A warning about swans / R.M. Romero.

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Title:

A warning about swans / R.M. Romero.

Author:

Romero, R. M. (Rachael Maria), 1987- author.

ISBN:

9781682634837

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

377 pages ; 21 cm.

General Note:

Content warnings: Animal death, physical and psychological abuse, emotional manipulation.

Abstract:

Swan maiden Hilde sacrifices her magical wings to seek freedom in the human world, but when her pact with an upstart baron takes her to the court of Ludwig II, she struggles to fit in, and only Jewish artist Franz, who has the power to paint souls, can help her escape her newfound prison.

Bavaria. 1880. Hilde was dreamed into existence by the god Odin, and along with her five sisters, granted cloaks that transform them into swans. Hilde gift connects her to the souls of dying creatures and forces her to shepherd them into the afterlife-- the "Other Wood." While guiding the soul of a hawk to the Other Wood, Hilde meets Baron Maximilian von Richter, whose father was once a favorite of the king and left him no inheritance. Intrigued by Richter's longing for a greater life, she offers to manifest his dreams of riches if he will take her to the human world, where she will never have to guide souls again. But at the court of King Ludwig II in Munich, Hilde struggles to fit in. When non-binary Jewish artist Franz Mendelson renders her with swan wings. When Hilde's swan cloak goes missing, only Franz's ability to paint souls can help her. -- adapted from jacket

Reading Level:

Ages 14 and up. Peachtree Teen.

Grades 10-12. Peachtree Teen.

Personal Subject:

Ludwig II, King of Bavaria, 1845-1886-Juvenile fiction.

Ludwig II, King of Bavaria, 1845-1886-Fiction.

Subject Term:

Swans -- Juvenile fiction.

Artists -- Juvenile fiction.

Jews -- Juvenile fiction.

Magic -- Juvenile fiction.

Courts and courtiers -- Juvenile fiction.

Courts and courtiers -- Fiction.

Fairy tales.

JUVENILE FICTION / General.

Geographic Term:

Bavaria (Germany) -- History -- 1777-1918 -- Fiction.

Genre:

Fairy tales.

Historical fiction.

Fairy tales. (OCoLC)fst01726605

Novels in verse. (OCoLC)fst01921724

Fantasy fiction.

Queer fiction.

Novels in verse.

Available:*

Library	Material Type	Item Barcode	Shelf Number	Status
Searching... Avon-Washington Township Public Library	Teen Fiction Book Hardback	120791003074399	T ROM	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

Swan Lake meets The Last Unicorn by way of the Brothers Grimm in a dreamy, original fairytale.

Acclaimed author R.M. Romero spins an enchanting tale in elegant verse about the search for belonging, and ultimately, empowerment. Perfect for fans of Uprooted and The Bear and the Nightingale.

"Dreamy, melancholy, and pensive. . . ." -NPR

Bavaria. 1880. Hilde was dreamed into existence by the god Odin and, along with her five sisters, granted cloaks that transform them into swans. Each sister's cloak is imbued with a unique gift, but Hilde rejects her gift which allows her to lead the souls of dying creatures to the afterlife.

While guiding the soul of a hawk, Hilde meets the handsome Baron Maximilian von Richter, whose father left him no inheritance. Hilde is intrigued by Richter's longing for a greater life and strikes a deal with him- She will manifest his dreams of riches, and in return, he will take her to the human world, where the song of souls can't reach her.

But at the court of King Ludwig II in Munich, Hilde struggles to fit in. After learning that fashionable ladies are sitting for portraits, she hires non-binary Jewish artist Franz Mendelson, and is stunned when Franz renders her with swan wings. The more time she spends with Franz, the more she feels drawn to the artist's warm, understanding nature, and the more controlling Richter becomes. When Hilde's swan cloak suddenly goes missing, only Franz's ability to paint the true nature of souls can help Hilde escape her newfound prison.

A Warning About Swans weaves poetry into myth with spellbinding verse. Familiar as a Grimm tale and beautiful as a fairytale, but darker and more lyrical. The perfect fantasy to cozy up with and be whisked away to real-world enchanted castles.

A BCCB Blue Ribbon Book!

Reviews (3)

Publisher's Weekly Review

At age nine, each of the god Odin's six daughters, whom he dreamed into existence, receives a cloak of starlight that allows them to shape-shift into swans and also bestows them with a magical gift. Hilde, the youngest, receives the ability to "coax souls from bodies," after which she comforts and guides them into the afterlife. But her power soon becomes a burden she longs to escape, yearning to leave her forest home and live as a human. Hilde is 16 when handsome, debt-ridden Baron Maximillian von Richter invites her to his crumbling castle, and then to the Munich royal court, where she passes as human. When Jewish nonbinary artist Franz Mendelsohn, whose portraits reveal their subjects' true spirits, paints Hilde with swan wings, though, she fears they know her secret. Still, the two grow close as Richter's dark motives begin to emerge. Narrated by Hilde in poetic verse by Romero (The Ghosts of Rose Hill), the story smoothly melds contemporary understandings of gender equality, exploration, and representation with fairy tale--like ambiance and language, making for a gratifying read. Ages 14--up. Agent: Rena Rossner, Deborah Harris Agency. (July)

Kirkus Review

Hilde may look like a human girl, but she's not one--though sometimes, she is a swan. Set in our human past as well as the mystical world of spirits and gods, Hilde's story takes her from her magical and secluded woodland home into late-1800s Bavaria. Hilde and her five sisters are the daughters of the god Odin, the All-Father. Each of the young women has been endowed with a special gift as well as the ability to turn dreams into reality. Hilde's desire to distance herself from her particularly macabre skill--"The gift / of greeting / death"--sparks her desire to flee with her new friend, the human boy Baron Maximilian von Richter, leaving behind her duties in favor of human girlhood. When Richter takes Hilde to the great and bustling city of Munich and the court of melancholy King Ludwig II, she meets Franz Mendelsohn, a nonbinary Jewish teen artist. As Hilde and Franz grow close, they strive to create a successful balance between magic and reality, encountering surprising kindness and deep betrayal along the way. Written in sparse free verse, this character-driven queer narrative is an original yet slow-moving story of an otherworldly being trying to find her place in the universe. Though lyrical, the simple poetry and unembellished plot make this milquetoast historical fantasy ultimately fall flat. Main human characters are presumed White; Hilde is darker skinned and has red hair. A lukewarm historical fairy-tale fantasy. (Verse fantasy. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

Hilde, the youngest of six swan-human sisters dreamed by the god Odin, lives in a forest where she ushers dying souls to the afterlife. Resentful that her destiny involves so much death (while her sisters attend to births, speed, strength, music, and languages), she flees her home and meets Richter, a young baron who becomes infatuated with Hilde and what her magic can do for him and his wealth. At first, Hilde relishes her new human existence, but gradually she realizes Richter means only to control her. Romero's reimagining of "Tristan and Isolde" features Franz, a nonbinary Jewish artist who falls in love with Hilde, and she with them. Set in 1880s Bavaria, this novel in verse touches on themes of true love, beauty, magic, and personal agency. "I belong / (first and foremost, / tonight and always) / to myself. / And there is no stronger magic / than refusal," Hilde tells Richter in their final confrontation. Filled with romance and betrayal, enchantment and the natural world, this will appeal to fairy-tale lovers everywhere.