A review by camiandkitread
Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim

adventurous emotional funny mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

“Six Crimson Cranes” by Elizabeth Lim was an absolute nail-biter of a fairytale retelling! 

When I started “Six Crimson Cranes” by Elizabeth Lim, I expected a fun, light-hearted fairytale retelling. I was way off, but in the best way possible! It was an absolute nail biter that kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.

Princess Shiori’anma has magic inside her, which is strictly forbidden in her kingdom. Normally, Shiori is able to control her magic and keep it hidden, but on the day of her betrothal ceremony, she loses control and draws the attention of her stepmother, Raikama. 

Raikama—a powerful sorceress—banishes Princess Shiori and turns her older brothers into cranes. She warns her that there will be dire consequences if she tries to tell anyone of the curse: for every word Shiori speaks, one of her brothers will die.

Alone, penniless, and unable to speak, Shiori relentlessly searches for her brothers. Along the way, she discovers a conspiracy to seize her father’s throne, which only she can prevent. Shiori uses the resources she has at her disposal—an enchanted paper bird, a temperamental dragon, an unexpected ally, and the magic she was taught to hide—to put the kingdom back to rights and to undo the curse on her brothers and herself.

Shirori is one of the strongest heroines I’ve encountered in a YA fantasy novel. She overcomes adversity again and again and continues to fight to find her brothers after they are cursed by their stepmother. Through it all, Shirori remains largely positive about her situation, looking for the silver linings, and never lets herself stay discouraged for long.

I was not as optimistic as Shiori while reading “Six Crimson Cranes.” I remained in a state of anxiety for her and her brothers. There were many times I thought it was impossible for them to get out of the newest impossible scrape they found themselves in—especially given what they’d just gotten out of. It was an endless loop of “out of the frying pan and into the fire” for the poor princess and princes. 

Lim wrote an amazing East Asian retelling of “The Wild Swans.” It’s so clever and creative and I can’t believe it took me so long to read it! 
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