Six Crimson Cranes

“Find the light that makes your lantern shine. Hold on to it, even when the dark surrounds you. Not even the strongest wind will blow out the flame.”

W. O. W. WOW. This book was so beautiful. I have been waiting for so long to read it and it was one of my most expected reads from 2021. It did not disappoint and it certainly lived up to the hype around it. Also, I'm glad I read Spin the Dawn and Unravel the Dusk before reading this book, because I already felt like I knew this world and the legends, I knew so many things that might be confusing for others. So I recommend reading The Blood of Stars duology first, even though it's not necessary in order to understand Six Crimson Cranes, but it's just nice to know some things. And if you already read Spin the Dawn, the ending of this book will hit you like a speeding truck. It's amazing and totally unexpected!

This is a story about the power of family bonds, about prejudice, about overcoming your fears and survival. It follows Princess Shiori and her six brothers that are turned into six cranes, cursed by their stepmother. Shiori isn't allowed to utter a word, or for every sound that she makes, one of her brothers will die. Separated, they try to find their way back to each other. Unable to speak, it's hard for Shiori to find her brothers. The six brothers only turn into cranes at dawn, so they spend each night in their human forms. Day and night, all they want to do is find their lost sister.

It's a very heart-warming book that made me both happy and sad and I gotta say: Elizabeth's writing style is so beautiful and lyrical and it makes you feel like you're part of a fairytale. This was even better than Spin the Dawn and I LOVED that one so much!