Blanca & Roja

by Anna-Marie McLemore
Blanca & Roja cover
Good Books rating 4.19
Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
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  • ID: 7858
  • Added: 2025-12-17
  • Updated: 2025-12-18
  • ISBN: 9781663606754
  • Publisher: Turtleback
  • Published: 2021-02-01
  • Reviews: 4

Blanca & Roja is a captivating retelling of the classic 'Swans' fairy tale, set in a lush, eerie world where sisters are bound by fate and magic. The story follows Blanca and Roja, two sisters who are destined to become swans, as they navigate a world filled with danger and enchantment. Their lives take a dramatic turn when a mysterious boy enters their world, and they must uncover the truth behind their family's dark history to break the curse that binds them. The novel is praised for its lush, atmospheric writing and its exploration of themes such as sisterhood, identity, and the power of storytelling. It is a gripping tale that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.

Reviews
The StoryGraph · 2025-12-18
gripping 4.50

The book is beautiful in every sense, with poetic writing and fascinating characters. The story is gripping but has some flaws.

This reviewer describes 'Blanca & Roja' as a beautiful book in every sense. They praise the poetic writing style and the fascinating characters that bring the story to life. The narrative is gripping and keeps the reader engaged. However, they also acknowledge that the book has some flaws that prevent it from being perfect. They appreciate the messages and themes portrayed in the story, but feel that the execution could have been better in some areas. Overall, they find the book to be a compelling and beautiful read.

Quick quotes

    This book was beautiful in every sense of the word.

    The writing was poetic, the characters were fascinating, and the story was gripping.

    But, as much as I loved it, there were some flaws that kept it from being perfect.

Classy X Book Reviews · 2020-10-19
beautiful 4.00

The plot is slow and quiet, but packed with emotion and love. There is magic, romance, sacrifice, and mystery woven throughout the story.

This reviewer found the plot of 'Blanca & Roja' to be slow and quiet, but they appreciated the depth of emotion and love that filled the pages. The story is rich with magic, romance, sacrifice, and mystery, making it a compelling read. They highlight the beautiful prose and the way the author weaves together different elements to create a captivating narrative. However, they also note that the slow pace might not be for everyone, but the emotional depth and the magical elements make it worth the read.

Quick quotes

    The plot was slow and quiet, but there was so much emotion and love within these pages.

    There was magic and romance, sacrifice, and mystery.

    I loved the way the author wove together different elements to create a captivating narrative.

GLBTRT · 2019-04-01
mixed 3.50

While the book possesses McLemore's characteristic style with gorgeous prose and complex, diverse characters, it felt a bit slow and repetitive at times.

The reviewer appreciated the characteristic style of Anna-Marie McLemore, highlighting the gorgeous prose and the complex, diverse characters. However, they found the pacing to be slow and felt that some parts of the story were repetitive. Despite these criticisms, they acknowledged the beauty of the writing and the depth of the characters, which made the book a worthwhile read.

Quick quotes

    While Blanca & Roja possesses McLemore's characteristic style complete with gorgeous prose and complex, diverse characters

    I spent a lot of time thinking about the characters and their relationships.

    The pacing was slow and some parts felt repetitive.

Cat On The Bookshelf · 2019-02-11
beautiful 4.75

This is a beautiful fairy-tale retelling about siblings, sacrifice, and fighting back. The retelling and the characters are highly recommended.

This reviewer highly recommends 'Blanca & Roja' for its beautiful fairy-tale retelling. They appreciate the themes of siblings, sacrifice, and fighting back that are woven throughout the story. The characters are well-developed and the narrative is engaging. They find the book to be a fresh take on classic fairy tales, with a unique and captivating story. The reviewer also praises the author's ability to create a rich and immersive world that draws the reader in. Overall, they find the book to be a must-read for fans of fairy-tale retellings.

Quick quotes

    This is a beautiful fairy-tale retelling about siblings, sacrifice, and fighting back.

    I highly recommend reading it for the retelling, the characters, and the story.

    The author's ability to create a rich and immersive world is truly impressive.

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