Review: The Swan's Daughter: A Possibly Doomed Love Story by Roshani Chokshi

The Swan's Daughter: A Possibly Doomed Love Story by Roshani Chokshi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC and an ALC via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

I really loved this!  This borders on cozy, but still has a fairytale/retelling vibe.  It has been a long time since I've read the Swan Princess so I can't speak to the similarities or relation, but it feels like a modern fairytale.

This follows Demelza, daughter of a veritas swan and a wizard, but unlike her sisters and mother, she can't turn into a swan and she doesn't sing beautifully.  Her song like all veritas swans does force those who hear it to tell the truth.  When her beloved father threatens to use her in the most horrible of ways, she runs away and finds herself accidentally entered into a tournament to win the hand of the heir of the neighboring islands.  Girls from kingdoms wide and far have come to enter the tournament to win the hand of Prince Arris.  Some are there to murder him outright, while others are there to find love.  Demelza makes a deal with Arris to use her song to learn the intentions of the ladies in exchange for his protection.  Unfortunately, she finds herself having to participate int he trials herself.  In doing so she strikes up a friendship with the prince and his twin sister, only to find that she might actually be exactly who he is looking for.

In a kingdom where the heir is doomed to be murdered, and where true love can drive a person to do unthinkable things can our couple find true love and choose each other every day or will they be doomed by fate and circumstance?   I really loved getting to know Demelza and Arris!  I thought their character development was excellent and the world building was lush.  There were so many unique things to be discovered as the trials went on and as the characters got to know one another.  While there isn't a ton of chemistry as our couple get to know one another, this is more of a romantic love story where their relationship will grow after the book is closed.  There are quite a few miscommunications between our couple as the trials go on which is part of the plot which I won't spoil, but they get there in the end.  

The audio narration was wonderful!  I highly recommend the audiobook, but it was also nice to have the ebook available to refer to specific details of the various characters, as there are many to keep track of as the trials go on and refer to different plot points to make sure you have everything straight as things progress.

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