Charlotte Kersten's Reviews > The Swan's Daughter

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
The Swan’s Daughter is a sweet, heartfelt, funny book that is brimming with all kinds of joyous and whimsical details. I know that “lush” prose can be hit or miss but all of the vivid descriptions in this really worked for me and created a real sense of lively, beautiful magic. And while I often do not resonate with books specifically marketed as quirky/funny, I found the humor here really enjoyable, particularly because it so often combines with the clever, creative details of the magic and world. Chokshi uses lots of the fairy tale elements we know and love - dashing princes, marriage competitions, wicked sorcerers, swan maidens, enchanted castles - and spins them something that is cozily familiar, vibrant, and unique at the same time. The closest comparison I can think of is The Enchanted Forest series by Patricia Wrede, and I mean that as a huge compliment! Mileage may vary based on how the humor lands for you and how much plot you're in the mood for; there isn't a whole lot to be found as opposed to all of the cute romance, silliness, and luxuriating in glimmery descriptions.