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aelis_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Slavery, Torture, Xenophobia, and War
jiao_li's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This book actually have a promising start and an intriguing plot, but unfortunately, that excitement doesn't last. I initially enjoyed the mystery, but it gets overly complicated as it goes on. I'm not sure if I'm missing something, but it just didn't hold my interest. The delivery of plot twists was bad that it failed to surprise me.
As for the main character, Hesina, I found her the least appealing, and she pales in comparison to the other characters. Her character and strengths felt rather flat compared to the others. I didn't agree with her decisions, and I would have disliked the ending if not for the Epilogue.
One of the book's strengths is the world-building; the concept of the 'shoot' is fresh and interesting. About the audiobook narration, it was okay, although some parts sounded exaggerated, perhaps because of the dramatic writing.
In summary, I didn't enjoy the book mainly because the plot became too complicated, and the writing didn't deliver the twists effectively. However, I appreciated the world-building and the narration. Your enjoyment may vary depending on your preferences tho.
As for the main character, Hesina, I found her the least appealing, and she pales in comparison to the other characters. Her character and strengths felt rather flat compared to the others. I didn't agree with her decisions, and I would have disliked the ending if not for the Epilogue.
One of the book's strengths is the world-building; the concept of the 'shoot' is fresh and interesting. About the audiobook narration, it was okay, although some parts sounded exaggerated, perhaps because of the dramatic writing.
In summary, I didn't enjoy the book mainly because the plot became too complicated, and the writing didn't deliver the twists effectively. However, I appreciated the world-building and the narration. Your enjoyment may vary depending on your preferences tho.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood, and Murder
talonsontypewriters's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Genocide, Hate crime, Self harm, Slavery, Torture, Xenophobia, Medical content, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Animal death, Infidelity, Suicide, Vomit, and War
andra_mihaela_s's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"Descendant of the Crane" is such a promising first book in a series! Too bad we don't know when or even IF the author will write more in this world due to the unfortunate situation of it's initial publication... :(
Quick summary: Princess Hesina of Yan becomes queen after the death pf her beloved father. Her only desire...find the murderer!
To this simple (=personal drama) premise, Joan He blends very well chinese customs, culture and history (we have the first coin in the Chinese history mentioned here as the currency; we have a specific way of showing respect to the higher ups; we have traditional clothing and make-up,etc.) with a political plotline mixed with very little romance and a lot of mistery concerning the past of the kingdom (both religious and ideological).
I will not say that everyone will find this debut worthy of praise or anything like that, but I dare you to say it doesn't have great potential and a solid fundation for what it wants to be: a first person perspective in a world ruled by it's past. I really appreciate books that talk about misconceptions, fears, superstitions and plain beliefs based on "historical fundation" and perpetuated hate for "the enemy".
I'm happy to say "Descendant of the Crane" is such a book that not only explores the darker side of winners vs loosers argument, but it also evolves it with things that have a great impact in real life, like: <i>How a different nation respond/act/profit/involve itself with this issue?How can a ruler keep his/her throne in a deeply infected society AND change it at its core? How much power a ruler has in comparison to its vassals? etc. </i>
<b>Content warnings: violent murder, torture,discrimination based on historical motifs and fear of the unknown(which is horrible!); desecration of a grave;slavery</b>
Taking all this into consideration, I cannot help but point out the things someone else by find annoying and a deal-breaker for them: One such thing is the character work...you can see that this is a debut and the MC is the only one you can pass of as "well-rounded".
While Hesina is really naive and extremely focused on one goal (a conscious choice by the author), I had some expectations for the "villains", namely Xia Zhong and the Prince of Kandi'a due to the fact that a war is on the brewing because of them...and I wanted to find out WHY they do what they do..>..>
We have some family drama for Minister of Rites Xia, and the whole thing with a country without water..but sadly, the book did not expand on this.
As for the other characters...the king and queen are really fascinating! We have information only from Hesina's perspective when it comes to them..and I don't find that a bad thing! ^^ In the end, we find out some shocking information that was well foreshadowed (in my opinion) and THAT can be put to good use in an eventual sequel!
The rest of the cast was kinda there to serve Hesina in going through her journey...most obvious, the twins her father adopted: Caiyan- a great figure in the country's political stage, and Lilian - the imperial seamstress. Her blood brothers did not stand out to me either:(..both Sanjing and Rue (I'm not sure if his name is written correctly here...) are present for just a little part of the book and they have a major trait that takes up all the space for anything else...one is distant and passive-agresive due to lack of a real relationship as siblings; the other - a lamb..literary...>..>
The last character I want to mention...Akira...he has potential! In terms of his actual role in this story...he was between fine and great; as a love interest...not so much:( I wasn't impressed with his backstory, given the fact I was hoping he was more involved in the political and religious drama going on..,but that doesn't make him bad or poorly written..It's just a personal preference.
This book does well a lot of things, from the chinese inspiration mentioned earlier, to the beginnings of a political fantasy series with a lot of mistery added, to the discussion about stigma and discrimination, collective fear of something and REAL STAKES!
We lose people here! And the fantasy elements are integrated in a great way!
Yes, this book is slow on plot progression and world building, but I don't see that as a mistake, but more of a author choice/style.
Joan He decides to focus our first-person perspective to 2 very important subjects that, frankly, I enjoy reading about: how history affects people (discrimination, missconception, way of life, rules put in place,etc) and how and by whom it's written!(The Eleven are a clever idea to implement and I really hope I will get the chance to read more in this world, because we barely got some answers and another million questions! >..<)
So, yes! 4 stars for "Descendant of the Crane"! This one speaks to my reading taste!
I highly recommend this book to everyone liking a slow politial fantasy that really spends time showing the effects of history and a group of people! Don't expect "A Game of Thrones", but a young naive ruler that has the veil of ignorance ripped of her face page by page, and getting exposed to the real world.
Enjoy
Quick summary: Princess Hesina of Yan becomes queen after the death pf her beloved father. Her only desire...find the murderer!
To this simple (=personal drama) premise, Joan He blends very well chinese customs, culture and history (we have the first coin in the Chinese history mentioned here as the currency; we have a specific way of showing respect to the higher ups; we have traditional clothing and make-up,etc.) with a political plotline mixed with very little romance and a lot of mistery concerning the past of the kingdom (both religious and ideological).
I will not say that everyone will find this debut worthy of praise or anything like that, but I dare you to say it doesn't have great potential and a solid fundation for what it wants to be: a first person perspective in a world ruled by it's past. I really appreciate books that talk about misconceptions, fears, superstitions and plain beliefs based on "historical fundation" and perpetuated hate for "the enemy".
I'm happy to say "Descendant of the Crane" is such a book that not only explores the darker side of winners vs loosers argument, but it also evolves it with things that have a great impact in real life, like: <i>How a different nation respond/act/profit/involve itself with this issue?How can a ruler keep his/her throne in a deeply infected society AND change it at its core? How much power a ruler has in comparison to its vassals? etc. </i>
<b>Content warnings: violent murder, torture,discrimination based on historical motifs and fear of the unknown(which is horrible!); desecration of a grave;slavery</b>
Taking all this into consideration, I cannot help but point out the things someone else by find annoying and a deal-breaker for them: One such thing is the character work...you can see that this is a debut and the MC is the only one you can pass of as "well-rounded".
While Hesina is really naive and extremely focused on one goal (a conscious choice by the author), I had some expectations for the "villains", namely Xia Zhong and the Prince of Kandi'a due to the fact that a war is on the brewing because of them...and I wanted to find out WHY they do what they do..>..>
We have some family drama for Minister of Rites Xia, and the whole thing with a country without water..but sadly, the book did not expand on this.
As for the other characters...the king and queen are really fascinating! We have information only from Hesina's perspective when it comes to them..and I don't find that a bad thing! ^^ In the end, we find out some shocking information that was well foreshadowed (in my opinion) and THAT can be put to good use in an eventual sequel!
The rest of the cast was kinda there to serve Hesina in going through her journey...most obvious, the twins her father adopted: Caiyan- a great figure in the country's political stage, and Lilian - the imperial seamstress. Her blood brothers did not stand out to me either:(..both Sanjing and Rue (I'm not sure if his name is written correctly here...) are present for just a little part of the book and they have a major trait that takes up all the space for anything else...one is distant and passive-agresive due to lack of a real relationship as siblings; the other - a lamb..literary...>..>
The last character I want to mention...Akira...he has potential! In terms of his actual role in this story...he was between fine and great; as a love interest...not so much:( I wasn't impressed with his backstory, given the fact I was hoping he was more involved in the political and religious drama going on..,but that doesn't make him bad or poorly written..It's just a personal preference.
This book does well a lot of things, from the chinese inspiration mentioned earlier, to the beginnings of a political fantasy series with a lot of mistery added, to the discussion about stigma and discrimination, collective fear of something and REAL STAKES!
We lose people here! And the fantasy elements are integrated in a great way!
Yes, this book is slow on plot progression and world building, but I don't see that as a mistake, but more of a author choice/style.
Joan He decides to focus our first-person perspective to 2 very important subjects that, frankly, I enjoy reading about: how history affects people (discrimination, missconception, way of life, rules put in place,etc) and how and by whom it's written!(The Eleven are a clever idea to implement and I really hope I will get the chance to read more in this world, because we barely got some answers and another million questions! >..<)
So, yes! 4 stars for "Descendant of the Crane"! This one speaks to my reading taste!
I highly recommend this book to everyone liking a slow politial fantasy that really spends time showing the effects of history and a group of people! Don't expect "A Game of Thrones", but a young naive ruler that has the veil of ignorance ripped of her face page by page, and getting exposed to the real world.
Enjoy
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, and Murder
Moderate: Genocide and Slavery
wolfje's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I feel like there were a few plot holes, but I didn't really care because the book just dragged me in and I just kept reading. Whatever flaws in the worldbuilding and plot, it makes up for in pace, tension, and by gripping you and not letting go.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia and Death of parent
Moderate: Genocide
Minor: Slavery, Torture, and Murder
hazychapters's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is the first audiobook I listened to, and I liked it, although it was a bit complicated at first due to the format. I did this listening on Spotify, and I am delighted to have been able to discover this author. Descendant of the Crane is her first novel (if I'm not mistaken), and I think it's pretty successful! The plot is axed on politics, with lots of plot twists and stories of betrayals and alliances. Those who follow me know that I love these kinds of books, and Descendant of the Crane did not disappoint me on this point! It is also a gorgeous book in terms of worldbuilding. The story takes root in a universe that is inspired by imperial China. It addresses many themes, such as racism, justice or even the family. The way with words of the author is sumptuous. It was beautiful and calm to listen to!
The only point that could be negative is the characters, and more precisely Hesina. But it's pretty subjective. I really liked this image of a strong young woman who wants above all to rule her kingdom. But I gradually disconnected from her. And, in the end, I remained quite indifferent concerning her character, her decisions and what she was living. Admittedly the ending has an effect, but I ended up missing a little empathy for her. It was the same for Akira, who isn't, for me, extremely important to the story. I had more connections with Caiyan and Lilian. Lilian is full of life, and in a way, she reminded me of Genya Safin or Nina Zenik from the Grishaverse. Caiyan is more calculating, whereas Hesina is more empathetic. I had a little more trouble figuring out Sanjing. But I think he's still a great character, just as calculating as Caiyan but in a different way.
I really loved the relationship between the characters. I think that's a significant positive point too! And if some wonder if there is romance: yes, there is, but it is still very light. Besides, I haven't really noticed it. And I'm pretty happy because I find that there is no need to have some characters in a relationship, which changes from other YA books we are used to reading!
The only point that could be negative is the characters, and more precisely Hesina. But it's pretty subjective. I really liked this image of a strong young woman who wants above all to rule her kingdom. But I gradually disconnected from her. And, in the end, I remained quite indifferent concerning her character, her decisions and what she was living. Admittedly the ending has an effect, but I ended up missing a little empathy for her. It was the same for Akira, who isn't, for me, extremely important to the story. I had more connections with Caiyan and Lilian. Lilian is full of life, and in a way, she reminded me of Genya Safin or Nina Zenik from the Grishaverse. Caiyan is more calculating, whereas Hesina is more empathetic. I had a little more trouble figuring out Sanjing. But I think he's still a great character, just as calculating as Caiyan but in a different way.
I really loved the relationship between the characters. I think that's a significant positive point too! And if some wonder if there is romance: yes, there is, but it is still very light. Besides, I haven't really noticed it. And I'm pretty happy because I find that there is no need to have some characters in a relationship, which changes from other YA books we are used to reading!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Slavery and War
Immolation, poisoningveilchen's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Hesina is princess of Yan, a country that had ones been terrorized by the magic sooths, which are now outlawed. When her father, the King, dies, she is convinced that his death was not of natural cause and goes out of her way to find the real killer. But what she hasn't accounted for was the politics of the court, intrigues and betrayals playing their part in uncovering the truth.
First of all, this book is not a comforting, fun little fantasy book. It is Hurt/NoComfort, bawl your eyes out, talk about in therapy stuff. But it is a great book. My favourite part was without question the worldbuilding. The east-asian inspired setting of Yan, where the rules are dictated by eleven mysterious revolutionaries of the past is explored in depth, with all the lore, history of oppression and connecitons to its neighbouring countries, is what makes the sotry of Hesina so easy to get captivated by. Supported by a very pretty, descriptive writing style, I found myself speeding through the almost 500 pages in less than four hours.
I also fell in love with the characters. Hesina is a great protagonist with a lot of agency and not without faults. The rest of the cast mainly consists of her family, a wild mix of real siblings, bastards and adoptees, all of which got their moment to shine. Then, there is also the thief, who Hesina conscripts to help her uncover the Truth, Akira, with whom Hesina also develops a bit of a romance. Though there wasn't a lot of focus on that, I enjoyed their dynamic and would have wanted to see a bit more - maybe in the next book?
All in all, "Descendant of the Crane" was not at all what I expected. It was dark and sad, and very quick-paced, but it all took place in such a detailled world, with well developed character and in a beautiful style that I had no choice but to love it. It ended on a pretty open note - which I actually prefer, because now I can just pretend they all lived happily ever after. Nevertheless, one of the best endings I read in a while. I cried a lot.
First of all, this book is not a comforting, fun little fantasy book. It is Hurt/NoComfort, bawl your eyes out, talk about in therapy stuff. But it is a great book. My favourite part was without question the worldbuilding. The east-asian inspired setting of Yan, where the rules are dictated by eleven mysterious revolutionaries of the past is explored in depth, with all the lore, history of oppression and connecitons to its neighbouring countries, is what makes the sotry of Hesina so easy to get captivated by. Supported by a very pretty, descriptive writing style, I found myself speeding through the almost 500 pages in less than four hours.
I also fell in love with the characters. Hesina is a great protagonist with a lot of agency and not without faults. The rest of the cast mainly consists of her family, a wild mix of real siblings, bastards and adoptees, all of which got their moment to shine. Then, there is also the thief, who Hesina conscripts to help her uncover the Truth, Akira, with whom Hesina also develops a bit of a romance. Though there wasn't a lot of focus on that, I enjoyed their dynamic and would have wanted to see a bit more - maybe in the next book?
All in all, "Descendant of the Crane" was not at all what I expected. It was dark and sad, and very quick-paced, but it all took place in such a detailled world, with well developed character and in a beautiful style that I had no choice but to love it. It ended on a pretty open note - which I actually prefer, because now I can just pretend they all lived happily ever after. Nevertheless, one of the best endings I read in a while. I cried a lot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Death of parent
Moderate: Genocide, Torture, Murder, and War
Minor: Slavery and War
maurits's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I like the concept, but the story moved too fast. There was little time for worldbuilding and getting a good grip on the characters. This made the denouement of the story seem a bit out of place.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Suicide and Torture
gladiolus17's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Suicide
typedtruths's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
DNF 95 pages.
Despite borrowing both the ebook and physical copy from the library, I didn't manage to finish it before its due date. I'm focusing on reading my own tbr this year so it wasn't a priority. I was definitely enjoying it enough to pick it back up again, sometime in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Suicide