C. A. Wright's undertaking to recast an Andersen fairy tale is carried off skilfully. The tale retold is rich, has warmth.

In fact, right up until the very last drop of 'Skysong', I was going to write a five-star review.

I was going to write that there was nothing in this novel that I wanted done differently, and that it could not have been more perfect.

I would have listed all the elements I'd jotted down as I read: the pacing exactly right (it's rare to have such a succinct but sufficient introduction to the ordinary world before crossing the threshold into the 'quest'); I adored the characters, all of them - virtuous or villainous, wretched or redeemable; descriptions are measured to offer just enough interest to ignite readers' own imaginations; and the atmosphere (coloured as it is, intrinsically, from Oriene or Andala's point of view) is intimate.

Add to that Olivia Darnley's bold yet expressively toned narration for Bolinda Audio, and I was lost in the book.

YET!

I reached the end with such a bitter taste in my mouth, and I have to deduct from my review because of the matter of 'Skysong' being classified variously in places as LGBTQIA, LGBT, Lesbian, and Sapphic. Wright throws in a kiss between otherwise straight-presenting female mcs and (I can only presume) the thinking is that this legitimises the use of a marketing tag that opens up a whole readership.

I say presume, because there is no Sapphic substance to 'Skysong'. It lacks any genuine examination of LGBTQIA themes or tropes; there is no investigation of matters that might affect us; there is no consideration given to experiences that we might share in the queer community. I hate to be a spoil-sport, but for anybody who, like me, plumped for 'Skysong' because of that Sapphic tag, this might well infuriate you too. If there was any sort of interrogation of doubt, or questioning, regarding Oriene or Andala's emotions, or orientation, I missed it. And I fairly wolfed this down because it was so engrossing, so I can't have missed something so important to my reading identity (I effectively always read with my lesbian antennae twitching). And as far as I could tell, there wasn't even any spotlight upon attraction.

If I were to be really petty I'd say that, oh! There was a character who had a single line of dialogue, who appeared for one catch-and-you-miss-him moment, and after we'd looked away from him, he was referred to as having had a husband. Maybe THAT qualifies this as LGBTQIA?!

My thanks to Bolinda Audio for the chance to listen to a copy for review.

This book was a joy to listen to.

Just an FYI: I have not read or listened to the Nightingale and so this retelling, for me, is an initial telling, so I can not compare between the two.

Not only was the audiobook reader Olivia Darnley sensational (whose voice really brought the story to life), the book itself was a beautiful fairy-tale that reminded me of the stories my mum used to read to me when I was six years old. Although, unlike classic fairy-tales, this book did not focus on the romantic love but the platonic kind, which I think is such an incredible element to this book. There is nothing wrong with some romance in novels such as these, but when I was younger and presently still, there is a hyperfocus on this type of love; therefore this socialises individuals (especially young women) that their one true aim in life is to meet their one true love.

This book also referenced mental health in an incredible way which did not distract from the overall storyline, but still touched upon key societal stigmas around mental health conditions.

I also really liked the themes of mistakes and forgiveness: there were people that were essentially kind and loving people, that for one reason or another made bad choices, which hurt others in return. But rather than cast them aside as 'bad', there was the need for forgiveness not just by the people that were hurt by said mistakes but forgiveness of oneself. Yet, in true fairy-tale style, the 'good' vs 'bad', was still a key element within this story.

The only downside for me - which is why this book is a 4 stars and not a 5 - is the pacing was too slow for me. But, overall, I really enjoyed this book. Thank you for allowing me to listen to the Skysong by C.A. Wright. It was fab!

P.S. The acknowledgments had me blubbering!

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

From reading some other reviews it is my understanding that this is a Nightingale retelling. I haven’t read that unfortunately to make comparison, however this version is a beautiful telling of what I’m sure is a fantastic story.

I will say that the pacing is quite slow in this book for me personally, I prefer a more action filled book rather than a story of beautiful prose, but it was a great book. If you love books with found family, of deep characters and a story of when revering people turns into obsession and how much that can be a damaging prospect, this one is for you.

I listened to the audio version of this book, and the narrator did a phenomenal job or portraying the characters and their depth of emotion, as well as storytelling. I would happily listen to this narrator again.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read Skysong!

Beautifully written story with a good plot albeit slow pacing. The world building was colourful and engaging with morally grey characters that you can understand.

Some characters did lack depth and that’s where this book could have done better.

I did not realise this was a retelling, not knowing the original story I really enjoyed this. The ending was also satisfying even though I must admit that it was glaringly obvious how it would go.

The magical side of it although not unique, was still interestingly thought out and easy to understand.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. I hope to read more from this author.

I am not generally a fan of retellings and rarely venture far from the realms of romance. I accidentally picked this audiobook and I am so glad that I did. It was such a refreshing tale told in detail through a sensitive lens. It is a delightful tale of two women doing what they have to do to survive and thrive in an unforgiving world. The narrator, Olivia Darnley, did a wonderful job. If you like a great, epic fantasy novel without overwhelming world building, then this book is for you!

Big thanks to NetGalley, Bolinda Audio and CA Wright for a copy of this audiobook. This is my honest review.

Skysong ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have always been intrigued by Hans Christian Anderson’s The Nightingale, which is what drew me to this story. It’s such a beautifully written book about strong women working through various stages of grief, guilt, love and forgiveness while trying to find themselves and their purpose in life. This story will have you on the edge of your seat, rooting for the women of the story.

Read this book if you like:
- Reimagined fairytales
- The Nightingale by Hans Christian Anderson
- Powers/Magic
- Lead female characters
- Burdens of uniqueness
- Sapphic fiction
- Slow burns
- Love, grief, guilt and forgiveness

Audio ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was extremely satisfied with the audio - I’m picky about them! Olivia has a beautiful voice that added tremendously to the emotions in the story.

This was a beautiful retelling of "The Nightingale". However, I did not connect to the characters as much as I had hoped so in that sense the story fell short for me.

I enjoyed this book - when you spend a lot of time reading fantasy and romantasy it is easy to feel like one book blends into the other but this felt fresh. There are some charming turns of phrase and I really appreciated how lyrical some of the writing was - the pacing was clever in some places too.

There was some nice messaging for young people in here about depression, and people can do the right thing even when it's difficult.

Personally, I might have preferred for the romance to be less implied and more actioned - it was there, but the slow burn / semi-enemies to lovers never quite made it all the way. I like the idea of them flying off into the sunset together though.

The audiobook was well-read - quite a slow pace, so for me it was best at a 1.5 speed, but I think that means everyone can listen at their own pace. Had a tiny bit of trouble telling the difference between some of the characters sometimes, so you did have to pay attention!

Overall, I'd recommend this as a YA read - I feel like it would go down particularly well with the 13-16 age group, but it's still a great read for an adult.

Skysong is an enchanting, lyrical, romantic beautifully written and narrated retelling. It was so easy to get lost in and I enjoyed all the twists and turns. I can’t wait to see what C.A Wright writes next. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an audio ARC.

I thought this book was beautiful. The author did a great job of making us see the characters flaws moving from hate to love and understanding of many of them. The skylarks innocence was beautiful and made it more heartbreaking when she experienced pain and fear. The nightengales hard life filled with self loathing and fear was a great juxtaposition and seeing her come into her own felt heartwarming.
I struggled as the birds human forms names were so similar that I had to think when I heard the names but I understand why the names were similar.

I would read more from C.A. Wright again and thank you to Netgalley for letting me listen and review

Such a beautiful magical story.. The narrator's voice matches the story perfectly. Calm and perfect for telling this wonderful fairytale. It was the perfect speed for the story.

The story is in three parts and each part finishes at the right point. I felt like I was watching a production and the curtain went down at the interval.

The story hits on serious subjects such as depression and it was done perfectly and tactfully.

Skysong by C.A. Wright is a wonderful twist on Hans Christian Andersen's The Nightingale. Oriane, who can change into a bird and sings to make the sunrise, feels trapped in her quiet, ignorant life. When she runs away and is found in the royal gardens, she is taken to live in the palace, where people admire her like a goddess, but she is a prisoner. As Oriane deals with the tricky politics around her, she forms a special relationship with her maid, Andala, who may also be something more than she seems.

I listened to the audiobook version of this novel. Narrator Olivia Darnley brings the story to life, with a gentle voice and cadence that fits the dreamy vibe of this tale. The beautiful story makes it easy to get lost in this charming fantasy world. With lovable characters, magical moments, and lovely language, Skysong is a fantastic first audiobook that will delight fans of fairytales.

A wonderfully enchanting setting with endearing characters, a captivating plot and beautifully written prose. If this is C.A. Wright's debut, then I cannot wait to see what they do next! From the get-go Skysong sweeps you into its world and the gentle but consistent pacing ensures you stay riveted to every word.

I really enjoyed the development of the characters, particulary the conflicted Andala. The relationships formed feel well-earned and every character has a clear and unique voice. I would love to see more of this world and have an more in-depth dive into the political machinations. The foundations are definitely there for a whole series of novels.

The audiobook is also outstanding in terms of quality, narration and editing. Olivia Darnley did a fantastic job and I would love to hear more of her work too.