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A review by renpuspita
The Dragon's Promise by Elizabeth Lim
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I rarely reading YA, mostly because I dislike love triangle that back then seems like the norm because of Twilight and I'm often got impatient reading immature characters. But in my latest 30-ish, I discover that some of YA titles are good! That's the case with Six Crimson Cranes and I'm glad that I also enjoyed The Dragon's Promise!
I do agree with reviewers that said for a title with "DRAGON" on it, the story about Shiori's journey to Ai'Long, the Dragon King Palace only happen in like 150 first pages give and take. But, I think the title is more like the "other" dragon's promise and not only Seryu's. I did like with how Lim write about the dragons in the Ai'Long. They are more like capricious, cunning and terrible creature. Seryu is antique, a rarity, but other dragons are creatures with their own agenda. Reading about dragon in this book is a delight for me because often I read dragon as a wise creature or only magical without sinister personality.
The story itself was fast paced and I have a hunch that it's maybe better written as trilogy rather than compressed it into duology. So much happen in this book, from Shiori's journey to Ai'Long in order to fulfil Raikama's wishes, then back to Kiata just to find that the demon Bandur whom a villain in SCC come back to claim his right as a Demon King and demand Shiori to free the demons once and all. Then, continue with Shiori's journey to Raikama's hometown, searching for the true owner of the pearl and the final showdown with the Bandur himself. I agree that Bandur feels like a 2D villain although not too cartoonish. Malicious, but not too over the top. For a book, plenty things happen but the story kinda wrapped nicely while some things kinda left unexplained.
For me, the strength of the Six Crimson Cranes duology is in its characters interaction and relationship. While told entirely from Shiori's first PoV, I still get a glimpse and insight into other characters. I always love the siblings love between Shiori and her six brothers, while they like to bickering, the brothers also support Shiori in her journey and predicaments. What make me surprised is how Shiori's Father, the Emperor himself behave. Yes, he's stern, as befitting of the Emperor of Kiata, but he's also kind. That's the sign that I really read a fantasy book because a kind and loving father is apparently hard to find especially in real life (I admit I have daddy issues, lel)
As for the romance, I'm Team TAKKAN FTW! For Seryu, I find him likable but I always know from the start that he fall into the friend-zone area with Shiori. I mean, they are better as friends! I love Takkan because his soft boy personality, lol. Beside, the romantic arc between Shiori and Takkan already written in Six Crimson Cranes and The Dragon's Promise just kind of make it official. Yeah, I know that Takkan written as a veryyyy nice boy, but I hope in the future Lim will make him hardened enough to face the gossipy & cunning court in the Kiata. Beside, he also show his strength in this book while fighting Bandur and the demons. Reading Shiori and Takkan's romance is one of the book's highlight for me and remind me that sometimes I just need a sweet and over the top young love that still manage to make me swoon.
Discussing about SCC duology is not complete without discuss about Raikama. While I appreciate Shiori's character development in SCC, although her reckless behavior in this book make me shake my head, the most interesting character in SCC duology is Raikama. She's a complex character and if you had read SCC then you already know Raikama's fate in The Dragon's Promise. The focus of this book is more like Shiori's promise to Raikama and how she finally discovered her stepmother's past. How hard Raikama's past was and the reason why she become Shiori's stepmother kinda of heart-wrenching to read. Raikama just want to be loved and have a family of her own. I know that her past will be written more in Her Radiant Curse, and since I know what happen with her in the past, I kinda dreaded reading Her Radiant Curse while also curious.
I like the ending since Lim maybe want to write that HEA can come in many ways, lol. Seems befitting of Shiori and Takkan too, and well, the most important thing is they are happy. Pronto. A well mix of fantasy and romance with characters that you will love, influenced by fusion of Asian myth and a journey that will make you don't want to finish reading (I sure did), I pretty much recommend Six Crimson Cranes duology!!
I do agree with reviewers that said for a title with "DRAGON" on it, the story about Shiori's journey to Ai'Long, the Dragon King Palace only happen in like 150 first pages give and take. But, I think the title is more like the "other" dragon's promise and not only Seryu's. I did like with how Lim write about the dragons in the Ai'Long. They are more like capricious, cunning and terrible creature. Seryu is antique, a rarity, but other dragons are creatures with their own agenda. Reading about dragon in this book is a delight for me because often I read dragon as a wise creature or only magical without sinister personality.
The story itself was fast paced and I have a hunch that it's maybe better written as trilogy rather than compressed it into duology. So much happen in this book, from Shiori's journey to Ai'Long in order to fulfil Raikama's wishes, then back to Kiata just to find that the demon Bandur whom a villain in SCC come back to claim his right as a Demon King and demand Shiori to free the demons once and all. Then, continue with Shiori's journey to Raikama's hometown, searching for the true owner of the pearl and the final showdown with the Bandur himself. I agree that Bandur feels like a 2D villain although not too cartoonish. Malicious, but not too over the top. For a book, plenty things happen but the story kinda wrapped nicely while some things kinda left unexplained.
For me, the strength of the Six Crimson Cranes duology is in its characters interaction and relationship. While told entirely from Shiori's first PoV, I still get a glimpse and insight into other characters. I always love the siblings love between Shiori and her six brothers, while they like to bickering, the brothers also support Shiori in her journey and predicaments. What make me surprised is how Shiori's Father, the Emperor himself behave. Yes, he's stern, as befitting of the Emperor of Kiata, but he's also kind. That's the sign that I really read a fantasy book because a kind and loving father is apparently hard to find especially in real life (I admit I have daddy issues, lel)
As for the romance, I'm Team TAKKAN FTW! For Seryu, I find him likable but I always know from the start that he fall into the friend-zone area with Shiori. I mean, they are better as friends! I love Takkan because his soft boy personality, lol. Beside, the romantic arc between Shiori and Takkan already written in Six Crimson Cranes and The Dragon's Promise just kind of make it official. Yeah, I know that Takkan written as a veryyyy nice boy, but I hope in the future Lim will make him hardened enough to face the gossipy & cunning court in the Kiata. Beside, he also show his strength in this book while fighting Bandur and the demons. Reading Shiori and Takkan's romance is one of the book's highlight for me and remind me that sometimes I just need a sweet and over the top young love that still manage to make me swoon.
Discussing about SCC duology is not complete without discuss about Raikama. While I appreciate Shiori's character development in SCC, although her reckless behavior in this book make me shake my head, the most interesting character in SCC duology is Raikama. She's a complex character and if you had read SCC then you already know Raikama's fate in The Dragon's Promise. The focus of this book is more like Shiori's promise to Raikama and how she finally discovered her stepmother's past. How hard Raikama's past was and the reason why she become Shiori's stepmother kinda of heart-wrenching to read. Raikama just want to be loved and have a family of her own. I know that her past will be written more in Her Radiant Curse, and since I know what happen with her in the past, I kinda dreaded reading Her Radiant Curse while also curious.
I like the ending since Lim maybe want to write that HEA can come in many ways, lol. Seems befitting of Shiori and Takkan too, and well, the most important thing is they are happy. Pronto. A well mix of fantasy and romance with characters that you will love, influenced by fusion of Asian myth and a journey that will make you don't want to finish reading (I sure did), I pretty much recommend Six Crimson Cranes duology!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Grief and Kidnapping
Minor: Pregnancy