| Plot Summary of The Black Swan |
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"This is a retelling of The Swan Princess. Odile Von Rothbart is the only child of Baron von Rothbart. The Baron captures women who he feels has betrayed some man in their life and turns them into swans by day. Princess Odette, the leader of the swans, confronts the Baron and obtains a promise that could result in freedom for her and the rest of the swans. The story is about that promise and how Odile helps the swans and realizes things about her father."
Jamie, Resident Scholar
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" Odile is the daughter of Baron von Rothbart. She feels she is distant from her father. Baron von Rothbart captures innocent women who he feels have betrayed their men, and turns them into swans. Princess Odette keeps a promise that could result in her freedom, along with the others. Odile learns the true meaning of her father's actions and helps the frightened swans."
Rebecca , Resident Scholar
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"Baron von Rothbart makes it his life's work to find women who betray men, and turns them into swans. His daughter, Odile, always tries to please him. She is the "keeper" of the swans. Odette, the Swan Queen, gets von Rothbart to agree to a deal that might free all of the swan girls. But Odile knows that her father wouldn't comply unless he knew Odette was going to fail. As it was, the deal was that Odette had to make a womanizing prince swear his eternal love to her."
Tigerbelle, Resident Scholar
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"This retelling of the story of "Swan Lake" deals with Odile, the "evil" Black Swan from the story. Odile lives in a secluded castle with her father, a powerful magician. She learns magic from him and seeks his admiration constantly. As she grows older, she begins to question the beings who live on the castle grounds by the lake. They are swans during the day, but women by moonlight. Odile learns that these are women whom her father has captured and enchanted as punishement for their manipulation of men.
Odile begins to feel sympathy for their plight, and she befriends Odette, the leader, and most beautiful of the swan/women. Odette has fallen in love with a prince and has a plan to break the spell that holds her and her friends prisoner. Odile helps her, but when her father discovers what has happened, he casts a spell on Odile making her look exactly like Odette, in order to ruin the plan. Trapped in Odette's body, and unable to speak the truth to the prince, Odile must find a way to thwart her father's evil plan and save her friends. "
fran laniado, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of The Black Swan |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 10%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 50%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?
- fantasy world/fantasy past
Romance
Yes
Romance plotlets:
- general romance
Lifeform altered?
Yes
Kind of alteration:
- Magically turned into another being
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Human/magical couple?
Yes
Type of couple:
- He's a human, she's a magical being
Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Profession/status:
- mage/magician
Age:
- a teen
Has magical/special powers?
Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character:
- can change shapes
- can fly
- can cast many different spells
- Invisibility
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- mage/magician
Has magical powers?
Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist:
- can change shapes
- can fly
- can cast all sorts of spells
- Invisibility
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Setting
Terrain
- Water
- Forests
Earth setting:
- 19th century
- during "Tolkien" (fairytime) times
A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body:
- humans in a primitive/fantasy society
Takes place on Earth?
Yes
Planet outside solar system?
Yes
Style
Person?
- mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
Sex in book?
Yes
How much dialogue?
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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