Six Crimson Cranes

Six Crimson Cranes, Book 1

By: Elizabeth Lim

Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller

New York Times Best Seller

A princess in exile, a shapeshifting dragon, six enchanted cranes, and an unspeakable curse....

Drawing from fairy tales and East Asian folklore, this original fantasy from the author of Spin the Dawn is perfect for fans of Shadow and Bone.

"A dazzling fairytale full of breathtaking storytelling." (Stephanie Garber, New York Times best-selling author of Caraval)

Shiori'anma, 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.

A sorceress in her own right, Raikama banishes the young princess, turning her brothers into cranes. She warns 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 uncovers a dark conspiracy to seize the throne. Only Shiori can set the kingdom to rights, but to do so she must place her trust in a paper bird, a mercurial dragon, and the very boy she fought so hard not to marry. And she must embrace the magic she's been taught all her life to forswear - no matter what the cost.

Weaving together elements of The Wild Swans, Cinderella, the legend of Chang E, and the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, Elizabeth Lim has crafted a fantasy like no other, and one that will stay with listeners long after they've turned listened to the last minute.

"A stunning remake of a fairytale. Six Crimson Cranes is the perfect blend of whimsy and ferociousness, with twists and turns that will tug at your heartstrings." (Chloe Gong, New York Times best-selling author of These Violent Delights)

"Fast-paced excitement is balanced with a satisfyingly intricate plot that weaves in elements from Western fairy tales and East Asian folklore." (SLJ, starred review)

"A richly imagined landscape...vibrant, fast-paced." (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

©2021 Elizabeth Lim (P)2021 Listening Library

Critic reviews

"A dazzling fairytale full of breathtaking storytelling. Six Crimson Cranes elegantly weaves between whimsical and heart pounding as it takes readers on a magical adventure full of entwined fates, surprising curses, and beautiful mythology. It also has a very sexy dragon.” (Stephanie Garber, New York Times best-selling author of Caraval)

"This book is magic! The writing will transport you, and you will love Shiori. I myself loved her from the moment she jumped out the window to escape her betrothal ceremony - which was the very first scene." (Kristin Cashore, New York Times best-selling author of Graceling)

"A stunning remake of a fairytale. Six Crimson Cranes is the perfect blend of whimsy and ferociousness, with twists and turns that will tug at your heartstrings." (Chloe Gong, New York Times best-selling author of These Violent Delights)

a delightful telling with exceptional narraration

I can never fail to praise Emily Woo Zeller for being and exceptional narrator with many voices the story itself though at moments anxiety inducing uses the suspense well and each tense moment comes with a reprieve. I appreciated that the romantic concepts were not over that top lovey nonsense and a sense of duty prevailed over adolescent infatuation. My negative take away from the overall score is for the fact that the story has some... heavy gaps in realistic physics and time spans that I'm aware aren't the point of fantasy novels but at times the glossing over of real world concepts took away some immersion for me. that being said I would absolutely recommend for any reader that enjoys these types of novels. it was a delight and my work day melted away lost in the story.

Fairytale for feeding your inner child and stimulating adults.

This was the best fairytale I have heard in a long time. Highly recommend for anyone with a love for classic myths and YA pacing.

Brilliant narration

I liked the subtle romance, the mystical nature of the whole thing, I really want to know more about the main “villain’s background but of course I assume the other books will dive into it more. The narrator was the best there could’ve been so I recommend

Beautiful storytelling! Full of clever twists.

Emily Woo Zeller does an epic job narrating a gorgeous story! Full of compelling characters and and twists and turns you don’t see coming.

I'm gutted.

I absolutely loved this book. It was easily one of my top three books this year (and they are all fighting for first place). I'm gutted that I have to wait for book 2, but I will happily do so. The story, the world, and the characters combine to make an unforgettable tale. The writing and prose were beautiful, and the way Lim revealed revelations along with all of the twists and turns was well done in such a subtle yet powerful way that made perfect sense and felt realistic without being overbearing and in your face like so many other books I've read have a tendency to be.
I loved the narrator for this book as well, even though I usually have a hard time getting into her storytelling style. But as per usual, after the first few chapters, she is always able to pull me in and keep me emersed in the story until the very last word.

Magic

This story started a bit slow for me. But once it got going there was plenty of action and heart, and magic. Well written. Excellent narration. I’m looking forward to more of the story. I hope there is more of the story!

Perfect story!

This first book was fantastic! The characters, story, and performance was amazing! Highly recommend this book!

Entertained throughout

Not one boring scene. The story keeps you interested from the moment to the end. One of my favorite books. Love the little romance and action packed story!

Amazing!

I would recommend to any young listener! It was very complicated and intriguing story, though in the middle it became a little slow. But overall it was great!

Story Telling at its best!!

One powerful female lead and one powerful adventure!! Loved this book, the story rose to fever pitch and never came down!! This is my favorite book of all time. I fell in love with this world and these characters.