A gripping murder mystery and swoonworthy romance set against the backdrop of a brutal period in Korean history.

“A Crane Among Wolves” follows Iseul, a sheltered, privileged teenager, as she embarks on a dangerous journey to save her sister, who has been kidnapped by the tyrant King Yeonsan. Prince Daehyun, who is disgusted by his half-brother’s rampant abuse of the common folk, wants nothing more than to overthrow him. Despite their initial disdain for each other, Iseul and Daehyun’s mutual hatred for the king results in a reluctant alliance to stage a coup.

June Hur’s historical reimagining centers around the fall of the Joseon dynasty in the Korean peninsula. As someone unfamiliar with this dark period in history, I was captivated and devastated by the widespread atrocities Hur’s characters navigated and the sacrifices they had to make to survive the abuse, kidnapping, enslavement, and execution that was prevalent during this time under King Yeonsan’s reign. I especially admired Iseul’s strength and her devotion to her sister. She goes to extreme lengths to save her sister from Yeonsan’s clutches and I enjoyed watching her develop from a spoiled girl to a selfless revolutionary.

I really enjoyed the murder mystery sub-plot woven into the story. It further drew me in and the suspense kept me on my toes. I tried and failed to identify the killer, but I loved trying to make sense of the clues Hur left throughout.

Iseul and Daehyun’s begrudging allies-to-lovers romance had me in a chokehold! Their relationship development is very gradual with the two prioritizing their cause (usurping the king) over each other. Still, they cannot resist giving in to their desires and I loved watching that play out from both of their perspectives. The tension, angst, and mutual pining Hur writes into their relationship made it all the better!

This book is such an interesting re-telling of some very violent and turbulent Korean history. It's told more for drama than complete historical accuracy, but I can see how this could be used to draw people into all of the intrigue of Korean history.

The current King is a tyrant, and keeps a harem of women who are frequently raped and abused. 17 year old Iseul doesn't really have to reckon with any of this until her older sister Suyeon is taken to join the King's harem. She has to journey into the unknown and leave the safety of her home in order to try an rescue her sister. Along the way, she meets up with secret rebels, including the King's half brother, Daehyun. The plot moves quickly as the two of them run into many obstacles along their way to raising a coup and rescuing Iseul's sister. There are captures. Characters we love die. This book does not shy away from violence although it is not graphic. Iseul and Daehyun come to admire each other for their strength and integrity. They protect each other and are loyal to one another.

If you have a reader who needs an expansive and fast-moving plot to get them interested, I highly recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A girl willing to go to great lengths to rescue her sister from an evil king soon finds herself working together with the king's half brother in order to stage a coup and destroy the king. Based and inspired on real historical events/figures, the story is set in 1506, Josean, in which the evil tyrant King Yeonsan rules. Known for his cruelty and horrific abuse of women and girls, King Yeonsan will kidnap married women and young girls to abuse, traffic, and use as playthings. When seventeen year old Iseul's older sister is taken to become the king's latest prey, Iseul will do anything to get her back. The king's power is absolute and to challenge him would mean certain death. Prince Daehyun has not only witnessed but committed many horrifying acts in order to simply survive in his half brother's rule. He has been forced to shut his emotions off in order to just survive... having to watch King Yeonsan's rampant executions and abuse of people... and Daehyun has been bidding his time, patiently waiting to stage a coup and dethrone his brother. Daehyun and Iseul's path cross and despite their dislike for one another, their deeper hatred for the king will bond them together as they seek to free themselves of this monster. All the while a different monster is on the loose, a killer known as Nameless Flower, prowls the street, leaving behind dead bodies and messages to the king. Can Daehyun and Iseul make it out alive or were their chances impossible to begin with? This was such a heart wrenching and brutal read, especially since it is based on real history and on real atrocities committed. I cannot even begin to imagine the horrors that had occurred. The story was a fantastic look into this moment in history and despite how hard it was to read at some points, I was absolutely gripped until the very end and was so happy with how things turned out. I would absolutely recommend this for anyone who enjoys stories based on history, heart wrenching stories, and just a good read!

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

A Crane Among Wolves is a story about the lengths people will go to to save their family and the lengths people will go to to do the right thing. Iseul’s older sister has been kidnapped by the King, and she will do anything to save her. Her best hope of rescuing her sister is solving the mystery of the Nameless Flower, a killer who targets the King’s officials, and asking for her sister’s return as her reward. Prince Daehyun, on the other hand, is secretly plotting a coup to overthrow his brother, the King, because he is terrorizing the people in their kingdom. Little do these two characters know their paths will soon collide and become intertwined.

I applaud June Hur for tackling a part of history that is very dark and not hiding the atrocities that were committed during this time. This book taught me a lot about this period in Korea.  That being said, if you are looking for a lighthearted YA book, this is not the book for you. If you are worried about the content, please see the trigger warnings listed at the bottom of my review.

Overall, this was a solid story, and I plan on checking out the author’s other books. This book didn’t wow me, but I didn’t dislike it. I never felt fully invested in the story, which is my main reason for giving this book 3 stars. I enjoyed the story and the characters, but I didn’t love it.

Side note: Based on the synopsis, I thought these two characters would meet up early in the book. But they don’t create their alliance until around the 30% mark. I’m not complaining, but it was a shock. 

TW: mentions of rape/sexual assault, gore, violence

This book felt like I was watching a Kdrama dance between each page. I really enjoyed the attention to detail that the author used throughout the story.

Thank you to Jane Hur, the publisher, and NetGalley for giving me an eARC of this novel.

Historical fiction, political intrigue thriller, and a slow burn romance all combine to make a suspenseful story inspired by an actual tyrannical ruler in Korean history. I enjoyed how detailed and researched A CRANE AMONG WOLVES was, and how June Hur has once again taken a time and place not seen as much in historical fiction and written an interesting and intriguing tale, this time about a plot to overthrow a violent and mad king. I enjoyed the two narratives, and I enjoyed watching both Iseul and Daehyun learn to trust each other, respect each other, and ultimately love each other. And trust me, if you like the royal intrigue and political machinations in your stories, this one delivers on that. Overall another solid historical fiction novel by June Hur!

First off— I got this book PURELY because the cover looked interesting, I thought I was getting a magical fantasy book with some Korean mythology. And I was VERY WRONG. I don’t know why, I glanced at it and didn’t think very deeply.

That being said— THIS BOOK WAS UTTERLY PHENOMENAL. When I started it I was going so slowly because I realized it was historical fiction, and I wasn’t sure I was in the mood for it, but Iseul and Daehyun were SO FLIPPING GOOD. A girl sneaking and fighting, trying to get her kidnapped sister back from the evil king? A prince ready to begin a coup? I just wanted to see where they went, what they did, how they would unfold the mysteries surrounding them, what they would do about this terrible king… I am amazed at how drawn into the story I became.

I didn’t know a lot about Korean history in general but this made it come alive. Im definitely excited to add it to our homeschool curriculum to help that part of history come alive. It’s going to be perfect for my teen girls.

TW: a serial killer is on the loose, not very descriptive, but the bodies are mentioned; mentions of past murder and kidnapping; implications of women in sex slavery

I have really enjoyed the previous books that I've read by this author. I feel like historical Korea is not something you often see, especially not YA books set in historical Korea. This story is set in early 1500s Korea, and it focuses on the reign of King Yeonsan, who is horrifically abusive to women and girls, and takes the land and burns their books. The female main character, Iseul, has not had much direct contact with this until her older sister is taken by the awful king. Iseul teams up with Prince Daehyun in order to recover her sister and help end the reign of King Yeonsan.
I really enjoyed this story. This was such an interesting snippet of history, one that you don't normally see in Young Adult. I enjoyed the two main characters a lot, and I feel that they added even more intrigue to an otherwise already compelling story. I'm looking forward to more intriguing historical fiction from this author--she hasn't disappointed me once yet!

I do want to add that this story will have its fair share of trigger warnings as there are some pretty heavy topics discussed. If you're someone who, from the synopsis, feels that this story may feature themes that you don't want to read about, I would highly recommend checking out a list of trigger-warnings when this is published.

the people of joseon in 1506 suffer under the reign of king yeonsan, who takes their land, burns their books, and steals and abuses their women and girls. iseul, a seventeen-year-old, has been mostly sheltered from this, until her older sister, suyeon, is taken by the king. iseul is determined to take her sister back, and with the help of prince daehyun, she strives to end the king’s regime.

i loved reading about this piece of korean history, of which i had no previous knowledge (though the author’s note does explain the few creative liberties taken in telling this story). this was well-written and i appreciated the feminist themes in this historical setting.

i also enjoyed the main characters, iseul and daehyun. this was dual pov which helped me understand them both better. i also liked their relationship, though that’s not the main focus of this book and is a slow build.

i highly recommend this to ya historical fiction readers.

Jun Hur's A Crane Among Wolves is a historical mystery that is told by two key characters; Iseul, who appears to be a member of the upper middle class, and Daehyun, the 1/2 brother to the evil, and twisted King Yeonsan who is a historical character in the history of Korea. The story is set in the year 1506. 3 days before this story takes place, Iseul's older sister Suyeon is stolen by royal soldiers loyal to the King. The same royal soldiers who murdered her parents leaving them orphans.

While Iseul is trying to figure out how to save her sister, Daehyun is working with others in order to overthrow his brother. The same brother who steals women from families, banned writing and reading books, and easily executes anyone who looks at him cross-eyed. The same brother who doesn't go anywhere, not even hunting, without row of capture women to keep him, and his soldiers company. Daehyun is only alive for the amusement it brings his 1/2 brother. Something he knows all too well since his own brothers were killed.

Despite the strained relationship the siblings have, Iseul journeys to the capital, desperate to save her sister. Meanwhile, Iseul meets an investigator who is looking into the serial murders of those close to the King. It seems the Nameless Flower is sending the King a message, and the closer he gets to his inner circle, this puts Daehyun in the path of a killer, as well as the man who decides to use Iseul to investigate a killer. With a large reward for the revelation of the killer, Iseul truly believes that she can bargain for her sisters release. But will it be too late to save Suyeon?

Despite their initial disdain for each other, Iseul and Daehyun’s mutual hatred for the king results in a reluctant alliance to stage a coup. Iseul goes through a remarkable transformation from spoiled teenager, to a selfless revolutionary who will walk the line of death to save her sister, and end the horrible reign of a brutal dictator. Hur does a more than decent job in portraying life under a real life monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea from 1495 until 1506 when he was disposed in a coup and lost his title.

I have read all three of Hur's previous books in her Historical retelling of Korean history, and will gladly do so again if this is the road she wishes to continue following.

I was engrossed in this story the entire time. I'm impressed with how well written both POVs were, generally I tend to like one way more than the other but they were very well balanced in this book. The author did an excellent job of using historical events to craft her tale.

This. Book. Easily 5 stars! The characters were intriguing and well developed. Had me on the edge of my seat at the end. I cried at one point. Absolutely highly recommend!

3 - ⭐⭐⭐

<b> "We mortals exist for but a season, and yet we love as though we are bound by eternity." </b>

<I> A Crane Among Wolves </i> is an YA historical romance based on harrowing events in Korean History. It follows characters Iseul and Prince Daehyun. Under the reign of Daehyun's brother, the land is in turmoil and filled with fear in the crazed king. Iseul is desperate to find a way to save her sister from the king's court and Prince Daehyun aches to dethrone his brother as he flaunts executions, torture, and more in the face of his people. When these two are brought together by fate they craft a plot and decide to make the gamble of a lifetime...to bring an end to a king.

I have mixed feelings on this book.

On one hand the rich historical influence drew me in. The political intrigue, the depths these people are willing to go to save the people from their own king, and world building around why it needed to happen was gritty and made things clear from the beginning. I enjoyed the assassination plot and the build up and execution of it. There was a good twist that I was not anticipated and I liked the realism it gave the story. On the other hand, I struggled with the romance and characters. I found I wasn't able to connect with them because I felt I was being told their characters rather than shown them through interactions and banter. The romance especially, only felt like a truly went somewhere at the end of the novel - I felt the banter and words were emotionally impactful and wished it would have been built up earlier in the novel. As such, I feel if you are going in this for a romance it doesn't have the character relationship development to hold it for a large part of the novel...but towards the end it does rally an attempt.

As this is a YA novel there is no spice and while there is a kiss or two, there isn't any detail. That said this book does have a fair share of trigger warnings because it reference a lot of heavy subjects so be advised.

I enjoyed the world and history of the story and that is what pushed me to keep reading. I wanted to know how things ended. I struggled to feel something for their characters. I would definitely like to explore more of Korean history so I hope this author continues this style.

Thank you Macmillan for the arc!

This was deeply enjoyable, though pretty dark for something that is being marketed as YA. A period of history that I am not familiar with, it was even scarier how heavily this was based on true events. The plot, romance, and adventure (plus, lots of gory deaths) are perfect for fans of K-Dramas. Very rich descriptions and different from my usual reads, but very enjoyable and heartbreaking.

<i>I received an ARC of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

“When one is able to differentiate good from evil, it is impossible to accept things the way they are.”

What I remember most from The Forest of Stolen Girls, another one of Hur’s historical mysteries and one of the very first ARCs I ever reviewed, was the immersive historical setting and the strength of the central sisters’ bond.

A Crane Among Wolves similarly captured me in that regard. 17-year-old protagonist Iseul grew up loved and pampered as an aristocrat, though her life has since come crashing down, setting her on the course of revenge for her parents’ deaths and her older sister’s kidnapping. She is understandably naive but still shrewd and courageous, which rendered her a compelling character to follow deeper into a plot rife with murder, political dissatisfaction and uprising, and a realistic dose of disillusionment. Prince Daehyun’s worldliness and stolidness complimented Iseul nicely, though I felt that some of the potential for their relationship development was too swept up in the coup/Nameless Flower/rescuing Suyeon plot.

The historical setting is built through lilting but consistently solid prose. The time period of A Crane Among Wolves never wavered, and so I did feel transported to a time of courtesans and turmoil in the kingdom. I was especially interested to learn that the majority of the events are drawn from the real Veritable Records, accounts that existed free of rulers’ oversight, though Hur shortened the timeline to tighten the plot. However, I felt as if the action was too delayed, so that I meandered through the build-up only for the twists to then occur on top of each other. I would have loved more real-time depictions of Iseul and Suyeon’s relationship as well as Wonsik’s fatherly relationship with Iseul—the latter, in particular, was told rather than show.

All in all, a slow but inviting read for those seeking a dark but endearing escape to 16th century Korea.

Another phenomenal novel from June Hur!

The plot was enticing from the first page and there were so many interesting plot points that kept the story moving at a good pace. I really enjoyed how there was a couple of side plots that worked with the main one to create a dynamic storyline. 

The characters were well rounded and all interesting in their own right. I found myself wondering about their pasts and what happened before the events of the book. Iseul is a wonderful main character who worked so well with the others. The chemistry between her and Daehyun was fantastic… no one can really resist an enemies to lovers trope! 

Overall I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Korean history and loves historical K-Dramas! This will tick all the boxes! 

I would like to thank the author and Netgalley for the ARC!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this story.
SPOILERS TO FOLLOW

I throughly enjoyed all the characters in this book and the plot (minus the TW aspects of it). Iseul was funny and fiercely confident in an almost foolish way. I loved how she threw herself into things with barely a thought (as I feel I do the same at times). I also loved how she gave the people she didn't like nicknames instead of trying to learn their actual names. I thought that was really funny of her. I also enjoyed Prince Daehyun. He was charismatic and clever when he needed to be. The plot twist at the end really got me there. I was so stressed about the outcome of the story. Wonsik and Yuel were great characters too.

I'm really glad I ended up buying a special edition version of this book! It's going to look so pretty and I'm excited to add it to my collection.

June Hur does it again! An incredible voice in YA historical fiction/sageuk. While Iseul was not my favorite protagonist of hers (she was infuriatingly impulsive and not as bright as her predecessors), she also might have the most growth of all of Hur's protagonists. This book was heavier than previous titles as a female reader and the reality of the the atrocities against women at that time period. I will be recommending this for the older teen readership due to this. I definitely appreciate Hur's commitment to being honest and forthright on the realities of the time period this book is set in. More than ever teens want the truth of history, especially in its horrors and atrocities.

A great read and another fabulous addition to Hur's body of work.

Phenomenal story building, fast pace, and perfect for kdrama lovers.

This was a massive win in my book because the increase in diversity and Asian folklore/history fiction was something that was missing in my childhood. Reading this book I am impressed at the intricacy of the weaving of the sequence of actions, mystery, and purposely placed proverbs. Every part of the story felt important and kept the pace going.

I enjoyed watching the character development of Iseul. I loved how she slowly matured and honed in on Wonsik’s wisdom to solve the hidden killer and most of all I love her determination to save her sister.

Every character has an important meaning to the story and as much as I have read I was pleasantly surprised I did not figure out the killer.

A great homage to the history of the time period that Hur set her story in. It really felt like I was there during that ill-rest moment in history - albeit fictionally.

The best was the ending! Watching Kdrama most historical period drama have such a devastating ending. I would gladly watch this novel because of how poignantly it ended.

Definitely a great fan now!
Thank you for this arc for an honest review. I will definitely be getting this when it’s out!

This is my first June Hur book, but definitely won't be my last. I fell in love with the writing and was fully invested into the plot right away and honestly the pacing of each chapter truly made it hard to put the book down! It was so easy to relate to both Iseul and Daehyun, and I think that the author has promoted this to be like a historical k-drama, and honestly, the book absolutely had those vibes and the tone fit really well too. I loved EVERY SINGLE moment and really enjoyed the political intrigue, the mystery and the romance so much. I really appreciated both POVs from ourr leads as well and their dynamic was so fun to read and I swoooooned multiple times. The side characters were really great here too and added a lot of flavor! The tyrant king was also REALLY easy to hate which was great in its own way lmao. 😂

I honestly am so glad this is my first book from Hur and can't wait to go back and read all of her backlog too!!