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A review by whatsshwereading
Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Elizabeth Lim's Six Crimson Cranes, set in imperial Asia, is a brilliant subversion of Grimm's Six Swans. What Lim basically did was take a bunch of European fairytales, spun them on their heads, added a generous dose of Chinese and Japanese folklores, and brushed them over with a feminist vibe. The result is a satisfactory and engaging YA fantasy.
Shiori is a wonderful protagonist - she's a teenager, which means she's bratty, thoughtless, impetuous, given to sulks and tantrums, doing the exact thing she's asked not to but she isn't insufferable. She isn't all "oh no, why am I the chosen one", she isn't "I'm special, you don't say?". She's aware of who she is and is focused on the fact that she has a kingdom to save. Of course, there's a love interest; potentially two love interests, but romance is low-key and does not impair judgement.
Lim's world is beautiful yet it felt contemporary? I know it's supposed to imperial China/Japan, but the way the characters spoke, the mild allusions to dressing and etiquette ( and Shiori saying things like "this too shall pass" or "pain doesn't get easier. You just have to get stronger" ) didn't really give such impression.
Six Crimson Cranes is well-written YA fantasy adventure. If cursed princesses, doomed kingdoms, curses, demons and dragons are your thing, you definitely won't go wrong with this one.
Shiori is a wonderful protagonist - she's a teenager, which means she's bratty, thoughtless, impetuous, given to sulks and tantrums, doing the exact thing she's asked not to but she isn't insufferable. She isn't all "oh no, why am I the chosen one", she isn't "I'm special, you don't say?". She's aware of who she is and is focused on the fact that she has a kingdom to save. Of course, there's a love interest; potentially two love interests, but romance is low-key and does not impair judgement.
Lim's world is beautiful yet it felt contemporary? I know it's supposed to imperial China/Japan, but the way the characters spoke, the mild allusions to dressing and etiquette ( and Shiori saying things like "this too shall pass" or "pain doesn't get easier. You just have to get stronger" ) didn't really give such impression.
Six Crimson Cranes is well-written YA fantasy adventure. If cursed princesses, doomed kingdoms, curses, demons and dragons are your thing, you definitely won't go wrong with this one.