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A Company of Swans

3.94 of 5 stars 3.94 · rating details · 4,725 ratings · 493 reviews

For nineteen-year-old Harriet Morton, life in 1912 Cambridge is as dry and dull as a biscuit. Her stuffy father and her opressive aunt Louisa allow her only one outlet: ballet. When a Russian ballet master comes to class searching for dancers to fill the corps of his ballet company before their South American tour, Harriet's world changes. Defying her father's wishes and n...more

Paperback, 384 pages

Published September 6th 2007 by Speak (first published July 1st 1985)

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A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

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Feb 22, 2011 D.G. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to D.G. by: willaful

Shelves: historical-romance, reviewed

*4.5 stars*

This is my second book by this author and I just loved it. Her books have been recently marketed as YA but like the last one, this is really a clean historical romance with a really great heroine (nice, loving, smart, hard worker) who is NOT a beauty but still shines because of her personality. Add to that the great setting (a ballet company touring Brazil in the 1910s), an interesting hero and an amazing cast of secondary characters and you get another gem by Ibbotson.

The ballet comp...more *4.5 stars*

This is my second book by this author and I just loved it. Her books have been recently marketed as YA but like the last one, this is really a clean historical romance with a really great heroine (nice, loving, smart, hard worker) who is NOT a beauty but still shines because of her personality. Add to that the great setting (a ballet company touring Brazil in the 1910s), an interesting hero and an amazing cast of secondary characters and you get another gem by Ibbotson.

The ballet company was an integral part of the story so a lot of the action revolves around rehearsals, the dances, etc. I know nothing of ballet but I didn’t find it hard to follow along (Zozia, I was thinking of you while I was reading) even though there were a lot of French terms. :) Of course, it helped that the plots of the different ballets they danced were explained so the readers could understand what was going on.

While the heroine’s setting was the ballet company, the hero was Brazil’s. The untamed land, the exotic animals, the mix of cultures, the injustices, all were a reflection of the hero’s background and personality. Like every hero worth his salt, he’s the kind of man that every woman desires. One of my favorite lines in the whole book is the ballerina’s speculations of the hero’s prowess in bed: "a night with such a man and one could hardly manage three fouettés, let alone thirty-two..."

There were a bunch of minor villains, all doing their part to separate the hero and heroine. Of these, my favorite was the wannabe fiancé because his pomposity made for great comic relief. My second favorite line was when a French young lady speaks to him in French and he thinks: “Though he was aware that people born abroad could sometimes speak their native language, to hear this beautiful girl pour forth sentence after sonorous, unhesitating sentence, when he himself has suffered such torments over his French exercises, filled him with awe.” When I read that, I almost PIMP laughing.

The book doesn’t get 5 stars because the conflict was a bit silly but I can forgive the heroine because she was so young. Overall though, this a great read and I’m looking forward to read more by this author.
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May 22, 2008 Brillare rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: never-finished

Anyway, my biggest issue with this book was the message I got from it. It practically said, "Life is sad and dull unless you're rebellious. Oh, and always remember, happiness comes from boys.

That's just my feelings, of course. I felt like her life began to revolve around the guy, and she was a bit obsessive.

So, yeah, I never really finished this book, just skimmed through - I'm pretty sure it will stay on the never-finished shelf forever.

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Feb 26, 2008 Amanda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic-fiction

Here's a checklist for you:
1. do you like ballet?
2. do you enjoy romantic semi-tragedies?
3. would you travel to the Amazon to escape from over-bearing and protecting family members?
4. would you defy everything you've been brought up to believe for something you think is right?
If you say yes to at least to of these, then this book is definetly one you will read again and again!

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Apr 25, 2011 Melee rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The plot was rather predictable, the love story (and the two characters it concerned) cloying to my inner cynic, and the other characters weren't particularly memorable but still interesting to read about. Harriet was too... too something to ever really be a sympathetic heroine in my eyes. Too good, perhaps? Sentimental? Asininely pleased at being a ruined woman? I don't know; I'm thinking it was probably a combination. Also, I would just like to say, there was not enough communication going on...more

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Feb 04, 2009 Chelsea rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Chelsea by: Jen

Shelves: 2009, own, romance, recced, youngadult, comfortbooks

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 24, 2008 Angie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: belovedbookshelf, ya

Once again Ibbotson shows how apt she is at expressing just how her character is feeling, in such a way that the reader sets the book down in her lap and sighs, "Yes. That is exactly how it feels."

When we first meet Harriet, it is indeed difficult to find an aspect of her life that is not dreary and isolated. Kept on an unbelievably tight rein by her scholar father and spinster aunt, her only outlet is the weekly ballet lessons that have somehow slipped under the radar. When a talent scout offer...more

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Jan 25, 2009 Kristyn added it

Shelves: read-in-11th

When I first began reading this book over break I thought it was extremely boring. All it talked about was a girl, who had a very stict father and aunt, who never let her do anything she wanted. The book was also kind of confusing becuase it had flashbacks that happened randomly. I had to read a couple of pages over to understand that it happened in the past. After the protagonist, Harriet decideds to join the Russian ballet master and goes to the Amazons to perform with the rest of the group. W...more

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Dec 01, 2008 Molly811 rated it 5 of 5 stars

A Company of Swans, by Eva Ibbotson, is a great book for people who like romance. The plot is kind of complex, but you have to keep reading it in order to figure out the whole story. If you look really hard in the reading, there is a lot of hidden things in the text that will really help you understand the story. In other words, this is the kind of book that you can’t skim, because if you do, you will miss something.
Harriet Morton is a girl living in 20th century England. Her mother died when...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-reading-challenges, audio, grown-up-books, historical-fiction, love-story, outside-u-s-a, online-book-group, jessica-s-scavnger-hunt-2013

Why I picked it up: January read for my historical fiction online book group. (Yes, I finished it late!)

Harriet lives with her very oppressive father and her oppressive and frugal-to-the-point-of-madness Aunt Louisa. They have allowed to her to take dance classes, which she loves, but when she is offered a chance to travel down the Amazon with a ballet company, her family refuses to let her go and instead cancels her dance classes. A chance meeting with a young man at one of the most famous esta...more

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Oct 11, 2012 Shoshana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, romance, ya

I've been trying to get myself to read Eva Ibbotson for ages. I mean, I'd read The Secret of Platform 13 and Which Witch, but none of her older-targeted books, like this one, A Countess Below Stairs, The Reluctant Heiress, etc. And I'd been hearing for ages about how lovely they are, so finally I picked this one up and made a serious go of it.

And I enjoyed it. It's very, well, classic, except of course the part where most of it takes place in Brazil. Harriet is likable, quiet but spunky, a littl...more

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Oct 09, 2012 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book follows the usual Ibbotson formula for Cinderella-style romances but this time much of it takes place in Manaus on the Amazon, rather than in Britain or Vienna. Manaus, Brazil and its famed opera house will be familiar to readers of The State of Wonder by Ann Patchett, but Ibbotson’s Amazon is a paradise rather than a dark and threatening milieu as in Patchett.

It is 1912 and Harriet Morton, 18, whose mother died when she was two, lives in Cambridge, England with her much older, narrow-...more

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Sep 30, 2012 Mayra rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really do like this book a lot, and I read it once every month. Ibbotson is a really good writer, but I can never connect with many of the characters in her books, and all the main characters seem to have the same personality. What I did like about this book: the setting of the Amazon, the way it was so poetically described, and the descriptions of how monotonously boring Harriet's family in Cambridge is. I love ballet, and I was glad that it played a huge role. I loved Dubrov, Simonova, Marie...more

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Jan 04, 2012 Shweta rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-historical-fiction

I love Eva Ibbotson's books. They are a bridge between teen and adult books and set in a period that is both frustrating and charming. Frustrating as the heroines go through so much restraint and charming because the romance of the period is just out of this world.( I mean, they talk more and say really sweet things and the girl even blushes :) This is hardly seen in contemporary books.

The book is full of interesting characters. Interesting because they all provide a charm to the story, even the...more

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Sep 02, 2011 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: youth-fiction

I surprised myself and liked this book more than I thought I would. Since I used to dance, I was probably swayed by the nostalgia of reading a bunch of french ballet terms and feeling intelligent understanding the references to famous ballerinas. But, even without all that, it remains that, I really liked Harriet.

I liked that she was Good. And yes, I intended that capital G. She grew up in such a harsh atmosphere, but instead of making her afraid or bitter, is made her thirsty for information a...more

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Jun 06, 2011 vcheung rated it 2 of 5 stars

By far the worst Ibbotson book I've read to date. I'd give it 2.5/3 stars. I'm starting to notice a theme in her books- young, not traditionally attractive girl who is involved in some kind of performing art company catches the attention on an older, tall, dark, and handsome, brooding rich man. It usually takes me a while to get into her books, but this one took me unusually long. The story seemed rushed, and the transitions between the different storylines were awkward. I couldn't connect to an...more

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Apr 10, 2011 Jan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: exciting, excellent-protagonist, romance, solid-and-good, strong-heroines, well-built-plot

You know what I absolutely love about reading Eva Ibbotson? The fact that she actually knows how to write a phenomenal romance novel and drag her readers in and leave them, wanting more. Don't get me wrong, there are enough present-day authors who write romance well, but it's really nothing like how Ibbotsom writes.

Ibbotson's A Company of Swans starts in Cambridge in the early 1900s wherin resides our plain, bird-thin heroin, Harriet Morton a wholly British girl who harbors a passion for ballet....more

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Mar 07, 2011 Allie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

A Company of Swans is a historical romance set in 1912 in Cambridge, England. The main character, 19 year old Harriet, lives with her stuffy professor father and aunt, who treat her borderline abusively, and sometimes just abusively, throughout the novel. Harriet is very smart, and knows enough that she realizes that if she marries Edward, a boring professor remarkably similar to her father, she will not be happy. One day an opportunity for escape arises: she can join the Russian ballet as they...more A Company of Swans is a historical romance set in 1912 in Cambridge, England. The main character, 19 year old Harriet, lives with her stuffy professor father and aunt, who treat her borderline abusively, and sometimes just abusively, throughout the novel. Harriet is very smart, and knows enough that she realizes that if she marries Edward, a boring professor remarkably similar to her father, she will not be happy. One day an opportunity for escape arises: she can join the Russian ballet as they travel to perform in the Amazon. Naturally, she does this, and after a long adjustment period, she comes across Romaine Brandon, our romantic lead.

Rom is a rich womanizer, who really likes sex. I’m not sure why, but this is pointed out many times in the novel. Naturally, this causes tension. Harriet is pure! She wants to do it, but he won’t let her, because, well, I don’t know. But they are IN LOVE.

The best parts of the novel are from Rom’s perspective: I found Harriet too perfect after a while, but Rom’s womanizing was interesting. Also, Ibbotson writes some truly amazing and lapidary prose about the Amazon itself, making it easy to believe you were there. Rom’s palace in the forest is awesome, but it totally wasn’t built on the oppression of the natives, I’m sure. I’d like to stress that all of Ibbotson’s prose is pretty, but it is frequently too predicatable.

The characters in this novel aren’t developed, which is to say, they aren’t real. Her horrific father is rude, stingy, boring, and sexist. He has no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Our heroine, Harriet, is astonishingly kind, (with the kind of lack of character or flaws to her not seen since Snow White)but she doesn’t seem to have much courage, even after she runs away.

The worst thing about Eva Ibbotson’s books is that they pit women against each other. Her heroines would never dream of getting into any sort of disagreement with anyone, but the villian of the story, that is, the woman “competing” for the male romantic lead, is always for some reason horrifying. In this case, it was an ex-fiancee who married someone else for money. She comes back to stir things up, and, um, to get more money, since she is now penniless. I personally felt kind of bad for her. She was greedy, but now she has a kid and how is she going to support him?

I DID like this book. The prose was magical, the storyline was entertaining, but what was it’s message? Harriet never continues ballet. She is still not independent.

A lot of this book is about Harriet trying to find freedom from what men have decided to tell her she shouldn’t do. She can’t go to college, she can’t do ballet, she can’t strip at a gentleman’s club (for a friend! she’s not doing it for the money, you guys, don’t worry) without being kidnapped by her old family.

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Jan 10, 2011 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

A Company of Swans by Eva Ibbotson tells the story of Harriet Morton whose seemingly only joy in life is ballet. She is strictly watched over by her spinster aunt whose frugalness causes everyone to dread attending her dinner parties and her widow father, a professor who took Harriet out of school when her teacher dared to suggest possible colleges for her.

Harriet, surrounded by gloom and dressed in the most hideous of clothes allows ballet to be her outlet. She never imagined that a Russian man...more A Company of Swans by Eva Ibbotson tells the story of Harriet Morton whose seemingly only joy in life is ballet. She is strictly watched over by her spinster aunt whose frugalness causes everyone to dread attending her dinner parties and her widow father, a professor who took Harriet out of school when her teacher dared to suggest possible colleges for her.

Harriet, surrounded by gloom and dressed in the most hideous of clothes allows ballet to be her outlet. She never imagined that a Russian man would desire her to be in his ballet corps on its way to perform in the Amazon. Her father quickly shoots down the idea, as no daughter of his, especially one who is about to be engaged to the entomologist Dr. Finch-Dutton, is going to bring hame on the family by dancing in South America.

Harriet, having lost ballet, becomes forlorn until meeting a little boy as sad as she is and learns of the "secret boy" who is rumored to be in the Amazon himself. Harriet devises her plan and is soon on a ship with the rest of the ballet company bound for the rain forest.

Once there she finds beauty and clarity and can picture herself no where else doing nothing else especially when she meets Rom Verney, the owner of the grandest opera house where she dances as a swan in Swan Lake. But Harriet's life begins to catch up to her and she is at a loss as to what to do.

This was a lovely story which gave a look into the Amazon during the early 1900s. The supporting cast was wonderful especially Marie-Claude, one of Harriet's ballet friends who can speak of nothing but her love and devotion to her fiancé Vincent and the restaurant they are going to open. Harriet has so much spirit and it spills forth from the pages as she comes alive. Rom is the perfect leading man, noble and generous and a little broken on the inside.

Eva Ibbotson is a wonderful author. This is the third book I've read by her. A Countess Below Stairs and The Morning Gift both had me glued. She's a master at writing historic fiction of all kinds and keeps me on the edge of my seat waiting to see if everything will turn out all right in the end.(less)

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Dec 30, 2010 Karissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

This sounded like a super interesting book. All about ballerinas and a trip to the Amazon jungle. I listened to it on audio book and it made an absolutely fabulous audio book. I loved this book to death; it was adventurous, beautiful, sweet, and inspiring.

Harriet Morton is the daughter of a professor. He starts teaching her at a young age and Harriet, being exceptionally smart, learns quickly. As she approaches adulthood her father (who is absolutely against anything but a traditional female rol...more This sounded like a super interesting book. All about ballerinas and a trip to the Amazon jungle. I listened to it on audio book and it made an absolutely fabulous audio book. I loved this book to death; it was adventurous, beautiful, sweet, and inspiring.

Harriet Morton is the daughter of a professor. He starts teaching her at a young age and Harriet, being exceptionally smart, learns quickly. As she approaches adulthood her father (who is absolutely against anything but a traditional female role) decides that learning is too masculine for Harriet and ends all of her lessons except for her ballet lessons. One day at ballet school a man shows up who is planning a Ballet tour through the Amazon; he wants Harriet to join the dance company and come with them. Harriet's father is enraged and forbids it. Harriet shows some backbone and decides to chase her happiness by running away and joining the dance troupe. In the Amazon she meets an amazing rubber baron named Rom; together they challenge the bounds of proper English tradition.

This was an amazing book. The characters were beautifully done and the plot was incredibly well woven together. There are many small things in the beginning of the novel that have huge effects on things that happen later in the book; the book was just so well thought out. There is a touch of humor throughout the novel so you will find yourself smiling a lot, if not laughing out loud.

Harriet is a wonderful character; she is smart, graceful, kind, but refuses to give up her quest to be happy. In the Amazon she meets Rom Verney, an English nobleman who shares her passion for learning and for following his heart. Rom is an interesting character that has conflicted background. Even all of the side characters have interesting and intricate pasts. The best thing of all is that most of the people in this book are inherently good people. Even the bad people are just misled or misunderstood. It would be nice if all of society was as good as most the people in this book are.

Ibbotson has quite a way with language. She writes intelligently and beautifully. The way she describes the scenes you feel like you are actually there looking at plants in the forest or feeling the heat beat on your skin. The number one way to describe this book is just beautiful through and through.

At times you feel like maybe Harriet is a little bit too good, she is so sweet and good that is it unbelievable. Still it is refreshing to read about a gentle, yet strong, character that is very inspiring. Overall this is a feel good novel, everything ends exactly how you would wish it to end and (given what good people the characters are) you just couldn't wish any other type of ending on them.

If you are interested in a beautiful, romantic novel that depicts an interesting era this is the book for you. I also learned a ton about ballet, the rubber mining in the Amazon, and about the Amazon itself. This was such an interesting, heartwarming, and adventurous book. I just loved it. It is one that I could definitely read again. This book made me check out more of Ibbotson's book...she definitely has a talent for this sort of writing.(less)

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Oct 16, 2010 JoLee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010

A Company of Swans is official my second favorite Eva Ibbotson book, and it is a close second indeed. Harriet leads a dismal life in Cambridge with her professor father and miserly aunt. Her only solace is ballet class. Inexplicably the director of a ballet company finds himself offering her a position in his company for a tour to the Amazon. Harriet is lacking in training, but she has something special, and he knows it. Of course, she's not allowed to go, but after a visit with young Henry, th...more

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Oct 04, 2009 Rachael rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I don't quite know what to do with this little book. It's part believable YA historical novel, and part Harlequinesque romance. I am accustomed romantic historical fiction which reads like, well, historical romance novels. Evidently writers find that the whole mysterious, moody hero meets naive and vulernable heroine in an over-sentimentalized plot sells quite well in the mass market. Usually the heroine will have an appropriately pitiful and tragic past, from which only the hero can redeem her,...more I don't quite know what to do with this little book. It's part believable YA historical novel, and part Harlequinesque romance. I am accustomed romantic historical fiction which reads like, well, historical romance novels. Evidently writers find that the whole mysterious, moody hero meets naive and vulernable heroine in an over-sentimentalized plot sells quite well in the mass market. Usually the heroine will have an appropriately pitiful and tragic past, from which only the hero can redeem her, then straight disgustingly unsubtle sexual tension and poor writing to the finish.
But "A Company of Swans" is not, on the whole, poorly written. One clever line I remember is a character interrupted while reading a novel is described as coming up "20,000 leagues from the bottom of the sea" to enter the conversation. And then in introduction of the alluring Marie-Claude: "Brown-eyed blondes have always been one of god's better ideas." Very witty. And those are just too off the top of my head.
So Ibbotson obviously has the potential to be quite a good writer, at least in the YA romantic historical sub-genre, along the lines of Robyn McKinley, Anne Rinaldi, or Elizabeth Marie Pope. Here's the puzzling part: the first 100 pages are on absolute tome on the involved history of the major characters. There is not subtlety or attempt to work explanations in the plot. Basically one just sits down with each character and gets their life story in third person. And yes- Ibbotson does tell the story from multiple points of view within the story, but apparently makes no attempt to give each character his/her own voice. Harriet, the heroine, could as easily be talking as Rom, the hero, except Harriet is inevitably doubting herself, while Rom is inevitably expounding on how perfect Harriet is.
Well, it's not that bad, but this brings me to my next problem, which is the handling of the sexual tension. To begin, every major and secondary female character comments on how much they DESIRE to sleep with Rom. This is the Edwardian age, remember. So not only is it a terrible anachronism, but I prefer not to be beat over the head with the sexual attractiveness of my hero, thank you. I was convinced Harriet was making a good match, before I got a detailed account of Rom's sexual conquests (which was also included).
Ibbotson also makes a big faux-pas with the sexual tension by having the hero and heroine sleep together as soon as they get substantial time alone together. So, of course all the further development that can be done is that area is mention how they do it ALL DAY LONG. We all know the amount a good writer can say with a simple kiss on the forehead or the briefest touch on the cheek. To go back to elementary school, has rising action, climax, and falling action. Ibbotson definitely goofed this. And one more gripe in this area: when discussing sex Ibbotson inevitably degenerates into terribly mushy language. Infinite expositions on one or another character's tenderness or creativity in bed does no good for any reader.
The setting was the height of the rubber baron's wealth in South America, so of course the author needed to include a section criticizing colonialism. This section is insufficiently motivated, poorly developed, and feels like a complete rabbit trail from the main plot. (Soapbox!)
The plot was also driven by a number of freak coincidences, dubious motivations, and inconsistent character development. I don't feel like I need to say more on this topic.
But I feel I should end this review positively, as on the whole, this was an enjoyable read. The character's were not particularly original or deep- Rom was basically a direct transposition of Mr. Rochester, and Harriet was not consistently developed. However, I still essentially believed in their relationship. As I mentioned, to counterbalance the sexual inanity, were unexpected flashes of wit, which appeared fairly frequently. Though the tragedy of Harriet's past was laid on a little thick, I did sympathize with her. And though Rom was over-idealized, I liked him too. So, in conclusion, if you're looking for a light YA romantic novel, and you don't mind some romantic cliches, read it! It was fun and I want to try "A Countess Below Stairs."
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Aug 31, 2009 Jan rated it 3 of 5 stars

A sweet love story, made unusual by the extensive ballet references and unusual setting -- from England to Brazil, before World War I. Although some listings say it is a teen book, it really isn't.

Harriet was born into a stiffly academic home in England, a "cold, dark house filled with the smell of boiled fish and the sniffs of depressed housemaids." Her mother died when she was 2, but her spinster aunt made certain that she was raised quite properly, and sent to the best schools for young ladie...more

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Aug 07, 2009 Dlora rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: history, romance

Iva Ibbotson writes very well and I found the setting to be fascinating but A Company of Swans wasn't quite the equal of Ibbotson's A Countess Below Stairs. Set in 1912, Harriet Morton is more the suffering heroine type, rather than the bubbly optimistic heroine that I enjoyed in A Countess . . . Harriet did find a way to run away from her oppressive family life to join a ballet tour to Brazil--and what fascinating descriptions of South American and ballet life--but she still tended to be a vic...more

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Mar 27, 2013 aiv rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: in-library, young-adult, read-2013

3.5/5

Through the beginning and middle I thought that I would be giving this book 4 stars, but some good things just don't last. The story turned a bit ridiculous and contradictory of the original goal of the main character. Also, the romance was not to my liking at all. I didn't find either character that appealing and I have to say that the girl just grew pathetic towards the ending,(view spoiler)...more

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May 10, 2010 Chachic rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: actual-books-owned, best-of-2010, received-as-gifts

Originally posted here.

I was thinking of how best to describe the experience of reading an
Eva Ibbotson book and I came up with this: it feels like reading an old favorite even if you're reading the book for the first time. Does that make sense? I guess it's because the writing is so lovely that you know you can never go wrong with reading one of her books. The premise of A Company of Swans is similar to The Reluctant Heiress - an older self-made millionaire as the male protagonist and a heroine...more

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May 19, 2011 Gatorgal21 rated it 5 of 5 stars

My favorite of all the Eva Ibbotson’s , A Company of Swans follows the fragile and almost myth-like story of Harriet and Rom. Trapped and controlled all of her life by her cold professor of a Father. Harriet leaps at the chance to join a traveling ballet company on their dance through the untamed forests of South America. While performing, Harriet meets Rom, and immediately loses her heart to the dark, mysterious man who has chosen to make his fortune in this wild and gorgeous place. His heart...more

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Jul 24, 2011 Kiersten added it

Quite gripping, but not my favorite Eva Ibbotson novel (this is my third, after A Countess Below Stairs [completely fabulous] and A Song For Summer [also excellent]). I felt that Harriet was a rather watery character (although Rom was quite a strong hero figure and convincing love interest, preferable to Rupert in "Countess", I think). It seemed like Harriet started out at least somewhat strong-willed (rebelling against her stringent father and running away to the Amazon took some backbone) but...more

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Jul 11, 2011 Brittany rated it 4 of 5 stars

Eva Ibbotson's work is lyrical and intelligent and always true to the period. She sweeps you away in the language of ballet and the stuffy world of England in the early 1900s. Harriet Morton is 18, and the daughter of a chauvinist Professor of Classics at Cambridge University circa 1912. He educates his daughter, teaching her the glories of the classic works of Greece, Rome, and early England -- and then he asks her not to use that knowledge -- to be a silent, thoughtful, intelligent trophy wife...more Eva Ibbotson's work is lyrical and intelligent and always true to the period. She sweeps you away in the language of ballet and the stuffy world of England in the early 1900s. Harriet Morton is 18, and the daughter of a chauvinist Professor of Classics at Cambridge University circa 1912. He educates his daughter, teaching her the glories of the classic works of Greece, Rome, and early England -- and then he asks her not to use that knowledge -- to be a silent, thoughtful, intelligent trophy wife for some other chauvinist of whom he approves. But her escape is in her ballet classes, at which she unknowingly excels. When she's invited to join a ballet company to travel up the Amazon and perform in Manaus for the rubber barons and their wives, her world is shaken. Surprised that they want her in their company, but knowing her father will vehemently oppose, she runs away with the ballet.

Enter Rom, a young (early 30s) rubber baron from her part of the world who fled his home to make his fortune in the Amazon after losing his property and love interest to his brother. Being a central figure in the Manaus theatre's operation, he attends the ballet performances and falls in love with the plain, thoughtful Harriet. And that is where the story begins...

I am not a big reader of romance, but it is my understanding that with so many romance novels, the suspense lies in that there are two "options" or love interests and you never know which one the main character will choose...which leads to suspense and provides the reader with something compelling to keep them going. Ibbotson writes about true love - the finding of soul mates - and so since you are reading a romance novel you know that they will end up together -- these two soul mates -- and so the plot can't be driven by "will they pick each other!?" but instead "how will all of these things work out so that they can be together." Ibbotson doesn't play around with infidelity and insincerity, and that is why I am drawn to her work. I love the innocence of her heroines and the worldliness of their counterparts. I love the depth in language that requires me, a dedicated reader, to keep a dictionary at hand. And I love that she is always able to surprise me, a writer, even when I think I know where everything is headed and how it will all pan out.

For those reasons I recommend her books. It's a tasteful romance that would help any girl realize that she needs to stand up for herself, and make her own decisions in life if she wants to live without regrets.(less)

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Sep 15, 2009 Holly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Holly by: Angie

Shelves: young-adult

Have you ever read the perfect book at the perfect time? This book was precisely that. I needed something sweet, something enchanting, and something with a happily ever after. And since I'd read Eva Ibbotson's YA historical fiction before, I knew it would deliver. But what I didn't know was how well.

"Loneliness had taught Harriet that there was always someone who understood - it was just that so very often they were dead, and in a book."

It's 1912 in Cambridge, and nineteen-year-old Harriet Mort...more Have you ever read the perfect book at the perfect time? This book was precisely that. I needed something sweet, something enchanting, and something with a happily ever after. And since I'd read Eva Ibbotson's YA historical fiction before, I knew it would deliver. But what I didn't know was how well.

"Loneliness had taught Harriet that there was always someone who understood - it was just that so very often they were dead, and in a book."

It's 1912 in Cambridge, and nineteen-year-old Harriet Morton's life is mostly devoid of real love and happiness. Between her uber-traditional academic father and prudish, disciplinarian aunt Louisa, all of Harriet's desires and interests are oppressed. All but one: ballet. Since performing on the stage is prohibited, her twice-a-week classes appear harmless. But even so Harriet comes alive when she's dancing. And there's no way they could have known that Dubrov, a Russian ballet master, would scout Harriet's class for potential corps ballerinas for his company, which will soon be leaving for a tour in the Amazon. It comes as no surprise then that when Dubrov selects Harriet out of all the girls, she'd willing defy her father's wishes to join them in South America. Using her bright mind, Harriet draws up a scheme to runaway from home and the stuffy Cambridge man her aunt wants her to marry. Once her trip across the pond is successful, Harriet experiences many "firsts". She performs in Swan Lake, explores the jungle, and becomes enchanted by the wealthy and good-looking Rom Verney, who owns the opera house. Sooner than she thinks, however, Harriet's dream life is shattered when her intended fiance arrives in the Golden City and begins his search for her.

A Company of Swans did exactly what I thought it would: It charmed me. The story of oppressed girl seizing a chance for happiness and securing it after facing the consequences was what I wanted and what I received. There is much to say for and against authors who could be called formulaic. But sometimes it's just what we need. I can't tell you how much of a comfort it was to read something, for lack of a better word, so dependable. That description sounds unexciting and dull, but it wasn't at all. There's only so many ground-breaking, out-of-your-box books you can read consecutively. A comfort, escapist read can never be underestimated.

That said, Ibbotson's writing never fails to please. Finding several quotable one-liners doesn't happen often for me. I also enjoyed the rich characterization, particularly the fully developed cast of secondary characters, which is her signature. Almost every minor character is as real and tangible as the major ones. But Harriet and Rom also shined. The guts and courage Harriet mustered at times took me aback. Dark, mysterious Rom reminded me of my favorite fictional crush of the moment, one Nicholas Brisbane from the Lady Julia Grey series. Mmm, yummy! (did I just say that?) I'm utterly thrilled that there are a handful more similar books by this author yet to be read.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Mar 20, 2010 Leta rated it 3 of 5 stars

It has been over a year at least since I've allowed myself to read one of these fluffy, clean, romances. I do have to say, they sure are fun. It is so fun to escape in a book.

This is a fun story of a socially deprived 18 year old girl who is invited to dance with a company traveling up the Amazon. She is refused permission by her father and prudish aunt (mother figure,) so she decides to run away with the company. I really enjoyed hearing of her adventures in the Amazons, most especially her rom...more

1 like · like · see review

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About Eva Ibbotson

Eva Ibbotson (born Maria Charlotte Michelle Wiesner, 1925, Vienna, Austria) was a British novelist specializing in romance and children's fantasy. Eva Ibbotson was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1925. When Hitler came into power, Ibbotson's family moved to England. She attended Bedford College, graduating in 1945; Cambridge University from 1946-47; and the University of Durham, from which she graduat...more Eva Ibbotson (born Maria Charlotte Michelle Wiesner, 1925, Vienna, Austria) was a British novelist specializing in romance and children's fantasy. Eva Ibbotson was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1925. When Hitler came into power, Ibbotson's family moved to England. She attended Bedford College, graduating in 1945; Cambridge University from 1946-47; and the University of Durham, from which she graduated with a diploma in education in 1965. Ibbotson had intended to be a physiologist, but was put off by the amount of animal testing that she would have to do. Instead, she married and raised a family, returning to school to become a teacher in the 1960's. Ibbotson was widowed with three sons and a daughter.

Ibottson began writing with the television drama Linda Came Today, in 1965. Ten years later, she published her first novel, The Great Ghost Rescue. Ibbotson has written numerous books including The Secret of Platform 13, Journey to the River Sea, Which Witch?, Island of the Aunts, and Dial-a-Ghost. She won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize for Journey to the River Sea, and has been a runner up for many of major awards for British children's literature. The books are imaginative and humorous, and most of them feature magical creatures and places, despite the fact that she disliked thinking about the supernatural, and created the characters because she wanted to decrease her readers' fear of such things. Some of the books, particularly Journey to the River Sea, also reflect Ibbotson's love of nature. Ibbotson wrote this book in honor of her husband (who had died just before she wrote it), a former naturalist. The book had been in her head for years before she actually wrote it. Ibbotson said she dislikes "financial greed and a lust for power" and often creates antagonists in her books who have these characteristics. Some have been struck by the similarity of "Platform 9 3/4" in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books to Ibbotson's The Secret of Platform 13, which came out three years before the first Harry Potter book.

Her love of Austria is evident in works such as The Star Of Kazan and A Song For Summer. These books, set primarily in the Austrian countryside, display the author's love for nature and all things natural.

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“She was so intelligent that she could think herself into beauty. Intelligence...they don't talk about it much, the poets, but when a woman is intelligent and passionate and good...” — 47 people liked it

“Loneliness had taught Harriet that there was always someone who understood - it was just so often that they were dead, and in a book.” — 46 people liked it

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