A Throne of Swans

Katharine Corr

Elizabeth Corr

Age 16 +
09 January 2020
9781471408755
352 pages

Synopsis

When her father dies just before her birthday, seventeen-year-old Aderyn inherits the role of Protector of Atratys, a dominion in a kingdom where nobles are able to transform at will into the bird that represents their family bloodline. Aderyn's ancestral bird is a swan. But she has not transformed for years, not since witnessing the death of her mother - ripped apart by hawks that have supposedly been extinct since the long-ago War of the Raptors.

With the benevolent shelter of her mother and her father now lost, Aderyn is at the mercy of her brutal uncle, the King, and his royal court. Driven by revenge and love, she must venture into the malevolent heart of the Citadel in order to seek the truth about the attack that so nearly destroyed her, to fight for the only home she has ever known and for the land she has vowed to protect.

Written in rich detail and evocative language, this is the start of an irresistible, soaring duology about courage, broken loyalties and fighting for your place in the world.
If you love Melinda Salisbury's royal politics and treacherous courts, you'll love this brilliant Game of Thrones-esque fantasy. There's no swearing (though there is a very tastefully vague sex scene, suitable for young teens) and only occasional (reasonably vivid) violence, but tons of intrigue, mystery, family drama, glamorous gowns and hidden swords.
Seventeen year old Aderly inherits a kingdom ruled by those who can transform into a bird and flu. Aderly is a swan who since witnessing her mothers murder can no longer take flight. Can she save the kingdom from her cruel uncle? Who can she trust? An Intriguing fantasy richly woven with magic and duplicitous cast, a flawed but courageous heroine and an unexpected twist. Perfect for fans of leigh Bardugo and Melinda Salisbury.
The Corr Sisters return with A Throne of Swans, which is a rich and imaginative fantasy about a world where nobles can transform into birds. Aderyn's ancestral bird is a swan, but she has not been able to transform since the death of her mother left her harrowed many years ago. But when her father dies and she inherits his dominion, Aderyn must travel to the heart of the kingdom to prove herself to the king, where she begins to uncover secrets long hidden that could change her life forever.
I loved this book! It is loosely inspired by Swan Lake, a story I've always loved. Aderyn can turn into a swan and there is a secondary character named Odette, as well as political intrigue, and I found the storyline to be enjoyable, riveting, and dark.
Aderyn is an interesting heroine. She is ambitious and political, ready to do whatever it takes to protect her dominion and keep her power, with a strong sense of justice, a thirst for knowledge, and a brave mind. She is also loyal and loving to those closest to her, which made her likeable! However, there were times when I was deeply frustrated with her, such as when she made decisions that I could see were bad. It definitely added to the tension and intrigue of the story, but it also kind of made me want to shout at her to pay a bit more attention.
I liked the secondary characters, though I would have liked to get to know them more. I especially loved Aron and Odette and I hope in the second book we might get to delve more into their personalities as they were both interesting and unique characters!
I can't give away my thoughts on the romance without spoilers, so I'll try to be vague. Both romance storylines were rather predictable, but I did enjoy them to an extent. The main one seemed to be building up wonderfully throughout the book and I was rooting for the characters, but when it did happen, it seemed a very sudden transition from a slow burn maybe to "true love", but I suppose this isn't the first book that's done this. As for the second romance, someone made some mistakes and I saw it coming, I won't say anything else.
Aspects of the plotline were riveting and kept me guessing and hungry for more, but the overall story was relatively predictable. Nevertheless I really enjoyed it and its carefully woven intricacies were what made it wonderful, but I was hoping to be a little more surprised, The writing was simplistic but still very beautiful, so the book was easy to read and follow but still lyrical and glittering.
A Throne of Swans was an enjoyable and intriguing YA fantasy about royal politics, revenge, and romance that I would describe as Throne of Glass meets The Storm Crow!

Books by Katharine Corr