Hardcover, 464 pages
Published July 6, 2021 by Knopf Books for Young Readers.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A princess in exile, a shapeshifting dragon, six enchanted cranes, and an unspeakable curse... Drawing from fairy tales and East Asian folklore, this original fantasy from the author of Spin the Dawn is perfect for fans of Shadow and Bone.
"A dazzling fairytale full of breathtaking storytelling." --Stephanie Garber, New York Times bestselling author of Caraval
Shiori'anma, 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.
A sorceress in her own right, Raikama banishes the young princess, turning her brothers into cranes. She warns Shiori that she must speak of it to no one: for with every word …
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A princess in exile, a shapeshifting dragon, six enchanted cranes, and an unspeakable curse... Drawing from fairy tales and East Asian folklore, this original fantasy from the author of Spin the Dawn is perfect for fans of Shadow and Bone.
"A dazzling fairytale full of breathtaking storytelling." --Stephanie Garber, New York Times bestselling author of Caraval
Shiori'anma, 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.
A sorceress in her own right, Raikama banishes the young princess, turning her brothers into cranes. She warns 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 uncovers a dark conspiracy to seize the throne. Only Shiori can set the kingdom to rights, but to do so she must place her trust in a paper bird, a mercurial dragon, and the very boy she fought so hard not to marry. And she must embrace the magic she's been taught all her life to forswear--no matter what the cost.
Weaving together elements of The Wild Swans, Cinderella, the legend of Chang E, and the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, Elizabeth Lim has crafted a fantasy like no other, and one that will stay with readers long after they've turned the last page.
"A stunning remake of a fairytale. Six Crimson Cranes is the perfect blend of whimsy and ferociousness, with twists and turns that will tug at your heartstrings." —Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights
"Fast-paced excitement is balanced with a satisfyingly intricate plot that weaves in elements from Western fairy tales and East Asian folklore." —SLJ, starred review
“A richly imagined landscape . . . vibrant, fast-paced.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
This book is so full of beautiful little side stories and wonderful twists, it was a real joy to read.
Minus 0,5 points: There are no lesbians.
A fascinating story, mainly based on the fairy tale "The Wild Swans" but its own added elements, about a princess, her enchanted brothers and a stepmother. But the tale gets twisty towards the end as the author throws in her own variations.
Princess Shiori possesses magic, which she hides, in a kingdom where magic has been banned by the gods. But on the day she is meant to be betrothed to a prince, she runs away, setting in motion events that would cause her stepmother to curse her brothers to be turned into cranes. As for her, she is cursed to remain silent or cause the death of her brothers with every word she says and cast out of the kingdom. As she finds her brothers and struggles to return to the castle, she discovers the way to break the curse. But doing so would cause her much pain, and …
A fascinating story, mainly based on the fairy tale "The Wild Swans" but its own added elements, about a princess, her enchanted brothers and a stepmother. But the tale gets twisty towards the end as the author throws in her own variations.
Princess Shiori possesses magic, which she hides, in a kingdom where magic has been banned by the gods. But on the day she is meant to be betrothed to a prince, she runs away, setting in motion events that would cause her stepmother to curse her brothers to be turned into cranes. As for her, she is cursed to remain silent or cause the death of her brothers with every word she says and cast out of the kingdom. As she finds her brothers and struggles to return to the castle, she discovers the way to break the curse. But doing so would cause her much pain, and the journey leads through the fortress of the prince she was meant to marry.
It is here that things start to change, when she discovers the prince is not as 'barbaric' as she initially though. But conspiracies in the fortress thwart her as she struggles to complete her painful task, and she begins to get second thoughts on her stepmother, and the reasons she and her brothers were cursed. It would all come to a climax at the end as plot twists make her to realise the dangers she and her kingdom are in and what she would have to do to save it.
This book was a pretty decent read, not only in terms of quality but as in length; coming in at nearly 500 pages. This book lays the foundation of a new world with dragons, gods, and magic.
In the story the main setting is across a few points of interest in the country Kiata, but there are cursory mentions of other nations beyond the sea. Each setting has a distinct impact on the main character and her growth.
The romance tropes trickle in slowly until the faucet is fully opened by the end, at which time I felt glad that the book was over.\
The rules for magic were easy to follow at first, until, again, at the end where the exceptions seem to either be poorly explained or simply put in place to give the main character plot armor. Those trip ups were jarring considering that with almost 500 …
This book was a pretty decent read, not only in terms of quality but as in length; coming in at nearly 500 pages. This book lays the foundation of a new world with dragons, gods, and magic.
In the story the main setting is across a few points of interest in the country Kiata, but there are cursory mentions of other nations beyond the sea. Each setting has a distinct impact on the main character and her growth.
The romance tropes trickle in slowly until the faucet is fully opened by the end, at which time I felt glad that the book was over.\
The rules for magic were easy to follow at first, until, again, at the end where the exceptions seem to either be poorly explained or simply put in place to give the main character plot armor. Those trip ups were jarring considering that with almost 500 pages there shouldn't be this feeling of being rushed to reach the conclusion of everything.
However, even with it's flaws at the end, it was a very enjoyable to follow the journey of the main character and watch her grow. I would totally be interested in reading the sequel to learn more about the other countries use of magic and the influence the dragons have over the human realm.
...it's Glamorous & spellbinding! Follow Princess Shiori on a journey to break the curse placed on her and her now crane brothers - a whimsical experience like no other!" (3.5/5)
Purchasable
https://audiobookstore.com/audiobooks/six-crimson-cranes.aspx.