Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim

Reviewed by Nané K.
Grade 10

“If fate is a bunch of strings, then I’ll carry scissors.” 

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim, is an Asian retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale, The Wild Swans, in which a princess has to save her 11 brothers from a curse cast by an evil queen. I was drawn to this book because of its beautiful cover, and it did not disappoint. The author manages to weave together elements of Asian mythology and the original fairytale into a stunning magical world that I was totally immersed in as I read.

Six Crimson Cranes’s basic premise does not stray too far from its inspiration. It follows the main character, Shiori--a princess with 6 brothers in the nation of Kiata, where magic is forbidden--and her secret, magic paper bird, Kiki, after Shiori runs away from meeting her betrothed. As she runs away, she falls into a lake near her palace, but a sea dragon saves her from drowning, and ends up teaching her how to control her magic.

However, Shiori’s life only becomes more complicated when she discovers her stepmother, Raikama, is also a magic user, and ends up being a witness when her stepmother places a curse upon her 6 brothers and Shiori herself. The curse turns her brothers into cranes at night, and forbids Shiori from speaking, or else one brother will die each time she speaks. They are also unable to be recognized as the princes and princess of Kiata. The bulk of the book is spent with Shiori as she finds herself transported into another part of Kiata and works endlessly to find her brothers and break the curse.

The characters are a strong point of this book, all being quite endearing. From the snappy sea dragon Seryu, to the other love interest, Takkan, all of the main cast were memorable and felt well thought out. Even the villain, Raikama, was complex and had a rich backstory, which was intriguing to see unfold. The characters’ personalities and attitudes helped to reveal the intricacies of the world building of Six Crimson Cranes, which was another aspect I enjoyed. 

What I enjoyed the most about this book, however, was its plot; the author did a great job in crafting this captivating read. The turn of events never felt contrived or packed, the story moved at a good pace and kept the reader interested. Specifically, I liked the climb back to the top that the main character went through. It truly felt like I was there working with Shiori to break the curse—I could feel her struggles through the page.

I would absolutely recommend Six Crimson Cranes because I think its themes of fate and family are something that everyone can appreciate. Fans of fantasy especially will love this book and its deep magical world.