Date of Completion: 30/07/2021
Despite the hype that surrounds it, ‘Six Crimson Cranes’ was not high on my list of books to read. The mediocre blurb failed to entice me with its offer of a light-hearted and fluffy, Young Adult (YA) read. It was not until I came across its beautiful cover at the bookstore that I was drawn to this book.
It was love at first sight! The elegant font, simple illustration and soft, pastel colours grabbing my attention and demanding that I read this book.
Even so, I feared that the contents of this book would not match its stunning cover, but all it took was the first sentence to relieve my concerns. The enchantingly vivid writing that follows this sentence swiftly earned my rapt attention. Its smooth, simple flow wrapped itself around me like a snug blanket, lulling me straight into the world that Elizabeth Lim skilfully constructs.
Stray too close to the fire, and you only burn
The world-building is comprised of a gradual release of details across the book. This does mean that very little information is revealed at the start, which can put off some readers. However, Elizabeth soon establishes a detailed and creative world that even includes a few unique elements.
Much like the world-building, the storyline starts off rather simple as the stage is set for the coming adventure. Once this is done, things pick up rather quickly, and the storyline proves to be far more complex than initially portrayed. Several twists and dangerous situations are also used to increase the tension, making the storyline even more intriguing.
Greed is a great motivator
Our main character, Princess Shiori, is another element that starts off relatively simple. I struggled to connect and relate with her original spoilt and self-centred personality. Thankfully, as the storyline proceeds, Shiori proves to be more complex and stronger than I had initially perceived her to be. Her character growth is one of the strongest I’ve read in a while as it felt very natural and realistic.
Another strong feature of this book is that it manages to avoid most YA fantasy tropes. This is especially noticeable in the romance elements of the story. What we have here is a remarkably natural and non-toxic romance that does not become the sole focus of the story. That’s right – it is possible to have a storyline that is so well developed it does not rely on romance to fill up pages with unnecessary anguish.
This book also stands out in the strong family ties it presents. There is something very heart-warming about these characters who love and respect their family dearly. Yes, no family is perfect, but every now and again, it is still nice to read about caring families that really try to do what’s best for each other.
On the whole, ‘Six Crimson Cranes’ is a fantastic start to a series that I can easily see becoming a favourite of mine. The writing is terrific and well-supported by a complex storyline full of numerous twists and lovable characters. However, it does start off quite simple and slow-paced, so I’m giving it 4 stars. I would still highly recommend this book for all YA fantasy lovers as it refreshingly avoids most tropes associated with the genre.
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[…] Ultimately, I enjoyed ‘Protect the Prince’ just as much as the preceding book once it got going. The fascinating world was nicely expanded, and the engaging writing and protagonist made the story hard to put down. A similar fantasy read with mystery and romance to check out if you liked this is Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim. […]