Where the Dark Stands Still was a surprise hit for me last year, so imagine my delight when I received an arc of this!

It's a very light retelling of Swan Lake with a sapphic romance at the heart of the story. Interesting magic system and world that I would've liked explored more, but there's only so much you can do with a standalone.

Since we stay in Odile's mind, some of the characters can fall flat but the core four are enjoyable and the villains are intriguing enough to keep the plot moving forward. If you loved the atmospheric writing of Poranek's debut then you'll be swept away again.

Perfect for those who watched Princess Tutu and wanted Ahiru and Rue to be together. That's the relationship vibe between Marie and Odlie.

SAPPHIC YEARNING DONE RIGHT!! the romance is slow to develop in the first 50%, which was great because it developed a fun and twisting plot, as well as fleshed out characters and the dynamics between each of them. the world is dark and luscious, just like a fairy tale; the writing perfectly matched that vibe. i was scared that the ending would miss the mark and drop the book's rating for me, but it was incredible. i was melancholy while also satisfied with how it closed off

OH this was SO good. This is what a YA fantasy should always give. It very much reminded me of the Enchantée by Gita Trelease (which I love so much), but much more gothic. I really liked the development of Odile’s character throughout the book, especially as she learns to trust other people and their motives. The romances between both “sets” of characters was also so well done - it very much gave romance subplot in a way that didn’t overtake the plot but also was still satisfying as a reader.

I also LOVED the way this book wrapped itself up. The ending before the epilogue very much made it seem like there would be a book two, but the epilogue wrapped everything up so nicely - like 100/10 ending. Like would I read a book two? Literally tomorrow if I could. But I love the author’s ability to notice that this stood so strongly on its own without unnecessarily stretching it out over a second book.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

I ended up reading this before the author's other book which had come highly recommended and I loved this re-telling so much. You really love the characters and their dynamic, not just the main ones, but all the other people you meet throughout. The ending is heart wrenching and gives you all the feels. I love how atmospheric the writing is without feeling like it was being too descriptive. I know it's a standalone but I would read a whole other book about these characters if I could

A Treachery of Swans follows protagonist Odile as she assumes the guise of Marie d’Odette, her once childhood friend who is now her enemy, as she infiltrates the royal palace to steal an artifact that can return magic to the land, all on her father’s orders. Her father assists her in transforming Marie into a swan while Odile proceeds on her mission, but when the king is brutally slain and Odile’s brother is accused of the murder, Odile must join forces with Marie to find the true killer and clear her brother’s name. However, the true identity of the king’s murderer and the circumstances that led to it lead Marie and Odile into far more than they bargained for.

I loved this book! It was a little bit of a slow start, but the atmosphere and world-building was breathtaking. I thought the way magic was described was really interesting and nothing like anything I’ve read before. I also liked that the tone of this book was a lot darker than typical young adult novels; it was really surprising, but delightful. I thought that the tone fit the world that Poranek was building, so it only made sense that it was dark and deceitful and full of treachery.

I really loved Odile and Marie as characters and their dynamic together as well. I’m a sucker for dark/light ships, and they really satisfied my craving for that. I thought their chemistry was really well done, and their history together felt palpable and informative to their present interactions and dynamic. I love how they contrasted each other, yet fit so well together. It was really great to read. I also enjoyed that their romance was slowly built over the course of the novel. It didn’t feel too sudden or instantaneous. It really felt like the author took the time to build them up individually as characters and plant the seeds of their attraction to one another before anything actually happened. If you’re a fan of slow-burns, this one’s for you!

I also saw a lot of reviewers mention that this novel had more atmosphere than it had plot, and I couldn’t disagree more. I felt that this novel had a great mix and balance between atmosphere and plot. The atmosphere was beautiful and breathtaking and kept me on the page, for sure, but the plot really helped keep me engaged, too. I liked that there was this huge mystery at the heart of the novel that slowly unravels into more mysteries. I was really surprised by a lot of the reveals in this book, which I think can be hard to achieve for older readers, especially in YA, but I thought Poranek nailed each reveal.

I’d definitely recommend this to readers who enjoy sapphic romance/representation, slow-burns, great atmosphere, mystery, and all things magic and fantasy! This was my first A. B. Poranek novel, but this definitely won’t be my last. I’m excited to get my hands on a physical copy in a few weeks!

✧ Thank you to Netgalley, 404 Ink publishing and A. B. Poranek for providing me with an ARC of this novel and giving me the opportunity to review it honestly! ✧

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars

"I'm nothing but a lie, a twisted reflection, a black swan. And my teeth are just as sharp as theirs."

summary:

A Treachery of Swans spins the tale of our black swan Odile, and the white swan Marie. Odile has prepared all of her life to please her father, and finally bring back magic to their kingdom which has gone without for 200 years. Everything is going to Odile's plan until one day she awakes and the king has been found dead, and everything she ever knew starts to spin on it's head.

A sapphic retelling of Swan Lake, you are immediately drawn into the characters lives and tied into their own emotions like they are your own. A new generation, tasked with changing the future for themselves and the kingdom, desperate to be free of the actions of their families, and hoping that they are able to do it without destroying themselves in the process.

A.B. details such an interesting magic system, the way it is so artfully described, threads weaving and unweaving together to create precisely what the creator wishes it to. Incredibly delicate and precarious to hold in your hands, yet incredibly powerful if used correctly.

Reading this book felt like watching a painting of a ballet come to life — pale pastels, and dark grays and blacks with shimmering colors in between. Everyone light on their feet, and light with how they speak. The chapters are broken into scenes, so it really feels as though you are reaching a production take place right before your eyes.

I had such a good time with this read, and wish that I could say more about it, but I guess you will just have to read it yourself to truly understand what I am thinking when it comes to this story.

Thank you again to Netgalley and 404 publishing!

Review posted to Goodreads

First thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an advance copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

GOD I'M SO SAD I HATED THIS.
This is marketed as sapphic gothic retelling of swan lake. In reality it is just a YA mess. The characters are just making wild choices that clearly are bad choices. Everyone forgives each other too easily. The relatioships are paper thin and the prose is just lacking it doesnt read as gothis, it is not nearly lush enough. Also everytime i saw anything with marketing for this book everyone leaves out this is YA and tries to market it as Adult. Overall jsut a disappointment for what was one of my most hyped books.

An eerie retelling of Swan Lake from a fresh perspective.

I absolutely loved reading this one. I immediately requested this this title because I spent 15 years training in ballet and absolutely loved the Barbie film. Swan Lake is a story that will never fade, and this rendition brought out new hues and shades.

I can look past the limited world-building because of the atmospheric prose. An unreliable narrator who goes on an emotional journey that ultimately leads to growth? Absolutely spectacular and fantastically done. The emotional conflicts felt realistic which then fed the plot in a pleasing way.

The epilogue was gorgeous, nicely wrapping everything up while still leaving room for the imagination.

i just couldnt get into this. my biggest problem is that i found the writing style to be really juvenile, even for a YA book. i also didnt like odile all that much.

2.5/5

After reading (and loving!) A.B Poranek’s debut, this gothic, sapphic retelling was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. Unfortunately it fell flat for me, in a lot of ways.

I wish there had been more world building, I found myself feeling bored and wanting to finish the book just to finish it rather than truly enjoying it. I also had a hard time connecting to the characters, especially the MC. The relationships felt too surface level to be believable for me. And ultimately I didn’t care what happened to them.

However, the writing was lovely, as I knew it would be. It’s lush and immersive and very easy to settle into! And I did also like how the chapter headings were written as a play, it’s a neat detail and nod to the source material. Though I would have liked more of the dark, gothic vibes we were promised.

Maybe retellings just aren’t for me? I haven’t read that many to know for sure, but this felt quite unsatisfying. I do believe though that this will find it’s audience, so don’t be discouraged by my review! However, if you find that this book wasn’t quite for you either — I highly recommend Where The Dark Stands Still, by the same author.

I’m a sucker for a fairytale. I was initially hesitant because I had expected much more viciousness and villainy and was worried I would be disappointed—this book is certainly lighter and sweeter than the horrible lesbians I thought I would get, but as the book went on I began to appreciate the angle this took. It’s messy and joyous and heart wrenching all at once. The twists are somewhat predictable, but that didn’t really take away from my general enjoyment. The magic was fascinating and I just wish there were more of it. Ultimately I found this book quite satisfying for what it was, but would have liked to see more about the world.

3.5/5

A Treachery of Swans is a dark, atmospheric retelling of Swan Lake. Now, I have never heard about Swan Lake, so I went into this with no expectations or preconceived ideas of what it should be. That being said, I came out of this story feeling pretty meh about it. It had such potential for greatness, but I’m ultimately underwhelmed.

I will say that I was heavily reminded of A Dark and Drowning Tide while reading Marie and Odile. I feel like it was similar in the mood, tone, and atmosphere, and personality, so if you enjoyed A Dark and Drowning Tide, this might be for you! In my case, I was reminded because of the similar lack of depth in the characters.

Immediately, I noticed that this felt very YA. Odile is the villain, or so she says, but honestly she was quite laughable at times. She felt juvenile, and perhaps that is a sign that I am aging out of young adult novels, which is entirely on me. Along those lines, our main cast of characters read quite naive when there definitely should have been some more caution and suspicion from everyone. They were all quite gullible.

Overall, I found the pacing to be good, and I kept reading because each chapter left me wanting more and flowed very mixed. Whether it was because of plot twists, cliffhangers, or relationships, I was turning the page. The world felt interesting, definitely got some of those dark gothic vibes with the theater, but I wish that there had been more aggressive world building to pull me in.

My biggest issue deals with the lack of romance. This was marketed as a sapphic read, and while it is, the relationship left me wanting much more. I would have liked to see more development between Odile and Marie, as I just had a difficult time connecting to them. A lot of time is spent between Odile and Aimé, but I definitely think Marie and Odile could have benefited from more interaction early on in the story. The chemistry just didn’t seem to be there, and I was wanting more. It was a very cute and sweet read, bur I just wasn’t getting any romantic vibes off of Odile. Marie felt underdeveloped and fell flat ultimately, which is a shame because there was such potential! I would have loved to see Aimé sneak off with Damien as well lol.

Anyway, this wasn’t a bad read, but I just had expected more gothic, romantic vibes I suppose.

This is my first book by this author and while I think the writing was beautiful, the narrative wasn't necessarily for me.

As a true lover of Barbie Swan Lake, I was very excited for a sapphic gothic retelling of the original. But, unfortunately, there was a lot here that just wasn't working for me.

Plot and characters aside for now, the vibes of this were perfect. They were very mysterious and atmospheric which lended to a beautiful and eerie vision that sucked me in immediately. Start in a theatre with ballet and I'm IN

The characters and romance were where this became a miss for me, and obviously they are a large part of the story. We start off meeting Odile already causing mischief and in the throws of following one of her fathers evil plans. Because of that, it made it hard for me to care for her or like her. It is clear that she is misguided, but to start a relationship off on trickery and lies is just not something I can come back from easily. Maybe it's just me, but I wouldn't fall for someone who just turned me into a duck and pretended to be me. Basically all of the exsisting chemistry between these two characters happened in the past and off page, so we are just supposed to take the authors word for it that they are good for each other, and I always find that super hard to do. What does happen on page is stilted and then seemingly random since we never get those first moments of them truly connecting together. The prince and the other side characters like Marie and Odile's brother were also as interesting as a piece of stale bread, We knew nothing about any of them, which again made them hard to root for in any capacity.

I won't say too much about the plot since I think a lot of its strengths do lie in the uncovering of the mysteries along the way--which were twisty and entertaining, but not enough to hold everything up. I was shocked at a lot of them, and they did keep me guessing, but because of my dislike of the characters and their connections, it left me not caring about the plot choices and their endings. The magic system was confusing. Doing a strong magic system that makes sense and is fleshed out in a world with entirely new politics is hard to do in a standalone. And probably a total of three pages was actually used to explain any of it. I just went along with the ride regardless, but it would have been nice to know a bit more about the world and its magic.

Another note is that this did read a little young in the YA category. But, that isn't a fault of the book, just something to look out for if you are not in the intended audience like myself.

I think again, the writing was really beautiful and it does make me interested to potentially pick up another book by this author, but I think this was just okay for me.

2.75/5 stars.

This Swan Lake retelling is dramatic, moody, and deliciously unique.

While I struggled a bit in the beginning to really feel out the world we were being dropped into, I eventually sunk right into the lush world of courtly intrigue, espionage, romance, and lots of feathers! Its a really big task to take something that is already established and turn it into something new without making it feel like it diverges too much. A Treachery of Swans balances that line pretty well. The magic system is great because I love magic systems with limitations that keep magic from just becoming a way to fix plot holes. This book does not do that and I really love it for that reason.

The romance was also really well constructed because there was a history between the two of them that we have to unravel as the story goes on. There is tension, rivalry, and secret longing.

I would absolutely recommend this book to people who enjoy The Phantom of the Opera, Swan Lake, and all things magical political intrigue.

This was wonderfully done. The atmosphere captivated me from the first page, and I felt sucked into the story right away - which is always a bonus. I really enjoyed Odile's progression as a character, watching her navigate the challenges both internal and tangible. The romance felt a bit rushed for my preference - but I didn't mind THAT much as this didn't feel like a huge aspect of the piece overall. I just wish I could have gotten more invested in that part of the story. More build-up earlier on would have helped, I think.

I enjoyed not only our leads but the more side-characters we got to meet as well, and I felt like each character contributed to the story. No one felt like a shell or a stereotype.

I think sometimes hiding behind the atmosphere & aesthetic can fail a book, but in this instance I truly do feel like it all contributed into a nicely written package. Really stunning book that I enjoyed reading - and that cover???? Incredible.

This sapphic retelling of Swan Lake captures the haunting beauty of the original ballet while offering a fresh and compelling perspective from the sorcerer’s daughter. The novel honors its ballet roots, not only through its narrative structure but also in its lyrical, elegant prose that echoes the grace of a performance.

Told through the eyes of Odile, the sorcerer’s daughter, the story offers a layered take on themes of love, identity, and transformation. The gothic atmosphere is rich and immersive, and the queer romance adds a poignant depth to the classic tale.

My only criticisms: the ending felt a bit rushed compared to the carefully developed earlier sections, and Odile's character occasionally veered into whininess, which slightly undermined her actions and the beauty of the book.

That said, this is a beautifully written novel, and the stunning cover alone is enough to draw you in. If you're a fan of gothic settings, queer stories, and creative retellings of classic tales, this one is worth picking up.

4 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the arc.

This was such a fun time! The world had just enough darkness and whimsy to draw you in, and the balance of a sarcastic and flawed but lovable was done well.

I loved Odile all the more for her faults. Her deep loyalty often blinded her, but considering everything, I couldn’t blame her.

Odile and Aimé’s friendship was one of the high points, though I do wish that Odile and Marie’s relationship was flushed out a bit more. They have a backstory that has built up their interactions prior to the start of the book, but that timeframe without each other seemed like it was a bit rushed.

I will be going back and reading the author’s debut as soon as I can!

3/5 stars

Like many a modern girl, my love for Swan Lake started with, of course, Barbie Swan Lake. Having read one other Swan Lake-esque book and really enjoying it, I was delighted when I heard about A Treachery of Swans. There is just something so enchanting about the story.

However, having read A Treachery of Swans, it didn't quite do much for me. It was definitely enjoyable for the most part, but lacked a gripping element that I can't quite put my finger on. I have to give A. B. Poranek their props though, they have deliciously beautiful prose. I definitely plan to read more novels by them, as I think I could really enjoy them, but unfortunately A Treachery of Swans fell a bit flat for me.

This was an enchanting gothic retelling of Swan Lake with a magical and sapphic twist.

I didn’t know much about Swan Lake before picking up this book, after being drawn to the breathtaking cover art, but I loved how the story expanded on two female leads to give them more life outside of fighting for a man like in the original play. It was fun to see the story flipped, and I really felt for the female characters, especially Odile, as she grappled with her feelings and trying to do the right thing for love.

The ending really threw me off. There was a big emotional ending that hinted at a sequel book filled with more adventures, only for the epilogue to time skip and end the story once and for all. This abrupt switch was jarring and it took away from the emotional cost of the ending. I’m glad there was a happily ever after, but the author should’ve made up their mind about having a sequel or not based on that ending.

Thank you to NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!!

A sapphic retelling of <i>Swan Lake</i> with high stakes, a gripping plot, and potential betrayal around every bend.

Friends to enemies to lovers... A princess and an actress... Desires that can't be caged... A swan one white, one black

Odile has spent practically her whole life preparing to free magic from the King's clutches. Impersonating her nemesis Marie d'Odette in order to steal an artifact that would liberate magic should be second nature, a con where anything goes. Yet the young woman isn't prepared for the myriad of feelings she has towards Marie or the murder of the King. What begings as a revenge driven heist quickly turns into a mystery and fight for survival.

This is a dark fairytale retelling that takes many notes on theme and atmosphere from the Gothic Horror genre. Dark and sweeping, this tale spins a web of glittering wonder that barely masks the cruelty of a sharp blade waiting underneath. With delicious descriptions and scathing critiques of the 17th c French aristocracy, this is a delightful read. The courtly intrigued is just perfect!!

Familial trauma and societal pressures keep our cast tightly in line. Constantly in fear of mistepping, while longing for true change. This story really encapsulates how messy love can make a situation in all its many forms.

Odile can't help herself from disobeying her father to try and save her brother, any more than she can deny her burgeoning romantic feelings for Marie. Meanwhile her brother Damien—accused of murdering the King—is torn between the old love for his sister on opposite sides of this magical conflict and that of his deep feelings for the Prince. A Prince that Odile disguised as Marie is now betrothed to. Suffice to say the relationship dynamics here are complicated.

This is a truly beautiful book, and I am so grateful to have had a chance to review this. Thank you, reading this is and honor and a privilege. From one queer woman who grew up in the ballet and longed for the dizzying descents of madness love can provide, this is the most wonderful of gifts!!