The Swan Harp: Wings of Valenia Book One

When I first heard about this book, I found it interesting. The story takes place in the medieval world of Valenia, where humans and swan folk live in harmony. However, they are always at odds with their northern neighbours. The story is told from Kiar’s perspective. She is the middle daughter and heir to the king and queen. Once Kiar is chosen as the heir, her father starts training her to defend and rule the kingdom. Meanwhile, her sisters Adana and Orla, who can turn into swans, learn about the swanfolk from their mother. Kiar feels left out, especially when some of the swanfolk agree to live with them, and she becomes friends with Willow and Tiar. The King of Noermark tries to get one of the girls to marry one of his sons to take over the land, which he is also raiding constantly.

I liked this book. I enjoyed it a lot. The story was slow-paced with a lot of build-up. When the great reveal occurred, it was not what I expected, and it was brilliant because you are really waiting for something different to happen. I am going to rate it with 4 out of 5 stars because some parts felt very slow. You’re waiting for something to happen, and you feel like it’s almost there, but you keep waiting and waiting. That didn’t work for me at all. However, Kiar is a strong main character, she understands and accepts her duties incredibly well. The story includes a romance, but it’s a slow-burning one, and it’s not the main focus. Willow’s character annoyed me because she lacked common sense, but it’s probably justified because her culture is different.

Would I recommend this book? Yes. It’s a refreshing read with different expectations from the all-powerful main character, and the world is just delightful.