Thank you Netgalley, the publisher, and A.B. Poranek for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really hate dnfing books, especially arcs, but this book was not doing it for me. It was so boring and i was fighting for my life trying to get into the plot. I had to dnf at about 40%. I love swan lake, so when I read that this was a retelling I was ecstatic, and I’m sad that this was the outcome. I made it about 40% through the book and everything was just insignificant. I could not remember the main character’s name half the time and the other half I was so bored I could not understand the plot. This is a no from me unfortunately.

An absolutely mesmerizing adaptation of Swan Lake filled with mystery, friendship, and gay longing. Having both Odette and Odile being able to take their power back and not just be victims to a plot line was a refreshing and greatly needed update to the story. I was enthralled the entire time. A B Poranek has an incredible ability to suck a reader in with her prose.

Thanks to Netgalley and Margaret K. McElderry Books for this ARC.

I'm a sucker for retellings of fairytales and famous works of art, so to hear A Treachery of Swans by A. B. Poranek was a retelling of Swan Lake I was ecstatic. Which waswhen I realized, that although I have seen Swan Lake a few times over, I didn't actually know the original and had to find a quick synopsis before going back into this work. I feel retellings always feel better if you can compare it to the original-- I don't know why, but it lends a greater appreciation to the story in my mind.

Starting off, the mood of the piece seemed a little too try hard moody teenager for me to get into it and it kept that mood for the rest of the story which made it difficult for me to become more invested in the work. Don't let that stop you dear reader, as I know others will absolutely love every single word in this book. I, however, was not the reader who was hooked by every word, but rather one that was just mildly amused with the events.

Part of the reason why I kept going is I wanted to see if what I thought would happen, would, and they did. The foreshadowing wasn't the greatest and it could use a little more finessing. A little touch would have made the pay off so much better. As well as if there was just a tiny bit more time spent on establishing character personalities and relationships.

A lot of side characters didn't really have much going for them beyond their role, and Odile appeared wishy washy in how she related to them. Which does match her upbringing, but for someone who was raised to lie, cheat, and steal she seemed pretty amateurish. Originally, I was amused at her comments on Amie's inability to take his power to rule with a confident air, but I quickly got sick of it. Odile felt more like a person starting a new hobby that assumed they knew everything rather than an expert, as she should have been after about a decade --give or take a few years -- of conning people.

I also wished there was more time, specifically in the beginning, focused on building Odile's relationship with her brother and her adopted father. Instead, we received an impression that the reader should feel a certain way because ~relationships~ work like that. I would have preferred more time expanding on the complexities of their toxic, mistrustful and extremely strained family dynamics instead. That would have really elevated the emotional impact of certain scenes later in the book. Especially as I did enjoy the line dropped about inheritance being more than blood relation. However, that was quickly soured with the events that following immediately after.

Speaking of fast moving events, the timeline needed to be adjusted to allow the reader more time to get into the groove of things and slow it down so the reader can pick up on the secret cues in a more unsettling way. As I said before, Odile's experience as a con artist did not match her demeanor in the novel, and this could have been changed if she showed more caution and ability to read the fallout, as well as come prepared with at least five backup plans. Just telling the reader about their experience does not make the character experienced if they stick out like a country bumpkin in the city for the first time.

All in all, A Treachery of Swans had a solid premise that was taken down by lack of experience in delivering. As I said before, however, I feel some readers will make this their whole personality and honestly, power to them.

Opening the book as if it were a play was a really cool concept, but it also made for a slow start that had me putting off picking it up again. By the rating it should be really obvious that I’m so glad I did force myself to sit down and continue.

The slow build and reveal of Odile and Marie’s history together and their tentative trust to falling in love was so well done and had me aching every page they were apart.

The prose was beautiful, the storyline was fun, and the world building was exquisite.

Thank you to Margaret K. McElderry Books for the review copy!

ARC Review- A queer retelling of swan lake, that description had me intrigued from the beginning. Odile was frustrating at times but also endearing in her hope for love/belonging. I wish there was a bit more depth to the story but overall it was a good read!

I loved the Swan Princess story as a child and now seeing this amazing and unique (not to mention sapphic) take on it was just everything. I cannot recommend this book enough!

DNF Review – The Treachery of Swans by A. B. Poranek

The Treachery of Swans is beautifully written with vivid prose and a clear sense of atmosphere, but unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me. I found myself struggling to stay engaged and, despite the strong writing, I was simply… bored.

I wanted to love this book. The premise sounded promising, and I could appreciate the craft behind the storytelling, but the pacing felt too slow and I never quite connected with the plot or characters.

As a mood reader, there’s always a chance I’ll revisit this book at another time, but for now, I’ll be marking it as a DNF.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Margaret K. McElderry Books for the opportunity to read this early copy.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

3.75 stars rounded up. This was a really quick and cute read. I adored prickly, mischievous Odile, so convinced of her own villainy yet also so hilariously infatuated with the princess she can't stop thinking about. Marie was a very sweet love interest as well, and it was lovely seeing how her time with Odile gradually coaxed out her bolder side. I didn't quite like Aime and Damien as much; there were moments where I felt Aime felt *too* soft and weak-willed to be likeable, and Damien didn't get much screentime, but I enjoyed the development of their relationships with Odile. The standout was Odile's relationship with her father though and how she gradually began to realize his hold on her before ultimately breaking free. Her arc was a bit simple but very fitting for YA. Also as I approached the ending, I was afraid the author was setting up for a sequel and, while she definitely could have expanded the story, I was glad to see that everything resolved in the epilogue. Love this author's work and definitely excited for the next one!

I'm a little conflicted on this one because, on the one hand, I think the vibes are really immaculate. The way the author wrote certain bits of imagery really pulled me in and made me want to keep reading. It occasionally dipped towards purple prose, but didn't fully cross over and I'm really enticed by descriptive writing.

On the other hand, I feel like other than the main character, Odile, the character building wasn't quite there. Particularly where it concerned the romance. I think the issue, for me, partly stemmed from the fact that the book is written in 1st-person and, while the author does a great job of infusing the writing with Odile's perceptions, I don't think the challenging of those perceptions resolved in a satisfying way. Possibly mild spoilers, but the way Odile thinks about Marie is intense dislike bordering on a kind of reverence. This would be an interesting dynamic if Marie actually felt like a character who could stand on her own. Unfortunately, it didn't feel quite like they interacted enough and grew enough for that to be the case. In fact, at times the way the plot unfolded almost seemed to reinforce Odile's almost deification of Marie in a way that further distanced Marie from having some kind of tangible personhood.

I think the plot was okay, but--because of the above--I do wish more time had been spent with Odile and Marie together rather than on a mystery that wasn't completely satisfying, to me at least. And the ending felt... rather rushed with an epilogue that wasn't fully satisfying.

Overall, I can see why people do like it. For me, however, it was enticing enough to keep reading, but not as satisfying as I think it could have been. I would still give this author another try because I quite like their writing style; this one just wasn't for me.

3.5 stars! Gothic, sapphic retelling of Swan Lake. It is heavily atmospheric in the same way Phantom of the Opera is, and it also reminded me of Netflix’s Wednesday.

This book was a tale of breaking free form control in many forms. The eerie setting added to the feeling of “not right” over the story. There were many twists and turns the story took. I enjoyed how each reveal changed one's perspective of the past actions of the characters. Odile’s battles with loyalty and morality were captivating. I liked that throughout the book there wasn't a clear “good guy” who did everything right. Every character had flaws and I loved them all. This heartbreaking story of betrayal and triumph was one of my best reads of the year. I highly recommend it!

I requested this book almost off just cover vibes alone but was sold after seeing it was a Swan Lake reimagining. Going in, I honestly didn't know much about Swan Lake other than what's in the movie 'Black Swan' but about halfway through the book I went to the ballets wiki page just to see how it compared to the book. It seemed like it followed a fairly similar plot. I don't think you need to know anything about the ballet at all to enjoy this book.

I thought this book was really well done, like I'm surprised how much I enjoyed it. It had an interesting world where magic is now banned and Odile is planning on helping her adoptive father, a socerier, to steal the Kings crown so that he can gain enough magical power that nobody could stop him. To help him, Odile transformers herself into her former friend, now enemy Marie, who is the prince's current top pick for wife, and pretends to be her order to get close to the crown. Marie ends up becoming the Swan Princess, Swan by day, and woman by night. The King however is mysteriously murdered and Odile's estranged brother is accused. She focuses her attention on finding the true killer with the unlikely help of Marie.

I really enjoyed most of the characters in this book, with Marie probably being my favourite. I wish I had the patience and forgiveness she had. I enjoyed the complex and sweet nature of their relationship as the book went on. My one grip was that the ending was kind of off to me, I thought I was on the last chapter and it felt like it was leading up to a sequel but then there was the epilogue and everything was wrapped up nicely. I guess I wish there was some more interaction between Odile and Marie before it ended. But it's really just a minor complaint.

While beautifully written A Treachery of Swans ultimately was not for me. There were a lot of elements throughout that I enjoyed. The relationship between Marie and Odile was a fun twist within this retelling. The magic throughout was also enjoyable. I struggled with the pacing. It just felt really slow to me overall and it was so hard to stay engaged. I found myself continuing to step away to read something else.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Enjoyed the theatre and dance aspects, magic system was a little hard to wrap my head around. Beautifully written.

“They will tell the story, later, of the white swan and the black, but they will tell it wrong.” A treachery of swans by AB Poranek @abporanek

Odile, raised by a cruel and power-hungry sorcerer, is tasked with the heist of a lifetime: Impersonate a princess (who happens to be her childhood best friend turned enemy) infiltrate the palace, steal the king's enchanted crown and restore magic to the kingdom. When Odile grows close to the real princess, Marie d’Odette, her goals-and her motives-begin to change.

I truly fell in love with the two, especially Marie, and they have such a charming dynamic. Marie is such a fiercely kind girl who when faced with injustice holds her head high and fights for those she loves. She proves that we can be powerful not in spite of our softness, but because of it.

Poranek has such an enchanting way of writing and perfectly evokes the dreamy writing of our favorite fairy tales (I have always had a soft spot for both Swan Lake and The Swan Princess) while still creating a narrative that stands on its own.

A Treachery of Swans by AB Poranek will be released 6/24/25. Thank you to AB Poranek, Margaret K McElderry Books, and NetGalley @netgalley for the opportunity to read this beautiful book in exchange for an honest review. This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and I was not at all disappointed.

I featured A Treachery of Swans in my June 2025 new releases video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q31xhbo1tE, and though I have not read it yet, I am so excited to and expect 5 stars! I will update here when I post a follow up review or vlog.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for granting me an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book is due to be published June 24, 2025.

A.B. Poranek, you have done it again. I adored this, a really solid 4 star read!

A Treachery of Swans tells the story of Odile, a seventeen year old girl who has spent years preparing to steal the King's crown and restore magic to the kingdom. In order to achieve this goal, she must impersonate Marie, a noblewoman whose history with Odile goes back to their childhood. But as any good dastardly plan is bound to do, things go south and Odile must team up with Marie to solve a mystery that resulted in the King's death.

I enjoyed this so much! This is a sapphic retelling of Swan Lake and to be totally honest, I know nothing about Swan Lake so I can't really speak to the quality of the retelling. I am a huge fan of Where the Dark Stands Still (Poranek's debut) and knew as soon as I read that I would pick up every book she wrote from here on out. Poranek's writing is wonderful and she has a wonderful knack for world building. Odile is such a complex main character. She views herself as the villain in her own story but she is also a young girl who has felt abandoned by everyone she has ever loved. Marie on the other hand, has lived a life that to an outsider seems lavish and lovely and perfect. But she has had her own struggles and longs to be free. They make such a wonderful match, even when Odile is trying her hardest not to care for Marie. The story was so fun, I loved the mystery and fantastical elements. I do wish we got to spend more time with Marie to allow us time to get invested in their relationship. But it was very sweet, nonetheless

This is a really wonderful book and if you are a fan of young adult fantasy, I would highly recommend picking it up!

A French gothic Swan Lake retelling and its sapphic? Say less.
This was so dreamy and fairytale-like, yet it also kept me on edge as I watched all the scheming and secrets unravel. Loved the theatrical vibe - some moments felt like scenes from a play, which added a layer of drama I was very much here for. And that cover? I will be picking up a physical copy, thank you very much. If you're in the mood for a queer YA fantasy romance with whimsical (and sometimes uneasy) vibes, this is a strong candidate. 🦢🖤

Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7627712948

Finally, some good fucking food. And finally, FINALLY some sapphic yearning done CORRECTLY.

I really enjoyed this from top to bottom, it wasn’t a perfect story but it was pretty damn good overall. Like what if we had a Scooby Doo episode set in 17th century France with like, Moulin Rouge elements. Except nobody dies of tuberculosis at the end, yay!

I’m not usually someone who loves YA, I just try a bunch of it and end up pleasantly surprised here and there. This is one of those times. I actually really loved the kids are kids and act accordingly in this story, they screw up, they lash out, they learn lessons instead of acting like mini adults. I was so charmed by Odile constantly being like “I’m a super smooth unflappable super villain” and then immediately something goes wrong she’s like “Oh fuck, I’m panicking!” Hilarious. It did make her character a bit inconsistent but I think it’s forgivable. Speaking of Odile, I love how she was always like damn the Good Mothers must hate me and I disagree. The Good Mothers were putting in overtime saving this girl from all the stabbings and jumping out of windows and other injuries that should have killed Odile several times over.

I would have liked to spend more time with the other characters and get to know them better, especially Marie because that girl is a SAINT to be so nice to Odile after everything she goes through but oh well. I still had a good time. Except…except. So there’s a part with wings and I won’t spoil it for you if you haven’t read it but if you did read it you know what I’m talking about. And I can’t help but think of that girl on TikTok. Does anyone remember that girl with the parrot and she would pet him on his back and people in the comments were like “dude stop, that’s like a mating thing for your parrot, you’re turning him on”? Well that’s all I could think about during that scene and it made it pretty weird for me.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley & Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, for the opportunity to read and review an arc copy of A Treachery of Swans.

This book was everything I expected it to be. It was fun, it was pretty, it was emotional, it was sapphic. I enjoyed it a lot.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was the romance. Recently, I felt like romances were written so poorly in YA fantasy, this book proved me wrong. I loved the relationship between Odile and Marie. They are both snarky with one another and soft/comforting with one another. I really appreciate reading a sapphic romance that isn't built on the basis of physical appearance. I also love how Marie, despite being called 'princess' is the knight in shining armor most of the time.
I also have to talk about the world building. I loved how the curse affected the land. It felt unique in a way and set the atmosphere for a gothic swan lake retelling. When I think of the ballet, I think of the dark lake backdrop. that is the type of atmosphere this book creates. The metal roses, the black snow, I love it all. I only wish we learned more about the other neighboring kingdoms more, aside from the fact that they're not exactly friendly.
The plot was fun and I didn't feel bored at all. The book never gets sidetracked, as every scene feels like it has a purpose. The only down side would be that I found the plot a bit predictable. (And by that I mean I guessed one of the big plot twists by chapter 2). Despite the plot being predictable, it was still very entertaining and well done.

4/5 Stars