The Swan’s Daughter

Until now I’ve never read Roshani Chokshi, but her new novel The Swan’s Daughter was impossible to resist. It starts with Demelza, one of seven daughters born to a veritas swan mother and monster father. With their beautiful voices and swan wings, Demelza’s sisters are brought up to marry and tear down kingdoms, according to their father’s will. But Demelza has a hideous voice and no wings; she instead focuses on learning and research, until her father suddenly sees her as the key to immortality. No longer safe at home, Demelza flees to Rathe Castle, where Prince Arris is holding a competition to find a wife… one who won’t murder him immediately. It’s a family curse, yet Arris hopes to survive marriage and live a long life. Demelza and Arris can help one another… but they may be in danger of losing their hearts to each other in the end.

What I Liked:

• Whimsical and strange in the best way. The Swan’s Daughter leans into the silly and bizarre side of fantasy, at turns macabre and funny and inventive. It was actually refreshing to read such a fantastical novel. It at once feels like a familiar, beloved fairy tale and like something I’ve never heard before.
• Love vs. entrapment. The overarching theme of this novel is the dangers of love. Anyone who can love Demelza or Arris can rip out their heart (perhaps literally). But that is the (generally figurative) danger of loving someone, is it not? Love requires a certain amount of trust. Despite family curses and dysfunctional relationships between their parents, can Demelza and Arris ever feel safe falling in love?
• The power of truth. Demelza’s gift, as a veritas swan, is that she can force anyone to answer her questions with honesty. That could prove to save Arris’s life! It may even save her own. In turn, Arris can allow her to stay in the castle, pretending to be part of the competition, to keep her safe from her father.

Audiobook:

Ell Potter does a marvelous job of narrating The Swan’s Daughter. She captures all the whimsy and humor of the novel, gives unique voices to each character, and turns a modern fairy tale into an absorbing listen to savor.

Final Thoughts

The Swan’s Daughter is a fabulous novel that all can enjoy. Although it is labeled as YA, to me, it stands outside the bounds of any age. It’s inventive and strange, yet has a familiar message that will ring true for most. I’ve glad to have finally read a book by Roshani Chokshi, and I look forward to reading more from her.

Special thanks to Wednesday Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Get the Book

You can buy The Swan’s Daughter here – it’s available as a hardcover, ebook, and audiobook.

The Swan’s Daughter by Roshani Chokshi
Audiobook Narrator	Ell Potter
Audience	Young Adult
Genre	Romantasy
Number of Pages	400
Format I Read	Audiobook & Ebook (NetGalley ARCs)
Original Publication Date	January 6, 2025
Publisher	Wednesday Books

Official Summary

In this lush and enchanting novel from New York Times bestselling author Roshani Chokshi, a prince is only as good as his beating heart and a maiden is only as good as her honest word. But when love and the truth become impossibly tangled, the two must figure out how to survive together, or fall completely apart.

To find love is a curse …

Prince Arris knows that marriage means murder. Thanks to a poorly worded wish to a sea witch, all one needs to rule the Isle of Malys is the heart and hand of the kingdom’s heir. Historically, this has been construed quite literally.

Thus, Arris expects that the day after his marriage and murder he will wake up as a sentient tree alongside the rest of his predecessors. His only chance at a long life is finding true and lasting love. When Arris’s parents announce a tournament of brides to compete for his hand and heart, a slew of eligible, lovely and (possibly murderous) bachelorettes make their way to Rathe Castle. Amidst glittering balls in ozorald caves, strolls through menageries of daydream trees and pearl crocodiles, tea time on glass boats and kisses that leave his head spinning, Arris cannot tell who is here out of love for him…or lust for power.

Until he meets Demelza.

As a veritas swan, Demelza’s song wrings out the truth. Forced into hiding, Demelza strikes a deal. Arris will provide her with safekeeping in exchange for her truth-telling song to sort through his potential brides.

While Arris is used to dodging death threats and Demelza is accustomed to fighting for her voice to be heard, to survive the tournament of brides requires a different kind of bravery. And perhaps the bravest thing one can do is not merely protect one’s life, but find the courage to chase a life worth living.

Don’t miss this stunning deluxe hardcover, with gorgeous metallic pink edges, and beautiful designed custom endpapers, while supplies last!