Book Review: The Swan’s Daughter by Roshani Chokshi
The arrival of 2026 brings with it a plethora of new and exciting fantasy books, many of which bear Hodderscape’s distinctive dodo emblem. The SFF imprint is starting the new year off strongly with one of January’s most anticipated titles – Roshani Chokshi’s The Swan’s Daughter – and with its witty and whimsical fairytale vibes, it’s just the book to chase away the dreaded winter blues.
Prince Arris knows one thing: on the Isle of Malys, marriage means murder. As the heir to the throne, he shoulders the burden of an ancient sea witch curse that’s doomed the rulers of his kingdom. Now the time has come for Arris to choose a bride, but whoever wins his hand wins the throne, and his heart will be the price. With a ruthless tournament of eligible potential brides descending on Rathe Castle, Arris is determined that his wedding day won’t also be his funeral. But that means finding a bride who doesn’t want to assassinate and usurp him.
Enter Demelza, a fabled veritas swan, whose song can wring out the truth. Born without the beautiful wings and voice of her sisters, she is accustomed to being underestimated and fighting to be heard. But when she’s forced into hiding, Demelza escapes to the castle and enters the competition. There she meets Arris and strikes a deal: in exchange for his protection, she offers her voice to help unmask his would-be killers. But as the tournament turns increasingly deadly, Demelza and Arris discover that it takes more than wit and courage to survive, and sometimes you have to risk your heart in order to save it.
Beyond the families of the gentry, there might be someone who saw the world as he did. Someone who would view his heart as a powerful home for love and not a haven for the love of power. Someone who would not just extend the days of his life, but expand the meaning of it. And if there was any chance that she existed, then this was his last chance to find her.”
Shifting away from the haunting, gothic-infused fantasy horror themes of her previous novel, The Last Tale of the Flower Bride, Roshani Chokshi has crafted an enchanting YA fairytale that prioritises whimsy and lyrical worldbuilding over the sizzling romance and all-consuming desire that populates so many romantasies. Revelling in its fantastical Brothers Grimm-esque atmosphere, The Swan’s Daughter is full of lush descriptions that are at once delightful and macabre. It’s a “peculiar tale” as Chokshi herself puts it, and it really feels as if she let her imagination run wonderfully wild with this one, leaning into the whimsicality of Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries and The Cruel Prince, whilst at the same time weaving in classically dark and dreamy elements of The Ugly Duckling and The Swan Princess.
Throw in the comically murderous marriage competition and the ensuing friends-to-lovers romance – two tropes that work devilishly well together – and the result is a story that’s equal parts sweet, spellbinding and playful. The romantic element will be a big draw for many readers but The Swan’s Daughter is an exploration of the many different forms love can take. As such, it’s less of a typical love story than it is a story of friendship, and how the affection, loyalty and camaraderie of a found family can pull you through the darkest of situations. It’s Demelza and Arris’s friendship that fuels the book and there’s something so innocent and tender about the way it unfolds and evolves. It’s also Demelza’s friendship with the other brides that gives her a sense of confidence and belief in herself that had been squashed by her father. Some of the brides are star characters in their own right, along with Arris’s twin sister, Yvlle, whose cynical, sharp-tongued manner is the perfect foil for her gentle, idealistic brother.
Faerie Queen Holly Black has called this “a book to rip your heart out”, but I’d say it’s more a book that quietly and softly stitches up the pieces of a broken heart. Yes, there’s darkness. Yes, there’s murderous intent and desperate girls going to ridiculous lengths to win a throne. But it’s the book’s overall lightness of tone, its sense of fun and peculiarity, and the two hopeful souls at the centre of the story, that will have you closing the final page with a contented smile on your face.
★★★★
The Swan’s Daughter is published by Hodderscape on 8 January 2026
