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Six Crimson Cranes

The magical and spellbinding fantasy fairytale retelling

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Six Crimson Cranes

By: Elizabeth Lim
Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
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About this listen

 A princess in exile. Six enchanted cranes. An unspeakable curse.

A beautiful and immersive YA fantasy retelling of the Grimm brothers' The Six Swans fairytale, set in an East-Asian inspired world, by the author of Spin the Dawn.

'A dazzling fairy tale full of breathtaking storytelling' Stephanie Garber, Sunday Times bestselling author of Caraval

Shiori'anma, the only princess of Kiata, has a secret. Forbidden magic runs in her veins. And 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, 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 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 contain - no matter what it costs.

Praise for Six Crimson Cranes

'An unputdownable, sweeping fairytale that thrills as much as it delights' Kerri Maniscalco, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Kingdom of the Wicked

'This book is magic!' Kristin Cashore, New York Times bestselling author of Graceling

'A stunning remake of a fairytale' Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights

'This is a gem for all lovers of whimsical fantasy!' Natasha Ngan, New York Times bestselling author of Girls of Paper and Fire

(P) 2021 Listening Library©2021 Elizabeth Lim Action & Adventure Asian & Pacific Islander Creators Fantasy Literature & Fiction Magic Royalty Fiction Dragons

Critic Reviews

** PRAISE FOR ELIZABETH LIM **
A dazzling fairy tale full of breathtaking storytelling
This is a gem for all lovers of whimsical fantasy!
This book is magic!
A resilient heroine, a cast of imaginative characters, and creative plot turns make this gem of a novel sparkle
A princess with a secret, forbidden magic, betrothals gone awry-Six Crimson Cranes is an unputdownable, sweeping fairytale that thrills as much as it delights. Lim is a master storyteller which is apparent with every magical turn of the page.
Six Crimson Cranes is a true fairy tale adventure with a vividly drawn world, a lovable and dynamic heroine, and a complex wicked stepmother. With her skillful combination of folklore and surprising plot twists, Elizabeth Lim takes readers on a captivating and wholly original journey
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
A must-read for lovers of folkloric fantasy, told with flair and originality. Readers will be captivated by Shiori's journey
Positively enchanting, and absolutely worthy of its hype. I felt like I was pulled into the most beautiful fairytale, and I never wanted to leave
Sure to delight even the most jaded of fantasy readers
What an amazing creation! Every time I thought I knew where it was going, I was wrong. This is a white-knuckle read!
A nuanced, compelling cast. Seamlessly intertwining western and East Asian folklore, Lim embroiders a richly imagined landscape in this vibrant, fast-paced duology starter
An addictive magical adventure
Elizabeth Lim is such an incredible storyteller . . . This amazing story will leave you breathless and aching to keep reading it long after you've finished
Elizabeth Lim weaves a magical tale of a determined young woman who lets nothing stand in her way. I for one cannot wait to read the second . . . It's a definite hit
Enchanting and lyrical, this book offers young adult readers an immersive tale of grit and adventure with a princess who will win their hearts
Captivating, magical, and immersive... a breath-taking fantasy and one of this year's standout book releases - Voice Magazine review
All stars
Most relevant
There are so many things about this book that I love. The writing, the narration, the mythology, the characters, the setting but the story gets so dragging around 2/3 of the book and it really stalled all my interest. There was a lot of “this again?” “Why?!” “Of course she is unlucky AGAIN”. At one point where the main character was this close to dying I was like “maybe it’s better for everyone if we end the suffering here”. I might read the second book but I need a break.

I want to love this book

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just loved everything about this. beautifully written, excellent narration. I thought it might be a nice book, but far exceeded my expectations. highly recommend

loved this so much

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I loved this book and the narration was beautiful, I cannot wait to start the next book and see where the adventure continues

loved it

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I knew this story would deliver in terms of immaculate world-building with lush mythology, easy-going writing that expertly tells intriguing legends, and strong characters who are worth rooting for. As anticipated, this is a really well-rounded story that lives up to expectations on every front.

Great story! Wonderful narration

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Really enjoyed Six Crimson Cranes. It captured me right from the start. amazing world and story. highly recommended.

Enthralling

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