Six Crimson Cranes

Drawing inspiration from The Six Swans and The Wild Swans, Six Crimson Cranes tells the story of Shiori, the Princess of Kiata, trying to get away from her arranged marriage to Lord Takkan Bushian, and on the day of the betrothal ceremony, loses control over her magic. Magic is forbidden in Kiata, and her stepmother Raikama, a powerful sorceress in her own right, curses Shiori and her six brothers by turning her brothers into cranes, banishing Shirori, and cursing her such that every sound she speaks causes one of her brothers to die.

The worldbuilding was absolutely stunning - I loved the way that the myths and fairytale elements blended together. The introduction of magic, dragons, quests, curses, and demons all blended so well in this fantasy land of Kiata. Even the two festivals that were showcased in the book were so different from each other but both had Asian elements that felt so familiar to me as I read it.

And the descriptions, especially of the food! I don't often get to read about persimmons in fiction, so it was great to see one of my favorite fruits spotlighted in a book. Shiori is a foodie, and I found myself salivating over all the brilliant descriptions of the food that Shiori encounters, as well as the memories she associates with various dishes and recipes.

I loved the sibling dynamics, both between Shiori and her brothers as well as between Takkan and Megari. I wish Seryu and Shiori's relationship had been explored more, but I know it was mostly set up so that it could be explored more in the upcoming sequel. I loved how Raikama wasn't just reduced to the "evil stepmother" trope, but their relationship was filled with complexities that had me crying at the end of the book. And I loved Shiori's companion Kiki, who was incredibly hilarious.

I absolutely loved this book and can't wait to read the sequel.

A thank you to Random House Children's Knopf Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the ARC.