<i>The Flight of Swans</i> is the second fairy tale retelling by Sarah McGuire. I really enjoyed her previous book, [book:Valiant|18392476], so I was happy to receive an ARC of this through Netgalley.

Most old European fairy tales are dark and disturbing, and McGuire accurately captures the tone of the originals, while making her characters likable and a bit modern. The characters are relatable without sacrificing integrity; the story honors the original fairy tale.

As the book begins, 12 year old Andaryn’s Father, the King, has been ‘rescued’ from being lost in the forest by a woman who seems to have mesmerized him. They marry, and Andaryn’s six brothers start to fall under her spell as well. Andaryn is alarmed, and desperately attempts to break the new queen’s hold over her family. What results is a six year sentence to silence, and her six brothers being transformed into swans. The brothers are able to return to human form the night of every full moon. In the beginning they are mainly concerned with Andaryn’s safety. They bossily and adamantly teach her how to live in the wild, and how to keep herself safe.

Over the six years of silence, Andaryn encounters enemies and allies. Some are terrifying - the queen with her ability to convince everyone that Andaryn is evil and dangerous, and the queen’s hunters, otherworldly and nigh-inescapable. Some are there merely to strengthen Andaryn as she grows into her womanhood <spoiler> Connach and Moyle</spoiler>. And her brothers, while not intending to be enemies, do challenge and oppose Andaryn. This is mainly because they are so dedicated to protecting their little sister that they are unable to recognize the smart, resourceful, shrewd young woman that she has become.

I preferred the story once she crossed the barrow lands, as the pace settled down and the story became more focused. The beginning felt rushed and scattered. True, that accurately reflects the feeling of a 12 year old being thrown a lot of nasty stuff to deal with in a short time while running for her life and trying to protect her older brothers who have always taken care of her. Andaryn has to grow and develop her strength, if she is going to save everyone.

Overall, this is a great re-telling, because it respected the main theme of the fairy tale, while fleshing it out with multi-layered characters, a dynamic story, romance and a few surprises that enriched the original story without diluting it.

I like Andaryn, and her transformation from overprotected younger sister to powerful woman was gradual and convincing. Tamsen, Corbin, Iowyn, Finn and the Queen were all memorable. The brothers, as happens when you have SIX of them, rather melted into one surly overprotective lump. Aiden did stand out as the oldest and heir apparent to their Father’s kingdom, as did Owain as her twin (it is hard to forget a twin to the main character!) and Guyen as the scholar among the bunch.

The only things I did not love was that, even though it was a long book, it felt rushed at times, mainly in the beginning, when we hit the ground running and learn most of what had already happened as the story progresses. Also rushed and quite unsatisfactory was <spoiler> when her father the King abruptly returned to himself and then was killed. It just felt a little awkward, cliched and expected. </spoiler>. Also, I did not love the cover. I felt the cover for Valiant was amazing, and the cover of The Flight of Swans was disappointing, besides having no continuity with Valiant.

Andaryn is a heroine to root for. She's strong from the beginning, but also flawed. She faces incredible obstacles, but finds courage in the face of her fears. And she has so. Many. Obstacles. The Evil Queen is truly frightening, powerful, and unpredictable. I enjoyed the quiet moments of the book when Andaryn is spending time with her brothers and they work together as a family. But she's at her best when she's on her own, figuring things out for herself. Between the changes the author made since the first draft, and the parts I had forgotten, rereading it was a brand-new experience. Andaryn's inability to speak for much of the story only added to the tension of the plot. It kept me up late reading to find out what happened! If you're looking for an upper middle grade/younger YA fantasy with a strong heroine, tender and humorous moments, and a lot of adventure, this would be a great choice!