Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim #bookreview #YA #fantasy #fairytale

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews

Shiori, the only princess of Kiata, has a secret. Forbidden magic runs through her veins. Normally she conceals it well, but on the morning of her betrothal ceremony, Shiori loses control. At first, her mistake seems like a stroke of luck, forestalling the wedding she never wanted, but it also catches the attention of Raikama, her stepmother.

Raikama has dark magic of her own, and she banishes the young princess, turning her brothers into cranes, and warning Shiori that she must speak of it to no one: for with every word that escapes her lips, one of her brothers will die.

Penniless, voiceless, and alone, Shiori searches for her brothers, and, on her journey, uncovers a conspiracy to overtake the throne—a conspiracy more twisted and deceitful, more cunning and complex, than even Raikama’s betrayal. Only Shiori can set the kingdom to rights, but to do so she must place her trust in the very boy she fought so hard not to marry. And she must embrace the magic she’s been taught all her life to contain—no matter what it costs her.

There’s no way I can skip commenting on this cover – it would be a disservice to the designer. It’s a work of art and perfect for the story.

Before learning this novel is based on a fairy tale I’m unfamiliar with, I was thinking how it reads just like a fairy tale. Shiori could easily be a future Disney princess. She’s strong, curious, loyal, and determined not to let anyone else define her. Having six older brothers, she easily holds her own with them and is probably the most mischevious of the bunch. She’s also hiding her forbidden magic. After learning her stepmother possesses dark magic of her own, Shiori is banished and her brothers turned into cranes. Even worse, if she speaks to anyone, one of her brothers will die for every word she utters. I needed to know how this princess would survive and overcome the odds.

The sibling bonds are strong in this story, and I liked how protective Shiori’s brothers are of her even though she doesn’t always need it. Takkan is honorable and astute from the beginning, and I loved that he crafts stories for his little sister (who’s pretty feisty herself). Encouraging people to look beyond appearances or misunderstood actions is an important theme this book brings to the forefront.

The first quarter of this book had me riveted. I was angry with Shiori’s stepmother and the people that treated Shiori so badly when she was only trying to survive and anxious for her to find her brothers. She knew her mission and was fixated on it. Then things took a turn. The next half of the book mainly focused on the romance, and Shiori’s urgency to undo the curse wasn’t the driving force I’d expected. Toward the end of the story I didn’t see how plot lines could fall into place for some kind of resolution, but over the span of a few pages, several reveals come to light. Some are easy to predict, but others come out of left field and left me scratching my head because of the lack of hints along the way.

I’m a reader who doesn’t mind romance in a book as long as it’s not the primary focus, but this novel spotlighted it more than I’d expected from the description. That’s just a personal preference and in reading other reviews, I’m definitely in the minority on this. Fans of fairy tales, magic, and romance will be thrilled with Six Crimson Cranes, and while I enjoyed the story, it wasn’t exactly what I’d anticipated.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

35 thoughts on “Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim #bookreview #YA #fantasy #fairytale”

    1. I loved the bond between all the siblings and the message of not making assumptions about people, but the romance overshadowed the urgency for me in the second half. Guess I’m just not a romantic, lol!

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  3. I find myself curious about how an author can write a book with a lead character who can’t speak. The logistics of it interests me. The romance doesn’t. I am enjoying reading the reviews of the people who’ve read the book, though.

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    1. I wondered the same thing, Staci – how she’d communicate, but the author does a good job of making it believable. Shiori also can’t write the truth of what happened to her, so it’s even more of a challenge.

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    1. I don’t mind romance as a subplot, but when it’s the primary focus my mind tends to wander. There are tons of good reviews for this book, and I know my personal preferences are in the minority. I think I was the audience for only half this book, lol.

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  8. Mischenko

    The moment so saw this cover I was intrigued. So far I’ve seen mostly positive reviews for it. This might be one I just grab from the library. Excellent review, Teri. 😉

    Liked by 1 person

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  12. The story sounds very unique with a strong fairy tale vibe, Teri. Like you, I don’t mind romance in a novel, but I don’t want it to be the main focus of the book, It does sound very Disney-like and would probably make a great film!

    Liked by 1 person

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