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A Treachery of Swans

3.7(47)
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About the book

A #1 New York Times Bestseller

From the New York Times bestselling author of Where the Dark Stands Still comes an atmospheric romantasy based on Swan Lake, following Odile as her plan to restore magic to her enchanted kingdom gets disrupted by a murder mystery—forcing her to beg for help from the young woman whose identity she stole.

Can two girls—one enchanted, one the enchantress—save their kingdom and each other?

Two hundred years ago, a slighted deity stole the magic from Auréal and vanished without a trace. But seventeen-year-old Odile has a plan. All her life, her father, a vengeful sorcerer, has raised her for one singular task: infiltrate the royal palace and steal the king’s crown, an artefact with enough power to restore magic. But to enter the palace, she must assume the identity of a noblewoman. She chooses Marie d’Odette: famed for her beauty, a rumored candidate for future queen…and Odile’s childhood-friend-turned-sworn-enemy.

With her father’s help, Odile transforms Marie into a swan and takes her place at court. But when the king is brutally murdered and her own brother is accused, her plans are thrown into chaos. Desperate to free her brother, Odile is forced to team up with none other than elegant, infuriating Marie, the girl she has cursed…and the girl she can’t seem to stop thinking about despite her best efforts.

To make matters worse, there are whispers that the king’s murder was not at the hands of man, but beast. Torn between loyalty to her father and her growing feelings for Marie, Odile becomes tangled in a web of treachery and deceit. To save her kingdom, she must find the true path to magic…and find the real killer before they—or it—strikes again.

Editions (5)

ISBN9781665936514
PublisherMargaret K. McElderry Books
Publication Date07/07/26
Pages384

Reviews & Ratings

47 ratings

9 reviews

3.7

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  • soulfulrina_reads
    soulfulrina_reads

    116 Followers

    4.0

    Sapphic Romantasy

    For many years, she was trained by her foster father for one important mission. She is supposed to pretend to be a princess in the kingdom of Aureal, steal the crown, and bring back the lost magic. But when the king is murdered, she suddenly finds herself in the middle of court intrigues. To solve the murder, she has to work together with the Dauphin and her archenemy Marie. But is there really only hatred between them? This was a refreshing romantasy for me that works completely without spice and is still very enjoyable to read. I especially liked Odile as a character, even though I had some difficulties with her at first. Her complexity is what makes the book special for me. On the one hand, she is ruthless and focused only on bringing back the once powerful magic. Everything else seems unimportant to her, and she is willing to walk over dead bodies to reach her goal. On the other hand, she is a very lonely young woman who has been abandoned by everyone and has only herself to survive. I don’t think every reader will like her. The manipulative relationship between her and her foster father is also very well portrayed. The romance is soft and innocent and only becomes important near the end of the story. You can feel early on that there are emotions involved, but it takes a long time before the two characters actually grow closer, which I personally liked a lot. Overall, this is a lovely romantasy that could have had a bit more depth, but was still very sweet and fairy-tale-like. I can recommend this book to everyone who enjoys dark fairy tales and is looking for a romantasy without spice.

    Dec 17, 2025

  • nicole_s
    nicole_s

    82 Followers

    5.0

    'I'm not the delicate,white-feathered bird they believe me to be. I'm the darkness of cold gutters and merciless nights, the bruised shadows beneath a thief's desperate eyes. I'm nothing but a lie,a twisted reflection, a black swan.'

    Mar 29, 2026

  • angi04reads
    angi04reads

    68 Followers

    5.0

    Ich liebe einfach ihre Bücher!

    Irgendwas macht diese Autorin mit mir!!! Das Buch ist wunderschön geschrieben und atmosphärisch. Die Charaktere sind so vielschichtig und besonders. Ich kann es allen nur ans Herz legen dieses Werk zu lesen! (Erscheint nächstes Jahr auf Deutsch)

    Sep 29, 2025

3 of 9 reviews

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lottasasmr
lottasasmrMay 8, 2026

I feel like this book is significantly lacking in subtlety… it‘s good but just very on the nose so far

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