3.5 or 4 stars

A huge thank you to NETGALLEY for providing me with an ARC of this book. All thoughts are my own.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The retelling aspect was done extremely well, and I was definitely invested in all of these characters. The relationship that the main character had with a certain mythical creature as well was so so fun to read about. All of the characters, in my opinion, were very well developed, and the end left me craving the sequel already. The relationship near the last half of the story is definitely one of my favorites ever. The entire plot of the story was done very well, and I was hooked in this story from the start.

For me, the pacing felt off during the middle of the story, and as we neared the ending of the story, some things weren’t explained as well as I thought they could have been. Finally, I felt as if in the start of this story, it was going in multiple different directions at once, which wasn’t my favorite, but I didn’t mind it.

I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoyed wicked fox or priory of the orange tree!

*4.5 stars

I had very high expectations for Six Crimson Cranes and those were all blown out of the water. Absolutely stunning read.

Six Crimson Cranes is a reimagining of Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Wild Swans” that incorporates Chinese folklore. The book follows Shiori, the princess of Kiata, who hides the fact that she has forbidden magic. After losing control of her magic on the morning of her betrothal ceremony, she catches the attention of her stepmother, Raikama, who has dark magic of her own. Raikama banishes Shirori, turning her brothers into cranes, and warning Shiori that she must speak of it to no one: for with every word that escapes her lips, one of her brothers will die. Lost without her voice, Shiori searches for her brothers and along the way, discovers a new threat to the throne that only she can save the kingdom from. But to do so, she has to place her trust in her ex-betrothed and embrace the forbidden magic she tried so long to contain.

I found the plot of this book to be so intriguing. The premise of the book, from the curses to the dark magic to the magical creatures, is so fascinating. There were so many plot twists that I was never able to predict and shocked me every time. AND THE CLIFFHANGER OH MY GOD I had an entire crisis over the last line in that book. Sequel immediately please.

Shiori was a lovely main character to follow. She's courageous, curious, and strong-willed, and I just love her so much. I also loved the side characters, and it was super interesting to see their development. They definitely shocked me a bit.

I hate to make comparisons, but I found the romance in this book much more interesting than that in Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim. There's also not a...500 year age difference. The romance is a spin on the arranged marriage trope, and it's essentially a super slowburn strangers to friends to lovers. Takkan is the golden-hearted cinnamon bun boy of my dreams I love that man so much. I want to give him a hug HE'S JUST TOO GOOD. I kind of sense a love triangle coming in the sequel, but I'm going to pretend that possibly doesn't exist.

Above all, this book focuses on family. I loved seeing Shiori's bond with her brothers as well as her other family members. The story really emphasizes how deeply Shiori cares for her family and the lengths they would go for each other. It was also interesting to see the family dynamics of other families featured in the story.

As always, Elizabeth Lim's writing absolutely sucked me in from the first page. Her writing is so lyrical and absolutely beautiful. The worldbuilding was captivating, and the food descriptions definitely made me very hungry. I also need a moment to admire the cover. PLEASE it's so beautiful.

For those of you that are fans of Spin the Dawn, then you'll be happy to hear that Six Crimson Cranes is set in the same universe! There are some mentions of A'landi, as Kiata is a neighboring kingdom, and the magic system works pretty similarly.

My only critique is pacing. This is also something that I noticed with Spin the Dawn; the story starts out super fast-paced and I couldn't put the book down. Then, the pacing slows down until finally picking up for the last 25%. I was hooked in the beginning in the end, but I did lost interest a bit in the middle.

Go pick up this book when it comes out July 6! Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

tw: death, violence, slight gore

Elizabeth Lim continues to enchant in this beautifully written fairytale adaption of The Six Swans. Shiori is the princess of Kiata, and is able to perform magic, which was said to have disappeared from their kingdom. She is the youngest of seven, and has six older brothers. Her stepmother Raikama is mysterious, and when Shiori stumbles upon a secret of hers, her brothers are transformed and she must set out on a quest to save them.
I have read other versions of the original fairytale, and I was still surprised by this book. Six Crimson Cranes takes the original fairytale and beautifully integrates it into this new retelling. The descriptions are gorgeous, and Shiori is a likable and strong heroine. I enjoyed the interactions between Shiori, and her two possible love interests. Shiori had such great character growth over the course of this book, and the ending was really good and unexpected. The only thing I think that could be improved are the descriptions of her brothers, only a few were really described well to where I could differentiate them. I sped through this book, and am highly anticipating the sequel!

** Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review**

The cover art is what drew me in, the synopsis hooked me in and Elizabeth Lim's obvious love and passion for fairytales made me a fan!

If you love;
- Fairytale retellings
- Dragons
- 6 brothers and 1 sister who love one another so fiercely
- A twist to traditional tropes
- Fun fairytale tropes
- Heroine who, while scared and alone, pushes through life's trails to save her family
- A super cute beginning to a love interest.

Overall, I couldn't put this book down! Jump into this new novel with both feet

*3.5 stars*

First off, I want to give a big thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for providing me with an ARC!

I was so excited to get my hands on this book because 1) the cover is absolutely stunning and 2) magical princess? curses? falling in love with the person you didn’t want to marry? Sign me up. And Six Crimson Cranes turned out to be an enjoyable story that lays the foundation for what I think will be an even better sequel. My favorite aspect of the book was the main character Shiori; that girl has no fear and i respect it. She doesn’t care about embarrassing herself or making people angry, she just does what she has to do without hesitation and it was so refreshing to read from her perspective. Takkan was a great love interest as well. I loved that he was a sensitive soul but was still brave, and most importantly, he respected and supported Shiori’s decisions. I liked the side characters but would have liked to see more of them, especially Shiori’s brothers and Raikama (where is the Raikama prequel honestly).

Fairytale vibes were promised and Elizabeth Lim definitely delivered on that front, but that resulted in the book reading a bit young for me personally, though there were quite a few bloody scenes to balance that out. My other issue with the writing was that the first half of the book skips forward in time a lot, making me feel like I didn’t have the opportunity to get attached to the characters or the world until things slowed down in the second half. Overall, I feel like this book serves mainly as a prelude to the real story, but the ending was fast-paced and had some great twists that I didn’t see coming, so I have hope for the next installment in the series.

Huge thank you to the publisher for a copy of the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved everything about this book! It's been a while since I have read fantasy and this book reminded me of how much I love the genre.

Though she couldn't even speak for more than half the book, Shiori always had my full attention. She was witty, smart, and everything one could hope to see in a main character. All of the characters (especially Kiki!) were well-developed and lovable.

The world building is definitely my favorite thing about this book and I found myself escaping to Shiori's side every time I picked up the book.

This story is incredibly fascinating and I can't wait for the next book in this series!

Elizabeth Lim's Six Crimson Cranes is everything you've ever needed in a fantasy novel inspired by East Asian folklore. Princesses, dragons, an evil stepmother- a classic fairytale with modern twists that promises this novel is just the beginning of a spellbinding magical fantasy series.

I've never been so quickly attached to a storyline as I was with this book. This culturally rich fairytale will captivate you so thoroughly that you'll have to remind yourself that you're actually not living in a world with such an enchanting magic system. Not only was I deeply invested in the Kingdom of Kiata and the story building, but I found myself fully engaged in every single relationship. Lim crafts familial bonds in a way that will make your heart ache and swell with happiness at the same time. The romance melds harmoniously with the plot and leaves the reader grappling after every single interaction they have. If I could bottle up the feeling of being a child and being fully immersed in fairytales, that nostalgia would lead me directly to this book. My childhood self adored this book. My adult self RAVES about it. Read it. Love it. Cry. Everything this book makes you feel is so worth it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Shiori, the only sister to all her brothers. A magical sister, and also princess of the kingdom of Kiata. Her magic, though beautiful, is also feared, concealed, forbidden. Concealed until it's mistakenly unleashed on the day she's betrothed to someone she doesn't want. The wedding is put on hold, but her future stepmother, the sinister Raikama, fixates her attention on Shiori from that moment on, and sees to it that Shiori is banished. Shiori, now fallen from grace, also loses her brothers, for Raikama has turned them into cranes, and sealed Shiori's lips with threat of their certain death. Shiori must gather her courage and her wits to find her brothers, learn more about her magic, discover the positive qualities in her betrothed, and save her kingdom from her snake of a stepmother.

How do you solve a problem if you can't tell anyone about it, least of all your parents? Shiori has to figure that out in this interesting, beautifully imagined story about a girl with magical gifts who is targeted because of them, and unseated from her birthright. She then learns more about herself and her kingdom, and also the person she was supposed to be betrothed to, and realizes that it's not just her who's at risk, it's her entire kingdom! I really enjoyed the dynamic between Shiori and her brothers, as well as how her views evolved about her betrothed. Her magic starts off as something rather unimpressive, but seeing it grow into a more respectable power was great. Shiori is one of the coolest youngest sisters you're bound to read about, and Six Crimson Cranes is her story. Recommended for readers who enjoy stories about family ties, girls saving kingdoms, budding magical powers, and giving others a second chance.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

Elizabeth Lim does a fantastic job of creating a story that feels whimsical without feeling corny. We have cranes and dragons and living paper birds and yet all of those features and characters are the reason that I loved reading this book. I also really appreciate when a book is unpredictable and this book is just that! I am a reader who likes to theorize and the fact that I was so stumped with this one just made me appreciate the book even more.

For the most part I LOVED the imagery and whimsical nature of the world. I did, however, find that there were some parts of the story where the dialogue between characters felt weird or didn't flow like I expected them to. There were also some parts where I found it somewhat difficult to visualize the scene or the environment. There was a little bit of romance in the book that had me gushing because of how cute it was! I'm very interested as to where some of these character relationships are going in the future and what will change in the next book.

This story is fast paced and the situation that Shiori is in is constantly changing, making it hard to put the book down and kept me really engaged. The book is also really easy to read. The world building isn't overwhelming and is kept mainly short and sweet.

Overall I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an easy and really fun YA fantasy to read!

Ahhhh! I loved this book, I truly did. This is one of my favorite books in 2021 so far, and my top book for a new series. I was hooked by the first chapter. It was my first time reading anything by Elizabeth Lim and I'm really looking forward to Spin the Dawn now. Its light and magical and has beautiful emotional moments. I really enjoyed how the author wove in different fairytales into this, I recognized a couple from my own childhood.

Shiori is also an incredible character. I struggle with first person POVs because if you don't like the character's personality it can get pretty annoying but I didn't have this issue with Shiori. Her growth though out the book is really well done.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me an ARC of this! ^.^ I ended up pre-ordering from Books of Wonder half-way through my read haha.

“But I knew it wasn’t enough for just my skin or my voice to be strong. All of me had to be, if I wanted to break our curse. My heart, especially.”

*Swipe for synopsis*

✨ Six Crimson Cranes has become an instant favorite of mine. This is a masterful retelling with strong ties to The Wild Swans and Cinderella fairytales—among a few others as well.

✨ Shiori starts off as a pretty unlikable main character. She is naive and impulsive, always testing the limits she is given. After her stepmother curses her and her brothers she essentially has no identity anymore—this is almost a reverse rags to riches story. I really enjoyed Shiori’s character growth, she felt very real and just so imperfectly perfect. I was in awe of all that she endured and the strength of her love for her family.

✨ I also have to mention the very sweet, slow burn romance between Shiori and her betrothed that I’m hoping we will see more of in the sequel. The arranged marriage trope is hard to pull off but I have zero issues with it here.

✨ The pace is pretty slow right up until the end and then wraps up in an explosive ending that I’m still reeling from. The subtle details placed throughout the plot are subtly woven together throughout the story. The writing is magical, full of vivid imagery and packed with detail.

✨ Six Crimson Cranes is an enchanting fairytale world with dragons, sorcerers, and wild magic. If you love fairytales, retellings, hidden identity tropes, or arranged marriage tropes you will should check this one out.

Thank you @netgalley and @randomhousekids for the eARC, Six Crimson Cranes is out Tuesday, July 6!

I finished Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim a few days ago, and I am still in awe of this fantasy tale. The storytelling, world-building, and characters are all just exquisite and weave together to tell a story I did not want to stop reading, even when there were no more pages.

What I Loved

I already mentioned world-building, characters, and storytelling. What could be left to love? So, so much! The theme of family and the relationship between Shiori and her six brothers is heartwarming. It gives each of them an added dimension that enables the reader to instantly connect to them and empathize with their plight, even when the brothers are cranes and Shiori is trying to break the curse that has them all bound in one way or another. Shiori tells the story, so you get to know her brothers as intimately as only a sister can share them.
Dragons! Did I mention that there are dragons in this story? They have magical pearly hearts, can take human form, and live in an underwater city that is said to be so amazing it is beyond human imagination. I especially loved the mischief and cleverness that is the very essence of Seryu, Prince of the Easterly Seas and favored grandson of the Dragon King, Nazayun. I eagerly anticipated his appearance as the story developed and was never disappointed with his wit, wisdom, and playfulness.

I also enjoyed the Cinderella story threads that snuck in at various points. Lost slippers, a wicked stepmother, and a princess that is cursed to do menial labor by her stepmother all reminded me of Cinderella, but that is where the similarities stop. So do not think this is a Cinderella story because I made that mistake and found myself blindsided by the twists and turns in the book's last quarter. Twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat and are the reason I ended the book, never wanting to leave this world.

I also loved how the love story played out and the lessons Shiori learned as she had to manage in a world with a bowl over her head that covered her face and not communicate by talking or explaining her situation to anyone until breaking the curse. The only thing that bothered me about the story is that bowl over Shiori" s head. The essential specifics were not explained to my complete understanding initially, so there were a few things about it that puzzled me, such as seeing through the bowl because no one could see her eyes, so the wooden bowl must have covered them, yet she could see everything.

To Read or Not to Read

This is the best fantasy I have read so far this year (and I have read some great stories), so YES! I think you should sit back and let this tale whisk you away to an imaginative world with genuine characters and elements that will take your breath away.

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 have some big mixed feelings about this one. Six Crimson Cranes took my enjoyment of it through a roller coaster of a ride. Six Crimson Cranes follows Shiori, a princess with secret magic who doesn't want to wed the boy her father has chosen for her. Her magic captures her stepmother, Raikama's, attention, and Shiori finds herself banished to the north and her six brothers turned into cranes. If she says a word to anyone about anything, her brothers will die. Shiori's journey takes her all across Kiata into some unexpected places, putting her in the paths of nobility, dragons and demons who all vie to control her magic, and Shiori must break the curse before the kingdom descends into war. I had high expectations for this one, and in some respects those expectations were met, and in others they weren't. I am rating this 3.5 stars, but not enough to get it up to 4. I really loved the gorgeous worldbuilding the author employs in this novel. The way she brings elements of East Asian mythology, culture and folklore to life is nothing short of stunning. Lim's prose is lyrical and lush and very readable, and the plot of this book is super unique and original, unlike any book I have read before. So props to the author on that. Also, can we talk about Takkan for a minute? What a dreamboat. I loved how his and Shiori's burgeoning romance played out through the novel and all the twists and turns inherent to this. I also loved Kiki as a sidekick. She was adorable and a fun addition to the novel. All this being said, I had two major problems with this book that kept me from rounding it up to 4 stars. First, I could NOT stand Shiori for the majority of the novel. I thought she was kind of bratty and selfish, which is a good place I guess to start a character off, but her major character development didn't really kick in until the last like 20% of the novel. I recognize she's a teenager and that's all well and good but characters who just whine and feel sorry for themselves and act that way don't rub off well on me. Secondly is the pacing. The first 3/4 of this novel felt excruciatingly slow at times and I just wanted more of the darker elements of the story and the magic system. The ending was fantastic and really redeemed this book for me. I wanted more foreshadowing throughout the plot though. If there had been more of the type of action, magic and lore that we see towards the end of this book just sprinkled throughout the book, my rating would be different. Also would have loved to see more character driven choices in this book and more Raikama. I think her story is a bit more compelling than Shiori's to be honest and I am kind of sad we only got to see just a little bit of her at the end. So Six Crimson Cranes was a mixed bag for me, but I am sure that there are people who will really love this more than me. And in the end, I liked it. I just wish some things had been improved upon.

Six Crimson Cranes was one of my most anticipated releases this year and it did not fail to meet my expectations. Once again, Elizabeth Lim has weaved a magical tale of adventure, secrets, dragons, enchantments, family, and fate. I was absolutely drawn to Shiori’s story as she navigated the sudden change in her situation from beloved princess to being cursed and cast off with her brother’s lives dependent on her ability to stay silent. This world is sure to enchant readers, just like Elizabeth Lim’s The Blood of Stars duology. Six Crimson Cranes has cemented Elizabeth Lim’s space on my go-to author list and I eagerly await the sequel.

Six Crimson Cranes was a lovely fairytale-like book that was a fun read, but never exceeded my expectations of the genre.
I think I'm learning that fairytale retellings or inspired books tend to not be my cup of tea. Six Crimson Cranes has a lot of wonderful aspects that initially captivated me. The start of the story gives the reader dragons and magic and a fantasy world that is rich and alluring, but beyond the first 100 pages of the book, those elements begin to dwindle away to nearly nothing. The "quest" aspect of the book felt lackluster when more of the world's folklore and mythology could have been explored through the character's journeys.
To me, the book felt like it came to a grinding halt towards the second half of the story, making it difficult to keep myself entertained. The ending, while satisfying, was a whirlwind of chaos with the 'true' villain switching perspectives multiple times.
If you enjoy East Asian fantasies and fairytale-like books, make sure you check this one out!

Six Crimson Cranes is truly the perfect mix of fairytale, court intrigue, soft romance, and humor. It's an epic fantasy based on East Asian folklore, and the atmosphere and charming (but surprisingly unpredictable) story suck you right in. From the first few lines I was hooked, and spent hours lost in Shiori's world of forbidden magic and mouth-watering foods.

Shiori herself is one of my favorite YA heroines to date. She's bold, funny, has a good heart but can be careless and even hurtful, and it's impossible not to admire her determination in the face of despair and agonizing pain--yet she still feels like a 16 year old, rash and overconfident at times but striving to be better for her family. Her growth over the course of the novel is significant, and it's beautiful to watch her mature and strengthen.

And don't even get me STARTED on Takkan. Like Shiori, babe, I get that you don't want to be forced into a marriage you didn't want and get sent north, but he's ruggedly handsome, kind, generous to the point of absurdity, draws/sings/tells stories...I mean. Talk about a heart of gold.

If you, like me, are a sucker for fairytales and folklore, dragons (!!!), lovable side characters (Kiki, darling, you have my whole heart), and a heroine you can't help but root for, this is absolutely the book for you.

I absolutely adored this book! I already knew that I would enjoy this book because I really like Elizabeth Lim’s writing. I think her writing is beautiful, magical, and that she can fit a lot of story into a short about of pages. In my opinion this book was just as beautifully written as her others. I has everything I love: an arranged marriage trope, dragons, quests, curses, and the fairytale vibe.

Six Crimson Cranes. Is an atmospheric retelling of The Wild Swans with magic, curses, sibling dynamics, and a lot of hope. Shiori, the main character, is a strong, curious, and determined young woman. Her character development and growth were very enjoyable! Again all of this told from an author whose writing is magical, makes this book incredible. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoyed her The Blood of Stars duology. I cannot wait for the second and final book in this new series. I’m really looking forward to it.

5/5 stars!
Wow this book was all that I was looking for and more. I have always been a huge fan of Elizabeth Lim's writing and Spin the Dawn and Unravel the Dusk are some of my all time favourite books. I went in this book with super high expectation and this book surpassed those.

Exhilarating, creative, and utterly enthralling, Six Crimson Cranes brought me into this beautiful, creative world with one of my favourite magic systems of all time. Shiori is one of my favourite female protagonists, I love her bold personality and she is so realistic. The plot of this book was phenomenal and if you are a fan of the fairytale The Wild Swans or you are looking for an incredible YA fantasy read, please read this.

The Characters = 5/5
The World Building = 5/5
The Plot = 5/5
Overall = 5/5

Highly recommend! You can preorder and read this book when it comes out July 6th 2021!

Thank you Net-Galley and Elizabeth Lim for sending me an eARC of Six Crimson Cranes and this is my complete, honest review.

(6/28/2021) 5 stars.

Six Crimson Cranes is a magical story following a young, impulsive, trouble-maker princess on her quest to save the ones she loves. Along the way she discovers new things about herself and the people she thought she despised and finds within herself the strength she needs to overcome the obstacles thrown at her. Lim has created a charming cast of characters that live in a beautiful backdrop. The mythology sewn within the story is fun to read and discover and the romance is so sweet, although I must admit...... I would've gone with the other choice. Is there a love triangle brewing? I feel like it would be a disservice to the love interest in this story and wouldn't make sense. But it just seems like there's a little bit there with the other character and I cannot ignore it (and I always lose when I pick a love interest so I am gonna keep my mind open - both characters are really great in different ways and I cannot wait to see Shiori spend more time with the other one!)