The Sorceress and the Cygnet [Hardcover]

Patricia A. McKillip (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this fantasy, the banished Gold King tries to fight a ruling family. "With strong, archetypal characters and a powerful command of symbolism, McKillip depicts the human conflict between the desire for power and the need for love," said PW. (Jan.) 3
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

YA-- Corleu was different from the typical dark-haired Wayfolk. His blond hair and his fascination with the legends and children's rhymes about the Cygnets, Gold King, Blind Lady, Dancer, and Warlock set him apart. When Corleu and a band of Wayfolk become trapped in an endless swamp, he crosses a threshold (an unthinkable act for Wayfolk) seeking a means of escape. This impetuous act puts him on a collision course with the legends of his childhood. This is not a simple novel. The intricately woven plot laced with surrealist qualities will appeal to mature fantasy lovers. --Grace Baun, Robert E. Lee High School, Springfield, VA
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 231 pages
• Publisher: Ace Hardcover; 1st edition (May 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441775640
• ISBN-13: 978-0441775644
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,143,767 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rich and Lyrical, September 25, 2001

By 

EAWK "Screech Owl" (York, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sorceress and the Cygnet (Hardcover)

McKillip weaves a complex web of magic and desire in this book. What a shame it's out of print! I rate McKillip right up there with my all-time favorite authors, right up there with Tolkien and Le Guin. The stars come down to manipulate the future of humanity, stories take on reality, and love and desire meet. Places shift: houses fly, rooms move from place to place as they explore their own memories, and a maze at the root of a castle hold slips through time. Delightful! I liked the Riddle-Master trilogy, but this was even richer, more literary. I want to read everything by this author.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mckillip Classic, December 29, 2006

By 

Lori "Lori" (Washington State) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sorceress and the Cygnet (Paperback)

I just finished rereading this book. This is probably the hardest Mckillip book to read, because you really are left wondering what just happened after reading a dense, colorful passage. However, I find that the author's style is refreshing and makes this book unique. No other author fires my imagination like she does.
The Sorceress and the Cygnet is told from two perspectives: Corleu, a light-haired Wayfolk man, and Meguet Vervaine, the guardian of Ro Holding. Corleu is coerced by legends come to life (the Gold King, the Blind Lady, etc.) to find the heart of the Cygnet, which rules over Ro Holding. Corleu finds help from a bog-witch who happens to be the third daughter of the Holder of Ro Holding. Meguet Vervaine, on the other hand, must protect the Cygnet and Ro Holding at all cost.
I'm pretty sure the Sorceress and the Cygnet is out of print. I had to pay $20 for a paperback at an obscure bookstore way back when I was in high school or middle school (I was that desperate). Luckily, Sorceress and the Cygnet is being rereleased, combined with the Cygnet and the Firebird as one book. I hope Mckillip writes a third Cygnet book. Mckillip is my favorite author, and I must say that the Cygnet books contain her most memorable characters ever.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully Lyrical, October 18, 2002

By 

themindzi "themindzi" (Columbia, MO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sorceress and the Cygnet (Paperback)

This is an absolutely wonderful book, the one that got me hooked on Patricia McKillip in the first place. A young man finds himself trapped in a story of magic and gods, used as a pawn to find the heart of the Cygnet. Wading through myths come to life, he finds himself drawn to his bloodkin and trapped in a story that began with them long ago.

It remains to this day one of my all-time favorite novels and I recommend it to anyone.