A company of swans cover

A company of swans

by Eva Ibbotson

Harriet Morton is the daughter of a priggish and pompous professor, living in Cambridge. They live with his maiden sister who is sanctimonious and mean. There is no love in that house. The only concession they have given young Harriet, is dance. Here she is invited to join a ballet company based in Manaus in the Amazon area. Running away from home, she truly begins the adventure of living her life... Romain Versey, formerly of Stavely in Cambridge has been away from home since the age of 19 due to a wicked stepbrother and after being betrayed in love. He went off to the Amazon to seek his fortune and is now extremely wealthy. As the president of the theatre where Harriet's company is based, Romain meets his one true love. Will the two manage to overcome abductions and misunderstanding to be together?

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Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?