Book Review: The Swan's Daughter by Roshani Chokshi

The Swan's Daughter was a highly anticipated 2026 release for me... and fortunately, this one was a fun read! This young adult novel centers two characters: Demelza, a young woman of veritas swan descent who must go into hiding to preserve her own life; and Arris, a daydreamer prince who must choose his bride carefully given most of them want to kill him (a tradition that dates generations back, if one must know). These two meet when Demelza arrives at the castle in time for the competition to be Arris' bride, and they strike a deal where she offers to use her veritas swan skills to help him sort through all the potential brides.

I'm generally into whimsy, especially in fantasy reads that feel like fairytales. The Swan's Daughter is definitely a book that falls under that category! I enjoyed all the magical details (the creatures! the cultures! the abilities! the lore!) that Chokshi wove into this fanciful tale. It felt like Chokshi's imagination just ran wild in the best way, and the end result is a cacophony of incredible, lovely, magical and occasionally dangerous elements that make the world of this story feel so vivid.

The actual plot felt a lot like the fairytales I grew up reading were thrown into a blender and garnished with a touch of more modern sensibilities. I got the sense that Chokshi not only had a fun time writing many of the moments in the story (some of them greatly amused me as well), but also that she was reflecting on love, power and relationships. It's pretty clear that this was a book the author enjoyed working on, and the end result is that The Swan's Daughter is heartfelt and fun. (I do wish that I'd felt just a smidge more for each of our main characters though.)

The Swan's Daughter was whimsical, entertaining and overall, an enjoyable, lighthearted read. I do think YA readers will enjoy this, especially those readers who love fairytales and all things embellished with copious amounts of whimsy and magic.

The Swan's Daughter by Roshani Chokshi

Publication Date: January 6, 2026 | Publisher: Wednesday Books

Format: e-ARC | Source: Received from the publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!) | Buy the book!