Swan and Shadow by Kaki Olsen
Kindle Edition, 305 pages
Published
March 8th 2016
by Cedar Fort, Inc.
Aislin’s curse is the
standard fare: swan by day, college student by night, true love as the
only cure. But does true love even exist outside of fairy tales? After
having to cover for Aislin during her swan hours, Aislin’s twin, Maeve,
is willing to resort to anything from matchmaking to magic to see her
sister live happily (and human) ever after. Will either of them get
their wish?
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My Review: 4.5 Stars
"There's an undeniable attraction to the idea that you can start out every story with 'Once upon a time...' and end up with 'happily ever after.'"
Based on the story of Swan Lake, Swan and Shadow is a modern retelling of a classic. Knowing how tragic that story ends up, I was extremely curious as to how this story could possible end up with that desirable "happily ever after" ending. I'll just say this--things are left open, leaving me desperately hoping for a sequel. Please, Ms. Olsen--please!
My biggest issue with the story is that it's told from two different points of view, Aislyn's and Maeve's, and alternates between "white" and "black." It took me quite awhile to differentiate between the teenage twins (which one is black and which one is white) and to get a feel for who was speaking.
Overlooking that, the story is full of heart, emotional ups and downs, and adventurous entertainment and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I loved getting to know the characters and their quirks. As a parent of teens, I wasn't sure about the amount of freedom these twins' parents gave them, but it had to happen and they do have a great relationship. I love the creative license that is used to turn this into a modern version and how the story seems to have the vibe of being despairingly hopeful. This is a story that is seared into my heart and I can't wait for another installment!
Content: very minor violence; no language; no religious elements, aside from stating which religion the characters are, in relation to a holiday celebration and food; mild romance (kissing). There are mentions of being naked, due to transforming back into a human, but nothing is descriptive at all. Clean!
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About the Author:
Kaki Olsen is always on the brink of another adventure. If she
couldn't be a writer, she'd be a full-time musician or travel guide and
she would take her lunch breaks at Fenway Park. Until that happens, she
speaks both Spanish and English at her every-day office job, but she has
vacationed enthusiastically in such places as Istanbul and Ireland. She
has lived in five states, but will always refer to Boston as home.She regularly contributes academic papers on zombies or wizards to Life, the Universe and Everything, a sci-fi/fantasy symposium originated at her alma mater, Brigham Young University. Her published works have appeared in such magazines as Voices and AuthorsPublish.
She is a doting aunt and librarian of two bulging bookshelves.
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