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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
3.5/5
Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with a free e-ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This book is a prequel to Elizabeth Lim's Six Crimson Cranes duology, and it follows Channari and her sister Vanna. Channari is cursed to look like a monster, whereas Vanna has been blessed with a radiant light that enchants all she meets. However, Vanna is in danger, and Channari is the only one who can save her.
I enjoyed this much more than I enjoyed Six Crimson Cranes, and while I do think you could probably read this without reading Six Crimson Cranes, there are a lot of fun little Easter eggs that make the story even more enjoyable.
As with most of Elizabeth Lim's books, this was a very slow-paced book with not a lot of plot, but a whole lot of gorgeous writing. I enjoyed getting lost in the world, and I also loved Channari as a character.
Even though I enjoyed this story overall, I do feel like something was lacking. It didn't go deep enough for me to care that much about the characters and their arcs, and I sadly think that this will be quite a forgettable read. However, for those who love Lim's books or simply enjoy sweeping, fairytale-like books with gorgeous atmospheres, I'd highly recommend this!
Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with a free e-ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This book is a prequel to Elizabeth Lim's Six Crimson Cranes duology, and it follows Channari and her sister Vanna. Channari is cursed to look like a monster, whereas Vanna has been blessed with a radiant light that enchants all she meets. However, Vanna is in danger, and Channari is the only one who can save her.
I enjoyed this much more than I enjoyed Six Crimson Cranes, and while I do think you could probably read this without reading Six Crimson Cranes, there are a lot of fun little Easter eggs that make the story even more enjoyable.
As with most of Elizabeth Lim's books, this was a very slow-paced book with not a lot of plot, but a whole lot of gorgeous writing. I enjoyed getting lost in the world, and I also loved Channari as a character.
Even though I enjoyed this story overall, I do feel like something was lacking. It didn't go deep enough for me to care that much about the characters and their arcs, and I sadly think that this will be quite a forgettable read. However, for those who love Lim's books or simply enjoy sweeping, fairytale-like books with gorgeous atmospheres, I'd highly recommend this!
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Loved finding out more about one of the characters from Six Crimson Cranes and seeing the world build a little more
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
the main character is 19 years old but acts and thinks like a 13-14 year old. the whole thing about her being ugly and the reader being forced to feel sorry for her gets annoying very quickly. and it's easy to find the wrong verb conjugation in several places. the whole relationship between Channi and Hokzuh was a waste of pages to write about. because Channi is written like she doesn't need a man, and I'm so tired of that trope. Hokzuh had depth and an interesting background. Channi ruined the friendship or what they could have been with her self-absorbed self. This book would have been better in Hokzuh's POV. that's all :)
4.5/5 stars
Totally exceeded expectations, I thought this was a fantastic prequel and it makes me want to reread Six Crimson Cranes (and maybe finish the duology).
What I liked:
-interesting magic system
-compelling characters
-sister relationship felt believable
-the snakes
What I didn't like:
-unnecessary romance
Totally exceeded expectations, I thought this was a fantastic prequel and it makes me want to reread Six Crimson Cranes (and maybe finish the duology).
What I liked:
-interesting magic system
-compelling characters
-sister relationship felt believable
-the snakes
What I didn't like:
-unnecessary romance
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Beautiful prequel to Six Crimson Cranes and The Dragon’s Promise, exploring her step-mother’s past. Brutally emotional and gripping.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent