Fantasy

Six Crimson Cranes

Six Crimson Cranes

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  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2021-06-30 00:51:18
  • Update Date：2025-09-07
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Elizabeth Lim
  • ISBN：1529356555
  • 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

Anna ，

I was really excited about this book。 An Asian inspired fairy tale retelling of The Six Swans？ And I hardly need to add that the cover is gorgeous！I was hoping for an atmospheric historical-fantasy blend like The Ghost Bride。 Alas。 The language was modern， the setting was unidentifiable， and the plot development was slow。I like Shiori and Takkan: there is definitely some chemistry between them。 I wish they had been given more time to get to know each other in the book， especially because of the I was really excited about this book。 An Asian inspired fairy tale retelling of The Six Swans？ And I hardly need to add that the cover is gorgeous！I was hoping for an atmospheric historical-fantasy blend like The Ghost Bride。 Alas。 The language was modern， the setting was unidentifiable， and the plot development was slow。I like Shiori and Takkan: there is definitely some chemistry between them。 I wish they had been given more time to get to know each other in the book， especially because of the ending。 （view spoiler）[At the end of the book， Shiori left Takkan in the human world to travel to the dragon realm with a shapeshifting dragon guy。 I might be wrong but I see signs of a love triangle forming in the next book。 （hide spoiler）]As for Shiori's stepmother。。。（view spoiler）[there have been quite a few retellings recently where the villain turns out to be a hero。 I'm not a fan of this only because it is often done badly。 It might have worked this time except for one thing: Raikama chose to turn Shiori's brothers into wild cranes and to curse Shiori so that she could not use her magic or make a sound without killing her brothers。 Apparently， her justification is that Shiori's blood can unseal the mountain where the demons are imprisoned so she had to hide her。 Here's an idea: why not tell Shiori about the danger instead of sending a sheltered princess off unprotected to a remote area of the country where she could be raped， killed， starved， or kidnapped by the enemies she is not aware of？ In the original fairy tale， the princess had to weave nettles into shirts for her brothers to break the spell but if she ever spoke， the spell would become permanent and they would remain swans forever。 The spell that Raikama cast was definitely overkill。 （hide spoiler）] 。。。more

Darce ，

ARC copy provided in exchange for an honest review。 This in no way changes my rating or review。4。5 absolutely touching stars！This book owns my whole heart。 The touching family relationship that is so rarely represented in YA was gorgeously depicted in Six Crimson Cranes， and Elizabeth Lim managed to make every character realistic and incredibly human。 I managed to grasp which brother was which remarkably fast， which shows the brilliance of Lim’s characters， and Shiori was one of the most powerfu ARC copy provided in exchange for an honest review。 This in no way changes my rating or review。4。5 absolutely touching stars！This book owns my whole heart。 The touching family relationship that is so rarely represented in YA was gorgeously depicted in Six Crimson Cranes， and Elizabeth Lim managed to make every character realistic and incredibly human。 I managed to grasp which brother was which remarkably fast， which shows the brilliance of Lim’s characters， and Shiori was one of the most powerful heroines I’ve ever read about。 Her character development from a mischievous and self-centred princess to a tough and determined young woman was stunning to watch， and I couldn’t help but root for her and her brothers every step of the way。“You’re yourself， Shiori。 The knot that holds us together， whether we like it or not。”（Shiori’s brother， Reiji， talking to Shiori。This quote may not be in the published version of this novel， it was copied from the advanced reader’s copy。）The unique worldbuilding and magic system was really beautiful to read about， and I loved the Asian royalty rep and the clear South-East Asian culture woven throughout Six Crimson Cranes。 Also， that cover？ STUNNING。 I know I received this as an ARC， but I feel like buying it anyway， just so I can admire that cover。Another stunning aspect of this book was the way the villains were depicted， and I can’t go much into this without spoiling， but there were some really touching twists that added to the unique-ness of Six Crimson Cranes。 I didn’t love the love-interest or Shiori’s relationship with him as much as I loved her relationship with her brothers， but he was still really sweet and kind， and it’s always nice to see more non-toxic YA men。 I think he was definitely a good match to strong-headed and determined Shiori， and I can’t wait to see their relationship further develop in the next book！“If fate is a bunch of strings， then I’ll carry scissors… My choices are my own。 I’ll make them as I please。”（Shiori talking about fate。This quote may not be in the published version of this novel， it was copied from the advanced reader’s copy。）All in all， I’m desperate to read the next book in this series， and I’m so glad I was able to snatch an ARC of Six Crimson Cranes！ A gorgeous retelling of a rarely-mentioned fairytale。 Thank you so much to the author， publisher and TBR & Beyond Tours for the ARC copy！ 。。。more

✧ jules ✧ ，

I adored the spin the dawn duology so of course I was anticipating this book and series so much。 But nothing prepared me for finishing it in 3h， I completely fell in love with the characters and the story。 I felt physical pain when our protagonist felt pain， it was incredible。 And it for sure took the top ten in my favorite books of the year and for life。 Please please read this book， Elizabeth Lim is now and forever in my heart。

Sarah ，

（6/28/2021） 5 stars。Six Crimson Cranes is a magical story following a young， impulsive， trouble-maker princess on her quest to save the ones she loves。 Along the way she discovers new things about herself and the people she thought she despised and finds within herself the strength she needs to overcome the obstacles thrown at her。 Lim has created a charming cast of characters that live in a beautiful backdrop。 The mythology sewn within the story is fun to read and discover and the romance is so （6/28/2021） 5 stars。Six Crimson Cranes is a magical story following a young， impulsive， trouble-maker princess on her quest to save the ones she loves。 Along the way she discovers new things about herself and the people she thought she despised and finds within herself the strength she needs to overcome the obstacles thrown at her。 Lim has created a charming cast of characters that live in a beautiful backdrop。 The mythology sewn within the story is fun to read and discover and the romance is so sweet， although I must admit。。。。。。 I would've gone with the other choice。 Is there a love triangle brewing？ I feel like it would be a disservice to the love interest in this story and wouldn't make sense。 But it just seems like there's a little bit there with the other character and I cannot ignore it （and I always lose when I pick a love interest so I am gonna keep my mind open - both characters are really great in different ways and I cannot wait to see Shiori spend more time with the other one！） 。。。more

Korynne ，

Shiori is the only princess of Kiata， but she doesn’t want to do what’s expected of her。 One day she dives into the Sacred Lake and meets a dragon， who turns out to be a boy able to transform into a dragon。 He tells Shiori that she has the rare ability to wield magic and he promises to teach her how to use it。 Shiori uses her magic to enchant a paper crane to make it fly by itself， who she names Kiki。 One day she discovers her stepmother， Raikama， is a powerful sorceress。 She changes Shiori’s si Shiori is the only princess of Kiata， but she doesn’t want to do what’s expected of her。 One day she dives into the Sacred Lake and meets a dragon， who turns out to be a boy able to transform into a dragon。 He tells Shiori that she has the rare ability to wield magic and he promises to teach her how to use it。 Shiori uses her magic to enchant a paper crane to make it fly by itself， who she names Kiki。 One day she discovers her stepmother， Raikama， is a powerful sorceress。 She changes Shiori’s six brothers into cranes and curses Shiori so that with every sound that escapes her lips， one of her brothers will die。I didn’t really like how Raikama is irredeemably bad because people are not all good or all bad， and her being written that way made her feel very flat to me。 I also got all six of Shiori’s brothers mixed up because there are really no distinguishing factors between them all。 One is a little nicer than the others and one is a little meaner than the others， but there’s not much characterization beyond that。 Shiori herself was fine， but honestly， none of the characters stood out to me， and I truly just didn’t care about anyone。 Six Crimson Cranes has a similar feel to Spin the Dawn。 It could just be Elizabeth Lim’s writing style， although these two series do take place in the same world。 （If you look at both books’ maps though， it’s a little confusing because the maps have some of the same places but not in the same locations。） There are quite a few similarities between the two books。 For example， Shiori enchants a needle to sew for her， which is uncannily similar to Maia’s enchanted embroidery scissors in Spin the Dawn， and both books even have a walnut with magical properties that can hold items inside it。 Also， both books are fairytales。 I don’t know if all these crossovers were intentional or not， but it was kind of weird。 I almost felt like I was reading the same book， as Shiori and Maia are very similar protagonists and there were lots of references to the Blood of Stars in both books， but I know this is a completely different story。This book reads rather young to me。 I don’t know what it is but I’ve been feeling this way about every young adult book I’ve been reading lately: they all feel like they’re so simply written with a clear good and a clear bad with predictable twists and common plot beats and protagonist who is special unlike anyone else。 I don’t know if this is just the specific books I’m reading or if this is the generic structure for young adult novels， but I’m seeing the pattern repeated over and over。 It keeps happening to me and I really am tired of it because I feel like I’m constantly reading the same book that I just read， with just a few differences to the setting and magic。 It makes for a lackluster reading experience， unfortunately。 I wish I could say this book brought something fresh and new to the genre， but it really didn’t。 Even though the plot is different from her previous duology and the setting and characters are new， I felt like I was reading Spin the Dawn again。 There are so many similarities in writing style and story beats but also in random details throughout the narrative that I couldn’t stop comparing the two novels during my entire time reading Six Crimson Cranes。 I liked the Asian influences on the story and I’m always interested in reading more stories with Asian cultures and settings， but that wasn’t enough to make this novel feel new and fresh to me， especially with the huge amount of telling instead of showing。 So many scenes were quickly glossed over because there was no depth given to the narrative， which I didn’t enjoy。 For how much I liked Lim’s Spin the Dawn， I’m really disappointed I didn’t like Six Crimson Cranes better。 It’s not that this book was bad， but I just didn’t care about the story whatsoever。 I think this book would be good for teens on the younger side， especially those interested in Asian culture and folklore， or for anyone looking for a quick and easy read that also feels familiar and fun。 I also think fans of Spin the Dawn would enjoy this book if they liked Lim’s fairytale-esque writing style。This book brings me ennui， so unfortunately I don’t think I’ll be reading the sequel to Six Crimson Cranes， but I encourage you to check out the series if it sounds like something you’ll enjoy。 There’s nothing inherently wrong with it， but it turns out it’s just not for me。 My Book Blog: Storeys of Stories 。。。more

Kailah ，

Elizabeth Lim’s writing is so immersive and atmospheric。 I really liked her Blood of Stars series， and this is a great addition the lore of that world。 The story is based off the fairytale The Wild Swans， with some Chinese and Japanese folklore woven in as well。 It certainly does have the feel of a classic fairytale， but also has some twists and surprises that I found very rewarding。 The middle of the book felt very slow to me， but I think the slow burn of the pacing paid off in the climax。 I wa Elizabeth Lim’s writing is so immersive and atmospheric。 I really liked her Blood of Stars series， and this is a great addition the lore of that world。 The story is based off the fairytale The Wild Swans， with some Chinese and Japanese folklore woven in as well。 It certainly does have the feel of a classic fairytale， but also has some twists and surprises that I found very rewarding。 The middle of the book felt very slow to me， but I think the slow burn of the pacing paid off in the climax。 I was also disappointed that there weren’t more dragons in the story。 The blurb promises the help of a dragon， but he doesn’t actually help that much in this story。 The way the sequel is being set up， however， leads me to believe dragons will play a larger role as the series continues。 I know I will be eagerly awaiting for it。 。。。more

Tracy ，

I LOVED THIS BOOK！！！ First of all the cover is amazing！！ Elizabeth Lim never fails to disappoint with her amazing cover arts。 I initially got interested in this book because of the Blood of Stars duology， which was super good by the way and I can say this book didn't fail to disappoint。 I loved the asian folklore and fairytale aspects tied to this story and who can say no to dragons and magic？ I definitely recommend for people to check this book out if fantasy is your thing！！ I also just adore a I LOVED THIS BOOK！！！ First of all the cover is amazing！！ Elizabeth Lim never fails to disappoint with her amazing cover arts。 I initially got interested in this book because of the Blood of Stars duology， which was super good by the way and I can say this book didn't fail to disappoint。 I loved the asian folklore and fairytale aspects tied to this story and who can say no to dragons and magic？ I definitely recommend for people to check this book out if fantasy is your thing！！ I also just adore all the characters！！ I can't wait for the second book to come out。 。。。more

Colby ，

First of all， thank you Knopf for an eARC of this in exchange for an honest review！Six Crimson Cranes follows Shiori， the princess of Kiata。 Shiori has magic， but it is forbidden。 On the morning of her betrothal ceremony to Takkan， a man she believes to be boring， she loses control of her magic。 When Shiori discovers her stepmother， Raikama， has dark magic， she banishes Shiori and turns her 6 brothers into cranes。 Trapped with a bowl over her head， she is told that for each word she speaks， one First of all， thank you Knopf for an eARC of this in exchange for an honest review！Six Crimson Cranes follows Shiori， the princess of Kiata。 Shiori has magic， but it is forbidden。 On the morning of her betrothal ceremony to Takkan， a man she believes to be boring， she loses control of her magic。 When Shiori discovers her stepmother， Raikama， has dark magic， she banishes Shiori and turns her 6 brothers into cranes。 Trapped with a bowl over her head， she is told that for each word she speaks， one of her brothers will die。 I lovedSpin the Dawn and Unravel the Dusk， so I was extremely excited to see another book coming from Elizabeth Lim。 This has a similar adeventure and trials setup for the story， but if even possible， Lim's writing has become truly magnificent。 The imagery and the magic of the story is truly beautiful， and each section of the book really flows into the next。 While parts of Spin the Dawn could be choppy， this was really well executed。 And， if you're wondering， there is quite a bit of romance！ I loved the romance in this one。 It is sweet， and it really takes its time to build。 There are lots of spoilers， and an amazing twist at the end， but I cannot recommend this one enough！ Can't wait for the next installemnt！ 。。。more

Tarra Lyn | TLCBookNook ，

RTC

Minna ，

A BIG thank you to NetGalley， Knopf and Ms。 Lim for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title。 An honest review was requested but not required。This book has had a lot of hype。 I mean， I was emailed twice with suggestions that I request an eARC。 However， I do love a fairy tale retelling， and I was intrigued by the gorgeous cover， the description， and the high ratings of Ms。 Lim's previous books。Well。 For once， the hype doesn't disappoint。 This book was FANTASTIC。 Easily one of the best I've re A BIG thank you to NetGalley， Knopf and Ms。 Lim for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title。 An honest review was requested but not required。This book has had a lot of hype。 I mean， I was emailed twice with suggestions that I request an eARC。 However， I do love a fairy tale retelling， and I was intrigued by the gorgeous cover， the description， and the high ratings of Ms。 Lim's previous books。Well。 For once， the hype doesn't disappoint。 This book was FANTASTIC。 Easily one of the best I've read this year。 Lots of action， characters that grow （both on you as a reader and into themselves）， gorgeous setting， and a tight story。 Yes， you can guess where the plot is going （I can't say that I was particularly surprised by any of the twists） but you absolutely don't care because the journey is so fabulous。 Shiori is a terrific heroine and I am really looking forward to seeing her navigate her way in book #2。 I don't want to spoil any plot points but the story potential in book #2 is absolutely huge。 Highly recommended especially to fantasy readers。 。。。more

Sacha ，

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review。 Overall， I did enjoy this book quite a bit。 I liked the characters and how I was easily able to imagine them as real people。 Like in some YA books， I found certain decisions that were made by the main character， Shiori， to be unrealistic， but I can usually forgive them due to the age range of both the characters and who it was written for。 I loved the magic in this book。 I found the use of curses extremely interesting I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review。 Overall， I did enjoy this book quite a bit。 I liked the characters and how I was easily able to imagine them as real people。 Like in some YA books， I found certain decisions that were made by the main character， Shiori， to be unrealistic， but I can usually forgive them due to the age range of both the characters and who it was written for。 I loved the magic in this book。 I found the use of curses extremely interesting and quite unique。 I have never read the source material that inspired this book， the Six Swans， but I found Six Crimson Cranes very magical quite immersive。 There were some things that I did not like as much。 First， the action sequences weren't clearly written at all in my opinion。 There seemed to be too much going on and there was no clear focus。 These action sequences seemed to jump around from start to finish and it became confusing more than once。 There was just too much going on anytime something exciting happened。 I also found the ending a but predictable。 There was a twist that I saw coming from a mile away that just sort of left the ending falling a bit flat。 While I did enjoy reading this book， there were times that I was just a tad underwhelmed by the time I finished。 。。。more

Surbhi Das ，

This is such a fun YA fairy tale retelling of The Six Swans by Brothers Grimm。 The story is about the the princess， Shiori， whose six brothers have been transformed into cranes by their Step mother。 Banished from their palace， Shiori and her brothers undertakes the dangerous quest to find answers in order to reverse the curse and uncover the plot brewing against their kingdom。As I mentioned， this was so much fun， the story is filled with dangerous adventure， curses and forbidden magic。 There isn This is such a fun YA fairy tale retelling of The Six Swans by Brothers Grimm。 The story is about the the princess， Shiori， whose six brothers have been transformed into cranes by their Step mother。 Banished from their palace， Shiori and her brothers undertakes the dangerous quest to find answers in order to reverse the curse and uncover the plot brewing against their kingdom。As I mentioned， this was so much fun， the story is filled with dangerous adventure， curses and forbidden magic。 There isn't any dull moment as our characters are put through one test after another。 The writing is so good and engaging and the world feels very immersive and atmospheric。 I loved Shiori， tbh she is impulsive and often runs into troubles heads on but her growth throughout the book is done so well。 The relationship between Shiori and her brothers is just precious and I can't wait to read how it will be explored further in the series。The romance again is done so well。 Takkan is definitely one of the best love interests I have read and I just want him and Shiori to find happiness。 I detect a bit of a love traingle brewing but I sincerely hope it doesn't come to that - Shirio and Takkan are made for each other。 Overall， this was really enjoyable and I am so happy to have found this series and author。Apparently， this is set in the same world as Spin the Dawn books and now I really want to read that duology as well。 Arc received via Netgalley！ 。。。more

Rafaela （dragonsandpaperbacks） ，

*Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the arc。*If you're looking for a new amazing， Asian fantasy to read， then look no further！ Six Crimson Cranes is all that and more！Six Crimson Cranes is a story filled with magical elements woven deftly into this beautifully written story that tells the story of the seven royal children of Kiata。 Princess Shiori， the youngest is the protagonist， and one day， instead of meeting her betrothed， she throws herself into the Sacred Lake where she meet *Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the arc。*If you're looking for a new amazing， Asian fantasy to read， then look no further！ Six Crimson Cranes is all that and more！Six Crimson Cranes is a story filled with magical elements woven deftly into this beautifully written story that tells the story of the seven royal children of Kiata。 Princess Shiori， the youngest is the protagonist， and one day， instead of meeting her betrothed， she throws herself into the Sacred Lake where she meets a dragon， setting in the motion this whole story。。。 Shiori starts out as a mischievous and somewhat childish character who wants to run away from all her responsibilities only to be thrown into the harsh， outside world penniless and voiceless。 She's such a determined， resilient character that thrived in the midst of all that adversity！ And I really liked her， right from the start when she was a cheerful and petulant princess， and as she made her way through all the obstacles until that very exciting ending！ This book is simultaneously filled with fast-paced action and poignant emotional scenes that touch on the importance of looking past appearances， searching within， and giving people a second chance！ Overall， Six Crimson Cranes was just as exciting， magical， and pure fun as I was expecting。 I was so quickly pulled into this story and I enjoyed it so much just couldn't stop reading it！ （view spoiler）[ I can't wait to see what the Taijin Sea and dragon characters are like in the next book！！ Am I the only one who sees a love triangle coming with Seryuu？ （hide spoiler）]As a side note， Six Crimson Cranes is set in the world of the Blood of the Stars duology， also by this author， and you don't need to read one to read the other。 If you were intrigued by Six Crimson Cranes， I recommend you check out Spin the Dawn， because it's just as magical， inspiring and beautifully written！ 。。。more

Bethany ，

Elizabeth Lim never disappoints。Six Crimson Cranes is the perfect read！ Set in the same world as her Spin the Dawn series， the story follows a princess named Shiori who lives in a kingdom where magic is forbidden。 She loves the life she leads with her six older brothers， even if that means she has to hide her own magic。 But on the day she is to be wed to a boy she's never met， instead she finds herself face to face with a dragon。 This sets forth a series of events that ends with Shiori cursed wi Elizabeth Lim never disappoints。Six Crimson Cranes is the perfect read！ Set in the same world as her Spin the Dawn series， the story follows a princess named Shiori who lives in a kingdom where magic is forbidden。 She loves the life she leads with her six older brothers， even if that means she has to hide her own magic。 But on the day she is to be wed to a boy she's never met， instead she finds herself face to face with a dragon。 This sets forth a series of events that ends with Shiori cursed with a bowl on her head that suppresses her magic and her six brothers turned into cranes。 And if she utters one word， it will mean the end for one of her brothers。 Separated across her own kingdom and forced into silence， Shiori must reunite with her brothers and break the curse。 With plenty of magic， fairytales， and secrets along the way， Six Crimson Cranes is an adventure you won't want to miss out on。I absolutely love the tales Lim draws upon。 Her world is so vivid and real， I feel like I could step into its pages。 Shiori's tale is gripping and exciting， and I couldn't put the book down。 Fairytales， dragons， magic， friendship， family， secrets， love--Six Crimson Cranes has it all。If you've read Spin the Dawn， then this is absolutely a must read。 And， if you haven't read it--well， pick them both because you will not regret it。 。。。more

Shijia ，

You guys aren't ready for this one。。。After being disappointed with Spin the Dawn， I was hesitant to read this， but the synopsis sounded too good to pass by！ I loved this book so damn much！ ^^ Characters: Shiori is introduced as an unlikeable character， but as the story progresses， you really start to love her。 She is a troublemaker and always speaks her mind， not caring about the consequences， and I enjoyed how she changes after being cursed。 Everytime I read about the bowl on her head I burst o You guys aren't ready for this one。。。After being disappointed with Spin the Dawn， I was hesitant to read this， but the synopsis sounded too good to pass by！ I loved this book so damn much！ ^^ Characters: Shiori is introduced as an unlikeable character， but as the story progresses， you really start to love her。 She is a troublemaker and always speaks her mind， not caring about the consequences， and I enjoyed how she changes after being cursed。 Everytime I read about the bowl on her head I burst out laughing- I still don't understand how people didn't find it weird that it covered her eyes but she could still see， but oh well >。< Shiori's heart softens and as she journeys to break this curse， and discovers more about herself along the way。 Her relationships were so great to read- her friendship with Megari， Pao and her brothers was so heartwarming。 Plus her swooning romance with Takkan- it was just the perfect amount！ I loved Seryu too， his introduction was so cute but sadly he wasn't very present in the book。 It was one of those characters that are introduced and appear a few times， but after that ending， I think he'll be playing a much bigger role in book 2！ Plot: I didn't think YA fantasy could give me something new and original， but wow did the plot deliver！ The magic system， the dynamics of the curse？ It was so much fun to read about。 The lore and stories played such a central role to the plot， and overall I can't praise it enough。 The plot twists had me screeching and gasping， honestly they were so unexpected！ I don't usually like retellings， but I read this as a separate story and I enjoyed it so much。 The pacing was so on point， I couldn't believe how quickly I devoured this masterpiece。 I have a feeling this is going to be making noise in the book community for a very long time （and rightly so！） Writing: There's nothing new to say！ Elizabeth Lim's writing is lyrical and so easy to read。 I was immersed in this world whenever I picked it up， and she writes action scenes so well！ Loved it！！ There was a little of everything， romance， action， lore， mystery and perfect dashes of suspense。 I have to say I was hoping it wouldn't be too romance heavy like Spin the Dawn， and I was so glad the romance wasn't central to the story！ I desperately need book 2 ASAP。。。Overall， what a beautiful story。 I can see myself rereading this soon。 I wasn't bored for even a second and this was the first book I read on my Kindle！ <3Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder&Stoughton for an arc！ I'm so happy to have read one of my most anticipated reads so early x 。。。more

brooklyn ☂︎ ，

what is this sorcery。 fun & ferocious， brilliantly plotted and gorgeously written。 read in one sitting （9p-1a）。 rtc。Blog | Instagram huge thanks to NetGalley， the publisher， and author for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review。 what is this sorcery。 fun & ferocious， brilliantly plotted and gorgeously written。 read in one sitting （9p-1a）。 rtc。Blog | Instagram huge thanks to NetGalley， the publisher， and author for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

abbie ，

Thank you Random House & NetGalley for an eARC of this book！Four stars from me 😌 Six Crimson Cranes is such a wonderfully woven tale of Japanese and Chinese folklore。 Shiori’s adventures were told in such an enchanting way and I loved it immensely！ The characters were so rich with personality but not without their flaws ~ Shiori herself was at times so frustrating （some of her decisions made me want to yell！！） but her growth over the course of the story really was one of my favorite parts。Most o Thank you Random House & NetGalley for an eARC of this book！Four stars from me 😌 Six Crimson Cranes is such a wonderfully woven tale of Japanese and Chinese folklore。 Shiori’s adventures were told in such an enchanting way and I loved it immensely！ The characters were so rich with personality but not without their flaws ~ Shiori herself was at times so frustrating （some of her decisions made me want to yell！！） but her growth over the course of the story really was one of my favorite parts。Most of the conflicts felt like they were resolved pretty predictably， and a lot of the plot itself was skimmed over ~ certain aspects of Shiori’s adventure that took days （eg her sailing the sea alone for a week being summed up in a couple sentences） were so brief and didn’t have super rich descriptions。 At first this felt kind of weak to me but eventually I fell into the rhythm of that kind of writing and realized that it did feel really reminiscent of reading a childhood fairytale because of that。 My only major qualm was that the conflicts didn’t feel very high stakes because of the writing style + how things were resolved super quickly and without any sort of lasting tension。Overall， I loved Shiori， loved Takkan， and I really enjoyed the experience of reading this story！ There were so many really stunning moments and I just loved the author’s combination of a Hans Christian Andersen reimagining + Japanese/Chinese folklore ~ it was so unique， and I’m looking forward to the sequel！ 。。。more

Audra ，

Six Crimson Cranes is easily one of the best YA fantasy books that I have read this year， and should be one of the best-selling books of the summer。 Although the beginning may seem a little bit slow， as you become immersed in this world， the story picks up rapidly。 The details of landscape， magic， and myth are exquisitely incorporated throughout the story， with several twists and turns along the way。 Our lead princess learns much about herself throughout the journey， including strength， patience Six Crimson Cranes is easily one of the best YA fantasy books that I have read this year， and should be one of the best-selling books of the summer。 Although the beginning may seem a little bit slow， as you become immersed in this world， the story picks up rapidly。 The details of landscape， magic， and myth are exquisitely incorporated throughout the story， with several twists and turns along the way。 Our lead princess learns much about herself throughout the journey， including strength， patience， kindness， and wisdom。 I have already recommended this book to multiple people， and will continue to do so。 My only complaint？ Waiting for book 2！ 。。。more

cossette ，

very unfair that the sequel isn't out till 2022 ANYWAYS liz lim never misses ！！！ wow ！ rtc to come at some point ！！！！ very unfair that the sequel isn't out till 2022 ANYWAYS liz lim never misses ！！！ wow ！ rtc to come at some point ！！！！ 。。。more

Michelle ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 So happy to have received a Netgalley e-arc， thank you！I absolutely loved this retelling of the Six Swans fairytale！This book felt like a mix of studio ghibli （specifically Spirited Away） and a bit of dark fairytale vibes and it gave me all the nostalgic feels。I loved the beautiful writing。I loved the different East Asian myths and legends melding together in this beautiful story。I loved the paper cranes and especially Kiki （cute animal companions！ Except in a paper crane form of course）I loved So happy to have received a Netgalley e-arc， thank you！I absolutely loved this retelling of the Six Swans fairytale！This book felt like a mix of studio ghibli （specifically Spirited Away） and a bit of dark fairytale vibes and it gave me all the nostalgic feels。I loved the beautiful writing。I loved the different East Asian myths and legends melding together in this beautiful story。I loved the paper cranes and especially Kiki （cute animal companions！ Except in a paper crane form of course）I loved Takkan and the slowburn and sweet romanceI loved all of Shiori's brothers and their interactions with each other。I also really loved Raikama， she was so mysterious that I just wanted to know more about her。There are many more things that I loved from this book， but out of everything， I loved Shiori's journey and her growth throughout this book。I am in love with both the U。S cover and the U。K cover for Six Crimson Cranes。5/5 starsI just adore this book so much and I cannot wait to read what's going to be coming next！ 。。。more

Kate ，

ARC provided by the publisher for an honest review。Plot: 3。5/5Characters: 4/5World-Building: 5/5Romance: 3。5/5Spice: 0/5 （a good thing！）Cover: ✨5/5✨Total: 4/5Ah， where to start on this one！ I've been wanting to get my hands on an Elizabeth Lim book for a long time， and I am so happy I finally did。 This book is a beautiful concoction of fairytale-feels， hidden royalty， dragons， and sibling relationships that are radiantly heartwarming。 While the pacing at the beginning felt a little rushed （espec ARC provided by the publisher for an honest review。Plot: 3。5/5Characters: 4/5World-Building: 5/5Romance: 3。5/5Spice: 0/5 （a good thing！）Cover: ✨5/5✨Total: 4/5Ah， where to start on this one！ I've been wanting to get my hands on an Elizabeth Lim book for a long time， and I am so happy I finally did。 This book is a beautiful concoction of fairytale-feels， hidden royalty， dragons， and sibling relationships that are radiantly heartwarming。 While the pacing at the beginning felt a little rushed （especially with how Shiori came to learn how to control her magic） the rest of the story wholly made up for it。Shiori， the narrator， added the perfect amount of zest to the storyline。 I often have a difficult time reading from the perspectives of spitfire protagonists because they tend to make utterly stupid decisions， but Shiori was a pleasant surprise⁠—and a relief⁠—of a character。 Her relationship with her six brothers was so wholesome， which was refreshing to see in a YA book。 I won't go too in-depth on the romance for spoiler purposes， but it is hands-down adorable。 I've read so many stories recently saturated with spice， I didn't realize how much I needed a cute， honest， and unproblematic romance。 （From the bottom of my shriveled heart， thank you， Elizabeth Lim。）That said， I loved the world-building。 It was simple but rich in culture and colorful in setting。 Shiori is a food-lover like me， and I admittedly found my mouth watering at some of the descriptions of what she ate。 But more than that， the legends weaved in made Six Crimson Cranes so enjoyable。 The plot itself followed a very basic quest arc that is so often seen in YA， but the new takes and myths incorporated kept me reading。 （That， and Shiori's tenacity， Kiki's attitude， Seryu's quips， and Takkan's cinnamon-roll personality。）The reason this book is 4 stars instead of 5 is that， as I mentioned， the beginning felt a little rushed。 Even so， I wouldn't have wanted the story to linger any longer than it did on the events before the inciting plot incident， which I think Lim was working toward。 （Thus， a conundrum。） Honestly， I don't quite know how this could have been solved， and the excitement and relentless pacing of the rest of the story made me forget about that dilemma。My only regret is that I won't get the next book for like another whole year。 （If only I were a dragon， a year would only feel like a few weeks。😉） 。。。more

nally nalka ，

AHH！ What a breath of fresh air this was！ A tale that is just as beautiful as its cover！ I underestimated it at the beginning thinking it'd be another grating 'chosen one' story but it got progressively better with each chapter and solifide into an interesting work of art。 The ingredients in THIS serve: •Strong sibling love and dynamics🥺 （6 brothers and their little sister whos the main POV）•Slow Burn romance （arranged marriage trope）•a personable heroine who goes through such a harrowing down-i AHH！ What a breath of fresh air this was！ A tale that is just as beautiful as its cover！ I underestimated it at the beginning thinking it'd be another grating 'chosen one' story but it got progressively better with each chapter and solifide into an interesting work of art。 The ingredients in THIS serve: •Strong sibling love and dynamics🥺 （6 brothers and their little sister whos the main POV）•Slow Burn romance （arranged marriage trope）•a personable heroine who goes through such a harrowing down-in-the-gutters journey and character development after her initially bloated upbringing that you can't help but desperately root for her throughout the story •the most adorable and swoonful hero that gives the literal perfect energy of a male character written by a female author （TAKKAN U ARE MY EVERYTHINGG） •lots of twists and turns （dragons， curses， quests）•short chapters•STRONG fairytale vibes （it read like a Disney princess animation movie which is a GREAT thing） •STUNNING COVER！！！！！Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this and can't wait to read the 2nd book！！ My standards are high and I may or may not be setting myself up for ruin as those dragons are BAD VIBEZZ。 Thank you to netgalley/hodderscape for providing me an ARC/early preview。😛 。。。more

Cassandra ，

full review soon but i really really enjoyed this

Ella ，

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an e-book arc of this book！ I am so glad to have had the chance to review such a beautiful piece of art。 Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim is truly a masterpiece。 We follow Princess Shiroi'anma and her six brothers as they quest to relieve themselves of their stepmother's curse。 Though Shirori made a mute， and her brothers made cranes， their mission proves itself as quite difficult。 Shiori learns throughout the book how to control the magic of her own， for Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an e-book arc of this book！ I am so glad to have had the chance to review such a beautiful piece of art。 Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim is truly a masterpiece。 We follow Princess Shiroi'anma and her six brothers as they quest to relieve themselves of their stepmother's curse。 Though Shirori made a mute， and her brothers made cranes， their mission proves itself as quite difficult。 Shiori learns throughout the book how to control the magic of her own， for it is far more powerful than she initially thought。 The plot that this book follows is so unique！ Elizabeth Lim did an amazing job at keeping me hooked， even with the lack of dialogue-I rely on dialogue a lot to keep me hooked。 In this book， there is an arranged marriage， but one of the characters doesn't want to be married。 As a result， they flee on their wedding day。 Later on， the two meet again but under different circumstances。 Over time， they begin to enjoy each other's presence and eventually fall in love。 This book was so gripping！ I found myself struggling to find a good place to put it down。 There were so many action-packed scenes and exciting events that I just wanted to sit down and read it all at once！ The book flowed nicely， and I understood the world pretty well by the end。 The author built the setting and magic in a way that the reader could read without getting bored but also understand the laws！ If you like exciting plot twists， then read this book！ The ending rounded out so well。 All of these characters have my heart， especially Shiroir and Seryu。 I loved the way Shiori and Seryu met， it truly brings out both of their true characters。 Whenever Seryu had an interaction with Shiori， I was even more interested than before。 The aspect of dragons was also something I really enjoyed。 All of the characters were built in such a complex manner， especially Raikama。 The way her character grew was very impressive， and a character with such depth was interesting to read about。 If you are looking for a fantasy with a good amount of romance， I wouldn't recommend this book。 Up until the last 75 pages or so， there were light bits of romance。 However， nothing much。 This book revolves more around family themes， something I happened to enjoy much more！ It really does make up for the lack of romance， but I'm sure the sequel will include more interaction between Shiori and Takkan。 The writing in the book is so beautiful。 It makes you feel as though you yourself are in this fairytale。 The settings are developed just as well as the characters are。 This made it very easy to imagine the scenes and to lose myself to this fantasy world。 This is one of my favorite reads of the year， I will probably never stop recommending it！ Overall， it was a beautiful book！ Plot- 5/5Pacing- 5/5 Characters- 5/5 Writing Style- 5/5 Enjoyment- 5/5 Final Rating- 5/5 。。。more

Craftshley ，

Shiori is the daughter of an emperor， the only princess of Kiata。 She discovers she has magic， which is forbidden in Kiata。 While she tries to conceal it， her stepmother， Raikama， discovers her secret。 Raikama has always hated Shiori and so she banishes her， casting a curse。 She curses Shiori so that no one will recognize her， sticking a wooden bowl over her head and making it so if she ever speaks again， one of her brothers will die for every sound she makes。 Raikama also curses Shiori’s brothe Shiori is the daughter of an emperor， the only princess of Kiata。 She discovers she has magic， which is forbidden in Kiata。 While she tries to conceal it， her stepmother， Raikama， discovers her secret。 Raikama has always hated Shiori and so she banishes her， casting a curse。 She curses Shiori so that no one will recognize her， sticking a wooden bowl over her head and making it so if she ever speaks again， one of her brothers will die for every sound she makes。 Raikama also curses Shiori’s brothers so that they become cranes everyday， in danger of hunters and others sent to kill them。 Sent to a faraway fishing village， Shiroi despairs of ever seeing her brothers again or breaking the curse。 In constant fear， Shiori does her best to keep going， searching for a solution。 Nothing is as it seems; magic， thought to be forbidden， is prevalent throughout the land。 Unfortunately， that solution seems to lie in trusting Takkan， the boy she was betrothed to。 But with her magic， Shiori is the only one who can break the curse on her and her brothers。 Even though she is betrothed， in an arranged marriage， Shiori is determined to not be married off and to maintain her sense of self， which her family tries so hard to stifle。 She does have responsibilities， as the only daughter of the emperor， but she wants nothing to do with it。 She just wants to study magic in secret and eat delicious food and spend time with her brothers。 With her enchanted paper crane， Kiki， she is perfectly happy to continue on her path。 When her stepmother curses her and her brothers， Shiori proves herself to be very intelligent and strong willed， even as everything seems to be against her success; she keeps looking for solutions and continuing on， biding her time。 I did mentally shout at Shiori sometimes， berating her for not noticing what I thought was clear as day; even after all she went through， she still trusted too easily and expected things to go well， lulled into a false sense of security because nothing bad had happened for a minute。 But she’s only sixteen （turned seventeen during the course of the novel）， a princess and only daughter of an emperor， so she’s bound to make mistakes。The writing flows so easily and I turned page after page without many breaks。 Shiori being such a relatable character helped immensely。 The fantasy aspects， as well as the fairytale structure， made for a somewhat predictable read， but there were still a few twists that I couldn’t fully predict。 Even though the structure was familiar， it certainly wasn’t boring。 And as with many fairytales， I was happy to keep reading。 I once read the entire Grimm’s fairytales cover to cover and if that isn’t full of repetitive tropes and stories， nothing is。 This retelling turns several fairytale tropes on their heads and I can’t wait to see what comes next！ Because apparently this isn’t a standalone！ It’s the first in a duology， with an open ending。 Some things are resolved but I still have so many questions。 The thread of fate weaves itself through the whole novel， literally at times。 There are certain things that seem destined to happen， things Shiori can’t do anything to change。 Like her betrothal; no matter how hard she tries to avoid it， even with a curse put on her so no one knows who she is， Shiori can’t avoid Takkan， nor can she avoid developing feelings for him， or vice versa。 She fights against it， wanting to make her own choices and her own path。 Along with the thread of fate， there are other fantastical and fairytale elements that just keep popping up， maintaining the vibes of a fairytale， even as the story expanded beyond those parameters of a fairytale。 I loved the physical descriptions; even though they were just describing the basic surroundings， it felt so magical。 Mountains and forests and snow and ice。 So beautiful。 And the magic itself was wonderfully described， easy to picture。 Sometimes， magical descriptions are too fantastical to imagine properly but this was not the case here。 The clothing was so colorful and elaborate， with small details that came in handy to know later。 It was just such a vivid picture and I really appreciated how easy this book was to fall into and enjoy。 I had to sometimes suspend my disbelief in terms of Shiori’s curse。 She was cursed to not be able to speak， lest a single sound kill one of her brothers， and she was cursed to have a wooden bowl stuck over her head。 The nature of the curse made it so she could see through the bowl， but no one else could。 However， the wording of some of the interactions later made it seem as though other characters could see her eyes or expression， which would have been impossible。 Also， it wasn’t just speech that would cause the curse to activate; it was any sound coming from her throat。 I wasn’t entirely sure of the parameters of this curse。 Did a gasp count？ A scream would count， a whimper。 But a gasp？ And how did Shiori prevent herself from making sounds in her sleep？ I can’t believe she didn’t make a single sound during that whole time， no matter how determined she was not to。 I appreciate the effort Lim went to in order to emphasize how hard Shiori tried not to make sounds， biting her tongue， her lips， her cheek; causing herself physical pain so as to not make so much as a whimper。 But I couldn’t believe she didn’t make a single sound at all during the several months it took for the curse to run its course。 I would have loved more dragons！ Shiori meets Seryu， a dragon prince。 He begins to train her in the ways of magic， especially dragon magic。 After she nearly drowns in the lake， he puts a sliver of a dragon pearl in her heart to save her。 The magic of the dragons is more prevalent than the dragon that we’re made to like from the start and I really hope there’s more of him in the sequel！ Though， given how things might pan out， there could be a love triangle， between Shiori， Seryu， and Takkan， a thing I do not want。 I look forward to the sequel， where I’m sure to see more fantasy and fairytale elements， as well as a likely epic conclusion of love and magic。 I would recommend this book to fans of Elizabeth Lim。 Honestly， I haven’t read many books like this and I’m looking forward to reading more！ 。。。more

LibraryDanielle ，

This book was absolutely fabulous。 I'm in a reading slump right now and having trouble finding books I can focus on。 I devoured this。 Fantasy， re-told fairy tales， flipped tropes， strong female characters， it was all there。 Works ok as a stand alone， but I can't wait for the next。 This book was absolutely fabulous。 I'm in a reading slump right now and having trouble finding books I can focus on。 I devoured this。 Fantasy， re-told fairy tales， flipped tropes， strong female characters， it was all there。 Works ok as a stand alone， but I can't wait for the next。 。。。more

Kristen ，

Shiori， the seventh child and only daughter of the Emperor of Kiata， wielder of forbidden magic， is relieved when a dragon sighting interrupts her long-awaited， and very much unwanted， betrothal ceremony。 What she doesn't know is that it is the beginning of a terrible fate。 Shiori's stepmother， Raikama， is harboring dark magic of own--and when her secret is revealed， she turns Shiori's brothers into cranes， and curses the princess so that for every word she speaks， one of her brothers dies。 Bani Shiori， the seventh child and only daughter of the Emperor of Kiata， wielder of forbidden magic， is relieved when a dragon sighting interrupts her long-awaited， and very much unwanted， betrothal ceremony。 What she doesn't know is that it is the beginning of a terrible fate。 Shiori's stepmother， Raikama， is harboring dark magic of own--and when her secret is revealed， she turns Shiori's brothers into cranes， and curses the princess so that for every word she speaks， one of her brothers dies。 Banished from her home， Shiori is determined to find her brothers and break the curse， but her search unveils a sinister plot that would destroy the entire empire。Lim returns with a new Asian-inspired fantasy in Six Crimson Cranes。 I have yet to read the author's original duology， but I intend to。 While this novel was not a favorite of mine， I am sure that it will have great appeal to some readers。 3 stars。I think my issue with the novel primarily stemmed from its beginning; I struggled to get into the groove of the book。 It felt like I was just waiting for the story to truly begin， a feeling I didn't get until I was roughly 40% through the book。 Unfortunately， even then I felt like the story was just missing that special spark。 To be perfectly honest， I was fully prepared to give this book two stars until the end， which was a bit rushed， but had a twist that I truly did not see coming。Truth be told， while I didn't love the book， I do think it will receive good ratings from readers。 Those that enjoy the folklore/fairy tale sort of atmosphere will likely connect a little better than I did。I received my ARC copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review。 My thanks to the publisher， Random House Children's， for the chance to read and review。 All opinions are my own。 Publication date: 07。06。2021。 。。。more

LiterarySerpent ，

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review！This is hands down one of the best books I have EVER read。 I have been intending to read Elizabeth Lim's writing for a while and when I saw I had the chance to read an advanced copy of it I was ecstatic。 This book blew all my expectations right out of the water。 It was so good I am left speechless （pun intended）。 I was hooked from the first page， the way the author tells the story is enthralling， you f Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review！This is hands down one of the best books I have EVER read。 I have been intending to read Elizabeth Lim's writing for a while and when I saw I had the chance to read an advanced copy of it I was ecstatic。 This book blew all my expectations right out of the water。 It was so good I am left speechless （pun intended）。 I was hooked from the first page， the way the author tells the story is enthralling， you find yourself under a spell and turning the pages like a maniac。 Many times I found myself holding my breath - and my voice during high-stakes moments as I felt like I was the one in the story， that I was Shiori， cursed to not be able to speak or else one of her brothers die。 The tension and the angst in this book was so goddamn high， so torturous and SO good， This book delivers on every front。 The slow-burn romance is to die for。 The plot is beyond intriguing and the plot twists JAWDROPPING。 The story goes in an entirely different direction than I imagined and every twist and turn leaves you shocked and wanting more。 I dreaded the end both because I didnt want this beautifully spun tale to end and because I knew it was going to break my heart。 And I was right， the ending was emotion inducing， so much so that I found myself crying for a good part of it。 I am seriously recommending this book to EVERYONE。 And huge congratulations to the author for writing such a masterpiece。 。。。more

Evelien ，

Elizabeth Lim has crafted yet another excellent fairytale with “Six Crimson Cranes”。 We follow Shiori， the princess of Kiata， who accidentally loses control of the forbidden magic that runs through her veins。 At first it seems like luck， because it delays her arranged marriage， but her magic catches the attention of her stepmother， a sorceress in her own right。 Her stepmother banishes Shiori， turns her six brother’s into cranes， and curses Shiori; for each spoken word， one of her brothers will d Elizabeth Lim has crafted yet another excellent fairytale with “Six Crimson Cranes”。 We follow Shiori， the princess of Kiata， who accidentally loses control of the forbidden magic that runs through her veins。 At first it seems like luck， because it delays her arranged marriage， but her magic catches the attention of her stepmother， a sorceress in her own right。 Her stepmother banishes Shiori， turns her six brother’s into cranes， and curses Shiori; for each spoken word， one of her brothers will die。 Shiori sets out in order to find her brothers and reverse their curse， with the help of a paper crane， a cheeky dragon and some unlikely allies she meets along the way。 This book really reminded me of the fairytales of the Brother’s Grimm and Andersen I used to read as a child。 Elizabeth Lim really manages to capture their essence， and I loved to discover all the fairytale references throughout the story。 “Six Crimson Cranes” is atmospheric in its own right， and though the story follows the same beats as these classic fairy tales， it really managed to have its own curiousness and uniqueness。 The plot was easy to follow and I breezed through the book。 It featured the author’s telltale immersive writing which really cemented the vibrant feeling of the book。 I would have liked a little more world-building， as I often had difficulties with visualising the landscape or scenery Shiori travelled in。 However， Lim went all-in on the food descriptions and I was left hungry while reading them。 The characters were endearing and I really appreciated how much Shiori’s voice felt like that of an actual teenager。 She starts off as a spoilt， immature and headstrong princess， but she has a lot of heart and I really liked seeing her grow throughout the hardships on her journey。I also enjoyed her love interest， Takkan， who reminded me a little of Peeta Mellark。 Their romance was a very sweet， heart-warming slow-burn which is like a breath of fresh air in the current YA scene。Also a special shout-out to Kiki， who might be the most adorable sidekick ever。This book has a complete arc， but it still had a nice cliffhanger setting up for the sequel without it being unsatisfying。 All in all， a beautiful fairytale with lots of magic， mythology， shape-shifting dragons about the bonds of family。 Honestly an enjoyable read for these weird times。 4，5 paper stars。Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me this arc in exchange for an honest review！ 。。。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