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Bavaria. 1880. Hilde was dreamed into existence by the god Odin, and along with her five sisters, granted cloaks that transform them into swans. Each sister’s cloak is imbued with a unique gift, but Hilde rejects her gift which connects her to the souls of dying creatures and forces her to shepherd them into the afterlife—the “Other Wood.”

While guiding the soul of a hawk to the Other Wood, Hilde meets the handsome Baron Maximilian von Richter, whose father was once a favorite of the king and left him no inheritance. Hilde is intrigued by Richter’s longing for a greater life and strikes a deal with him: She will manifest his dreams of riches, and in return, he will take her to the human world, where she will never have to guide souls again.

But at the court of King Ludwig II in Munich, Hilde struggles to fit in. After learning that fashionable ladies are having themselves painted, she hires non-binary Jewish artist Franz Mendelson, and is stunned when Franz renders her with swan wings. The more time she spends with Franz, the more she feels drawn to the artist’s warm, understanding nature, and the more controlling Richter becomes. When Hilde’s swan cloak suddenly goes missing, only Franz’s ability to paint souls can help Hilde escape her newfound prison.

(Content warnings: Animal death, physical and psychological abuse, emotional manipulation.)

AWARDS & PRAISE

☆ 2023 BCCB Blue Ribbon Book ☆


☆ 2023 CYBIL Award Nominee ☆

  • The blend of elements from “Swan Lake,” Germanic folklore, and Norse mythology is richly harmonious, presenting a beautifully wrought surface beneath which (as in all good fairy tales) layers of meaning reward those willing to dive.”

    — The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books starred review

  • “Dreamy, melancholy, and pensive, A Warning About Swans takes us on a journey of self-realization as Hilde learns to love as a human and thereby embrace her truest self.”

    – NPR

  • “Smoothly melds contemporary understandings of gender equality, exploration, and representation with fairy tale–like ambiance and language, making for a gratifying read.”

    — Publishers Weekly

  • “Grounded in history and myths, A Warning About Swans is a dreamy, eloquent fairy tale with timeless reflections on love, duty and betrayal.”

    — Foreward Reviews

  • "Filled with romance and betrayal, enchantment and the natural world, this story will appeal to fairy-tale lovers everywhere.”

    — Booklist

  • “A Warning About Swans, with its lush language and modern themes, is a relevant, whimsical fairy tale. R.M. Romero incorporates contemporary themes of self-acceptance, patriarchal culture, and gender into an original story that is immersive and picturesquely written.”

    — Shelf Awareness

  • “A Warning About Swans soars in its exploration of myths: their power, their failings and how they change alongside humanity yet stay with us throughout millennia. Romero provides a lovely example of how across all of time, some lessons stay true.”

    — Bookpage

  • “Romero blends elements of Swan Lake with German history and Norse mythology to weave a wholly original queer fairy tale. Highly recommended.”

    – SLJ

  • "Romero has woven a powerful, moving fairytale about finding belonging in the in-between and holding onto magic in a cruel world. A Warning About Swans carried me from hope to despair and back again on the wings of dreamy, wrenching verse. Entirely spellbinding.”

    —Allison Saft, New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic

  • ”An absolutely gorgeous book with words that dance across the page in shining verse. I wanted to linger with Hilde and Franz in their world long after the story ended. Utterly magical!”

    — Kip Wilson, award-winning author of The Most Dazzling Girl in Berlin

  • An unforgettable story, perfectly woven and hugely accomplished, both fresh and timeless, like a forgotten Grimm tale given a dazzling new life.”

    — Sophie Anderson, award-winning author of The House with Chicken Legs