"The Swan Maiden" by Heather Tomlinson follows a young girl named Doucette as she is reared in the cold shadows of her two gorgeous older sisters. Each of them are princesses; heirs of their parents' kingdom. However, Doucette's two older sisters were born with a gift that she will seemingly never have - the capability of magic. As sorceresses, they do not have responsibilities towards anything except their own personal whims. Doucette must try to learn of her worth amongst the praise of her sisters' beauty and magic. Her mother, the queen, strongly disproves of sorceresses and makes sure to let her youngest daughter know of her importance as the only 'lady' of the family. Doucette's sisters, Azelais and Cecilia, find pleasure in tormenting Doucette about her lack of magic. Doucette feels that there is nothing she can do about it... until she finds out about something that her mother has been hiding from her for 15 years.
Doucette must then make the choice between pleasing her mother, and pleasing herself.
Should she pursue her coaching as a lady, or should she choose to pursue secret love?
This book is a pleasure from the first page to the last. It is a beautiful coming of age story, with gentle twist and turns that lead up to a satisfying conclusion. It quietly shows the vast contrast of controlling love and true love, and how the outcomes of each vary.
This inspiring tale of how a young girl transforms from conquered into a conqueror will leave you content, while at the same time yearning for more.
