Fear is a game, Shiori, I reminded myself. You win by playing.
six crimson cranes, elizabeth lim
Author: Elizabeth Lim
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pub Date: 6 July 2021
Page Count: 464
Reading Method: Physical ARC [Thank you to the publisher!]
Dates Read: July 3 – 4
Synopsis:
Shiori’anma, 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.
A sorceress in her own right, Raikama banishes the young princess, turning her brothers into cranes. She warns 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 uncovers a dark conspiracy to seize the throne. Only Shiori can set the kingdom to rights, but to do so she must place her trust in a paper bird, a mercurial dragon, and the very boy she fought so hard not to marry. And she must embrace the magic she’s been taught all her life to forswear–no matter what the cost.
Review:
AHHHH! Hi. I’m Haley and I loved this book. Six Crimson Cranes was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and UGH it lived up to all my expectations! I adored Lim’s Spin the Dawn and Unravel the Dusk and was SO excited to get an advance copy of Six Crimson Cranes. Just look at that gorgeous cover!
Plot:
Shiori and her brothers are cursed and separated by their evil stepmother Raikama. The six brothers are turned into cranes and Shiori is cursed with silence and a bowl on her head. Any sound she utters will kill her brothers one by one. When the curse is cast, Shiori finds herself in a distant land all alone. She must find her brothers and find their way home, all while trying to break the curse.
Six Crimson Cranes takes you on so many adventures in pursuit of their goal. I genuinely had no clue what was going to happen next, but I was excited! From working in a sketchy inn to being stuck in castle in the far reaches of her kingdom, Shiori makes unlikely friends along the way. This felt like a bunch of small quests rolled into one excellent grand story.
Characters:
There are so many excellent characters in Six Crimson Cranes. Shiori, our main character, is fierce and brave, a little sassy, with the heart of a warrior. She will do anything to protect her family and return things to the way they should be. The brothers are as protective as you would expect them to be, and have their own personalities and character traits. I did pick up on maaaybe a little bit of a love triangle situation and I’m not a huge fan of triangles, so I’m interested to see where Lim takes us in the next book. One thing I can say with certainty is nearly everyone will surprise you!
Writing:
Lim’s writing in Six Crimson Cranes was nothing short of magical. When I saw that Shiori wasn’t going to be able to speak I thought I was going to hate it. I’m a major dialogue reader and I thought the book just wouldn’t be for me. I did not suffer for one second. Lim is an expert and was able to keep me engaged with the story, even though Shiori couldn’t speak. The adventures didn’t let up, and I am so excited to see what happens next for our characters!
Overall:
Six Crimson Cranes is an absolutely magical adventure. It was everything I hoped for and more! I need to get my hands on the next book right this dang second. Shiori and her paper crane have stolen my heart.
