⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the arc!

Firstly I must say that the UK cover is disappointing compared to the US cover! The US cover just fits this book so much better…

This book was very atmospheric and had some absolutely gorgeous writing. I absolutely loved the Swan Lake inspiration and would definitely be interested in reading more books inspired by that story.

I think for me this was definitely an enjoyable read but where it fell flat was the romance element and the plot. I wanted the enemies to lovers to be more; there was less enemies more just…lovers? Dare I say a bit insta-love? I didn’t particularly feel any kind of way for them being together which is disappointing. The side characters didn’t really stand out to me either, and I did think parts of the plot were a little too predictable.

That being said I did really enjoy the aesthetics and still had an enjoyable time reading this.

Confession time… I actually don’t know the story of swan lake and this is meant to be a retelling🙈. However even though I don’t know what it compares to this is an epic gothic fairy tale, that is atmospheric and mystical! Forbidden magic, curses that causes people to shift into swans 😱. Not a creature I’d ever thought of shifting into, but now that I have, I personally think that would be pretty cool! Also beautiful writing 🥹.
Will love conquer all?

A Treachery of Swans is a beautifully atmospheric, gothic retelling of Swan Lake that blends court intrigue, magic, and yearning into a dark fairytale. The writing is lush and poetic, and Poranek excels at building an eerie, enchanted world full of betrayal, longing, and slow-burn romance. The sapphic relationship at the heart of the story, between Odile and Marie, adds emotional depth, and the villainess-turned-heroine arc gives the book a compelling twist.

However, while the premise is rich and the opening is strong, the story doesn’t maintain its momentum. As an adult reader, I struggled to stay invested through the middle of the book, where the atmosphere thins and the plot becomes predictable. Despite its promise, the romance never fully landed for me, and the final twist felt more like setup than payoff. The ending, in particular, was jarring, abruptly shifting tone and leaving a strong impression that this was meant to be part of a duology, even though it’s marketed as a standalone.

There are definite Little Thieves vibes here, both in theme and tone, which might appeal to fans of that series, though for me, the similarities were at times distracting. Still, the book is full of yearning and gothic beauty, and younger YA readers or die-hard fans of Swan Lake retellings will likely find more magic in it than I did.

Overall,
A gorgeously written, darkly magical retelling with a lot of heart, but one that didn’t quite leave a lasting impression. A solid read, especially for a younger YA audience, but ultimately felt more style than substance.

The sapphic swan lake retelling that I never knew I needed. It’s beautifully gothic and like the authors first book the writing is simply gorgeous. Although marketed and suitable as YA this is a book adults will enjoy too.
An auto buy author for me now.

This was an atmospheric, lush and darkly enchanting tale brimming with mystery and magic. I loved how the author pulled on elements of the gothic as well as 17th Century France to create Auréal, a land where sorcerers have long since been outlawed and where, behind the glittering facade of the court and within the shadows of the theatre things are not what they seem. It made for an interesting, unsettling backdrop for this sapphic swan lake retelling which was a great twist on the tale and full of slow burn, enemies to lovers yearning. The romance was often written in a beautiful and lyrical way, and Marie & Odile are absolutely Elphaba and Glinda coded. I also really enjoyed the secondary romance in the book and couldn’t help but love the Dauphin.

I was, at times irritated by Odile and her way of thinking as well as her devotion to her father but this isn’t a criticism- the author did a great job of writing a flawed character and I could appreciate how Odile had been manipulated into the person she was and it made her development all the more satisfying!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for providing a complimentary digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

4.25 stars

“A Treachery of Swans” is a “Swan Princess” re-telling but with a sapphic twist. When I saw this was written by A. B. Poranek, the author of “Where the Dark Stands Still”, I knew I was going to read and enjoy this.

The Writing: I loved the whimsical writing; immersive and intriguing. The book was a breeze to read through

The Characters: I liked Odile and Marie and their relationship, as well as Damian and Aime (I really got attached to him, I wish we spend even more time on his family relationships). I felt all of them got a chance to be vulnerable and I found myself rooting for all of them.

If I have any notes, it would be that I wanted to spend longer with these characters in their world.
I thought the villain was fairly easy to guess, but I also think that was part of the point - Odile finally allowing herself to see it and believe it.
Personally, I also really liked the ending, it really read like a fresh take on a fairytale, but it was also so hopeful.
I liked this book so much, I already preordered a special edition of this beautiful book.

I am really looking forward to reading more from A.B. Poranek.

I haven’t read The Darkness Stands Still by this author, but I am familiar with Swan Lake and love it! So I was very excited for this, especially finding out it was sapphic.

I’m finding it hard to talk about this one because there’s just so much to talk about to condense. I loved the atmospheric writing, all of the drama and how there wasn’t a single boring chapter.

I especially loved Odile, she was an awkward and chaotic person who wanted to do and be better but also wanted to please her evil and horrible father. You could tell her heart wasn’t in it and I felt for her, and a lot of the time I wanted to shake her for making such terrible choices and knowing she didn’t have to please him when there are so many people ready to love her!!

However, I didn’t feel anything for the romance between Odile and Marie. I have this issue with a lot of romances that begin before we are introduced to them (as they knew each other as kids), it means a lot of their bonding and getting to know each other and everything that makes you fall in love with them as a couple happens off page and makes it feel “insta-lovey”. Odile spent a lot more time with Aimé, and although this made sense for the plot of the story, I wanted to see that time spent with Marie instead.

I am also upset about how it ended because it felt like it was being set up for a duology and then it was wrapped up very quickly in a way that didn’t feel satisfying as there wasn’t enough time left in the book to do so. I know the author said in the acknowledgements she wanted this to be a standalone (at least that’s how I interpreted it), but I would have loved this to have been spread into two books

Otherwise, I had a good time with this and I’m excited to read more from this author, I love her writing style and her characters.

A truly captivating read that held my attention from.page 1 and didn't let it go until the final page. Brilliant craftsmanship and enchanting world building are two stand out features.

3.5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

Sapphic swan lake??? Yes please

I absolutely loved being in Odile's POV but I think having Marie's POV would have bumped my rating and made the yearning better.

I didn't guess ANY of the plot twists.

I would have loved this to have been a duology because I was really intrigued by Odile journey at the end. I also would have loved to seen more of Damien and Aime.

Overall, I think this is a great palate cleanser book for in-between reads, that being said I don't think this will be that memorable but it was a fun time.

3.75 ⭐️ rounded to 4!

A sapphic retelling of Swan Lake. A Treachery of Swans follows Odile impersonating a princess to steal the crown in order to restore magic back to the kingdom. Suddenly, the king is brutally murdered, leading Odile to seek the help of the real princess Marie - who is cursed to be a swan.

Overall, this was a good book. I enjoyed the writing and gothic atmosphere. There were some lines that were well written and so lovely to read that created beautiful imagery. I enjoyed learning about the world through Odile's perspective and trying to piece together what was happening. I feel that the self-discoveries of Odile and Marie were lovely to read.

On the other hand, the plot initially had a steady speed which seemed to rush more towards the end. In addition, I found that the romance felt like it advanced rapidly at the end - perhaps this was a me problem though. A lot seemed to happen in the final act compared to the other acts. However, have very little knowledge of the orginal narrative (literally, my knowledge is Barbie Swan Lake 😅), so this could just be how the story goes. Even though the final act felt a little rushed, I did really like the ending and found myself crying on the train.

A Treachery of Swans - A. B. Poranek

Thank you @netgalley for the advance eArc copy.

In this sapphic retelling of Swan Lake, Odile, with her adoptive father Regnault, has been preparing for the heist of a lifetime: impersonate Marie d'Odette d'Auvigny, get the Dauphin to fall in love with her, steal the crown and restore magic to Auréal, where it has long been outlawed. It should be easy. But Odile isn’t expecting the murder of the king, or the feelings she has for the girl she’s pretending to be, and she soon finds herself with a choice to make.

Having absolutely adored A.B. Poranek's previous book, was very excited to give this a go. The story intrigued me from the start and it was clear early on that things weren’t going to be as simple as Odile anticipated. While we get the story from Odile’s perspective, her plans sit within a larger web of political plotting and intrigue.

I will say I didn't really warm to Odile at the start. The characters did read slightly young for me. This probably means that they are pretty much spot on for a YA book – you could really see their naivety and, while this was a bit frustrating for me, I could see them being very relatable for teen readers. However the king's murder was a catalyst for Odile's character development and she definitely grew on me through her investigation.

Two major highlights for me reading this:
• The author’s writing style. It’s really atmospheric and engaging, working well for the plot and keeping me invested.
• The ending. It would have been so easy for this to become a duology with the events that were happening as we built to the climax. Instead, the author did a masterful job of providing a satisfying conclusion, yet one which was still very open to interpretation and which I didn’t see coming. I can’t wait to read more from this author for their endings alone.

With thanks to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this ahead of publication.

The way this book pulled me in is indescribable
.
So many plot twists that I didn't know what was going to happen. What drew me in most was a more complex, villainous main character - Odile. Because even though she has claimed herself a villain, she still cannot bare to hurt the people she cares about. Through struggles, and hard truths she starts to see who she can trust and rely on.

I loved the elements and as I've never read a Swan princess retelling it was a refreshing change. Plus, sapphic romance (SLAY).

A. B. Poranek is an amazing writer, which I already knew after reading When the Dark Stands Still, and I can't wait to read her next work.

An atmospheric and bewitching second book from A.B. Poranek, one that will draw you into its dark and magical plot from the first page. The characters within are complex, flawed and utterly human and maybe morally grey in places, making for a fascinating cast in this retelling of The Black Swan. I thoroughly enjoyed falling into this world, watching the mysteries unravel and the characters develop. There are twists and turns dotted throughout which kept me on my toes and I enjoyed seeing the way in which different relationships in this story changed in different ways, as Odile learned to lower her guard and as she sees what she has been blind to for so long.

A truly wonderful story and an excellent interpretation of the original story, with a beautifully crafted ending.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

A sapphic retelling of Swan Lake.

When I first saw this book on Netgalley I thought “Yes! This absolutely for me!” And I was not wrong. I sped through this book, absolutely loving the story of Odile, the ‘villian’, and Marie and thinking it was absolutely a 5 star read.
The whole time I was reading I was thinking how I could not wait to recommend this to people and I still stand by that, I will still be recommending this book to people however with one caveat: the ending let’s this book down. I found the last few chapters to be so rushed and disjointed fromt the rest of the story that I had enjoyed so much. At one point I thought they were setting us up for a book two but then after the epilogue I don’t think so.

If you enjoy books full of sapphic yearning and a beautifully written retelling of a classic story then this is entirely the book for you. Overall this was a really good book that I definitely think is worth reading and I would absolutely give it 4 stars.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the writing style, I liked the concept and the gothic elements.
It was an okay read if you love a sapphic retelling specifically.

I found I wasn’t really attached to any of the characters. I actively disliked Odile and Aimé so I just didn’t care what happened to them.

I felt like the entire book was rushed also? I don’t know why I think that, I can’t put my finger on exactly why.

Overall, it’s an okay read. I had an okay time reading it but I didn’t enjoy any element of it enough to give it more than 3 stars.

I was very eagerly anticipating this and unfortunately it didn't hit with me. I really enjoyed the beautiful atmospheric writing in Where the Dark Stands Still, which I felt was missing for the majority here. I enjoyed the prologue and the epilogue (although it felt rushed and kind of like you'd spent ages on a gourmet picnic only to shove it in the blanket and tie a quick knot).
It read a lot more YA than I was expecting, I didn't bond with the fmc, a couple of side characters had more promise for me but they didn't feature enough or deeply to impact. The magic felt flat. I was a bit bored and felt the mystery was a bit overshadowed by the fmc's determination to hold grudges and force herself to be as mean as possible. Even though I'm disappointed this didn't work for me, I think so many other readers will adore it and sapphic swans is just so needed in this world.
Thanks to Penguin Random House UK and Netgalley for the arc, all thoughts are my own and left voluntarily.

This book was quite hard to rate, as while I really enjoy Poranek's writing style and prose, several areas of this book just fell a little flat to me.

In general, the plot was very bare. I wasn't particularly surprised by any of the twists, and I don't think this would have changed if I'd had less knowledge of the ballet the book is largely based on. While I did enjoy some elements of the plot (importantly, the concept of the stolen identity), most of these elements were already part of the original ballet and weren't really expanded upon to any fulfilling capacity within the novel. I found the ending bizarrely cut off and the pacing a little off, and I wonder if this book could have been stretched and further developed into a duology.

Most disappointingly, I found the relationship between Odile and Marie underwhelming. I think that much of the interest generated by their relationship is hampered by how we as readers are introduced to their dynamic post-percieved betrayal. Some of how they behave towards one another feels unjustified given what we, as readers, are permitted to witness through Odile, and it leaves their dynamic a little unremarkable.

Still, I really liked the prose and atmosphere this book set. I honestly wish we spent a little more time in Odile's original environment of the stage, as it's one of the more interesting settings within the novel. Poranek is an accomplished writer and the visuals in this novel are beautifully lush and really set the stage for the plot very well.

A Treachery of Swans was such a beautiful reimagining of Swan Lake with a Gothic feel to proceedings.

At the heart of the story, we follow Odile on her quest to return magic to the kingdom, effectively reversing the balance of power. She is wily and scheming but also kindhearted and deeply devoted to those she loves. When her scheme has an unexpected hitch, she’ll have to ally with the very princess whose place she has stolen. This leads to a twisty and tenderhearted tale of love, strength and claiming your place in the story. Odile’s character arc is brilliant and will resonate with so many readers.

I loved the way Poranek woven in these elements of Swan Lake but kept the story fresh and exciting. This is somewhat of a fantasy murder mystery with ever-shifting stakes and a story that delights in tripping you up. The pacing is exacting, drawing you further and further into its web.

Poranek’s writing is gorgeously evocative and lushly imagined but with a knife-edge to it. It is dark and delectable, drawing you into these worlds. This is a place of hidden magic that shimmers beneath the surface. It is a story that captures the allure of power and the lengths to which people will go to ensnare it. For me, it felt like the original fairytales that transport you to fantastical worlds but keep that tinge of fear. Between this and Where the Dark Stands Still, Poranek has such skill for conjuring up these atmospheric stories that keep you in their clutches. It is stunning and has a Gothic flair that feels timeless. Auréal is a place of secrets and lies with a wonderful contrast of the gilded cage of palace life and the crushing reality of those living outside the bubble.

A Treachery of Swans is a wonderfully written tale laced with darkness but is ultimately a story of empowerment and love against the odds.

A Treachery of Swans is a lush, gothic reimagining of Swan Lake that blends court intrigue, forbidden magic, and a slow-burn sapphic romance into a spellbinding tale. Set in a kingdom where enchantment has been outlawed, the story follows Odile, a master of disguise raised by a vengeful sorcerer, as she infiltrates the palace to steal the king’s enchanted crown. But when the king is murdered and her mission collides with the life of the real princess, Marie d’Odette, Odile is forced to question everything she’s been taught.

With themes of identity, forgiveness, and the cost of survival, the mystery at the story’s core keeps the tension simmering. The dynamic between Odile and Marie was certainly interesting to watch, evolving from wary alliance to something far more tender. The supporting characters, the Dauphin and Odile’s brother, should have added depth and complexity, but perhaps weren't fleshed out enough.

A Treachery of Swans is undeniably well-written, steeped in richly gothic atmosphere, lyrical prose and an undeniably interesting concept, but for me, it didn’t quite land. Coming off Where the Dark Stands Still, which I absolutely loved, this book felt very different which isn't a bad thing but it wasn't for me. Perhaps this specific blend of storytelling and ambience just doesn’t resonate with me as deeply as I’d hoped - but I can still admire what the author set out to create and I can see how this book might appeal to others.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House UK for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

3.5⭐️

I was sold on the concept of a sapphic retelling of Swan Lake with a darker and more magical twist.

The story begins with as Odile turns Marie into a swan. She is tasked by her father to then impersonate the princess, steal the crown and to help him restore magic that has long been outlawed back to the kingdom of Auréal. Sounds simple but little does Odile know that other forces are at play..

First off the good.. As this is a retelling of Swan Lake I kept being reminded of one of my favourite animated films; “The Swan Princess” when I read this. It was great as some of the characters and setting already felt familiar from the get go. The magic system was unique but I do wish this was built out a bit more.

Now the not so good.. I really enjoyed this book up to the 75-80% mark. However, where it falls down for me is the conclusion. I felt that ending was incredibly rushed and a lot of loose ends were tied up hastily through brief explanations from other characters or in the epilogue. At about 90% I thought the book may have ended on a cliffhanger but then remembered that this was a standalone book. The pacing of the story would have been improved if this was a duology. While I also really liked both the FMCs, I often wondered if the book might have been improved with more than one POV. i.e some chapters on Marie’s perspective would have been fantastic and taken away the speculative nature of some of Odile’s chapters.

Overall this was a really good read, I just wished the ending was a bit more fleshed out.