A Treachery of Swans, A. B. Poranek
A Treachery of Swans, A. B. Poranek
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A Treachery of Swans

Author: A. B. Poranek

Narrator: Amalia Vitale

Unabridged: 11 hr 1 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 06/24/2025


Synopsis

A #1 New York Times Bestseller

From the New York Times bestselling author of Where the Dark Stands Still comes an atmospheric romantasy based on Swan Lake, following Odile as her plan to restore magic to her enchanted kingdom gets disrupted by a murder mystery—forcing her to beg for help from the young woman whose identity she stole.

Can two girls—one enchanted, one the enchantress—save their kingdom and each other?

Two hundred years ago, a slighted deity stole the magic from Auréal and vanished without a trace. But seventeen-year-old Odile has a plan. All her life, her father, a vengeful sorcerer, has raised her for one singular task: infiltrate the royal palace and steal the king’s crown, an artefact with enough power to restore magic. But to enter the palace, she must assume the identity of a noblewoman. She chooses Marie d’Odette: famed for her beauty, a rumored candidate for future queen…and Odile’s childhood-friend-turned-sworn-enemy.

With her father’s help, Odile transforms Marie into a swan and takes her place at court. But when the king is brutally murdered and her own brother is accused, her plans are thrown into chaos. Desperate to free her brother, Odile is forced to team up with none other than elegant, infuriating Marie, the girl she has cursed…and the girl she can’t seem to stop thinking about despite her best efforts.

To make matters worse, there are whispers that the king’s murder was not at the hands of man, but beast. Torn between loyalty to her father and her growing feelings for Marie, Odile becomes tangled in a web of treachery and deceit. To save her kingdom, she must find the true path to magic…and find the real killer before they—or it—strikes again.

About A. B. Poranek

A. B. Poranek grew up sharing her time between Ontario, Canada, and rural Poland, and eventually completed a veterinary degree at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences. A lover of mythology and history, she enjoys exploring both in her writing. Her debut novel, Where the Dark Stands Still, an instant New York Times bestseller, is an ode to Poland’s folktales, while A Treachery of Swans transports readers to a world inspired by 17th-century France.


Reviews

This was a fun retelling of Swan Lake with sapphic rep and lots of atmospheric writing and elaborate details. The mystery was intriguing and had me guessing for a bit. I don't know Swan Lake very much at all myself, but I think this was probably a creative twist on it with its own lore and magic. I t......more

Goodreads review by A.B. on June 04, 2025

Just coming on here to inform readers of a spelling error in the published US editions of the book - this error is not present in the UK editions or digital editions. The French word sorcière is used several times through the novel, and it is unfortunatley missing the accent due to a mistake made by......more

Goodreads review by ˚ཐི adri ཋྀ˚ on August 22, 2024

You see the way I pre-saved this book? very demure… very mindful… A gothic swan lake retelling AND they’re sapphic? very cutesy! 🦢......more

Goodreads review by Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ on May 04, 2025

A sapphic Swan Lake retelling with delicious slow burn and a trickster, witty villainess (who just wants to be loved, someone hug her). I’m not the delicate, white-feathered bird they believe me to be. I’m the darkness of cold gutters and merciless nights, the bruised shadows beneath a thief’s despe......more

Goodreads review by jenny reads a lot on June 25, 2025

I so wanted to love this one and I so want to be able to have more to say about it but the truth is it’s very forgettable. I’m wracking my brain to remember what I liked about it and all I’ve come up with is, it was atmospheric and vibe-y. I really enjoyed Where the Dark Stands Still so I was slightl......more


Quotes

"Amalia Vitale’s thoughtful and well-paced narration captures this darkly enchanted and emotional interpretation of SWAN LAKE. Odile has been raised by her father to steal the king’s crown as an act of revenge. But neither of them planned on her growing connection to Lady Marie—or the king’s murder. Vitale’s quiet intensity suits Odile’s guarded nature and allows moments of vulnerability to break through. She offers clear shifts between characters, keeping the focus on the growing tension and uneasy alliance between Odile and Marie. Her delivery works well with the audiobook’s moody atmosphere, allowing listeners to sit with the tension and ambiguity that define Odile’s choices. Vitale’s grounded, well-measured performance supports the story’s layered character dynamics and slow-burning mystery."