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The Enchanted Swans
A life of luxury shattered in an instant. Can a girl protect her brothers when they’re trapped in a centuries-long curse?
Pre-Celtic Ireland. Fae princess Fionnuala lives and breathes family. So after her mother dies giving birth and her father turns to drink, she shoulders the responsibility of running the household. But she’s shocked when her sire's new wife seethes with jealousy and bedevils her stepchildren with sorcery.
Caught in the rage-fueled magic, the dutiful daughter despairs when she and her siblings transform into swans. And though she fights back, her soul weeps to learn their torment will last nine hundred years.
Can the determined lass keep the four of them sane and rewrite their tragic fate?
The Enchanted Swans is a heartrending fairytale fantasy. If you like brave and loyal heroines, wicked villains, and Irish folklore, then you’ll love Christy Nicholas’s immersive story.
Buy The Enchanted Swans to defeat evil today!
Pre-Celtic Ireland. Fae princess Fionnuala lives and breathes family. So after her mother dies giving birth and her father turns to drink, she shoulders the responsibility of running the household. But she’s shocked when her sire's new wife seethes with jealousy and bedevils her stepchildren with sorcery.
Caught in the rage-fueled magic, the dutiful daughter despairs when she and her siblings transform into swans. And though she fights back, her soul weeps to learn their torment will last nine hundred years.
Can the determined lass keep the four of them sane and rewrite their tragic fate?
The Enchanted Swans is a heartrending fairytale fantasy. If you like brave and loyal heroines, wicked villains, and Irish folklore, then you’ll love Christy Nicholas’s immersive story.
Buy The Enchanted Swans to defeat evil today!
332 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 8, 2017
28 people are currently reading
275 people want to read
About the author
Christy Nicholas
112 books320 followersCeltic Fairies, Fables, and Folklore!
Christy Nicholas loves all things historical, especially if it has anything to do with Ireland, Scotland, England, or Iceland, and she writes historical fantasy, travel guides, and a book on writing craft. Her tales tend to the gritty, with bittersweet endings, and she's never afraid to torture her characters. But there is beauty in all darkness, and she loves showing that, as well.
- If you are in the mood for something more scifi, check out her C. N. Jackson book, Time Tourist Outfitters, Ltd.
- If you are looking for some urban fantasy, magical adventure in modern ireland, see her Rowan Dillon series, Guardians of the PHAE.
- If you prefer some timeslip romance in Iceland, or a women's fiction based on her parents' true story, go look at her Emeline Rhys books, Past Storm and Fire or Better To Have Loved.
Homepage: http://www.greendragonartist.com
Blog: http://www.greendragonartist.net
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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Christy Nicholas loves all things historical, especially if it has anything to do with Ireland, Scotland, England, or Iceland, and she writes historical fantasy, travel guides, and a book on writing craft. Her tales tend to the gritty, with bittersweet endings, and she's never afraid to torture her characters. But there is beauty in all darkness, and she loves showing that, as well.
- If you are in the mood for something more scifi, check out her C. N. Jackson book, Time Tourist Outfitters, Ltd.
- If you are looking for some urban fantasy, magical adventure in modern ireland, see her Rowan Dillon series, Guardians of the PHAE.
- If you prefer some timeslip romance in Iceland, or a women's fiction based on her parents' true story, go look at her Emeline Rhys books, Past Storm and Fire or Better To Have Loved.
Homepage: http://www.greendragonartist.com
Blog: http://www.greendragonartist.net
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/greendragonau...
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/greendragon9
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkSd...
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@greendragonau...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greendragon...
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/chris...
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
February 7, 2017
Overall Score: 4.5/5 Stars. I received an Advance Reader Copy of the book, and this is my personal review.
I'll keep this spoiler-free for everyone!
First, I’ll say that this book is dense, but in all the best ways. Dense with character, dense with feeling, dense with Irish lore, and pleasingly dense with description. It’s told in First Person, so where you lose that omnipotent level of description, you gain Fionnuala’s (or Nuala, for short) personal insights, which are varied and vast. And speaking of Irish lore, this story uses lots of Irish Gaelic wording and names, but never fear: there’s a handy-dandy Glossary tucked into the back of the book.
There’s so much good stuff to touch on here: such a faithfulness to Irish mythology and legend that it very much reminded me of reading the original stories; discussing the hierarchy of magic, Druids and Bards, which, even when done in passing, are absolutely fascinating; ravens that are connected to each of those royal children whose veins run with Fae blood… and of course, I can’t not mention the fact that, yes, Nuala and her brothers must learn to navigate their lives as swans, which the author navigates with a careful hand, never allowing comfort to be too big a part of the equation.
Like most Historical & Epic-style fantasies, The Enchanted Swans is a slow burn. The author’s writing style is smooth and lyrical as it needs to be; you can almost hear the clanging of swords as the children practice their techniques, or feel the beating of a raven’s wing as it comes to rest on one’s shoulder. You can sense magic swirling around you, just as it does to the characters.
And the ending made me cry, which is a rare thing indeed.
In short, this beautiful tale made my heart ache a little; where it soothed a deep desire for a different world and a different sort of story, it created another desire, a longing for something– somewhere– wild and beautiful and green.
I'll keep this spoiler-free for everyone!
First, I’ll say that this book is dense, but in all the best ways. Dense with character, dense with feeling, dense with Irish lore, and pleasingly dense with description. It’s told in First Person, so where you lose that omnipotent level of description, you gain Fionnuala’s (or Nuala, for short) personal insights, which are varied and vast. And speaking of Irish lore, this story uses lots of Irish Gaelic wording and names, but never fear: there’s a handy-dandy Glossary tucked into the back of the book.
There’s so much good stuff to touch on here: such a faithfulness to Irish mythology and legend that it very much reminded me of reading the original stories; discussing the hierarchy of magic, Druids and Bards, which, even when done in passing, are absolutely fascinating; ravens that are connected to each of those royal children whose veins run with Fae blood… and of course, I can’t not mention the fact that, yes, Nuala and her brothers must learn to navigate their lives as swans, which the author navigates with a careful hand, never allowing comfort to be too big a part of the equation.
Like most Historical & Epic-style fantasies, The Enchanted Swans is a slow burn. The author’s writing style is smooth and lyrical as it needs to be; you can almost hear the clanging of swords as the children practice their techniques, or feel the beating of a raven’s wing as it comes to rest on one’s shoulder. You can sense magic swirling around you, just as it does to the characters.
And the ending made me cry, which is a rare thing indeed.
In short, this beautiful tale made my heart ache a little; where it soothed a deep desire for a different world and a different sort of story, it created another desire, a longing for something– somewhere– wild and beautiful and green.
April 7, 2017
Fionnuala, a fae princess, was born to loving parents, but her life changed forever when her beloved mother died giving birth to her twin brothers. After a long grieving period, her father married her mother's sister, but there was no love between them. When her step-mother/aunt curses her and her three brothers, they must live as swans for the next 900 years.
I was excited to read this book, but it wasn't what I expected. It was an incredibly sad tale full of lost opportunities and I didn't care for the ending at all. The writing was top-notch, but I found the story just meanders through the 900 years of the curse without much action. There are a few attacks and attempts to reverse the curse, but I found myself skipping lots of text just to get to the end. Why all the suffering if there wasn't some relief at the end? I realize not every tale has a happy ending, but I would have preferred a much different ending.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I was excited to read this book, but it wasn't what I expected. It was an incredibly sad tale full of lost opportunities and I didn't care for the ending at all. The writing was top-notch, but I found the story just meanders through the 900 years of the curse without much action. There are a few attacks and attempts to reverse the curse, but I found myself skipping lots of text just to get to the end. Why all the suffering if there wasn't some relief at the end? I realize not every tale has a happy ending, but I would have preferred a much different ending.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
November 8, 2017
This book has received a Discovering Diamonds Review:
Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs
"an interesting retelling of a well-known legend,"
Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs
"an interesting retelling of a well-known legend,"
March 8, 2017
Christy Nicholas, author of the Enchanted Swans has a diverse background. Known as the Green Dragon, she has interests that include digital art, jewelry making, photography and writing. This is all in addition to being a CPA, which is no small feat. She says she is compelled to create art and beautiful things. This inspiration certainly translates to her writing ability. Mesmerizing from the beginning scenes of life affirming and life ending childbirth, Nicholas draws the reader in through the use of fine prose and detailed descriptions. The story takes place in pre-Celtic Ireland, embracing the Tuatha De, Ireland’s fabled “fair folk”. From reigning above the earth, they are forced to go underground and exist as swans for 900 years, rather the main character, Fionnuala and her three siblings are condemned to remain as swans. The use of Gaelic names and wording makes this a worthwhile read to learn something about Irish lore, along with a compelling if sometimes sad story line.
February 21, 2017
This is ultimately a pretty sad tale of children cursed to be swans. I have to say that I was definitely drawn in by its cover, and really hoped the story would prove worthy of that lovely cover art!
Unfortunately, the writing style failed to excite; a flat and un-compelling voice narrating a series of tortuously slow happenings. The plot wandered rather aimlessly through an attempt to recreate the daily life of the Tuatha De, Ireland’s fabled “fair folk”, as they relinquished their hold on the “above ground” and eventually moved to palaces below the earth. This might have been marginally interesting, if we weren’t then forced to exist as swan-dependents for the bulk of the book.
An even graver crime is that the crucial turning points relied too heavily on plot convenience, and that really grates on this reader’s nerves…
The whole book is a collection of scenes that really have no ties forward or backward between them, you could take any one of them out and it’d practically stand alone… which makes for a genuinely dull book.
Once turned into swans, the nine hundred years are very fully fleshed out… I hate to say it, but one does sort of start to feel as if one is serving the sentence with them! Every aching minute…
Then voila! Happiness!!!... but not.
So instead: …more sad. And then… el fin.
Yep, great ending there!
In truth, I did begin to feel a little bit of empathy with their plight during the waiting, as anyone who has waited long for a delayed hope will understand. But the ending was just anticlimactic, and the final passage was simply so “What?!!!” and across-the-grain and rottenly disappointing that I put the kindle down saying aloud; “This is a Terrible Book!”
I hadn’t had that strong of a reaction to any other part, which can be taken whatever way you like.
I received a review copy, and all opinions expressly are my own.
Unfortunately, the writing style failed to excite; a flat and un-compelling voice narrating a series of tortuously slow happenings. The plot wandered rather aimlessly through an attempt to recreate the daily life of the Tuatha De, Ireland’s fabled “fair folk”, as they relinquished their hold on the “above ground” and eventually moved to palaces below the earth. This might have been marginally interesting, if we weren’t then forced to exist as swan-dependents for the bulk of the book.
An even graver crime is that the crucial turning points relied too heavily on plot convenience, and that really grates on this reader’s nerves…
The whole book is a collection of scenes that really have no ties forward or backward between them, you could take any one of them out and it’d practically stand alone… which makes for a genuinely dull book.
Once turned into swans, the nine hundred years are very fully fleshed out… I hate to say it, but one does sort of start to feel as if one is serving the sentence with them! Every aching minute…
Then voila! Happiness!!!... but not.
So instead: …more sad. And then… el fin.
Yep, great ending there!
In truth, I did begin to feel a little bit of empathy with their plight during the waiting, as anyone who has waited long for a delayed hope will understand. But the ending was just anticlimactic, and the final passage was simply so “What?!!!” and across-the-grain and rottenly disappointing that I put the kindle down saying aloud; “This is a Terrible Book!”
I hadn’t had that strong of a reaction to any other part, which can be taken whatever way you like.
I received a review copy, and all opinions expressly are my own.
November 19, 2022
Since I'm the author, instead of a review I'll give a bit of information on how I came about writing this book.
I'd always loved Juliet Marillier's treatment of The Seven Swans, a fairy tale she retold in The Daughter of the Forest. I cast about for a tale I wanted to see told in novel form, and didn't have to go very far. The Children of Lir is beloved by the Irish people, an ancient fairy tale that they've adopted as an allegory to their servitude under English rule for almost a thousand years.
This was my first try at a first person narrative, but I think it worked well with Fionnuala as the main character. She is the central figure, and her growth throughout the tale intrigued me.
I had difficulty with names. While I tried to stay as true to the tale as I could, many of the names in the raw tale are similar. Aobh, Aoife, Aillbha, Aed, Aed (yes, twice!). So many A names! I did my best to differentiate the characters and give them nicknames to help (Aobh Ban or Aoife Rua). Hopefully it works!
I hope you enjoy!
I'd always loved Juliet Marillier's treatment of The Seven Swans, a fairy tale she retold in The Daughter of the Forest. I cast about for a tale I wanted to see told in novel form, and didn't have to go very far. The Children of Lir is beloved by the Irish people, an ancient fairy tale that they've adopted as an allegory to their servitude under English rule for almost a thousand years.
This was my first try at a first person narrative, but I think it worked well with Fionnuala as the main character. She is the central figure, and her growth throughout the tale intrigued me.
I had difficulty with names. While I tried to stay as true to the tale as I could, many of the names in the raw tale are similar. Aobh, Aoife, Aillbha, Aed, Aed (yes, twice!). So many A names! I did my best to differentiate the characters and give them nicknames to help (Aobh Ban or Aoife Rua). Hopefully it works!
I hope you enjoy!
September 20, 2018
I absolutely loved this book. The characters are well written, and their sorrow and joys are tangible as you read this book, they are that well written. Set in Ireland, in a time long ago, pre-celtic, a fae princess and her siblings are cursed by their stepmother. The curse is long lived and there is much loss and sadness in the book. It is filled with beautifully described settings, magic, strength, family and more. This is more character driven than action, but I really enjoy a book like that when it is that well written. I love mythology and magic, and this weaves all of that together beautifully.
I was given a free copy of this book
I was given a free copy of this book
April 4, 2017
pre-Celtic Ireland, Fionnuala is a Fae Princess. She was born to a life of luxury/ She was aware of her duties and oh she loved her Family so much.
When she was ten, her dear Mother died in child birth, and now the dreams and hopes she had might be taken away. All the dreams that she had were stolen away in a wave of a hand and of envy and magic.
Now our young Princess must care for her three brothers while living under an evil curse. Now will she find a way to break the spell, will she find what she needs, all I can say is for the answers you must read the book, its well writen and its a story that one can enjoy.
When she was ten, her dear Mother died in child birth, and now the dreams and hopes she had might be taken away. All the dreams that she had were stolen away in a wave of a hand and of envy and magic.
Now our young Princess must care for her three brothers while living under an evil curse. Now will she find a way to break the spell, will she find what she needs, all I can say is for the answers you must read the book, its well writen and its a story that one can enjoy.
February 25, 2018
I had a difficult time getting into this story. It jumped time frequently and didn’t have much of a story to it. There wasn’t much if any growth in the characters and the story was just lackluster and dragged for me.
There was lots of history and mythology that enriched the story but unfortunately for me I found myself bored at times.
There was lots of history and mythology that enriched the story but unfortunately for me I found myself bored at times.
April 26, 2017
This book starts out in pre-Celtic Ireland in 460 BCE which is approximately 2,500 years ago.
This book is broken into four parts and twenty-three chapters, with just under 195 ebook pages.
This book is about Fionnuala, also known as Nuala, and her three siblings, Aed, Fiachra, and Conn. These children have had a terrible childhood and an even more unfortunate life.
The children’s mom dies in childbirth with the twins, Fiachra and Conn. The father eventually remarries and the children’s new stepmom is pure evil. Think Cinderella, but way worse! Their stepmom curses the children and turns them into swans for 900 years.
This book tells the story of the children, their family, their life as swans, and their continued search to find a way to have the curse removed.
A top reason I love reading fairytales is because I want to be whisked away and taken to another world. More importantly, a better, happier, peaceful world where dreams come true and happy endings not only exist, but is the norm. Sadly, I didn’t really get any of that with this book.
This book is not a happy fairytale book – not even close. This book is dark and sad filled with sorrow, loss, heartache, torment, and tragedy.
The author’s writing is so detailed it was easy to picture the story in my head, as if it were a movie that was playing.
The research is top-notch and it is clear that the author knows Ireland, it’s culture, heritage, and customs.
This author shows great promise with such an intriguing and fascinating imagination and a true passion for storytelling!
So, I, like most reviewers on here, cried – a lot! I was emotionally invested in this story and the characters.
You don’t really relate to the characters as I’m sure not many of us are royalty or have ever been turned into a swan lol. However, you connect and sympathize with the children and have hope, love, and courage for them and their chance to return back into human form.
There are a lot of raw emotions in this book. I’m glad I read this book at home since I don’t really enjoy crying in public.
I loved that at the beginning of the book there was a map of Ireland. It was nice to be able to see where the locations were in this book and see the distance between the spots.
I also loved that at the end of the book there was a glossary of Irish terms and pronunciations. There were names, places, and such included in this glossary. This was very helpful and overly utilized as the Irish lore and heavy Irish and Scottish Gaelic names were difficult to pronounce. Maybe it was just me, but I definitely kept flipping to the back and googling terms I didn’t quite recognize or understand. However, I am not very familiar with Irish terms in the first place so perhaps I had to rely on these helpful tools more so.
In addition, at the end of this book, there is an author notes section that provides more insight into Irish lore and background info. It was interesting to read and provided understanding to the author’s writing style.
Another helpful and unique feature in this book is that at the beginning of a new chapter the year featured is listed. This definitely helps for following and understanding the story and the timeline.
All in all, I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend this book to readers that like fairytales, Irish lore, and fantasy books. Just beware – you might need a box of tissues on hand!
**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book and have voluntarily provided an honest, and unbiased review in accordance with FTC regulations.**
This book is broken into four parts and twenty-three chapters, with just under 195 ebook pages.
This book is about Fionnuala, also known as Nuala, and her three siblings, Aed, Fiachra, and Conn. These children have had a terrible childhood and an even more unfortunate life.
The children’s mom dies in childbirth with the twins, Fiachra and Conn. The father eventually remarries and the children’s new stepmom is pure evil. Think Cinderella, but way worse! Their stepmom curses the children and turns them into swans for 900 years.
This book tells the story of the children, their family, their life as swans, and their continued search to find a way to have the curse removed.
A top reason I love reading fairytales is because I want to be whisked away and taken to another world. More importantly, a better, happier, peaceful world where dreams come true and happy endings not only exist, but is the norm. Sadly, I didn’t really get any of that with this book.
This book is not a happy fairytale book – not even close. This book is dark and sad filled with sorrow, loss, heartache, torment, and tragedy.
The author’s writing is so detailed it was easy to picture the story in my head, as if it were a movie that was playing.
The research is top-notch and it is clear that the author knows Ireland, it’s culture, heritage, and customs.
This author shows great promise with such an intriguing and fascinating imagination and a true passion for storytelling!
So, I, like most reviewers on here, cried – a lot! I was emotionally invested in this story and the characters.
You don’t really relate to the characters as I’m sure not many of us are royalty or have ever been turned into a swan lol. However, you connect and sympathize with the children and have hope, love, and courage for them and their chance to return back into human form.
There are a lot of raw emotions in this book. I’m glad I read this book at home since I don’t really enjoy crying in public.
I loved that at the beginning of the book there was a map of Ireland. It was nice to be able to see where the locations were in this book and see the distance between the spots.
I also loved that at the end of the book there was a glossary of Irish terms and pronunciations. There were names, places, and such included in this glossary. This was very helpful and overly utilized as the Irish lore and heavy Irish and Scottish Gaelic names were difficult to pronounce. Maybe it was just me, but I definitely kept flipping to the back and googling terms I didn’t quite recognize or understand. However, I am not very familiar with Irish terms in the first place so perhaps I had to rely on these helpful tools more so.
In addition, at the end of this book, there is an author notes section that provides more insight into Irish lore and background info. It was interesting to read and provided understanding to the author’s writing style.
Another helpful and unique feature in this book is that at the beginning of a new chapter the year featured is listed. This definitely helps for following and understanding the story and the timeline.
All in all, I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend this book to readers that like fairytales, Irish lore, and fantasy books. Just beware – you might need a box of tissues on hand!
**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book and have voluntarily provided an honest, and unbiased review in accordance with FTC regulations.**
July 23, 2018
This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: The Enchanted Swans
Author: Christy Nicholas
Star Rating: 3 Stars
Number of Readers: 16
Stats
Editing: 6/10
Writing Style: 6/10
Content: 6/10
Cover: 8/10
Of the 16 readers:
8 would read another book by this author.
13 thought the cover was good or excellent.
16 felt it was easy to follow.
8 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
10 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
3 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
8 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
‘I understand that this is a re-telling of a story but I don’t think it works well for present day YA. It’s just too slow and depressing. I want characters to fight back not just accept fate. The writing style was okay though I think there was a lot of telling and not showing. But I think the author needed to update the story a little. Put her own twist to it. Modernize it and completely change the ending.’ Girl, aged 16
‘Too slow and too sad. Very depressing read. Why did the author follow the other story so closely? I think Disney did a take on this and they filled it with adventure. The author needs to shake up a story like this and send the characters off in a different direction to the original.’ Female reader, aged 18
‘The ending lacked any punch and the middle was soooooo slow. The cover is fab; I was expecting an exciting fantasy adventure. Anybody interested in Irish lore would probably enjoy this. Anybody interested in being very sad and crying a lot would probably enjoy this. Too depressing.’ Male reader, aged 15
‘The author seems to know a lot about Irish history and myths. The glossary at the back was interesting too. For a typical YA (Twilight reader) this is not going to work. It’s just too heavy and the characters are just too passive. But for a reader interested in this particular story, it might be of interest.’ Female reader, aged 25
‘For me to love a story, I have to identify with the hero. But she was too passive. I need a Katniss Everdeen who is determined to win the day. I need high and lows, not just endless lows. This needs reworking with the reader in mind.’ Female reader, aged 21
To Sum It Up:
‘A faithful retelling of the Irish folktale, The Children of Lir. Not a happy tale; you will be needing a hanky.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Title: The Enchanted Swans
Author: Christy Nicholas
Star Rating: 3 Stars
Number of Readers: 16
Stats
Editing: 6/10
Writing Style: 6/10
Content: 6/10
Cover: 8/10
Of the 16 readers:
8 would read another book by this author.
13 thought the cover was good or excellent.
16 felt it was easy to follow.
8 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
10 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
3 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
8 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
‘I understand that this is a re-telling of a story but I don’t think it works well for present day YA. It’s just too slow and depressing. I want characters to fight back not just accept fate. The writing style was okay though I think there was a lot of telling and not showing. But I think the author needed to update the story a little. Put her own twist to it. Modernize it and completely change the ending.’ Girl, aged 16
‘Too slow and too sad. Very depressing read. Why did the author follow the other story so closely? I think Disney did a take on this and they filled it with adventure. The author needs to shake up a story like this and send the characters off in a different direction to the original.’ Female reader, aged 18
‘The ending lacked any punch and the middle was soooooo slow. The cover is fab; I was expecting an exciting fantasy adventure. Anybody interested in Irish lore would probably enjoy this. Anybody interested in being very sad and crying a lot would probably enjoy this. Too depressing.’ Male reader, aged 15
‘The author seems to know a lot about Irish history and myths. The glossary at the back was interesting too. For a typical YA (Twilight reader) this is not going to work. It’s just too heavy and the characters are just too passive. But for a reader interested in this particular story, it might be of interest.’ Female reader, aged 25
‘For me to love a story, I have to identify with the hero. But she was too passive. I need a Katniss Everdeen who is determined to win the day. I need high and lows, not just endless lows. This needs reworking with the reader in mind.’ Female reader, aged 21
To Sum It Up:
‘A faithful retelling of the Irish folktale, The Children of Lir. Not a happy tale; you will be needing a hanky.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
March 8, 2017
‘While a funeral isn’t the somber affair the Milesians make it, it remained a time of reflection.’
New York Author/artist Christy Nicholas, aka Green Dragon, has lived in Michigan, Florida, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and now lives in Corning, NY. She hails from a family of artists and in addition to her success as a writer (the DRUID’S BROOCH TRYPTICH, GUIDES TO IRELAND and to SCOTLAND, a contemporary story about her parents BETTER TO HAVE LOVED, and the upcoming THE ENCHANTED SWANS), Christy is well known and respected for her beaded jewelry, photographs and digital art which she shows and sells at local art and craft shows, as well as sending her art to various science fiction conventions throughout the country and abroad. All of this she accomplishes while be a dedicated CPA!
Christy knows her beloved Ireland and the wondrous myths and legends that surround its history. This new story she opens in 460 BCE and yet it feels palpably real – fantasy/myth type real and perhaps that is the best. ‘Mother screeched in pain as she gripped my hand. The blood dripped on the soaked floor, splashing the midwife’s skirts. I hummed and pushed my healing will through my hand into hers as the ravens taught us, but she blocked it. “No, Fionnuala, my special child,” Mother’s voice was raw but firm. “You must stay… stay and guard the children.” The dank dimness of the round room closed in on me as she screamed again. The rough flesh of her throat had little power left after two days of labor. Heat and sweat battled in that small space and the urge to flee was almost irresistible. Yet I couldn’t leave. Mother needed me. Another scream raked my ears, the wattle and daub walls and the very air around us. The pain and regret of a lifetime echoed in that scream. Her hand grew flaccid in my own. My eyes grew misty as her life force escaped and faded into the Otherworld. In my grief, the room faded into a cloud of pain. The candlelight fled, and I heard a strangled keening sound which ululated in a haunting rhythm. Belatedly, I recognized my own voice, wordless in its sorrow. Despite my wails, I heard a small voice lifted to join my cries. The cry of a child. No, not just one. There were two squalling infants. Mother had given us twins with her last dying breath. My cry cut off into a wretched sob and a hiccup of hysterical laughter. In the end, she won one last victory. My mother, the shining one. Aobh Bán, delight of my father’s eyes. She of the pale skin and white-blond hair, famed for her splendor and grace. Oh, how I ached for her to be alive again. My throat closed, and my eyes soon followed suit. Our nanny, Saoirse, bundled the children and made small clucking noises with her tongue as the midwife cleaned Mother. No one else was allowed in the birth room. Father should be downstairs, still drunk. My brother Aed should be asleep as the night grew deep. I searched in my mind for my teacher, my anam cara, my raven, Hawlen. A drowsy answer came with a flutter of wings.’ And that is the flavor of this journey. But on to the story.
‘In pre-Celtic Ireland, Fionnuala was a fae princess, born to a life of luxury. She knew her duty and loved her family. She missed her mother, who died in childbirth when Fionnuala was but ten years old. Still, she had hopes and dreams of love and a full life. All her dreams were stolen from her, ripped away in a torrent of envy and magic. Now she must care for her three brothers while learning to live under an evil curse. Will she find a way to break the spell, or would they remain swans, tethered to three places for nine hundred years?’
Few can touch Christy’s kettle of Irish words and names and make it all make wonderful sense- even as fantasy. Where else will she take us?
New York Author/artist Christy Nicholas, aka Green Dragon, has lived in Michigan, Florida, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and now lives in Corning, NY. She hails from a family of artists and in addition to her success as a writer (the DRUID’S BROOCH TRYPTICH, GUIDES TO IRELAND and to SCOTLAND, a contemporary story about her parents BETTER TO HAVE LOVED, and the upcoming THE ENCHANTED SWANS), Christy is well known and respected for her beaded jewelry, photographs and digital art which she shows and sells at local art and craft shows, as well as sending her art to various science fiction conventions throughout the country and abroad. All of this she accomplishes while be a dedicated CPA!
Christy knows her beloved Ireland and the wondrous myths and legends that surround its history. This new story she opens in 460 BCE and yet it feels palpably real – fantasy/myth type real and perhaps that is the best. ‘Mother screeched in pain as she gripped my hand. The blood dripped on the soaked floor, splashing the midwife’s skirts. I hummed and pushed my healing will through my hand into hers as the ravens taught us, but she blocked it. “No, Fionnuala, my special child,” Mother’s voice was raw but firm. “You must stay… stay and guard the children.” The dank dimness of the round room closed in on me as she screamed again. The rough flesh of her throat had little power left after two days of labor. Heat and sweat battled in that small space and the urge to flee was almost irresistible. Yet I couldn’t leave. Mother needed me. Another scream raked my ears, the wattle and daub walls and the very air around us. The pain and regret of a lifetime echoed in that scream. Her hand grew flaccid in my own. My eyes grew misty as her life force escaped and faded into the Otherworld. In my grief, the room faded into a cloud of pain. The candlelight fled, and I heard a strangled keening sound which ululated in a haunting rhythm. Belatedly, I recognized my own voice, wordless in its sorrow. Despite my wails, I heard a small voice lifted to join my cries. The cry of a child. No, not just one. There were two squalling infants. Mother had given us twins with her last dying breath. My cry cut off into a wretched sob and a hiccup of hysterical laughter. In the end, she won one last victory. My mother, the shining one. Aobh Bán, delight of my father’s eyes. She of the pale skin and white-blond hair, famed for her splendor and grace. Oh, how I ached for her to be alive again. My throat closed, and my eyes soon followed suit. Our nanny, Saoirse, bundled the children and made small clucking noises with her tongue as the midwife cleaned Mother. No one else was allowed in the birth room. Father should be downstairs, still drunk. My brother Aed should be asleep as the night grew deep. I searched in my mind for my teacher, my anam cara, my raven, Hawlen. A drowsy answer came with a flutter of wings.’ And that is the flavor of this journey. But on to the story.
‘In pre-Celtic Ireland, Fionnuala was a fae princess, born to a life of luxury. She knew her duty and loved her family. She missed her mother, who died in childbirth when Fionnuala was but ten years old. Still, she had hopes and dreams of love and a full life. All her dreams were stolen from her, ripped away in a torrent of envy and magic. Now she must care for her three brothers while learning to live under an evil curse. Will she find a way to break the spell, or would they remain swans, tethered to three places for nine hundred years?’
Few can touch Christy’s kettle of Irish words and names and make it all make wonderful sense- even as fantasy. Where else will she take us?
March 22, 2017
In pre-Celtic Ireland, Fionnuala, a fae princess, born in a loving household to a kind king and his beloved queen was born to a life of luxury. She knew her duty loving her family and adoring her parents. Unfortunately, at the age of ten, her mother struggled and died in childbirth leaving Fionnuala, her brother Aed, and now, newborn twin brothers to care for. Fionnuala’s father was completely devastated and withdrew from all who cared for him including his children. He went from completely withdrawn to bouts of rage over losing his beloved wife.
Fionnuala was worried about her father but was strong having promised her mother to care for her brothers. Eventually the high king issued a proclamation that her father would have to choose a bride from one of two step-daughters of the king. Not only that but the daughter who was not chosen by her father would be wed to the young man Fionnuala had set her sights on.
Not only were Fionnuala’s dreams ripped from her by these proclamations but the woman to whom her father married turned into a vicious viper and threw a curse upon Fionnuala and her brothers -– turning them all into swans. Their stepmother was caught and would not cancel out the curse but for another time penance of 600 more years, she would allow them to speak in their normal voices.
The story then follows the swans lives over the next 900 years, through all their ups and downs, learning to live as swans along with the royal retainers who lived near their watery home in order to care for them and keep them safe. Naturally, the story covered so many issues of trying to live within the confines of each body of water they were attached to. The writing was very good although some of the names and terms used slowed down the pace as I tried to pronounce the words in my head the story was interesting. THE ENCHANTED SWANS was original, but after all the trials and tribulations they lived through for 900 years the ending was a terrible let down.
Marilyn Rondeau
Fionnuala was worried about her father but was strong having promised her mother to care for her brothers. Eventually the high king issued a proclamation that her father would have to choose a bride from one of two step-daughters of the king. Not only that but the daughter who was not chosen by her father would be wed to the young man Fionnuala had set her sights on.
Not only were Fionnuala’s dreams ripped from her by these proclamations but the woman to whom her father married turned into a vicious viper and threw a curse upon Fionnuala and her brothers -– turning them all into swans. Their stepmother was caught and would not cancel out the curse but for another time penance of 600 more years, she would allow them to speak in their normal voices.
The story then follows the swans lives over the next 900 years, through all their ups and downs, learning to live as swans along with the royal retainers who lived near their watery home in order to care for them and keep them safe. Naturally, the story covered so many issues of trying to live within the confines of each body of water they were attached to. The writing was very good although some of the names and terms used slowed down the pace as I tried to pronounce the words in my head the story was interesting. THE ENCHANTED SWANS was original, but after all the trials and tribulations they lived through for 900 years the ending was a terrible let down.
Marilyn Rondeau
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February 6, 2018In The Enchanted Swans, Christy Nicholas retells the old Irish legend of The Children of King Lir, almost giving us a real sense of what it's like to be trapped in the body of a swan for 900 years. On a very basic level, we already know the plot. Look it up in Wikipedia. That's not a spoiler, as you'll read there that there are several versions of how it finishes.
The story in a nutshell: jealous stepmother - King Lir’s second wife - turns the four children into swans, and they are confined to three loughs over a 900 year period, 300 years at each one. They are real Irish laughs, and at least one has a monument to the legend.
Christy make only one major departure from the legend, that is to render them, not as humans but as fae, something like elves of medieval literature - not Santa's elves, nor Enid Blyton’s, more like Tolkien's, that could pass as human. We can relate to them. They just have a greater aptitude for magic, and they live a very long time. That’s probably necessary to the story, as it enables relationships with non-swans that last a good part of their ordeal. 900 years is a very long time, so any narrative based on this legend could get rather dreary. Christy Nicholas keeps us moving straight forward through to the end both by providing long time friends of their own type, as well as with humans with shorter lifespans. They teach folk-lore to local villagers, and they even raise a couple of orphans to adulthood. And there's action and suspense, as the wicked queen, who was turned into a phantom by the High King, still seeks her revenge.
With all the creative retelling, this remains an Irish tale, rich in local folk-lore. One of Christy’s other books appears to be a handbook on Irish lore, and as she certainly shows her stuff in this one.
The story in a nutshell: jealous stepmother - King Lir’s second wife - turns the four children into swans, and they are confined to three loughs over a 900 year period, 300 years at each one. They are real Irish laughs, and at least one has a monument to the legend.
Christy make only one major departure from the legend, that is to render them, not as humans but as fae, something like elves of medieval literature - not Santa's elves, nor Enid Blyton’s, more like Tolkien's, that could pass as human. We can relate to them. They just have a greater aptitude for magic, and they live a very long time. That’s probably necessary to the story, as it enables relationships with non-swans that last a good part of their ordeal. 900 years is a very long time, so any narrative based on this legend could get rather dreary. Christy Nicholas keeps us moving straight forward through to the end both by providing long time friends of their own type, as well as with humans with shorter lifespans. They teach folk-lore to local villagers, and they even raise a couple of orphans to adulthood. And there's action and suspense, as the wicked queen, who was turned into a phantom by the High King, still seeks her revenge.
With all the creative retelling, this remains an Irish tale, rich in local folk-lore. One of Christy’s other books appears to be a handbook on Irish lore, and as she certainly shows her stuff in this one.
February 7, 2018
'The Enchanted Swans' is Christy Nicholas' take on an old Irish folktale called 'The Children of Lir'. The story is told from the eldest child's perspective (Fionnuala) starting with her mother's death giving birth to twins, to the evil stepmother cursing them to live out their lives (and then some) as swans.
Unlike the Fairy tales of today, this is more Grimm like, where the valiant Prince isn't always enough to break a curse or to cure the miserable life you might have had before. The author does a wonderful job keeping the folklore alive in the scenery, settings, the vocabulary, and with the other characters the cursed three stumble upon. All the while, Nicholas' also adds fantastical flare by making the characters Fae instead of average humans. Her writing is very proper, and it almost reads like an epic poem.
The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five was I felt disconnected from the main character. Even though it was written in first person, 'Nuala's' personality didn't develop enough for me to truly envision myself as her character. It read as someone telling a tale, not someone truly living through it, other than that it was a polished bittersweet fairy tale.
Unlike the Fairy tales of today, this is more Grimm like, where the valiant Prince isn't always enough to break a curse or to cure the miserable life you might have had before. The author does a wonderful job keeping the folklore alive in the scenery, settings, the vocabulary, and with the other characters the cursed three stumble upon. All the while, Nicholas' also adds fantastical flare by making the characters Fae instead of average humans. Her writing is very proper, and it almost reads like an epic poem.
The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five was I felt disconnected from the main character. Even though it was written in first person, 'Nuala's' personality didn't develop enough for me to truly envision myself as her character. It read as someone telling a tale, not someone truly living through it, other than that it was a polished bittersweet fairy tale.
April 4, 2017
Pre-Celtic Ireland, Fionnuala is a Fae Princess. She was born to a life of luxury/ She was aware of her duties and oh she loved her Family so much.
When she was ten, her dear Mother died in child birth, and now the dreams and hopes she had might be taken away. All the dreams that she had were stolen away in a wave of a hand and of envy and magic.
Now our young Princess must care for her three brothers while living under an evil curse. Now will she find a way to break the spell, will she find what she needs, all I can say is for the answers you must read the book, its well writen and its a story that one can enjoy.
I received a free copy for my honest review!
Review by Jara
When she was ten, her dear Mother died in child birth, and now the dreams and hopes she had might be taken away. All the dreams that she had were stolen away in a wave of a hand and of envy and magic.
Now our young Princess must care for her three brothers while living under an evil curse. Now will she find a way to break the spell, will she find what she needs, all I can say is for the answers you must read the book, its well writen and its a story that one can enjoy.
I received a free copy for my honest review!
Review by Jara
June 8, 2017
I was provided an opportunity to read this in exchange for providing feedback (via the author).
Engaging story, well written story. I didn't expect the ending but felt it was appropriate and I'm actually glad it didn't go in the opposite direction. (Slightly vague but I try to avoid spoilers :])
Engaging story, well written story. I didn't expect the ending but felt it was appropriate and I'm actually glad it didn't go in the opposite direction. (Slightly vague but I try to avoid spoilers :])
April 9, 2017
Great retelling of an old fairytale , loved this version. This author is fantastic and will be looking for more books received an ARC and my pleasure to review
March 27, 2017
I cried....
This is a sad book very good book but very sad. It also gave me a look into the very very past and that was worth the tears.
This is a sad book very good book but very sad. It also gave me a look into the very very past and that was worth the tears.
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October 10, 2017Good story but it was not an easy read. To me didn't really get interesting until I was half way through the book
April 4, 2017
This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed reading this story. It was a fun journey to go on as well s a sad one.
The author did a great job with the details in this story and it came to life while reading this. The characters were very well done and I could feel what the main character was feeling.
A beautiful well written story that made me cry a few times but I'm the end a story worth reading. Recommend to my Fantasy readers.
I volntarly received a ARC of this book from Goddess Fish Promotions to give a honest review.
The author did a great job with the details in this story and it came to life while reading this. The characters were very well done and I could feel what the main character was feeling.
A beautiful well written story that made me cry a few times but I'm the end a story worth reading. Recommend to my Fantasy readers.
I volntarly received a ARC of this book from Goddess Fish Promotions to give a honest review.
February 27, 2018
The Enchanted Swan is a book that enveloped me from the very beginning and just kept pulling me in deeper and deeper the more that I read. I loved the Celtic theme. This book made me cry and get angry and sometimes made me smile. The characters were so real I felt like they all stole a little piece of my heart and at times broke it. I could not get enough of this story I sat up into the wee hours of the night reading as I couldn't put it down. Once I reached the end I became a bit down hearten as there wasn't any more. I am so smitten with The Enchanted Swans that I will re-read it again and again!
October 3, 2017
My first thought is that I was amazed such a story could be one that I would enjoy. I was surprised by the heart and the depth. There was some slow writing and dead spots. In others, I thought the attempt to pass the time and using memory to relate past events was a poor choice. I would rather have read the event than only receive highlights. The author spent a great deal of time on tragedy, but very little on the moments of joy. I felt the frustration of the characters, but not how they coped well enough. Beyond this, they writing was clean and the characters stayed true. There were many grammatical errors that were irritating, but not too terribly distracting.
February 25, 2018
New author for me and I really liked the blurb and was excited to read it. It wasnt that far into it when I thought uh oh. I plugged on though and it didnt get better. It was a truly sad story and well it was so very slow and I was bored. So bored. The time jumps didnt make it easier but confusing sometimes. I couldnt connect with the characters. I really tried though! I know we're supposed to be surprised but this was just a sad story and the end wasnt a HEA I dont think anyways. It depressed me. These siblings just had a horrible childhood and adulthood was just sad. I keep repeating that but thats just what it is. I tried but it wasnt an enjoyable read for me.
March 14, 2017
Enchanting and sad tale that is a must read that will take you away from reality. Love that the entire story is from the view point of a young girl growing up. The author does a wonderful job of providing details and description of locations. Making each part of this book feel real and pulling the reader in. I found that I really enjoyed this story and that I really felt that I was the main character. The author made me really feel what the main character was feeling, I cried when she cried and became angry when she did as well. I really looked forward to the ending and had a hard time putting this story down. I really liked how the author provided the year at the beginning of each chapter giving a great reference for timeline. This is a wonderful story of a young girls life.
March 9, 2017
I was really excited to read Christy Nicholas’ “The Enchanted Swans”, as I love it when fairy tales are expanded on and turned into longer works of romance and magic. However, once diving into the story I was a bit disappointed in some ways. The writing is excellent, so no complaints there, and the characters are really drawn well and made me genuinely care about them. So what was disappointing? Mostly the fact that with stories like this I must admit that I expect a “happily ever after” at the end, even if the original fairy tale didn’t exactly have a picture perfect ending. I was rather upset that I felt the main character and her siblings just suffered ridiculously for so long for no real reason and then died without much of a chance to experience any happiness or to really fully live out a love story. Maybe I am just someone who wants to see happy endings in fictional romance, because it certainly doesn’t always end so well in real life, but I do wish the ending had been different.
May 26, 2017
The author's knowledge of fairytales, myth and lore are evident in this fine tale, "The Enchanted Swans". I felt an immediate bond with the main character, when at the age of ten she loses her dear mother, and at the same time, any and all sense of a childhood that should have been.
I could easily visualize each character (deftly described by the author) page by page - and I felt immediately drawn in to the wonders of magical, far away places.
While I admit disappointment over the ending of the story - in my view this is not due to any fault in the actual writing; rather it is because realistically, we'd all like a happy ending by the time the last page is turned.
Well done, highly recommended reading.
I could easily visualize each character (deftly described by the author) page by page - and I felt immediately drawn in to the wonders of magical, far away places.
While I admit disappointment over the ending of the story - in my view this is not due to any fault in the actual writing; rather it is because realistically, we'd all like a happy ending by the time the last page is turned.
Well done, highly recommended reading.
February 25, 2018
This was an interesting tale. The author provided alot of Irish Folklore that was great to learn. Some of it dragged a bit, but I know it was part of seeing the main character growing up so it was necessary. It was a sad tale and did take a while to get to the swan part of the story. There was more to the story then what was mentioned in the blurb. It was essentially a recounting of a young girl growing up and everything her and her family goes through.
Definitely a unique tale.
Definitely a unique tale.
February 26, 2018
This was a interesting story. Four siblings are cursed to be swans by a jealous woman. Throughout the years they try to discover a way to break the curse.
I liked this story. Keep it up.
I liked this story. Keep it up.
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