Six Crimson Cranes

Educational Value

The author reimagines the Hans Christian Andersen story "The Wild Swans" and adds elements of Chinese dragon folklore and Chinese and Japanese stories and legends including the Madame White Snake myth, the myth of Chang E the Moon Goddess, the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, and the Girl with the Black Bowl. Readers can look up the original tales if they are unfamiliar with them and see what elements of each the author uses in this story.

Positive Messages

The love of family, bravery, hard work, and sacrifice all help overcome obstacles.

Positive Role Models

Shiori has to lose her identity to find her inner strength and discover how she's hurt someone and make amends. She will sacrifice anything to save her brothers and goes through many trials to help them. While the kingdoms depicted are imaginary, the story draws from many East Asian myths and all the characters are Asian. Like in Hans Christian Anderson's "The Wild Swans," the princess, not her six prince brothers, is the hero of the story.

Violence & Scariness

Someone is nearly burned at the stake, another takes an arrow to the neck, a soldier is run through with a sword, and another soldier is poisoned. Details about closing a very bloody wound with stitches. The main character nearly drowns, is regularly harassed and hit, gets pierced with needles, attacked by wolves, and thrown in jail. A person close to the main character dies, with talk of the death of her mother when she was very young and her mourning.

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Sex, Romance & Nudity

Some near-kisses.

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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Adults are served plum wine. Wine is given as sacrifice to gods.

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Parents Need to Know

父母需要知道Six Crimson Cranes, byElizabeth Lim(The Blood of Starsduology), is a compelling fantasy based on Hans Christian Andersen's "The Wild Cranes" with elements of Chinese and Japanese folklore and myths mixed in. The main character is a cursed princess named Shiori who will sacrifice anything to save her brothers. While under her curse she's regularly harassed and hit, gets pierced with needles, attacked by wolves, and thrown in jail. She's surrounded by some violence and death. Someone's nearly burned at the stake, another takes an arrow to the neck, a soldier is run through with a sword, and another soldier is poisoned. A person close to Shiori dies, and there's much talk of the loss of her mother when she was young. There's some mild romance and talk of kissing, and adults drink some plum wine. Shiori is the kind of female hero that commands attention, even though through most ofSix Crimson Cranesshe's not permitted to speak a word aloud. She will sacrifice anything for her family and goes through many trials to save them. She works hard to make amends when she realizes she's hurt someone.