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.

I absolutely love Swan Lake, so this sapphic retelling had me hooked from the start. It’s a perfect mix of magic, mystery, and romance. Odile’s plan to impersonate a princess and steal the king’s enchanted crown to bring magic back is thrilling and then everything gets way more complicated when the king is murdered.

The chemistry between Odile and Marie d’Odette is electric, and their slow-burn romance is beautifully written. The twists and betrayals kept me guessing, and I loved how the story balanced heart-pounding action with emotional depth. Odile’s choice between her mission and the girl she’s falling for makes for a gripping, high stakes journey.

If you love magic, sapphic romance, and fairy tale vibes, this book is a must-read. I’m still thinking about it!

really enjoyed the writing and spooky, gothic atmosphere. interesting characters that readers can dig into. really could have been a duology, though! the end left a lot out.

There are parts of this book I loved and parts I didn't. As someone who knew next to nothing about Swan Lake going into this one:

I loved the characters and complex relationship dynamics.

Odile and Marie and the way their relationship developed throughout the book was my favorite! I feel like I read so many books where the main relationship feels forced or insta-love-y but that was very much not the case here. Their relationship felt very natural and I loved the way their past was woven into the present day narrative to give us a full picture overtime.

I also loved the complex relationships Odile had with her father and brother and I found these to be super compelling parts of the narrative.

The deceit, trickery, and murder mystery I overall liked but wasn't in love with. I think for me that's because the pacing and plot overall felt a little lackluster.

I was just never super compelled to keep picking this one up; I never had the feeling of "I need to get back to this one and know what's happening ASAP!" In fact, it took me nearly two weeks to finish this one when it normally only takes me about a week to finish books. I do think it got overall more compelling in the final quarter and that was certainly in part due to the first 3/4s of the story. But I definitely wanted something overall punchier, more attention grabbing.

If you like deep characters and watching characters grow (plus sweet sapphic relationships!) I would give this one a go. But if you're looking for something with a swifter plot and complex politics, I think there are other books out there that do it better.

Everything about this books feels like you’re just luxuriating in a a warm cup of tea, steeping in a beautiful and heavy gothic French atmosphere. Add in longing glances, lingering touches, espionage, manipulation, regicide, and horror, and you have just a rough sense of what reading this book is like. I adored A Treachery of Swans.

I really enjoyed Where the Dark Stands Still (Poranek’s first novel). A Treachery of Swans is entirely different. It’s a sapphic reinterpretation of Swan Lake. If, like me until a couple years ago, you’re only familiar with the children’s movie The Swan Princess, know that the movie is very much not the plot of the ballet. You can certainly read this without knowing anything about the source, though I personally enjoyed having that background knowledge while reading (and am very grateful for the friend who was horrified that I only knew the movie).

I won’t put any spoilers here, but I will advise you to perhaps first read the author’s acknowledgements note at the end and decide your reading course for yourself…specifically if you are someone who was absolutely wrecked by the ending of Where the Dark Stands Still and want to enter this book knowing a little bit more about what to expect after the emotional turmoil of the last 20 or so pages of the first book.

The writing is gorgeous (the imagery is so lush…it really does feel like you’re steeping in it) and the characters are complex and compelling. The pastries are written deliciously (can that be a writing adjective??), and the death is perfectly dreadful (there was one description so visceral that I reflexively dropped my kindle to cover my eyes).

If this area of the fantasy genre is one you enjoy, then this novel is very much for you. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

4 stars

I truly felt like I was in this world! Every detail came alive so vividly in my mind. Poranek has a way of transporting you effortlessly without ever feeling forced or overly descriptive. The concept of the book was a 10/10 a gothic fantasy, a Swan Lake retelling, and a sapphic romance! Even though Where the Dark Stands Still still holds the top spot for me, this was such a great read. A.B. Poranek is officially an auto buy author for me now!

A Treachery of Swans is an enchanting and razor-sharp sapphic retelling of Swan Lake that soars with lush prose, courtly intrigue, and a romance that aches in all the right ways. A.B. Poranek masterfully reimagines the classic ballet into a spellbinding fantasy full of high-stakes heists, forbidden magic, and slow-burn betrayal.

Odile is the kind of morally gray heroine you can’t help but root for—clever, fierce, and heartbreakingly vulnerable beneath all her armor. Her chemistry with Marie d’Odette crackles from their first tense encounter, blossoming into something tender and impossible as secrets unfurl and loyalties shift. If you love Allison Saft's lyrical style or the emotional complexity of V.E. Schwab’s heroines, this is absolutely for you.

I had this one on my radar since I found out it was releasing this year and I can safely say it did not disappoint! I loved Odile and Marie and their character arcs so much! I also loved the fantasy element of it and how it ties in loosely with the original Swan Lake premise, but I did enjoy the author's take on the story and made it their own. Will definitely be recommending this to people I know!

Book Review of A Treachery of Swans by A.B. Poranek

Cover Story: Light and Shadow
BFF Charm: Caution
Talky Talk: Glamor and Guts
Bonus Factor: Supporting Characters, Siblings
Anti-Bonus Factor: Blood and Gore, Bigotry
Relationship Status: A Loyalty of Retellings

Cover Story: Light and Shadow
This is exactly the way Odile sees herself: as the shadow sneaking up on Odette to steal her light. It’s eerily beautiful in an 18th-century style, just like the book.

The Deal:
The kingdom of Auréal (inspired by 18th-century France) is cursed. Ever since its court sorcerer betrayed its king, the gods punished them by withdrawing almost all magic from the kingdom, with the exception of a few key artifacts. (At least, that’s the version most people believe.) Theatre director Regnault and his adopted daughter Odile have a plan to bring magic back: a multi-stage heist that involves impersonating a noblewoman, seducing a prince and stealing the magical royal crown. You know how it is with heists, though (from books and movies, I hope): They never go according to plan.

BFF Charm: Caution
Odile was an orphan living on the streets when Regnault took her in. All she really wants is to be loved, but he taught her all the wrong ways to go about it: “Don’t show your pain, or it will be exploited,” etc. She’s been his accomplice for so long that she’s genuinely horrified to find out she still has a conscience. She also has a massive chip on her shoulder about the nobility, which makes it difficult to listen to said conscience: “Why should I pity [Odette’s] pain when she weeps into pillows of satin?”

Swoonworthy Scale: 7
Odile and Odette – Marie d’Odette d’Auvigny in this version – are a classic example of slow-burn friends-to-enemies-to-lovers. Normally I’d have a problem with a love story in which one turns the other into a swan, but Odette is no more a saintly victim than Odile is as wicked as she thinks she is. This version of Odette (though she takes a long time to admit it) actually enjoys having wings and being away from court intrigues. Odile is not so much keeping her prisoner as, in an indirect way, freeing her to become the adventurous young girl she used to be before family pressure forced her to become the perfect lady.

Talky Talk: Glamor and Guts
Poranek’s writing style has a macabre streak that suits the mood of the story perfectly. Rubies have “bowels”. Diamonds “swallowed light in their bellies and spit it out”. Regnault’s theatre where Odile grew up is a “gluttonous beast”. Having been hungry as a child and feeling both envious and threatened in luxurious surroundings, no wonder she sees the world like that.

Bonus Factor: Supporting Characters
Prince Siegfried – here called Aimé – is secretly involved with his bodyguard, Damien (Odile’s estranged brother), while at the same time planning a marriage of convenience with Odette (actually Odile in disguise). It’s all very soap-operatic, and I mean that as a compliment.

Bonus Factor: Siblings
Odile’s brother Damien left Regnault’s theatre when he realized how cruel and manipulative Regnault was. He tried to persuade Odile to leave with him, but she refused. Since then, she tells herself he’s no brother of hers, but her heart and conscience know better – especially when he’s wrongfully accused of a crime.

Anti-Bonus Factor: Blood and Gore
There is a monster in the palace that eats people – in graphic detail. I don’t recommend a heavy meal before reading this book.

Anti-Bonus Factor: Bigotry
Sorciers – magic users – are recognizable by their golden blood, even though they can’t do magic anymore. “Never let them see you bleed”, Regnault warns Odile, because if non-magical people see that golden blood, they’re liable to form a lynch mob. Part of the reason Odile is willing to go through with the heist is that she hopes, once magic becomes a normal part of the kingdom again, people like her will be able to live openly and in peace.

Relationship Status: A Loyalty of Retellings
Unlike some of its characters, this book delivers exactly what it promised. It’s a fairy tale retelling that makes you feel its magic as if it were new.

A Treachery of Swans by A.B. Poranek is a gorgeously written, sapphic tale filled with longing, magic, and just the right amount of political tension. It has the lyrical vibe of a fairytale but isn’t afraid to get a little gritty and emotionally complex. The queer romance is tender and earnest, giving us two women navigating power, grief, and identity with quiet resilience. Their connection felt authentic—slow-burn but satisfying.

Poranek’s prose is stunning, almost poetic at times, and the atmosphere is beautifully built. Think gothic edges softened by romance and mythology. The world feels a little like something you might stumble into in a dream—mysterious, maybe even a little haunted.

That said, the pacing sometimes wandered, and I found myself wishing for just a bit more momentum in the middle. Some scenes meandered, and while I love character-driven plots, a few threads didn’t feel fully resolved. But when it hits, it really hits—there are moments of aching beauty and emotional payoff that make it all worthwhile.

If you love stories that are romantic, a little sad, and undeniably queer, A Treachery of Swans will probably steal your heart—even if it breaks it a little too.

A Treachery of Swans is an atmospheric fantasy based on Swan Lake, following Odile as her plan to restore magic to her kingdom gets disrupted by a murder—forcing her to beg for help from the young woman whose identity she stole.

This was my first time reading A.B. Poranek’s writing. I loved the lush, atmospheric writing. It felt so rich and immersive. The style perfectly suited the moody vibes of the storyline, and I was enthralled by the darker tone and magic.

Odile is one of my favorite kinds of characters — complex, a little ruthless and unlikeable. I’m a sucker for a great anti-hero.

I had a great time with this book. Perfect for readers of historical fantasy who enjoy dark fairytale retellings.

Rating: Enjoyed It, 3.5 stars rounded to 4

I had a good time with this book! A Treachery of Swans is a sapphic swan princess retelling. Set in a French-inspired fantasy world, we follow Odile. She is a sorcier, a golden blooded magic wielder; however, a curse has been placed upon the land. There is no magic except what is available in golden relics, the crops wither and die, and the snow falls black instead of white. Odile is working with her adopted father to steal the crown of the ruling family in order to break the curse and set magic free once again. We follow her as she captures a wealthy noblesse named Marie who her father turns into a swan, and weaves a spell so that Odile might take her place and win the Dauphin's hand in marriage. However, shortly after arriving at the palace, the king is found brutally murdered, and Odile must work together with the Dauphin and the girl she cursed in order to put things right.

I had a fun time with this book! I liked Odile, and even though she made some very silly decisions, they were in line with her character and what had been established for her. I feel like her storyline was a bit predictable, but it was done in a way that I mostly enjoyed. I think that the gothic vibes of this were excellent, but that perhaps a little bit too much emphasis was placed on the vibes over the characterization.

While I liked Odile and Marie, I did feel like they fell a little bit flat as characters. Aime, the dauphin, was the other character that we saw a decent amount of, and none of them really felt like real people to me. At times it felt like some of the decisions the side characters in particular made was to further plot rather than something that was established as fully in line with their character. As a result, for me the romance felt a little bit formulaic and insta-lovey when I stepped. I was still rooting for the characters, but overall it felt more like something to drive the plot along rather than something that developed organically, which took me out of the story a bit.

That being said, I still had a fun time. I felt like this was a solid YA book, but it isn't a new favorite. I absolutely adored Where the Dark Stands Still, which had tropes and vibes that were a little more to my liking. Even though this one didn't hit the same way for me, I will definitely pick up what this author puts out next!

Thank you to Netgalley and Margaret K. McElderry Books for an eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own. A Treachery of Swans released June 24, 2025.

A sapphic gothic fantasy romance retelling of Swan Lake from the villainess's POV??? Yes please! Two girls, one enchanted and the other an enchantress, find themselves trying to solve a murder mystery, save a kingdom, and figure out their feelings for one another. Odile has been raised by her father, a vengeful sorcerer to infiltrate the castle and steal the king's crown, a powerful artifact that would restore magic in the kingdom. The only way to get into the palace would be by seducing the prince and becoming a candidate for future queen... and who better to steal that place from then Marie, Odile's childhood friend turned enemy. Odile's father transforms Marie into a swan and Odile takes her place... yet once she gets into the palace things are not as they seem and Odile begins to question where her alliance is and who she can trust... all the while murderous plots are happening and Odile finds herself reconnecting with Marie. This was such a fun new spin on the classic story. It's a slow burn romance and I enjoyed the vibes so much. The story was a fun read and the romance was a sweet slow burn. I liked the mystery and the fact that we follow the "villain's" journey. I would highly recommend this for fans who are looking for a unique sapphic romance read!

Release Date: June 24, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Margaret K. McElderry Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

poranek did such an amazing job with this retelling of swan lake! anything swan lake related, I am in there like swim wear. 😎

this story is over the longing for freedom with a sapphic romance subplot between our sun and moon characters, Odile and Marie annnnnd it is set in the 17th century *chef’s kiss* (also there are these two side characters that I am absolutely feral for GAH ANGST GOES CRAZY WITH THOSE TWO ಥ‿ಥ )

my favorite part of reading A Treachery of Swans is that I felt like I was watching something in a gothic theatre, like front row and center. it for sure gave me the vibes like as if I was watching Phantom of the Opera so if that is your jam, would suggest you try this one out 🙂‍↕️

i love love love poranek’s writing. it is so beautifully lush and gothic gahh I cannot wait to read Poranek’s other work, Where the Dark Stands Still!

thank you so much Simon Teen for the e-arc of A Treachy of Swans as well as sending me a final print copy of it along with Where the Dark Stands Still!

Because I skimmed the last ~30% of this book, I'm not going to give it a star rating.

there is nothing technically wrong with this book, it just wasn't the right time for me to be reading it. I would be very interested to try rereading in a year or two when I'm in more of this kind of mood. even only half paying attention the book had a lot to offer, so don't take my lack of interest as a point against this book.

I also fear this was another one of those moments where it really felt like I am outgrowing YA. sometimes it felt totally up my alley and other times very young, but I genuinely think that had more to do with me than anything the book actually did.

As someone who loved the movie The Swan Princess as a child, I was very ready to love this sapphic retelling of the Swan Lake story and I was not disappointed! A Treachery of Swans is an atmospheric story of forbidden magic and love with lush prose, full of angst and yearning.

I would recommend this book to people who have enjoyed dark fairy tale retellings, a well worded story, sapphic romance, or all three. This was a wonderful read and I look forward to more from the author!

I so wanted to love this one and I so want to be able to have more to say about it but the truth is it’s very forgettable. I’m wracking my brain to remember what I liked about it and all I’ve come up with is, it was atmospheric and vibe-y.

I really enjoyed Where the Dark Stands Still so I was slightly bummed not to love this one but I was just so very uninterested in the plot. I saw the ending coming from a mile away way and spent the majority of this books asking “where is the sapphic romance I was promised?”

Perhaps if I would have written this review right after finishing I’d have more to give you but alas, I waited and I just feel so “meh” about this one.

I do think this author has the whole, atmospheric, dark, gothic, vibe-y writing thing down!

I think if you’re really into Swan Lake this might work better for you.

Swan lake was one of my favorite stories as a kid so OF COURSE I had to read this!!! Sapphic swan lake!!!!! It's calling out to me!!!!

Poranek has such an immersive and whimsical style of story telling, and I felt like I was swept away into the story right away. The atmosphere was soaked in a mixture of magic and softness, and the morally grey characters left a very intriguing story.

Some parts were a bit slow for me and I struggled reading through them, hence the four stars.

Thank you to Netgalley for the e-arc of this book.

Sapphic swan lake re-telling? Hell yeah.

Enjoyed the writing style and the beginning of the story. I am also a sucker for a fairytale and I loved how the author accomplished this retelling.

There was also great yearning between the two characters, the romance subplot was well done.

The cover of this book is so stunning, I could not go without mentioning it because that is what initially drew me to the story.