Fantasy

Six Crimson Cranes

Six Crimson Cranes

  • Downloads：2763
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2021-07-07 07:18:58
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Elizabeth Lim
  • ISBN：B08MVFF86M
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary

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。

Peniless， 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。

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Reviews

Chloe Hodge ，

This was such a beautiful story set in a vividly realised world。 If you enjoy fairytale retellings， the arranged marriage trope， strong family bonds， dragons and magic， this one might be for you！Shiori’s world takes a turn for the worse when she is cursed。 Penniless and voiceless， she must find her brothers， whom the Nameless One turned into cranes。 Her character faces many hurdles， and over time she grows stronger and more learned， forced to endure。I adored the love interest in this book—he’s s This was such a beautiful story set in a vividly realised world。 If you enjoy fairytale retellings， the arranged marriage trope， strong family bonds， dragons and magic， this one might be for you！Shiori’s world takes a turn for the worse when she is cursed。 Penniless and voiceless， she must find her brothers， whom the Nameless One turned into cranes。 Her character faces many hurdles， and over time she grows stronger and more learned， forced to endure。I adored the love interest in this book—he’s such a cinnamon bun—and Shiori’s sassy paper crane。 I wish we had more time with the dragon but I have a feeling book two will do just that！ Shiori’s character was interesting， but I found it hard to differentiate between her brothers， with no distinguishable traits。 The pacing was also a touch slow for me， and I found it hard to imagine some scenes taking place due to a circumstance tied to the MC， but in all this was a wonderful， magical story and I can’t wait to read the second book！Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for review。 。。。more

Tyler S ，

Note: you do not have to have read the Blood of Stars duology before you read this book but I do recommend that you do as it is set in the same world and there are references back to the duology within this book but these are small parts and just makes the book tie in with the duology。This book was absolutely magical and so beautifully written。 It was a perfect retelling of The Grimm Brothers Six Swans fairy-tale set in an East-Asian inspired world and contains a well written tale of adventure， Note: you do not have to have read the Blood of Stars duology before you read this book but I do recommend that you do as it is set in the same world and there are references back to the duology within this book but these are small parts and just makes the book tie in with the duology。This book was absolutely magical and so beautifully written。 It was a perfect retelling of The Grimm Brothers Six Swans fairy-tale set in an East-Asian inspired world and contains a well written tale of adventure， culture and finding your identity。 The author has created another masterpiece set in the same world as her previous duology， Spin the Dawn and Unravel the Dusk， it features the Princess of Kiata， Shiori） who is the youngest of seven – six older brothers and secret， forbidden magic running through her veins。 There is a well written flow throughout this novel that makes the reader want to continue and devour the words on the pages。 I read this novel within a day just because of how ensnared I was with the storyline and writing style， you cannot help but become invested with the characters and their journey。Our main character is Princess Shiori， we are introduced to her flaws from the beginning， as well as her ability for magic。 She is written as a relatable character， she is still young and acts like it， forced into a marriage with someone she does not know and so she acts out in protest which would be an expected reaction from anyone。 Her relationship with her brothers is another well written aspect of this novel。 It may be rocky at parts， but who gets along with their siblings all of the time， when they are transformed into cranes this relationship grows and the bond between them strengthens as they fight to find a way to end the curse。 We don’t see as much of them as we do with Shiori but that doesn’t lessen their impact within， they are each still given personalities and I love each any every one of them。Romance is not the main theme of this novel， it is more about the adventure and the building relationships between Shiori and her brother but the love interest was such a surprise。 I was pleased with how he was introduced and how they both developed feelings in the background but it was so dreamy and I felt it so deeply， loving the twist behind it。I feel like this has set up for a sequel and would love to see more from this author。Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in advance。 。。。more

Steph ，

Six Crimson Cranes is a beautifully told tale about family， love and magic。 Elizabeth Lim has outdone herself again with this gorgeous fairytale-esque fantasy that grips you until the end。 Shiori was such a strong female protagonist and I absolutely adored her strength， her loyalty and her determined nature to stay true to who she was。 I loved the vivid descriptions of everything from the clothes， the settings， the food and the animals and the dragon。 Lim's writing makes you feel like you're ins Six Crimson Cranes is a beautifully told tale about family， love and magic。 Elizabeth Lim has outdone herself again with this gorgeous fairytale-esque fantasy that grips you until the end。 Shiori was such a strong female protagonist and I absolutely adored her strength， her loyalty and her determined nature to stay true to who she was。 I loved the vivid descriptions of everything from the clothes， the settings， the food and the animals and the dragon。 Lim's writing makes you feel like you're inside the book and living in Shiori's world。 I loved that their was a dragon and of course Six Crimson Cranes。 I absolutely loved this magical story and I am so eager to see what happens next in book two！ 。。。more

meghana。 s ，

I am screaming incoherently。 This is a gorgeous gorgeous fairytale full a woman so strong， mischievous ， and full of fire。 There is a snarky origami bird sidekick， and strange dragon， and her betrothed who doesn’t know she is who she is。It’s such a thrilling fun time！！！ I was hooked from start to finish and that ending！！？ If you have read her first duology you are in for a treat！！！ I also loved how this reconstructed the evil step mother trope！ Such a cool concept and I can’t wait for the sequel I am screaming incoherently。 This is a gorgeous gorgeous fairytale full a woman so strong， mischievous ， and full of fire。 There is a snarky origami bird sidekick， and strange dragon， and her betrothed who doesn’t know she is who she is。It’s such a thrilling fun time！！！ I was hooked from start to finish and that ending！！？ If you have read her first duology you are in for a treat！！！ I also loved how this reconstructed the evil step mother trope！ Such a cool concept and I can’t wait for the sequel！ 。。。more

tyrkysoveknihy ，

I’ve been a fan of The Seven Ravens/The Six Swans fairy tale。 I've always loved the bravery of the main protagonist and the bond with her brothers。 Well， this book gave me that too， and more。Shiori is a likeable （at least as the story progresses） heroine who has to overcome herself to save her six brothers。 She has magic in her veins， ends up cursed not to utter a single word， otherwise her brothers will die one by one， and finds herself banished from the royal city。 She is alone， voiceless， wit I’ve been a fan of The Seven Ravens/The Six Swans fairy tale。 I've always loved the bravery of the main protagonist and the bond with her brothers。 Well， this book gave me that too， and more。Shiori is a likeable （at least as the story progresses） heroine who has to overcome herself to save her six brothers。 She has magic in her veins， ends up cursed not to utter a single word， otherwise her brothers will die one by one， and finds herself banished from the royal city。 She is alone， voiceless， with a walnut bowl fixed to her， and in the part of the country where she never wanted to go。。。。 up in the north， close to her betrothed's home。 She needs to take care of herself， find her brothers and a way how to break the unspeakable cursed and save her brothers from turning into cranes each sundown。 I loved her journey， by which I mean the characters' development。 In the beginning， you are introduced to a rather spoiled and very impulsive princess who has everything she can imagine。 As she has to overcome hardships of the curse and life as nobody， that is a mute girl with a weird bowl about whom other people say that she consorts with demons and who has to do hard manual labor， she matures。 She starts to think about her actions and consequences of them。 In the end， you really see her grow into an inspiring young woman。 She is no longer a reckless princess。I also loved the romantic plot of the story。 I really enjoyed their moments together， When Shiori meets Takkan， he cannot see her face properly， he cannot even look her in the eyes because of the bowl， and she does not even know that it's the man she secretly wishes dead because she hates the idea of marrying some northern barbarian。 She is hell-bent on avoiding this marriage。 Takkan really grew on me。 He is kind， loves telling stories and singing and wants to find love and happiness。 He is VERY sweet。 Plus， he has an amazing younger sister who was a breath of fresh air。 She is funny and very mischievous， I would say。 Her love for persimmons and persimmon cakes made me want to try this fruit in the future （yeah， there is a lot of food in the story）。 I felt really invested in Shiori， her brothers， Takkan and his sister。Importantly， let me tell you how much I loved how the author dealt with the fact that Shiori cannot speak for most of the book。 She communicated with her origami bird Kiki， which Shiori enchanted and made her alive at the start of the story。 I loved Kiki very much。 It is fairy-tale like， whimsical， adorable and fun aspect of the story。 Talking about romance and Shiori´s silence， it is important to mention that Takkan understood Shiori even without words :-）。 It is even mentioned by another characters who does not understand how Takkan knows what Shiori wants to say。 Plus， Shiori clearly started to care for Takkan， and I think she did not have to tell him for him to know， I think her actions spoke for her。 I feel like it made their connection even deeper。 And let's not forget the shape-shifting water dragons。 Seryuu， a dragon prince with green hair and ruby eyes。， was a great addition to the story。 He brought a fresh into this retelling as well as Kiki。 I am excited to learn more about this version of dragons in the future since I think the second book will center around them， taking us to the Undersea。 I can't wait to explore the new underwater setting and meet the Dragon King and his court。The only thing that was kind of confusing was the bowl curse。 The bowl cover's Shiori´s eyes， nevertheless， she can see through it and nobody questions that。 Nobody express concerns how can she see her surroundings。 Well， there is magic in this world， but it is still rare， so I would expect some more explanation。 Especially since Shiori at least once covers her head and hence the bowl with a scarf not to attract attention。Overall， it was really unputdownable and well thought fairy tale retelling。 It's heartwarming and I really recommend you to read it。 You do not have to know the original story to fully enjoy this gem。 If you don't， It's going to be more unpredictable for you and if you do， you can be pleasantly surprised of the author's take on it。 I can't wait to read the second book in the series。Thank you Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review。 。。。more

Anyeliz ，

I received an eARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。From the moment I saw the cover of Six Crimson Cranes， I knew I needed to read it。 I had absolutely no clue what it was about but was captivated by the gorgeous cover。 And， I'm so happy that I read it！ If you like fantasy stories and fairy tales with magic， dragons， and strong female protagonists as well as strong family dynamics then this is the book for you。 Why do I have to wait for the second b I received an eARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。From the moment I saw the cover of Six Crimson Cranes， I knew I needed to read it。 I had absolutely no clue what it was about but was captivated by the gorgeous cover。 And， I'm so happy that I read it！ If you like fantasy stories and fairy tales with magic， dragons， and strong female protagonists as well as strong family dynamics then this is the book for you。 Why do I have to wait for the second book？！Six Crimson Cranes is a fairy-tale-like fantasy story that follows Princess Shiori of Kiata who， after discovering that she has magic， which is forbidden in her kingdom， is cursed and banished by her stepmother， the Nameless Queen， known only as Raikama。 The queen's curse also extended to her six brothers， who were transformed into cranes。 Now magicless and alone， Princess Shiori cannot utter a single sound， for， if she does， one of her brothers will die。 Thus， Princess Shiori journeys to lift her curse and her brothers' and save her kingdom。While the beginning of the story was a little bit slow， the lyrical and fairy-tale-esque writing style made me continue reading and want to learn more about Shiori and her family。 This story presents elements of different fairy tales like "Cinderella" and "The Little Mermaid。" It also reminded me of the film The Swan Princess。 The plot was interesting， and I loved reading about Shiori and how resourceful and clever she was。 Kiki was also a highlight of the book， particularly how she served a little bit as Shiori's sassy conscience。 In terms of the romance， it was so sweet， and I really enjoyed reading how they fell for each other。 However， my favorite part was the family dynamics throughout the book in all their forms: Shiori and her stepmother， Shiori and her brothers， Shiori's brothers among each other， and Takkan and Megari。The book also features discussions about prejudice （how we make assumptions about people）， the importance of family， and discovering new strengths and virtues， which could be useful to integrate into an English class。I'm looking forward to Book #2 and reading more from this author！ Six Crimson Cranes came out today， Tuesday， July 6， 2021！ 。。。more

Nel。the。whichcrafts。books ，

So I had a great time reading this！ One of my favourite things to read is a fairytale retelling done well。 And six Crimson Cranes does not disappoint。 If you have read The Six Swans by Brothers Grimm than you will be familiar with the basic premise of this story。 But in my opinion Lim took it and definitely elevated it。It begins with Princess Shiori the emperor's only daughter， on the day of her betrothal， trying to hide the evidence of her forbidden magic。 but an accident with a magical paper c So I had a great time reading this！ One of my favourite things to read is a fairytale retelling done well。 And six Crimson Cranes does not disappoint。 If you have read The Six Swans by Brothers Grimm than you will be familiar with the basic premise of this story。 But in my opinion Lim took it and definitely elevated it。It begins with Princess Shiori the emperor's only daughter， on the day of her betrothal， trying to hide the evidence of her forbidden magic。 but an accident with a magical paper crane， exposes her to her stepmother and takes her away from the life she thought she knew and straight onto a path full of enchantresses， magical creatures（dragons！）demons， curses and quests。 A story that weaves fantasy and folklore seamlessly into an engrossing tale of fueds， power grabs and ancient demons long thought to be vanquished。We witness Shiori go from a foolhardy naive sheltered princess， to a strong resilient person who discovers all that she is truely capable of。 One who is determined to free her brothers from the curse that sees them turned into cranes。 And all while voiceless for if a single word leaves her mouth one of her siblings will die。A fast paced action packed story which with twists you most likely wont see coming。 There is alot of subturfuge and trickery at play。 No one is who they first appear to be。 A quick mention of Takkan （her spurned betrothed！） He was a perfect blend of tough soldier and poetry loving cinnamon roll）I thought this was a lovely retelling of the The Six Swans fairytale， the execution was perfect and drawing from East Asian Folklore added a fresh unique twist to it， making it a beauitful story in it's own right。 I am interested to see what direction book 2 takes。 Highly recommend it to all those who love fairytale retellings。* thank you @elimpix @hodderbooks @readeatretreat @netgalley for my gifted eARC 。。。more

Zoe Nepolello ，

Oh boy， I absolutely LOVED this！ I loved Shiori and her tale， I loved the twists and turns and the magical writing。 I just loved everything about it。 Absolutely a new favorite！ The wait for the next book is going to be torture。

Myarn ，

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim 4 starsPrincess Shiori is the only princess of the Kiata and with six brothers that spoil her she's a bit of a brat at the beginning of the book。 She is betrothed to a northern prince and at the ceremony she insults the entire delegation by diving into a lake。 She is hiding the fact that she can do magic by animating paper cranes。 Unfortunately for her， she attracts the attention of her stepmother， Raikama。 She discovers something about her stepmother and in o Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim 4 starsPrincess Shiori is the only princess of the Kiata and with six brothers that spoil her she's a bit of a brat at the beginning of the book。 She is betrothed to a northern prince and at the ceremony she insults the entire delegation by diving into a lake。 She is hiding the fact that she can do magic by animating paper cranes。 Unfortunately for her， she attracts the attention of her stepmother， Raikama。 She discovers something about her stepmother and in order to silence her， Raikama changes all the princes into cranes and exiles Shiori from the palace。 She is told that for every word she speaks， one of her brothers will die。 Can she break the curse on her brothers and free herself and her land from her stepmothers machinations？ You have to read the book to find out。 I read the other two books set in this world， The Blood of the Stars duology and was impressed。 This book was an enjoyable read and I can't say enough about the fabulous cover。 Shiori starts out a spoiled brat and progresses into a heroine you can root for。 I loved the way that Ms。 Lim wove several folktales and gave it an Asian twist that is more than a retelling of old stories。 There has to be another book with these characters because the author left it with a cliff hanger。 Thank you Netgalley and Random House Children's for this ARC。 。。。more

erica ，

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC！ I really enjoyed this book。 I loved the world， it’s truly unique。 I loved the writing style too！ Shiori was a childish at the beginning， most likely due to her environment。 I loved seeing Shiori grow throughout the book。 Her brothers were not distinctive enough in my opinion， and I got confused sometimes。 Overall， this book really captivated me and I can’t wait for the sequel。

FireLily ，

I love that the whole point of getting an ARC is to read/review it before the release date and I am blatantly not doing that。

Imogene ，

Arc received from Netgalley in exchange for honest review。Also， Spport AAPI authors！While I am hoping that anyone who read Elizabeth Lim's gorgeous The Blood of Stars duology has had this one on their radar for a while， here's me throwing my two cents in。 Actually， for a book this lovely， I'm willing to totally up the denomination。I am， I will freely admit， a complete sucker for a fairy tale or mythic adaptation。 Seriously， bring it on。 I want all of the queer， black cinderellas。 I want the grea Arc received from Netgalley in exchange for honest review。Also， Spport AAPI authors！While I am hoping that anyone who read Elizabeth Lim's gorgeous The Blood of Stars duology has had this one on their radar for a while， here's me throwing my two cents in。 Actually， for a book this lovely， I'm willing to totally up the denomination。I am， I will freely admit， a complete sucker for a fairy tale or mythic adaptation。 Seriously， bring it on。 I want all of the queer， black cinderellas。 I want the great heroes of Hindu mythology reincarnated as Indian-American tween girls。 And I absolutely want a gorgeous Japanese reimagining of Hans Christian Anderson's The Wild Swans。（Totally hit me up for those first two "completely random examples" btw）。In Lim's Six Crimson Cranes， Shiori is the seventh child and only beloved daughter of the Emperor who would rather spend her time with her six elder brothers than having to sit sewing with her mysterious and nameless step-mother。 Oh， and would rather do absolutely anything than finally meet her betrothed。 She "might" in fact be a little spoiled and a lot headstrong， but really what trouble can that actually cause？ Unfortunately one day "absolutely anything" turns into falling into a pond， meeting an actual dragon， discovering her own magical abilities， standing up her husband to be at their betrothal ceremony （It was the ponds fault！）， spying on said mysterious and nameless stepmother， triggering a terrible curse that transforms her beloved brothers into cranes， and being sucked into an adventure that is completely unsuitable for spoiled princesses。 So， a LOT of trouble。It looks like it's time for Shiori to grow up， figure out how to break the curse， and save the day。To anyone who is familiar with the fairy tale （which I have discovered is known and catagorised as Aarne-Thompson-Uther index type 451 which is something that I didn't know that I needed to know） the general narrative isn't going to hold too many surprises。 Although what deviations there are turn out to be absolutely delightful。 Where Lim's version really shines is in the details。 The subtleties of her own Japanese heritage and knowledge of Japanese history， ideologies， and storytelling permeate the book。 Things as simple as a daydream about food， or as complex as the interactions between gods， demons， and other immortals。Best of all， this is not a one off。 While it doesn't end on a dramatic （or thank goodness traumatic） cliffhanger， there are clear plot points that require further adventures， and an epilogue that should bring glee to the hearts of fans everywhere。No extreme violence， no trigger or content warnings， just a lovely， lovely story well worth spending time with。 。。。more

Tori ，

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC。 4/5 starsSpoilers ahead and as always check trigger warnings。Stunning。 Beautiful。 The world building was phenomenal。 The characters were fleshed out and intricate and I love the writing style- it was so nice to read。I’ve been in such a reading slump lately and this pulled me right out of it。 I’m going to come back and add more thoughts when I’ve had a chance to process this novel， but I fully fully recommend it。

Jessica Harrison ，

I loved Elizabeth Lim’s Spin the Dawn and enjoyed its sequel， Unravel the Dusk， so I was excited to see what she’d come up with next。 Six Crimson Cranes exceeded my expectations。 It’s my favorite of her books to date。Six Crimson Cranes has a Shannon Hale-esque feel to it with fairy tale， characters and settings all sharing the spotlight。 Shiori is the central character — strong， smart and loyal。 I particularly enjoyed her growth after she loses her ability to speak。 Equally important， though， ar I loved Elizabeth Lim’s Spin the Dawn and enjoyed its sequel， Unravel the Dusk， so I was excited to see what she’d come up with next。 Six Crimson Cranes exceeded my expectations。 It’s my favorite of her books to date。Six Crimson Cranes has a Shannon Hale-esque feel to it with fairy tale， characters and settings all sharing the spotlight。 Shiori is the central character — strong， smart and loyal。 I particularly enjoyed her growth after she loses her ability to speak。 Equally important， though， are her six brothers， the dragon， and the people who take her in when all seems lost。The story unfolds throughout the kingdom of Kiata， and because of that， readers are transported to several different climates and landscapes。 You quickly find yourself in places that are weighted in reality but have a little something else， too。There’s a charm to Six Crimson Cranes that wasn’t present in Lim’s Blood of Stars duology。 Perhaps this came from writing two books in the Disney universe — Reflection: A Twisted Tale and So This is Love: A Twisted Tale。 Or perhaps it’s just natural progression。 Either way， it makes for immersive text and engaging plot。 I can’t wait for the next book in this duology。 。。。more

Lucy ，

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC。I'm a sucker for fantasy retellings， especially from a female perspective， and this book was no different。 Lim transplants the tale of The Wild Swans into an Asian kingdom， with the bored but magically-inclined Shiori as our main protagonist。 After her brothers are turned into cranes by her stepmother to protect the secret that she is an enchantress， Shiori must find a way to break the spell without speaking - or her brothers will die。 The world Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC。I'm a sucker for fantasy retellings， especially from a female perspective， and this book was no different。 Lim transplants the tale of The Wild Swans into an Asian kingdom， with the bored but magically-inclined Shiori as our main protagonist。 After her brothers are turned into cranes by her stepmother to protect the secret that she is an enchantress， Shiori must find a way to break the spell without speaking - or her brothers will die。 The worldbuilding in this was great considering the plot moved forward so swiftly， and I loved the twist of Shiori ending up in Iro。 I'm definitely hooked on the story and can't wait for part two！ 。。。more

Lisa ，

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 stars Six Crimson Cranes is the first book in a brand-new series。 We meet Shiori， a princess in exile， a shapeshifting dragon， six enchanted cranes and a curse that needs to be broken to save everyone。I’ve been waiting for this book to be published for forever。 Ever since I knew this book was coming， I’ve been waiting and it didn’t disappoint once I finally dived into the story！The worldbuilding is just beautiful and the way of storytelling is super engaging and it made reading th ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 stars Six Crimson Cranes is the first book in a brand-new series。 We meet Shiori， a princess in exile， a shapeshifting dragon， six enchanted cranes and a curse that needs to be broken to save everyone。I’ve been waiting for this book to be published for forever。 Ever since I knew this book was coming， I’ve been waiting and it didn’t disappoint once I finally dived into the story！The worldbuilding is just beautiful and the way of storytelling is super engaging and it made reading this book so exciting。 All the magic and mythical creatures and folklore brought to life in this world were just amazing。 The characters are truly exceptionally written。 Shiori starts out as outgoing， adventurous and rebellious but after she’s cursed， she truly grows so much in dept and character。 It’s amazing to see how she grows into herself and matures as everything that happens to her。 She’s so much more than the self-centered princess she started out as。 I loved how sarcastic Seryu was， how sweet and understanding Takkan was and how the villains， as Raikama， are depicted in this story。 I loved the relationships shows in this story。 Shiori and Takkan grew closer as the story progressed from friends to something more。 I loved seeing how their connection grew and expended。 The relationship Shiori has with her brothers is also truly beautiful to read。 The sibling bond they have warmed my heart and their love is beautiful and unconditional。 The ending was truly surprising and I loved how everything was wrapped up in this book。 It makes me so exciting for the sequel！ I was also super surprised when I saw a familiar name。 Some aspects in the story， like the enchanters， were similar to the Spin the Dawn world， and when a name from Spin the Dawn world popped up， it made me super excited to discover how the story will continue and how the two series relate。 Overall， I immensely enjoyed reading this story。 It is truly delightful and dazzling and I can’t wait to delve more into the world and the characters in coming books！ 。。。more

Sam Glasbrenner （Sassyowlreads） ，

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim blew me away！ This is not the 1st retelling of The Wild Swans I've read so I had a general idea of what I expected to happen but Lim completely surprised me！The story is rich with Asian culture and folklore and peppered with references to the Blood of Stars duology。 Lim tackled the issue of building relationships and developing characters when the main character can't speak （or properly be seen） for a majority of the book so well！ Takkan and Megari quickly bec Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim blew me away！ This is not the 1st retelling of The Wild Swans I've read so I had a general idea of what I expected to happen but Lim completely surprised me！The story is rich with Asian culture and folklore and peppered with references to the Blood of Stars duology。 Lim tackled the issue of building relationships and developing characters when the main character can't speak （or properly be seen） for a majority of the book so well！ Takkan and Megari quickly become very endearing characters and I'm now very eager to try a persimmon。 I can't wait to read more about Seryu and the whole dragon kingdom and finally penetrate the veil of mystery surrounding them。Shiori's growth as a person on her journey to save her brothers is delightful to experience。 She learns some hard truths along the way and takes them in stride with the help of cheeky friend Kiki。I was more than a little shocked by the twisty ending that was simultaneously utterly heartbreaking。 I am so excited for where the next book is going！Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc！ 。。。more

Heather K Veitch ，

I picked up Elizabeth Lim’s Six Crimson Cranes simply because it was billed as a “fantasy retelling of the Grimm brothers' The Six Swans fairytale， set in an East-Asian inspired world”。 And although I was unfamiliar with the author， as soon as I started reading， I was swept away。 There is a beautiful and lyrical quality to her writing style that I instantly resonated with， and the inclusion of a dragon in the opening pages had me entranced。 Six Crimson Cranes actually takes a variety of fairytal I picked up Elizabeth Lim’s Six Crimson Cranes simply because it was billed as a “fantasy retelling of the Grimm brothers' The Six Swans fairytale， set in an East-Asian inspired world”。 And although I was unfamiliar with the author， as soon as I started reading， I was swept away。 There is a beautiful and lyrical quality to her writing style that I instantly resonated with， and the inclusion of a dragon in the opening pages had me entranced。 Six Crimson Cranes actually takes a variety of fairytales and folk mythologies — both Western and Eastern — and weaves them together in a very readable and fast-paced story， seen from the perspective of Princess Shiori。 The youngest of seven， and the only daughter of the Emperor， the high-spirited and rebellious Shiori faces an arranged marriage to the third son of a low-ranking lord， until she bails on her betrothal ceremony — an act which lands her in the Sacred Lake and brings her face-to face with dragon prince Seryu， who recognises the magic in her and offers to teach her how to use it。 This incident raises her stepmother’s suspicions， however， as magic has been wiped out in this kingdom and is thought to be the work of demons。 Whilst folding paper cranes， Shiori brings one to life and we are introduced to her best friend， confidant， and voice of reason， Kiki。 Sadly， this is proof to Raikama （the stepmother） that Shiori has magic， and she curses all of the children — the six brothers are transformed into cranes， and Shiori is forced to wear a walnut bowl on her head， masking her identity。 Worse still， if Shiori dares speak one word， a brother will die。 Cast out from her home， and separated from her brothers， Shiori must find a way to break the curse and return home — all whilst mute， unrecognisable， and in a strange land。 There is also the threat of invasion from neighbouring kingdoms which adds tension in the background。 Shiori， however， is not alone: she can communicate telepathically with Kiki， who can communicate with other animals， a talent that comes in handy when travelling and searching for Shiori’s brothers。 As a narrator， Shiori initially comes across as spoilt and selfish， but these vices soon disappear as her predicament deepens。 Under the name of Lina， she initially takes on the job of cook at an inn， which offers her opportunities to widen her perspectives and build up some physical strength。 When she crosses paths with a sentinel （a knight）， she sees an opportunity to escape the inn and make her way back home。 Once set upon her path， Shiori first attempts to locate her brothers， who， as cranes， are also searching for her， whilst also searching for a way to break the curse。 She is helped and hindered by a variety of characters， some of whom have very shadowy motivations， and she makes some poor choices which raise the stakes even more。 The pacing was fast and brilliant， and I really felt for Shiori。 I fell head over heels for Kiki。 I loved Takkan’s quiet strength and Megari’s bubbly nature。 I liked how， through various trials and tribulations， Shiori grew in resilience and strength， and also matured into a well-rounded young woman。 I confess: I didn’t see the twist coming。 I suspected， but then a number of events caused me to discard my suspicions — so when the twist came I was pleasantly surprised and heartbroken。 There were several characters who I pegged as antagonists immediately， and it was interesting to see how their arcs played out in the larger plot。 I loved the inclusion of the dragons and starstroke nettles， and the sacrifices Shiori makes on her journey。 The only thing I would have liked to see was more about the brothers。 One or two are more memorable as they’re fleshed out more so than the others， but the rest are largely forgettable。 I would have loved a touch more characterisation for them， but， even so， I had my heart in my throat the entire time as I worried about the likelihood of their longevity。 Also， I did love how each of the children was named after a star; it added some extra magic。 For some reason， I didn’t realise that this is the first part of a duology， so when I was approaching the end I wasn’t sure how it would all be resolved with only a small percentage left in the ebook … But apparently yes， it’s the first part of a duology and I can’t wait for the next instalment。 I fell in love with these characters and this world and its magics so deeply and quickly that I am excited to know there’s more coming from this story。 This is a magical read which really transports you to another world with its court intrigues， forbidden magic， slow-burn romance， familial love and loyalty， and the power of resilience and friendships。 Immensely readable， unforgettable， and highly recommended。 I received an e-ARC from the publisher， Hodder & Stoughton， through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

Kylie ，

Thank you to Netgally for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review。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 Thank you to Netgally for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review。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！ 。。。more

sophie ✌ ，

Review to come！！

Tiffany ，

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 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！ 。。。more

Charlotte ，

This was a cute fairytale， but it did feel a little juvenile at times。 There were moments I enjoyed， but I didn’t think through the fact that when the blurb called Shiori “voiceless”， this meant there wouldn’t be a ton of dialogue/banter。 Wasn’t overly invested in the plot or characters （which is sad because I was highly anticipating this book！）

G Naj ，

5/5Recommended if you: are a fan of Spirited Away， Asian folklore inspired stories， strong female leads， slow-burn romanceWhat can I say more than wow。 This first installation really blew me away with it's magical and whimsical writing style， artfully crafted worldbuilding， and intriguing storyline。 I loved the strong relationships that were built in this story， not just romantic ones， but relationships of family and friendship were also explored。 Shiori's growth was also great to see， a growth 5/5Recommended if you: are a fan of Spirited Away， Asian folklore inspired stories， strong female leads， slow-burn romanceWhat can I say more than wow。 This first installation really blew me away with it's magical and whimsical writing style， artfully crafted worldbuilding， and intriguing storyline。 I loved the strong relationships that were built in this story， not just romantic ones， but relationships of family and friendship were also explored。 Shiori's growth was also great to see， a growth that in a way mimics what we see in Chihiro from Spirited Away。 She is young and sheltered， but after being forced into an impossible situation and being forced to endure insane hardship we're thankful that she comes out changed for the better and wiser beyond her years。The little hints towards her previous trilogy were also nice to see as they take place in the same worls， but the books and protagonists manage to stay distinct。 I think Shiori's struggles can serve as a great inspiration for the young adult audience， especially for those who might not possess certain physical capabilities。 Despite losing her ability to speak， Shiori manages to still be a fierce protector， proving that such disabilities do not make anyone lesser and that if anything， they make a person stronger。There was a moment where an antagonistic character conveniently gave a long shpeel revealing their plan all along and some other plot twists that felt a little。。。 Unrealistic to me？ Also a bit cliché， but I try to not judge too harshly， especially since it just happened once and I still thoroughly enjoyed the book。 I felt that pacing remained consistent and really appreciated the slow burn of the budding romance。 It's really late at night now and I'm really tired but these are my basic thoughts。 。。。more

Rosie Rizk ，

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 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。I received a copy in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

Basma ，

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 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。 I received an e-arc of this title from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

Tamara ，

Title: Six Crimson CranesAuthor: Elizabeth LimGenre: FantasyRating: 5 out of 5This 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 thou Title: Six Crimson CranesAuthor: Elizabeth LimGenre: FantasyRating: 5 out of 5This 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。 （Galley courtesy of Random House Children's/ Knopf Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review。） 。。。more

Pine Reads Review ，

“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， an “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（Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing us 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。）Follow us on Instagram， Twitter， and Facebook @pinereadsreview and check out our website at www。pinereadsreview。com for reviews， author interviews， blogs， podcast episodes， and more！ 。。。more

Adriana ，

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 int 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！ 。。。more

Annette Jordan ，

Six Crimson Cranes is Elizabeth Lim's retelling of a familiar Grimm Brother's tale， the Six Swans。 Lim transports the reader to an East Asian inspired fantasy kingdom where a spoiled princess is desperate to hide the forbidden magic that runs through her veins。 On the day of her betrothal ceremony she slips and loses control of her magic unleashing a chain of events that sees her brothers cursed and transformed into six cranes by their stepmother while she flees the royal palace under a curse of Six Crimson Cranes is Elizabeth Lim's retelling of a familiar Grimm Brother's tale， the Six Swans。 Lim transports the reader to an East Asian inspired fantasy kingdom where a spoiled princess is desperate to hide the forbidden magic that runs through her veins。 On the day of her betrothal ceremony she slips and loses control of her magic unleashing a chain of events that sees her brothers cursed and transformed into six cranes by their stepmother while she flees the royal palace under a curse of her own that silences her by ensuring that one of her brothers will die each time she speaks。 Her quest to find her brothers will see her facing dragons and assassins while uncovering a threat to the kingdom and learning to embrace the magic within and her true destiny。This was a beautiful retelling of the original story， similar enough to have the warmth of familiarity but original enough to be surprising 。 While the character of Shiori'amna ， the princess ， is a little difficult to warm to at first， as the reader spends more time with her on her quest it becomes easier to root for her， especially as her experiences humble her and rub off some of her more abrasive edges。 While there is a romantic aspect to the book， the relationships that really stand out are those of Shiori and her brothers， and also Shiori and her stepmother， who is one of the most interesting secondary characters in the book。 From the way this book ended I assume there is a sequel in the works， as it certainly feels like there is more of this story to be told。 That being said there is a satisfactory conclusion to this book， so readers will not feel short changed I think。 I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher， all opinions are my own。 。。。more

carys。reads ，

I have yet to read Elizabeth Lims other books that she has written but when I heard about this I knew I had to read it， and I'm so glad I did。 The writing was so amazing。 I love Shuri and her relationship with her brothers and kiki。 I also like that this story give me an insight into asain folklore。 I couldn't put the book down because I found the book to be intriguing to read about。 I love the plot of the book which isn't something that I have read about previously in another book which is amaz I have yet to read Elizabeth Lims other books that she has written but when I heard about this I knew I had to read it， and I'm so glad I did。 The writing was so amazing。 I love Shuri and her relationship with her brothers and kiki。 I also like that this story give me an insight into asain folklore。 I couldn't put the book down because I found the book to be intriguing to read about。 I love the plot of the book which isn't something that I have read about previously in another book which is amazing because of how unique Six Crimson Cranes is。 I loved the character development of Shuri throughout the book and the plot twist that was near the end of the book was amazing。 I read this book all in one day and I loved it and can't wait for the second book to come out。 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Six Crimson Cranes

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Six Crimson Cranes&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Six Crimson Cranes&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0