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Swan Lake: Quest for the Kingdoms
Frozen meets The Wizard of Oz in this swashbuckling adventure perfect for fans of Amulet and The Okay Witch, from the acclaimed author of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy.
Odette and Dillie are supposed to be enemies. Their kingdoms have been feuding since before they were born.
But when the two princesses meet each other at the lake that separates their castles, it's clear they were destined to be best friends. Odette--who lives with a curse that magically transforms her into a swan when the sun rises--is happy to find someone who treats her like everyone else. And Dillie has finally met someone who understands her dream of having an adventure instead of sitting on a throne.
When they discover that Odette's curse is the reason for tension between their families, they decide to follow an ancient legend that could lead them to someone who can set everything right. As they travel through enchanted lands, meet new allies, and fight terrible foes, Odette and Dillie are put to the ultimate test.
But when the time comes, will they choose their deepest wishes or the fragile fate of their world?
Odette and Dillie are supposed to be enemies. Their kingdoms have been feuding since before they were born.
But when the two princesses meet each other at the lake that separates their castles, it's clear they were destined to be best friends. Odette--who lives with a curse that magically transforms her into a swan when the sun rises--is happy to find someone who treats her like everyone else. And Dillie has finally met someone who understands her dream of having an adventure instead of sitting on a throne.
When they discover that Odette's curse is the reason for tension between their families, they decide to follow an ancient legend that could lead them to someone who can set everything right. As they travel through enchanted lands, meet new allies, and fight terrible foes, Odette and Dillie are put to the ultimate test.
But when the time comes, will they choose their deepest wishes or the fragile fate of their world?
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2022
12 people are currently reading
3323 people want to read
About the author
Rey Terciero
9 books162 followersRey Terciero is a penname of Rex Ogle.
REX OGLE is an award-winning author and the writer of nearly a hundred children’s books, comics, graphic novels, and memoirs—most notably Free Lunch, which won the ALA/YALSA award for Excellence in Non-Fiction.
Born and raised (mostly) in Texas, he moved to New York City after college to intern at Marvel Comics before moving over to DC Comics, Scholastic, and Little Brown Young Readers. As an editor, he championed over a dozen NY Times Bestsellers and worked on (and often wrote) major brands such as X-Men, Justice League, Star Wars, LEGO, Power Rangers, Transformers, Minecraft, Assassin’s Creed, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Neil Patrick Harris’s Magic Misfits.
Rex has written under a lot of pen names, including Trey King, Honest Lee, and Rey Terciero (a nickname given by his Abuela, being Español for “third king”, which is apt since Rex is Latin for “king”, and he is the third “Rex” in his family).
Now, Rex lives in Los Angeles where he writes in his spare time—that is, when he’s not outdoors hiking with his dog Toby, playing MarioKart with friends, or reading.
REX OGLE is an award-winning author and the writer of nearly a hundred children’s books, comics, graphic novels, and memoirs—most notably Free Lunch, which won the ALA/YALSA award for Excellence in Non-Fiction.
Born and raised (mostly) in Texas, he moved to New York City after college to intern at Marvel Comics before moving over to DC Comics, Scholastic, and Little Brown Young Readers. As an editor, he championed over a dozen NY Times Bestsellers and worked on (and often wrote) major brands such as X-Men, Justice League, Star Wars, LEGO, Power Rangers, Transformers, Minecraft, Assassin’s Creed, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Neil Patrick Harris’s Magic Misfits.
Rex has written under a lot of pen names, including Trey King, Honest Lee, and Rey Terciero (a nickname given by his Abuela, being Español for “third king”, which is apt since Rex is Latin for “king”, and he is the third “Rex” in his family).
Now, Rex lives in Los Angeles where he writes in his spare time—that is, when he’s not outdoors hiking with his dog Toby, playing MarioKart with friends, or reading.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
May 3, 2025
A fun, cute and cartoony retelling of the fairy tale and ballet, 'Swan Lake', that also makes references to Tchaikovsky's other works. It's such a romp.
Set in a world actually called Tchaikovsky's Realm, 'Swan Lake: Quest for the Kingdoms' contains adventure, a magical quest inspired by a childhood storybook, sword fighting girls, two divided kingdoms on the brink of war, deceptional reputations of kingdoms and peoples as well as other royal shenanigans, and animals - including a swan (of course) and other birds. And a bear. And goblins (whose language might seem alien at first, but is actually just bad abbreviated text! Ha!). Oh, and dancing. And no doubt beautiful music to go with it, but since this is a comic book you may have to imagine it's the original ballet score playing.
There's a lake serpent in there, too.
'Swan Lake: Quest for the Kingdoms' is very similar to another all-ages cartoony princess graphic novel, 'Princess Princess Ever After' by Kay O'Neill; right down to both starring an adventuring young trio consisting of two princesses and a prince. Dillie Rotbart, the sword fighting tomboy, even looks like a light-skinned Amira (and their hair is identical), and Odette Bloom is just like Sadie but with pink hair. Siegfried "Fred" Montrose is the third wheel cowardly prince, who is not really cowardly but a funny and sweet subversion of toxic masculinity (blatantly, amusingly said in dialogue, in this case); a lot like Prince Vladric from 'Princess Princess Ever After', only Fred is a POC, and an adorable cinnamon bun who has a vastly stronger and more dynamic presence in his longer story (and he has a friend who's a bear, Benno). It does seem as though Rey Terciero and Megan Kearney took great inspiration from that comic, not necessarily ripping it off. 'Swan Lake: Quest for the Kingdoms' is its own fun and funny identity, anyway.
Princess Odile "Dillie" of Rotbart is not a villain, a dark mirror, nor a rival of the swan princess like in the original tale. She's a bored, restless, fiery, impulsive young girl who yearns for adventure. She doesn't want to take responsibility and her mother's place on the throne some day (her kingdom is a matriarchy) (side note: her father is a queer and quirky scientist, mistakenly thought by the Bloom Kingdom to be an evil sorcerer; how's that for a subversion?). Dillie is adept with the sword (equalling her four older brothers), and is offhandedly a bookworm. Girl's got layers!
On her quest to break Odette's swan curse and prove her reputedly dour and wicked kingdom's innocence, she learns that heroism means as much about patience, understanding, and using your words, as much as it means charging forwards into danger and using violence, if not more so. Dillie is stronger, kinder, braver, wiser, and more spirited and capable than she knows, as she'll find out. She also has a prosthetic leg, and she named her sword Cassandra.
From a few details gathered above, am I the only one seeing elements of Pixar's 'Brave' to Dillie's character?
Last note regarding Dillie: as well as Princess Amira, Dillie reminds me of Marceline from 'Adventure Time' in both looks and personality... and in her relationship status with a pink princess.
Princess Odette of Bloom is a sweet girl who, since she was a newborn, has unfortunately been under a spell put on her by a mysterious wizard, so that every day she turns into a swan, and every night back into a girl. Her parents are overprotective of her, but she desperately wishes for freedom from her royal cage - to go out dancing, for she dreams of being a ballerina (she seems to be a better dancer as a swan at the moment, due to lack of training).
She and Dillie meet by chance one night, and despite the sheltered kids' rocky start (neither of them have really had any friends before), and the tensions between their rivalling kingdoms, they become friends (how very 'Romeo and Juliet'. Hmm). Then they set out on a quest together, to break Odette's curse and save both their kingdoms from declaring war.
But is it really a curse? Is Odette being a swan half the time something to be ashamed of? What if she's not broken and fragile, and doesn't need to change? What if she could use a sword like Dillie? What if she could still be a dancer? What if she could still do anything?
Prince Fred and Benno the bear tag along, providing further comic relief.
The themes of war solving nothing; that not everything is as they appear; that reputations and propaganda are not always true; and that it is a progressive, safe and beautiful thing to get to know each other instead of dividing and isolating ourselves from other places - as that's how dangerous rumours and falsehoods fester - that peace is possible - these are brilliant lessons that 'Swan Lake: Quest for the Kingdoms' teaches. Why not dance instead of fight? Why not sing and create stories - create art that frees the soul - instead of lies?
Children are much wiser than adults in solving stupid conflicts, aren't they? "Who knows why people do bad things?", Odette's mother says to her at one point, like she'll be one to talk later. No one should have to start wars. No one should have to die. Proving you are "better" than someone or somewhere else through violence, spawned out of hate, revenge, pettiness and misplaced issues, means nothing. It only proves that you are nothing, and empty and hurting inside.
I have to mention that, yeah, I totally ship Dillie and Odette. There are tiny hints throughout that their friendship may become something more in the future, but maybe not right now. They are both twelve years old, after all. They hug, cuddle, and hold hands a lot - seriously, there is so much handholding between these two, they even do it on the cover! - and there is one image of their fingers lightly touching in front of a heart-shaped cave entrance. I mean, come on!
'Swan Lake' is not explicitly queer like 'Princess Princess Ever After' - it's all in code, like Fred's entire character - but it works well for what it is, so it's not too irritating.
The whole 'Swan Lake' ballet motif that the graphic novel has going for it, with its dancing girl/swan/pretty bird, its sword fighting hero, and helpless prince, plus it referencing other fairy tales... there's something else it reminds me of: the anime 'Princess Tutu'. Another deliberate homage? Probably not, probably a coincidence, but I can dream.
'Swan Lake: Quest for the Kingdoms' is far from perfect, as there are a few abrupt plot, character and dialogue inconsistencies, especially at the beginning, that an editor might have helped fix. Speaking of inconsistencies, the very beginning of the book shows how Odette came to be cursed, when she was a baby, when her mother stopped the cloaked wizard halfway through the spell. But it had happened at night time, meaning Odette shouldn't have been a swan yet, so how could her parents have immediately known that there was something wrong - shocking and horrifying, even - with her? Was it a one time thing for the beginner spell? It doesn't make sense, and it should have been another fix from the editor. Was there an editor?
But no worries. It's a fab story with fab art and characters. Woven throughout are important themes and messages. Recommended.
Final Score: 4/5
Set in a world actually called Tchaikovsky's Realm, 'Swan Lake: Quest for the Kingdoms' contains adventure, a magical quest inspired by a childhood storybook, sword fighting girls, two divided kingdoms on the brink of war, deceptional reputations of kingdoms and peoples as well as other royal shenanigans, and animals - including a swan (of course) and other birds. And a bear. And goblins (whose language might seem alien at first, but is actually just bad abbreviated text! Ha!). Oh, and dancing. And no doubt beautiful music to go with it, but since this is a comic book you may have to imagine it's the original ballet score playing.
There's a lake serpent in there, too.
'Swan Lake: Quest for the Kingdoms' is very similar to another all-ages cartoony princess graphic novel, 'Princess Princess Ever After' by Kay O'Neill; right down to both starring an adventuring young trio consisting of two princesses and a prince. Dillie Rotbart, the sword fighting tomboy, even looks like a light-skinned Amira (and their hair is identical), and Odette Bloom is just like Sadie but with pink hair. Siegfried "Fred" Montrose is the third wheel cowardly prince, who is not really cowardly but a funny and sweet subversion of toxic masculinity (blatantly, amusingly said in dialogue, in this case); a lot like Prince Vladric from 'Princess Princess Ever After', only Fred is a POC, and an adorable cinnamon bun who has a vastly stronger and more dynamic presence in his longer story (and he has a friend who's a bear, Benno). It does seem as though Rey Terciero and Megan Kearney took great inspiration from that comic, not necessarily ripping it off. 'Swan Lake: Quest for the Kingdoms' is its own fun and funny identity, anyway.
Princess Odile "Dillie" of Rotbart is not a villain, a dark mirror, nor a rival of the swan princess like in the original tale. She's a bored, restless, fiery, impulsive young girl who yearns for adventure. She doesn't want to take responsibility and her mother's place on the throne some day (her kingdom is a matriarchy) (side note: her father is a queer and quirky scientist, mistakenly thought by the Bloom Kingdom to be an evil sorcerer; how's that for a subversion?). Dillie is adept with the sword (equalling her four older brothers), and is offhandedly a bookworm. Girl's got layers!
On her quest to break Odette's swan curse and prove her reputedly dour and wicked kingdom's innocence, she learns that heroism means as much about patience, understanding, and using your words, as much as it means charging forwards into danger and using violence, if not more so. Dillie is stronger, kinder, braver, wiser, and more spirited and capable than she knows, as she'll find out. She also has a prosthetic leg, and she named her sword Cassandra.
From a few details gathered above, am I the only one seeing elements of Pixar's 'Brave' to Dillie's character?
Last note regarding Dillie: as well as Princess Amira, Dillie reminds me of Marceline from 'Adventure Time' in both looks and personality... and in her relationship status with a pink princess.
Princess Odette of Bloom is a sweet girl who, since she was a newborn, has unfortunately been under a spell put on her by a mysterious wizard, so that every day she turns into a swan, and every night back into a girl. Her parents are overprotective of her, but she desperately wishes for freedom from her royal cage - to go out dancing, for she dreams of being a ballerina (she seems to be a better dancer as a swan at the moment, due to lack of training).
She and Dillie meet by chance one night, and despite the sheltered kids' rocky start (neither of them have really had any friends before), and the tensions between their rivalling kingdoms, they become friends (how very 'Romeo and Juliet'. Hmm). Then they set out on a quest together, to break Odette's curse and save both their kingdoms from declaring war.
But is it really a curse? Is Odette being a swan half the time something to be ashamed of? What if she's not broken and fragile, and doesn't need to change? What if she could use a sword like Dillie? What if she could still be a dancer? What if she could still do anything?
Prince Fred and Benno the bear tag along, providing further comic relief.
The themes of war solving nothing; that not everything is as they appear; that reputations and propaganda are not always true; and that it is a progressive, safe and beautiful thing to get to know each other instead of dividing and isolating ourselves from other places - as that's how dangerous rumours and falsehoods fester - that peace is possible - these are brilliant lessons that 'Swan Lake: Quest for the Kingdoms' teaches. Why not dance instead of fight? Why not sing and create stories - create art that frees the soul - instead of lies?
Children are much wiser than adults in solving stupid conflicts, aren't they? "Who knows why people do bad things?", Odette's mother says to her at one point, like she'll be one to talk later. No one should have to start wars. No one should have to die. Proving you are "better" than someone or somewhere else through violence, spawned out of hate, revenge, pettiness and misplaced issues, means nothing. It only proves that you are nothing, and empty and hurting inside.
I have to mention that, yeah, I totally ship Dillie and Odette. There are tiny hints throughout that their friendship may become something more in the future, but maybe not right now. They are both twelve years old, after all. They hug, cuddle, and hold hands a lot - seriously, there is so much handholding between these two, they even do it on the cover! - and there is one image of their fingers lightly touching in front of a heart-shaped cave entrance. I mean, come on!
'Swan Lake' is not explicitly queer like 'Princess Princess Ever After' - it's all in code, like Fred's entire character - but it works well for what it is, so it's not too irritating.
The whole 'Swan Lake' ballet motif that the graphic novel has going for it, with its dancing girl/swan/pretty bird, its sword fighting hero, and helpless prince, plus it referencing other fairy tales... there's something else it reminds me of: the anime 'Princess Tutu'. Another deliberate homage? Probably not, probably a coincidence, but I can dream.
'Swan Lake: Quest for the Kingdoms' is far from perfect, as there are a few abrupt plot, character and dialogue inconsistencies, especially at the beginning, that an editor might have helped fix. Speaking of inconsistencies, the very beginning of the book shows how Odette came to be cursed, when she was a baby, when her mother stopped the cloaked wizard halfway through the spell. But it had happened at night time, meaning Odette shouldn't have been a swan yet, so how could her parents have immediately known that there was something wrong - shocking and horrifying, even - with her? Was it a one time thing for the beginner spell? It doesn't make sense, and it should have been another fix from the editor. Was there an editor?
But no worries. It's a fab story with fab art and characters. Woven throughout are important themes and messages. Recommended.
Final Score: 4/5
May 29, 2022
delightful, fun, with lovely drawings and a cast of likeable characters.
October 2, 2022
This was just so solid! Lots of action. The main characters have so much heart. The art is beautiful and so fun.
August 18, 2024
such a cute adventure story about friendship and magic and being yourself!
July 4, 2022
Quick and fun jaunt of a quest to reunite three kingdoms, Swan Lake style. The art work is pretty cute … and the Bear was probably my favourite character.
December 5, 2022
Cute and pretty fun. Adorable swan; I mean those freckles!
But my fav part? Th gblns wh spk lk ths.
But my fav part? Th gblns wh spk lk ths.
March 31, 2023
This book was rough story-wise. I felt like it was trying to do too much telling and not enough showing. I picked this up since it's this quarter's Graphic Novel Book Club pick at work.
June 28, 2024
One princess was cursed as a child. The other is sure she can clear her father's name. Though their kingdoms have been unfriendly for years, the two set out on an epic adventure to find a magician who can change their fates.
This is a charming story that reflects on assumptions, both about others and oneself. The illustrations are engaging and the characters well-crafted. It doesn't have a lot of depth to it, but if you're looking for a fun adventure with a hint of ballet, I would recommend this one.
This is a charming story that reflects on assumptions, both about others and oneself. The illustrations are engaging and the characters well-crafted. It doesn't have a lot of depth to it, but if you're looking for a fun adventure with a hint of ballet, I would recommend this one.
November 23, 2022
I liked the art style and parts of the book, but overall the story was too juvenile for me. I'm not in the target group though, so my opinion shouldn't stop anyone from reading this.
April 11, 2025
A fun adventure graphic novel about acceptance. Would love to see more books in this world!
December 2, 2025
Representation: queer protagonists, Black protagonist.
Content Warning: violence.
Content Warning: violence.
February 12, 2025
This was super cute :)
November 15, 2021
Wow! What a nonstop action packed reimagined version of Swan Lake. Rey Terciero pays homage to Tchaikovsky’s ballet and makes it exceptionally pop in a graphic novel format for middle schoolers. I loved the gender bending swash buckling sword play along with the family deception and plot twists throughout. Such fun.
November 4, 2021
I would like to thank Edelweiss and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. Right away I knew I wanted to read this graphic novel based off the cover alone. I have always loved fairy tales since I was a little girl and this graphic novel amps that right up. When two princesses from waring kingdoms meet, they form a friendship and try to help their kingdoms reunite by going on an adventure they will never forget! With beautiful art and a fun storyline, this is a book you won't want to miss.
July 9, 2022
not my favourite. it was a bit misleading!
March 19, 2023
Odette is cursed to be a swan during the day, and a girl at night. She just wants to escape her castle, where her parents, afraid for her, keep her cloistered. Dillie, from a neighboring kingdom, is not interested in learning how to be a ruler, like her mother. She wants adventure, and neither her mother nor her (Dillie's) prosthetic leg will get in her way! When she and Odette meet, after Odette flies out her window to escape, in swan form, they become friends (and maybe a hint of more to come?). But when Odette's parents tell her that Dillie's kingdom is responsible for her curse, Odette has trouble believing it--and Dillie is furious that she would believe it, but she's also not sure it's not true. So they decide they have to seek out a mythical mage in the dangerous wilderness beyond the kingdoms, who can grant wishes. Along the way, they pick up Max, who emphatically does not want to be the kind of ruler his stepfather is forcing him into--the testosterone-poisoned hunter and warrior. He and the bear he refused to kill--who is a friend of his, in fact--join the girls on their quest. Adventure awaits!
This was great! Imaginative and adventurous, and easy to follow (sometimes with graphic novels things aren't so easy to figure out for old eyes!). I loved the different characters, who were all engaging and imperfect but trying. I loved the multicultural representation, and the disability representation, which is rare but getting a tiny bit more prevalent in kids' books. I loved the friendship and found-family feeling that develops between the adventurers, and love that they end the book with options--there's no one answer to their problems, which may not even be problems? It doesn't end on a cliffhanger, but it does end with the start of a new quest.
This was great! Imaginative and adventurous, and easy to follow (sometimes with graphic novels things aren't so easy to figure out for old eyes!). I loved the different characters, who were all engaging and imperfect but trying. I loved the multicultural representation, and the disability representation, which is rare but getting a tiny bit more prevalent in kids' books. I loved the friendship and found-family feeling that develops between the adventurers, and love that they end the book with options--there's no one answer to their problems, which may not even be problems? It doesn't end on a cliffhanger, but it does end with the start of a new quest.
April 12, 2025
This is a great retelling of Swan Lake with fun characters, action, great character arcs, an interesting setup to it all, and cute art. I really enjoyed it, and I hope a sequel comes along (as there is a plot hook for one at the end).
I love the mystery that is setup near the beginning, of seeing the POV of both princesses and how differently they view each other's kingdoms. It's a great way to introduce the idea of everything not being what it seems, which just adds to the mystery of who cursed Odette. I greatly enjoyed Odette and Dillie as well. They were both great characters with great arcs.
Then you've got Fred from the third kingdom. He isn't quite as important as the other two, but he still plays a major role in the story, and he's a fun character. All three of them (plus Benno) make a great team, even if they don't always get along.
Then there's the actual plot itself, of warring kingdoms, a magical quest, and all that. This is a really fun take on the Swan Lake story, and I was always excited to see what happened next. The ending was quite satisfying, as well.
I already mentioned it, but I love the art style. It suits the story well, and it's cute while still being able to convey action, drama, and whatever else well. Odette's design is my favorite, and I also love her swan form (the freckles are a great choice), but I also like the backgrounds, the creature designs, and most of the human designs.
Overall, this is a fun and cute retelling of Swan Lake that also has plenty of action and emotional moments. I loved the various character arcs, and the ending was both satisfying while leaving a plot hook for a potential sequel (that I really hope happens).
I love the mystery that is setup near the beginning, of seeing the POV of both princesses and how differently they view each other's kingdoms. It's a great way to introduce the idea of everything not being what it seems, which just adds to the mystery of who cursed Odette. I greatly enjoyed Odette and Dillie as well. They were both great characters with great arcs.
Then you've got Fred from the third kingdom. He isn't quite as important as the other two, but he still plays a major role in the story, and he's a fun character. All three of them (plus Benno) make a great team, even if they don't always get along.
Then there's the actual plot itself, of warring kingdoms, a magical quest, and all that. This is a really fun take on the Swan Lake story, and I was always excited to see what happened next. The ending was quite satisfying, as well.
I already mentioned it, but I love the art style. It suits the story well, and it's cute while still being able to convey action, drama, and whatever else well. Odette's design is my favorite, and I also love her swan form (the freckles are a great choice), but I also like the backgrounds, the creature designs, and most of the human designs.
Overall, this is a fun and cute retelling of Swan Lake that also has plenty of action and emotional moments. I loved the various character arcs, and the ending was both satisfying while leaving a plot hook for a potential sequel (that I really hope happens).
February 10, 2022
I received an eARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
The characters (you know, the talking girl/swan, the spunky princess with a prosthetic leg, the young prince who can talk to animals, and the prince's friend/bear) were such a fun group. I really loved the diversity and the dynamic this group had.
This story is ultimately about love (and dance!) and I was so here for it! It's about loving yourself and others, flaws and all. Odette and Dilly are admirable for many reasons but I loved them most for being so open minded and eager to make amends between their families and kingdoms. Odette's innocence and good heart combined with Dilly's tenacity and "act first, think later" mentality was wonderful. Fred's comments about his various fears, his conversations with Benno the bear, and his empty stomach woes were equal parts funny and endearing.
The plot moves along quickly and is full of action. I loved reading this as an adult and I'm certain I would have loved it when I was in elementary/middle school. The artwork is simple but so expressive. It is easy to follow the story while also getting immersed in the world. Kearney's artwork was perfect for this fun adventure story.
I would absolutely recommend this to readers of all ages and would love to read more from these two!
The characters (you know, the talking girl/swan, the spunky princess with a prosthetic leg, the young prince who can talk to animals, and the prince's friend/bear) were such a fun group. I really loved the diversity and the dynamic this group had.
This story is ultimately about love (and dance!) and I was so here for it! It's about loving yourself and others, flaws and all. Odette and Dilly are admirable for many reasons but I loved them most for being so open minded and eager to make amends between their families and kingdoms. Odette's innocence and good heart combined with Dilly's tenacity and "act first, think later" mentality was wonderful. Fred's comments about his various fears, his conversations with Benno the bear, and his empty stomach woes were equal parts funny and endearing.
The plot moves along quickly and is full of action. I loved reading this as an adult and I'm certain I would have loved it when I was in elementary/middle school. The artwork is simple but so expressive. It is easy to follow the story while also getting immersed in the world. Kearney's artwork was perfect for this fun adventure story.
I would absolutely recommend this to readers of all ages and would love to read more from these two!
August 22, 2025
I was far too hopeful. It's 4:47 AM, and I took two hours just to read this and some other Swan Lake/Giselle books, and honestly? For all the viruses my computer got, it wasn't worth it.
Firstly, my main complaint about the characters was that they didn't act anything like who they were supposed to be based on. I get that Odile isn't going to be a symbol of sexuality or Odette just not present for a good chunk of the book, but these characters were honestly just some OCs with some names from Swan Lake. Odette admittedly isn't that bad. I actually prefer this to the almost whiny person/swan she is in the ballet. But Dilly? Another story entirely. Odile/Dilly is not cunning, not deceptive, not even persuasive. Throughout the book, she's just some sort of abrasive character with a soft side. (Thanks for another one of those, I'll put it in the pile.) I wanted to like Siegfried, but he's a complete inverse of his actual character. He hates hunting and can't do anything even if his life depends on it. (Now, I'm not saying they should've just thrown Vadim in the book or anything, but they could make him a bit more like his source material.) Maybe this is rude, but I expected Siegfried to have *something* with the way he kept falling over. It's not explained, and with the way it kept happening, I expected it to have some significance. (don't attack me I'm a lbp warrior) Benno is a bear. Why? Usually, nobody cares a lot about Benno (as he is sometimes grouped in with a jester), so seeing his name spelt correctly made me happy. Until I realised he was a bear. Honestly, I don't care too much.
Secondly, the plot felt a bit all over the place. While the objective was clear, the way different characters were recruited just felt a bit messy, and the whole story thing was somewhat weird. And this takes me to my third point, THE CHANCE TO INCLUDE REFERENCES!! I figured that since this book just didn't really try with Swan Lake, it could use a few, aside from the Nutcracker one at the end, and I hate the Nutcracker. Overdone. The goblins or mirror whatevers could've been wilis or sylphs (Giselle/La Sylphide/Les Sylphides), (admittedly this is a bad idea, but) the story or castle having some elements from Don Quixote, or just using some lead characters from other ballets (Giselle and Loys/Albrecht, Solor and Nikiya, Conrad and the rest of the Corsaires for the pirate part...) But no, we get boring characters like Siegfried's dad and the WishMage...literally could've picked from SO many characters.
Finally, the end felt rushed. The WishMage is just a weird character, honestly, and doesn't fit in at all, and then the two kingdoms just...go to war, and immediately get stopped by Odette's sloppy dances. It felt rushed. Overall, the book could've been so much better.
Firstly, my main complaint about the characters was that they didn't act anything like who they were supposed to be based on. I get that Odile isn't going to be a symbol of sexuality or Odette just not present for a good chunk of the book, but these characters were honestly just some OCs with some names from Swan Lake. Odette admittedly isn't that bad. I actually prefer this to the almost whiny person/swan she is in the ballet. But Dilly? Another story entirely. Odile/Dilly is not cunning, not deceptive, not even persuasive. Throughout the book, she's just some sort of abrasive character with a soft side. (Thanks for another one of those, I'll put it in the pile.) I wanted to like Siegfried, but he's a complete inverse of his actual character. He hates hunting and can't do anything even if his life depends on it. (Now, I'm not saying they should've just thrown Vadim in the book or anything, but they could make him a bit more like his source material.) Maybe this is rude, but I expected Siegfried to have *something* with the way he kept falling over. It's not explained, and with the way it kept happening, I expected it to have some significance. (don't attack me I'm a lbp warrior) Benno is a bear. Why? Usually, nobody cares a lot about Benno (as he is sometimes grouped in with a jester), so seeing his name spelt correctly made me happy. Until I realised he was a bear. Honestly, I don't care too much.
Secondly, the plot felt a bit all over the place. While the objective was clear, the way different characters were recruited just felt a bit messy, and the whole story thing was somewhat weird. And this takes me to my third point, THE CHANCE TO INCLUDE REFERENCES!! I figured that since this book just didn't really try with Swan Lake, it could use a few, aside from the Nutcracker one at the end, and I hate the Nutcracker. Overdone. The goblins or mirror whatevers could've been wilis or sylphs (Giselle/La Sylphide/Les Sylphides), (admittedly this is a bad idea, but) the story or castle having some elements from Don Quixote, or just using some lead characters from other ballets (Giselle and Loys/Albrecht, Solor and Nikiya, Conrad and the rest of the Corsaires for the pirate part...) But no, we get boring characters like Siegfried's dad and the WishMage...literally could've picked from SO many characters.
Finally, the end felt rushed. The WishMage is just a weird character, honestly, and doesn't fit in at all, and then the two kingdoms just...go to war, and immediately get stopped by Odette's sloppy dances. It felt rushed. Overall, the book could've been so much better.
April 5, 2022
This graphic novel, loosely based on the Swan Lake ballet. Very loosely, but it's a very good story.
Among other things, this story is set up so that there might be a sequel, but even if there isn't, it's a lot of fun to read. The more you remember about the ballet, though, the more confusing some of the plot points are, because the author has changed the relationships between some of the characters in genuinely odd ways.
In this version, yes, Odette has been cursed with being a swan, at least by day. Odille, on the other hand, is a swashbuckling tomboy who looks nothing like Odette. This becomes a story about four kingdoms that used to work together, sharing the land, but that have been torn apart by a variety of things, including the whole "swan curse" thing, for which one of the kingdoms has been blamed.
The young members of the royal families of three of the kingdoms get together to try to break Odille's curse. As to the fourth kingdom...that's mostly a story for the sequel, which I hope he writes.
The monstrous creatures in the story, as well as the casters of magic and those who fulfill wishes, were very interesting designs. The artist, Megan Kearney, did a great job with this, including what I have to say are the best dancing swan images I've ever seen.
Among other things, this story is set up so that there might be a sequel, but even if there isn't, it's a lot of fun to read. The more you remember about the ballet, though, the more confusing some of the plot points are, because the author has changed the relationships between some of the characters in genuinely odd ways.
In this version, yes, Odette has been cursed with being a swan, at least by day. Odille, on the other hand, is a swashbuckling tomboy who looks nothing like Odette. This becomes a story about four kingdoms that used to work together, sharing the land, but that have been torn apart by a variety of things, including the whole "swan curse" thing, for which one of the kingdoms has been blamed.
The young members of the royal families of three of the kingdoms get together to try to break Odille's curse. As to the fourth kingdom...that's mostly a story for the sequel, which I hope he writes.
The monstrous creatures in the story, as well as the casters of magic and those who fulfill wishes, were very interesting designs. The artist, Megan Kearney, did a great job with this, including what I have to say are the best dancing swan images I've ever seen.
May 25, 2022
I received a copy of Swan Lake: Quest for the Kingdoms by Rey Terciero and Megan Kearney from HarperCollins Canada in exchange for an honest review.
What a fun adventurous story that takes place in Swan Lake: Quest for the Kingdoms, which is actually inspired by the ballet Swan Lake. In this story, we find that three kingdoms are separated by their disdain for one another; always at the brink of war with one another. In one kingdom, Princess Odette is cursed to turned into a swan during the day. In another, Princess Dillie wants to go on adventures rather than sitting around listening to the people complain. In the third, Prince Fred doesn't want to prove his worthiness by killing beasts, and he saves a new friend, Banno the Bear. The three unlikely friends team up to journey across the lands to find a way to break the curse on Odette, prove their kingdom's innocence, and to complete a quest to prove worthiness to the throne. This adventure is sure to delight and thrill readers, cheering on for these young royals determined to move forward as individuals and for the good of their respective kingdoms. I can't wait to see what is next for Odette, Dillie, Fred, and Banno.
What a fun adventurous story that takes place in Swan Lake: Quest for the Kingdoms, which is actually inspired by the ballet Swan Lake. In this story, we find that three kingdoms are separated by their disdain for one another; always at the brink of war with one another. In one kingdom, Princess Odette is cursed to turned into a swan during the day. In another, Princess Dillie wants to go on adventures rather than sitting around listening to the people complain. In the third, Prince Fred doesn't want to prove his worthiness by killing beasts, and he saves a new friend, Banno the Bear. The three unlikely friends team up to journey across the lands to find a way to break the curse on Odette, prove their kingdom's innocence, and to complete a quest to prove worthiness to the throne. This adventure is sure to delight and thrill readers, cheering on for these young royals determined to move forward as individuals and for the good of their respective kingdoms. I can't wait to see what is next for Odette, Dillie, Fred, and Banno.
September 23, 2022
Frozen meets Shrek meets The Wizard of Oz in this adorable, laugh-out-loud middle grade graphic novel.
🦢
Odette and Dillie have been raised to hate each other’s kingdoms. I’m truly epic fashion, both kingdoms have been feuding for decades. But instead of hating each other when they finally meet, the two become fast friends and go on a journey together to help Odette with her curse and Dillie have the adventure she’s always dreamed of. Traveling through enchanted lands, meeting new allies and fighting new foes each discovers what they’re really made of.
🦢
Well this was adorable and silly and funny! Perfect for MG readers with several appropriate jokes in there for adults as well. With a main character that has a prosthetic leg and another that turns into a swan—this group was full of diversity and maybe (when they get a bit older) a romance between the two girls might occur. I loved the graphics in this one and felt like so many kids will recognize some of the storylines and characters in this GN. Great fun!
🦢
Odette and Dillie have been raised to hate each other’s kingdoms. I’m truly epic fashion, both kingdoms have been feuding for decades. But instead of hating each other when they finally meet, the two become fast friends and go on a journey together to help Odette with her curse and Dillie have the adventure she’s always dreamed of. Traveling through enchanted lands, meeting new allies and fighting new foes each discovers what they’re really made of.
🦢
Well this was adorable and silly and funny! Perfect for MG readers with several appropriate jokes in there for adults as well. With a main character that has a prosthetic leg and another that turns into a swan—this group was full of diversity and maybe (when they get a bit older) a romance between the two girls might occur. I loved the graphics in this one and felt like so many kids will recognize some of the storylines and characters in this GN. Great fun!
June 16, 2022
After Odette is cursed to be a swan during the day and a human at night, her parents lock her way to keep her safe from the neighboring kingdom, Rotbart, who they blame for the curse. In a fit of rebellion, she flies out the window and finds herself lost. Soon she is found by the Dillie, the princess of Rotbart, and learns that the stories she's been told may not be true. To break the curse and to clear Rotbart's tarnished image, the two princesses set out on a quest to unite the kingdoms while making a few new friends along the way. Full of goblins, curses, creepy spider goats, this is a must read for all!
Drawing inspiration from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Quest for the Kingdoms sends us on an incredible journey! It gives us a familiar story with unique twists. This was a fun read with beautiful and engaging illustrations that have you rooting for the characters as they begin their quest and past evil deeds come to light. I really enjoyed the inclusion of different characters (gender roles, prosthetics) and drawing attention to outdated practices (toxic masculinity).
In case, it wasn't clear - this was definitely a 5 stars for me <3
Drawing inspiration from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Quest for the Kingdoms sends us on an incredible journey! It gives us a familiar story with unique twists. This was a fun read with beautiful and engaging illustrations that have you rooting for the characters as they begin their quest and past evil deeds come to light. I really enjoyed the inclusion of different characters (gender roles, prosthetics) and drawing attention to outdated practices (toxic masculinity).
In case, it wasn't clear - this was definitely a 5 stars for me <3
June 4, 2022
Such an interesting take on the Swan Princess and Ballet by Tchaikovsky. There are two princesses who could not be more different. The Princess Odette is under a curse from a mysterious sorcerer to turn into a swan every day. Her parents are extremely over protective and all Odette wants to do is dance. Princess Dilly wants nothing more than to swordfight and go on adventures. Upon meeting each other they are instant friends even though they should be sworn enemies. Dilly decides it is her job to break the curse and set Odette free. So off the two friends go on a journey. This had lgbqta+ characters with Dilly's father being gay and women empowerful with matriarchal societies. Very different from the original ballet but an excellent graphic novel read. Fans of Pixar and Adventure Time will love this graphic novel.
August 23, 2022
This was super cute! (Note to self: middle school, not elementary.)
I’ve always loved the movie The Swan Princess so when I scrolled past this book on Libby and saw that there was no wait time for it, I decided to give it a chance!
I really enjoyed it! It was cute, humorous, adventurous, and contained a lot of great lessons for kids! The only thing I didn’t particularly care for was how obviously the lessons were stated. It was as if the author created a list of lessons they wanted the readers to learn through the story and rather than just demonstrating them decided to also write them out directly through character dialogue. Made it a little less adorable. However it might not bother kids who read it!
Overall, super cute!
I’ve always loved the movie The Swan Princess so when I scrolled past this book on Libby and saw that there was no wait time for it, I decided to give it a chance!
I really enjoyed it! It was cute, humorous, adventurous, and contained a lot of great lessons for kids! The only thing I didn’t particularly care for was how obviously the lessons were stated. It was as if the author created a list of lessons they wanted the readers to learn through the story and rather than just demonstrating them decided to also write them out directly through character dialogue. Made it a little less adorable. However it might not bother kids who read it!
Overall, super cute!
March 19, 2025
3.5 the authors note is soo sweet and makes me appreciate the story more! I really liked the beginning but the middle kind of dragged and made me lose interest. I thought I would enjoy the quest but it just became kind of ridiculous and felt like everything that happened after they found the bear was kind of pointless. Until they got to the end, the ending was good. But I just didn’t enjoy the middle at all. I like the art and the reason in the authors note for the story to exist. I liked the friendship between the main characters and wanted to see more of that play out. The middle with all of the hiccups in the road felt like it just paused the progression we could have made with the friendship between Odette and Dillie.
March 8, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and HarperAlley for providing the E-ARC of this book.
WOW, I did not know that this book was written by Rex Ogle, and I'm in love. I thought this was such a cute and daring re-telling of Swan Lake. The characters and artwork gave me huge "She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (Netflix remake 2018)" vibes, which happens to be my all-time favorite cartoon series. I loved the simple quest paired with strong female-characters, showing different spectrums of personalities. I love the themes of friendship and the little bits of romance between the main characters.
I definitely will continue to read more of his books. Recommend 10/10
WOW, I did not know that this book was written by Rex Ogle, and I'm in love. I thought this was such a cute and daring re-telling of Swan Lake. The characters and artwork gave me huge "She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (Netflix remake 2018)" vibes, which happens to be my all-time favorite cartoon series. I loved the simple quest paired with strong female-characters, showing different spectrums of personalities. I love the themes of friendship and the little bits of romance between the main characters.
I definitely will continue to read more of his books. Recommend 10/10
May 25, 2022
book was decent, it tried it's best with representation, but seemed to skim over it, just like a LOT of things in this book.
art was good! i liked it quite a bit
all the exposition, plot, and story seemed to be crammed in there, the writing was INCREDIBLY on the nose, and the pacing felt awkward.
but it was readable! you can really see the story it's trying to tell at last, and it's a damn good story
ONE last thing, and it's kind of a biggie. WHY does Odette loose her clothes when transforming???? isn't she a child? even if it's blurred, it's still very uncomfortable, and DEFINITLEY makes me question the artist/writer. PLEASE tell me I'm not the only one who noticed this.
art was good! i liked it quite a bit
all the exposition, plot, and story seemed to be crammed in there, the writing was INCREDIBLY on the nose, and the pacing felt awkward.
but it was readable! you can really see the story it's trying to tell at last, and it's a damn good story
ONE last thing, and it's kind of a biggie. WHY does Odette loose her clothes when transforming???? isn't she a child? even if it's blurred, it's still very uncomfortable, and DEFINITLEY makes me question the artist/writer. PLEASE tell me I'm not the only one who noticed this.
December 27, 2022
In this middle grade graphic novel, two young princesses, one cursed to spend her days as a swan and nights as a human, and the other a fearless tomboy with only one leg, accidentally meet and become fast friends in spite of the long-standing animosity between their kingdoms. Eventually, they set out on a quest to find proof that their parents are wrong to hate each other. Along the way, they meet a prince and his bear protector from a third kingdom. The princesses are both courageous in their own ways, while the prince is portrayed as the fearful one who finally comes through for them in the end. The kids succeed in their quest and bring peace to their kingdoms.
June 21, 2023
Way too many references to modern ideas, not to mention Swan Lake and Tchaikovsky. And that is part of its charm for adults. For the 1o and up crowd, it is a funny, interesting story that mixes in friendship and assumptions and sword fights together. Combining all the fantasy and science fiction elements (I can make a case for Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Wizard of Oz, Labyrinth, and many others plus, of course, Tchaikovsky related works). Fast paced and very kid oriented, this is a fun book that allows for a potential sequel with more adventures (a secret is revealed) and a possible queer romance. Written under his pen name, other titles by this author can be found as Rex Ogle.
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