"Six Crimson Cranes" by Elizabeth Lim
rating- 4/5
do I recommend it? YES!

-review-
Six Crimson Cranes honestly had so much surprise in it. Recently, I have been reading quite a bit of fantasy books and tbh many of the books I read (romance/fantasy kinda thing?) kinda "feel' the same, if you know what I'm trying to say? This book definitely felt more different, I don't know if it was the subtle romance or the focus on saving others not just my soulmate. I previously read "Spin of Dawn" by Elizabeth Lim and throughout that book, I felt like it was rushed and included way too much information. However, this book did an amazing job of making me read the book without feeling stressed or just the "I don't know what you are saying" type of feeling. Her improvement was definitely a shock and I look forward to reading more of Ms. Lim's books. Once again this book was such a good refresher from all by super complicated fantasy with a bunch of complicated romance streak.

To be honest, I can't find anything negative to say and you're probably thinking, "Grace why did you take off a star?" and the answer to that is just because my 5-star books are all absolute favorite books that I will reread a billion times but this book definitely made it into my all-time favorites for children's fiction. Long story short, read this book and you won't regret it.

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this spectacular book. ALL opinions are my own and 100% honest.

I received this arc for free but I will tell you that my opinions are totally me own. I have no problem giving this four stars, 41/2 really because I really enjoyed the book! I am a sucker for fairy tale retellings anyway but this was done so well it was a joy to read! I have already got several friends putting it on their "want to read" lists and I am anxiously waiting for what I believe will be a sequel. Bravo Ms. Lim for a great read!!

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<p>Review copy provided by the publisher.</p>
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<p>One of the things that I feel like adult readers and particularly adult reviewers have to be careful of in reviewing books in MG and YA categories is remembering that young readers will be encountering tropes for the first time that are old hat to many adults, so the amount that one should "ding" a book for having them is quite different. And in this case I was very glad that I stuck around, because basically everything that made me say "oh this again" or "this is going to hit all these beats, is it" was expanded, undermined, or unraveled in the middle of the book.</p>
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<p>This is a six swan brothers story, told by someone who wants her own Asian cultural heritage to inform and inflect her work. Which is, okay, pretty cool to start with. But then it's got other things stirred into the mix--other fairy tales, from other places, and which of them you spot will depend on which kind of fairy tale nerd you are, who's been telling you stories, whose stories you've gotten to hear. And it's got...oh, some questions about the fairy tale villains, the shape of their villainy, and some interesting answers.</p>
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<p>And the ending...this is a first-book ending. This is not a stand-alone ending. These characters, with their politics and their families and their crafting and their demands, have miles to go before they sleep. Don't let the very genre-central beats of the first few chapters deter you from going with them.</p>
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Yessssssss. Please judge this book by the cover because the inside is just as dazzlingly gorgeous as the outside.

Elizabeth Lim knows how to create an atmosphere and weave a story that is both consuming and easy to understand and follow, which is such a difficult balance. You really feel immersed in this story of magic, family bonds, and secret machinations on machinations. The romance is crafted with a light touch which I loved. The relationship between Shiori and her family is wonderfully believable and *every single character* is well-drawn and multi-dimensional. And there's even a freaking adorable paper bird sidekick named Kiki who I am absolutely obsessed with.

One of my favorite YA fantasies of the 2021. I'm already excited for the next installment.

When I got this ARC - I literally screamed! Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's
Knopf Books for Young Readers for sending me an ARC of this lovely book!

ELIZABETH LIM IS A QUEEN, ALLOW ME TO BOW DOWN.

Six Crimson Cranes follows Shiori, who keeps her magic abilities hidden, until the morning of her betrothal ceremony. Her stepmother, Raikama, is mortified. With her own magical abilities, she curses Shiori and her six brothers. Her six brothers are turned into cranes, and Shiori is cursed with a bowl on her head and the knowledge that if she speaks one word, one of her brothers will die. Determined to warn her father about their evil stepmother, Shiori sets out on an adventure to reverse this curse and gets some help from some unlikely friends along the way.

I loved this book. I loved it. Elizabeth Lim is 100% one of my favorite authors. I have now read three of her books and have been enchanted by each one.

Shiori is so different from Maia (main character in Spin the Dawn), and I loved her. She starts out more juvenile, more hard headed, and immature but as the story progresses, you get to watch her grow and flourish and mature. I loved watching her grow and come into her own with her magical abilities that she had tried so hard to hide. I love when strong women write strong female main characters.

Kiki is the cutest little sidekick I have ever read. I love her sarcastic banter, and that she always kept Shiori grounded. Who knew you could love a little paper crane so much?

TAKKAN - my wholesome, sweet, kind hero. I loved him. I loved watching Shiori fight her feelings for him.

The plot took a direction that I really did not expect! I was expecting more of the brothers and Shiori together, and was pleasantly surprised that Shiori was left to her own devices.
I really enjoyed the pacing of this book, and I was never bored. Elizabeth Lim does a great job of being descriptive and explaining the magic system, the history of the world without info dumping. I DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE KIATA. And the way she describes food?! I was hungry for 90% of this book. Shiori is a teenage girl and I think that Lim perfectly captured how a teenage girl would speak.

The romance in this book is so subtle, and slow and sweet and heartwarming - I found myself smiling while reading more than once!

The ending was a perfect setup for a sequel that I am already impatiently anticipating!!

Engaging, Asian-inspired retelling of the fairy tale "The Six Swans." As the youngest child with six well-loved older brothers, Princess Shiori is self-assured and determined to control her life. This means NOT being forced to marry some Duke's son from the edge of her kingdom, but continuing to live blissfully under the adoring eyes of her father and brothers, as well as the cold eyes of her stepmother, Raikama. A chance encounter with a dragon boy gives Shiori the chance to develop her recently discovered, and extremely forbidden, magical abilities. At the same time, Shiori becomes increasingly suspicious of her stepmother. When she realizes Raikama is using magic on her family and warns her brothers, the result is banishment. Her brothers are turned into cranes while Shiori is sent to the other end of the kingdom, with most of her face covered by an unremovable bowl, plus the promise that for each word she speaks aloud, one of her brothers will die. Unrecognizable and unable to reveal her plight, Shiori must use her wits, her determination, and her compassion to be reunited with her family. My favorite part of this book was the protagonist's personal growth - she begins the story as a spoiled teen princess, though a good-natured one. But through hard work, as well as attention to the people around her, Shiori grows in wisdom, and finds romance. The books ends with a set up for a sequel. Highly recommended for ages 10 and up.

5/5
Spoiler free!
I LOVED this! Six Crimson Cranes is a fairytale retelling set in an East Asian inspired fantasy world. This is the first book in a series, and it follows Princess Shiori on a quest to save her brothers after all of the royal children fall under cruel spells. It felt different and fresh for the genre while still retaining elements that I love. I think what made this really different for me was that this perspective felt true to the narrator as a teenage girl in a fantasy world, the voice of this storytelling was fantastic. There are no wasted words in this book, the author has found that golden balance between saying enough and describing too much, and even though this is a dense story, it’s fast moving— I found myself looking back for major passages and being surprised that they had only taken up half a page.
Who do I recommend this for?
I think this could be a great read for a wide age range of fantasy readers, it’s age appropriate for -18 and even though the mc is a teenager, I found her story enjoyable at 23. If you like adventure, magic, dragons, family centered stories, with romance on the side, you’ll like this!

I am a huge fan of Elizabeth Lim's works and her fairytale retellings—and Six Crimson Cranes was no different! I absolutely LOVED it—and dare I say it might be my favorite of her books?

It begins a little quieter than Spin the Dawn (although don’t get me wrong, it is packed full with action and is wonderfully executed!) and slowly eases us into the world and story. As always, Liz’s writing has this gorgeous, rich and warm voice reminiscent of the old school fantasy books I used to read as a child, which as you know are my favorite.

To no one’s surprise, the romance was my favorite part of this book! It was so beautifully done—achingly tender and sweet—and reminded me of the romances of my favorite fairytale retellings including Daughter of the Forest and The Goose Girl.

Of course, I won’t give anything away, but the ending made me even more excited for the sequel, as it promises more magic, world, and adventure. I cannot wait to see what Liz does with the story and I will very much be looking forward to reading the rest of Shiori’s tale!

I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it to lovers of fairytales and fans of Liz’s previous works!

This is a magically enchanted adventure that is just perfect for YA readers that are wanting to step into fantasy novels, and one I will likely recommend!

Thank you so much to #NetGalley, Random House Children’s and the author for the electronic arc in exchange for my unbiased opinion!

Elizabeth Lim is one of my favorite authors, and the Spin the Dawn duology one of my favorite series, but Six Crimson Cranes might be even better than Spin the Dawn. Shiori, the main character, is spunky and witty, but she also has an absolutely huge heart and will do anything for her older brothers. When her brothers are turned into cranes by her stepmother and Shiori herself is told she will kill her brothers if she speaks a single word, Shiori risks everything to save them. There are so many layers to this story: dragons, magic, paper cranes that come to life, and above all, unconditional love for family. The plot never drags, and I loved all of the characters. I'm already so excited for the sequel, and if I could give this more than 5 stars, I would.

Lim did it again! Her writing is as flawless as always. The whimsy and magic in her fantasy worlds always reminds me of Dianne Wynne Jones.

This story is a fairy tale Mashup that becomes original and exciting all on its own. Shiori is a wonderful heroine, whose determination to learn to he strong comes across beautifully on the page. Her growth feels organic and relatable, in ways that are important and not often found in today's YA world.

Romance light, but adventure heavy, I would recommend this book to younger teens, just stepping into adventure fantasy.

4.7 stars


THAT.WAS.AMAZINGLY.GOOD!!!!!! Like effingly wow!

That was a whirlwind of emotions! This put me into a rollercoaster ride of emotions!

During the second half, it almost gave me a heart attack!

I tried my best to make this spoiler-free, but just read it at your own risk

I actually did not expect to love this very much! Mainly because Lim's Spin the Dawn received so much love but also disappointed SOME readers. I did not want to get my hopes up and this is the first book I read written by her. Very slowly as every page I turned, I came to accept that this was better than I wanted to admit.
1. I felt a little dread and fear when I started,
2. ALMOST halfway through I decided with a few nods that this is good,
3. reaching the second half of it I was fixated with a rollercoaster ride of emotions (frustration, anger, restlessness, kilig,sadness), kilig means romantically happy or giddy in Tagalog
4. upon reaching its end this book is slowly crawling inside my heart and wanting to settle itself in my 'Favorite' shelf despite my stubbornness of not considering it 'one of my favorites'. I am still contemplating if this is a Favorite, but so far I am leaning towards yes.

There was no dull moment and I still couldn't quite perceive how all of that happened in just one book! I felt like I read two books already with everything that happened.

The vibe was magical and enchanting for me, like it's a fairy tale story intended for YA readers! With the world-building, the festivities, the landscapes (geographically and the man-made buildings), stories, legends and folklores. There are thousand of stories with all the things I just mentioned, but I can't help think that Lim was able to maintain that magical atmosphere for me despite the perils and threats that she wove into the story. I also liked the romantic chemistry of
Shiori with both two guys actually. The romance here was not that excessive but deep enough to make you swoon and excited. Though just a bit lacking because it did not progressed to an extent that I had hoped for. It was like interrupted intentionally by Lim and we will get to know in the next book and I have a feeling I will be swooned again in second book by another love interest.

And that bowl! That wooden bowl! I found it frustrating and ridiculous at first, but then I got over it.

My doubts toward Raikama kept turning ON and OFF over and over again throughout the story. In the end, what my gut initially told me at first was really the deal and it made me happy and sad.

During the early parts, I can't decide who to ship with Shiori. Then I was slowly shipping her with Takkan, but I felt a little lacking on the romance department. But I guess Lim is still not finished yet with the romance department especially after that ending.

I am also contemplating whether to buy this book or not. (Don't get me wrong! This book is freakingly amazing!) It's just that I have already accepted in my heart that I can't buy ALL the books I want since I am not rich. So I have just decided to spend on books I so dearingly love! We booklovers have our own Favorites. Up to now, this book is still crawling into my heart to be pre-ordered and be included in my Favorite shelf.

Thank you to Penguin Random House for the e-ARC thru Netgalley. This review is based in an advance reader's copy, so there might be some changes in the published book. I am having an urge right now to pre-order a copy which is so unlike me since I don't really do pre-orders

Elizabeth Lim's retelling of the Six Swans is everything you could want in a YA fantasy. The lead character, Shiori, starts out as a spoiled brat, but through her trials becomes a strong woman who will do anything to save the people she loves. The East Asian aspects made the details of the story rich and added cultural elements to the story that made the plot and characters really come to life. I loved the twist at the end of who the real villain was, and the ties to Lim's The Blood of Stars duology. While several of the major plot points were resolved at the end, there was still enough story left to take the reader into the sequel. I am really looking forward to the continuation of Shiori's adventure and what that means for her and her kingdom.

I highly recommend this book to other fans of Elizabeth Lim's books and anyone who loves fairy tale retellings. You will not be disappointed.

This book was just as exciting as the last series by Elizabeth Lim. Her love of mythology shines through and gives the reader a really great main character and love interest to follow.

I was excited to read this book as a fan of Elizabeth Lim, from reading Spin the Dawn, and a lover of fairy tales. The story Is predominately based on the Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale, The Wild Swans. But, as the author explains in a really great forward, the book draws on Chinese and Japanese stories and legends. This led to a fascinating fictional country inspired by Eastern Asia and other magical details like dragons and living origami.
Shiori, the main character, is a princess and the youngest of six bothers. Her life is quite idyllic but for the fact she is betrothed and soon to be married to a stranger. She does not wish to leave her home and family. Like many fairy tales, Shiori also has a stepmother. Stepmothers are not always evil, but in a fairy tale the odds are not in their favor. This is true in the story and it is at the hands of her stepmother that Shiori, and her brothers, are cursed and cast away from their home. They then must find a way to survive, reunite, and figure out how to break their curse and defeat their stepmother. There is of course much more than this to the story, like subplots of political scheming and war. As a whole it makes for a very well rounded tale.
The story is very well written and despite the set up, I found myself shocked by the turn of events toward the end of the story. The cast of characters had good depth and did not feel shallow. I appreciated the fairy tale aspects woven through the story. There are a lot of fairy tale retelling out these days but an interception of The Wild Swans felt fresh, especially with Lim’s interpretation.

Following a strong character that Lim has obviously crafted with much care, Six Crimson Cranes follows Princess Shiori: a princess, the youngest out of her and her 6 brothers who does not want to marry and let go from the pleasures of royal life. Having been promised to a Prince from another kingdom, Shiori wants nothing to do with him. After a chance encounter with a dragon draws the unwanted attention of her stepmother. After being cursed to not speak or else her brothers will die and her brothers being turned into cranes during the day to then turning back to humans after sunset, Shiori makes a surprising alliance with the one person she hates, finds out the truth about her stepmother and the truth about her blood, this blend of The Wild Swans by Hans Christian Andersen and East Asian folklore makes for a stunning first book in a new series. Highly recommend for those that want a refreshing re-telling of The Wild Swans with hints of East Asian folklore featuring a strong main character who would do anything to break the curse on her and her brothers and protect her family.
**Thank you to the author and publisher for sending an e-ARC**

This story is intriguing from the beginning to the end! It's emotional yet action packed, frustrating yet loveable and it definitely does not leave your thoughts after finishing it. The mental development of the main character feels realistic, which makes if easier for the reader to feel connected. It sometimes feels as if you are watching a movie, since it the chapters are written so vividly. The writing style is pretty straightforward which helps you turn the pages more swiftly, which is always helpful during exciting scenes!
A few notes: sometimes it could feel as if important moments come and go in an abruptly manner. This does not influence the reading experience much though, as a reader you can still feel involved to the story.

Six crimson cranes was one of my most anticipated reads. With the extraordinary cover, it did live up to the expectations. Compelling, beautiful and intriguing this novel is such a great and enjoyable read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me this arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Elizabeth Lim is such an incredible storyteller. She takes these stories that we’re familiar with and not only elevates them to a new plane, but creates something entirely unique and new out of them. This amazing story will leave you breathless and aching to keep reading it long after you’ve finished the story. From start to finish, I found myself in nail-biting suspense attempting to figure out what was going to happen next. No character is safe, and there’s so much more beneath the surface than what there seems to be. People will fall in love with the characters, but even more, they’ll fall in love with the incredible world that Elizabeth has set up for her readers. Add this to your TBR, because you won’t want to miss this book.

Shiori is the princess of Kiata, and she’s got a secret. Through her veins runs magic forbidden to use in her father’s kingdom. She’s used to hiding her power, but on the morning of her betrothal, she loses control. It manages to stall her betrothal, but puts her under the eye of her stepmother, Raikama. With dark magic of her own, she banishes Shiori and turns her brothers into cranes, forbidding Shiori from speaking, because for each word that crosses her lips, one of her brothers will die. Shiori starts her search alone, penniless and mute, and the journey will be gruelling and long. She’ll uncover a dark conspiracy for her father’s throne that is even more complicated than her stepmother’s betrayal. Shiori’s only choice will be to embrace the magic she’s hidden for so long.

The beginning of this book makes it very clear that Shiori is a headstrong, but spoiled, princess. While she is not afraid to speak her mind, she does tend to do things her own way, but with her impending betrothal, she’s having to step into more of an obedient role that she doesn’t want. She essentially suffers from the consequences of her own actions, and while you might imagine that her being a little spoiled might make her a less likable character, it doesn’t. She’s quite smart, which allows her to realise when she’s faltered, but not until it’s too late. My favourite aspect of this book is her relationship with her brothers, because you can see how her personality melds and clashes with each of them…but their love is still prevalent. Even more interesting is Shiori’s relationship with Raikama. Shiori is weary of her, but also misses the relationship that they used to have.

The magic in this story is what truly stands out and creates this beautiful fantasy world that makes you want to stay. There’s Shiori’s version of it which she doesn’t understand, but has managed to use somehow, and then there is the magic of some of the others. I loved how Elizabeth uses the magic system to enhance the plot of the story further, and makes you want to know more about certain aspects of it. Something that stands out to me is how magic can be bright, but it’s easy to taint and turn into something darker and sinister. Moreover, there’s also a message about the consequences of having good intentions that I think really stands out in this story.

If you’re wanting to read a story with a light focus on romance, then I highly suggest this because there’s no one better at writing a light romance plot than Elizabeth Lim. There’s a little bit of a romantic triangle, but by the end it’s clear which relationship is more developed and you’re absolutely cheering for their romance to work out. Moreover, there’s such a deep respect between the characters that you want for their relationship to work out. There’s lots of little things I want to shout about because I just love how they enhanced the story, but I can’t without spoiling it, so please take my word and go add it to your TBR list!

I’m always a huge fan of retellings, and I love Elizabeth’s take on this particular fairytale. Not only does it add an incredible amount of depth, but it’s refreshing to see lesser known fairy tales retold and moulded into something new. I’m absolutely blown away by this story, and the ending left me in tatters because I cannot wait to see what the next book will have in store for us. It’s certainly going to be more exhilarating, because after the ending reveal, I NEED TO KNOW WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT.

Shiori is the only princess of Kiata, the youngest of seven siblings who are as tightly knit as can be. Tragedy strikes when a sorceress curses her to silence and her brothers to become cranes during the day, unable to return home. To save her and her siblings, Shiori must harness forbidden magic and survive the looming threat of demons that seek to engulf Kiata in darkness.

I really enjoy the fantasy Asian setting that Lim has created, one that we were already introduced to in her Blood of Stars duology. Having read those books already, it's fun to pick up on the references and see where she expands on the worldbuilding. And it's just nice to step into a culture that's both familiar and fresh, all while being full of magic.

I thought that the characters for the most part were very well done. Shiori was resilient in the face of so much adversity that my heart ached for her so many times. Her bond with her brothers is very sweet, and I actually kind of liked the romantic subplot for once. It's definitely paced better than the romance in Blood of Stars, and in general is just pretty wholesome. I was also very intrigued by Raikama, as she is completely shrouded in mystery, and her role in the story has you constantly guessing and second-guessing yourself. On the other hand, the villains were almost outlandishly villainous, to the point where I just had a hard time taking them seriously because they felt like cartoons.

In terms of plot, things flowed at a good pace to keep everything exciting as we chugged along on this adventure. Especially compared to her first duology, I feel that this one moved at a better pace with an appropriate segue into the 2nd book, so it feels both like a completed arc and the first half of a story. Still, I wasn't a fan of how the "twists" just slapped you in the face with how overt they were and ended up being just told rather than shown. I also think that Raikama's backstory could have been hinted at more, although as a Chinese person, I certainly caught the allusions to a certain myth about snake women, which was a nice touch.

All in all, this was a fun ride in fantasy Asia with some heartwarming characters. I look forward to the sequel!