The Swan Kingdom

January 28, 2008
Exactly what this British first novelist is up to in this elaboration of the Hans Christian Andersen tale “The Wild Swans” is not clear. Does the royal heroine, Alexandra, have magical gifts? A special destiny with the enaid
—”currents of life”—and a connection to the sacred place called the “Circle of Ancestors”? Alexandra, the ugly duckling of the family, and her three brothers lose their beloved mother to an attack by a frightening creature in the forest, but only when the mysterious Zella arrives and bewitches Alexandra's father and his entire kingdom does the story's pace quicken. Zella threatens the four siblings—Alexandra is exiled and her three brothers turned into swans—an interesting but inopportune development. Just as readers find that they, too, are enthralled by Zella and the havoc she wreaks, Alexandra is banished from the action. Luckily, the handsome Gabriel enters, adding romance and intrigue, reigniting that page-turner impulse—but his appearance, too, is brief. Readers will be impatient for both Zella and Gabriel to return and reinvigorate what is otherwise the solitary story of Alexandra's struggle to understand herself, her powers and how she might wrest her family's kingdom back from the evil Zella. Even with the uneven pacing, however, the mix of magic, royalty and romance will compel many teens. Ages 12-up.

August 1, 2008
Gr 6-10-A story loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen's "The Wild Swans." Alexandra, 15, is the daughter of a powerful king and a wise queen. Like her mother, she has the gift of the ancient ways, but her talents aren't fully developed. The queen takes her into the ancient woods to celebrate her coming-of-age, and while there is attacked by an unnatural beast. Alexandra, in spite of her magic and healing skills, cannot save her mother. The king, plunged into despair, spends every day hunting for this beast. One day he returns with a beautiful woman who seems to charm everyone in the kingdom, except his children. Even though they believe that Zella is the shape-shifting beast that killed their mother, their father marries her. When they try to break her enchantment, Alexandra is banished to live with her aunt, and her brothers are turned into swans. It is with her aunt that the teen begins to understand her power, grow in maturity, believe in herself, and find love. She also realizes that if she is to save her family and her kingdom, she must take matters into her own hands and fight. Well written with vivid details, this rich tale has a little something for everyonelove, adventure, intrigue, betrayal, friendship, and murder. Fans of Robin McKinley and Donna Jo Napoli will love it."Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2008
The only daughter of a king and a beautiful woman with magical powers, 15-year-old Alexandra has three beloved brothers. Soon after her mother is killed by a beast, the king remarries with unseemly haste a woman whom Alexandra believes to be her mothers shape-shifting murderess. Turned into swans, the princes fly away, and Alexandra is shipped off to live in a neighboring kingdom. Only she can right the wrongs done to her family and her homeland. Marriott notes Andersens The Wild Swans as her inspiration, but the novel is entirely her own, veering off from the original in many ways and full of its own narrative power and magic. Part love story, part mage fantasy, and part adventure tale, the novel is narrated by Alexandra, who feels vulnerable early on, but grows in confidence and in magical powers as she matures and realizes her worth. Even readers unfamiliar with the original fairy tale can enjoy this promising first novel.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2008
Alexandra's mother dies before explaining the full power of Alexandra's heritage. Alone, Alexandra must find her strength, rescue her brothers who have been turned into swans by their wicked stepmother, and restore health to the kingdom. Marriott's evocative prose and cleverly twisting plot develop her strong heroine beyond the confines of a fairy tale.

(Copyright 2008 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)