading commentary. Lucien’s cruelty and this damaging series of events, a negative trope to be portraying, was never criticised during the novel, a damaging relationship that is often glorified through the YA genre.
"He was a good man. But a good man can still do terrible things."
The relationship between Aderyn and her lady’s maid, Letya, was included purely for plot purposes. Again, Aderyn’s affection for this character was told to the reader by Aderyn and was impossible to discern from the dynamic between the two characters. Despite Aderyn’s insistence, her control over her friend, as Letya’s ruler and boss, made the friendship uncomfortable. This fact, although mentioned, is never explored in the text. The brief mention of Letya’s family and the toll her extended stay at court has taken on the young servant, is similarly brushed aside and stirs no compassion in our neglectful and childish protagonist. This friendship further bolstered the disappointing view of Aderyn already emerging: a tendency to be selfish and ignorance of surrounding situations and characters. Her relationship with Letya shaping her character very little beyond what the plot required as the authors never fully address Aderyn’s priveledge.
Trust was a prominent theme throughout the novel. From Seigfried’s persistent questions on the subject to Lucien’s insistence that Aderyn should trust no one a dark undertone was added, foreboding what the reader can already deduce. This theme is used to further highlight Aderyn’s limited understanding of her uncle’s court and her niavity as her readiness to believe others makes her vulnerable. The complex relationships shown throughout Throne of Swans make the reader question motives that Aderyn simply believes as this underlying theme was woven throughout the text.
The plot was predictable and only served to highlight Aderyns flaws: her greed and selfishness leading her to dangerous situations, her niavity compromising her position, all the while the reader cares little as she steps into yet another obvious plot twist. Furthermore, the events of the novel seemed inconsistent. The antagonists appeared to orchastrate varying conflicting strategies that appeared placed by the authors to cause Aderyn as much anxiety as possible without actually considering the purpose behind each event. The pacing felt disjointed as the novel stumbles from one problem to the next without fully finishing the original storyline. This made both the pacing and the plot difficult to follow, all the while the protagonist dragging the reader around these seemingly random events pursuing her own selfish aims.
"But I realise, sitting there alone with Siegfried on the roof of his house,v exactly how much I have allowed myself to become dependent on him. "
The target audience for Throne of Swans would be older teenagers. With themes of torture, images of death and implications of a sex scene it is definitely not middle grade however the immaturity of the main character makes it difficult to place in the older Young Adult market. Aderyn, the novels heroine, is about eighteen throughout the story.
Overall, Throne of Swans was not the most thrilling fantasy of the year. Ripe with obvious twists and confusing turns it adds little to an unoriginal backdrop disappointingly coupled with an uninspiring and frustrating protagonist.
⭐/5

[Mira Mio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Сюжет: маленькая девочка и большие интриги в холодном замке.

Был у меня в детстве любимый жанр. Назывался он "приключения благородных леди". Леди, значит, благородно меряли платья, сплетничали, подсыпали отраву врагам и уединялись с любовниками. Замутить заговор против или за короля было делом чести. Главное - чтобы благородно. Делаешь кникенс, выбиваешь хаму глаз вязальными спицами - и опять кникенс. Потому что вежливость. И такт.

Поскольку леди для меня тогда были слишком взрослыми, я обычно придумывала себе Сьюху. Какую-нибудь сиротку, оказавшуюся принцессой. Как она, невинное дитя, попадает в это логово благородства. А там компрометирующие письма прямо в каждом столе. И принцы на белых конях подмигивают. И кони подмигивают. И привидения такие "шууу, шууу" в дымоходе. Знают, гады, кто спер подвески у королевы, но не признаются!

Так вот, первые 80% я серьезно думала поставить Throne of Swans пятерочку, потому что мне додали прям до краев. Прямо ностальгическая слеза капнула на экран.

А потом наступил финал и я скисла на одну звезду.

Мир: мало, но красиво.

Фишек тут только две - аристократы-оборотни и алхимические зелья. Но как эти фишки детально и изящно вписаны в мир! Некоторым надо поучиться, а то придумают себе двадцать способов левитации, а потом ждут автобуса.

Язык: просто, но хорошо.

Не purple prose, но хорошо. Красиво, четко, лаконично. Не знаю, что там с переводом, надеюсь, полимеры остались на месте.

Отсылки: начали за здравие, кончили за упокой.

Первую половину я читала как оридж, и была довольна, как слон. Потом я узнала сюжет "Лебединого озера" и пищала от восторга. Ведь это мой любимый сорт травы: где на манеже вроде все те же, но вдруг! Всплывают нюансы! И добро со злом рокируются.
Горе мне, в финале авторы замели лебединый балет под ковер.

Романтика: фейл.

Если вы читали мой отзыв на Sorcery of Thorns, вы знаете, что я человек неприхотливый. Парочка полкниги закапывает труп - это романтично. Парочка полкниги смотрит друг другу в глаза - фу, бэ, скукота.

И поначалу Адерин и Люсьен очень даже романтично закапывали короля. Иногда Люсьен многозначительно подмигивал, а Адерин пыталась понять, это у нее бабочки в животе или торт был несвежим. Потом лопату в руку взял хороший мальчик Аарон. Я задумчиво прищурилась и решила, что тройничок - неплохая идея. Тем более, что Аарон би, и появился шанс на настоящий любовный "треугольник", а не вот эту унылую "галочку", где мальчики влюблены в девочку, а девочка думает о вечном - о Партии.

А потом пришла она. Постельная сцена. Мало того, что она всрато написана, так еще и совершенно непонятно, что она тут делает! Вот персонажи всю книгу стесняются, вот они признаются в любви - и через два предложения хладнокровно прыгают в койку! А где поцелуи, томление, нагнетание, где вот это все?? Почему только один труп закопан??

Прости меня, Люсьен, ты хороший, но у меня упало. Одна надежда на Аарона и вторую книгу.

Финал: фейл.

Последнюю главу авторы писали в ночь дедлайна при свете лучины. И голодный редактор щелкал зубами за спиной. Потому что на этих костях нет мяса в этом телеграфном стиле нет драмы. Треугольник не вышел, потому что героиня не успевает метаться. Злодеи накурились анаши и тупо слились. Отсылки к "Лебединому озеру" ушли по английски. Хеппиенд за четыре секунды, кто не успел, тот опоздал.

Вот кто, блин, мешал из последней главы сделать три?

Четыре звезды, жду вторую часть. Аарон, давай.

[Umut · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.
I picked up this book at the right time when I needed a bit of escapism with an easy-going book.
It's a fantasy kingdom inspired by Swan Lake, where there are people who can shapeshift into a bird and fly, and ones who can't. So, the flightless serve the ones who can fly.
I loved the shapeshifting magic and the strong female protagonist. She lost her father at the beginning of the book, and had to discover some secrets for herself. There's a bit of a love story, lots of twists and turns along the way. It's not the most original fantasy book, but it was well written and enjoyable.
The end was also very strong and left me wondering what the next book will bring.

I just wish there was a bit more of the shapeshifting magic. I liked the idea a lot, but in execution, the book was more court politics than magic. So, I hope we see more of it in the next book.

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my long-time goals as a British book blogger is to uplift more UK-authored/UKYA novels, and I find I can do that steadily with UKYA contemporary (due to the amount consistently being released), but I slack with UKYA fantasy. UKYA fantasy gets buried under all the releases from the American market, which my bookstagram and twitter feeds are often filled by. Often UKYA SFF won't get pub'd in American because the US SFF market is already so full. But I have noticed that Hot Key (the publishers of this one) have been working really hard and supporting a lot of UKYA authors, and I think that's really commendable.

A THRONE OF SWANS is the first UKYA Fantasy release I've read in a while, and I really enjoyed it! It's a loose Swan Lake retelling, set in a land where nobles can transform into birds - I loved this aspect, especially. The heroine and her family can transform into swans, and then there are families who can transform into rooks and herons, ibis and owls and peacocks, you name it. It's also a court fantasy, which are a niche passion of mine.

After her father's death, the heroine Aderyn goes to court to present herself as the new Protector of her lands, and to cement her status. Going with her as her clerk is Lucien Rookwood (yes, he transforms into a raven), son of one of her father's advisors, who's recently returned from abroad. At court, she meets her uncle the king, and her cousins Aron and Odette, plus Odette's fiance, Siegfried.

The story's antagonist was different than I'd initially expected - before the narrative events, Aderyn's mother was killed by a hawk attack, and but all hawk families were killed off as a result of a war many years ago before the start of the book. I expected Aderyn to look into this and for the hawks to generally play a larger part in the novel than they did, but the actual villain of the novel turned out to be someone else entirely. Basically, the entire plot went in a different way than I expected I was out here thinking she'd meet someone at court and they'd be a hawk in hiding but no though I still enjoyed it. Still hoping the hawks play a role in book two, however.

I quite liked Aderyn as a heroine, and though she was quite gullible at points, she was also brave, loyal towards her friends, and had some subtle cunning aspects. I also liked her love interest, and how it built up slowly - but I did think it was rather sudden how when they confessed their feelings, they went straight to spending the night together. It was a jump that made me raise my eyebrow.

The secondary characters were also great - I liked Odette, and Aron is both disabled (having lost an arm) and LGBTQ+. I did think it was interesting how everyone seemed to be vaguely related to everyone in this book, and many people were part of the Cygnus/swan family tree. Probably echoing history, I guess, where all the big noble families always associated with the same people. There's a big illustrated family tree at the beginning so you can see how many degrees of separation there are between people.

The book was really well-paced (I read it just under 24 hours) and well-written too. With two authors, sometimes there's a slight disjoint between parts written by each co-author, but this is so seamless it seems like it could have been written by just one. Together, Katharine and Elizabeth Corr have written a really interesting book. Parts of the ending I didn't see coming, but it's definitely set up to cause some drama and angst in book two, so I'm excited to read it when it releases. All in all, an enjoyable read, and one I'd suggest for people wanting to experience more UKYA Fantasy.

> 4 stars

final book on my #YALCathon tbr, this one for the UKYA prompt

[Becca (Horners_book_corner) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Throne of Swans is the first book in a young adult fantasy duology by the sisters Katharine and Elizabeth Corr. I found it was a well-written, fast paced, fun read with excellent (and surprising) plot twists, humour and just the right touch of romance. I loved the ingenious, unique magic system involving birds that links to how the society in this book is structure. I absolutely cannot wait to find out how the story thickens and what happens to Aderyn, Odette, Lucien and Aron in the conclusive sequel A Crown of Talons. I highly recommend A Throne of Swans to anyone who is a fan of Young Adult fantasy books such as The Folk of The Air by Holly Black. I will definitely be reading more by these authors.

[Amy Burrows · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Throne of Swans is an engaging story of royalty, betrayal & secrets inspired by Swan Lake.

Right from the start Katherine & Elizabeth Corr takes us into this magical world where nobility can transform into the bird that represents their house, where as those that aren't nobility are called flightless and are seen as lesser beings that are there to serve.

Aderyn is Protector of Atratys now that her father has passed away, one of the few people keeping her secret that she is flightless, before his death he insisted that she stay in the castle so she is safe from other nobility and the king finding out. Not even Aderyns father can talk her into staying though, as she is desperate to find out why her mother was murdered years ago, an attack that also left Aderyn heavily scarred and unable to transform into herself into the family bird, a Swan.

Aderyn's path to find out the truth takes on many different turns and she doesn't know if there is anybody at court she can trust. As well as this her Uncle, the king, is accepting bids from her cousins to have her hand in marriage, and he suspects her being unable to fly through rumours circling their way round court when she arrives in horse and carriage. If the truth comes out she will lose her title and her life as it is unacceptable to be noble and flightless. She finally finds somebody to confess to about being unable to transform and her quest to find her mothers murderer but as time goes on its apparent she is entering a very precarious position where she is on the brink of losing it all...

My first impression of A Throne of Swans was that it had a slow start with a lot of places and names that at first I found it hard to take in, but by the time Aderyn arrives at court things really pick up the pace and we are confounded with conspiracy after conspiracy as is usually the case with stories involving royalty.
I really enjoy the political stratagems and power playing characters in these young adult fantasy books and feel myself locked into the plot just a few chapters in. A Throne of Swans definitely had all of that and more, seeing characters ulterior motives played out and watching our strong minded female protagonist being one step ahead of the game when we don't expect it.
I liked the way this book is not a standalone and we still get a decent ending without feeling unfinished, but enough had happened that there is an emotional connection to want to see what happens next. The romance was subtle for the most part of the book but by the end I was urgently turning the pages after finding I had developed a stronger love for the pairing than at first I realised. I am eagerly anticipating the next book from the Corr's!

Thank you to Hot Key Books for sending me a proof copy of A Throne of Swans.

[K.S. Marsden · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the new Protector of Atratys and the niece of the King, Aderyn has to go to court, the one place her father tried to protect her from. She has to work out who to trust, and protect her secret - she can't fly.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Aderyn lives in a world where the ruling class transform into birds. The 'Flightless' lower class live and die by their harsh rules.
After an attack when she was a child, which killed her mother and left Aderyn both physically and mentally scarred, and unable to transform anymore. If anyone finds out the truth, Aderyn will lose everything, and the King will use it as an excuse to take the valuable land of Atratys.

This story is inspired by Swan Lake. The royal family (including Aderyn) are all swans when they transform, and they have held the throne for as long as anyone can remember.
As she gets to know her cousins and the rest of court, she has to work out who to trust. Everyone has their own agenda, and some are even plotting to overthrow the throne.

Away from court, Aderyn is learning how different Atratys is from the rest of the country. It is a haven where the flightless live in peace.
Everywhere else they exist under cruel and unforgiving rules. They aren't even allowed weapons to hunt with, and the punishment is the death of their whole family.

This was a wonderfully creative world, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.

[ThatBookGal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adored the idea of the ruling class being able to transform into birds. This was fast paced, with an interesting cast of characters. The end has me needing the next book NOW!

Full review available on my blog here.

[Ili · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow!! Just wow! Why aren't people talking about this book?

[M.T.Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Bonnier Zaffre and NetGalley for the eARC of this book.

The concept for this book’s world is what first caught my attention. Also, the cover is striking and the title, A Throne of Swans, is clearly similar to A Game of Thrones. In this book’s world, shape-shifters are the rulers and the flightless, those who cannot transform into birds, are inferior. This is the strongest aspect of A Throne of Swans. This societal structure is well thought out and depicted, including integration into the characters’ language and interactions.

Aderyn is a likeable but uninteresting protagonist. She has a strong character arc, as she seeks to overcome her own fears and regain her ability to fly. However compared to most of the other characters she seems entirely honourable and above reproach. Lucien criticises some of her actions, as she thinks before she acts at times, and is unversed in court manners. But I felt her character lacked depth. Other characters were quite one-dimensional, and the antagonists weren’t intimidating and lacked motivation beyond a need for power. Any reasons for their actions are left a mystery, making them into almost caricature power-hungry villains plotting to take the throne. One antagonist in particular features substantially in the book, having multiple conversations with Aderyn, and giving the authors ample opportunity to provide insight into that characters motivations. But sadly that wasn’t explored at all, missing an opportunity to add more depth.

Unfortunately the majority of the book was predictable. For a story revolving around court intrigue, it was lacking in said intrigue. While some scenes had potential, not enough tension was conveyed through the writing to create a sense of suspense. The writing is fairly simplistic and didn’t paint a particularly strong picture. I wouldn’t agree with the bold claim in the summary above that it is ‘written in rich detail and evocative language’. The pace picks up in the second half, and there is some action, but I was far from the edge of my seat. The climax of the book takes place at an execution and was a bit rushed, including glazing over how one character escapes capture. I thought she had been taken by the villains, but the following chapters suggest she was successfully rescued off-page, which was a little confusing.

Although this review may not seem positive, I did enjoy the book. The world-building is good, with little details that brought it to life. The problem is that I didn’t feel anything while reading. I wasn’t afraid for the characters or happy for them. I didn’t feel any suspense. Which I think is why it falls flat. Despite intriguing world-building, the characters or plot itself aren’t innovative or memorable enough to make it stand out amongst all the other young adult fantasy out there.

[Max Lau • Maxxesbooktopia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come!!! 💕

[Veronique · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

This proved to be a frustrating read! Let me explain...

On one hand, Corr has imagined a fascinating world, one where the ruling class has the ability to shape-shift into oversized birds and fly. As you can imagine, this control sadly means that all the ‘flightless’ are treated like lesser beings and taken advantage of. Even the few aristocrats that find themselves unable to fly become inferior citizens and are shunned. The resulting setting has a Middle Ages feel to it, one that works well with this society. The other great aspect in this novel was the plot, meaty, full of twists and turns, politics, machinations, etc.

And yet, somehow, all these exciting features didn’t create an amazing whole. I found it very hard to connect with the characters, from the main one to the rest of the cast. Aderyn’s voice failed to grab me and furthermore tainted the whole narrative. This was beyond annoying because these protagonists should have ‘worked’. They all had great potential, and I wanted to discover more about them. This in turn sabotaged the story for me, rendering it even once illogical.

I’ve ben ransacking my brain trying to explain why this is (I listened to the audiobook - not so easy to go back and check the text) and all I can think is that there was maybe too much ’telling’ and not enough ’showing’. It’s one thing to say you’re scared and another to portray it in a way that the reader literally feels it. To be honest, I nearly gave up a couple of times, but I kept hoping for that spark.

[Yana S · Rating 1 out of 5]

С "Лебединым троном" у меня что-то определенно не сложилось: оценка медленно сползла с пятерки, которую я собиралась поставить за крутую идею, до единицы, которая прекрасно описывает воплощение этой идеи. А все потому, что ожидания абсолютно не оправдались: аннотация и рецензии твердили о том, что здесь будут дворцовые интриги чуть ли не в стиле "Игры престолов", крутой любовный треугольник, классная решительная героиня… Ничего такого я в книге не нашла, разве что жалкую пародию на все выше перечисленное. Из книги даже цитат вменяемых не выпишешь, один только бред, который я и собираюсь добавить в рецензию для полноты картины.

– Ну что, Ваша Светлость?
– Я подумала…
– Давно пора.

Первый и единственный плюс "Лебединого трона" (помимо обложки, естественно) – необычная идея с перевоплощениями знати в птиц. После прочитанного я, конечно, нифига не разобралась, как этот процесс происходит, как этому обучают, больно ли это, почему крылатые обжигают бескрылых и в кого будет перевоплощаться ребенок, родители которого, к примеру, сова и ворон, но идея была хорошая. Жаль, правда, что авторы из нее ничего не выжали, да и еще и сами постоянно путались в показаниях (например, в самом начале книги было сказано, что главная героиня – последний лебедь, когда вдруг потом оказывается, что вся королевская семья лебеди. так в каком месте ты такая последняя и особенная, а?). Но хотя бы была попытка добавить правдоподобности: при превращении одежда не растворялась в воздухе, чтобы потом вернуться из ниоткуда, и всем приходилось ее снимат��. Из-за этого вся знать с детства привыкла оголяться на публике, и никто никакого смущения по этому поводу не испытывал.

Больше ничего хорошего я в книге найти не смогла. По сюжету Адерин, защитница доминиона Атратис, после смерти отца решает приехать в гости к дяде королю, хотя отец говорил ей ни за что этого не делать, потому что она вторая в линии наследования престола, везде опасно и все дела. Но девушка едет, потому что скучала дома лет 6 после нападения соколов, в ходе которого погибла ее мать, а сама Адерин лишилась способности превращаться в лебедя. В королевстве Соланум такое непростительно: тебя заклюют, а может еще и руку отрежут и конечно же лишат права наследовать престол, но Адерин все равно едет в явно открытую западню…

И вот это самый огромный минус книги – главная героиня просто идиотка. Она вроде как была отстранена от всего мира, сидела взаперти, читала книжки и занималась годы на пролет... но что она там учила, если ничего не знает ни о своем доминионе, ни о королевстве в целом, ни о дворе? И поэтому всю книгу Адерин снова всему учат: как себя вести, с кем наладить связи, от кого держаться подальше, что можно делать, а что нельзя. При этом сама она то разумно считает себя неподготовленной, то думает, что идеально готова к роли защитницы и рьяно поддерживает вторую бестолочь – будущую королеву Одетту, которая тоже ничего не знает о правлении (интересно они там обучают знать в этом Соланисе…). К своему советнику Адерин прислушивается через раз, зато доверяет всем подряд, например, рассказывает свои секреты парню, с которым только что познакомилась (а чего бы и нет, раз он такой красавчик?).

– Одетта, я пытаюсь найти доказательства, подтверждающие мои обвинения, но в то же время ты должна защитить себя…
– Мне всегда нравилось это окно.

По ходу дела Адерин ведет расследование по поиску убийц ее матери, и все это лишь очередной фарс. Никаких улик или зацепок у девушки нет, а потом она СЛУЧАЙНО где-то за кадром находит записи отца, суется в город, где ее чуть не убивают, потом СЛУЧАЙНО узнает о потенциальном свидетеле и расспрашивает его, ничего важного так и не узнав, позже СЛУЧАЙНО натыкается на какую-то сказку с реально упомянутым местом, едет туда и ничегошеньки не добивается, потому что даже не выходит в город. В процессе успевает еще и СЛУЧАЙНО решить свою проблему с невозможностью обратиться в лебедя. Ну а потом она радостно поручает поиски кому-то другому, потому что так занята чем-то, что ей не до семейных тайн.

Кроме поиска СЛУЧАЙНЫХ подсказок Адерин занята тем, что разевает рот на всех мужиков подряд. Уже в первой части книги их стало трое, один уже тащил ее в постель и все вокруг верят, что они спят друг с другом, а потенциальных женихов, которых хочет впарить ей король, и вовсе не сосчитать. Чувства Адерин к этим избранникам сердца едва ли прописаны: то она на одного слюни попускает без задней мысли об этом, то уже другой с бухты барахты признается ей в любви, и она тут же лезет с ним в постель, хотя никаких видимых эмоций к нему не испытывает (судя по написанному, она даже возбуждена не была, так что не знаю, хорошо ли у них там все прошло).

А еще Адерин самая настоящая эгоистка. За всю книгу она так ничего хорошего и не сделала для своего доминиона, руководствуясь собственными желаниями. Даже злодея разоблачает, лишь чтобы спасти того, кого она якобы любит. При этом ее служанка и якобы лучшая подруга Летия в беде и ранена, но о ней Адерин даже не вспоминает – вот отрывок сразу после побега с плена, где она бросила свою Летию:

– Ты ранена… Этот ублюдок. Что он с тобой сделал?
– Это всего лишь рука. – Я пошатываюсь, Арон обнимает меня и ведет к креслу. – И я только что преобразилась, впервые за много лет. Это было… – Я задерживаю дыхание, пытаясь найти слова, которые могли бы адекватно описать мои ощущения. – Это было чудесно, Арон, но я почти ничего не ела сегодня… или, наверное, и…

Другие персонажи вообще никак не прописаны – это картон картонный, который сдуло бы легким дуновением ветерка. И чтобы сделать ситуацию еще краше, авторы так же скупо и сухо описывали все происходящее, что лично для меня просто непозволительно, когда сюжет якобы вертится вокруг дворцовых интриг. Хотя едва ли авторы вообще знают определение слова "интрига", потому что ее здесь нет от слова совсем, как и дворцовых козней и хоть какого-то напряжения. Адерин вообще не напряжно торчать при королевском дворе, где она не была кучу лет, в окружении незнакомцев с дурными намерениями, да еще и не имея возможности перевоплотиться самостоятельно, а обо всех увиденных ужасах она тут же забывает ("ужасная казнь с отрезанием рук, после которой умер мой потенциальный информатор, а весь двор залило кровью? не, что-то не припоминаю, лучше пойдемте кататься верхом!"). Адерин плывет по жизни так легко, словно знает, что авторы ей помогут, от всего защитят и накажут всех мерзавцев. И даже попытки героини выпутаться из сетей, которые она сама сплела, такие наивные и детские, что это просто невозможно (ну как можно надеяться найти улики у злодея на столе или отыскать какой-то целебный рецепт, который возможно, ей подойдет, в старых бумагах своего отца? как все это должно работать?).

– Ланкорфис стоит наготове, если дело до этого дойдет.
– Что вы имеете в виду? Если дело дойдет до чего?
– Войны.
– Что?

Героям свезло лишь потому, что злодеи тупили еще больше, сразу во всем признавались, рассказали все свои планы, а потом ушли в закат, хотя, как по мне, могли сотней разных способов перехитрить Адерин (хотя бы ценного заложника с собой взяли, идиоты). Но авторы упрямо хотели довести все до гражданской войны в Солануме, которую, как мне уже ясно, они тоже будут описывать левой ногой, с завязанными глазами и в состоянии алкогольного опьянения. Потому я умываю руки – лучше уж пересмотреть "Принцессу-лебедь", чем еще хоть раз сунуться к бессмысленным приключениям Адерин.

[Tilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

I was so excited about this book and although it didn't quite hit my expectations, I still really really enjoyed it.
I am a massive lover of birds and merging with my love of YA fantasy, this book was always going to appeal to me. I wish I could transform into a bird!
The worldbuilding was really interesting and the inclusion of the map and family tree was helpful. The elite having the powers and the poor not having any is not a new idea, however the different houses and the ideas behind the transformation into birds was wonderful. As a bird lover, I also loved the use of bird names and latin names.
The storyline was really good and held my attention. The book was well written and didn't have the feeling of two voices which the books of dual authors often do. It was seamless.
The characters are sadly where I lost my way a little. Aderyn was naive, flighty and childish and I wanted to physically shake her! And yes, this is part of her character's journey but I think her naivety was taken a little too far. Siegfried was an obvious villain, too obvious for my liking with his threats and manipulation. I however really liked Lucien and Aron who had good depth and interesting features about them. I am hoping the next book has a slightly more grown up Aderyn which the prologue at the end seemed to suggest.
It was a good start to the series and I look forward to reading the sequel and learning more about this world.

Thank you to Darkroom tours, netgalley and Readers First for gifting this book to me in exchange for an honest review.

[Melanchallina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Кэтрин Корр, Элизабет Корр "Лебединая сага" (Лебединый трон #1/2)

8 из 10

Жанр: YA, фэнтези
POV: 1POV, от первого лица (она)
Геометрия чувств: намеки на любовный треугольник
Теги: ретеллинг "Лебединого озера"; аристократия, превращающаяся в птиц, наивная героиня
Рекомендовано к прочтению, если вам нравятся: Кристина Кашор "Одаренная"

РЕЦЕНЗИЯ:
Я больше не семнадцатилетняя девочка, которая тратит свое время, как ей заблагорассудится. Я больше не леди Адерин. Я - её светлость, защитница Доминиона Атратис, единственная госпожа замка Мерл и всех прилежащих к нему земель.
Каким-то образом, в промежутке между концом одного дня и началом другого, поменялось всё.

Ретеллинг «Лебединого озера» и сказки «Принцесса-лебедь» (я не о мультике, если что) в антураже старого доброго классического фэнтези.

Самое главное, что вам нужно знать о «Лебедином троне» – это в первую очередь очень и очень классическая история в духе старого доброго фэнтези – с королевскими интригами, борьбой за власть и секретами, которые могут стоить кому-то жизни. Поэтому если вы ждете чего-то особенного, необычного и поражающего воображение – это не ваша остановка, проходите мимо. Эта история берет другим. Лично я при прочтении испытывала некую легкую и необъяснимую ностальгию, словно читала любимую сказку, так что делайте выводы.

После неожиданной смерти отца семнадцатилетняя Адерин унаследовала пост защитника Атратиса, суверенной земли в королевстве Соланум (месте, где правящая аристократия умеет превращаться в птиц). Она провела большую часть своей жизни, не выходя из родного дома, и теперь Адерин очень хочет познакомится с огромным миром и отправится ко двору короля, собственного дяди. Но у неё есть и другая причина покинуть Атаратис: она желает найти тех, кто виновен в жестоком убийстве её матери и отомстить им. Но Адерин молода и неопытна, а ещё скрывает тайну, которая может поставить под удар её жизнь – она не превращалась в лебедя (птицу своего рода) с тех пор, как на её глазах убили её мать.

В этой истории один POV, поэтому мы все видим лишь глазами Адерин. А она, надо иметь в виду, довольно классическая героиня YA, неидеальная, временами излишне наивная. Но очень важно, что она относится к тому редкому виду героинь, чей прогресс и рост на протяжении истории действительно заметны. Если вы спросите меня, то лично я бы сказала, что она напомнила мне Йону из «Рассвет Йоны». Пусть по началу Адерин двигала наивность и собственные желания, впоследствии она понимает, что на ее плечах огромная ответственность и будущее ее людей, и, что она должна думать о последствиях принятых решений. А еще, главный плюс созданного авторами образа в том, что Адерин НЕ ОСОБЕННАЯ. Да, принцесса, но она не обладает особыми силами, по поводу нее нет никаких великих предсказаний и она ничем не выделяется на фоне других персонажей. Она это просто она.

Есть в этой истории и свой «Сон Хаку», а именно Люсьен Руквуд. Обворожительный и надменный юноша, сопровождающий Адерин ко Двору и помогающий ей выстоять против множества придворных интриг. Люсьен самоуверен, свысока смотрит на Адерин и прекрасно осознает, как он красив. Сами понимаете, что это, вкупе с постоянным препирательством между героями, не может не привести к романсу. Так что вы можете во всей красе наблюдать здесь динамику Йоны/Хаку.

Но мое сердце было отдано Арону, кузену Адерин. Вот это, дамы и господа, была любовь с первой строчки. Я вообще люблю сломанных мальчиков, которых лишили всего, а они все равно цепляются за любую возможность вернуть свое и не сдаются. Арон из таких. Некогда наследный принц, первый в очереди на престол, юноша лишился всех привилегий из-за травмы. Теперь он неспособен принимать свой второй облик и живет в родном Дворце словно тень. Арон умный. И заботливый, хотя и кажется на первый взгляд очень холодным и грубым. Но он научился выживать и хочет вернуть себе свои привилегии обратно. В общем, Арон любовь. Уж не знаю, закладывали ли авторы между ним и Адерин химию в сюжет, но я ее увидела, почуяла и кайфанула. Мне вообще кажется, что их взаимодействие было лучшим в книге, и да, может прямо ничего и не говорится, но жесты, прикосновения, взгляды…. Короче искры летят во все стороны. Хотя, учитывая, что Арон «второй парень», рассчитывать на многое не стоит, но конец первой книги дает все же надежду на еще больше взаимодействия и химичности в продолжении.

Теперь об идеи романа в общем. Мне понравилась идея превращения знати в птиц по двум причинам. Первая, это не заезженный ход и довольно свежо особенно на фоне довольно однообразных мироустройств других книг. Во-вторых, эта идея принесла что-то новое в классическую историю и подала ее с другой стороны. Вообще, я бы сказала, что магия и волшебство в «Лебедином троне» далеко не на первом месте и не играют особо значимой роли, что тоже очень круто и такое не каждый умеет провернуть.

Из минусов:
– героиня в начале истории очень наивна и мало что знает даже о порядках при дворе, что довольно странно для дочери брата короля (и не важно что братья не общались), но дальше все сгладится;
– романтическая линия хороша, да, но меня не торкнуло. Надеюсь на вторую книгу и что авторы распишутся, а с таким концом второй книги иначе и быть не может. И вообще надеюсь на клевый любовный треугольник (ребят, сама не люблю треугольники, но тут оно того стоит, честно).

Моя оценка: 8/10, потому что история попала во все мои кинки и после такого конца я, ну очень, хочу продолжение.

[Melissasfandomworld · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 stars, rounded up to 4 because a 3 star rating is just a bit too low for my taste.

”I have learned that it is possible to stand in the open air with the wind on my face and still suffocate.”

A Throne of Swans is an engaging and exciting Swan Lake re-telling! Bird shape shifting, a bit of romance, drama, politics, intrigues and fluid writing had me hooked and made for a fast paced read.

I do feel like ‘more’ was possible regarding some parts of the progression/depth in this first book of a new series, which is why I stick with a 3,5 star rating if I was able to dole out half star ratings haha, but it was nonetheless just a really enjoyable read from beginning till end so feeling wise, looking at my emotional reading experience while reading this book, I just think rating it 3 stars on GR was not enough.

I am hoping though that the next installment is a bit more in depth on some regards but overall seeing, I'm just really excited to be reading the next installment whenever I get my hands on it! I’ll be bumping it up higher on my to buy list for sure!

[Lau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Darkroom Tours and HotKey books for sending me a free copy of this book for review.

From the very first page, Katharine & Elizabeth take us into a a vivid, magical world where nobility are able to transform into birds which represent each noble household and where those unable to transform are known as flightless. The flightless are viewed, by the nobles, as lesser than themselves and are basically only kept around to serve.

In this book our main character, Aderyn, is made Protector of Atratys after her fathers death not long before her eighteenth birthday. After this tragic event Aderyn decides that, even though it’s advised she doesn’t, she should go to the Citadel to try to learn why her mother was murdered. Ever since witnessing her mothers murder Aderyn has been flightless, finding it too painful to transform into her families bird - a swan, due to the scars that remain on her back from the attack. Whilst she is at the Citadel she is warned that she cannot and should not trust anyone she meets there but she soon falls for a handsome nobles charm and obviously disaster ensues.

Firstly, I want to say that this is the first book I have read from Katharine & Elizabeth so going into it I was pretty nervous. I love that they included a map at the start of the book and also a family tree type of thing was included which I found really helpful!

I found the start of the book to be a little slow in places and I got a bit confused with all of the names that were introduced (places, characters...) for me they all felt a little similar and I struggled at the start to separate the two.

I generally don’t tend to like books with a political aspect to them but I found myself so intrigued by this book that I just couldn’t put it down and I read the majority of it in less than 12 hours. For me the story really kicks in when Aderyn arrives at the Citadel, everything about it drew me in and whilst I wasn’t particularly a fan of Aderyn, I did like her cousins, Odette and Aron.

Whilst I was reading this book 3 things really stood out and made me enjoy it even more
1. Whilst we have a bit of romance, I felt like it didn’t overshadow the rest of the plot. Sometimes when you read fantasy books the plot gets put on a back burner for the romance but I didn’t find that to be the case with this book. Yes the romance was important to the plot but equally everything else was important too.
2. The uniqueness of this world, the ability to transform into birds, the political intrigue and the imagination behind it all was just so well thought out and honestly, genius.
3. The writing was seamless. It flowed to well between chapters that I genuinely wouldn’t have guessed it was written by 2 authors if I didn’t already know. I found it so easy to read, as I said above I read the majority of it in less than 12 hours.

Overall, a great read and I can’t wait to read the second book! It’s now one of my most anticipated releases.

[thewoollygeek (tea, cake, crochet & books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thrilling read, I enjoyed the new take on fantasy here. I thought the world building was really good, the characters were well developed and relatable, the story was fast paced and lots of twists to keep you guessing. A Throne of Swans feels really fresh, interesting and is a breath of fresh air in YA fantasy. Looking for something new to devour , jump in here , I wasn’t disappointed at all, I loved it and I can’t wait for the sequel

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

[Jane Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg IT WAS SOOOOOOO GOOD. I love it. Full review to follow

[KiKi The #BookNerd KBbookreviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Throne Of Swans, by Elizabeth and Katharine Corr is a Swan Lake inspired story of magic, royalty and murder.

Synopsis. Follwing the tragic loss of her mother at an early age, Aderyn is unable to transform into a swan. All noble bloodlines can transforms into a different bird, those who cannot are kown as the flightless and cannot rule. Aderyn’s father has just died and she is now the Protector of Atratys, her dominion, no longer protected by her family.

She decides to attend the court of her Ucle, the King, with only Lucien (a noble of Atratys) and Letya (her friend and maid) to aid her. However, without the protection of her family, and the stress of hiding her flightless status, Aderyn ends up entangled into a deadly game of love and murder.

As she seeks the truth of her mother’s death, Aderyn must chose who she can and cannot trust. And above all she must also protect her dominion.

— Beautiful and Evocative —
The Writing Style and Narrative. The Corr’s writing style is very direct but also beautiful and evocative. It took me a while to grasp the style, particularly because of the first person narrative since I am used to third person narratives in fantasy, but one I grew use to it the book was an easy read. The writing is beautifully descriptive and very easy to connect with since it is so evocative and the pacing is very good. The story has a lot of action but also parts that are less so and the balance is cleverly done so that you dont get bored or feel like it is dragging. Moreover, the writing draws you in right from the start, it is so well crafted and wonderfully written that you get hooked into the story and don’t want to leave.

The first person narrative works very well for this particular fantasy, usually I prefer third, because of the main characters past, trauma and thoughts. Aderyn’s trauma is a big partf of her story and the narrative allows us to see the extent of how it has effected her physically and emotionally. It helps us to understand why she does what she does and why she sometimes makes questionable decisions. The narrative was a wonderful choice and help me to connect well with the character and the story.

— Intriguing and Extensive —
The Plot and World Building. The plot and world-building for A Throne Of Swans is incredibly intriguing and extensive. The plot draws on some popular tropes and arcs that exist in fantasty from fight for the throne, magical dominance, romance of higher and lower statuses to the inspiration of Swan Lake. Because of this some elements are a little predictable and initially I was unsure if this was a retelling or just inspired by Swan Lake. However, despite this the story maintains a significant amount of originality and uniqueness, and the ending was actually pretty suprising. A few elements are incredibly shocking and the tropes used are done in a clever way.

The story is incredibly well-paced with a lot of action and violence. I am hoping that we will see even more severe consequences in the second book for the main cast of characters (particularly due to how this one ends!) There are a lot of elements to this story that are entwined together to create such an intense plot overall and they were all very interesting. The truth of Aderyn’s mother’s attack was an interesting element that created a lot of mystery, I only wish there was a little more to the perpetrators here, but overall it worked well to fuel the story and create a tense atmosphere of realisation and horror.

The romance in the story was a little obvious but nonetheless well written with an aspect of obligation, lust, and actual love. The actual love element was sweet and heart-breaking and I did like it, especially because it did not over power the story, and I thought it ended very interestingly – my favourite part is this point because I am intrigued as to where it will go.

Aderyn’s trauma and flightlessness (not a spoiler btw as you are told immediately and in the actual synopsis) is also dealt with well throughout the story and explains her dependency and her decisions throughout, while maintianing her actual intelligence and power despite any foolish choices.

The world itself is very complex and I cannot wait to see more of it. Despite its complexity the book never feels like it is forcing information onto you, everything you learn you do so through observation and conversation. The world is split into the ‘flightless’ and those who can fly. Those who can fly do so by transforming into the bird of their ancestral line, the people themselves reflect their inner bird through their physique (a wonderful addition), and they are the noble, the rulers. Interestingly enough they are almost ‘destined’ to rule since it is incredibly unlikely, if not impossible, that they would marry a flightless person (for reasons I won’t disclose = spoilers) and allow for flightless heirs.

The world itself is also split into dominins with ‘Protectors’ (leaders) with a monarch who rules over them all. The divide in this story is not heavily gender focused, but the main ruling characters are female and so are forced to find someone to marry, but it would be the same for a male ruler due to the laws. Furthermore, the story has laws allowing for all forms of respectful love, thus LGBTQ+ characters are represented a little (However, I do believe there is room for a lot more representation here which we will hopefully see in the second book.) However, to rule it must be a man and woman (in order to produce an heir I believe). — I look forward to seeing if this is challenged in the next book too. But, the world, laws and magic are incredibly complex and have limits and strengths which make for a fantastically indulgent world that is real and believable.

The hints to Swan Lake are scattered throughout but I will leave those to you to find because it is far too spoilery! I love Swan Lake though, so I adored this inspiration and the nods to the original story!

— Complex and Dynamic —
The Characters. Every character created was complex and dynamic,they had interesting personalities that went beyond the surface layer of expectation and made the story all the more interesting. Furthermore, the characters are diverse (partly mentioned earlier) but we also have a character that is visibly disabled with a twofold presentation (I loved this because despite the obvious limitations the character is still incredibly able and efficient! So I loved this portrayal), I hope the diversity is developed on in the sequel.

Aderyn. The main character is from a noble bloodline, and thus has the ability to turn into a swan but trauma of the past and physical pain means she is unable to. Aderyn’s character is incrediby realistic, despite the high-fantasy settng, as she is smart and determined, but also makes easymistakes and can be too trusting. Her to rotect her dominion is strong and she is rather selfless at her core, despite the focus on her mother’s death resulting in negative actions. I really loved this character even when I disagreed with her because of the realism and the layers to her personality. She is incredibly able and strong in her own right and I look forward to seeing her character develop even more!

Letya. The flightless maid and friend of Aderyn. I ADORE Letya. She is so loyal and devoted to Aderyn and terribly protective. She is very supportive of her and is overall very sweet. I really look forward to seeing more of her later on.

Lucien. The beautiful noble raven, clerk to Aderyn. His initial introduction portrays this character as a jerk right off the bat, as her escorts Aderyn his sarcasm and wit seems to grow and their conversations are very amusing. But, at heart he is a sweetheart dedicated to protecting Atratys, Aderyn and his family. He is loyal and hardworking, and very smart, but can let emotion cloud him and cause him to act harshly. His character is another interesting one that I loved to watch develop.

Siegfried. Another noble, betrothed to Odette, charming, clever, witty and helpful he aids Aderyn a lot throughout the book. But, he can be cruel and set on his decisions, rigid in his ways and secretive. The character is complex and overall difficult to judge, but does become eaier as the story goes on.

Aron. The Prince, without rights but entirely with wit. I loved this character, his initial introduction presents him as a little cruel and calculating, he is indeed clever, but overall he is just bitter and hurt. The character is very loyal and protective of his noble line and his country but comes across as cold. Complex but an amazing character overall.

Odette. The Princess, the future Queen, is beautiful and obedient. She must marry, therefore she accepts the husband she needs and tries her best to be devoted and sweet. But, beneath the obedience Odette is clever, wants freedom and is kindhearted and dedicated. She will do what is best even if she will not benefit from it. I like her character a lot.

King. Aderyn’s uncle and abolutely smarmy. He is cruel and relishes his control and nobility. He wants to control Aderyn and has little regard for anyone’s feelings. I really hated this character, which is of course intended, and he made for a good source of confllict.

Queen. Aloof, reserved and a little cold, the Queen is a quiet character difficult to place and assess which side she stands for. Interesting character, but all I will say here.

— Magical and Promising —
Overall. A Throne Of Swans is a magical and promising story. I cannot wait for the next book because this one was just so magical and the characters are so interesting and complex. Whil I feel little elements were predictable, it did not ruin the story as it is incredibly well written and the ending itself was unpredictable and shocking.

Perfect for high fantasy lovers, Swan Lake adorers or anyone who loves a good royal story of murder, plotting, treasons, secrets and lies.

*I received a free eARC of #AThroneOfSwans by Elizabeth and Katharine Corr via #Netgalley @BonnierBooks_UK @HotKeyBooks in exchange for an honest review*

[Jadey (the Bookish) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

A really solid dark YA fantasy with an original and compelling magical element, and oodles of court intrigue.

The fantasy element of A Throne of Swans is that each noble has the ability to transform into the bird of their house. When I first read the synopsis of this book, I was worried that this would just be the books Unique Selling Point that was just tacked on to make it different; but it really did work and I loved how it drove the plot.

I think it's also worth saying that if the two authors hadn't been named on the cover, I wouldn't have had a clue that two people contributed to the writing of this. Absolutely seamless in my eyes.

FYI, I would not recommend this book if incest is something you can't get past when reading fantasy. Cousins, siblings.. there's incest left right and centre. It personally didn't bother me though.

Considering this was just a book I picked up on a whim at Tesco I'm so happy with my experience reading it! I'll definitely be picking up the sequel when it comes out (and is hopefully shelved at Tesco again).

TWs: slut-shaming, disability-shaming, death, death of a loved one, torture, sexual harassment, incest

[Reema · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why are there SO MANY AMAZING BOOKS!!!!!???
My heart and brain just cannot cope with it

Read the synopsis on Goodreads but this one is crazy. The royals turn into animals... Aderyn, the female protagonist is meant to transform into a swan, but she can't since her mother was killed. She leaves her home to go tonthe Citadel to find out what really happened.

It's really cool!! I was rooting and LOVING Lucien the whole way through the book. I didn't really care for Aderyn... why do the main female characters have to make all the wrong decisions (they can't all be like Trinity from Storm and Fury i guess) Lucien was brilliant and loveable... but WHY do authors all use the same names for their characters!!! Could have called him... Luke!

Really fast paced, amazing writing, need the next book!!!!

[Paperbacks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly I would like to say a huge thank you to Darkroom Tours and Hot Key Books for sending me a copy of this fantastic book for review. I mean I just took one look at the cover and fell in love with it. It’s apparently inspired by Swan Lake which I have to admit I really know little about which probably helped with how original and intriguing I found this story. From the first page I was totally drawn into the story in way I’ve not been for a long while. I just didn’t want to put it down as everything felt on a knife edge from start to finish.

Aderyn may at first seem like a typical sheltered teen, naive and a little selfish at times, however I adored how her story and character developed. She needs to get savvy and quickly. She does learn by making many mistakes at the start but her adaptability and fortitude really get the chance to shine as she becomes more adept at life at court. I felt that her flightless status was actually handled in a considered way, not only down to the physical aspect but the deep seated emotional trauma from what she was forced to watch. Add on top of that the likely overwhelming anxiety of leaving home to attend a strange place with a need to prove herself, its small wonder that she finds herself overwhelmed, especially with the attentions she receives. I really had a lot of time for her and her situation.

I really liked the concept of the Nobles being able to shift into birds and indeed different types of birds depending on their family line. The powers of the nobles being able to totally rule out a particularly overused YA trope, which was a nice touch, either by design or not. If there is one thing that this story has in spades it’s tension. I started by saying that I felt the story was on a knife edge and I can’t think of a better way to describe it, so many secrets, lies, whispers and rumours. Everyone has an agenda and the times where Aderyn is left without her Clerk, Lucian, I felt terribly anxious about what would happen to her her next. There are so many layers of deceit and simmering revenge, showing a much deeper thread to the tale. In retrospect there were a number of breadcrumbs laid and I loved how things started to slot together revealing a truly terrible but exciting puzzle underneath.. The plot went far deeper than I thought it would for a YA book, it has a real maturity and darkness to it at times, but also some sweet romance and plenty of dancing!

For a book that was so glorious though I have marked it down slightly because I felt frustrated with Aderyn at times as she was so unable to follow a singular piece of advice – trust no one. I accept a level of naivety on her part but I would have hoped for more caution. I’m also not a huge fan of cliffhanger style chapter endings and I felt that too many chapters finished mid conversation, it was a dramatic flare that I didn’t feel the story needed. This is of course down to reader preference but these things did bug me a little. What I did find incredibly helpful though was the beautiful map and family tree at the beginning, I think there is a place for a family tree in plenty of books and it was a real help here at understanding the history and putting Aderyn’s findings into context.

A Throne of Swans is a wonderfully complex tale of intrigue and revenge and it completely wrapped me up in its world. I still feel a little heartbroken and wronged by the way certain things came to pass, I’m totally on a particular characters team and the sneak peak of book 2 at the end has left me totally desperate to find out what happens next with them. The quote on the front from the wonderful V.V James describes it as a Dark and Glittering Fantasy, and I would have to wholeheartedly agree.

4.5 Stars

[E-Lynn Kok · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY SHIT! AHH AH AH! I am ever so grateful to receive an ARC of this epic tale from @definitelybooks. As a fan of dark medieval fantasy stories, I love this book so freaking much. Think Game of Thrones but it is The White Queen and the Houses are bird names. The deception and court politics is basically a TV drama series packed into 321 pages. I did not anticipate the ending! I had something else in mind BUT HOLY FRICK! This review is going to be all over the place and 100% love.

The hypnosis covered what you need to know about the book for you to pick it up. Thus, my duty to it is to make sure you understand why I love it. I know I say love a lot, be prepared for more. Hahaha.

Since Aderyn is only seventeen and she was protected with her privilege lifestyle throughout her entire life, she had no idea of the horrors that awaited her at court. At times, she is quite immature and annoying, she lacks the ability to understand how to complicate one action can be perceived by the court in the face of power and jealousy. The authors did a fantastic job with her personality growth. She was a spoilt naive child when she entered the court, then she slowly grew smarter and took on an important role that would change the entire Kingdom. Aderyn has something most nobels lack, which is empathy and kindness. She doesn't treat the flightless like they are a piece of shit in contrary to other novels. In fact, her best friend is her paid companion (she often wished that Letya wasn't her paid companion). They are very close friends and loyal to each other.

I am not kidding when I said think Game of Thrones but it is The White Queen for 'A Throne of Swans''. READ IT & you'll thank me and yourself. Happy Reading! I cannot wait for the sequel of thing book, I NEED it.

Huge thank you once more to @definitelybooks, I'm forever grateful to discover amazing reads from your recommendations.