Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim has everything that you would want in a fairy tale. A courageous princess, dragons, enchantment, a stepmother with secrets and lays a curse, adventure, danger, sorcerers and sorceresses, a respectable and daring “prince charming” and a kingdom that need to be saved. The writer skillfully creates her world with various settlements, environments and conditions. You will be submerge in the story and the world. There are parts of the story that might appear to be recognizable from other fantasies that you have known, however overall, the story feels totally new.
Shiori lives the cheerful and carefree life of a princess, her solitary concern that anybody find she can do magic. Until the day she finds her stepmother’s real nature, and Shiori and her siblings are cursed. While Shiori can’t talk without killing her siblings, her six siblings are cursed to spend their days as cranes. Expelled by magic far from the royal residence, Shiori and her siblings look for one another and for a way to liberate themselves from their stepmother’s curse.
Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim is set somewhere in Asia, and the story is based on the fairy tale of the princess and the six cranes. I’m not very well aware of that story, but I know enough to say that this book has uniquely presented the story.
Shiori had a decent character arc all through the story, developing pleasantly through her trials. I particularly enjoyed the unexpected developments presented inside. Not everything or everybody turns out based on initial feelings. Furthermore, she wasn’t the lone person given a voice. Everyone of her siblings, side characters, each had their own personalities. I liked the complicated relationship Shiori and her family had with their stepmom. It wasn’t the simple wicked stepmother story from like other fantasy. There was quite a lot more to their relationship.
Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim was a great Asian inspired fantasy book. Most of the things were wrapped up in this first novel. However, several new problems cropped up at the end, paving the way for a sequel to come.
Also Read: Velvet Was The Night By Silvia Moreno-Garcia
