A. B. Poranek Interview: ‘A Treachery of Swans’

A Treachery of Swans, from New York Times bestselling author A.B. Poranek (Where the Dark Stands Still,) is an atmospheric fantasy based on Swan Lake. The story follows Odile as her plan to restore magic to her kingdom is disrupted by a murder, forcing her to beg for help from the young woman whose identity she has stolen. 

Two hundred years ago, a slighted deity stole the magic from Auréal and vanished without a trace. But seventeen-year-old Odile has a plan. All her life, her father, a vengeful sorcerer, has raised her for one singular task: to infiltrate the royal palace and steal the king’s crown, an artefact with enough power to restore magic. But to enter the palace, she must assume the identity of a noblewoman. She chooses Marie d’Odette: famed for her beauty, a rumored candidate for future queen…and Odile’s childhood-friend-turned-sworn-enemy.

With her father’s help, Odile transforms Marie into a swan and takes her place at court. But following the brutal murder of the king and the accusation that it was her brother, her life descends to chaos.  Desperate to free her brother, Odile teams up with none other than elegant, infuriating Marie, the girl she has cursed. And the girl she can’t seem to stop thinking about despite her best efforts.

To make matters worse, there are whispers that the king’s murder was not at the hands of man, but beast. Torn between loyalty to her father and her growing feelings for Marie, Odile becomes tangled in a web of treachery and deceit. To save her kingdom, she must find the true path to magic…and find the real killer before they—or it—strikes again.

A.B. Poranek grew up sharing her time between Ontario, Canada, and rural Poland, and eventually completed a veterinary degree at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences. A lover of mythology and history, she enjoys exploring both in her writing. Her debut novel, Where the Dark Stands Still, an instant New York Times bestseller, is an ode to Poland’s folktales, while A Treachery of Swans transports readers to a world inspired by 17th-century France.

We spoke with Poranek about her experience writing her sophomore book, which featured a mix of genres and perspectives, as well as blending folklore from around the world into her cottage core writing. 

What was it like writing in first-person point of view after the success of your debut, which is told in the third-person point of view? 

It was a challenge for sure. I actually started writing the book in the same tense as WTDSS, third person present, and quickly realized it wasn’t working. Odile’s voice wasn’t coming through the way I wanted it to. She’s such a snarky, voicey character, and because her character journey is essentially a redemption story, it really helped to be in her head, seeing everything exactly as she does. 

Your writing seamlessly blends folklore from around the world with the cottagecore aesthetic. A Treachery of Swans is a story set in 17th-century France, in the romantic fantasy genre. For you as an author and individual, what does this story’s lore mean to you? 

My first introduction to Swan Lake was through the Barbie movie, as I think it was for many people. It was also one of the first ballets I ever saw live, and I’ve always loved the tragedy of it, star-crossed lovers separated by misunderstandings and a sorcerer’s scheming. The black swan especially captivated me. She was voiceless, used as her father’s pawn, sent to seduce the prince and never spoken of again. I’ve wanted to reexamine her character and role for a long time, especially through a sapphic lens. 

Why did you decide to set this novel in 17th-century France? What about this period intrigued you enough to write a second book? 

When people think of France-inspired books, most people think of the late 18th century and Marie Antoinette, so I really wanted to showcase a different time period than expected! The mid-to-late 17th century is a time period when the arts and ballet flourished in France under the patronage of Louis XIV, making it a perfect time period to draw inspiration from for a book set partly in a theatre house and partly in a tumultuous royal court. And the baroque aesthetic perfectly matched what I wanted for a Swan Lake retelling. 

What are some details you found when researching Swan Lake retellings? Were there any that you drew inspiration from or some underrated ones?

I watched quite a few iterations of the ballet while researching for the book, as well as films inspired by it. I wanted to stay as faithful to the original story as possible and tried to find ways to incorporate every beat of the plot – including the final, dramatic jump into the lake. The trickiest part was Rothbart, whose motivations are usually obscure at best. I really enjoyed fleshing him out for the book, giving him a backstory and a reason for why he does what he does that readers can understand, if not sympathize with. 

In previous  Swan Lake retellings, there is not much about Odile, the Black Swan, since she is just portrayed as Rothbarte’s daughter. What about your Odile, do you believe is important to note for readers who may brush past A Treachery of Swans as just another retelling?

What I really wanted to do was give Odile a voice. In the original ballet, she only ever appears once, often played by the same ballerina as the white swan. Some refer to her as Rothbart’s daughter, others as his creation. That’s all we ever get to know about her – she doesn’t get her own face, her own moment, but steals that of another. In this story, I wanted to fill out the original fairytale, to give her a perspective and a chance to change her fate. 

In ATOS, Odile has her own goals and motivations – she’s a manipulator who thrives on chaos. Still, she’s also deeply mistrusting, isolated, and convinced she’s destined to be a villain by her father. Hers is a story about breaking free from the narrative that’s been placed on her and learning to put her faith in others… especially with the help of a certain white swan. 

In your Reader’s Note, you mention that this retelling is one that you’ve been longing to write, and mention how the story originated with an image of golden paint across a tile. You make a point to say the golden paint was actually blood. Could you dive more into this? 

Sometimes that’s how ideas come to me! I was one of those kids with an “overactive imagination,” which certainly didn’t go away as I got older. Thankfully, I have a job that lets me indulge in it. I truly don’t know how I knew it was blood – I just knew. Aptly, it came to me while I was sitting in a church in Versailles, France. The rest of the story came together very quickly after that!

Anything else you’d like to say or mention about A Treachery of Swans that I didn’t cover?

As much as I adore Odile and Marie, our protagonists, I’m also excited for readers to meet the Prince of the story! He was one of my favorite characters to write, and he has a… complicated relationship with his royal guard.

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A Treachery of Swans is available for purchase as of June 24, 2025.