Title: Six Crimson Cranes
Author: Elizabeth Lim
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 5 out of 5

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.

This was a fantastic read! I love that it’s a retelling of a fairy tale, set in a completely different—and vividly drawn—culture. Some of the brothers kind of blurred together for me; not a surprise, as for the most part they sort of played one part, but the other characters were distinct and believable.

Shiori herself was great. Her journey to realizing and embracing her strength was wonderful, and I loved how she thought for herself and didn’t just go along with what everyone told her. I was up late finishing this because I just couldn’t put it down.

Elizabeth Lin lives in New York City. Six Crimson Cranes is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Random House Children's/ Knopf Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 7/13.)

This one ALMOST hit 4.5 stars. I just kind of lost a little bit of interest in the middle of the book.
To be honest, I requested this one because I had seen it all over Instagram. I hadn't read the synopsis, I hadn't read Lim's other duology. But I figured, why not give it a go?
I loved the characters, Shiori was such a spitfire at the beginning and it was very interesting to see how she changed, but her personality was still able to show even after she was cursed and could not speak. Shiori's brothers were good, since they were not in the book a ton and even when they were, they were cranes a lot of the time. Since there were 6 of them, it was hard to keep track of who was who except for Hasho because he was Shiori's favorite. My two favorite characters were Kiki, the paper crane Shiori had enchanted to life, and Megari, (Shiori's betrothed's sister). Megari was so open minded and accepting and also a spitfire like Shiori. And Takkan (Shiori's betrothed) was pretty nice too (winky face).
The plot was a little bit weirdly paced, which is mostly why I knocked off a star. It started with a bang, Shiori almost drowning, meeting a dragon, getting cursed. But after Shiori and her brothers are cursed, it slows down a lot. Once Shiori knows how to break the curse, those parts where she is doing what she needs to do (trying not to spoil anything) are barely mentioned in between Shiori's time at Iro doing a lot of nothing. There's chapters of what happens in Iro and then one sentence saying that all of the sudden, Shiori is done with this part of the curse breaking. Then at the end it picks up in a huge way and the ending was such a fantastic whirlwind of this and that and everything! It also lead perfectly into the second book without feeling like a strange place to stop or leaving it on a gigantic cliffhanger. A lot of the things at the end I actually didn't see coming, and there was a lot of what felt like the changing of the main goal of the book which really kept me on my toes throughout a lot of the book.
This is one I will definitely be recommending!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Six Crimson Cranes is a retelling of a beloved fairy tale set in the same East Asia-inspired fantasy world as Lim's previous Spin the Dawn duology. We follow Shiori, beloved princess of Kiata, as she's finally confronted with something she's been dreading most of her life: her betrothal to Lord Takkan. But the morning she is to meet him for the first time, she loses control of the magic she's been hiding most of her life, setting off a string of events that eventually leads to her getting cursed by her mysterious stepmother along with her six brothers. Shiori must find her brothers, and uncover exactly what her stepmother is plotting in this richly woven fairytale.

I loved Spin the Dawn, but SCC totally blew it out of the water! The magic system was intriguing with the introduction of dragons and Kiata itself, a magic-less land. Speaking of dragons, Seryu was one of my favorite characters and I can't wait for the next book because I know there's going to be more of him. 2022 please come faster!! The other characters were complex and compelling as well, from Raikama, the stepmother hiding a secret or ten, to Takkan, the soft-hearted lord willing to do anything for Shiori. Overall, an exciting start to a new series and I absolutely cannot wait for more!

Shiori lives the happy carefree life of a rich princess, her only worry that anyone discover she can wield magic. Until the day she discovers her stepmother's true nature, and Shiori and her brothers are cursed. While Shiori can't speak without killing her brothers, her six brothers are cursed to spend their days as cranes. Banished by magic far from the palace, Shiori and her brothers search for each other and for a way to free themselves from their stepmother's curse.

This book was an immersive experience. The writing, like others by this author, consists of a lush prose that's very easy to read and really pulls you into the story. It's set somewhere in Asia, and the plot is based on the fairy tale of the princess and the six cranes. I'm not overly familiar with that tale, but I know enough to say that this presented a unique and wonderful spin over the original.

Shiori had a good character arc throughout the story, maturing nicely through her trials. I especially enjoyed the plot twists presented within. Not everything or everyone turns out based on first impressions. Additionally, hers wasn't the only character given a voice. All of her brothers (six of them, if that wasn't obvious), while only side characters, each had their own personalities. And I loved the complex relationship Shiori and her family had with their stepmother. It wasn't the simple wicked stepmother story from every fairytale. There was so much more to their relationship, like you'd expect with a real stepparent and their new family.

The writing was really good. It had me blinking back tears at some points.

I've only read one other book by this author, and while I loved the prose there too - it was hard to dislike the book with that prose - I thought it too YA with too much of a romance focus. There is a romance in the Six Crimson Cranes, but it's more mature, and I enjoyed the slow build-up to their relationship, which has more in common with a deep friendship than with a relationship based on physical contact. Plus, it didn't overtake the main plot, it merely enhanced the overall story as a wonderful sub-main plot. That's not to say this can't be a YA book. It can appeal to both a teen and older audience.

This was a great Asian inspired fantasy book. Most of the issues were wrapped up in this first book, but several new problems cropped up at the end, paving the way for a sequel. I expect that will be worth the wait.

Thanks to Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this E-ARC. I will publish this review on my blog (A Bookish Star), Amazon Canada, Barnes & Noble, and Instagram (@ABookishStar).

Six Crimson Cranes is hands down my favourite read, so far, of 2021. I could not put this novel down. Lim spins a retelling that is addicting, fast pace and gorgeously fleshed out.

The characters, and their relationships/interactions with one another, really solidify this story. I loved Shiori's, the MC, relationship with her brothers, a certain dragon and various members of the Bushian family. The main character grows a lot in this book. I loved how determined Shiori is as a character.

I'm super excited to see how the romance develops in future books. I have a feeling that this series will involve a love triangle. If so, then I'm totally on board. I liked both possible love interests. However, I was fangirling over Shiori's relationship with Takkan (heart eyes). Takkan is 100% book-boyfriend material.

The plot was fast-paced, and I always wanted to know what happened next in the story. I did not find the various story threads hard to follow in this book. This story will take readers on an adventure. Readers get to see different parts of the world Lim has created in Six Crimson Cranes. I loved the inclusion of foods and festivals.

Overall, this is by far my favourite read of 2021. I could not put down this novel. It was fast-paced, and I loved the characters. The world-building is well fleshed out. I hope this book is one day adapted for film or television. This retelling is one I would highly recommend for fans of fantasy retellings.

Oh my goodness, Elizabeth Lim has done it again. Another absolutely stunning story with a main character I can't help but love. I absolutely ADORE Shiori. And Takkan. And Seryu. And all of Shiori's brothers. Basically I love everyone.

I wasn't sure what direction I expected this book to take, but it definitely surprised me (in the best way)! It's a bit of a journey book (similar to Spin The Dawn) but it's significantly darker in terms of what our main character endures. This book takes place in the same world as Spin The Dawn, and while it's not required to read the books together, there were lots of small easter eggs to pick up on!

The growth in this book was just *chef's kiss*. Seeing Shiori deal with and overcome her obstacles was fantastic to read and I was cheering her on every second. I'm super interested in this magic system and while I have the gist of it, I want so much more (meaning I want the sequel ASAP please and thank you).

In addition to the amazing world, plot, and character development, one of my favorite aspects of this book are the family relationships. It's one of my biggest grievances that YA doesn't have more family storylines so I'm an absolute sucker for any familial ties. The way Shiori feels about her brothers and how she's quite willing to do anything for them hit so close to home, and I love it.

Do me a favor and get this book. And everything else by this author. Trust me.

Shiori is the only princess of Kiata, but she doesn’t want to do what’s expected of her. One day she dives into the Sacred Lake and meets a dragon, who turns out to be a boy able to transform into a dragon. He tells Shiori that she has the rare ability to wield magic and he promises to teach her how to use it. Shiori uses her magic to enchant a paper crane to make it fly by itself, who she names Kiki. One day she discovers her stepmother, Raikama, is a powerful sorceress. She changes Shiori’s six brothers into cranes and curses Shiori so that with every sound that escapes her lips, one of her brothers will die.

I didn’t really like how both Zairena and Raikama were written as being irredeemably bad. People are not all good or all bad, and their being written that way made them both feel very flat to me. I also got all six of Shiori’s brothers mixed up because there are really no distinguishing factors between them all. One is a little nicer than the others and one is a little meaner than the others, but there’s not much characterization beyond that. Shiori herself was fine, but honestly, none of the characters stood out to me, and I truly just didn’t care about anyone. I did, however, like Shiori and Takkan’s relationship. I liked Takkan the best of all the characters in the book.

Six Crimson Cranes has a similar feel to Spin the Dawn. It could just be Elizabeth Lim’s writing style, although these two series do take place in the same world. (If you look at both books’ maps though, it’s a little confusing because the maps have some of the same places but not in the same locations.) There are quite a few similarities between the two books, especially in the beginning. For example, Shiori enchants a needle to sew for her, which is uncannily similar to Maia’s enchanted embroidery scissors in Spin the Dawn, and both books even have a walnut with magical properties that can hold items inside it. Also, both books are fairytales. I don’t know if all these crossovers were intentional or not, but it was kind of weird. I almost felt like I was reading the same book, as Shiori and Maia are very similar protagonists and there were lots of references to the Blood of Stars in both books, but I know this is a completely different story.

This book reads rather young to me. I don’t know what it is but I’ve been feeling this way about every young adult book I’ve been reading lately: they all feel like they’re so simply written with a clear good and a clear bad with predictable twists and common plot beats and a protagonist who is special unlike anyone else. I don’t know if this is just the specific books I’m reading or if this is the generic structure for young adult novels, but I’m seeing the pattern repeated over and over. It keeps happening to me and I really am tired of it because I feel like I’m constantly reading the same book that I just read, with just a few differences to the setting and magic. It makes for a lackluster reading experience, unfortunately.

I wish I could say this book brought something fresh and new to the genre, but it really didn’t. Even though the plot is different from her previous duology and the setting and characters are new, I felt like I was reading Spin the Dawn again. There are so many similarities in writing style and story beats but also in random details throughout the narrative that I couldn’t stop comparing the two novels during my entire time reading Six Crimson Cranes.

I liked the Asian influences on the story and I’m always interested in reading more stories with Asian cultures and settings, but that wasn’t enough to make this novel feel new and fresh to me, especially with the huge amount of telling instead of showing. So many scenes were quickly glossed over because there was no depth given to the narrative, which I didn’t enjoy.

For how much I liked Lim’s Spin the Dawn, I’m really disappointed I didn’t like Six Crimson Cranes better. It’s not that this book was bad, but I just didn’t care about the story whatsoever. I didn’t like the first 30% or the last 20% of the book, but I did enjoy the middle 50% to some extent, mostly because of Takkan. I think this book would be good for teens on the younger side, especially those interested in Asian culture and folklore, or for anyone looking for a quick and easy read that also feels familiar and fun. I also think fans of Spin the Dawn would enjoy this book if they liked Lim’s fairytale-esque writing style.

This book feels pretty forgettable to me and I was glad to be finished once I finally read the last page. I currently don’t have any desire to find out what happens next as it’s pretty easy to guess where the story will go from here, so unfortunately I don’t think I’ll be reading the sequel to Six Crimson Cranes, but I encourage you to check out the series if it sounds like something you’ll enjoy. There’s nothing inherently wrong with it, but it turns out it’s just not quite my type of novel.

Perfect for those who love fairy tale retellings. It has magic, dragons and an arranged marriage trope. I do like the main heroine - she is brave, curious and full of life. Definitely recommend.

“No longer was I the girl who rolled her eyes at her brothers or squealed over rice cakes and sugared animals on sticks. Now I carried a dagger everywhere, even in my dreams.”

Princess Shiori, the only daughter of the emperor of Kiata, does not want to get married. She doesn’t want to be confined to a cold castle in the far north of the empire, nor does she want to leave her family—particularly her brothers. And she definitely does not want her supposedly future husband to discover her hidden, and forbidden, magic. So when she accidentally loses control of her magic on the morning of her betrothal ceremony, forestalling the wedding, Shiori thinks her luck has turned—until Raikama, her stepmother and a woman with dark magic of her own, discovers Shiori’s magic. Raikama banishes Shiori to the far corner of the empire and transforms Shiori’s six brothers into cranes, leaving Shiori penniless and alone. And the worst part? Shiori cannot speak to anyone, for with every sound that passes her lips, one of her brothers will die. With only her magical paper crane for company, Shiori must traverse the empire to find her brothers and a way to break the curse. Because a twisted plot to overtake the throne is on the rise, and if Shiori can’t find her way home in time, there may be nothing left of her beloved empire—or of the family she loves.

Elizabeth Lim’s newest fantasy entrances the mind and captivates the senses, ensnaring readers in a stunning world that is both recognizable to lovers of fairy tales and original as a breath of fresh air. One of my absolute favorite elements of this sensational story was the rich world-building. I could picture every part of the empire that Lim describes in remarkable detail. Every time I opened the book, I never wanted to leave! As a self-proclaimed lover of fairy tales, I also greatly enjoyed how Lim mixes the Hans Christian Andersen story of the wild swans with East Asian folklore, combining the two to create something entirely new. As for the characters, spunky Shiori is a fantastic heroine, but I also loved reading about the fun and fascinating side characters like Kiki and Seryu. I mean, what’s not to love about a sassy magical paper crane and a mysterious shape-shifting dragon boy? Plus, the slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance was to die for! I enjoyed watching how it developed over the course of the book, and I can’t wait to see what happens in the sequel. With lots of twists and turns, loveable characters, and mesmerizing magic, Six Crimson Cranes is the next big YA fantasy.

Content Warnings: Animal death, some graphic descriptions, violence, bullying, death of a parent, murder, blood, fire

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

Best book of the year? It just might be!
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There is magic, dragons, lush world building, fascinating magic systems, complex characters, and a captivating plot that keeps you hooked! I want more. I NEED more!
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I literally can’t wait for the buzz that this book is going to get. I see this being on many “Best Books of 2021” lists. Just you wait!
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Six Crimson Cranes comes out July 6th, 2021! Go get your copy now! Thank you Random House and NetGally for providing me with an arc.

Elizabeth Lim has written another whimsical story. As with Spin the Dawn, her talented writing brings a dreamy quality to this fairytale retelling. Six Crimson Cranes is an Asian-inspired retelling of The Wild Swans and I was very impressed how the author was able to create something wholly unique while still staying to the bones of the original story.

While I was interested in the overall story, there was a lot going on in Six Crimson Cranes. There are multiple different plot threads and storylines that were all happening simultaneously and, unfortunately, the book seemed to suffer for it. The many different elements and plots made it hard for the story to feel coherent or seamless.

This is actually the first book of a duology. I honestly feel like Six Crimson Cranes would have been better suited as a standalone. Most (although not all) of the plotlines were tied up by the end of the book. I’m not totally against a sequel, it just felt like conflict was fabricated to allow the story to continue when there was a perfect opportunity to wrap the entire story up nicely.

Wow, just wow.
I'm having trouble finding words to express exactly how amazing this book is without it sounding like overexcited drivel. But the truth is that I just might be overexcited after reading such a page-turning fantasy that reads like a dream of princesses, curses, magic, and, best of all, dragons.
There is so much to enjoy in Lim's story. From the feisty princess at the core of the story to the masterful way in which she wove a tale that includes elements of Asian lore and legends into what reads like a wholly original story.
I'm even wary of discussing anything about the story too deeply because I really did find the slow unraveling of events and revelations to be the major point of enjoyment for me. Just know that there is never a dull moment. And even though it does follow a bit of a formulaic princess must break curse plotline, it is an enjoyable tale from beginning to end.

Many happy thanks to NetGalley, Knopf Books for Young Readers, and Random House Children's for the fantastic read!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

Six Crimson Cranes is the first in another beautifully imagined YA fantasy series from Elizabeth Lim. Drawing equally from Western and East Asian folklore, Lim utilizes recognizable story archetypes in a refreshing and original way.

Shiori is an engaging and sympathetic heroine. She’s adventurous and has an independent streak that gets her in trouble. And I loved the strong focus on her relationships with her family. Her brothers care deeply for her, and she finds herself fighting for them when they are cursed and turned into cranes. Her relationship with her stepmother was equally compelling, as it takes the “evil stepmother” trope in a very unique direction, as this character has her own secrets.

I enjoyed this book a lot, and can’t wait to see what comes of this new series, especially as I really enjoyed Elizabeth Lim’s previous duology. If you love fairy tales/folklore influences in your fantasy, I recommend looking out for this one!

I loved Lim's Spin the Dawn series, and this book was equally as vivid and magical and wonderful! The characters were so real and lovable, and I'm sorry, but as soon as she brought in a DRAGON I was hooked. The lore was so captivating and I just had to keep reading and find out what happened next! The villain is also a top notch villain, the reader should be able to really hate a villain and we definitely get that with Shiori's step mother. I loved this book and can't wait to pick up a copy with that gorgeous cover!

This book had such a wonderful fairytale vibe! The magic and the world building created a very atmospheric reading experience. I really enjoyed Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim so I knew to expect a beautiful and fast paced writing style. Our main character Shiori started out as a somewhat spoiled princess, with not many concerns aside from her arranged marriage. However throughout her difficult journey she showed so much development. She was determined, courageous and sympathetic to everyone around her. There is a big emphasis on family and making sacrifices for those you are about in this book which I loved. I enjoyed learning about each of her six brothers who all had their own personalities. One of my favourite characters was Kiki, a paper crane that Shiori brings to life with magic. She was such a supportive companion and provided quite a few laughs. We also cannot forget about Takkan the love interest. I loved his character and how he treated Shiori. While the plot wasn't always action filled it never lost my interest. My only critique is that I wish the ending were more drawn out to see how all the characters were doing. The action scenes were very entertaining and kept me flipping through pages, dying to know what would happen next. I can't wait to read the sequel!

Shari, the Princess of Kiata has a secret she desperately wants to conceal. For if anyone finds she has forbidden magic it could mean her life. Unexpectedly, she discovers her stepmother, Raikama, isn't what everyone thinks she is but has dangerous magic of her own. Trying to warn her six brothers she is cursed away with a bowl on her head to hide her identity and warned if spoken one word a brother of hers would be killed.

Alone and terrified to speak, Shiori searches for her brothers, and, on her journey, uncovers a conspiracy to overtake the throne as well as the boy she was betrothed too.

"Don't you want to hear my story now?" he said. Only the slightest tremble in his voice betrayed his nerves. "It's about a princess with six brothers, one who never read her letters from the simple, unworthy boy who only wished to know her."

What a beautiful cover! I'd have to say its probably one of my favorite covers for 2021. I enjoyed the story of Shiori, it was so unique and creative. The love between her brothers were evident even thought they were all soon going their separate ways as adults. Each brother was different and characterized to stand out on their own.

Shiori, even though young, was strong and even through many painful trials was able to keep her voice silent to not lose one of her brothers. The love interest was slow but I enjoyed the interactions with the prince and how they became friends before anything else.

Parts throughout I became a bit confused with certain events and how quickly it ended. I would have loved more interaction with her brothers as well as the Prince before she decided to go on a different journey.

I plan to read the second book.

Six Crimson Cranes follows Princess Shiori and her six brothers. Princess Shiori is expected to marry for the benefit of her family, but she has no interest in her unknown groom. One night, Shiori uncovers a terrible secret about her stepmother and finds herself cursed. With one stroke, her true identity is hidden and her brothers are transformed into cranes. Shiori must fight to free herself and her brothers, while outwitting a conspiracy to take the throne.

Six Crimson Cranes was a beautiful and compelling story. Lim has a way of storytelling in a timeless, classic way. The writing is lyrical and filled with sensory details. I loved how she wrote the powerful bond between siblings! Within this book is a masterful blending of several tales: The Wild Swans, Cinderella, the legend of Chang’e, and the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. I particularly loved the inclusion of Kiki, the paper crane that Shiori brings to life with her magic. As she undergoes the trials necessary to break the curse, seeing Shiori grow and strengthen her abilities was powerful. Shiori and her stepmother possess magic that is a wily beast with a mind of its own. Six Crimson Cranes is a spellbinding tale where nothing is ever exactly as it seems!

If you enjoy reading about fairy tales with a twist, sibling stories, curses, and dragons then you need to read this book! If you are a fan of Renée Ahdieh, I would also recommend this book. I truly enjoyed Six Crimson Cranes and can’t wait for the sequel! Six Crimson Cranes releases on July 6, 2021. Thank you so much to Elizabeth Lim, Knopf Books for Young Readers, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on the publication date and I will publish it on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble etc

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

It’s safe to say that Six Crimson Cranes is my favorite Elizabeth Lim’s novel till date. The writing and magic were pronounced and executed better in this novel, raising my expectations for the next installment in the series. The second half of the novel was a bit sluggish and leaning towards more on the romantic side, but the plot was more absorbing, so I didn’t mind getting diverted. There were a lot of twists, betrayals, and revelations, that were too much to take in at a time, but it made me like a character more.

Six Crimson Cranes is an unputdownable, beguiling fantasy. I read it in one sitting and can’t recommend it enough to everyone.


(Thanks a lot to TBR and Beyond Tours and NetGalley for the eARC.)

I wanted to love this book. I've heard nothing but good things about it. But I could not find any strong interest within the story. Aging was a tremendous factor. Where I was hoping for a Young Adult read, I got a borderline middle-grade novel.

It bothers me that the main character is a 16-going-on-17-year-old girl who acts like she's still 12 years old. She is very childlike, which is unbecoming for someone who is about to be married in a year. It was a bit cringeworthy for me, which almost resulted in a DNF, but as I continued reading, the main character did seem to grow towards the end.

The story got better towards the end of the book. I wish we could have more appearances from these outcasts and dragons. It felt empty citing a shapeshifting dragon, but he's MIA for the majority of the book.

4. ?? maybe point 5 ? *may change

Whimsical, charming, and glorious—all words I would use to describe my meal this morning.

And this book, I guess.

I'm not a huge fan of young adult fantasy, not because I have anything against young adult in particular (I don't), but because all of it seems sort of bleak recently. Like it's trying to be adult fantasy without most of the cursing and sex and cheating on your wife and whatnot.

And, certainly, I wouldn't call this a 'happy' book, per se, but it had this natural charm. I genuinely could not stop reading it, which never happens because I'm terribly slow and can't keep up with digital copies of books at all. The only reason I didn't finish the whole thing in one go was that it was 3 am and I am, unfortunately, weak.

I really don't have another word besides charming for this book. Watching the main character form relationships, both good and bad, with the people around her as those relationships evolved over time was so interesting. I just really enjoyed her dynamic with the paper crane, and her brothers, and the sweet prince who-I-love-and-deserves-so-much. This book was just so much fun to read. It felt very much like a cozy, rain read.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advanced reader's copy.