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The Swan Kingdom
Shadows have fallen across the beautiful and lush Kingdom. The queen was attacked by an unnatural beast, and the healing skills of her daughter, Alexandra, cannot save her. Too soon the widowed king is spellbound by a frightening stranger - a woman whose eyes reflect no light. In a terrifying moment, all Alexandra knows disappears, including her beloved brothers, leaving her banished to a barren land unlike her own.
Alexandra has more gifts than even she realizes as she is confronted with magic, murder, and the strongest of evil forces. She is unflinchly brave and clever as she struggles to reclaim what she knows is rightfully hers.
This new voice in fantasy weaves a tale rich in visual detail, peppered with a formidable destructive force, and sweetened with familial and romantic love.
Alexandra has more gifts than even she realizes as she is confronted with magic, murder, and the strongest of evil forces. She is unflinchly brave and clever as she struggles to reclaim what she knows is rightfully hers.
This new voice in fantasy weaves a tale rich in visual detail, peppered with a formidable destructive force, and sweetened with familial and romantic love.
258 pages, Hardcover
First published March 5, 2007
47 people are currently reading
6621 people want to read
About the author
Zoë Marriott
17 books802 followersZoë has known that she wanted to be a writer since she read 'The Magic Faraway Tree' by Enid Blyton at age eight. She's never changed her mind in all the years since then.
She completed her first manuscript - a truly embarrassing romance novel - at age sixteen, and kept on writing books and submitting them until she had collected rejections from nearly very publisher in the UK and two in Australia. She eventually got her first publishing contract when she was twenty-two - but had to wait until she was twenty-four to see that book published (The Swan Kingdom). Her books have been longlisted for the Branford Boase Award, shortlisted for the Leeds Book Award and the Lancashire Book of the Year, and have won a Junior Library Guild Selection, a USBBY Outstanding International Listing, the Hillingdon Book Award and the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation Prize. Over the years she's worked as an admin assistant, a dental nurse, a civil servant, and a reader for a literary scout. She has designed and run over one hundred creative writing workshops in schools and libraries, and from 2017-19 she was the Royal Literary Fund Fellow at York St. John University.
She lives in a little house in a town by the sea, with a manic spaniel called Ruskin (otherwise known as Demon Dog, Trash Puppy, Snaggletooth, or the supervillain in training) and far too many books. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Creative Writing at the Open University, and working on her first novel for adults.
She completed her first manuscript - a truly embarrassing romance novel - at age sixteen, and kept on writing books and submitting them until she had collected rejections from nearly very publisher in the UK and two in Australia. She eventually got her first publishing contract when she was twenty-two - but had to wait until she was twenty-four to see that book published (The Swan Kingdom). Her books have been longlisted for the Branford Boase Award, shortlisted for the Leeds Book Award and the Lancashire Book of the Year, and have won a Junior Library Guild Selection, a USBBY Outstanding International Listing, the Hillingdon Book Award and the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation Prize. Over the years she's worked as an admin assistant, a dental nurse, a civil servant, and a reader for a literary scout. She has designed and run over one hundred creative writing workshops in schools and libraries, and from 2017-19 she was the Royal Literary Fund Fellow at York St. John University.
She lives in a little house in a town by the sea, with a manic spaniel called Ruskin (otherwise known as Demon Dog, Trash Puppy, Snaggletooth, or the supervillain in training) and far too many books. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Creative Writing at the Open University, and working on her first novel for adults.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 416 reviews
November 11, 2008
This book gets off on the wrong foot and never quite recovers. It ends on the wrong foot, too.
The opening lines of Chapter 1: "You probably know me already. In every story you've ever been told, someone like me exists. A figure in the background, barely noticed by the main players. A talentless, unwanted child. The ugly one. The ugly one only gets in the way. She is as out of place as a sparrow in a clutch of swans."
From those opening lines, I expected to hear more about what made her the ugly, unwanted, talentless child. This is what follows in the early parts of the first chapter . . .
"I must have been a great disappointment as a king's daughter. I could not be married off to his advantage, for who would want to wed a creature so plain?"
Okay, at this point, I'm getting ready to hear about how she has a hunchback, warts on her face, eyes that are crooked or far too small, or something. It must be something dreadful because beauty isn't what makes a king's daughter valuable. It's the fact that she's female and can be married off (without even first being seen in many cases) to secure peace or more land or whatever. So . . . I wait to see what horrible defects this main character has. I'm excited. I'm interested. A heroine with defects. This is new.
On the next page: "Robin [her brother] and I were alike in many ways. We had the same deep auburn hair. We had both inherited Mother's eyes, the vivid green of newly unfurled leaves. But there, I'm afraid, my resemblance to Robin or my mother ended."
Here comes . . . here comes, I thought to myself. Now we'll find out what she is going to struggle to accept and/or overcome throughout the book, the key characteristic that will define her for others and, obviously, for herself. So, the text continues . . .
"When I say I was ugly, I mean it. Though I had my mother's hair and eyes and her pale skin, somehow I was . . . ugly."
Okay, tell us. Quit using the word "ugly" and tell us! So she does . . .
"My small white face, with its delicate features, faded into insignificance, especially next to the dazzling charms of the rest of my family."
What a let down. I can't believe it. Really? That's it? You have a small white face with delicate features and that makes you so ugly you couldn't ever possibly be married off, despite being a king's daughter! Give me a break. You've got to be kidding.
I read on, hoping to be proved wrong, somehow. To find out that there really was something she was going to struggle with. I mean, after the momentous opening words of the first chapter and all the subsequent harping, I was so ready to find out what was going on. And what was? Nothing.
This main character isn't ugly. She's just not dazzling. Oh, poor thing. Not dazzling like ma? Too bad. Yep. I guess you'll never marry. Poor little "ugly" thing.
So, by the end of the first six pages of the book, I felt let down by the author. I tried to give the book a decent shot and read to the end. There isn't really any more mention of the ugly stuff, though an aunt comments at one point that she is "disappointing. I expected more. Your features lack fineness. Your figure has no elegance. And your hair . . . You obviously take after your father."
And that amounts to "ugly"? I don't think so. Just unremarkable. And, oh, by the way, the bit about being "talentless" is far from the truth. She has many gifts that manifest during her childhood and are recognized by others (even make her a valuable member of the community).
The book goes on to exhibit plenty of inconsistencies and some redundancy. The characters don't actually talk, they interrupt each other. I think this was an effort to make the dialogue seem "real." But instead, it keeps the reader from feeling like the characters are connected at all.
The ending of the book falls flat, almost feels like it wasn't fully written.
This is a first novel, so maybe if the author writes more it will improve. Maybe she was just trying to be dramatic at the beginning of her novel . . . maybe.
The opening lines of Chapter 1: "You probably know me already. In every story you've ever been told, someone like me exists. A figure in the background, barely noticed by the main players. A talentless, unwanted child. The ugly one. The ugly one only gets in the way. She is as out of place as a sparrow in a clutch of swans."
From those opening lines, I expected to hear more about what made her the ugly, unwanted, talentless child. This is what follows in the early parts of the first chapter . . .
"I must have been a great disappointment as a king's daughter. I could not be married off to his advantage, for who would want to wed a creature so plain?"
Okay, at this point, I'm getting ready to hear about how she has a hunchback, warts on her face, eyes that are crooked or far too small, or something. It must be something dreadful because beauty isn't what makes a king's daughter valuable. It's the fact that she's female and can be married off (without even first being seen in many cases) to secure peace or more land or whatever. So . . . I wait to see what horrible defects this main character has. I'm excited. I'm interested. A heroine with defects. This is new.
On the next page: "Robin [her brother] and I were alike in many ways. We had the same deep auburn hair. We had both inherited Mother's eyes, the vivid green of newly unfurled leaves. But there, I'm afraid, my resemblance to Robin or my mother ended."
Here comes . . . here comes, I thought to myself. Now we'll find out what she is going to struggle to accept and/or overcome throughout the book, the key characteristic that will define her for others and, obviously, for herself. So, the text continues . . .
"When I say I was ugly, I mean it. Though I had my mother's hair and eyes and her pale skin, somehow I was . . . ugly."
Okay, tell us. Quit using the word "ugly" and tell us! So she does . . .
"My small white face, with its delicate features, faded into insignificance, especially next to the dazzling charms of the rest of my family."
What a let down. I can't believe it. Really? That's it? You have a small white face with delicate features and that makes you so ugly you couldn't ever possibly be married off, despite being a king's daughter! Give me a break. You've got to be kidding.
I read on, hoping to be proved wrong, somehow. To find out that there really was something she was going to struggle with. I mean, after the momentous opening words of the first chapter and all the subsequent harping, I was so ready to find out what was going on. And what was? Nothing.
This main character isn't ugly. She's just not dazzling. Oh, poor thing. Not dazzling like ma? Too bad. Yep. I guess you'll never marry. Poor little "ugly" thing.
So, by the end of the first six pages of the book, I felt let down by the author. I tried to give the book a decent shot and read to the end. There isn't really any more mention of the ugly stuff, though an aunt comments at one point that she is "disappointing. I expected more. Your features lack fineness. Your figure has no elegance. And your hair . . . You obviously take after your father."
And that amounts to "ugly"? I don't think so. Just unremarkable. And, oh, by the way, the bit about being "talentless" is far from the truth. She has many gifts that manifest during her childhood and are recognized by others (even make her a valuable member of the community).
The book goes on to exhibit plenty of inconsistencies and some redundancy. The characters don't actually talk, they interrupt each other. I think this was an effort to make the dialogue seem "real." But instead, it keeps the reader from feeling like the characters are connected at all.
The ending of the book falls flat, almost feels like it wasn't fully written.
This is a first novel, so maybe if the author writes more it will improve. Maybe she was just trying to be dramatic at the beginning of her novel . . . maybe.
February 9, 2017
I don't know the whole swan retelling so I can't judge the book and state whether or not the book did a good job at retelling it.
Despite its flaws, I really enjoyed this book.
Reasons to read:
-It's a YA fantasy stand alone.
-Likeable and flawed MC: Alexandra is described as plain, ugly, and bland. She's not a normal pretty princess.
-Very fast paced.
-Cute romance: Though there isn't much romance development, it was still likeable.
-Magic.
-Evil step-mom.
-Heroine doesn't lust after the love interest so much and she mostly focuses on saving her Kingdom and brothers.
It just had me hooked
There was a slight problem I had with the book.
Things seemed to be jumping all over the place. If one event took place, some other scene would happen.
Other than that it was an enjoyable read. Definitely recommended.
Despite its flaws, I really enjoyed this book.
Reasons to read:
-It's a YA fantasy stand alone.
-Likeable and flawed MC: Alexandra is described as plain, ugly, and bland. She's not a normal pretty princess.
-Very fast paced.
-Cute romance: Though there isn't much romance development, it was still likeable.
-Magic.
-Evil step-mom.
-Heroine doesn't lust after the love interest so much and she mostly focuses on saving her Kingdom and brothers.
It just had me hooked
There was a slight problem I had with the book.
Things seemed to be jumping all over the place. If one event took place, some other scene would happen.
Other than that it was an enjoyable read. Definitely recommended.
August 5, 2019
The Swan Kingdom was lyrical and enchanting and a fairy tale through and through, with all the signature elements such as evil stepmother, enchanted gardens, animal transformations, and a disgraced, unwanted princess-protagonist named Alexandra. There was danger, darkness, and an evil villain/enemy, and most importantly, a happy ending. I can't really figure out how to rate it, so I'm just going to make a list of my likes and dislikes about the book. After thinking about it I decided on 3 stars because I enjoyed reading it, but tbh it wasn't anything worth fawning over.
THINGS I LIKED:
- Alexandra doesn't lust after the love interest from the start. There's very low-keyed, cute romance that has a slow buildup and yet doesn't discount the main storyline.
- Very fast-paced and never boring. Lots of chapter cliffhangers.
- Alexandra isn't a pampered princess. She's willing to fight to the death to defend her homeland.
- Amazing sibling relationships.
- Intricate writing and great descriptions, giving the story an appropriate magical feel.
THINGS I DISLIKED:
- There was very abstract description of the fictional world's magic and how it was channeled through the wise women, making it hard to understand most of the time.
- Characters except for Alexandra weren't shaped up enough - maybe this was a disadvantage of the fast-paced plot.
- Zoe Marriott's writing verges more on the introspective side of the main character, which can make the book a little melodramatic.
- There was heavy focus on how ugly and plain Alexandra was that she was hated by her father for it. But then it turns out she just has pale skin and red hair. Which really isn't a basis for being ugly, and yet that point was constantly harped on throughout the book. I feel like Marriott really wanted to bring across the point that her heroine was a typical ugly duckling but it was a little unnecessary.
- Everything felt overly cliché.
- There was just something missing that didn't make this tale spectacular. I can't pinpoint exactly what, but I know that although I did enjoy reading it, I didn't think it was extraordinarily good.
THINGS I LIKED:
- Alexandra doesn't lust after the love interest from the start. There's very low-keyed, cute romance that has a slow buildup and yet doesn't discount the main storyline.
- Very fast-paced and never boring. Lots of chapter cliffhangers.
- Alexandra isn't a pampered princess. She's willing to fight to the death to defend her homeland.
- Amazing sibling relationships.
- Intricate writing and great descriptions, giving the story an appropriate magical feel.
THINGS I DISLIKED:
- There was very abstract description of the fictional world's magic and how it was channeled through the wise women, making it hard to understand most of the time.
- Characters except for Alexandra weren't shaped up enough - maybe this was a disadvantage of the fast-paced plot.
- Zoe Marriott's writing verges more on the introspective side of the main character, which can make the book a little melodramatic.
- There was heavy focus on how ugly and plain Alexandra was that she was hated by her father for it. But then it turns out she just has pale skin and red hair. Which really isn't a basis for being ugly, and yet that point was constantly harped on throughout the book. I feel like Marriott really wanted to bring across the point that her heroine was a typical ugly duckling but it was a little unnecessary.
- Everything felt overly cliché.
- There was just something missing that didn't make this tale spectacular. I can't pinpoint exactly what, but I know that although I did enjoy reading it, I didn't think it was extraordinarily good.
November 16, 2012
Reviewed by Natalie Tsang for TeensReadToo.com
As the brightly colored cover suggests, Zoë Marriott's novel THE SWAN KINGDOM is a fantastical read. It is the retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's THE WILD SWANS, a fairy tale that I had never heard of, but that has all the familiar bits and pieces like the evil stepmother, enchanted gardens, and animal transformations. It also has a spunky, magically terrific but socially awkward princess-protagonist named Alexandra.
A few of my friends dislike retold fairy tales, because there is no surprise ending. But I think the whole point of reading rewrites is to focus on the journey, not the place. Anyway, that's why I love retold fairy tales, because it's a way to enjoy certain stories that I seemed to grow out of. After a few years in schoolyard politics, the characters that I loved just weren't complex enough to be satisfying anymore. Beauty, Cinderella, and Snow White were never unsure, impatient, or angry. Besides some serious magical malady that I had no hope of ever battling, they never seemed to have problems at all.
Alexandra, however, has real problems like pleasing her parents, being plain, and weird. With books like THE SWAN KINGDOM, I get my dosage of magic, and from a girl normal enough to be friends with.
Alexandra is an ugly duckling from a family of swans. Her parents are the just and admired rulers of the Kingdom and her three older brothers are kind, handsome, and brilliant. Her only claim to fame is the magical connection that she shares with the land, but even then her skills are dwarfed by her mother's great healing abilities. When the novel opens, she has pretty much settled for a life in the shadows, but when her mother is killed by a beast in the forest and her father marries a strange, beautiful woman, Alexa has to step up or be squashed. While this story follows the general formula of a fairytale (evil destroyed and kingdom restored), Zoë Marriott has charted a unique path to Happily Ever After.
There seems to be a lot of retold fairy tales on the shelves these days. Some are humorous, like Gail Carson Levine's PRINCESS TALES series. THE SWAN KINGDOM is one of the more serious ones, and readers who enjoyed Robin McKinley's or Donna Jo Napoli's books should try it out.
As the brightly colored cover suggests, Zoë Marriott's novel THE SWAN KINGDOM is a fantastical read. It is the retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's THE WILD SWANS, a fairy tale that I had never heard of, but that has all the familiar bits and pieces like the evil stepmother, enchanted gardens, and animal transformations. It also has a spunky, magically terrific but socially awkward princess-protagonist named Alexandra.
A few of my friends dislike retold fairy tales, because there is no surprise ending. But I think the whole point of reading rewrites is to focus on the journey, not the place. Anyway, that's why I love retold fairy tales, because it's a way to enjoy certain stories that I seemed to grow out of. After a few years in schoolyard politics, the characters that I loved just weren't complex enough to be satisfying anymore. Beauty, Cinderella, and Snow White were never unsure, impatient, or angry. Besides some serious magical malady that I had no hope of ever battling, they never seemed to have problems at all.
Alexandra, however, has real problems like pleasing her parents, being plain, and weird. With books like THE SWAN KINGDOM, I get my dosage of magic, and from a girl normal enough to be friends with.
Alexandra is an ugly duckling from a family of swans. Her parents are the just and admired rulers of the Kingdom and her three older brothers are kind, handsome, and brilliant. Her only claim to fame is the magical connection that she shares with the land, but even then her skills are dwarfed by her mother's great healing abilities. When the novel opens, she has pretty much settled for a life in the shadows, but when her mother is killed by a beast in the forest and her father marries a strange, beautiful woman, Alexa has to step up or be squashed. While this story follows the general formula of a fairytale (evil destroyed and kingdom restored), Zoë Marriott has charted a unique path to Happily Ever After.
There seems to be a lot of retold fairy tales on the shelves these days. Some are humorous, like Gail Carson Levine's PRINCESS TALES series. THE SWAN KINGDOM is one of the more serious ones, and readers who enjoyed Robin McKinley's or Donna Jo Napoli's books should try it out.
May 30, 2015
3.5 stars, this book has the potential to become a four stars read but in the middle of the story, I realize the characters aren't shaped up enough (though most of them do have their moments), resulting in this retelling of The Wild Swans losing its depth (and the plot twist about is very cheesy), still the ending is nice and I'm glad to see the author has wisely kept the romance low-keyed and made her heroine focusing on saving her brothers instead of drooling over the love interest.
If you wanted to read better version of retelling story of the same fairy tale, try Daughter of the Forest .
If you wanted to read better version of retelling story of the same fairy tale, try Daughter of the Forest .
January 23, 2009
Loved it. An awesome retelling. Marriott's writing was very clear and intricate. I was impress how easily she described and related magical situations and feelings that are normally difficult to understand and imagine.
July 3, 2017
Great book I liked it as much as "Shadows on the Moon".
July 9, 2025
The Swan Kingdom was one of those novels I checked out from the library and read and re-read multiple times in high school. It ranks besides The Goose Girl, Bella at Midnight, Princess of the Midnight Ball, and The Amaranth Enchantment as a favorite fairy tale that I devoured. But unlike those books, I hadn't previously read it as an adult.
I think the book held up better than I expected. Several moments jumped out from the depths of my memory, but much of it I had forgotten. The writing is flowery. It started off fairly slow and I struggled to get into the book, but eventually it found its footing and I genuinely enjoyed the last 3/4ths of it.
It was pretty but...forgettable. I don't this this re-read will remain in my memory long. But I'm grateful for it and the chance to dip back into a book that once meant so much to me. I'd certainly add a copy to my bookshelf I found one.
I think the book held up better than I expected. Several moments jumped out from the depths of my memory, but much of it I had forgotten. The writing is flowery. It started off fairly slow and I struggled to get into the book, but eventually it found its footing and I genuinely enjoyed the last 3/4ths of it.
It was pretty but...forgettable. I don't this this re-read will remain in my memory long. But I'm grateful for it and the chance to dip back into a book that once meant so much to me. I'd certainly add a copy to my bookshelf I found one.
April 18, 2020
This book is comfort & home to me - I love it SO SO SO much!
I cannot EVER reread books, It’s just never as good the 2nd time round and that’s so sad but this book is one of my exceptions. I’ve read it soooooo many times I literally couldn’t even guess at a number.
I cannot EVER reread books, It’s just never as good the 2nd time round and that’s so sad but this book is one of my exceptions. I’ve read it soooooo many times I literally couldn’t even guess at a number.
March 30, 2013
It's so hard for me not to compare any retelling that even touches on swans (The Wild Swans, The Six Swans, doesn't matter) without comparing it to
Daughter of the Forest
, so I was really worried going in that I would unconsciously (or even consciously) be setting The Swan Kingdom up to fail. But it amazed me how little I felt myself needing to compare. This isn't to say I didn't compare, because I definitely did, especially when it comes to the depth of the story (in which case I compared it to Marillier's DOTF and to
Shadows on the Moon
, another of Zoë's works.). But it stood on its own, and I was pleasantly surprised by that.
Shadows on the Moon was an engaging and quick read, and a good expansion of the fairy tale "The Wild Swans," with a bit of "The Ugly Duckling layered in, which I found interesting. I liked the main character, Alexandra. Alex is someone you can easily root for, and her narration pulled the story along at a steady, easy pace. I especially liked how things progressed with the villain, particularly in the end. I was even a bit shocked by the last little piece that falls into place at the end, and would kind of love to see that story told in full - that backstory and progression could be really fascinating in its own right.
I did wish for more struggle and lengthening of the tale; there's a certain ease with which everything happens, from the relationship with the romantic interest to Alex's struggles and ultimate awareness of herself, that ended up being the key reason I found myself compelled to compare - both to how Marillier layerd Daughter of the Forest, but also to how Marriott herself created this complex, painful struggle in Shadows on the Moon. This is not Shadows. But you know what, that's okay. It's easier and far less dark; but though it's not as complex or powerful as Shadows, the skill and the voice are still there. The Swan Kingdom is a first book and it shows how much she's grown, but that's not to say she didn't start off strong. Again, I know I always say I try not to read reviews of things before I write my own, but as I did with Strands of Bronze and Gold, I just couldn't resist seeing what a friend (who had also read Daughter of the Forest and Shadows on the Moon) had to say about this one. In this case, it was Heidi from Bunbury in the Stacks, and I'm gonna go ahead and quote her because I think she nailed how I felt about the writing:
So, while I would have appreciated a story that lingered more and took the time to build Alexandra's world and struggles with more detail and depth, I still found myself really enjoying this, and appreciating how far Marriott has come in her writing and her ability to push a story and its characters. And I still definitely recommend giving this one a try. =)
Shadows on the Moon was an engaging and quick read, and a good expansion of the fairy tale "The Wild Swans," with a bit of "The Ugly Duckling layered in, which I found interesting. I liked the main character, Alexandra. Alex is someone you can easily root for, and her narration pulled the story along at a steady, easy pace. I especially liked how things progressed with the villain, particularly in the end. I was even a bit shocked by the last little piece that falls into place at the end, and would kind of love to see that story told in full - that backstory and progression could be really fascinating in its own right.
I did wish for more struggle and lengthening of the tale; there's a certain ease with which everything happens, from the relationship with the romantic interest to Alex's struggles and ultimate awareness of herself, that ended up being the key reason I found myself compelled to compare - both to how Marillier layerd Daughter of the Forest, but also to how Marriott herself created this complex, painful struggle in Shadows on the Moon. This is not Shadows. But you know what, that's okay. It's easier and far less dark; but though it's not as complex or powerful as Shadows, the skill and the voice are still there. The Swan Kingdom is a first book and it shows how much she's grown, but that's not to say she didn't start off strong. Again, I know I always say I try not to read reviews of things before I write my own, but as I did with Strands of Bronze and Gold, I just couldn't resist seeing what a friend (who had also read Daughter of the Forest and Shadows on the Moon) had to say about this one. In this case, it was Heidi from Bunbury in the Stacks, and I'm gonna go ahead and quote her because I think she nailed how I felt about the writing:
When working through an author’s backlog, I have rarely seen such evidence of growth in their work–in a way I can take The Swan Kingdom and pinpoint what facets Marriott has since improved, and which were the foundations indicating how wonderful she would become.
So, while I would have appreciated a story that lingered more and took the time to build Alexandra's world and struggles with more detail and depth, I still found myself really enjoying this, and appreciating how far Marriott has come in her writing and her ability to push a story and its characters. And I still definitely recommend giving this one a try. =)
April 22, 2014
Alexandra isn’t special. At least not to her father. Her mother tells her about the special magic of the Enaid—that one day Alexandra will be the one protect the source that nurtures the land and the animals of the Kingdom.
But when the true test comes, her mother is no longer there.
Alexandra’s father rides into the forest to battle the evil responsible and returns with a woman named Zella who reeks of blood.
Will Alexandra’s own powers ever be strong enough to defend the Kingdom against the beast that slayed her mother?
The Swan Kingdom is a fairy tale retelling vaguely similar to one of my favorite fairy tales, The Seven Swans--a story which, in my opinion, can never have too many versions. I must admit that my favorite elements were all the original ones!
But when the true test comes, her mother is no longer there.
Alexandra’s father rides into the forest to battle the evil responsible and returns with a woman named Zella who reeks of blood.
Will Alexandra’s own powers ever be strong enough to defend the Kingdom against the beast that slayed her mother?
The Swan Kingdom is a fairy tale retelling vaguely similar to one of my favorite fairy tales, The Seven Swans--a story which, in my opinion, can never have too many versions. I must admit that my favorite elements were all the original ones!
September 9, 2008
Fun light romance and magic. Alexandra, the main character, has the gift to work with the power of the earth. She knows about healing herbs and works small magics that her mother taught her. When her mother is killed by a wild beast, and her father is enchanted and tricked into marrying the evil being that killed her mother, Alexandra is on her own. Her 3 loving brothers have also been banished, but she can't quite remember what happened to them. She must learn who she is and what her powers are to save her brothers and the kingdom. Although this is marked as a Fiction book, I think it would be appropriate for youth fiction too.
December 31, 2017
I adore fairy tale retellings and the synopsis of The Swan Kingdom held enough promise to get me well and truly excited, but unfortunately the story never really gets off the ground. Much could have been forgiven regarding the rather flat story, awkward dialogue and melodramatic prose if our heroine, Alexandra, had only been more likable, or her romance (one of the key points of any fairy tale!) was better developed. But it failed on both these points, and what was left was a rather forgettable tale that has been told many times before, but better.
The first two-thirds of the novel was an excruciatingly dragged-out affair. We begin with the standard riches-to-ruins fairy tale backstory, where we're supposed to get to know and love the characters before a chain of events turns our heroine's world upside down. Except we're never given a chance to really know anyone or learn to care about their fates. Alexandra's mother is a beautiful, wise and loving woman who teaches her everything except what she really needs to know, her father embodies the stock "foolish king" character trope and there is little to separate her three brothers (or to make us want to see them rescued) because they have barely any presence at all.
As for Alexandra herself, she's - you guessed it - the ugly duckling. Oh so plain, so devoid of talent, so lacking in confidence! But that's fine, since the point is her journey and character growth, right? And therein lies the problem - there isn't much of a journey. After the painfully long setup, Alexandra gets right to moping. She mopes, doubts, angsts long and hard, and stares melodramatically out at the water. She hates her miserable aunt, her predicament is terrible, her life generally sucks, et cetera. This continues for the better part of the second third of the story; the inactivity was so astounding that I was at the 50% mark and was still wondering whether Alexandra will ever do anything. The story would have us believe that Alexandra was growing in strength, but none of that is really in evidence.
The "adventure" finally got moving in the final third, but by then it was too little, too late. The plot jumped all over the place, as if wanting to make up for the treacle-paced "development" from the first two thirds. Worse, the grand plan that Alexandra devised to defeat her enemy, at apparent great cost to herself, was rendered completely useless at the end. It was totally unnecessary. What was even the point of the whole story?! At this point I would usually say that the romance (at least) was a saving grace, but that, too, suffered from lack of development and too much telling rather than showing. Gabriel was sweet and actually struck up quite a lovely friendship with Alexandra at first, but next moment we were hit with a summary of the couple's many midnight excursions to the beach in fast-forward mode and BOOM, they were confessing eternal love for each other.
It's a shame the story didn't deliver on its considerable potential, but there it is. By all accounts the author's other work is much better, so I'd recommend skipping this one and trying something else.
The first two-thirds of the novel was an excruciatingly dragged-out affair. We begin with the standard riches-to-ruins fairy tale backstory, where we're supposed to get to know and love the characters before a chain of events turns our heroine's world upside down. Except we're never given a chance to really know anyone or learn to care about their fates. Alexandra's mother is a beautiful, wise and loving woman who teaches her everything except what she really needs to know, her father embodies the stock "foolish king" character trope and there is little to separate her three brothers (or to make us want to see them rescued) because they have barely any presence at all.
As for Alexandra herself, she's - you guessed it - the ugly duckling. Oh so plain, so devoid of talent, so lacking in confidence! But that's fine, since the point is her journey and character growth, right? And therein lies the problem - there isn't much of a journey. After the painfully long setup, Alexandra gets right to moping. She mopes, doubts, angsts long and hard, and stares melodramatically out at the water. She hates her miserable aunt, her predicament is terrible, her life generally sucks, et cetera. This continues for the better part of the second third of the story; the inactivity was so astounding that I was at the 50% mark and was still wondering whether Alexandra will ever do anything. The story would have us believe that Alexandra was growing in strength, but none of that is really in evidence.
The "adventure" finally got moving in the final third, but by then it was too little, too late. The plot jumped all over the place, as if wanting to make up for the treacle-paced "development" from the first two thirds. Worse, the grand plan that Alexandra devised to defeat her enemy, at apparent great cost to herself, was rendered completely useless at the end. It was totally unnecessary. What was even the point of the whole story?! At this point I would usually say that the romance (at least) was a saving grace, but that, too, suffered from lack of development and too much telling rather than showing. Gabriel was sweet and actually struck up quite a lovely friendship with Alexandra at first, but next moment we were hit with a summary of the couple's many midnight excursions to the beach in fast-forward mode and BOOM, they were confessing eternal love for each other.
It's a shame the story didn't deliver on its considerable potential, but there it is. By all accounts the author's other work is much better, so I'd recommend skipping this one and trying something else.
November 20, 2014
Alexandra is youngest child and only daughter of the King & Queen and has always felt like an ugly duckling amongst her family. She loves spending time with her mother and brothers but doesn't get on so well with her father who finds her a disappointment because she isn't pretty enough. She loves learning about the healing properties of plants and how to use the magic of the earth from her mother and has become a skilled healer. Alexandra's life changes dramatically when her mother is killed by a horrific monster when walking in the woods. Her father is driven mad with grief and when he meets a beautiful woman he quickly re-marries. Alexandra's step-mother isn't all she seems though and soon Alexandra and her brothers find themselves separated and exiled from their home. Can Alexandra find her brothers and can she break the hold her step-mother has over her father and the rest of her people?
The Swan Kingdom is a re-telling of fairy tale The Wild Swans by Hans Christian Andersen but as I've never read the original I'm not going to compare the two stories in this review. I found The Swan Kingdom was a captivating and beautiful read and I finished it in one sitting. The writing is beautifully descriptive and made it easy to picture Alexandra's home and her country. I loved finding out about the magical abilities that Alexandra and her mother had and the way they were able to use the power of the earth. The story has a great fairytale feel to it that took me back to my childhood and would make great bedtime reading material for children.
Alexandra was a lovely heroine and it was easy spending time inside her head. Her mother's death devastates her but when her family and her people are under threat she will do anything it takes to help them. She is determined to find a way to stop her wicked step-mother and bring her family back together. It won't be easy for her and she will face difficult times but her strength of character will see her through it. The Swan Kingdom is a beautiful fantasy fairytale and one that I'm sure I'll be reading again.
The Swan Kingdom is a re-telling of fairy tale The Wild Swans by Hans Christian Andersen but as I've never read the original I'm not going to compare the two stories in this review. I found The Swan Kingdom was a captivating and beautiful read and I finished it in one sitting. The writing is beautifully descriptive and made it easy to picture Alexandra's home and her country. I loved finding out about the magical abilities that Alexandra and her mother had and the way they were able to use the power of the earth. The story has a great fairytale feel to it that took me back to my childhood and would make great bedtime reading material for children.
Alexandra was a lovely heroine and it was easy spending time inside her head. Her mother's death devastates her but when her family and her people are under threat she will do anything it takes to help them. She is determined to find a way to stop her wicked step-mother and bring her family back together. It won't be easy for her and she will face difficult times but her strength of character will see her through it. The Swan Kingdom is a beautiful fantasy fairytale and one that I'm sure I'll be reading again.
October 23, 2010
I am such a sucker for pretty covers. I swear, it's like I don't even read the premise and just dive in. Well, I at least knew it was a fairy tale retelling and I love those, so I couldn't pass this one up. I've never read the original tale this is based on but I would like to, I just need to find the time to get to them, so keep that in mind.
The first half of this book (or part one) was excruciating to get through. The beginning of the book was so melodramatic and filled with lots of; my father hates me, I'm not beautiful (which is totally incorrect because the only ugly thing about her is that she's pale and has red hair. I mean, seriously? That's all your requirements for being classified as ugly? Jeeze, I must be hideous then.), and then some extremely confusing events that I had no idea what was going as I was reading it. Of course this could be attributed to the fact that I was reading this around two in the morning and getting pretty tired. The first part was so slow and the chapters are pretty long for a ya book that the pace of this story just dragged on and on and on.
The second half was a lot better. It felt more fairy tale-ish, if you get what I'm saying. I liked how she was determined to save her brothers and her kingdom and kept trying to make a tunic out of nettles when she'd be in some immense amount of pain that left her with scarred and claw-like hands. The romance kicked in and it was sweet. There was a lot more action that left cliffhanger chapter ends so I just couldn't stop. The plot unveils are pretty predictable as is the ending but you can't really fault it.
Zoe Marriot's writing tends to verge on the repetitive and too on the introspective side of the main character that makes it feel more melodramatic than anything. It brings the pacing way down but she writes some beautiful descriptions. She manages to paint a lovely picture without going overboard. Her writing is smooth and easy to read.
More of a 2.5 but it's an all right book.
The first half of this book (or part one) was excruciating to get through. The beginning of the book was so melodramatic and filled with lots of; my father hates me, I'm not beautiful (which is totally incorrect because the only ugly thing about her is that she's pale and has red hair. I mean, seriously? That's all your requirements for being classified as ugly? Jeeze, I must be hideous then.), and then some extremely confusing events that I had no idea what was going as I was reading it. Of course this could be attributed to the fact that I was reading this around two in the morning and getting pretty tired. The first part was so slow and the chapters are pretty long for a ya book that the pace of this story just dragged on and on and on.
The second half was a lot better. It felt more fairy tale-ish, if you get what I'm saying. I liked how she was determined to save her brothers and her kingdom and kept trying to make a tunic out of nettles when she'd be in some immense amount of pain that left her with scarred and claw-like hands. The romance kicked in and it was sweet. There was a lot more action that left cliffhanger chapter ends so I just couldn't stop. The plot unveils are pretty predictable as is the ending but you can't really fault it.
Zoe Marriot's writing tends to verge on the repetitive and too on the introspective side of the main character that makes it feel more melodramatic than anything. It brings the pacing way down but she writes some beautiful descriptions. She manages to paint a lovely picture without going overboard. Her writing is smooth and easy to read.
More of a 2.5 but it's an all right book.
May 17, 2008
I really enjoyed this poetic retelling of the Six Swans fairy tale. Alexandra, youngest child of the king, is an ugly little thing, but useful. She can use the enaid, the power of the land, to do little things like healing and talking to the beasts and creatures of the land. Her mother's ability to wield the enaid is greater and soaks through the kingdom, bringing lush growth and bountiful crops. Alexandra's three brothers, David, Hugh and Robin, posses little of the gift, but have their own strengths and are devoted to their sister. Though she does not have her father's love, Alexandra is content with her life. Her small world is uprooted when her mother is attacked by a terrifying beast and dies. Her father goes mad with grief, hunting daily for the creature that killed his wife. One day he brings home a prize. Not the beast, but a strange and beautiful woman who bewitches the king and his kingdom, banishes the princes and sends Alexandra to her Aunt's home in Midland. There Alexandra gathers strength and courage and begins to make plans and decisions of her own rather than float along obeying the rules set for her. When her dreams become urgent and prophetic, Alexandra decides she must free her kingdom from the evil creature that has bespelled it and save her people and her brothers, even if she dies in the process.
November 24, 2017
The Swan Kingdom is a creditable debut, but it doesn't quite stand on its own strengths so much as the author's potential to write much better books. The narration has a strong, clear voice, and the heroine Alexandra undergoes a great deal of growth throughout the story (based on the fairy tale The Wild Swans). I especially like how even the people who seem purely good or evil to Alexandra at first often turn out to have unexpected qualities. I wouldn't exactly call it depth, since they're not well-developed characters, but there's *something* there. However, I don't care for how things seem to come quite easily to Alexandra, who is indeed a bit of a special snowflake, and how she figures out mysteries with a near total lack of clues.
Also, it really confuses me that Alexandra is supposed to be red haired, with vivid green eyes, delicate features, and pale skin, the spit of her mother ("almost unbelievably" beautiful)...and ugly or at least unremarkable. The mud colored people of the world (I among them) want to know how this is possible and why we can't have plain, brown haired, brown eyed, brown skinned heroines.
Still, there's strength in the writing and in the observations and insights offered. I'd be willing to read some of Zoe Marriott's later books to see if they show greater cohesiveness and maturity.
Also, it really confuses me that Alexandra is supposed to be red haired, with vivid green eyes, delicate features, and pale skin, the spit of her mother ("almost unbelievably" beautiful)...and ugly or at least unremarkable. The mud colored people of the world (I among them) want to know how this is possible and why we can't have plain, brown haired, brown eyed, brown skinned heroines.
Still, there's strength in the writing and in the observations and insights offered. I'd be willing to read some of Zoe Marriott's later books to see if they show greater cohesiveness and maturity.
September 23, 2009
I think this book would have worked better had it broken completely from the fairy tale (six swans—or any of the other many versions by which it’s known) since the connection to the original was so thin. I liked the magical kingdom, with its matriarchal, druid feel. However, I was frequently confused by setting, as I was constantly being surprised by more advanced technologies than I expected in the area. I was disappointed that the nettles played so little a role in the book and that the problems were so mystically and seemingly easily solved, but I still found the story compelling. More so, perhaps, than the heroine, who managed to be melodramatically unconscious for nearly a third of the book.
August 28, 2022
I would've loved this to bits if I'd read this as a teen. But having said that, I still think this was a solid YA fantasy. The characters were really good, well most of them. I especially loved the sibling relationship dynamic. Although the story was fast-paced and interesting, I just didn't feel very connected to it.
December 10, 2014
The entire time I read this book, I prayed for the author's sake that this was a first book. Turns out it was, which means she still has room to grow. ...That said, this book was... "blegh" for me.
For one, the story never seemed to stick to one thing. Characters were wishy-washy. The plot jumped from one thing to the next without much transition. Things happened suddenly without any hints from earlier in the story...
Characters need work. Alexandra jumped back and forth from confident to reserved every other time she opened her mouth. She jumps from one end of the scale to the other in the same breath. She needs consistency! And her aunt... Too quick a transition from mean bitter old lady to someone you can relate to. And Zella... Ugh, I hate bad guys you can't remotely relate to. And what was with that transformation to wolf, to fox, to girl, to pebbles at the end? How does that make the least bit of sense?
Which leads me to plot issues... Things jumped. While there were no "And suddenly, this happened!" (which bugs me beyond belief), there might as well have been. Nothing from the start of the story hinted at anything at the end. I understand there being surprises, but even (HP reference!) Professor Quirrel showed signs of having Voldemort before the big reveal at the end! Surprises are great and predictability is boring, but the book shouldn't be so out there that you go, "Where the heck did that come from?!" And Zella is a brilliant example. What the heck was with her transformation at the end? That totally came out of nowhere. And Alexandra turning her brothers into swans? That was TOO far out there. No hints at all. If she'd done it, there should have been some foreshadow of some sort.
And another issue with the plot was that nothing seemed to stick. I'm sorry, the nettle sweaters just were a waste of space in the book. If they were so useless to the overall plot, why write anything about them? Other than destroy Alexandra's hands, which was quickly glossed over later and forgotten, they served no purpose for character growth. She spent too long on that for something that served no real purpose. And what did Gabriel do? Except for being the generic prince character necessary from the original Hans Christian Anderson tale, he served no purpose in this version of the tale.
Overall, I was disappointed. Very, very disappointed.
For one, the story never seemed to stick to one thing. Characters were wishy-washy. The plot jumped from one thing to the next without much transition. Things happened suddenly without any hints from earlier in the story...
Characters need work. Alexandra jumped back and forth from confident to reserved every other time she opened her mouth. She jumps from one end of the scale to the other in the same breath. She needs consistency! And her aunt... Too quick a transition from mean bitter old lady to someone you can relate to. And Zella... Ugh, I hate bad guys you can't remotely relate to. And what was with that transformation to wolf, to fox, to girl, to pebbles at the end? How does that make the least bit of sense?
Which leads me to plot issues... Things jumped. While there were no "And suddenly, this happened!" (which bugs me beyond belief), there might as well have been. Nothing from the start of the story hinted at anything at the end. I understand there being surprises, but even (HP reference!) Professor Quirrel showed signs of having Voldemort before the big reveal at the end! Surprises are great and predictability is boring, but the book shouldn't be so out there that you go, "Where the heck did that come from?!" And Zella is a brilliant example. What the heck was with her transformation at the end? That totally came out of nowhere. And Alexandra turning her brothers into swans? That was TOO far out there. No hints at all. If she'd done it, there should have been some foreshadow of some sort.
And another issue with the plot was that nothing seemed to stick. I'm sorry, the nettle sweaters just were a waste of space in the book. If they were so useless to the overall plot, why write anything about them? Other than destroy Alexandra's hands, which was quickly glossed over later and forgotten, they served no purpose for character growth. She spent too long on that for something that served no real purpose. And what did Gabriel do? Except for being the generic prince character necessary from the original Hans Christian Anderson tale, he served no purpose in this version of the tale.
Overall, I was disappointed. Very, very disappointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2009
It was a good book but I couldn't truly love it. The story line in general was enjoyable. I guess it wasn't what I was expecting. It was expecting adventure, enchantment, disguise, romance, and action. It did have all the other things, just not to the level I'd expected.
The beginning I thought was slow. Alexandra tells us that she is ugly and I think "Alright sounds good it'll give her more depth as a princess." But alas she is just plain and I can't sympathies too much with a just plain princess. I assumed she was supposed to be an ugly duckling among swans but I couldn't see it.
The plot wasn't enticing enough for me. I kept waiting and waiting for Alexandra to get up off her butt and do something. Where was her journey? Where was the adventure? Didn't she want to save her family, her people? The answer is that Alexandra does but doesn't think she can do it. She does do a bit of a journey but it only lasts about one chapter or so. Then it’s just Alexandra trying to make some shirts (I know this sounds strange but there is reasoning behind it).
Other than the fact that Alexandra isn't very assertive for half the book she isn't half bad. She has courage and strength without having much of anyone or anything to hold on to -well maybe Gabriel. I thought the romance was on the better side. Gabriel (good name) is very sweet and kind.
There were redeeming parts in it that I liked. It was good but not a book that I would read again.
The beginning I thought was slow. Alexandra tells us that she is ugly and I think "Alright sounds good it'll give her more depth as a princess." But alas she is just plain and I can't sympathies too much with a just plain princess. I assumed she was supposed to be an ugly duckling among swans but I couldn't see it.
The plot wasn't enticing enough for me. I kept waiting and waiting for Alexandra to get up off her butt and do something. Where was her journey? Where was the adventure? Didn't she want to save her family, her people? The answer is that Alexandra does but doesn't think she can do it. She does do a bit of a journey but it only lasts about one chapter or so. Then it’s just Alexandra trying to make some shirts (I know this sounds strange but there is reasoning behind it).
Other than the fact that Alexandra isn't very assertive for half the book she isn't half bad. She has courage and strength without having much of anyone or anything to hold on to -well maybe Gabriel. I thought the romance was on the better side. Gabriel (good name) is very sweet and kind.
There were redeeming parts in it that I liked. It was good but not a book that I would read again.
September 22, 2012
I am being extra cranky about books at the moment, so I think this one gets three stars purely because I didn't grumble at it and I read it in record time. It's a relatively straightforward retelling of the fairytale about the girl whose brothers are turned into swans; it of course has an evil stepmother, and a love interest. I actually confess to being kind of interested in Gabriel, but his storyline didn't really come to much other than love interest -- though it's better than if he got all the action and Alexandra just swooned or whatever.
It possibly doesn't quite deserve three stars, but I got on with it well enough that it definitely isn't deserving of the same rating I gave Mickey Spillane's work. This is a rare occasion where half stars might be useful to me...
It possibly doesn't quite deserve three stars, but I got on with it well enough that it definitely isn't deserving of the same rating I gave Mickey Spillane's work. This is a rare occasion where half stars might be useful to me...
February 16, 2013
3.25 out of 5
Good, but not on the same level as her later novels. Clearly a debut, Marriott demonstrates a lot of the same skills (strong female character, unique magic, compelling storytelling) that she will continue to mature in her later work.
A bit simplistic, a bit too easily resolved at the end, still, The Swan Kingdom was entertaining and creative. A fun read, if an easy one.
Good, but not on the same level as her later novels. Clearly a debut, Marriott demonstrates a lot of the same skills (strong female character, unique magic, compelling storytelling) that she will continue to mature in her later work.
A bit simplistic, a bit too easily resolved at the end, still, The Swan Kingdom was entertaining and creative. A fun read, if an easy one.
July 12, 2011
Well... I haven't cried like that in a long time.
Wow, I can't say anything. No, really, I can't think of a word. These sentences were written minutes apart from each other. (Okay, I couldn't even understand what I meant, sorry.)
Just read it. Do I have to do everything around here?
Wow, I can't say anything. No, really, I can't think of a word. These sentences were written minutes apart from each other. (Okay, I couldn't even understand what I meant, sorry.)
Just read it. Do I have to do everything around here?
December 21, 2018
2.5 stars.
I wish I had loved this, I wish I did more than just push through so I could be finished. This had an interesting premise that followed the idea of the evil step mother, and yet the plot and characters failed to pull through. The writing was beautiful, if a bit too flowery at times, and there was real potential. But the beginning and end lacked enough energy to get me invested so I only kept reading so I could put this book down and find something else to read
I wish I had loved this, I wish I did more than just push through so I could be finished. This had an interesting premise that followed the idea of the evil step mother, and yet the plot and characters failed to pull through. The writing was beautiful, if a bit too flowery at times, and there was real potential. But the beginning and end lacked enough energy to get me invested so I only kept reading so I could put this book down and find something else to read
May 9, 2022
2,5⭐
Niestety książka mnie nie zachwyciła. Moim zdaniem świetny pomysł na historię z nawiązaniem do baśni o sześciu łabędziach i ciekawie, poetycko ukazane opisy. Mimo to historia szła strasznie szybko, momentami nawet chaotycznie. Mało wyraziście wykreowani bohaterowie i bardzo krótkie sceny( mówie tu o np. pobycie Aleksandry u swojej ciotki). Wątek romantyczny uważam, że był płytki. Żadna głębsza relacja między bohaterami się nie rozwinęła, a wszystko działo się nagle.
Niestety książka mnie nie zachwyciła. Moim zdaniem świetny pomysł na historię z nawiązaniem do baśni o sześciu łabędziach i ciekawie, poetycko ukazane opisy. Mimo to historia szła strasznie szybko, momentami nawet chaotycznie. Mało wyraziście wykreowani bohaterowie i bardzo krótkie sceny( mówie tu o np. pobycie Aleksandry u swojej ciotki). Wątek romantyczny uważam, że był płytki. Żadna głębsza relacja między bohaterami się nie rozwinęła, a wszystko działo się nagle.
October 9, 2011
Originally reviewed on my blog, Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing.
The Swan Kingdom by Zoë Marriott is one of my favorite fairy tale retellings of all time. I love it. Zoë has taken the old tale, The Wild Swans and made it completely her own. She wrote us an absolutely lovely guest post that talks about the book far better than I could, so I'm going to link it here.
Alexandra is the young daughter of a distant and disappointing father and a warm, loving and magical mother. Her father is disinterested in her life, preferring to spend his time and attentions on his three sons, all older than Alexandra. Her mother teaches her about the enaid, the life magic that flows through the land, the growing things and Alexandra herself. The kingdom of Alexandra's family is rich with the magic and flourishes, while outlying kingdoms have destroyed theirs. But then tragedy strikes, madness and evil take over and Alexandra must find strength within herself. She is no longer able to rely on her mother or brothers for strength, support and protection. Now, it is up to her to save everything.
Alexandra is one of my very favorite heroines in all the fairy tale retellings I have read. She is so real. She is strong, brave, intensely loyal, and loving. But, she also begins the story meek and accepting. She is told what to do, and she does it. Sometimes, this is a good thing. But not always. And definitely not when the great evil you believe killed your mother has taken on the form of a beguiling female, betwitched your father, destroyed your beloved brothers, ensnared the entire kingdom, and is now shipping you off to a neighboring kingdom to live with an aunt you barely know exists.
In her defense, Alexandra was drugged, poisoned and unconscious while she was being shipped off to a neighboring country, but still. Once there, she accepts that this is now the place for her, and she does nothing. She does not search for her brothers, waiting instead for them to come find her, she does not question her aunt's rule beyond sneaking out to the beach each night, and she does not try to return home to stop the evil Zella whom she knows is destroying her kingdom and her people.
While living with her aunt, Alexandra feels stifled. The enaid is not strong her, as it is in her kingdom and being indoors all the time wears her down. So, each night she slips out her window and walks along the beach, and each night she meets up with Gabriel, a young man vacationing on the coast with his family. They talk and laugh each night until dawn, learning of each other, and filling the empty spaces life has left within. Alexandra is one of my favorite heroines and Gabriel is one of my favorite love interests. He never tries to steal the show, never upstages Alexandra. This is her story, and she must live it, but her is there for her. He is her friend in a troubling time when she has no one, and they slowly grow from friends into the hope of something more while walking along the beach. When the day comes he must leave, and return to his home, your heart weeps with Alexandra's and cracks with Gabriel's. And you hope, oh you hope that they will be able to meet again soon.
The time spent with her aunt is somewhat a state of limbo for Alexandra. She knows that something must be done, but is content to wait for her brave and strong brothers return. But then Zella, her evil step-mother, sends people to collect Alexandra and bring her home. On the way, Alexandra realizes that she is enchanted and dying, and to return home would be to go to her death. And so, she escapes and begins the struggle to rescue her brothers and save her kingdom. And she leaves behind the meek Alexandra who follows orders blindly.
There is so many amazing sections of this book. There is so much to say about the enaid, the circle of the ancestors, the curse Alexandra discovers on her brothers, Zella, and, of course, Gabriel. I don't have the space here to tell you everything that I love about this book. There is so much awesome in this book that it would be impossible to fit it all into one review. I know that my review isn't doing the book or the characters justice, but I want you to know that it is truly a book worth reading. It is all the standard 'review' words (compelling, captivating, magical, stunning) but it is more than that too. It is a book that fills you up, that gives meaning to the mundane.
Do not all of us wish we were like Alexandra? That we had power far greater than even we understand? There is a scene in the book where Zella confronts Alexandra at the base of the mountain of the Circle of Ancestors. Zella is there to kill Alexandra and it is the first time we see Zella without the pretense of innocence and fragility. But Alexandra defies her. And in so doing, she realizes that she has power and that if anyone is to save her kingdom and her brothers, it shall be her. Watching her grow and mature, both in life and in magic is empowering, heartening and wonderful.
Do not let my lack of eloquence deter you from reading this book. Ignore my stumbling attempts to express how much I love this book and grasp the love and delight that is beneath them. And, then, go read this book!
The Swan Kingdom by Zoë Marriott is one of my favorite fairy tale retellings of all time. I love it. Zoë has taken the old tale, The Wild Swans and made it completely her own. She wrote us an absolutely lovely guest post that talks about the book far better than I could, so I'm going to link it here.
Alexandra is the young daughter of a distant and disappointing father and a warm, loving and magical mother. Her father is disinterested in her life, preferring to spend his time and attentions on his three sons, all older than Alexandra. Her mother teaches her about the enaid, the life magic that flows through the land, the growing things and Alexandra herself. The kingdom of Alexandra's family is rich with the magic and flourishes, while outlying kingdoms have destroyed theirs. But then tragedy strikes, madness and evil take over and Alexandra must find strength within herself. She is no longer able to rely on her mother or brothers for strength, support and protection. Now, it is up to her to save everything.
Alexandra is one of my very favorite heroines in all the fairy tale retellings I have read. She is so real. She is strong, brave, intensely loyal, and loving. But, she also begins the story meek and accepting. She is told what to do, and she does it. Sometimes, this is a good thing. But not always. And definitely not when the great evil you believe killed your mother has taken on the form of a beguiling female, betwitched your father, destroyed your beloved brothers, ensnared the entire kingdom, and is now shipping you off to a neighboring kingdom to live with an aunt you barely know exists.
In her defense, Alexandra was drugged, poisoned and unconscious while she was being shipped off to a neighboring country, but still. Once there, she accepts that this is now the place for her, and she does nothing. She does not search for her brothers, waiting instead for them to come find her, she does not question her aunt's rule beyond sneaking out to the beach each night, and she does not try to return home to stop the evil Zella whom she knows is destroying her kingdom and her people.
While living with her aunt, Alexandra feels stifled. The enaid is not strong her, as it is in her kingdom and being indoors all the time wears her down. So, each night she slips out her window and walks along the beach, and each night she meets up with Gabriel, a young man vacationing on the coast with his family. They talk and laugh each night until dawn, learning of each other, and filling the empty spaces life has left within. Alexandra is one of my favorite heroines and Gabriel is one of my favorite love interests. He never tries to steal the show, never upstages Alexandra. This is her story, and she must live it, but her is there for her. He is her friend in a troubling time when she has no one, and they slowly grow from friends into the hope of something more while walking along the beach. When the day comes he must leave, and return to his home, your heart weeps with Alexandra's and cracks with Gabriel's. And you hope, oh you hope that they will be able to meet again soon.
The time spent with her aunt is somewhat a state of limbo for Alexandra. She knows that something must be done, but is content to wait for her brave and strong brothers return. But then Zella, her evil step-mother, sends people to collect Alexandra and bring her home. On the way, Alexandra realizes that she is enchanted and dying, and to return home would be to go to her death. And so, she escapes and begins the struggle to rescue her brothers and save her kingdom. And she leaves behind the meek Alexandra who follows orders blindly.
There is so many amazing sections of this book. There is so much to say about the enaid, the circle of the ancestors, the curse Alexandra discovers on her brothers, Zella, and, of course, Gabriel. I don't have the space here to tell you everything that I love about this book. There is so much awesome in this book that it would be impossible to fit it all into one review. I know that my review isn't doing the book or the characters justice, but I want you to know that it is truly a book worth reading. It is all the standard 'review' words (compelling, captivating, magical, stunning) but it is more than that too. It is a book that fills you up, that gives meaning to the mundane.
Do not all of us wish we were like Alexandra? That we had power far greater than even we understand? There is a scene in the book where Zella confronts Alexandra at the base of the mountain of the Circle of Ancestors. Zella is there to kill Alexandra and it is the first time we see Zella without the pretense of innocence and fragility. But Alexandra defies her. And in so doing, she realizes that she has power and that if anyone is to save her kingdom and her brothers, it shall be her. Watching her grow and mature, both in life and in magic is empowering, heartening and wonderful.
Do not let my lack of eloquence deter you from reading this book. Ignore my stumbling attempts to express how much I love this book and grasp the love and delight that is beneath them. And, then, go read this book!
February 2, 2019
3.5/5
I can only describe this book as the love child of Swan Lake and Snow White.
New author for me, didn't disappoint; I love the writing style and the beautiful imagery she she creates.
Some parts are brilliant but other parts seem a little lacking... Love the MC and I feel that she was written exceptionally well!
Really enjoyable short read, but there's just something missing, though...
I can only describe this book as the love child of Swan Lake and Snow White.
New author for me, didn't disappoint; I love the writing style and the beautiful imagery she she creates.
Some parts are brilliant but other parts seem a little lacking... Love the MC and I feel that she was written exceptionally well!
Really enjoyable short read, but there's just something missing, though...
November 17, 2019
Lovely retelling of the fairy tale,I enjoyed this.
June 10, 2011
Original review at http://inkscratchers.blogspot.com/
That's what the blurb says and I have to admit, after first reading that, it sounded like every other magical fantasy out there. I bought it though, simply for the fact that the cover art was absoloutely stunning. Let's put it like this though. I started the book on the car ride home and I had finished it two hours later. This title is the one that showed me that a book can be beautiful.
Everything about this book is gorgeous, from the way that Marriott writes, the characters, the settings. It's because of this that Marriott, in my opinion, deserves a place amongst better known authors of the genre such as Shannon Hale and Robin McKinley. Our protagonist, Alexandra is also our narrator. It's through her eyes that we see the story. Alexandra is a character for all the ugly duckings out there. She starts off as plain, lanky Alexandra, the fourth child, the one that the king doesn't really care about. This has made her worried about how everybody else sees her. This is a very good plot device because this makes her relatable to all the other teenage girls out there. Alexandra has three brothers, one who will be a great king, one who will be a great commander and one who will be a great scholar. This alienates Alexandra even more because she herself has no notable skills apart from being able to do small workings (little bits of magic), which is a skill her father doesn't encourage.
At the beginning, Alexandra marks the spot for all ugly ducklings in the world. That, I think is the reason why this book is so easy to reread. It's beautiful -I know I keep using that word but it's all I can think of to describe the book - to see Alexandra grow over the two years the book spans. Marriott does this very well, without making it obvious but hinting at little things, showing her stronger side. Especially where she stands up to Zella. Ahhh, Zella. Typical fairytale antagonist? I think not. While she holds all the cliches: evil prescence, evil magic, evil stepmother, stunningly beautiful withan evil form. She also has hidden depths, which are sort of hinted at throughout the book and revealed right at the end. I never thought I'd cry for an evil stepmother, but in this case I did. We also have the handsome prince, Gabriel, who pulls off all his handsome princely duties in the book. Saving her, caring for her, just being an all out handsome prince. I found myself falling in love with this character. (Zoe, if he's based off anyone in particular, send him my way.
PLEEEEASE!).
Now, I think the greatest thing in this book is Marriott's poetic prose. From the start of the book, when Marriott describes Alexandra's life before things start happening to the action scenes, the pacing is perfect. The images her storytelling creates are so vivid, you begin to see as Alexandra does and feel what she does. I read faster in the action parts but just went with the flow in the slower parts, which I think is the mark of a true writer.
I love how Marriott manages to envelope a story in one fairytale (the Wild Swans) but also alludes to so many more, (The Ugly Duckling, The Children of Llyr as just two examples). Another thing that strikes me when I read this book is how informally she writes while also making the dialogue sound a little fairytaley. I'd read The Wild Swans before and I had many question that were answered for me, in this book. Congratulations to Zoe Marriott, she certainly has me hooked!
Overall rating: A
That's what the blurb says and I have to admit, after first reading that, it sounded like every other magical fantasy out there. I bought it though, simply for the fact that the cover art was absoloutely stunning. Let's put it like this though. I started the book on the car ride home and I had finished it two hours later. This title is the one that showed me that a book can be beautiful.
Everything about this book is gorgeous, from the way that Marriott writes, the characters, the settings. It's because of this that Marriott, in my opinion, deserves a place amongst better known authors of the genre such as Shannon Hale and Robin McKinley. Our protagonist, Alexandra is also our narrator. It's through her eyes that we see the story. Alexandra is a character for all the ugly duckings out there. She starts off as plain, lanky Alexandra, the fourth child, the one that the king doesn't really care about. This has made her worried about how everybody else sees her. This is a very good plot device because this makes her relatable to all the other teenage girls out there. Alexandra has three brothers, one who will be a great king, one who will be a great commander and one who will be a great scholar. This alienates Alexandra even more because she herself has no notable skills apart from being able to do small workings (little bits of magic), which is a skill her father doesn't encourage.
At the beginning, Alexandra marks the spot for all ugly ducklings in the world. That, I think is the reason why this book is so easy to reread. It's beautiful -I know I keep using that word but it's all I can think of to describe the book - to see Alexandra grow over the two years the book spans. Marriott does this very well, without making it obvious but hinting at little things, showing her stronger side. Especially where she stands up to Zella. Ahhh, Zella. Typical fairytale antagonist? I think not. While she holds all the cliches: evil prescence, evil magic, evil stepmother, stunningly beautiful withan evil form. She also has hidden depths, which are sort of hinted at throughout the book and revealed right at the end. I never thought I'd cry for an evil stepmother, but in this case I did. We also have the handsome prince, Gabriel, who pulls off all his handsome princely duties in the book. Saving her, caring for her, just being an all out handsome prince. I found myself falling in love with this character. (Zoe, if he's based off anyone in particular, send him my way.
PLEEEEASE!).
Now, I think the greatest thing in this book is Marriott's poetic prose. From the start of the book, when Marriott describes Alexandra's life before things start happening to the action scenes, the pacing is perfect. The images her storytelling creates are so vivid, you begin to see as Alexandra does and feel what she does. I read faster in the action parts but just went with the flow in the slower parts, which I think is the mark of a true writer.
I love how Marriott manages to envelope a story in one fairytale (the Wild Swans) but also alludes to so many more, (The Ugly Duckling, The Children of Llyr as just two examples). Another thing that strikes me when I read this book is how informally she writes while also making the dialogue sound a little fairytaley. I'd read The Wild Swans before and I had many question that were answered for me, in this book. Congratulations to Zoe Marriott, she certainly has me hooked!
Overall rating: A
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