Six Crimson Cranes - Elizabeth Lim (Review)

 

Finished Reading: 3/7/2021

Author: Elizabeth Lim

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Publication Date: July 8, 2021

Source: NetGalley

Rating: 4.5/5

About the book:

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.

Penniless, 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.

Review:

        You got it right. I fell for that stunning cover. Maybe it's a good thing that the review copy didn't include the cover, else I would never have finished the reading. Well, what else is there? A princess forced to be mute, a dragon, magic and fairytale vibes . . . did I tempt you enough?

        I have seen some rave reviews about Lim's "Spin the Dawn" duology but never got around to reading it (my bookish radar seems to be malfunctioning these days). Now I have gotten used to the incredible world created out of that brain, nothing is going to stop me from adding them to the ever-growing TBR pile.

        So here are the things that I loved: The well-developed characters, especially Shiori and her stepmother Raikama, the nameless queen. Being a fan of fairytale retellings, the ending was something that I anticipated. It didn't spoil anything though; rather it was quite gratifying to see that somewhat tragic ending. Bitter yes, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

        There is romance for all those looking for it (a really slow burn one) but the story more or less concentrates on our princess with the voracious appetite. She is brave, humorous and in her mother's words 'the knot' keeping together the family. I was expecting more magic and . . . dragon though. Well, looks like Lim has reserved all those for the next book. Looking forward to your adventures in the dragon world, Shiori. Happy reading!

Meet the author:

Elizabeth Lim grew up on a hearty staple of fairy tales, myths, and songs. Her passion for storytelling began around age 10, when she started writing fanfics for Sailor Moon, Sweet Valley, and Star Wars, and posted them online to discover, "Wow, people actually read my stuff. And that's kinda cool!" But after one of her teachers told her she had "too much voice" in her essays, Elizabeth took a break from creative writing to focus on not flunking English.

Over the years, Elizabeth became a film and video game composer, and even went so far as to get a doctorate in music composition. But she always missed writing, and turned to penning stories when she needed a breather from grad school. One day, she decided to write and finish a novel -- for kicks, at first, then things became serious -- and she hasn't looked back since.

Elizabeth loves classic film scores, books with a good romance, food (she currently has a soft spot for arepas and Ethiopian food), the colour turquoise, overcast skies, English muffins, cycling, and baking. She lives in New York City with her husband.