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A Throne of Swans

(A Throne of Swans #1)

Katharine Corr (Goodreads Author),

Elizabeth Corr (Goodreads Author)

3.87 · Rating details · 1,346 ratings · 382 reviews

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, not since witnessing the death of her mother - ripped apart by h ...more

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Paperback, 352 pages

Published January 9th 2020 by Hot Key Books (first published December 5th 2019)

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· 1,346 ratings · 382 reviews

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Apr 14, 2020 Katrin D rated it it was amazing

Shelves: own-physical, favourites, high-fantasy, young-adult-fantasy, read-2020

Oh. My. God.

This was absolutely amazing! A little savage, a little heartbreaking and very original. Why aren’t more people talking about it???

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May 10, 2020 Ivana - Diary of Difference rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2020, format-print, genre-fantasy, stars-4

A Throne of Swans by Katharine & Elizabeth Corr is the first book in the series. An epic fantasy about courage, secrets, betrayals and love.

Synopsis

When her father dies, Aderyn inherits the role of Protector of Atratys, a dominion in a kingdom where nobles can transform into birds. Aderyn's ancestral bird is a swan, But since witnessing the death of her mother, Aderyn hasn't been able to transform. Aderyn ...more

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

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

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 fan 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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Jun 22, 2021 ✰ Aileen ✰ rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: e-book, not-going-to-finish-this-series

Well, at least I liked Aron.

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Mar 23, 2020 Umut Rados rated it really liked it

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.
I picked up this book at the right time when I needed a bit of escapism with an easy-going book.
It's a fantasy kingdom inspired by Swan Lake, where there are people who can shapeshift into a bird and fly, and ones who can't. So, the flightless serve the ones who can fly.
I loved the shapeshifting magic and the strong female protagonist. She lost her father at the beginning of the book, and had to discover some secrets for herself. There's a bit of a love story, lots of ...more

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Dec 30, 2019 Hannah Books Life Other Oddities rated it did not like it

Proudly proclaiming itself as ‘the most thrilling fantasy you will read all year’ Throne of Swans boasts high expectations on its cover. With dull prose, a washed out lead and predictable storyline, sadly this novel does nothing but disappoint. Throne of Swans will be published January 2020, I read a proof I won at YALC this year.
Set to inherit the powerful dominion she is trapped in Aderyn longs for freedom. Seizing her opportunity upon her father’s death, with nothing but fleeting knowledge o Proudly proclaiming itself as ‘the most thrilling fantasy you will read all year’ Throne of Swans boasts high expectations on its cover. With dull prose, a washed out lead and predictable storyline, sadly this novel does nothing but disappoint. Throne of Swans will be published January 2020, I read a proof I won at YALC this year.
Set to inherit the powerful dominion she is trapped in Aderyn longs for freedom. Seizing her opportunity upon her father’s death, with nothing but fleeting knowledge of the outside world and a dangerous secret, Aderyn leaves for the king’s court, desperate to avenge her mother’s murder that still leaves her dangerously scarred. Suddenly she steps into the dangerous world of secrets and politics she should have been raised in, yet has little understanding of. In a world where nobles are marked by their ability to transform into birds and executed if they loose this power nothing can be more dangerous for this flightless dominion ruler than entering her uncle’s, the King’s, court. Especially when her claim to the throne and the important dominion under her control ensures that the court must surely want her dead.
“We can’t any of us out-fly fate.”
Aderyn, our protagonist, narrates with equal parts niavity and selfishness. As the young, inexperienced and doted upon leader of a powerful dominion her narrative rings with gullibility as she determinedly ignores the advice of others for a pointless quest that she earnestly undertakes, forsaking a dominion she claims to love. The events of the novel are so self inflicted it’s impossible for any reader to truly care about her situation. Even her character development is marred by inexperience: rather than truly regretting her choices or growing in maturity she simply convinces herself of the justification behind her decisions. Her friendship with her flightless maid, Letya, further served to highlight her priveledge and ignorance as they talked endlessly of tiresome problems the flightless face yet never sought solutions, Aderyn’s focus always on herself.
The surrounding characters present little complexities: Aderyn, her mother and her father’s loyal clerk are good, kind and attractive, while the other nobles were ugly, greedy and cruel. Sparsely detailed beyond their rich, greedy stereotypes it is a struggle to recall which noble is which. The central characters show minimal character development throughout the novel: Odette remains ignorant and uncaring about politics or her role as heir to the throne, Aron is portrayed, and the reader is often told, as the perfect just ruler, continuely resentful to have lost his birthright and Lucien is permanently arrogant. While these characters present unique flaws and details that effect the plot none of them overcome these issues or even realise they are flaws, their characters remaining stubbornly flat during the events of Throne of Swans.

World building proved an easy task for the Katherine and Elizabeth Corr as their simple setting was merely a predictable feudal system, the nobles ability to transform into birds providing the only sprinkle of originality. The reader is presented with a cliché backdrop: nobles are cruel to the flightess, a wicked tyrant rules and peasants are left struggling. Although the sparse and unexplained details about medieval castle design is correct the world holds little originality and the setting adds nothing to the saturated fantasy genre. It was further disappointing that the only unique aspect this world held: the nobles ability to transform, shaped the world itself very little. Aside from nobles flying to court and additional landing platforms placed atop castles the world was impacted disappointingly little from this development. The authors favoured the unimaginative medieval feudal system and standard setting any reader would recognise.
The writing style was tedious and simple. Descriptions were few and it fell to Aderyn’s narration to tell of the state of the realm. The reader was told the roads were bad, which dominions were cruel and the kindness Aderyn’s family showed towards the peasants but this world building was never detailed through action or event. Neither captivating nor beautiful, with an unengaging commentary from Aderyn’s perspective, there is little encouragement for a reader to continue. At times it was difficult to discern the events of the novel and impossible to connect with the protagonist from such an uncompelling monologue, the only description the novel presents being a typical ball scene where Aderyn’s dress is described in some detail. The reader is predictably told that Aderyn looks beautiful by a male character and the dreary monologue continues.
Similarly, Aderyn’s affection for Lucien was told to the reader but never shown, as the authors make no attempt to build chemistry between the two characters. Their romance was fast moving, from knowing little of each other to sex in one paragraph without a single conversation in the middle. This whirlwind romance quickly leaves Aderyn and Lucien to a declaration of love as the two begin discussing marriage. Most worrying was Lucien’s demeaning tone and derogatory comments, dismissive at best but more often taken to be bullying, towards only Aderyn. These cruel quips were quickly forgiven and dismissed as Lucien explained his love for Aderyn had fueled his degrading commentary. Lucien’s cruelty and this damaging series of events, a negative trope to be portraying, was never criticised during the novel, a damaging relationship that is often glorified through the YA genre.
"He was a good man. But a good man can still do terrible things."
The relationship between Aderyn and her lady’s maid, Letya, was included purely for plot purposes. Again, Aderyn’s affection for this character was told to the reader by Aderyn and was impossible to discern from the dynamic between the two characters. Despite Aderyn’s insistence, her control over her friend, as Letya’s ruler and boss, made the friendship uncomfortable. This fact, although mentioned, is never explored in the text. The brief mention of Letya’s family and the toll her extended stay at court has taken on the young servant, is similarly brushed aside and stirs no compassion in our neglectful and childish protagonist. This friendship further bolstered the disappointing view of Aderyn already emerging: a tendency to be selfish and ignorance of surrounding situations and characters. Her relationship with Letya shaping her character very little beyond what the plot required as the authors never fully address Aderyn’s priveledge.
Trust was a prominent theme throughout the novel. From Seigfried’s persistent questions on the subject to Lucien’s insistence that Aderyn should trust no one a dark undertone was added, foreboding what the reader can already deduce. This theme is used to further highlight Aderyn’s limited understanding of her uncle’s court and her niavity as her readiness to believe others makes her vulnerable. The complex relationships shown throughout Throne of Swans make the reader question motives that Aderyn simply believes as this underlying theme was woven throughout the text.
The plot was predictable and only served to highlight Aderyns flaws: her greed and selfishness leading her to dangerous situations, her niavity compromising her position, all the while the reader cares little as she steps into yet another obvious plot twist. Furthermore, the events of the novel seemed inconsistent. The antagonists appeared to orchastrate varying conflicting strategies that appeared placed by the authors to cause Aderyn as much anxiety as possible without actually considering the purpose behind each event. The pacing felt disjointed as the novel stumbles from one problem to the next without fully finishing the original storyline. This made both the pacing and the plot difficult to follow, all the while the protagonist dragging the reader around these seemingly random events pursuing her own selfish aims.
"But I realise, sitting there alone with Siegfried on the roof of his house,v exactly how much I have allowed myself to become dependent on him. "
The target audience for Throne of Swans would be older teenagers. With themes of torture, images of death and implications of a sex scene it is definitely not middle grade however the immaturity of the main character makes it difficult to place in the older Young Adult market. Aderyn, the novels heroine, is about eighteen throughout the story.
Overall, Throne of Swans was not the most thrilling fantasy of the year. Ripe with obvious twists and confusing turns it adds little to an unoriginal backdrop disappointingly coupled with an uninspiring and frustrating protagonist.
⭐/5 ...more

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Jul 25, 2020 Ellie (faerieontheshelf) rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya-lit, court-politics, uk-lit, fantasy, retellings-and-reimaginings

One of my long-time goals as a British book blogger is to uplift more UK-authored/UKYA novels, and I find I can do that steadily with UKYA contemporary (due to the amount consistently being released), but I slack with UKYA fantasy. UKYA fantasy gets buried under all the releases from the American market, which my bookstagram and twitter feeds are often filled by. Often UKYA SFF won't get pub'd in American because the US SFF market is already so full. But I have noticed that Hot Key (the publishe One of my long-time goals as a British book blogger is to uplift more UK-authored/UKYA novels, and I find I can do that steadily with UKYA contemporary (due to the amount consistently being released), but I slack with UKYA fantasy. UKYA fantasy gets buried under all the releases from the American market, which my bookstagram and twitter feeds are often filled by. Often UKYA SFF won't get pub'd in American because the US SFF market is already so full. But I have noticed that Hot Key (the publishers of this one) have been working really hard and supporting a lot of UKYA authors, and I think that's really commendable.

A THRONE OF SWANS is the first UKYA Fantasy release I've read in a while, and I really enjoyed it! It's a loose Swan Lake retelling, set in a land where nobles can transform into birds - I loved this aspect, especially. The heroine and her family can transform into swans, and then there are families who can transform into rooks and herons, ibis and owls and peacocks, you name it. It's also a court fantasy, which are a niche passion of mine.

After her father's death, the heroine Aderyn goes to court to present herself as the new Protector of her lands, and to cement her status. Going with her as her clerk is Lucien Rookwood (yes, he transforms into a raven), son of one of her father's advisors, who's recently returned from abroad. At court, she meets her uncle the king, and her cousins Aron and Odette, plus Odette's fiance, Siegfried.

The story's antagonist was different than I'd initially expected - before the narrative events, Aderyn's mother was killed by a hawk attack, and but all hawk families were killed off as a result of a war many years ago before the start of the book. I expected Aderyn to look into this and for the hawks to generally play a larger part in the novel than they did, but the actual villain of the novel turned out to be someone else entirely. Basically, the entire plot went in a different way than I expected ~~I was out here thinking she'd meet someone at court and they'd be a hawk in hiding but no~~ though I still enjoyed it. Still hoping the hawks play a role in book two, however.

I quite liked Aderyn as a heroine, and though she was quite gullible at points, she was also brave, loyal towards her friends, and had some subtle cunning aspects. I also liked her love interest, and how it built up slowly - but I did think it was rather sudden how when they confessed their feelings, they went straight to spending the night together. It was a jump that made me raise my eyebrow.

The secondary characters were also great - I liked Odette, and Aron is both disabled (having lost an arm) and LGBTQ+. I did think it was interesting how everyone seemed to be vaguely related to everyone in this book, and many people were part of the Cygnus/swan family tree. Probably echoing history, I guess, where all the big noble families always associated with the same people. There's a big illustrated family tree at the beginning so you can see how many degrees of separation there are between people.

The book was really well-paced (I read it just under 24 hours) and well-written too. With two authors, sometimes there's a slight disjoint between parts written by each co-author, but this is so seamless it seems like it could have been written by just one. Together, Katharine and Elizabeth Corr have written a really interesting book. Parts of the ending I didn't see coming, but it's definitely set up to cause some drama and angst in book two, so I'm excited to read it when it releases. All in all, an enjoyable read, and one I'd suggest for people wanting to experience more UKYA Fantasy.

> 4 stars

final book on my #YALCathon tbr, this one for the UKYA prompt ...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, before hi 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 phy ...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. ...more

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Aug 22, 2020 ☆ili☆ rated it really liked it

Wow!! Just wow! Why aren't people talking about this book? ...more

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May 22, 2021 JustJJ added it

Full review to come @ https://bookerification.com/

I'm not quite sure how I feel about this book... It wasn't great, but it also wasn't awful
"I have learned that it is possible to stand in the open air with the wind on my face and still suffocate" ...more

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

Shelves: 4-stars-books

Review to come!!! 💕

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Feb 09, 2021 Veronique rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, stars-3-5, r2021, young-adult

3.5*

This proved to be a frustrating read! Let me explain...

On one hand, Corr has imagined a fascinating world, one where the ruling class has the ability to shape-shift into oversized birds and fly. As you can imagine, this control sadly means that all the ‘flightless’ are treated like lesser beings and taken advantage of. Even the few aristocrats that find themselves unable to fly become inferior citizens and are shunned. The resulting setting has a Middle Ages feel to it, one that works well w ...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 t ...more

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Jun 29, 2021 Melissasfandomworld rated it really liked it

Shelves: books-owned-english

3,5 stars, rounded up to 4 because a 3 star rating is just a bit too low for my taste.

”I have learned that it is possible to stand in the open air with the wind on my face and still suffocate.”

A Throne of Swans is an engaging and exciting Swan Lake re-telling! Bird shape shifting, a bit of romance, drama, politics, intrigues and fluid writing had me hooked and made for a fast paced read.

I do feel like ‘more’ was possible regarding some parts of the progression/depth in this first book of a ...more

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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 made P 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 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 ev 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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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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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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Nov 22, 2019 KitKat The #BookNerd KBbookreviews 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 Ucl ...more

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Aug 10, 2020 Odette Brethouwer rated it it was amazing

Shelves: inbezit, 2020, auteur-gesigneerd

If you love YA fantasy and/or retellings, make sure to read everything by these talented writers!

Yes,I'm gonna fangirl hard in this review, so brace yourselves.

This book is SO GOOD! It has everything you want from a YA fantasy retelling AND EVEN MORE because it is written by the Corr sisters so what did you expect? I expected nothing but excellence and I was not proven wrong!

There is nothing as soothing for the mind as a really good book! Although I have to admit, it is not good for the amount ...more

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Dec 02, 2020 Jadey (the Bookish) rated it liked it

Shelves: books-i-own, fairy-tales-retold, magical-girls, ya, fantasy, murder, cover-love, read-in-2020, lgbt

3.5/5

A really solid dark YA fantasy with an original and compelling magical element, and oodles of court intrigue.

The fantasy element of A Throne of Swans is that each noble has the ability to transform into the bird of their house. When I first read the synopsis of this book, I was worried that this would just be the books Unique Selling Point that was just tacked on to make it different; but it really did work and I loved how it drove the plot.

I think it's also worth saying that if the two aut ...more

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Jan 16, 2021 Reema rated it it was amazing

Why are there SO MANY AMAZING BOOKS!!!!!???
My heart and brain just cannot cope with it

Read the synopsis on Goodreads but this one is crazy. The royals turn into animals... Aderyn, the female protagonist is meant to transform into a swan, but she can't since her mother was killed. She leaves her home to go tonthe Citadel to find out what really happened.

It's really cool!! I was rooting and LOVING Lucien the whole way through the book. I didn't really care for Aderyn... why do the main female char ...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 c ...more

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Feb 11, 2021 Di Maitland rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, magic, buddy-reads, medieval-setting, shapeshifters, young-adult, class-war

Unfortunately, this didn't live up to expectations. It wasn't awful by any means but I didn't particularly like any of the characters and feel no desire to read the next book. Full review to come. ...more

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Jan 29, 2020 Kristina Hart rated it really liked it

A Throne of Swans by Katharine and Elizabeth Corr

This was a book I kept seeing on Instagram. Book Tours and promotions really worked for this book; I couldn’t wait to read it.

A Throne of Swans is the first book in a duology, the second installment A Crown of Talons is due in 2021.

Ok, let’s get started on the review, shall we? A Throne of Swans is a book that you can get swept up in. I found it to be such a wonderfully fast-paced book, that captures the audience immediately. The story itself fe A Throne of Swans by Katharine and Elizabeth Corr

This was a book I kept seeing on Instagram. Book Tours and promotions really worked for this book; I couldn’t wait to read it.

A Throne of Swans is the first book in a duology, the second installment A Crown of Talons is due in 2021.

Ok, let’s get started on the review, shall we? A Throne of Swans is a book that you can get swept up in. I found it to be such a wonderfully fast-paced book, that captures the audience immediately. The story itself felt reminiscent of the Swan Lake story, which added a fairy tale feel. It is marketed at the YA fantasy audience, but I feel it could be enjoyed by so many.

The story itself follows Aderyn, a newly appointed Protector of her Dominion in the Kingdom. She is from a line of swan ancestors. Each noble family can transform into a bird, with each classification unique to the family. The royal family is of swan blood, as the title suggests. Also, Aderyn is third in line to the throne, after the current king and her cousin Odette. Aderyn, however, cannot shift after she is injured and witnesses her mother’s murder in a horrendous attack. Being unable to shift is not something she wants people knowing, as it could end with her losing her Dominion or her life, it's very serious.

The non-noble families are known as Flightless, as they can’t transform into birds. Many Dominions treat the Flightless poorly. This does not sit well with Aderyn, he feels that many changes are required in the Kingdom.

Aderyn, makes the decision to go to the Citadel to find out who murdered her mother, and why. She is so hell-bent on finding clues and details, she ends up making decisions and friends with some unsavory characters, which risks her Dominion and herself as Protector. She must learn who she can trust, her friends? Family?

This book was full of surprises. I found I did not expect the plot twists that occurred, which really made me happy. I love unexpected plot twists. For all you budding romantics, there is a beautifully crafted love story involved between two of the characters, which sated my romantic side nicely.

This was a buddy read with the lovely Booktiamo. We originally said we would read 3 chapters a day, that soon changed, we had both read the book within three days. I have to say I could have devoured the book in a day.

4 1/2 stars! ...more

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