The Song of the Swan

Wise spiders, magical threads, and flawed illusions anchor this traditionally structured fantasy that nods to Swan Lake, focused on a child who uses her magical powers to help her swindling merchant caretaker. Desperate to escape the nomadic life she has endured since her mother's death when she was six, 13-year-old Olga determines to find a legendary jewel, the Scarlet Heart. She runs away with loyal 18-year-old giant Pavel, the third cohort of the swindler's trio, to a reputedly haunted valley that's home to Sokolov Palace, rumored both to be abandoned and to house the jewel. Not only is the palace not empty, but exuberant Baron Sokolov hosts hordes of guests nightly at glittering balls. Pavel is enchanted, but Olga, single-minded about finding the treasure and well aware of illusions' nature, quickly grows suspicious, and the presence of magic-bound swans raises further questions. Organized into eight tales and formally narrated by an omniscient spider who interrupts regularly to provide context for readers (addressed as "little ones"), this complicated and suspenseful work by previous collaborators Sutton and Hannuniemi (A Wolf for a Spell) is sometimes encumbered by Olga's distrustful nature as she resists succumbing to a compassionate use of her magic. Occasional b&w illustrations create an animated-film ambiance. Human characters present as white. Ages 8-12. (Oct.)

Gr 4-8--Thirteen-year-old Olga and her companion, 18-year-old Pavel, both depicted as white in Hannuniemi's stylized black-and-white illustrations, feature in Sutton's Swan Lake-inspired Slavic tale. The story is divided into sections, each introduced by a male spider talking directly to readers and providing small clues. Olga is an orphan and a magical swindler who seeks a legendary gem, the Scarlet Heart, which seems like the answer to her hard-scrabble existence. Searching for it in the remote Sokolov Palace, Olga and Pavel encounter the genial Baron Sokolov who hosts nightly festivities for his guests. Conversations with the local talking spiders convince them to investigate further, as Olga is faced with an ethical conundrum--use her magic to try to break the palace's enchantment, or act in her own self-interest. Sutton transforms the celebrated ballet into a children's folk tale with some success. Olga is a refreshingly flawed individual whose bravery and initiative will appeal to readers. Lengthy descriptions of the foods at the Baron's feasts are unilaterally mouth-watering. Turning a tragic ballet into a hopeful children's tale creates some strained story threads which sit awkwardly alongside several of predictable plot twists. In the story's conclusion, Sutton spends time telling readers what lessons they should learn rather than having Olga demonstrate them. Accompanying illustrations are by turns textured and soft with waves and fine lines, and an engaging author's note sheds light on the book's inspiration and sources. VERDICT Sutton's prose is fluid and readable--certainly young balletomanes and fans of fairy-tale retellings will overlook the stumbles. Suitable for larger fantasy collections.--Caitlin Augusta