Princess of the Wild Swans by Diane Zahler

For one who has never done a day's hard work in their life, this is a daunting task. She must make her brothers shirts from stinging nettles. With the help of one brother's sweetheart, who's half a witch, Meriel learns how she can break the spell. Her fears prove justified when her stepmother transforms her brothers in swans.įortunately for Meriel (and the swan brothers) the evil stepmother is not the only witch in the neighborhood. Meriel can't confide in her father, who is strangely besotted.

For one thing, the queen didn't know about the five brothers.and is not at all happy that they exist. Meriel intuitively distrusts the new queen, and small snippets of observation cause her feelings of foreboding to grow. But when the king brings home one day a beautiful new wife, everything changes. I found Zahler's version very pleasant indeed.ġ2 year old Meriel is the youngest child of king whose land is peaceful and prosperous, and she's had a happy life running a little wild, trying to get her five older brothers to pay attention to her, and ignoring her tutor. It's the story of a princess who must save her brothers when they are transformed into swans by their evil stepmother. Fans of Jessica Day George and Gail Carson Levine will enjoy Zahler’s light, lyrical prose, as well as her stalwart and true heroine and strong secondary characters.Princess of the Wild Swans, by Diane Zahler (HarperCollins, 2012), is a retelling of one of my favorite fairy tales- The Wild Swans (which is just about the only Hans Christian Anderson story I actively enjoyed, as opposed to reading with kind of sick fascination) also known as The Six Swans in the Grimm version (which I read more often). Or order it in paperback here!įrom Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books: “Zahler shines in her ability to set an exquisite scene, and her descriptions of both the luxury of royal life and the more cozy aspects of a commoner’s cottage will bewitch fans of Andersen’s original.”įrom ALA Booklist: “Readers will root for Princess Meriel as her love for her brothers causes her to realize her strength and capabilities. But she must act quickly! Once first frost reaches the lake, the princes will have to fly south - or perish.Ĭlick on the book to look inside or order a copy of your own. To rescue her beloved brothers, Meriel vows to finish a seemingly impossible task.

A terrible enchantment has transformed Princess Meriel’s brothers into swans who swim on a heart-shaped lake that lies just beyond the palace walls.

Princess of the Wild Swans by Diane Zahler