I’m pre-ordering a copy of this book as soon as I finish writing this review, that’s how much I loved this story.

I love retellings and pretty much anything with fairy tale vibes, so this was right up my alley and it didn’t disappoint. Six Crimson Cranes is a beautifully crafted story about magic, family bonds, love and embracing who you are.

We follow 16 year-old Shiori, the youngest of 7 siblings and only daughter of the Emperor of Kiata. The story starts the day of her betrothal ceremony, something she’d want to avoid at any cost (she’s somewhat of an entitled little brat at this point). Something else she’d want to avoid at all costs? Someone finding out she can wield magic.

Mix those two things together and she ends up jumping into a lake and almost drowning instead of meeting her betrothed. And who saves her? None other than a dragon (yes, there are drgons in this book, it just keeps getting better, I know). Of course, no one believes her, and she’s left to embroider a tapestry as an apology to her betrothed under her stepmother’s watch.

In between sewing, Shiori goes back to her signature mischief, running off to meet with Seryu (the aforementioned dragon) and basically sticking her nose where she should not. That’s how she discovers her stepmother is not who she seems to be. However, when she runs to her brothers to tell them all about their stepmother’ dark magic, they are turned into cranes and the young princess is banished to the farthest reaches of Kiata with a curse by which one of her brothers will die for every word she utters. Penniless, voiceless, and alone, Shiori searches for her brothers, and, on her journey, uncovers a conspiracy to overtake the throne and finds some unexpected allies.

The only critique I can give is that I felt like the pace of the first 30-40% was a little too fast. Everything that happened had an immediate solution, obviously not the whole curse thing, but the small things. For example, Shiori’s alone with no money and no roof over her head but only a couple pages later she already has a job and somewhere to sleep. It was good because it avoided the whole dragging at the beginning that many books suffer, but it was a little too fast for my liking.

Other than that, it was great. The world-building was fantastic, the fairytale vibes where there and, most importantly, I felt for the characters. I have a soft spot for Kiki; I absolutely loved Megari, I want to claim her as my best friend; and Takkan… As much as he was the cliché, perfect book boyfriend who will go to the ends of the world for our girl and die a thousand times over just to see her smile *eyeroll*, I didn’t care because he told the best stories and I want to marry him. What else do you want in life other than a boyfriend who tells you stories?

Also, have you seen this gorgeous cover? I thought the US cover was amazing, but this UK edition? Absolutely flawless.

I can’t wait to read the sequel and find out what mischief Seryu will be up to (is someone else sensing a love triangle in the making or is it just me?)

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the e-ARC in exchange of an honest and voluntary review.