A Rush of Wings by Laura E. Weymouth

Abstract

Reviewed by: A Rush of Wings by Laura E. Weymouth Natalie Berglind Weymouth, Laura E. A Rush of Wings. McElderry, 2021 [336p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781534493087 $18.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781534493100 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 8-12 Rowenna’s mother, Mairead, is murdered by a supernatural creature on a stormy night in their Scottish seaside village, but then when Rowenna’s father and brother return from a day’s fishing, Mairead returns with them as well. The new Mairead is a fuath (evil spirit), though, threatening Rowenna and eventually cursing the entire family by transforming her brothers into swans and magically taking Rowenna’s ability to speak. With the blame for the dark magic on her shoulders, Rowenna must use the unrefined craft the real Mairead refused to teach her to break the curse—and she’ll get embroiled in Inverness politics and the gimmicks of a terrifying man named Torr Pendragon along the way. Weymouth’s novel is brimming with fairy-tale magic and creatures from Scottish folklore; while some of the places and events are fictional, the novel still maintains a wonderfully immersive historical fiction feel. Beyond its exquisite story and eighteenth-century Scottish setting, readers will be swept up in Rowenna’s battle with her inner demons, the choices she must make against a nuanced, realistically manipulative villain, and the struggle of prioritizing herself versus others in an oppressive situation. Those who enjoyed Lim’s Six Crimson Cranes (BCCB 7/21), also based on “The Wild Swans,” will have a lot to consider about each novel’s unique take on the source material. Copyright © 2021 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois