*Premise spoilers.*
I adored this YA fantasy novel. An absolute banger, with great characters, beautiful language, and an exciting plot. My only complaint is that the second book in the duology isn’t coming out for a few months.
Princess Shiori’s life is turned upside-down when her stepmother discovers her magical abilities, which are strictly forbidden in the kingdom of Kiata. Far from turning her in, however, her stepmother unleashes power of her own, transforming Shiori’s six brothers into cranes and putting a dangerous curse on Shiori. Alone and now unable to speak, Shiori searches for a way to reunite with her brothers, free them (and herself) of their respective curses, and warn their father that he’s married to a demon.
I debated about sharing that much detail in the summary, but 1) these events happen very early in the book and 2) the story is an East-Asian-inspired reimagining of a Grimms’ fairy tale, so the premise is built on familiar beats from The Wild Swans. At any rate, the real treat of this book is in how it tells its story.
Let’s start with the characters, which often constitute my favorite part of my favorite books. It may not be all that revelatory that Shiori is awkward and uncomfortable as a princess, detesting needlework and dreading the prospect of being married off to the son of some lord. It’s no surprise that she prefers her dabblings with forbidden magic. But I love that she’s also a bit spoiled and has very little experience in the real world. When Raikama, her stepmother, exiles her, it’s not just Shiori’s curse that hinders her. She doesn’t really know how to look after or support herself, and it’s a major learning adjustment just to stay alive, let alone figure out how to deal with the curse. Raikama herself is a character who grows more fascinating by the chapter, and Takkan, a young soldier who shares a chance encounter with Shiori, provides the second half of an utterly rootable ship. And while the major characters are richly detailed and interesting, the supporting and minor characters are all distinct from one another. There are plenty to love or hate as the circumstances demand, and I’m particularly impressed at how quickly and neatly author Elizabeth Lim is able to distinguish between all six of Shiori’s brothers.
The prose is beautiful, which I’m always a sucker for. The world is imaginative and well-drawn, and the story is gripping, full of twists and turns. There’s a good balance between intrigue and character moments—Lim knows when to take time to indulge in a bit of fluff between characters and when to crank up the plot-related heat. Also, not for nothing, all the copious descriptions of food are mouthwatering. I need a Kiata cookbook yesterday!
Book 2 in the duology is coming out at the end of August, and it can’t come soon enough for me. Six Crimson Cranes doesn’t end in the sort of cliffhanger where everything’s left up in the air, where it becomes abundantly clear that you’ve just read half of a story and all the characters you love are in dire straits, but there are still exciting threads left dangling. I can’t wait to find out what happens with Shiori, Takkan, and co.
Warnings
Violence, disturbing images, drinking/smoking, language, and thematic elements.
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