A review by thea
A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur

5.0

4.8 stars! this book was exhilarating, dark, and brilliantly written. there were a lot of components being juggled, but i believe the author handled them well. the murderer, the oppressive king, the slow romance, etc. all kept me at the edge of my seat. there were little moments where i was confused by the clues, but it all tied back in the end, though i wish it were explained in a less abstract way. but it didn’t bother me that much and so i still very much enjoyed this book.

the characters had strong motivations and were accurately human in their behavior underneath a tyrant king, so much so that i couldn’t help but be captivated by them and wondering what they’re going to do next. despite this novel being inspired by true events in korean history, it’s admirable how the author still managed to make this story character-driven. all props to her! and i adore the romance. it was perfectly balanced with the dark, uneasy tone of the environment and was written with such tenderness? the couple is so tender with each other, which i couldn’t help but notice against the brutality of their reality. i really ship them and am happy with the ending.

this book got me out of my reading slump! june hur is HER!!! def recommend this one!!