Review: 'Six Crimson Cranes' by Elizabeth Lim

Six Crimson Cranes came to me at the perfect time, right in the middle of a summer holiday during which I was looking further abroad for my fantasy, myth and fairy tales. I grew up with, even was raised on the Grimms' Brothers' fairy tales and they are so deeply embedded in my DNA that I love revisiting them in new guises. Not always, however, are those adaptations as successful as Elizabeth Lim's Six Crimson Cranes is.

Pub. Date: 7/6/2021
Publisher: Knopf

Shiori, the only princess of Kiata, has a secret. Forbidden magic runs through her veins. Normally she conceals it well, but on the morning of her betrothal ceremony, Shiori loses control. At first, her mistake seems like a stroke of luck, forestalling the wedding she never wanted, but it also catches the attention of Raikama, her stepmother.

Raikama has dark magic of her own, and she banishes the young princess, turning her brothers into cranes, and warning Shiori that she must speak of it to no one: for with every word that escapes her lips, one of her brothers will die.

Penniless, voiceless, and alone, Shiori searches for her brothers, and, on her journey, uncovers a conspiracy to overtake the throne—a conspiracy more twisted and deceitful, more cunning and complex, than even Raikama's betrayal. Only Shiori can set the kingdom to rights, but to do so she must place her trust in the very boy she fought so hard not to marry. And she must embrace the magic she's been taught all her life to contain—no matter what it costs her.

I adore fairy tales because they're both deep and absurd. They are fantastical to the highest degree and yet frequently reflect real societal truths. Step-mothers frequently did inherit too many children to feed. The woods are indeed a dark and dangerous place. Being clever can get you far. Social mobility is a tricky subject, depending on whether it is men or women who do the social climbing. Every fairy tale, especially the ones collected by the Brothers Grimm, like 'The Six Swans' on which Six Crimson Cranes is predominantly based, is full of these themes and ideas. They are also full of magic, of misfortune and sudden good luck, wise old crones and cunning young men. Fairy tales provide the perfect source for re-tellings and adaptations and Elizabeth Lim does so brilliantly. She never mistakes their straightforwardness for a lack of complexity, instead reveling in the layers of story-telling that make up a single fairy-tale.

Shiori knows a few things for sure. She loves her brothers, even if they can be annoying. She must keep her magic hidden. She very much does not want to get married. And then everything is upended when she and her six brothers are cursed by their step-mother Raikama. Now Shiori cannot speak and must try to free herself and her brothers, as intrigue and betrayals swirl around her. Shiori is a great main character, stubborn and fiercely loyal, but also something of a dreamer. Another fascinating character is her step-mother, Raikama, who consistently moves between mother-figure and antagonist and who continued to surprise me. Shiori's brothers aren't sketched as clearly and feel a little bit more like periphery figures, even if they clearly are majorly important to Shiori. She did feel like a real teenager, which was fun to read but might not be equally fun for other more mature readers. 

While I have seen praise for Elizabeth Lim before, this is my first time reading her writing. I completely adored the ways in which she showed Shiori's maturing, growing and developing. She really went from a slightly spoiled princess and youngest sibling to someone who was capable of sacrifice and understanding. Since we're consistently in her perspective, we really got to go on that journey with her, and our own perspectives changed as a result. I also loved the interweaving of different fairy tale themes into the larger 'Six Swans' narrative, it worked seamlessly.  So did the Japanese take on it. At no point did it feel forced or antithetical and the story was actually enriched by this new setting and background. As I mentioned above, not every character is equally worked out, but since it's such a clear coming-of-age story it also makes sense Shiori might not, at the beginning, have much of an eye for other people's struggles. While Six Crimson Cranes does slightly end on a cliffhanger, with a clear set-up to the sequel, its own story is finished and completed. I do have to say I can't wait for the sequel. When it is coming?!

I give this novel...

4 Universes!

Six Crimson Cranes gave me exactly what I wanted, which was a beautiful, Japanese take on 'The Six Swans' fairy tale. With a great main character and stunning writing, this is definitely a book I'd recommend.