Review: The Black Swan

            Arguably the most recognized ballet in existence, Swan Lake has captured the imagination of audiences for years. Its unique plot and magical qualities make it an enchanting masterpiece. Author Mercedes Lackey took the ballet and turned it on its head in her novel The Black Swan. In this revisionist work, Lackey seeks to redeem the seductress Odile from her villainous status in Swan Lake.

            At the heart of The Black Swan is the tense relationship between sorcerer Baron Eric von Rothbart and his daughter Odile. A sorceress-in-training herself, Odile wants nothing more than to make her father proud and achieve a level of trust that will grant her the privilege of being his partner. Lackey utilizes this dynamic to its fullest. The evolution Odile takes from obliging daughter to an independent freethinker is amazing. Her journey to emancipation is the most captivating aspect of the book and it gives the novel a wonderful feminist lens with which to read the characters. Another relationship worth noting is that between the Swan Queen Odette and Odile. Their interactions are brief but become more frequent as the narrative progresses. The warmth and trust that grows between the two women is empowering, proving that even in the direst of circumstances women who have nothing in common can become friends. When Lackey focuses her energies on Odile, The Black Swan is beautiful and charming. That said, despite the book’s title Lackey spends an excessive amount of time writing about Prince Siegfried. He starts off as an unbearable character whose amoral actions make him rather grating. He is so consumed by carnal desires early on that the love that develops between him and Odette comes across as contrived and implausible. He seems so incompatible with the Swan Queen that when they eventually declare their love for one another, Siegfried comes across as a completely different character. Since Siegfried takes up so much of the novel, it only gets interesting towards the end once the narrative shifts entirely to Odile’s perspective.

            If The Black Swan were being judged solely on its final quarter, it would be a flawless work of art. It engrosses the reader, making it hard for them to put the book down. However, this only happens after enduring one too many chapters devoted to Siegfried. Given its slow pace and more sophisticated language, The Black Swan should be recommended almost solely to those who enjoy reading period pieces. However, it is also a lush fairytale that could easily be put on par with the timeless tales of Cinderella and The Little Mermaid. On top of that, Odile is a fantastic feminist heroine who gives just about every Disney Princess a run for her money. All in all, The Black Swan is a satisfying read worth checking out for any fans of fairytales and narratives about royals behaving badly.

Rating: B