Six Crimson Cranes really made me super feel so many things, it made my face burn with anger, my heart warm at the sight of their loving family, and my eyes water. Elizabeth Lim was able to make me (and many others) sympathize with Shiori, a passionate, determined, and strong main character. The way Shiori was ready to sacrifice everything in order to save her brothers was so admirable and her times of doubt just made her all the more real and relatable. Lim managed to create Shiori and all the other characters have unique and developed personalities.
I really liked how the book was a retelling of the fairytale The Wild Swans. It made the book feel familiar and nostalgic, yet still kept that feeling of mystery of what will happen next. The world-building was really good and I loved all the aspects of magic, dragons, curses and quests so much! Elizabeth Lim’s strong suit in her writing is definitely world-building and the sensory aspects, as both were insanely detailed and immerse the reader straight into it.
Unlike other stories where the plot twist reveals something terrible and shocking, the plot twist in Six Crimson Cranes was absolutely heartwarming. The slow reveal of the so-called “villain” was extremely enjoyable as well.
My favourite character had to be Kiki, a paper crane made from the magic of the main character, Shiori. Kiki was such a mood, she was a great comedic relief and tended to ease any excessive tension that built up while reading. She was just such a funny character who always had to have the last word.
I don’t have many complaints about this book, but I do wish that the pacing of the novel was consistent, at some parts I felt it went too fast and at others, too slow. Regardless, the book was amazing and I will definitely be rereading it for a second time this year!