A Treachery of Swans coming June 24th, 2025 from Simon & Schuster; 368 pages
Content Warning: Acts of violence, gory descriptions, parental abuse
About the Author: “A. B. Poranek grew up splitting her time between Ontario, Canada and rural Poland, and eventually completed a veterinary degree at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences. A lover of mythology and history, she enjoys exploring both in her writing. Her debut novel, Where the Dark Stands Still, an instant New York Times bestseller, is an ode to Poland’s folktales, while A Treachery of Swans transports readers to a world inspired by 17th century France” (Bio from author’s website).
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Odile Regnault is a master of disguise, a born thief, an actress for the Theatre du Roi, and the adopted daughter of a vengeful and cruel sorcerer. She has been raised and trained for the most important mission of her life: sneaking into the royal palace to steal the king’s crown and restore magic. The one thing standing in her way is her ex-childhood best friend and royal, Marie d’Odette. To succeed, Odile transforms Marie into a swan and steals her identity. As Odile grows closer to the charming and soft Dauphin and uncovers secrets within the royal family, she begins to question everything. Once her brother is imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, she is torn between her loyalty to her father and the blood that binds her to her brother. She seeks help from Marie and begins to doubt her ability to be a villain.
I absolutely adored A Treachery of Swans. The writing is beautiful, gothic, and immersive in a way that makes me wildly jealous of A.B. Poranek’s talent. Every word felt carefully chosen, crafting a unique and vivid fantasy world. All of the characters are unforgettable, but Odile and Marie stole my heart. Odile’s journey from villain to hero evoked strong emotions for me, and Marie’s character is soft and brave in a way I haven’t seen before. The slow-burn sapphic romance is swoon-worthy, and the mystery had me dropping my jaw, gasping, and mumbling to myself in public. There are so many twists and turns and I couldn’t predict any of them. I did find myself wishing for more scenes between Odile’s brother and the Dauphin. The ending ripped my heart out, and I did not expect to cry as much as I did, though I was a bit thrown off by the epilogue since the chapter before felt like a lead up to the sequel. But the world-building was layered and included so much history, the found family trope was heartwarming, and the romance was one of my favorites of all time. I completely adored this story and immediately purchased A.B. Poranek’s other novel, Where the Dark Stands Still. If you’re looking for a gothic sapphic fantasy with Phantom of the Opera vibes and a Swan Lake retelling, this is the book for you!
A Treachery of Swans releases on June 24th, 2025.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Anasofia Alejandro, Pine Reads Review Writer