Six Crimson Cranes: The magical and spellbinding fantasy fairytale retelling

I bought this a few weeks ago when it was 99p on Kindle and I’m so glad I did!I really enjoyed this book, I must be on a dragon kick because this is the third book in a row this month that has contained dragons. The plot was excellent and kept be enthralled from the very beginning until the end. There were lots of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat, as well as a healthy dose of angst.I really liked the magical elements of the story and thought they were very creative, especially the dragon’s pearl element (which I THINK I understand).The characters were all great; I really loved Shiori, I thought she was a fantastic protagonist. She was very likeable and powerful, and her relationships with her brothers and Kiki was wonderful. Her magical abilities are awesome, and I loved Kiki, she reminded me of a Disney princess companion. The brothers were all great in their own way, and I would have loved more of them in the book. I’m completely intrigued by Seryu and definitely want to find out more. I would have also liked to have found out more about her stepmother, Raikama.I really loved Takkan as a character and love interest. He’s very kind, loyal (especially to Shiori/Lina who he doesn’t really know that well) and creative. I really loved his connection to Shiori and I thought they had great chemistry.This book also contained some of my favourite tropes: mistaken identity and enemies-to-lovers (kind of, if you’ve read it you’ll kind of know what I’m talking about).The writing is really beautiful and the world is really beautifully and vividly described. Especially the scene at the festival.The ending was a little ambiguous and raised a lot of questions (which I really hope will be answered in the next one), so I’m really excited to continue the story. I bought The Dragon’s Promise straight after finishing Six Crimson Cranes!

Inspired by the fairytale The Wild Swans, this tells the story of Princess Shiori of Kiata, who finds herself cursed by her stepmother Raikama, along with her six brothers. They are turned into cranes, whilst Shiori is condemned to a life of silence, for if she utters a single sound, one of her brothers will die. Alone and deserted, Shiori desperately tries to find a way to save her beloved brothers and protect Kiata from the dangers that threaten.I've always enjoyed the tale of The Wild Swans, a lesser known fairytale, and was intrigued by this retelling, which is set in an East-Asian inspired world and incorporates Eastern mythology into the story. Whilst the plot clearly still follows The Wild Swans, I liked that Lim has very much made this her own story, and whilst I am not familiar with her previous works, which I believe are set in the same world, I look forward to delving into them in the future.There is a lot going on in this book, with curses and quests, dragons and enchanters, as well as a gently unfolding romance, and there are also a fair few twists in the story, with all not being quite as it would initially seem. The book very much had a fairytale feel to it and felt very Disney-esque.I did like Shiori as the main character, though certainly at the story's start she is a bit of a spoiled Princess, however, this does allow for growth in her character as she shows herself to be resilient in the face of all the adversity she meets. I liked her bond with her magical paper crane Kiki, who is her companion throughout the book. I also liked her bond with her brothers. It did take a while to get to know the varying personalities of her six brothers, and I thought some shone more than others, however, overall I thought Lim did this aspect of the story justice and there were several scenes with all the siblings together that I enjoyed.I also enjoyed the character of Raikama, though I won't say too much about her as I don't want to give away spoilers. Still I did feel as though aspects of her story were somewhat rushed towards the end, and I would have liked to know more about her past.I thought the romance in the book was sweetly portrayed. Shiori is betrothed to Takkan, a Lord's son from the remote North, who she has no interest in marrying. Amidst her quest, their paths cross, though Takkan does not know who Shiori is, knowing her only as Lina, a girl who cannot speak. Still his kindness and warmth can but touch her, and as she begins to get to know this sensitive young man who enjoys telling stories and painting, Shiori rather regrets her previous indifference to him. I liked Takkan a lot and hope we see more of him in the next book.Another character I enjoyed, but who we didn't see too much of in this book was Seryu. He is the grandson of the Dragon King, and a friend of Shiori's who teaches her magic, and is able to take on human form. As the book ends with Shiori journeying to the Dragon Realm, I am certain we will see a lot more of Seryu in the next book which I look forward to.Another aspect of the book I really enjoyed was the mythology and tales that Lim interwove into the story, such as that of Imurinya, the Goddess of the Moon.Some aspects of the world-building did seem a little rushed and I felt could have been expanded on, and I wasn't too keen on The Wolf, nor of Zairena, whose entire character arc I personally thought was very clunkily handled and over-stretched. Also, maybe I missed one or two things, but towards the end I thought there were a few plot holes and things that didn't quite make sense.Overall this was an enjoyable adventure with likable characters, interesting mythology and a good mix of family dynamic/bonds as well as romance and magic all intertwined together. I look forward to the planned sequel. 3.5 stars

After Shiori - the only princess of Kiata - ruins her betrothal ceremony because of her forbidden magic, it draws the attention of her sorceress stepmother, Raikama. When she banishes the young princess and turns her six brothers into cranes, Shiori must navigate a cruel world without uttering one word, for if she does it would cost the life of her brothers. As she searches the world for her six cranes, she uncovers a dark conspiracy that could turn the kingdom upside down, but to do that she must trust a paper bird, a stubborn dragon and the boy that she had seemingly refused at every opportunity. Can Shiori embrace her own magic and harness her strength to be able to conquer those oppose her home and family?I read Six Crimson Cranes in one day. I loved this fantasy novel so much and it brought an East-Asian-inspired lore that made for a captivating read. The protagonist began has a young, spoiled princess who had to grow when everything she had was ripped away from her at the drop of a spell; many could have walked away and wallowed in self-pity, but Shiori came back fighting and starting to look beyond her own problems to those around. I was so obsessed, that half-way through the read I ordered the sequel because I knew that I could not wait.

"We were seven, and seven was a number of strength. An uneven number that could not fold unto itself, large enough to withstand many threats, yet small enough to stay devoted."If you have read or heard someone talking about how good this book is, this person is right. There’s something about the way Elizabeth Lim writes that makes the book shine among others, as if she was using magic.Worldbuilding is fantastic because of its coherence: as the story goes on, you can really picture the things and how they relate with each other. But, in the same way she can describe the grandeur of certain things, she also pays enormous attention to the details, making the story even richer. The little things matter even more than the big ones.The fantastical side comes as the great glitter to the story, as it perfectly combines Western fairy tales with East Asian folklore. The magic aligns with the story and progress as the protagonist delves deeper into the various situations (the end, my friend, you have to read the end). The writer also throws a lot of stories within the greater plot, making you wonder about them as well.And the characters are incredible, especially the protagonist - Shiori. She is the one who goes through the major changes, and, because of that, grows a lot during the whole story. It’s a well-written, curious, strong and resilient female main character. She is not afraid to try, make mistakes, fall down, and get up to try again until she gets it right. It's really inspiring. The other characters just add more layers of greatness, even the ones who you don’t like at first sight. The way they interact with each other and with their past, it’s just really beautiful. Family is a central theme and you get to develop more and more affection for them as the story goes on.Oh, and that’s also romance if you’re the person who, just like me, loves these types of things. It’s beautifully portrayed as good romance scenes have to be, but it’s not cliché in my opinion - it’s refreshing. The love development is the thing that sets it apart from other books, as it’s really surprising. I’m sure you’re gonna love it.There are many symbolisms throughout the book, which makes the story and the characters even richer. They truly enrich the plot, especially the romance and one of the main characters' interactions (stick till the end, my friend, you’re gonna love it).It all comes down to the way Elizabeth describes things, from the tiny objects to the inner emotions and sensations of the characters. The words she uses makes things way more interesting than merely objective descriptions, and it’s the thing that engulfs you to keep reading.As I said earlier, it is a book about magic and woven with magic. Who said that writing is not a type of magic?I can’t wait to read the continuity of this incredible story.

Such a beautiful story, I loved everything about this novel, and I can't wait to find out what happens next.

Very enjoyable story, amazing story line just go for it.

J'ai trop aimé 🫠Genre la mythologie asiatique, l'univers, l'ambiance, les décors, les personnages, la romance (slow buuuuurn), les rebondissements, TOUT 😍Bon, ya des choses qui étaient un peu prévisibles, et du coup, un peu agaçantes quand elles étaient révélées, mais ça m'a pas empêché de kiffer 👌J'ai beaucoup aimé Shiori et que certaines choses n'étaient pas si évidentes, que les apparences étaient trompeuses ! Certaines scènes étaient très touchantes d'ailleurs 😢Ya de l'action, l'univers est intéressant, l'intrigue est prenante, et du coup j'ai enchaîné direct sur le tome 2 👀

The book is absolutely gorgeous. As ofcourse shown in the pictures. The font that the book has been written with is a bit big so it’s definitely an easy fast read. Haven’t read it myself yet.