I went into A Snake Among Swans completely blind, and this is also my first time reading anything by this author. I’m very glad I did.

This is a political fantasy that begins with the promise of vengeance but quickly expands into something much more layered, exploring identity, survival, and the cost of challenging systems that were never built for you.

Content warnings for this book include sexual assault, extreme violence (including graphic deaths of children), misogyny, homophobia, and parental and spousal abuse.

What stood out most to me was the dual POV structure and how it highlights two very different relationships to powerlessness and agency. One character is actively learning how to reclaim control over her life after loss, while the other begins to question the beliefs, conditioning, and expectations that have shaped her entire identity. Watching those arcs develop in parallel was one of the most compelling parts of the book.

The women in this story are its heart. They are ambitious, intelligent, angry, compassionate, and deeply complicated. The narrative never flattens them into archetypes, instead allowing them to exist in their contradictions, which makes their choices feel consistently impactful. This complexity feeds into one of the book’s strongest themes: the many forms of power—political, social, religious, and personal—and who is allowed to hold it, who is denied it, and what it costs to resist those systems.

The political intrigue is dense at times, and there were moments where I felt slightly weighed down by the detail, but it ultimately builds a world that feels intentional and layered, with consequences that accumulate meaningfully as the story progresses.

Despite that complexity, I became deeply emotionally invested in the characters and their journeys. I didn’t expect to finish this in one sitting, but once the momentum picked up, I couldn’t put it down. So, if you enjoy political fantasy with morally complex characters, intricate worldbuilding, and a strong focus on ambitious women navigating systems of power, this is an easy recommendation.

This was a strong introduction to the author for me, and I’m very curious to read more from them. Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

yearning, vibes, beautiful prose with well rounded characters and a love so strong they’d be willing to die and kill for each other, what more could a girl ask for