The Swan Kingdom by Zoe Marriott

“Shadows have fallen across the beautiful and lush Kingdom. The queen was attacked by an unnatural beast, and the healing skills of her daughter, Alexandra, cannot save her. Too soon the widowed king is spellbound by a frightening stranger—a woman whose eyes reflect no light. In a terrifying moment, all Alexandra knows disappears, including her beloved brothers, leaving her banished to a barren land unlike her own. Alexandra has more fits than even she realizes as she is confronted with magic, murder, and the strongest of evil forces. She is unflinchingly brave and clever as she struggles to reclaim what she knows is rightfully hers.”

This is a retelling of the Wild Swans by Hans Christen Anderson, and The Six Swans by the Brothers Grimm. Last October I had read Daughter of the Forest, which is another retelling of this famous fairytale, so I had that one in mind as I was reading this version. I really enjoyed Marriott’s version of the tale. Alexandra was a great character, and easy to like. I liked seeing the growth she goes through and how she eventually learns and accepts her full capabilities. The relationship with her and Gabriel is sweet, I wish we could have seen them together more, but overall it was satisfying. Zoe Marriott is a great new author and I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next.