By: Zoë Marriott Publisher: Candlewick Average Rating: Binding: Hardcover Label: Candlewick Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 272 Publication Date: March 25, 2008 Reading Level: Ages 4-8 Release Date: March 25, 2008
Product Description: A new voice in fantasy weaves a rich, entrancing tale of a girl with powerful healing gifts —- and the courage to use them to save her ailing kingdom.
Shadows fall across the beautiful, lush kingdom after the queen is 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. But Alexandra has more gifts than she realizes as she confronts magic, murder, and the strongest of evil forces, and is unflinchingly brave as she struggles to reclaim what is rightfully hers. Fantasy lovers will be held in thrall by this tale full of visual detail, peppered with a formidable destructive force and sweetened with familial and romantic love.
A riveting and magical retelling Alexandra is the only princess of The Kingdom, her father's realm, where beauty and prosperity dwell thanks to her mother, a cunning woman, whose magic and affinity for the earth bring harmony to their lands. Alexandra is the youngest child of the king, and his least favorite, but she takes comfort in her three older brothers' affection, and her mother's teachings of the ways of the enaid, the magical forces that run through the earth.
But then her mother is brutally attacked by a supernatural wild animal, and despite her talents in healing, Alexandra cannot save her. It isn't long before the king finds himself a new wife--a pretty, young, and mysterious woman named Zella who has everyone falling under her charms--except Alexandra and her brothers. When they underestimate their step-mother's treachery and Alexandra is sent far away and her brothers banished, Alexandra will have to find the strength and courage to face Zella and take back what is rightfully hers.
The Swan Kingdom is a beautiful and magical read that contains some of the best fantasy elements--romance, curses, a wicked witch, enchanted lands, and a strong heroine. Marriott's world of flowing magic and the kingdoms with their diverse rulers and people is an enchantingly clever one and is accurately described. Alexandra is a very likable and real character, and The Swan Kingdom is as much of her coming-of-age story as it is an adventure. Her faults, strengths, and tenacity are admirable, and she has an engaging and distinct voice that readers will find very compelling and convincing at the same time. Alexandra's spunk and her wholehearted love for her kingdom and family are what propel the plot.
The resolution of the story may leave some scratching their heads and thumbing through the book a bit, but it is a satisfying one. Marriott stays pretty true to the original tale though, without deviating to embellish the plot, causing The Swan Kingdom to read more like The Wild Swans with added details, but nevertheless, fairytale and fantasy lovers will be content to enjoy this romantic and magical tale of courage and independence with a lovable and genuine heroine. Zoe Marriott is an author to watch.
Swan Kingdom Once Upon a Time... there was a kingdom that flourished. The king was strong but shallow, the queen wise but afraid and they had four children the last of which was an ugly duckling and her name was Alexandra.
Swan Kingdom seems to be a sort of amalgam of several different fairy tales although from the author's notes it is adapted from Hans Christian Anderson's 'Wild Swans'. In this retelling, young Alexandra is a "cunning woman" - one that can manipulate the energies (enaid) of the earth to help things grow and heal. Her mother, the Queen has the same power but learned how to use it to a fuller extent. Alexandra grows up feeling rather unnecessary in her father's household even with the love of her brothers and mother.
When her mother dies by unnatural means, Alexandra seems to lose her very place in the world. Her father searches for her mother's killer but comes back with a woman who can influence the minds all those around her. Only Alexandra and her brothers see through her spells. After a failed attempt to rid their kingdom of the usurper, Alexandra and her brothers are cast out of the kingdom. Alexandra to live with her aunt in Midland and the brothers as swans and caught between worlds.
Once away Alexandra grows stronger and grows up. She learns to stand on her own two feet and do what is right and necessary instead of just standing back and letting others make decisions for her.
I was very much relieved when she finally learned this lesson. The prose picked up quite a bit for me after that.
All in all a very good fairy tale - very much like the books by Robin McKinley, Cameron Dokey or Donna Jo Napoli. The only improvement I can think of would be to have gotten to the 'make your own way' part faster. She was a much more enjoyable character after that.
A good start but... I enjoy new takes on the old fairy tales. "The Swam Kingdom" starts out strong enough but about half the way through the plot holes start appearing and don't really go away. Some of the more solid plot points seem to be pulled from Juliet Marillier's "Daughter of the Forest" except this story is missing some of the adult themes and the effortlessness that Ms. Marillier seems to pull her reader into her world and stories. This might be a good start for younger readers that enjoy fantasy [11 or younger] but when the reader hits 13 or 14, I really recommend Marillier's version, as well as the sequels.
Rip-off of Marilliers "Daughter of the forest" This is totally a rip-off of Marilliers "Daughter of the Forest", i mean granted i know that books are often similar in a few ways but GEEZ! Its like everything is the same. Well pretty much everything was the same.Its just a more young adult read and a whole lot shorter. So its not like this book wasnt a good book cuz it was but it was ALOT better when Juliet Marillier wrote it a few years ago. For anyone who is not familiar with the Sevenwaters trilogy (Marillier) i can def see why this book was such a page turner. But with all of that said i cant wait to see more original ideas from this author.
Fine retelling of the fairy tale If you already like this genre, like Ella Enchanted (rack) & Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast, then you'll enjoy this book as well. I found the author had a deft hand at revealing deeper aspects of characters later in the book that changed how one felt about them.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Tony's Online Tips
Trevor
