I love books based off of fairy and folk tales. I can't say I'm very familiar with the tales of Swan Maidens, but I loved that Tomlinson used it as a launching point to her own book. Lovely story. ( )

I have had this book to read on my shelf for a long time. I picked it up during one of my “fairy tale retelling” binges (I go through those every 5 years of so). I was surprised by how much I loved this story; the writing is beautifully done. This is based on a French fairy tale called the Swan Maiden.

This is a simple story that is sweet and beautifully written. It’s an easy read and pleasant. I enjoyed Doucette’s character and how she struggled with both wanting power and staying true to her heart. I loved that despite her complacence early in the story she ended up picking a path that would make her happy.

The young shepherd she falls in love with is a sweet young man. Him and Doucette have great chemistry together; the scenes between the two are heartfelt and, at times, softly witty.

The story flowed nicely and I enjoyed the description throughout; the description made the scenes really come alive and I could picture everything perfectly.

Overall this was a sweet and simple fairy tale retelling. I enjoyed the beautiful writing, the characters, and way the story flowed. I would recommend to those who enjoy fairy tale retellings and are looking for something pretty and uncomplicated. ( )

It wasn't the best re-told fairytale I've read, but not horrible either. ( )

Wooden, inconsistent characters; uneven pacing; holes in the plot. Read "Toads and Diamonds" instead. ( )

Boring. Uninspired. ( )