I don't know why I waited so long to get to this book because I loved her other duology, The Blood of Stars.

I was familiar at a basis level with one of the original tales that the story is based off, because a lot of myths have been adapted repeatedly, yet I appreciated how, similarly to The Blood of Stars, Elizabeth Lim crafts together a story woven from elements from very different legends, such as The Wild Swans, Cinderella, the legend of Chang E and the Tale of the Bambooo Cutter. Adding elements from these stories makes it really interesting for the reader, despite your familiarity with those stories, because it pays homenage to them but it is still unpredictable and surprising.

Shiori is the only princess of Kiata, a kingdom where magic is forbidden, yet she possesses magic in her veins. Due to an accidental mistake, she catches the attention of her stepmother, Raikama. After a confrontation, she banishes Shiori, putting a curse on her that does not allow her to speak or to reveal her identity and turning her brothers into cranes.

Whilst trying to find her brothers, break her curse and return to her kingdom to save it from enemies, Shiori will embark on an incredible journey. Her character development throughout is outstanding, and very well-crafted, for you can clearly see how she is pushed and changed. Seeing it from her point of view really helps, especially when she cannot talk, but also makes this transition much more real and understandable.

To be honest, it is difficult for me when a book does not have a lot of diologue or is very descriptive, so I wonder why I had no issues with this one, for the main character spends most of the book not being able to talk, so though she comunicates how she can, it is mostly narration and conversations among other characters.

I loved this story, not only because of Shiori's development, her unexpected journey or the inclusion of different tales into the storyline, but because of the way it is written and described. The way Elizabeth Lim weaves all these elements together and creates such a compelling, charming and engaging story is incredible. I could not help myself from rooting for Shiori and wanting to find out what was going on, who was to blame and how she could solve both those mysteries and reverse the curses placed on her and her brothers. Such a smart premise and an excellent execution.

Loved the story, the mythology, the characters and the world!

Thanks to NG for the eArc for review.

Elizabeth Lim weaves a mesmerizing tapestry in 'Six Crimson Cranes,' a fantasy adventure that effortlessly sweeps you off your feet. Set against a backdrop of magic and danger, Lim's storytelling is both enchanting and evocative. The characters, especially Shiori, are wonderfully crafted with layers that unravel as the story unfolds. Shiori's journey from a princess burdened with a secret to a heroine embracing her destiny is both empowering and heartwarming.

The world-building is rich, immersing you in a vibrant realm where mythical creatures and ancient powers coexist. Lim's prose is like a brushstroke painting vivid scenes that come alive in your mind. The delicate balance of action, emotion, and a sprinkle of romance keeps the narrative engaging from start to finish.

What sets 'Six Crimson Cranes' apart is its fusion of folklore and originality, offering a fresh take on familiar elements. The intricate dance of curses and loyalty adds depth to the plot, creating a narrative that lingers even after the final page. If you're craving a magical escape with a side of strong, relatable characters, this book is an absolute delight. Lim's storytelling prowess shines through, making 'Six Crimson Cranes' a standout in the realm of fantasy.

Beautiful writing, a deadly curse, a main character you'll adore, and lots of tears (both happy and sad) along the way. Loved this so much.

DNF - YA Fantasy sadly isn't for me anymore, I wish I'd of read when I was in my YA fantasy high because I know that I'd of enjoyed this so much more!

I've loved Elizabeth Lims other YA Novels but I've just moved past YA fantasy.

The premise is pretty good, however I don't think that I am the audience for this book? I find most of the story pretty bland.

The plo sounded interesting, but the execution wasn't just it for me.

Six Crimson Cranes is such a beautifully written fantasy. The world-building is outstanding. The story is well written with an enchanting storyline and well-developed characters that engage from start to finish. The world is atmospheric and feels real with vivid descriptions and rich imagery. I cannot get enough. Highly recommended. Be sure to check out Six Crimson Cranes today.

DNF'd at 20%

Though this book have lovely writing it reads like very young YA (which there is nothing wrong with) but it simply was not to my taste.

Lush prose and characters that you will fall in love with. Plus one of the most stunning covers I have ever seen!

Super enjoyable YA fantasy - I like Lim's fluid, atmospheric writing style very much, and the characters are full of sparks and chemistry, so it's easy to root for them. I loved the way the elements of the Six Swan Brothers were used - it's one of my favourite fairy tales - and the way it was tied into The Girl With the Bowl on her Head was really smoothly done. I don't read much YA fantasy anymore, but I liked this one a lot.

Really enjoyed the setting and characters and use of east Asian myths and legends. Very excited to read the sequel. Pacing was really good and felt like I quick read despite the length.

I felt this book was a bit slow to get going but I was captivated by the vivid imagery, I loved the back and forth between the characters and that it took on a fairytale and made it something of their own.

A really good read and I cant wait to read the next one

Immersive, enchanting and absorbing, Six Crimson Cranes is such a beautifully wrought tale of family and belonging (with a healthy dose of magic, myth and fighting evil). Between the arranged marriage trope and the super strong sibling bond, I knew this book would be for me immediately! Highly recommended!

Magic is forbidden in Kiata, which means that Princess Shiori'anma has to keep her own magic hidden.
When Shiori runs away from her own betrothal ceremony in order to conceal her magic, she draws the attention of her stepmother, Raikama.
Raikama has magic of her own and uses it to transform Shiori's six brothers into cranes, as well as cursing Shiori so that with every word she speaks one of her brothers will die.
Shiori is determined to break the curse and save her brothers. She finds help along the way from a paper bird, the boy she didn't want to marry, as well as a dragon.
Can Shiori save her brothers?

I have to admit that the cover is one of the main reasons I requested this book. It is gorgeous and definitely helped make me want to read it.
Shiori was a protagonist who I liked more as the book went on, as she had to grow and develop as she found herself out of her comfort zone. However, other than Shiori, none of the other characters seemed to get any development.
My favourite characters were probably Takkan, Shiori's betrothed, and his sister, Megari. Kiki the paper bird was quite a cute secondary character, but I found her a bit childish at times, which was probably because of being animated by Shiori's magic and so had a part of her soul.
The plot was interesting and held my attention until around 85% through when I started to lose interest and I did find that it dragged a bit, partly because I wasn't overly invested in what happened.
The setting was interesting, and I liked that there were dragons.
I'm a little disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more, but this book didn't quite live up to its potential for me, despite the intriguing concept.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read.

I really enjoyed this!

This book is a fairytale retelling, specifically of the Wild Swans, and Lim successfully preserved the feeling of it being a fairytale the whole way through. In fact, the Wild Swans story blended so seamlessly with everything else that was going on that I’m half convinced the story was always meant to be told with cranes and dragons and an East Asian setting.

Shiori’s relationships with her brothers were great, and her growing friendship/romance with Takkan, the person she’d initially been so upset about being betrothed to, was well done! I think my favourite relationship in the whole book is the friendship that grew between Shirori and Takkan’s little sister Megari, their interactions were so sweet and heartwarming.

Something that I adored was Shiori’s gradual realisation that she’d initially got some things wrong. I wasn’t expecting this extra layer of complexity to the story, and it was such a great surprise! I loved the ending a lot!

One way in which I think this book could be improved is to do with what the reader is told is a significant character trait of Shiori’s. We’re told that she’s got such a reputation for spinning tales and making things up, as in lying rather than storytelling, that she’s unofficially known as the ‘Princess of Lies’, however we never see her do anything in line with this title in the book. There’s plenty of instances of people not believing her about something, but she’s always telling the truth. It’s not even a case of us witnessing the ending of a boy who cried wolf type scenario because whenever people don’t believe her about something their scepticism about the incident in question would be understandable even if she was always known to be honest. I hope that her alleged lying skills will be put to more use in the sequel.

This didn’t detract from my enjoyment very much, however, and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy or fairytale retellings!

Part of me wishes I had the audiobook for this. While I did enjoy this book I still feel something was missing. I wasn't wowed.
The world didn't captivate me the way Spin The Dawn did. But I did like some of the twists. Some I didn't see coming.
I hope book two builds on the world more.

I found that the first half of the book was stronger and kept my attention more than the second half. I was interested in the characters and world. But as the book progressed I was losing interest a little.
For a book with a sequel I feel this could have been a little shorter.

This first duology instalment is a retelling of the Grimm brothers' The Six Swans fairytale that is set in an East-Asian-inspired world following a princess cursed to live in silence in order to protect her brothers.

At the beginning of this novel I had very mixed feelings about this - I felt that whilst the plotline and characters were engaging, it was just too fast-paced. It seemed as if essential plot points were getting breezed over to move the plot forward rather than dissecting them to develop the characters and their motivations more.

However, this was changed around the 50% mark and everything that was added felt purposeful and greatly added to the story. I enjoyed the character development of the protagonists but I do wish more time had been spent with the brothers to truly bring out that strong sibling relationship. In addition, I was getting quite irritated by the bowl on her head - whilst I understood why this needed to happen, I felt that after a while it was pretty redundant and unlikely she’d have got the opportunities she did when everyone believed she was both mute and also couldn’t see due to the bowl.

Besides this, I felt that the writing was perfect for the atmosphere and read fast due to its engaging nature. It also created a beautiful and developed world that aided the plot perfectly. I also found the ending dialogue to be very beautiful and meaningful. It felt like the perfect ending that wrapped everything up. Saying this, there was a segway to the second and final instalment of the series but it was done so in a way that didn’t feel as if all the plot of the first novel had happened just so the second could come into force. I would recommend this novel, especially if you’re a fan of fairytale retellings, and I’m hoping the second instalment will be just as engaging.

TW: death of a parent, murder, fire, animal death, bullying

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with an arc of Six Crimson Cranes in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was originally archived before I was able to finish it, however, I recently bought a copy and realised I could still add a review.

This is a stunning ya fantasy and I could not put it down! I loved every second reading it. This was a lovely, fast paced and enjoyable read.

I’m very excited to read the sequel.

I really enjoyed the Spin the Dawn duology, so I was exited to start another book by this author. Unfortunately I found it to drag a bit and the ending also didn’t blow me away.

<i> Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the eARC in exchange of an honest review : This had been archived before I downloaded it, and just realised I can leave a review so I'm back for that reason.</i>

My original review last year said: "Bhrgnutgju .... Aahhhh!!!!"

I enjoyed this so much that I did not want to stop reading it. I feel bad, as I have read three incredible arcs in a row, which means that this will not get my top spot for August or September (Iron Widow and Midnight in Everwood) but it is high up there within my top books of 2021 and I cannot wait for book number 2 (which I now know is called The Dragon's Promise). I also need to buy Spin the Dawn and Unravel the Dusk as I need to read more books set in this world. I'm so intrigued!

I love how Elizabeth Lim has remixed The Six Swans with Asian mythology and culture. I adored the magic, the family loyalty, Shiori and her interactions with those that she met outside of the Castle. I did *not* see some of the twists coming and I can't wait to see where they lead in book two.

If I had written this properly, straight after reading it I would have said there was nothing wrong with this book at all - however this was one of my book club books over the last year, and a few people had issue with the fact that the bowl was down over her eyes yet Shiori could see... It was never an issue for me, as I assumed that magically she could see out but that they couldn't see her... now I'm not so sure but it wasn't something that stopped me for even a minute when I was reading this last year. <3