A dark and rich fantasy inspired by Swan Lake, A Throne of Swans by Katharine and Elizabeth Dorr is a seamless collaboration. The book tells the story of Aderyn, a young woman thrown in at the deep end when her widowed father dies and she inherits the title of Protector of Atratys, the dominion where she lives. In a kingdom where members of the nobility transform into birds which indicate their lineage and family line, Aderyn's transformation is into a swan, but she has been unable to transform for years, ever since she witnessed the brutal murder of her mother, and was herself injured in the attack. When she is summoned to the cruel court of her uncle the King she knows that she must learn to transform or face a horrible fate, but without knowing who to trust she risks everything.
This is a dark story and the authors are not afraid to tell in all its gruesome glory, including a dismemberment scene that sent chills up my spine. The language is rich and evocative and I loved the writing style. Aderyn is a wonderful character, a well crafted blend of determination and naivete. The ending is spectacular and I can't wait to read the second book to see what is next for Aderyn.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

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 physically and mentally scarred, and unable to transform anymore. If anyone finds out the truth, Aderyn will lose everything, and the King will use it as an excuse to take the valuable land of Atratys.

This story is inspired by Swan Lake. The royal family (including Aderyn) are all swans when they transform, and they have held the throne for as long as anyone can remember.
As she gets to know her cousins and the rest of court, she has to work out who to trust. Everyone has their own agenda, and some are even plotting to overthrow the throne.

Away from court, Aderyn is learning how different Atratys is from the rest of the country. It is a haven where the flightless live in peace.
Everywhere else they exist under cruel and unforgiving rules. They aren't even allowed weapons to hunt with, and the punishment is the death of their whole family.

This was a wonderfully creative world, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.

The synopsis reads as a Swan Lake / Game of Thrones mash up!! This had the potential to be explosive! The first chapter was amazing and really sucked you in ... alas, that was probably also the highlight. While the MC had an impressive back story, the cast roster were all really quite dull and continually did obvious stupid things. The cartoonish villains really didn't need to be too crafty to outwit them with their devious plans. The plot continued to get more and more ridiculous and had about as much drama and political intrigue as a daytime soap opera. I think I got a headache from rolling my eyes so much.

I was lucky enough to have my request to review A Throne of Swans accepted on Netgalley and was so excited when the notification came through. Throne of Swans has been all over my Facebook timeline and I LOVE a retelling, so I knew this would be perfect for me.

A Throne of Swans is a YA fantasy inspired the story of swan lake. It's sweeping, beautiful and magic. Here are three reasons I would recommend it.

1. The world is really well thought out and developed. I loved its history and how it was woven into the fantasy aspects of A Throne of Swans. The court intrigue that arrives from the world politics keeps the story tense and exciting throughout.

2. Aderyn is a really strong main character. She is fallible and does plenty of things that you'll be screaming at her not to, but she is also keen to atone for her mistakes and is driven by love and duty throughout.

3. Early on in the story, Aderyn is told to "trust no one" and this is advice that stuck with me throughout and kept me on the edge of my seat - I was never sure who she could or couldn't trust and was always on the lookout for lies and betrayal. It made this a really exciting read.

There's been a lot of hype about this book, but I wasn't at all disappointed. A Throne of Swans is the first in what is going to be a very exciting series. I can't wait to find out what happens next!

{review will go live on the blog on 1/1/20}

What a great fantasy story with strong characters and a great storyline. A little predictable in parts, but overall very enjoyable and a fantastic ending that will leave you begging for the second book. The writing is exquisite and the descriptions are great. There are so many wonderful characters. Aderyn is young and naive but she really comes into her own as she fights to find the answers she's looking for. When we meet her at the beginning of the story her father has just died and while she's been protected for the past 6 years, she decides to go to court to find answers. Here she meets her cousins Odette and Aron and the intrigue, politics, emotional upheaval and nasty villains are uncovered. This is a fast moving story with so much happening. Lucien accompanies Aderyn to court and his character is one of mystery and intrigue as well.

There was so much to love about this book and the story being told and I can't wait to find out what happens in book 2. I am grateful for Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read an advanced copy.

You ever finish a book and kind-of just flail your arms around uselessly because you don’t know what else to do? That’s what I did. Do you know why they’re flailing around uselessly? Because I have to wait forever for book 2, and I’m not sure how I’m going to wait that long since book 1 isn’t even published yet!

Honestly, I thought I was over the court drama thing. I’ve read a few and they were all very samey and cliché. When I requested A Throne of Swans, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The idea of shape-shifting into various birds intrigued me, and I’m so glad I decided to go for it based on that. Not only was the shape-shifting element really fun and interesting to read about, so was the court drama. Although this somehow managed to be even more dramatic than other court-based books I read. More dramatic, but so much better and well done.

The Characters
Aderyn
Aderyn worried me as the main character at first. She led such a sheltered life and her actions were frustratingly clueless at times. However, she grew throughout the book and quickly became a character I enjoyed reading about and I no longer felt the need to tell her to sort herself out. The authors handled her personality growth really well and handled her overcoming her trauma perfectly.

Lucien
Lucien was a character I loved for his wit and humour. The sarcastic comments he probably shouldn’t have been saying to the Protector were fun and reading the friendship between Aderyn and Lucien was one of the highlights of this book.

Letya
Letya’s an important friend and confidante to Aderyn, but I feel she didn’t get enough story of who she is beyond Aderyn’s maid. I hope there’s more to be revealed about her in future books.

Aron
Aron is the king’s son, stripped of his rights to the throne. From the first scene he was in, I knew I was going to like him, and it only got better from there. Aron is intelligent, with the knowhow to survive amongst the politics of a kingdom. He’s clearly caring, under the cold exterior, and I’m excited to see where this character goes from the end of the book.

The World
I really enjoyed the world-building in A Throne of Swans. Yes, this is court-based, but we’re not restricted to that single setting throughout the book, and even when we are, there’s an acknowledgement of life outside.

The idea of different families transforming into different birds is great and adds an extra element to both the characterisation and the world. Not only that, but the world felt authentic. It was alive with various other events and I just fell in love with it. From the swans to the hawks to the ravens; I wanted to read more.

The Plot
The first chapter of A Throne of Swans grabbed me immediately, and that feeling of being totally engrossed didn’t leave me until I finished the book. And even after, I couldn’t get this book out of my head. The end tied things up nicely so that I was left satisfied with the ending, but it also left me wanting to know more. There’s more story to be told and I look forward to reading more of it. This book is the first of a duology, I believe, and I’m a tad disappointed there’s only going to be two! At the same time though, I really believe the authors will do it justice and I can’t wait to read it.

I know I rambled a little here! It took me 2 weeks to even get my thoughts straight enough to write this review, let alone write something coherent. Basically, if you’ve made it to the end, you’ll have figured out that I loved this book, and that’s all you really need to know!

I’ve also managed to pre-order 2 copies of it, as well as already having a FC, so I’m not sure what I’m going to do with them all!

I read this Swan Lake YA retelling in one day; and it is absolutely stunning.

The story is really well done and plotted; main character, Aderyn, is very likeable and I really connected with her. The world building was fantastic and I really felt like the transformation aspect was described very well and not at all confusing.

The whole court setting was perfect; I loved reading about Aderyn's attempts to fit in and discover her way through it all with the help of Lucien and Letrya initially; and later with her cousins' help too - both Aron (who is flightless - he cannot transform due to an amputation) and Odette are fantastic additions to the story.

I was so intrigued by the story and found the whole thing a thrilling read. Absolutely buzzing to read the sequel now!

For some time it seems that who chained the rock dragon has been forgotten, but when the answer is revealed it′s a piece fitting satisfactorily into a puzzle. There are several mysteries like this at the beginning of the book which keep you reading on to find the resolutions. The heroine is trying to solve them too, but the answers she gets do not give her peace. In many ways it′s a typical coming of age story where the protagnist learns that the stories of her childhood weren′t black and white, although this time some of the whites become very stained.

The world of this book is well realised, with the interactions between the flighted and flightless revealing how it works without eveything being laid out at once. And thought is given to how the concept works, like the flighted having to make an effort to exercise their legs since they spend so long on the wing.
For me there was a slight lull in the middle. since I could predict the development of the characters - who was going to be a villain, who would end up with who. But there were several twists which resulted in the book regaining momentum as it reached the end. This doesn′t mean that all books need convoluted plots or puzzling actions, in fact I thought how the plot moved forward was logical based on what we knew already. Perhaps there just needed to be a change of pacing around the middle, or perhaps I am old and have read too many plots!

Although it leaves the characters in the midst of their stories, there is no cliffhanger, so you can read it before the sequel comes out.

A Throne of Swans, Katharine Corr, Elizabeth Corr

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Sci Fi & Fantasy, Teens & YA

Well...Wow, what an amazing read. It's classed as teen and YA, but one of those rare few that really appeal to all ages, not just the younger generation. Like Vic James Dark Gifts, or Sarah J Maas a court of ....reads, they are reads to treasure, to reread no matter what age you are.
I've never actually read/seen Swan Lake but I guess everyone knows the basics, and I was hoping this wasn't just going to be a retelling of the story. That doesn't work so well for me, but I was happy that its Swan Lake inspired but has a story of its own. There were magical scenes, interspersed with some pretty horrific stuff. The Corr sisters don't shy away from some solid hard facts in the world they've created, where those With get to do pretty much whatever they want to those Without ( flighted and flightless in the main). There's some harsh rules in this world, some that feel almost arbitrary and yet for decades, centuries they've been uncontested.
I loved the world created, with its mix of characters, with its people that can transform into birds, with the sheer political intrigues, when grew almost faster than I could read them. Just as I was thinking one thing something happened that threw that chain of thought into disarray.
There were some fantastic characters. Aderyn's clerk Lucien, tells her “trust no-one” but its hard for her. Lucien has been used to the cut and thrust of royal politics, of the machinations and intriguing that take place constantly, but Aderyn hasn't spent time at court, hasn't actually been anywhere since her mother was killed years ago and the injuries and shock left her unable to transform into her Swan shape. In this world that's something that would get her removed as protector and could even threaten her life if it gets out.
When they first go to the Royal Castle Aderyn is just determined to find out who killed her mother, who was behind it, but the first day isn't over before she discovers she's treading on very thin ice, that she needs her wits constantly. Lucien had warned her but she doesn't like him, and hadn't realised just what danger she was in. She's good hearted but at first had been so sheltered she'd never realised just what else was going on in her world, how the flightless were treated in other dominions. She assumed all were like her father, that they were treated fairly, but soon sees unhappiness and cruelty surround her. She grows up very fast, from that naive 17 year old we first meet, to the girl at the end of the story who's had a sharp shock about the world she inhabits, who now realises just what it means to be a Protector.
And speaking of the end, what an incredible bounce of surprises those last chapters brought. They kept coming, one after another, after another! I hope book two is around soon, I am desperate to know just whats going to happen, how things are going to come through, and suspect its going to get worse before it gets better.

Stars: Five, an amazing read, full of a magical world, intrigue, politics, interesting characters, and one to reread when part two is out.

Arc via Netgalley and publishers

I received this ARC from NetGalley for free in exchange for an honest review.

I am including some trigger warnings underneath because this book does deal with some serious themes, I really hope that they do not spoil anything but I wanted to make sure that nobody got accidentally triggered!
TW: graphic violence, torture, death, incest and attempted rape.

First off, I just need to say WOW! Honestly, I feel like that sums up my whole review but I should probably go into a bit more detail! After finishing this book, I had a serious book hangover! I can't think of or concentrate on anything else. I loved the idea of this book as soon as I read the blurb on NetGalley and it honestly deserves all of the hype it is getting. I've had such a hard time trying to put my feelings into words. It definitely exceeded any expectations that I had for it.

I'm already planning on buying this book when it comes out, even though I've already read it! I need it on my bookshelf plus it is definitely one I want to reread again and again. Also the cover is extremely gorgeous and would fit in lovely with my bookstagram.

I loved all of the characters! They range from downright lovable to deceptively wicked. I really enjoyed following Aderyn on her journey of discovery. Although she is naive after being stuck in her gilded cage, she shows her passion, kindness and willingness to do what is right throughout the book. She has her flaws but her heart is always in the right place. She has to quickly adjust to new surroundings and use her intelligence to understand the manipulations of the court whilst keeping her own secrets and trying not to be killed in the process. With all of the conspiracies and power grabbing it is the perfect book for fans of Game of Thrones.

On the other hand, we also have Lucien. *Insert heart eyes here.* He is sarcastic, cheeky and also fiercely protective of his home. He, albeit reluctantly, is helping Aderyn navigate her way through the court and the duplicitous royals. I love this character and his partnership with Aderyn, they make such a good team.

The writing is so clever and there are so many great twists and turns that I definitely did not see coming! It was a really enjoyable reading experience - so enjoyable in fact that I couldn't put it down and literally finished it in one sitting! Alongside the great storytelling, this book also offers interesting commentary on classism. Especially with the rule that "the flighted rule; the flightless do not" and the flightless are treated abhorrently. They are sneered at and heavily oppressed.

Additionally, there was also a little bit of LGBT+ representation which I enjoyed seeing. I would've loved to have seen it developed further and it would be great if it is explored more in the next book! The world that the authors have built is just amazing and so well thought out. If you couldn't tell already, I really enjoyed being a part of this world and learning about different parts of it with Aderyn. I can't wait for the sequel and I am desperate to know what is going to happen next. I am so excited to see how the story is going to progress.

Thank you so much again to NetGalley, the publishers and the authors for the chance to review this ARC!

Rating: ⭐⭐

Theme: Fantasy, Royalty, Shifters, Rebellion, Revenge, Romance, Coming of Age, Grief, Young Adult

Thoughts: I found the premise of the Flightless and a society divided by shape and ability to be quite intriguing. But that is about as far as I enjoyed this book. The writing was good, but the pacing lacked behind and the characters felt paper thin - which was a surprise as the opening chapter held such promise.

Aderyn is meant to have much at stake, her family legacy and her life! but it feels like the events just happen to her - her focus kept shifting and I felt like she became more of a plot devise then a individual character.

The nobilities ability to change shape seemed to have no impact on the story and made me question why it was there to begin with other then make a clear divide of the population. What annoyed me the most though - was the friendship between Aderyn and her maid servant, there is this huge focus on them being best friends, basically family, and yet - they acted and were exactly what they are. One the Master and the other the Servant. I don't know why this made me irrationally angry but it did.

All in all, I wont be returning to this series, and was a bit disappointed with a book which had some great plot points in its beginning and some gorgeous powerful one liners - such as 'If wishes were feathers, the flightless would fly' which a very indepth world saying and gave me so much pleasure and insight in the world... and then the story ended up falling into the typical tropes of good and evil, and with a heroine who I didn't feel like stood out.

Pros: I thought the almost chemical difference between the Flightless and Nobility was a great concept and the fact that the violence was not shied away from. The world building came well across and a scattering of very intriguing facts about the world did pique my interested. I also enjoyed certain power-sentences which did tug at my heart strings just enough that I didn't DNF this book.

Cons: I thought the general plot of the story was predictable, and the characters lacked depth. The world building couldn't hold up with everything I found disinteresting within the story and I barely felt like I had any feelings involved. When I did finish the book it was to a sour taste in my mouth and a bit of annoyance at how I didn't feel like I had read something new.

3.5 stars. I did enjoy it. It was predictable though. Anyone who keeps saying 'you do trust me don't you?' Is clearly not meant to be trusted 🙄
The world building was good. The love story? Meh. Just wasn't that believable enough. From hate to love in about 3 seconds. Prefer Aron - he's sarcastic and a bit funny.
I'll read the next one. It was a nice easy read

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.

Inspired by The Swan Lake, A throne of swans is a fantastic story about love, friendship, injustice, murder, plots and loyalty.
Aderyn grew in Merl Castle, sheltered by her parents and then, when her mother was murdered, only by her father who didn't let her leave her dominion, Atratys. When he dies, she becomes Protector of Atratys and decided to go the court, where her uncle is king, to try to discover why her mother was killed and by whom.
In a world divided between flightless and flighted, the nobles are flighted, able to trasform themselves into birds, while the flightless are relegated to be servants, to be ruled and mistreated. Since her mother was killed and Aderyn hurt in the attack, she can't transform herself anymore, but being flightless in her uncle's court could mean banishment and death. Helped by her steward's son, Lucien and her paid companion, Letya, Aderyn finds herself trying to live in a court full of lies and deceits, twists and secrets, while trying to protect her dominion by her uncle's aims, dodging marriage's proposals and investigating her mother's murder. But Aderyn finds more she could have hoped to find, uncovering family's secrets, fake identities and injust Decrees.

A throne of swans is the brilliant start of the duology and the language is evocative, the story well written and the characters multifaceted. Finding herself in a court, where she didn't understand (at first) its scheming, not knowing who to trust, shielding her secret of not being able to fly, Aderyn is a complex character. A bit impulsive and naive, sometimes, but driven by her desire of answers, her loyalty towards her people and dominion and willing to sacrifice herself for them. Suffering from PTDS, Aderyn can't transform herself without suffering physically and remembering her mother's death and her injury. Still, during the book, Aderyn grows a lot.
Interesting character is Lucien, (even though I predicted his relationship with Aderyn), since he's loyal, smart and honourable and often he's the voice of reason for Aderyn, reminding her the bigger picture, her dominion and advising her. Letya is her paid companion, a loyal friend who grew with Aderyn, ready to help and support her. Scheming and charming is Siegfried, a complex and mischievous character, too, Odette (Aderyn's cousin future husband), that helps Aderyn with her ability to fly, lending her assistance to find the culprits of her mother's death.

I really liked reading about the court and its inhabitants, about the scheming, the subterfuges of Siegfried and Tallis,(scheming of everyone in there to be honest, Aderyn included), the cruelty of the kind, the presence of Odette and Aron. Odette is sweet, nice characters, who helped Aderyn offering her friendship and support, and who doesn't want to be queen and inherit the throne. I appreciate more the depth of Aron, because his character is more convoluted. Bitter because his accident lead him to be disinherited, Aron is bitter, sarcastic, often cruel in his remarks, but a beautifully written character and I love his relationship with his sister, their love so fierce, and how slowly he becomes close to Aderyn, too. Interesting his relationship,past and present, with Lucien.

Above all this book is about injustice, intrigues and full of plot twists. I liked how many characters, Aderyn, Lucien, Aron, were interested in the flightless populations and how, during the books, they, expecially Aderyn, finds themselves stopped by the Decrees, imposed and old rules that dictate Solanum.
I really liked reading throne of swan and since I've read the preview of the next one I really can't wait to know more about Aderyn, Lucien, Aron, Odette and their kingdom.

The intrigue is brilliant, so many layers of deception and control stacked upon each other, slowly peeled back over the course of the story. I had an inkling of who would be less than trustworthy, which only made the tension stronger as I waited for my suspicions to be proved.

It’s quite a short book, but it never felt that. Of course, I’d have loved to stay in the world more, but it didn’t feel like the story was too condensed, like there should have been more.

The pacing was superb, drawing out the suspense as I tried to work out exactly who was behind it and what certain people’s plans were – not to mention how Aderyn would get caught up in it all.

I loved the world, the contrast between the nobles and the “flightless” commoners. The violence and disregard shown to the flightless made Aderyn’s situation worse, as shown by the scorn heaped upon her cousin – the former Crown Prince – after an accident rendered him unable to fly.

I liked the added dimension of nobles’ contact burning the skin of the commoners, and the gulf that put between then – even when they were close friends, like Aderyn and Letya. It really helped isolate her at Court, with the tension between Aderyn and her clerk Lucien.

Aderyn’s sheltered desire to see the world, and her black-and-white outlook, really endeared her to me. I wanted to see her succeed, but the world was stacked against her for not wanting more power, more influence. Lucien’s sharp, cynicism contrasted so well with her bright, willful hope. They sparked off each other so well, both with arguments and emotionally.

The ending isn’t the typical duology ending where everything goes horribly wrong. On one level, it goes it very very right, but it’s the choices Aderyn makes that leave the feeling of something being wrong. I want to know what happens next.

A very good fantasy loosely based on Swan Lake, with elements of Game of Thrones thrown in for good measure.
I was completely enthralled by the deceitful power plays of the kingdom of Solanum. All the characters were deeply layered, humanly flawed and engaging.
The twists and turns in the plot were cleverly wrought, I often found myself internally berating Aderyn for trusting the manipulative Siegfried and holding my breath as each part of his evil plan unfolded.
My only frustration is the end of Lucien and Aderyn's relationship, however I have high hopes that there will be a sequel where they can rekindle their romance!
A great read for fantasy fans and young people from about 13/14+ (there is a few allusions to sex and some violence but it's pretty tame)

A compelling & atmospheric fantasy. The prose was beautiful and I found this so hard to put down! I look forward to the sequel!

The flighted rule, and the flightless as 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 someone I thought they would betray her so I was on the edge of my seat through most of the book. I could not stop thinking about this book and it's characters every time I put the book down. I want to know more about Aderyn's father and his motivations. I feel like his character was left quite unfinished. I am very relieved there was a satisfying ending, I was terrified of being left hanging, though I still can't wait to get my hands on book 2.

This story is inspired by Swan Lake. We are in a land where nobility turn to birds according to their family line and our protagonist Aderyn is of swans. But she hasn't flown in years. With her father's death she becomes the Protector of Atratys, but isin danger of being discovered as flightless. And the flightless do not rule.

Danger is what is masterfully conveyed in the narrative, as is Aderyn's strength, even in her precarious position. Even in her naivete of the outer world and the royal court she enters. Political machinations in a royal court always fascinate me. Conspiracy upon conspiracy, all for power.

The past may govern you if you don't make peace with it and that is what's happening to Aderyn when it comes to her mother's murder. Lucien is trying to help her, but she can't stop endangering herself. Talking about Lucien, I have always liked tall, dark and arrogant.

A beautifully written POV that 'plays' the protagonist's feelings, and what she is going through, quite well. Trust, betrayal, blackmail, treason and unexpected alliances all lead the story into a direction you never expect. This incredible first part of a duology is leading to an exceptional finale.

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.

Beautiful high fantasy with a flawed but sympathetic protagonist and a magical world. Full of court drama, intrigue and intelligent twists, Throne of Swans is not to be missed. Highly recommend.