A.B. Poranek is quickly becoming a must-read author for me. Where the Dark Stands Still was one of my favorite books last year so it was a no-brainer that A Treachery of Swans was going to be a highly anticipated book for me this year. I loved the atmospheric and fairy tale-esque writing of Where the Dark Stands Still, so I was pleasantly surprised when that was present in A Treachery of Swans but Poranek also really shines here in new ways. I loved the dialogue and snarky back and forth of the characters and the thoughtful romance was even more present here. The way the characters complemented each other and the way that Poranek played with The Swan Princess story felt fresh and fun and also intense in a way I didn't expect.

The themes of freedom and belonging and family were so prevalent in this book and I latched on to every bit of it. I truly never really knew where this book was going, despite being familiar with the source story which made the reading experience feel fresh and surprising. While the main romance was a huge draw for me, I particularly also liked the friendship that Odile has with the prince and her relationship with her brother.

This book was such a joy to read and I remain one of A.B. Poranek's biggest fans.

Thank you so much to Penguin Teen for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Raised by a sorcerer in a theater troupe, Odile has spent her life preparing for the biggest heist with her father; infiltrate the king’s chateau, magically disguise herself as the future princess, steal the king’s crown, and restore magic to the realm.

When the king is found dead, the plan becomes a little more complicated. Odile must work with Marie, the real princess, to figure out who murdered the king while hiding her lies and learning who really can be trusted.

Odile will face her toughest challenge yet – decide between completing her mission or the girl who has stolen her heart.

I loved this. The words were lyrical and dark. Poranek succeeded in creating the foggy, gothic atmosphere, pulling all heat strings and she weaves her words like magic threads. I have read a few Swan Lake retellings, and this Sapphic beauty might be my favorite!

I didn't grow up with swan lake so I knew literally nothing going into this (literally didn't even know the fable) so that was daunting going in! I will say I wish that Odile and Marie interacted more earlier on (because I am a FOOL for lesbians interacting), but their relationship later on was very sweet and I do like them both. But it felt like a book where you really had to be there for the vibes and the love of the game (swan lake being The Game). I enjoyed the vibes, I enjoyed the game, I enjoyed the characters, but all together it just fell slightly flat.

I hear "sapphic romance" and I want my girls to be in love and doing in love things. I got it in parts, but it didn't feel complete. Odile was fun, I really enjoyed how she was willing to be mean and plot and scheme and be generally Not That Great Of A Person, but I also sometimes didn't enjoy being in her head. I have this issue with YA in general a lot- the FMC is far too trusting of their parental figure for no reason outside of "they saved me". Which like, sure a lot of children do this, and these people are in fact children. But Odile was street smart enough you would think she'd have some sort of inclination towards distrust. I dunno.

Overall, I did like this book! I love AB Poranek's writing and the feelings it can evoke in me. But I also miss the whimsy that was in WTDSS, and I wish there was a little bit more of it in this!

3.75-4 stars—I can’t quite decide my rating for this one, but I do know that I really enjoyed A.B. Poranek’s writing once again!

The atmospheric writing was wonderful; all the references to teeth or body parts in relation to the setting were very effective in establishing the tone for Odile’s experience and really allows us to understand how she views the world. Odile herself doesn’t shy away from her darker parts, instead embracing them as a sort of armor to protect the softness she wishes to ignore. And by slowly shedding this identity as the villain through the course of the novel, we find an interesting discussion about love, abuse, and emotional manipulation. I especially liked a point that was made about the kind of love an abuser might feel for the person they hurt; a desire to control and mold them into a mirror that reflects back all the adoration an abuser craves. I also liked the romance between Marie and Odile—especially the kind of cute aggression-esc feelings Odile has of hate mingling with love. I usually like this dynamic so it worked well for me, although it paired with the miscommunication aspects did read very YA (but it is YA so who cares rly).

The only downside to writing a fantastic debut novel is that your sophomore book will be compared to it—and I think this is the main reason why my rating isn’t higher? This by no means that I find A Treachery of Swans to be a bad book. In fact, if you enjoyed Where the Dark Stands Still, I would recommend you pick this up even if it is simply for how beautifully atmospheric this novel is! Plus who can pass up this cover?

I’d like to thank Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for an ARC to read and review.

Actual rating: 2.5 stars

This one started out well; totally atmospheric, dark, and Gothic. I was intrigued by the world-building but came to terms that it isn't quite all there. I was also drawn in by the historical French-inspired world. There wasn't really one singular character that I liked well enough, and this "romance" between Odile and Marie was...non-existent. I also thought Damien was totally valid in his feelings about Regnault, and I felt so crushed that Odile kept wanting to protect her father, too blinded by all the things he "promised" her.

I think this book would have worked well as a series, especially due to the last chapter. However, the epilogue ties things up in a little bow, and it felt like a copout. I wanted a bit more of what the world was like after the events of the last chapter, and again, I think we could have gotten it if this book had been a series. It would have been fun to explore and discover this reblooming world through the eyes of those who hadn't known any of it.

This book was a cozy, low-stakes, familiar-feeling fairy tale. Its concept was new and interesting, and I could clearly see the inspiration from Swan Lake. It had a similar feeling to some of Grimm's fairy tales; it felt classic and timeless. And I enjoyed how the queer romance wasn’t ever questioned and that it was a seamless part of the story.

While there was a good amount of action and drama, I would call it “low-stakes” because even when the action and plot seemed high-stakes and exciting, it didn’t feel that way. This may have mostly been due to the rather nonchalant main character. The main character's (Odile's) overall “I don’t trust anyone” attitude took over a lot of her personality and felt overused. Odile seemed pretty one-dimensional, and I was hoping for more dramatic internal conflict or more internal dialogue showing her personality.
There was a lot of world background and interesting characters. But it became a bit hard to keep some characters straight because a few of them are introduced off-handedly or referred to with different titles/names.
In general, I found the plot very predictable. Much of the foreshadowing seemed very obvious to me. And although I personally may have found this a little boring, I would still recommend this book to anyone interested in fairy tales. Its simplicity was enjoyable while still managing to be new and interesting.

absolutely loved this. so engrossing and made me incredibly interested in the author's future work!! if poetic dark fantasy with wonderful world building is your vibe, this is FOR YOU!

Sapphic fantasy at its best, this was such a beautiful retelling that completely encaptured me from the first page. Atmospheric and full of emotion. Can’t wait to read more from this author.

This book was beautiful. The writing was wonderfully poetic, the story was enthralling and captivating, and the love story was so heart achingly perfect. I loved every moment of it, and couldn’t put it down.

I’m so glad I read this. This book has so many of my favorite things. I love sapphic stories, dark fantasy, enemies to lovers, slow burn, etc! When I read that this was a sapphic swan lake retelling I knew I’d enjoy it no matter what. A. B. Poranek wrote this book beautifully. I highly recommend it!

3.75 stars

A Treachery of Swans is a beautiful, atmospheric, sapphic fairytale. The prose was poetic and beautiful, and I really enjoyed the world building, and how immersed we were in this dark, gothic, French inspired tale was. At its heart it’s a swan lake retelling, but I loved all the little nods to other fairytales, whether intentional or not. While I wasn’t surprised by any twists or turns, it was definitely a solid YA fantasy that fans of retellings are sure to love. I will definitely keep an eye out for other books by this author.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of Treachery of Swans. All opinions are my own

A lush, sapphic retelling of Swan Lake steeped in gothic atmosphere, A Treachery of Swans follows Odile, a sorcerer’s daughter trained to steal a king’s enchanted crown by assuming a princess’s identity. When assassination and betrayal thrust her into uneasy alliance with her sworn enemy—and unexpected love—Marie, Odile’s mission and loyalties collide.

Poranek balances poetic prose and immersive, French-inspired worldbuilding with a slow‑burn enemies-to-lovers romance that crackles with emotional stakes. The theatrical flair, mystery, and tragic twists make this stand-out for fans of dark fantasy and queer romance. A vividly thrilling blend of magic, deceit, and heartache—this is a must for readers seeking emotional depth wrapped in dark fairy tale magnetism.

When i heard there was a sapphic swan lake retelling being published i stood up and cracked my knuckles cause i knew it was MY TIME TO SHINE. as a sapphic and someone who was obsessed with the animated swan princess film this book was everything i wanted it to be! I loved Poranek’s debut novel (Where The Dark Stands Still) and her follow up did not disappoint. A really fun plot / adventure - there were things that I definitely saw coming but some other great twists that left me unable to stop reading. It also was the perfect slow burn between the two main girls and the childhood companions to betrayal then back to lovers as well as the repressed yearning was delectable.
I love Poranek’s prose and her ability to create lush, dark worlds. Really excited to see what she comes out with next!
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review!

This was a really solid YA fantasy read. I don’t remember too much about the swan lake story so this kept me really intrigued and I loved the gothic atmosphere Poranek was able to create. I do wish there was a little more depth to the characters but overall it got the job done. I’ll def be recommending to readers who crave a sapphic romance swan lake retelling.

A.B. Poranek delivers a gorgeously immersive storytelling. This reimagining of Swan Lake is drenched in French Rococo elegance and magic, wrapped in silks and shadows, secrets and slow-burning tension. From its haunting premise—an enchanted girl impersonating her former friend to steal a kingdom—to the unraveling of a murder mystery, the narrative is both sweeping and intimate.

Odile and Marie’s relationship is the shining heart of the story. Their dynamic—friends to enemies to reluctant allies to something far more tender—unfolds with aching grace. Their tension crackles. Their growth feels earned. The queer romantic thread between them is quietly powerful and emotionally resonant.

Rothbarte, true to form, is an excellent villain—seductive, cruel, and wielding emotional manipulation as sharply as any blade. The magical elements are rich and evocative, enhancing rather than overshadowing the character-driven plot.

If you’re drawn to fairytales with teeth, elegant court intrigue, and poetic prose with a dark, romantic heart, A Treachery of Swans belongs on your TBR.

3.5

A Treachery of Swans was a pretty good sapphic retelling of Swan Lake. It had very lush writing and an incredibly atmospheric vibe. However, there were also times when the book felt a little more on the juvenile side, which took me out of the story at times. While I loved the enemies to lovers romance, I think it happened way too quickly…which gave me a bit of whiplash. I think the pacing suffered at times - the start and end of this book were so well paced and fleshed out, but the middle was truly a slog to get through.

SAPPHIC SWAN LAKE RETELLING!
Okay I was anticipating this book ever since I got to know that this was (a) Swan Lake and (b) sapphic, and the actual book soo lived up to my hype 😭 Odile's character arc and narration are everything, I loved her so much. And Odette! The swan! Peak bird energy, the scenes where Odile and Odette interact as human/bird were hilarious 😭

I loved the slow-burn, sort of second-chance sapphic romance, Odile and Odette were so wholesome ++ the secondary characters (Aimè, Damien) were so cool to read about (that twist? that was SO sneaky and well done!)

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

As soon as I saw the description reading a sapphic retelling of Swan Lake, I knew I NEEDED this story in my hands. And oh, what a gorgeous story this was!!

Poranek is innately skilled in evocative writing, and this story absolutely comes alive from start to finish through her descriptions and lush prose. Marie's ethereal beauty was evident in every description, and Odile had her own air of dark beauty surrounding her. I don't know the story of Swan Lake, but I grew up obsessed with the cartoon Swan Princess movie, and this book only heightened my love. The way Marie and Odile fell in love was sweet and heart wrenching, and just when I thought I couldnt love them more the ending had me weeping and loving the two of them eternally.

I do wish we'd had a little more lore on the world - we do get plenty, don't get me wrong! It was just a little difficult to imagine the spaces outside the Chateau and Theatre, and I would've loved for them to be a little more fleshed out.

Overall I loved every second spent in this story, and am now desperate for more Gothic, sapphic fairy tale retellings 😍

3.75 stars

“Vile, vindictive, villain.

The words that have become my anthem, my obituary. But did I not want to be the villain of this tale? Had I not been proud of that, once upon a time?

Villains are pitiless. Villains are unfeeling. Villains can’t be hurt.

And I am so tired of being hurt.”

This was a beautifully written sapphic retelling of Swan Lake. A.B. Poranek’s prose is enchanting and the story reads just like a fairytale; this is the perfect book to read on a stormy night, tucked under the covers with a cup of tea. It’s the perfect blend of emotions and atmosphere, ranging from gothic to dreamy to mysterious to romantic.

However, I do wish this book had been a lot longer. The plot was very fast-paced, with new events happening every chapter or so. Having a moment or two to breathe within the novel would’ve showcased the character dynamics and character growth even better, and it would’ve helped draw out suspense and tension.

I really appreciated the political intrigue in this novel and I loved reading about all of the characters. It’s rare that I read a book and wish it was longer, but I think Poranek writes such rich, detailed stories she could benefit from writing 200+ more pages to include and explore everything she intends to.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review posted to Goodreads 6/28/25.

Review to be posted to main Instagram feed in July 2025 and in my June Reading Wrap Up at the end of the month.

A Treachery of Swans delivers a gorgeously imagined, darkly romantic twist on The Swan Princess, weaving political intrigue, magic, and slow-burn enemies-to-lovers tension into a tale that’s as emotionally charged as it is beautifully written. Odile and Marie’s dynamic is electric, layered with betrayal, longing, and reluctant trust, and the tension between them pulses through every scene. The court politics, mythic backdrop, and murder mystery add depth without overshadowing the heart of the story: two girls grappling with power, legacy, and the danger of falling for someone you were never meant to love. Some pacing dips mid-book, but the ending lands with satisfying resonance. A rich, queer fairytale retelling that earns its place on the shelf.