Book Review: The Swan Keeper by Milana Marsenich

 

The Swan Keeper
By Milana Marsenich

Publication Date: 18th May 2018

Publisher: Open Books

Page Length: 257

Genre: Teen & Young Adult Historical Fiction

From USA Today featured novelist and Western Writers of America Spur award finalist Milana Marsenich, The Swan Keeper is an historical, coming-of-age novel set in 1920s Montana.

On her eleventh birthday, Lilly’s family visits the Cattail Marsh to see the newly hatched cygnets. The family outing turns tragic when Dean Drake shows up with his shotgun. Lilly sees him kill her father, injure her mother, and slaughter the bevy of trumpeter swans. The sheriff, her mother, sister, and best friend all think Lilly is trying to make sense of a senseless accident by blaming Drake. But Lilly knows the truth. Left alone she must bring him to justice.

Lilly viewed the world around her through a magical lens of positivity and enthusiasm, eagerly anticipating her upcoming birthday. She clung to her father’s promise of a family trip to see the cygnets at Cattail Marsh. The outing would be free from her father’s whiskey, devoid of arguments with her sister, and filled with a bicycle basket packed with her favourite chocolate cakes for a special birthday picnic. Nothing could diminish the joy of this light-hearted day—watching the mother swans swimming protectively alongside their precious babies, celebrating another year of life, and embracing the excitement of the year ahead.

But the perfect day is not meant to be. The lightness and joy in Lilly’s heart are overshadowed by dark clouds rolling in, accompanied by a gripping fear of the ominous events the storm might bring. With deep explosions—man-made rather than caused by the storm—Lilly’s deepest fears come to life before her eyes, stealing the breath from those she loves.

“The Swan Keeper” by Milana Marsenich is a heartfelt story that emphasises the fragility of life and the trauma experienced by a vibrant young mind that is compelled to mature too quickly. This moving tale depicts a young girl’s desperate struggle to correct a terrible wrong.

Lilly had always been close with her Pa and trusted him with her life. She would happily follow him around in any weather, and even in the presence of dangerous animals, all because she knew he would protect her no matter what. Their bond ran deep, the threads of their lives intricately entwined together, and she found herself growing to love the same things that he did. Watching him being violently taken from her was something no child should ever have to endure. Each morning, she faced the painful reality that she would never see him again. The added anguish of knowing that his killer remained free while those around her defended him was simply unbearable. This novel is told from the perspective of a young girl and follows her as she seeks to bring her father's murderer to justice. Despite her age, the story has a profound emotional impact, and Lilly’s youth does not hinder its storytelling. Although she views the world through the eyes of a child, her circumstances force her to grow up quickly. This young age only adds to the tragedy of her experience, as she faces many distressing situations and finds that no one around her is willing to believe her. Lilly cannot simply wait while her father’s murderer remains at large; she must mature and seek out her own evidence, even when everyone insists that her claims are untrue.

Lilly finds herself at a difficult stalemate. Her mother may have lived, but she is not the same. She is but a shell of her former self, breathing, but not truly alive. Her sister might attempt to take on the role of parent, but she can never replace that which Lilly has lost. And yet, Lilly is only eleven years old, and at eleven, the imagination runs wild. The mind clings to words spoken in harsh tones and absorbs the feelings of others. It was not a secret that Lilly’s Pa didn’t like Dean Drake, and thought him to be the infamous Swan Killer, guilty of murdering the trumpeter swans, which were already close to extinction. For Lilly to so ardently claim that it was him who murdered her Pa and shot her mother, at just eleven years old, she was not taken seriously. The devastation that wreaks havoc in her mind as she tries to make her voice heard, despite fighting a losing battle, is written with such intricate and lyrical prose that it is enough to bring you to tears. Indeed, the desperation and longing to be believed tug at your heart with such intensity that a box of tissues is recommended to keep close by. For such a young and caring girl to go through so much is harrowing, and she certainly garners both respect and massive amounts of sympathy from the reader.

Dean Drake is an antagonist who truly makes your skin crawl. His only alibi is a lack of evidence, but he openly flaunts his freedom to Lilly, as though showing off the immunity that age and experience can grant you if you have it. He sets up encounters specifically to put himself in a favourable light for any onlookers and holds himself in a position of superiority over those around him. If Ms. Marsenich has succeeded in creating an endearing character in Lilly—someone you would want to step into the pages and embrace with a huge hug to protect—then she has also mastered the ability to develop an antagonist that readers would want to confront and expose for his crimes. As you progress through the story, it becomes almost impossible to hold back the dark feelings of hatred towards Drake, especially with how easy it is to love Lilly. As he taunts her, threatens her, and infiltrates her life in every way he can, the desire to protect her almost becomes too much to take, and the longing to keep her safe, and to know that Drake gets his just deserts is more than enough to keep the pages turning, in quick succession, late into the night.

In this novel, the swans symbolise hope amidst the darkness of murder, grief, and terror. They are all that Lilly has left of her father, and she would do anything to protect them. Their pure white feathers stand in stark contrast to the foul darkness that follows Drake wherever he goes. In times of fear and uncertainty, Lilly turns to the swans to bring her back to the surface and save her from drowning in the memories that haunt her life. The swans not only serve as a backdrop for Drake’s actions and Lilly’s father’s hatred for him but also carry rich metaphorical significance throughout the narrative. As the cygnets emerge, hope is reborn, with their future laid out before them like the outstretched wings of their parents. However, they are in constant danger, facing threats from guns, changing weather, disease, and the looming spectre of extinction. Lilly is much like the swans; her family endures similar trials as the beautiful creatures do. They rely on her just as much as she relies on them. Her relationship with the swans resembles that of close friends or even family.

The setting of this novel is beautifully crafted, bringing the Cattail Marsh, the expansive valley, and the cliffs surrounding it to life. With great attention to detail, the world Lilly lives in becomes vivid, the breeze rustles the leaves and pages alike. One can almost hear the gentle splash of water as the swans teach their cygnets to dip their heads for pondweed. Despite the tragic events woven into the narrative, the novel has a vibrant quality that invites the reader to step inside the pages and immerse themselves in the story.

“The Swan Keeper” by Milana Marsenich is more than just a novel; it’s an experience that pulls the reader in. As you follow Lilly on her journey, you’ll feel the heartache and an overwhelming urge to shield this brave young girl from the challenges she faces. This is a story that, once read, will never be forgotten.

Review by Ellie Yarde

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Milana Marsenich

Milana Marsenich lives in Northwest Montana near Flathead Lake at the base of the beautiful Mission Mountains. She enjoys quick access to the mountains and has spent many hours hiking the wilderness trails with friends and dogs. 

As a natural listener and a therapist, she has witnessed amazing generosity and courage in others. She first witnessed this in her hometown of Butte, Montana, a mining town with a rich history and the setting for Copper Sky, her first novel. Copper Sky was chosen as a 2018 Spur Award finalist for Best Western Historical Novel. 

She has an M.Ed. in Mental Health Counseling from Montana State University and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Montana. She has previously published in Montana Quarterly, Big Sky Journal, The Polishing Stone, The Moronic Ox, BookGlow, and Feminist Studies. She has a short story included in The Montana Quarterly book: Montana, Warts and All. She has three published novels, Copper Sky, The Swan Keeper, and Beautiful Ghost, and one popular history book, Idaho Madams. Her soon-to-be-released novel, Shed Girl: A Juliet French Mystery, will be available January 18, 2024.

In addition to Copper Sky being a Spur Award finalist in 2018, The Swan Keeper was a Willa Award finalist in 2019, and her short story, Wild Dogs, won the Laura Award for short fiction in 2020. She is a member of Western Writers of America and of Women Writing the West. 

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