This book was so good, once I started I couldn’t stop myself from reading it. I really liked the plot, the writing and the characters. I totally recommend it for anyone who loves a good fantasy book.

This is such a beautifully written story, it reads like a fairytale. I loved watching Shiori’s journey, her personal growth and the growth in her and her brothers’ relationships. Absolutely stunning!

Six Crimson Cranes is “a reimagining of Hans Christian Andersen’s ‘The Wild Swans’ (a translation is available here) blended with East Asian folktale and legend” explains Lim. I’ve seen Six Crimson Cranes referred to as a retelling of a Grimm fairy tale (and Waterstones actually has it listed as that) so I wanted to start this review off with the correct information in that regard.

I went into this novel with no previous knowledge of ‘The Wild Swans’ fairytale or Lim’s previous duology. Six Crimson Cranes is set in the same universe as The Blood of Stars duology, and I can confirm that not having read that duology did not impact my reading of this novel at all. Maybe I would have recognised a few things, names or places if I had, but I certainly didn’t feel like anything was missing, let’s put it that way. I purposefully didn’t read the fairytale because I prefer not to know what is going to happen in a story, and when you know the fairytale that gives you a pretty good idea of what is going to happen i.e. in a Sleeping Beauty reimagining the princess will inevitably fall asleep at some point or Red Riding Hood will find herself meeting a wolf. If things like that didn’t happen then they wouldn’t really be fairytale reimaginings after all; they’d be original stories.

Six Crimson Cranes was a beautiful story filled with evocative language and Lim uses food as a tool to connect people and memories, especially regarding family, throughout the novel. Food is its own language, and when princess Shiori is unable to speak it becomes a way for her to express herself and take back some control when she’s banished and alone. It features in so many scenes and is used to bring people together, to make them happy and also to hurt them. I’ve read essays by other people about the language and importance of food in fiction (Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien and The Famous Five by Enid Blyton are two that I recall being mentioned) but this is the first time I have seen it represented so vividly for myself.

The overall story is wonderful, and the magic system is beautiful with delightful twists as the story unfolds. Unfortunately, I found the story a little predictable and that is a bit of a turn off for me. I also came out of Six Crimson Cranes feeling a little deflated, and I’m still finding it hard to put my finger on why exactly that is. Even writing this review I struggled to put down on paper what I actually thought about this one. This book was magical, it was fun and lovely but it didn’t grab me by the heart and make me fall in love with it. This one just didn’t quite do it for me, however, I will definitely be checking out the second book as I’m intrigued to see how Shiori’s story continues!

I absolutely judged this book by the cover (both US and UK), they’re both stunning but after reading the premise it became one of my anticipated releases. I love retellings and Elizabeth Lim has spun an enchanting fairytale that easily grips you with it’s simplistic writing and story.

Six Crimson Cranes follows Shiori, a princess with forbidden magic, who along with her six brothers are cursed by their step-mother, causing them to become cranes and preventing Shiori from speaking. And so starts her adventure as she sets off to break the curse.

My favourite aspect has to be the writing. Lim uses effortless and mesmerising prose throughout to create vivid settings and an engaging character traits. I was immersed into the chapters, moving through the pages quickly as the story moved forward and could clearly envision the landscapes, forests or palaces like I was transported there myself. Adding East Asian folklore, magic, and action to the exquisite writing it felt like I was reading a fairytale.

Shiori was a delightful protagonist—curious, headstrong, reckless at times but determined. The first person narrative made Shiori’s character all the more interesting to follow because we’re given direct insight into her thoughts, struggles and internal monologues. Her character arc was really strong as she went from a privileged princess to a girl who strived to survive and save her brothers.

Family relationships were a great addition to the story. Her bond between Shiori and her brothers was heartwarming. Despite the rivalry and misunderstanding they come together to form a great support system. I always looked forward to their interactions. And her friendship with Kiki was so adorable!

While the romance was not the main focus in the book, we get the arranged marriage trope with a swoony and slow burn romance. The friends-to-unknowns-to-lovers build-up was so lovely and pure to read about.

The plot is fast paced, packed with action. I was quickly invested in Shiori’s journey, in a state of anticipation as the events unfolded. The writing made it easy to breeze through the book. I loved to see Shiori make progress and face her mistakes. The magic system and worldbuilding never felt like info dumps, but were brought to attention as and when the scenes required them to, which is another reason I enjoyed reading it so much.

Six Crimson Cranes is a promising and refreshing YA fantasy, best for readers looking for a book with fairytale vibes, fast paced action, magical adventure and delightful bonds. I’m so excited for whatever awaits me in the sequel!

I hate this book so much ! If I could give 0 stars I would love to !
Here are some reasons-
The author is problematic and has done disgusting things towards trans people
The plot of the book was slow and boring
The dialogues were so bad and didn't seemed normal
Disappointed 😞

This book was a case of at the wrong place at the wrong time. I am in a major slump, and I had hoped that this book would help to get me out of it. In the beginning I was completely invested, but my attention waned quickly, which was in no way the book's fault. I am definitely going to give this a reread, and I know I will utterly love it.

This book didn't hold my interest much. I found the main character a little annoyed and was not invested in her and her story. I actually liked her stepmother more and would've wanted to know more about her.

A lot of it was also us being told things instead of being shown it and I dislike that so this book just wasn't it for me but it has an interesting premise others may enjoy.

Elizabeth Lim is without a doubt one of my favourite authors ever. Her previous weaver duology was so amazing and magical and Six Crimson Cranes is no different. The storyline is teased in Unravel the Dusk and I was so excited about it, I was not disappointed!

Pick up this book as soon as you can, you won't regret it.

A big thank you to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim in return for an honest review.

Six Crimson Cranes is an East Asian inspired retelling of The Six Swans fairy tale that was written by the Brothers Grimm. The author added a new twist to the retelling by incorporating various mythical creatures and variations on existing Asian myths and legends.

The story follows a princess who is the youngest of seven children. She is also the only daughter, which leads to her being her father's favourite child. Princess Shiori is betrothed to a Lord's son who she is convinced is boring and who will be terrible to live with. But she also has a secret. She has the potential for magic, and magic has been banned in her country for quite a long time. One day her magic makes her slip up and her stepmother notices. What Shiori does not know is that her stepmother also has magic, and that she will do anything to stop Shiori from using magic again. This leads to Shiori being cursed and her brothers to be turned into cranes. She is told that for every word she speaks one of her brothers would die. On her quest to be reunited with her brothers and her father, Shiori comes across more pieces of a puzzle to overthrow her father's kingdom, and makes some unlikely friendships along the way.

I have read Elizabeth Lim's previous series and I loved it. My hopes were very high for this book, and I am happy to say that I was not disappointed at all. The first hundred to two hundred pages set up the story to what you would expect, and the second half is completely unexpected and devoted to character growth and the solving of the problem at hand. This made me read well into the early morning to find out how it ends. And the ending is unexpected and leaves ample questions to be answered in a follow up book.

I cannot wait for this to be available in our stores and to open new readers to the wonderful world that Elizabeth Lim has created!

First of all thank you so much for the ARC! I was so excited to read this book.

I have to admit this is my first book by Elizabeth Lim so her writing style or her style of telling stories is all new to me. The beginning immersed me immediately. I wanted to read and read and read because once you begin you just want to delve in and know what's going to happen next.

It's such an easy read and I finished it in no time, which is a bit of a bummer because I wanted more, haha.

The fairytale vibe, the arranged marriage, the strong family bond, the magic and the wonderful writing style makes this a great story! So I could definitely recommend this book if you love all of the above.

Also can we talk about this cover? It's stunning! I absolutely love it and it give you such a great vibe for the story you're going to read. :)

This was my first, but definitely not my last book from Elizabeth. I loved it and I cannot wait to read more from her.

This is rich and beautiful tale with lyrical prose and a flawed but very likeable heroine.
The story was so absorbing, I found myself losing track of time very easily whilst reading it.
The plot manages to keep you interested and excited all the way through and ends in an unexpected but delightful way.
I was particularly happy about how the stepmother is portrayed by the end and how nothing is as it seems.
I have nothing remotely critical to say about the story and hope there is a sequel as suggested by the ending!

This is a high fantasy retelling of The Six Sean's by the Brother's Grimm and boy was good.
Filled with magic and curses, demons and priestesses. I was entrapped within this book from the first page. The adventure that takes place and the incredible bond between siblings was unforgettable.
The romance, oh let me tell you about the romance between the princess and the 3rd lord. She hates the idea of the marriage (the concept not him) but along her journey, Shiori falls in love with the man that she discovers who is willing to stand by her side and face the music. It is so sweet and slow burning. I loved the way it was written.

This can be read without reading the blood of stars duology but I do recommend reading the duology first as it introduces you to the world building (which is the same) and the concepts of magic and demons. Highly highly recommend this book.

Thank you publishers and netgalley for the chance to read this arc!

Six Crimson Cranes is one of my most anticipated release of 2021! Eventhough I haven't finished reading the Spin The Dawn duology yet I had high hopes for this one! And that cover is just gorgeous!!

This story follows Shiori who is the only princess of Kiata! She has 6 brothers who love her so much and whom she loves so much! But Shiori has a secret! She is an enchantress and Magic is banished in Kiata!

Raikama who is Shiori's evil stepmother curses her and sent her far away from her kingdom and cursed her brothers into cranes!

Now this story is a fairytale retelling of Six Swans! I just loved the idea of this story so so much! The storyline was really balanced like in the beginning it was a bit fast paced then in the middle it was a bit slow to build all the stories and world and then there was some twists and turns in the end which made this book really well balanced and not boring!

I really loved the bond between Shiori and her brothers and how they sticked together in their best and worst times and how they overcame every obstacle! Also I loved the little romance part in the story! It was not full on romance but a cute small part which was really fun and cute to read! And also got one of my favourite sidekicks KIKI from this one! I didn't think a paperbird will hold a place in my heart this much! She was full of sass! Just love her! Also can't write this review without mentioning about the dragons!

The world building and the story was amazing and the plot too was really great and the ending cliffhanger and many revelations left me shocked!

Overall if you're looking for a book which is fairy tale retelling filled with curses,magic, adventure,cute romance, siblings bond,dragons,Paperbirds and of course lots mentions of food then this one is definitely for you!

*Thank you so much to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for giving me an E-Arc to give my honest review*

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.

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!

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! <3

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder&Stoughton for an arc! I'm so happy to have read one of my most anticipated read so early x

'Six Crimson Cranes' did have a nice introduction, the prologue made me eager to continue.
One of my biggest complaints though is the lack of description, may it be the worldbuilding or simple description of the environment. The curse was quite interesting to me, though I didn't grasp this was a retelling until I read other reviews. I wished we would've seen more of the relationship between the main character and her stepmother, instead of simply being told about it. The novel focuses less on the search for the brothers, but rather reads like a fairytale, where the protagonist has to accomplish severeal small quests. In this regard it reminded me a lot of 'Spin the Dawn'.
Contrary to my belief its not standalone, but it still has a somewhat satisfactory ending.
In generell it was an interesting retelling, the writing and characters are fine (though there are too many brothers to keep track of), but it's lacking in worldbuilding and pacing, because of its fairytale esque nature.

My thanks to Hodder and Stoughton and NetGalley for a review copy of this book.

Six Crimson Cranes is a retelling of the Wild Swans fairy tale but set in (fantasy) East Asia and with its own spin. The first of (I think) a duology, it takes us to the kingdom of Kiata where the Emperor has six sons and a daughter, our ‘heroine’ Shiori. The children’s mother, beloved by the Emperor is dead, and the Emperor is now married to the beautiful, yet cold Raikama, who has snakes for pets. Magic is abhorred in the kingdom and anyone discovered to possess it is exiled or perhaps executed.

As our story opens, Shiori is headed to her betrothal ceremony, something she is dreading for her chosen husband is from the north, where she believes only barbarians reside. She is deeply attached to her brothers and wishes (not unreasonably for she is little more than a child) life would remain unchanged. But Shiori herself has magic in her and as she is walking towards the hall for the ceremony, a paper (origami) bird, Kiki, she has breathed life into suddenly escapes. Terrified of her powers being discovered, she runs after it and ends up jumping into a lake. As a consequence, her engagement is postponed (to her relief) and she meets a strange boy (in fact, a dragon) who begins to teach her magic.

But Shiori isn’t the only one in Kiata to possess magic; it seems her stepmother, Raikama, too, is a sorceress and before she knows it Shiori’s brothers are turned into swans and Shiori herself is cursed so that she cannot be recognised by anyone, nor make herself known, and worse, with each sound she utters, one of her brothers will die. Alone, far away from home, separated from her brothers, she must search for them and also a way to break the curse. This will take her to places she’s never been before, make her face hardships she has never even imagined, and test her character in many ways. Does she reunite with her brothers? Can the curse be broken?

This was an interesting and very readable version of the Wild Swans story. While the basic idea of a princess whose brothers are turned into swans (here Cranes) and must be turned back is the same, the author has given it her own spin, added various twists and turns (including the ending), and blended in folklore and legends from the east. I loved the fairy tale feel and elements that the author manages to retain throughout the story with the many adventures Shiori has and the places she ends up in—the tropes may not be new but the story was so well told, that I enjoyed reading every bit of it. There is also a romance sub-thread in the story, and I quite liked the way the author built that up as well.

Among the characters, Shori herself was most interesting (and of course as the tale is told in her voice, we get to know her best). Shiori when the story starts off is very reckless, perhaps a little arrogant, certainly a little childish and also somewhat self-centred, but as troubles begin to come her way and she has to face many dangers and tests of character, she grows into a different and far better person—this was an element I liked very much; the growth she shows makes one like her and root for her all the more. In the process she has to question her assumptions, and ends up understanding others a little better than she did or perhaps even attempted to).

The dragon boy/prince Seryu was also a very intriguing character, and though we didn’t see very much of him, I think we will in the next book. Takkan, even if his role is more a supporting one was also an interesting character for me. I loved the paper bird Kiki very much as well—she might have been created by Shiori, but she has a personality of her own. While Shiori’s brothers were well drawn out as characters (their distinct personalities), I felt we didn’t get to know them too well.

Besides Shiori, Raikama too, the ‘evil’ stepmother is a very interesting character, and with many shades and complexities to her. While initially one might be tempted to view her as the archetypical stepmother, with Shiori one begins to wonder about her—were she came from, what made her as she was, what made her act as she did? And some of the answers when they come are indeed eye-opening and moving.

This was a well-told tale, with interesting and likeable characters and an interesting plot, and kept me engaged all through. 4.5 stars.

Looking forward to the sequel!

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.

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!