A review by daytimebelle
A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

 June Hur did an amazing job with the historical details. She succeeded in bringing the time period alive without bogging down the story with excessive information.

That being said, I did have a few gripes. The writing felt a bit flat at times. Some descriptions were beautiful, really bringing the Joseon Era setting to life, but other parts felt like they were just going through the motions. I wanted more depth and emotion in the prose, something to truly immerse me in the stakes and the characters' inner turmoil. Instead, it often felt like I was being told what was happening rather than experiencing it alongside the characters, who sometimes seemed to exist just to move the plot along. Also, there were moments where the pacing felt a bit off—some scenes dragged on a little too long, while others felt rushed.

But I have to say, the ending was so satisfying. I love Iseul, Daehyun, and Yul so much; they deserved nothing short of the ending they were given.

While the writing style and pacing could use some polish, the core of the story—its characters, setting, and plot—are solid. With a bit more refinement in execution, this could be a five-star book.