A Warning About Swans

Swan Lake meets The Last Unicorn by way of the Brothers Grimm in a dreamy, original fairytale by critically acclaimed author R.M. Romero.
  • ISBN: 9781682634837
  • Publication date: 07/11/2023
  • Page Count: 384
  • Size: 5-1/4" x 8"
  • Age Range: 14-18
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  • Price:
  • ISBN: 9781682634837
  • Publication date: 07/11/2023
  • Page Count: 384
  • Size: 5-1/4" x 8"
  • Age Range: 14-18
  • Price:
  • Age Range: 14-18
  • Price:
  • Age Range: 14-18
  • Price:
  • ISBN: 9781682635155
  • Publication date: 07/11/2023
  • Page Count: N/A
  • Age Range: 14-18
  • Price:
  • Age Range: 14-18
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Description

Swan Lake meets The Last Unicorn by way of the Brothers Grimm in a dreamy, original fairytale by critically acclaimed author R.M. Romero.

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.

Author/Illustrator

R.M. Romero

Author

R. M. Romero is a Jewish Latina and author of fairy tales for children and adults. She lives in Miami Beach with her cat, Henry VIII, and spends her summers helping to maintain Jewish cemeteries in Poland.

Reviews

The story smoothly melds contemporary understandings of gender equality, exploration, and representation with fairy tale–like ambiance and language, making for a gratifying read—Publishers Weekly

“R.M. Romero has woven a powerful, moving fairytale about finding belonging in the in-between and holding onto magic in a cruel world. A Warning About Swans carried me from hope to despair and back again on the wings of dreamy, wrenching verse. Entirely spellbinding.” —Allison Saft, New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic

“An absolutely gorgeous book with words that dance across the page in shining verse. I wanted to linger with Hilde and Franz in their world even after the story came to an end. Utterly magical!” —Kip Wilson, award-winning author of The Most Dazzling Girl in Berlin

More Details

BISAC 1: YAF044000 Young Adult Fiction – Novels In Verse
BISAC 2: YAF052050 Young Adult Fiction – Romance – Paranormal
BISAC 3: YAF051130 Young Adult Fiction – Religious – Jewish