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A Throne of Swans

(A Throne of Swans #1)

Katharine Corr (Goodreads Author),

Elizabeth Corr (Goodreads Author)

4.13 · Rating details · 240 ratings · 133 reviews

In a world where the flightless are ruled by those who can fly...

When her father dies just before her birthday, seventeen-year-old Aderyn inherits the role of Protector of Atratys, a dominion in a kingdom where nobles are able to transform at will into the bird that represents their family bloodline. Aderyn's ancestral bird is a swan. But she has not transformed for years, ...more

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Paperback, 352 pages

Published January 9th 2020 by Hot Key Books

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2020 UKYA Fantasy

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Dec 30, 2019 Bookphenomena (Micky) rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2019-read, ya, cover-beauty, duo-authors, bookstagram-review, bookstagram-tour, fc-review, triangles, ya-fantasy

4.5 stars

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

This book had the sense of a traditional fairytale but with more identifiable traits in the characters. So, while it had a historical feel, the behaviours and actions had more of a 4.5 stars

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

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

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

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

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

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

...more

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Dec 30, 2019 Amybibliophile rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020-releases

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

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

Aderyn is Protector of Atratys now that her father has passed away, one of the few people keeping her secret that she is flightless, A Throne of Swans is an engaging story of royalty, betrayal & secrets inspired by Swan Lake.

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

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

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

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

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

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Dec 29, 2019 K.S. Marsden rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley

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

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

Aderyn lives in a world where the ruling class transform into birds. The 'Flightless' lower class live and die by their harsh rules.
After an attack when she was a child, which killed her mother and left Aderyn both ...more

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Dec 11, 2019 Max Lau • Maxxesbooktopia rated it really liked it

Review to come!!! ...more

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Jan 05, 2020 Tilly rated it really liked it

4 stars

I was so excited about this book and although it didn't quite hit my expectations, I still really really enjoyed it.
I am a massive lover of birds and merging with my love of YA fantasy, this book was always going to appeal to me. I wish I could transform into a bird!
The worldbuilding was really interesting and the inclusion of the map and family tree was helpful. The elite having the powers and the poor not having any is not a new idea, however the different houses and the ideas behind ...more

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Dec 25, 2019 ThatBookGal rated it really liked it

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

Full review available on my blog here.

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Dec 31, 2019 Lauren rated it really liked it

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

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

In this book our main character, Aderyn, is Thank you so much to Darkroom Tours and HotKey books for sending me a free copy of this book for review.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Jan 17, 2020 Becca (Horners_book_corner) rated it it was amazing

A Throne of Swans is the first book in a young adult fantasy duology by the sisters Katharine and Elizabeth Corr. I found it was a well-written, fast paced, fun read with excellent (and surprising) plot twists, humour and just the right touch of romance. I loved the ingenious, unique magic system involving birds that links to how the society in this book is structure. I absolutely cannot wait to find out how the story thickens and what happens to Aderyn, Odette, Lucien and Aron in the conclusive ...more

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Aug 23, 2019 Jane Kelsey rated it it was amazing

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

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Jan 09, 2020 Paperbacks rated it it was amazing

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

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

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

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

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

4.5 Stars ...more

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Nov 22, 2019 K B rated it really liked it · review of another edition

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

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

She decides to attend the court of her ...more

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Oct 02, 2019 The Bookish Faerie rated it it was amazing

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

The hypnosis ...more

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Jan 11, 2020 Louise rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2020-releases, fantasy, arc, ya

I requested a copy of A Throne of Swans to review because I’m deeply shallow and the cover is stunning. Luckily, the story was amazing and proved my shallowest instincts were absolutely correct.

Taking inspiration from Swan Lake, but not so close as to be a retelling, A Throne of Swans has incredible and original world-building and is chock full of political, royal intrigue.

I loved Aderyn. She’s such a compelling character, moving from sheltered and slight stroppy teen to a dynamic and thoughtful ...more

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Jan 12, 2020 thewoollygeek (tea, cake, crochet & books) rated it really liked it

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

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an ...more

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Dec 26, 2019 Kaya marked it as to-read

a swan lake retelling.

No more words are necessary.

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Aug 04, 2019 Thebooknerd90 rated it it was amazing

I would rate this book 5/5 this book had me hooked from the start and I was unable to put it down. This book had it all for me, great characters some which you loved and others that you really despised, characters finding love whilst fighting for their place in the world along with broken loyalties with unexpected twists and turns, it had me sitting on the edge of the seat just waiting to know what would happen next. I highly recommend reading this book when it comes out in January 2020. ...more

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Aug 05, 2019 Beth Knight rated it it was amazing

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from Hot Key of this and DAMN! My girls have knocked it out of the park. This is sterling high fantasy, Aderyn is a fantastic protagonist and her arc is realistic as she tries to navigate the political quagmire the king's paranoia has caused at court. My heart broke for her several times and the wait for the second is going to be really, really hard.

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Jan 10, 2020 Annette rated it really liked it

I remember how the witch's kiss ended on my bookshelf. I was buying books in a facebook group and accidentally typed the wrong title first. Instead of just deleting the comment, I looked up the synopsis and decided to just go for it. I really loved that trilogy in the end so when they announced this book I hit the pre-order button as soon as I could.

And I do not regret it at all. The book has everything I like so much in my books. First of all it has a fairytale vibe. It's slightly inspired by ...more

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Dec 29, 2019 Nikki rated it really liked it

Shelves: arcs-and-review-copies

I won a copy of the arc of this at YALC, but as always, my opinions are honest.

Ooooooh yes. This was just what I needed! Really beautiful and interesting. I found the concept fascinating - especially the idea that the flighted can’t touch the flightless, which is heartbreaking and a very literal take on a class divide.

As always, I really enjoy politics like this, and I found the scheming by side characters brilliant. And I loved Aaron, Odette and Aderyn in terms of how they handle it and ...more

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Dec 03, 2019 Sabrina rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: booktails

The flighted rule, and the flightless are little more than servants. Now that Aderyn's father has died, leaving her as protector of Atratys, if anyone discovered she has lost her ability to fly, she would lose her dominion and everything her father worked for. After being kept at home all her life, now she decides it is time to go to court and see more of the world. But she has no idea of the dangers she will have to face.
I feel like I was doubting everyone, any time Aderyn decided to trust ...more

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Oct 21, 2019 Jamie-Lee Turner rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya, proofs, forever-library, 2019, in-the-loft

Like, WOW.

This book is perfect in every sense. From the kingdoms to the characters to the emotions, politics, danger! Gah!

Put this one on your TBR folks.

A Throne of Swans is going to sweep its white wings across the world and SOAR.

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Aug 12, 2019 Manon rated it it was amazing

I was lucky enough to receive a proof of this title, and the synopsis had me from the start! I was very excited, and this book did not let me down! I enjoyed this immensely, and I absolutely can't wait for the next book!

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Oct 18, 2019 Chantelle rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

4.5 stars. This book is so addictive. I loved it!

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Nov 27, 2019 M.T.Wilson rated it it was ok · review of another edition

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Dec 18, 2019 Andrew rated it really liked it

Shelves: given-from-book-publishers

Review Taken from The Pewter Wolf

***ARC given by publisher, Hot Key Books, in exchange for an honest review/reaction***

Inspired by Swan Lake, Throne of Swans follows Aderyn who inherits the role of Protector to Atratys after her father dies. Atratys is a dominion in a kingdom where nobles can transform into birds that represent their family bloodline. Aderyn’s is a swan. But she hasn’t transformed for years after witnessing the brutal murder of her mother, ripped apart by hawks who are Review Taken from The Pewter Wolf

***ARC given by publisher, Hot Key Books, in exchange for an honest review/reaction***

Inspired by Swan Lake, Throne of Swans follows Aderyn who inherits the role of Protector to Atratys after her father dies. Atratys is a dominion in a kingdom where nobles can transform into birds that represent their family bloodline. Aderyn’s is a swan. But she hasn’t transformed for years after witnessing the brutal murder of her mother, ripped apart by hawks who are supposedly extinct sing the great War of the Raptors.

Aderyn wants revenge, she must venture into the heart of the royal court, ruled by her cruel uncle, the King, to seek the truth. But how far is she willing to go…?

As you guys know, I really enjoyed the Corr sisters previous trilogy, The Witch’s Kiss, so I had high hopes that I would enjoy this. And I did enjoy this. It’s very different from Witch’s Kiss and I think this works in this duology’s favour.

While The Witch's Kiss was light and fun and something of a beach read for me, Throne of Swans is much more mature in writing and in tone. This seems to go a tad further than Witch’s Kiss ever could with language and with situations and I really liked it. You can see the hints of where Swan Lake and Hamlet fits in, and there’s an element of Game of Thrones which surprised me. It was hinted at when I first heard of this book, and as someone who hasn’t read or seen the series (HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?! Kinda am the same with Buffy, but let’s not go there, shall we?)

And I did like the twists this book went, but there were times I did get a little frustrated with one of two characters’s decisions. I get why the characters made those choices and decisions (don't you hate it when you read a book, a character does something stupid or so out of character and you have no idea why the character did it as IT'S SO STUPID AND THERE IS NO REASON WHY THEY DID IT!), I still wanted to shake them.

I admit this won’t be everyone’s cup of tea as it could be a tad troupe-y for some, but I enjoyed myself reading this (once I found time to read! Work and Christmas preparations take up A LOT of time) and I will be very intrigued how the second book in duology, Crown of Talons, is going to wrap up (the prologue to that is at the end of Throne of Swans and I am very intrigued to see where the characters go next)… ...more

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Jan 06, 2020 daintybeth rated it it was amazing

I love that this was inspired by Swan Lake, and I feel like this is a genuinely unique adaptation of a classic tale!
All the character were so real and had so much personality. I immediately loved Aderyn and her view on the world and politics. I loved her determination, her struggles and her realistic humanity. I also loved her friendship with her maid, Letya. It was so nice to see such a positive female friendship in a book that was genuinely lovely and supportive.
This book had me guessing ...more

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Dec 27, 2019 Christina Reid rated it really liked it

Review to come! Very dark and addictive so I can't wait to read Part 2!

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Dec 25, 2019 Laura Jayne rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2019-reads

An absolutely stunning YA based on Swan Lake. No spoliers but The world is wonderfully realised and the villians suitably villainous. I had the pleasure of receiving an arc and gobbled it up in one sitting...definitely check this out when it publishes Jan 2020!

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Oct 14, 2019 Aishah Humaira' rated it it was amazing

It took me a single day to finish reading this book, and after being in a reading-slump for a few months, that really says something. I'm glad I went into the story without making any notes from the blurb (honestly, I've already forgotten why I chose to review this book when Pansing contacted me) because the moment it was revealed that the nobles in this kingdom are able to transform into birds that represent their bloodline (not a spoiler, it's obviously in the synopsis), I was immediately It took me a single day to finish reading this book, and after being in a reading-slump for a few months, that really says something. I'm glad I went into the story without making any notes from the blurb (honestly, I've already forgotten why I chose to review this book when Pansing contacted me) because the moment it was revealed that the nobles in this kingdom are able to transform into birds that represent their bloodline (not a spoiler, it's obviously in the synopsis), I was immediately hooked. Unfortunately for our main character Aderyn, she had a reason for being unable to transform into a bird like she's supposed to.

I would say that Aderyn is one of the best main characters that I've encountered in books. I believe that the authors successfully made her personality realistic, despite the fact that this book is set in a high fantasy world. I rarely ever hate main characters, but I've stumbled upon a few that are just too fictional to be true: either too ambitiously nice or too cold due to past incidents. But Aderyn is a beautiful character; she might have been left in ignorance over royalty matters because of her father, but she was smart enough to fend for herself. She's independent, loving, selfless yet also selfish when needed—and she's definitely a badass lady as well. She might not fit to lead at first, but her character development is so good that I can't wait to know more about her in the sequel (how do I survive until then?).

Even though I consider Aderyn to be independent, realistically, she definitely needs good support around her, no matter how small they might be. She has a good friend, Letya, who is not a noble and flightless, but is truly loyal to Aderyn and I appreciated her so much for that. Letya may just be a side character, but I believe that her role in the story is big enough for Aderyn's character to grow more. I appreciated Aderyn's cousins, Odette and Aron as well. Their characters are complex enough despite not being main characters, and I don't find it hard to put my faith in them from the start till the end.

Then there's Lucien, Lord Rookwood. His title may just be Aderyn's clerk, but his role is much larger than that. I believe that his first appearance in the story was one of the best parts of the book. He would appear to be patronising at first (oh I truly enjoyed the bickers and snarky comments made between Aderyn and Lucien) but his prideful personality does have a good reasoning behind it. Of course, love would be inevitable when they kept working (and arguing) with each other, but I love the fact that the story was not focused too much on the romance. Certain stories focused too much on building the romance that they somehow overshadowed the important elements that should be the main part of the story.

When I read a fantasy, I want those fights between the royals or kingdoms, the rebellions, the revenges and the ruled rising up against the rulers—with a touch of romance, and that is exactly what A Throne of Swans is about. Or at least it feels that way in my opinion. The slow burn romance was what made the ending of the first part of this duology more impactful (I don't want to spoil anything but Lucien's condition at the end broke me to pieces).

Although it was quite hard for me to grasp where the story is leading towards to in the first few chapters, I would gladly say that the whole plot and world-building are definitely well built. I admit that I do enjoy more on fantasy plots where the ones that were ruled rise against their rulers, and even though Aderyn is fighting with the kingdom for her dominion and people, the inequality is still obvious. There seemed to be nothing for the flightless to do to fight back, but I'm putting high hopes that somehow this point would be focused in the sequel.

A bonus: I find that the true villains of this story reminded me of an element from Crimson Peak. If you've watched the movie, you'll find out what I meant once you read A Throne of Swans. It definitely blew my mind.

Overall, I'm very much in love with A Throne of Swans. It is a wonderfully written book, and I cannot wait for it to be released for the whole world to read!

A thousand thank yous to Pansing for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Sep 30, 2019 Aradhna Kaur rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fairytales, fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This was SO INTENSE and so good! I'm in awe? I can't wait for the sequel.

Full review to come.

*EDITED*

Somehow I didn’t realise this was a retelling of sorts of The Swan Princess until I was 50 pages in. This was a very different fantasy concept involving shapeshifting and politics. I did not expect the story to be so political, but it honestly is what made the book so gripping for me.

Aderyn is a protagonist that you just cannot help but root for. She is impulsive at times, and focused on her ...more

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