Princess Shiori'anma is the youngest child of Emperor Hanriyu and his only daughter - she is head strong, strong willed, and can use forbidden magic. As the daughter of the emperor she has been betrothed to a total stranger, a pawn for the benefit of the kingdom. On the day of her betrothal ceremony she runs and jumps into the Sacred Lake, where she meets a dragon and seals her fate. She has embarrassed her father in front of the whole kingdom and must make amends, but she has also found a teacher of magic - the dragon Seryu. As Shiori learns about magic from Seryu and learns to harness it, she also toils under the watchful eye of her stepmother to produce an apology to her betrothed Takkan Bushian and his family.
It is a careful balancing act, Shiori is eager to learn about magic, but she also has to keep a watchful eye on her stepmother - who seems to be keeping an equally careful eye on Shiori. When Shiori's curiosity gets the better of her and she spies on her stepmother she makes a startling discovery - and suffers a terrifying punishment. Her stepmother uses magic to turn Shiori's brothers into cranes and hides Shiori under a magical disguise. When she wakes far away from home she learns her stepmothers cruelty doesn't end there, because for each word she says one of her brothers will die. The only chance to save herself and her brothers is a magical quest that will push her to the limits.
Six crimson cranes is a stunning retelling of the 'Six swans' traditional tale - and it is a vibrant and rich story that uses the traditional story as a base but brings so much more to the table. The world of Princess Shiori and her family is richly imagined and totally engrossing, with little cultural details and hints that make it a complete world in it's own right. I have read a previous duology by Elizabeth Lim, and she has once again proved that she is an exceptional writer with an easy style that lets you drop right into her world and feel right at home. Not every reader will recognise the source material for Six crimson cranes, but that doesn't matter because Lim has taken the source and woven her own story that stands on its own merits. Often retellings of traditional stories keep their story short, but at more than 400 pages Lim has created an epic story - with the potential for more stories set in the same world.
I love reading modern retellings of traditional stories as they can keep those traditional stories alive in a new form, and they can offer unique perspectives on those stories by adding cultural elements or other touches that give the story a unique flavour. Elizabeth Lim, along with Julie C. Dao, are two authors who are taking traditional tales and adding to them with a distinctly Asian cultural feel that is both very satisfying and leaves you wanting more! Hopefully Elizabeth Lim will have many more stories to share as they are a real treat.
If you like this book then try:
- Spin the dawn by Elizabeth Lim
- Forest of a thousand lanterns by Julie C. Dao
- Kingdom of the blazing phoenix by Julie C. Dao
- Throne of glass by Sarah J. Maas
- A court of thorns and roses by Sarah J. Maas
- Girls of paper and fire by Natasha Ngan
- Graceling by Kristin Cashore
- Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst
- The girl of fire and thorns by Rae Carson
- Walk on Earth a stranger by Rae Carson
- Warrior of the wild by Tricia Levenseller
- Sea witch by Sarah Henning
Reviewed by Brilla
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