Hello! Happy to bring you another video review! Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim was better than Snow White!
Here’s what I thought
Six Crimson Cranes can be summed up with one word: Polished! This is a well written, properly paced, seriously characterized book that ticks all the boxes of modern storytelling. I even liked the romantic subplot. However, when I really think about it, I can’t really point to a single element that blew me away. The book just felt kind of ‘good’.
Below, I will talk about the book’s world, the plot, the magic system, the characters, and the philosophical undertones.
Quick plot summary: Unrily Princess Shiori is cursed by her stepmother to be unrecognizable and mute, and her six brothers are turned to cranes. Can she overturn the curse to save her brothers?
The world: The world is Japanese/Asian in nature, with tons of kimonos, peach blossoms, and fish soup. I adored the subtle vibe, which was quite gentle. I think the cultural intensity was moderated so that this book will appeal to a global audience. Besides, there are dragons in the ocean and demons in the mountain, which is always fun.
The plot: The plot is reaaally well-paced. Surprises take place at the proper points in the story. While this SHOULD make everything seem predictable, it doesn’t. I enjoyed each twist and elevation in stakes.
The magic system: This world’s magic system is soft enough to make anything seem possible, while being hard enough to place proper limitations on Shiori herself. I really enjoyed how this was handled through the curse, and how that served the plot, particularly Shiori’s struggles against the stepmother.
The Characters: Shiori and her betrothed were really solid, as was the dragon boy. I could tell the author struggled to identify each brother from one another given their limited “screen time”, but she really did the best with what she had, so all in all, I liked the characters.
Philosophical Undertones in the Book: I happen to be reading Plato’s Republic while reading this book, and I couldn’t help but identify his concept of “true falsehoods” with this book. True falsehoods are actual thoughts or opinions formed in our minds, which are completely false. Six Crimson cranes, as I see it, hinges on this concept. Shiori has wrong opinions about basically everything: The Step Mother, her fiance, her own curse, and her brothers. If at any time those assumptions had been challenged, the plot would have changed. Therefore, I think we can identify true falsehoods as a main philosophical concept in the book.
All in all, I thought the book was an exemplar, technically stellar book, and deserves 4 stars!