A review by ciarazard
A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur

adventurous fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I recently read this book in just 4-5 hours, losing sleep in the process. Despite my eagerness, however, I have a couple of qualms that prevented it from becoming the 4⭐ I initially predicted.

The characters lacked depth and development, making it difficult to care for them. I expected more from Iseul, our heroine who supposedly had a bad and spoiled personality growing up. Her character development felt forced and unsatisfactory, leaving me unconvinced that she was able to redeem herself. What did Daehyun, the prince, see in her? I certainly couldn't see anything. 

Suyeon, the kidnapped sister, also felt like a bland character. I wished the book had expounded more on their life before their parents died, showing Suyeon as the perfect daughter suffocating under societal expectations of women during the Joseon era. Confucianism placed men at the head of the family and society, relegating women to subordinate roles. Women were expected to follow their fathers, husbands, and sons without question, had no access to formal education or scholarly pursuits, and had very little say in choosing partners. I wanted the book to delve into these aspects more. I wanted Iseul to genuinely care about these issues, but it felt like she only started caring when it affected her personally. 

The latter part of the book, especially the buildup to the coup, was underwhelming. King Yeongsan, based on one of the worst tyrants in Korean history, started off scary and vicious. However, he was barely there halfway through the book, no lines, no viciousness left to him, leaving him practically useless. And the mystery part with the killer? The reveal was anti-climactic. What were all the murders with flowers for? The vengeance motive felt half-assed. 

The author relied heavily on telling rather than showing, which was frustrating given the rich historical backdrop. I couldn't help but want MORE from this story. It had so much potential, and that frustrated me SO MUCH.

That being said, A Crane Among Wolves is still a decent read. The fact that I couldn't put it down speaks volumes about its initial promise and the compelling idea at its core. 

However, the execution fell short, and what started as an engaging read sadly fizzled out by the end. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings