A Throne of Swans

A Throne of Swans

By Author / Illustrator

Katharine Corr, Elizabeth Corr

Genre

Fantasy

Age range(s)

14+

Publisher

Hot Key Books

ISBN

9781471408755

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

09-01-2020

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.

Reviews

Tanja

From the elegant cover featuring a 3D model of a specially designed throne and a lone feather to its pages filled with Machiavellian machinations, teen angst, secrets, love, betrayal, sacrifice and intricate world building involving avian transformation, 'A Throne of Swans' delivers a rich YA treat for high fantasy fans. Talented author siblings Katherine and Elizabeth Corr, fresh from their 'Witch's Kiss' trilogy success, envisioned a novel loosely based upon 'Swan Lake' and swan maiden fairy tales with a dash of 'Game of Thrones', just a hint of 'Hamlet' and a flavour of an 18th Century European setting. This Herculean task involved time, research and lots of decision making on character arcs but the duo enjoyed creating the kingdom of Solanum. Readers are introduced to a revenge fuelled quote from 'Sophocles', a map of five realms and a family tree of the Lords of Chenorys at the start of the novel. The Corrs cleverly reverse the concept of humans being turned into swans by an evil spell by giving their ruling class the ability to transform into powerful birds. This arrangement leaves the flightless at a socio-economic disadvantage. As Kate explained in an interview with 'The Nerd Daily', "We had to think about the impact of having a ruling class of shapeshifters. We had to imagine how that would affect things like dress, social structure, religion, architecture. We also had to invent the geography of Solanum." As a result, scientific advances such as the use of a telescope and reference to courtly customs feature. For Liz it was also important to address the aspects of 'coming of age' as growing up and stepping into a larger and scarier world is something everyone expects to experience to some degree. Their story revolves around the choices of 17-year-old Aderyn who is emotionally scarred and suffering from post-traumatic stress after terrible events. Thrust into a role she is unprepared for as Protector of the Dominion of Atratys she must make incredibly difficult decisions battling with her heart, head and desire to discover the truth about who is responsible for her situation. Who can she trust at a court filled with intrigue as duplicitous individuals ruthlessly vie for ultimate power? Dark haired Darcyesque imperious Lucien, who can transform into a raven, and whom she feels strangely drawn to, warns Aderyn to trust no one not even himself or her companion Letya. She is grappling with a secret that could destroy her, the resentment of her cousin Aron, the attentions of the handsome and mysterious Siegfried, who is engaged to her cousin Odette, fear of her sinister uncle [based on King Claudius in Hamlet] and the rigid rules of the Convocation who govern Solanum. The Corrs offer up a cocktail of magic, poison and double cross as vulnerable Aderyn is bitterly tested like the 'Game of Thrones' Daenerys. Loosely based on Swan Lake's Odile, Aderyn is a complex character open to manipulation. In George Martin's Westeros supremacy is gained through the control of dragons but in Solanum it is possessed by those who have the power of flight, strength and speed. Add some skulduggery and treachery worthy of 'Claudius', vivid and visceral bird language, vibrant colours, heart stopping peril and evocative imagery and you have a book destined for the screen. Katherine and Elizabeth count 'Gilded Cage', 'Earthsea', 'Iron King', Mortal Instruments' and 'Starcrossed' among their favourite reads. Fans of these gripping fantasy tales which have spawned sequels can look forward to more dastardly deeds in the kingdom of Solanum. Liz promises new ancestral lines, more contenders for the throne and more bad things in store for the protagonists while Kate, dubbed 'the character killer', will be exercising her 'dark side'. Enthralling, imaginative, immersive and passionate this shape shifting swan series is a an exciting addition to the YA fantasy stable. It will appeal to teens who enjoy engaging reads with a sprinkle of fairy tale magic where characters face extreme challenges and battle with broken hearts. So get ready to be swept away and #JoinTheFlight. Reviewed by Tanja Jennings / ages 14+ / 352 Pages

Suggested Reading Age 5+

Linda

This wonderful story takes place in the fantasy kingdom of Solanum, ( beautifully illustrated map and family tree at the beginning, always a plus!) where the nobles can transform into birds and the lower class are defined as 'flightless'. Aderyn, the main protagonist of this story lives in Atratys, her father is the protector of this land and they are able to transform into swans. However, due to a devastating attack, which caused the death of her mother and severe scarring on herself, Aderyn is now unable to change and is secretly flightless. Due to the death of her father, Aderyn becomes the Protector and has to attend court in the city of Farne and hopes that the king, her uncle, doesn't find out her secret. She takes with her her life long friend, Letya, who is flightless to be her attendant, and Lucien, who is from a raven family, to be her clerk and help guide her through the court politics. She soon discovers that she cannot really trust those around her, she is scared of being discovered and is quickly informed that the king wants to marry her off so that he can control Atratys ports and harbours. Aderyn wants answers, who attacked them on that fatal day and why? She cannot leave court before she finds out, she also must protect the land and people that she loves. The villain of this story is Siegfried with all his threats and manipulation, I don't want to reveal too much more as it will spoil it, I want you to read this creative story and learn the twists and turns as I did. A Throne of Swans is a well plotted story with a fairytale feel about it. The characters are unique and intriguing and the reader soon gets involved with them. The plot does contain scenes of violence, death and torture along with mild scenes of a sexual nature therefore making it suitable for the 14+ reader. The book would also be a great read for YA book clubs as there are quite a few discussion points that could be raised. 325 pages of a wonderfully creative story that has left me wanting more, so I'm looking forward to book 2, A Crown of Talons, which sadly doesn't come out until 2021, but if it's as good as this one, I know I won't be disappointed. Reviewed by Linda Brown / 352 Pages / Ages 14+

Suggested Reading Age 5+

 

Other titles