I honestly thought that I was going to love this, but sadly it just didn't work out.

Following the sudden death of her father, Princess Hestina of Yan finds herself being made queen. However, her beginnings as queen are made difficult due to plots against the crown, threats of war, and potential foul play.

On paper, this book sounds like a perfect match for me. The premise is fantastic and I loved the Chinese-inspired world. Yet, I feel like it wasn't delivered to its full potential.
The story started strong, albeit a tad chaotic, and I was invested in the characters, but it all became a little messy. I thought the pacing was off, as there would be parts filled with loads of action but would plateau off suddenly, and the characters didn't have much substance to them To make a story stand out and grab hold of my attention, the characters have to be well-developed enough to make me invest in them. Sadly, this didn't happen in this book, which is most likely why I failed to connect to the story.
There were glimpses of world-building, but I still wanted more information/details about the world and magic. I think with a little more careful sculpting, a fantastical society with epic magic could be created.

Overall, I feel that this holds a lot of potential, but it just wasn't quite there for me.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

If there’s a rating higher than 5 stars, I’d give it all to this book. Even though this is a Young Adult Fantasy, my go-to genre, Descendant of the Crane is totally different from what I usually read. Don’t let the synopsis fool you. The plot took me to yet the most jaw-dropping adventure I’ve ever experienced. The lyrical writing turned the words into beautiful images in my mind. The characters were as interesting as they are suspicious. Seriously, if you haven’t read this book, you’re missing a great deal.

In the first chapter, it felt like I was being thrown into the story with no warning and explanations. The fast pace swept me right into the middle of the problem. This wasn’t an issue for me because I was able to catch up real quick. But if you’re not sure whether or not you should continue reading because you don’t understand a thing, just trust me and keep going. All the secrets will be made known in the end. Yes, the plot twists were dizzying but it made me crave for more and I couldn’t stop reading!

This book is action-packed and I must say the story is darker than what I expected. There were so many moments that made me questioned and reflect on my life because things that happened in the book are also what’s currently happen around us. It may not seem as deep as I described it but if you look closer, the state of the world in this book is also the state of our world. Corruption thrives, people with position and money get to do whatever they want, there are people who are not being treated as human, and other sickening truths. We live in such a terrible and ugly world.

Quoting King George III from his song What Comes Next from Hamilton: “Do you know how hard it is to lead?” and “It’s much harder when it’s all your call”, being crowned queen at the age of 17 is no easy task. Throughout the story, I was made aware of how cruel and difficult it is to be a leader in a court full of snakes especially when your kingdom is built on lies. Hesina was too young to be involved in such things but she proved to be a strong, independent, and capable young woman.

The politics in this book is no joke. Each character has their own agenda thus they were not what they appeared to be. But that’s what made me more invested in the story. From the beginning, I could see how there was so much more in the story than the synopsis let on. Betrayals, secrets, history, despair, and heartbreak. I’m totally stunned by how amazing Joan He crafted the court intrigues. Be very careful of who you trust.

Those mind-blowing twists were not going to work well without the awesome characters. Aside from Hesina, there were also two other brilliant women, Lilian and Mei. Both of them were fantastic and smart, my heart was theirs from the start. Akira was the mysterious one, Rou was the sweet one, Sanjing was the brave one, and Caiyan was the one with a big brother role. They have great characterizations and they certainly grew on me. Each of them has a special place in Hesina’s heart and I love every moment I got to see their relationships and interactions developed.

Please, let me warn you, this is not a fairy tale. If you’re looking for something like Spin the Dawn, this is not it. The romance is slowly developed and isn’t the main part of the story nor the one thing that drove Hesina and her main goal. But, you will find other relationships that’ll surely melt and break your heart.

Also, can please someone tell me is this a standalone or the first installment of a series? Because I’d love to know what will happen after THAT ending! And I’m still not satisfied with so many things. And I want to know more about Siahryn because he charmed me with his cunning and manipulate way!

Overall, Descendant of the Crane became a book that is precious to me. This isn’t your ordinary YA fantasy. This book is a mirror to myself, to yourself, to the people around you, to the world, to everyone. It told our story through Hesina’s journey as a new queen. The intricate and breathtaking royal politics completed with astounding writing and incredible characters, Descendant of the Crane is undoubtedly a 5-star read for me. If you’re looking for the next fantasy masterpiece to be added to your TBR, this book is the best choice!

Quality Rating: Four Stars
Enjoyment Rating: Five Stars
What a debut. Descendant of the Crane was not what I expected; it was so much more. Joan He has written one of the most interesting female protagonists at the head of a very complex political drama with some strong mystery and fantastical elements. The Chinese-inspired foundations were an added bonus that I adored, and while I've dipped my toes into a range of Asian-inspired retellings/history I don't think I've actually read one based on China until now.

I had this feeling, while reading, that if I were to poke around the details of the politics or events it'd probably fall like a house of cards. But I didn't want to poke it. Hesina is so compelling and the story moves through the motions so quickly that I found it easy to just sort of let it go. And now that I've finished it, I don't want to interrogate either because it was such a fun ride. I feel like details and world elements are so well positioned they're almost like a standee on a stage: you only see one side of it, and you kind of know that the other side isn't painted, it hasn't been fully worked out. But the point of having it there is totally relevant, so you only need to see that one side to help the story flow. I'm not saying it's necessarily better than truly having those things worked out - but it's a darn sight better than info-dumping because you're self-conscious people won't understand what's going on. As it is, in a world I'm not super familiar with the formalities of, I got what was happening, the power status and duties of Hesina and the kingdom's tensions through the process of reading the story.

All in all, the actual plot was so engaging. The end twist was a bit hard for me to fully get with (and it's so obvious this is going to be a series, despite what GoodReads says), but there's so many twists and turns and all of them are so strongly rooted in Hesina and her growing understanding of her role as Queen. For some reason before starting, I was expecting a sort of adventure across the empire storyline, but actually Descendant of the Crane is very focused on the palace and the court, though we visit other places occasionally. While I would say it's probably more about relationships than straight-up politics, the tensions between what was right or wrong for a country, and the responsibility of choosing those wisely was explored in an interesting way.

As I've mentioned, Hesina is such a fascinating protagonist. When I began reading, I was struck by how quickly we got into the thick of things - her father is already dead, she is practically in power already, and the obstacles are quite clear immediately. And I think that's because He puts Hesina right in the middle of this story; it's her choices and her mistakes and her motivations that we're really exploring in the frame of this kingdom and its conflicts.

This, of course, would not be as effective as it is without the surrounding cast of characters who were undoubtedly my favourite aspect of this book. First of all, I do have a soft spot for fraught sibling rivalries and divided loyalties, so Hesina with her blood brother, half brother, and adopted brother and sister all trying to help her with very different perspectives was always gonna be a fun state of affairs for me personally. I will also mention I love the subtly of the romance, and the influence it had on Hesina without taking over her storyline - in fact, Hesina's priorities were a very sensible and engaging driving force for this book that you rarely get to see so eloquently carried out.

I thoroughly enjoyed Descendant of the Crance, and while there were holes in it and I debated what rating to give it, I was so impressed on a number of accounts that it would've been unfair to rate it any lower than five stars. While I far and away prefer stand-alones to series, I will happily read a sequel to this.

GIVE ME MORE BOOKS INSPIRED BY CHINESE LORE PLEASE!

This is a very description heavy book that can feel a little slow to start with but has you absolutely hooked by the halfway point. The World building and the magic system is well thought out and I love that there are rules to it and more importantly, that the rules make sense!

If you're a fan of fantasy novels i would urge you to pick this up, the rich and unique setting makes for a very interesting read.

First of all, this is not a standalone. I thought it would be but it wasn’t, so I had slightly different expectations. That those were not met, is not in any case a bad thing. In the contrary, I was positively surprised by it and how much more into depth the book was able to go this way (and its sequel as well).

That said, I have to say that I really enjoyed this book! It’s a cool mix of crime and fantasy, with characters that are sometimes mysterious, sometimes too nice, sometimes actually nice. It was hard to really see through the characters which made the story only more interesting. I was waiting for something to happen, the build up to the plot twist was great with subtle hints here and there and neither the protagonist nor the reader knowing who to trust.
I liked Hesina as a main character. She’s young, just became queen and struggles through the loss of her father, court intrigues and a possible war looming at her borders. She tries to manage all of it while still following her gut and her own wishes. She’s sometimes impulsive, not listening to anyone else. Hesina is flawed but she has a good heart and I liked discovering the world and story through her eyes.

I also liked her band of other characters, her brother, her half-brother, her adopted siblings and Akira, the convict. They were all complex, layered characters and I was never sure what to think about them, constanly getting more info on them, they showing the sides the world needed to see at one point or another. Their dynamics and relationships were so well written and developing. A thing I also enjoyed was how the romance wasn’t a big part of the story.

By far my favourite thing about the book were the sooths though. Not necessarily the sooths as characters but who they are and how their magic works. This is probably one of my favourite magic systems ever and I so hope that I’ll get to see more of it in a next book.

Descendant of the Crane also had wonderfully much action. I like my plots character heavy and with plenty of action and I got that in this story. There was fighting, explotions, swords and poisons, words thrown around. I enjoyed this Chinese-inspired fantasy so much and loved the torn world, the complex characters and yes, the action.

2.5 - 3 stars

I've stopped and started a bit on DESCENDANT OF THE CRANE because while the story does bite and the characters are rich and well developed, the pacing was variable and the story lost traction a couple of times.

Princess Hesina had a quest that was pretty tough and dangerous, finding her father's killer. Her's was a world where magic was banned which complicated her investigation and those around her. I was rather confused for a while over the number of siblings she had and who was who. There were those definitely on her side and some I was unsure of. She turned to an incarcerated prisoner to help and that was pretty confusing but also intriguing at the same time.

The strongest thing about this story was the female-driven plot line and power that females had in the world. It also had its moments of violence and killing, I've got to say, that floated my boat!

There was a fair bit of drama in this fantasy world, some of which I enjoyed and other elements that frustrated me. As the plot waned, so did my connection to the story and overall it left me with a very middle of the road impression.

Thank you to Titan book for the gifted digital review copy.

This book left me with so many mixed feelings. At first I loved it; I loved the concept, I loved the fact that it was Chinese inspired, I loved the richness of the world, I loved the main character, Hesina. But the further I read, the more conflicted I became as problems arose.

Let’s start with the good stuff.

I loved the prose and the extracts from the Tenets, especially as the story went on and more was revealed. It serves as a great plot tool.

Hesina was my favourite part of this book. She is gutsy and smart and a true queen; not just a little girl. She understands politics and diplomacy and scheming and yes, she makes mistakes, but she matures over the course of the novel and her actions impressed me again and again. I felt so much love and admiration for her as a character.

The world of Descendant of the Crane is rich and imaginative and I love the Chinese elements, which is a refreshing change from the majority of fantasy worlds based on Western cultures.

I liked the whole concept and the plot, for the most part, was well paced and kept me interested. There were several plot twists that stunned me and I was intrigued by the entire story.

Sadly, the ending left me feeling disappointed. An open ending is fine, but there still needs to be a certain level of closure. The ending of this book felt like the end of a first book in a series – not like the end of a standalone, which this is.

Another problematic element was the lack of character development. Aside from Hesina, all the other characters were unconvincing and should have been much more fleshed out. Unfortunately the lack of depth to many characters resulted in many scenes that should have packed a huge emotional punch falling flat.

An unexpected effect of this, however, is that the fact the other characters often feel like strangers serves to emphasise Hesina’s isolation as queen.

I wish the romance was developed a bit more as well, because there was very little chemistry between Hesina and Yan and the little bit of romance just felt unnatural.

As a whole this was an enjoyable read and I would definitely read a sequel if there was one, as I loved the story world and I feel the ending leaves a lot (too much?) room for further exploration.

Yonks – that’s how long it took for me to chase this book. I wanted it. For its cover, for its blurb, for its vibe. Hell, even the title was appealing. I finally got it, thanks to Titan Books and Netgalley. Was the itchy chase worth it? Well, yes and no.

Maybe it’s the young adult factor in the genre that leaves me a bit wanting for more, maybe it’s the fact that what I expected was not at all the reality of this book. Hear me out…

The start was promising what with the characters coming across funky and fresh. Not to mention the princess turned queen who takes the investigation into his father’s death as her first task. As always, court intrigue will promise traitorous weasels and misplaced trust. There is also the matter of sooths – essentially, they’re the kind of folk who can do magic, and are witch-hunted. So, there’s your outcast from the society covered, too!

But. But, but, but. All the intrigue ended for me there. I would have LOVED to get MORE of the Chinese-culture. There is, indeed, mention of clothing and such but.. that was kind of it? I was hoping for more of a cultural feast for the mind, however, for me, the story could have taken place anywhere at any court. I am not trying to be mean, I just feel like there’s a whole vibe here that did not bounce off the page quite like it potentially could have.

Hesina herself had all the lovely qualities- heart in the right place, stubborn where need be, passionate for her cause and so on. But here’s the crux, I KNOW that she’s passionate for what she believes in, I just didn’t feel it. The other characters were interesting as well – Hesina’s brother (I think he had more of the spunk in him to fit a ‘sticky’ character, but hey-ho), the adopted twin siblings. I mean, the more characters in the book, the better because you never know then whose betrayal will hurt the most, aye?!

The plot and story itself, while having interesting substance, felt draggy. Maybe the mystery was trying to deliver too much. That said, there did appear a few major twists making the story memorable. But those elements that I found mega-interesting from the twists – they didn’t feel like BIG things. hmm… I don’t know… Also, same can be said for the awkward boy-gazing Hesina found herself doing and never really following through on. It felt pointless, the admiration of one without ever actually capitalizing on same. It felt awkward when it appeared (I groaned when I got the teen hormones make me do it vibe) and at the same time it was over as suddenly as it was mentioned.

I do not regret my time spent with the book. Otherwise I would forever be wondering ‘what if’. Would I recommend it? Sure, for the reader who likes the gentle roll of a mystery of a king’s death, a bit of action to follow the fate and destiny of the soothsayers.

But let me circle back to the good – court intrigue is always, well, intriguing. There’s betrayals and sacrifices like one wouldn’t believe and Descendant of the Crane delivers on just that. While Hesina didn’t impress me quite as much as other fantasy heroines, I do have to give kudos to her character for following through on what she intended and for choosing right thing over the profitable one. Make no mistake, there is an interesting premise here. I feel like if there was to be a sequel, so many more elements of the story could be blown into bloom!

Descendant of the Crane offered so much, it’s difficult to know where to start with this review. It’s also hard to believe this beautifully written tale is Joan He’s YA debut.

First of all the world building is wonderful. Detailed enough that you can imagine the setting for yourself but not so much that the plot loses momentum. Cleverly we only get a glimpse, here and there, at the magical capabilities of the characters which just left me wanting more.

The rich history woven into the story plays a big part in the character development and Hesina grows throughout. She starts out as a naive princess, happy to avoid the responsibilities of the crown, determined to uncover the truth of her father’s death but by the end she is very aware of the issues within her kingdom, the mistakes of the past and the difficulties she will face in trying to restore peace.

Hesina is aided by the supporting cast of characters who help bring life and vibrancy to the story. I really liked her friends and family as they each influenced her in a different way.
In particular I wanted to know more about Akira and his background so I’m hoping we will get more of him in book two.

Descendant of the Crane is a Chinese fantasy full of political intrigue, royal drama and enough twists and turns to ensure you’re never quite sure what’s going to happen next!

My thanks to Titan Books for a digital edition via NetGalley of ‘Descendant of the Crane’ by Joan He in exchange for an honest review.

When her beloved father is murdered Princess Hesina of Yan suddenly finds herself queen of the unstable kingdom. Hesina is determined to discover her father’s killer and does something that could see her accused of treason: consult a soothsayer.

As magic was outlawed in Yan centuries ago such an accusation is punishable by death. The soothsayer provides her with information that leads her to Akira, a brilliant investigator, who is also a convicted criminal.

Rather than being action based with fights and battles, this Chinese-inspired fantasy focuses upon the complex political intrigues of the royal court including the legal procedures associated with it. There are mysteries and conspiracies and definite twists that took the story in interesting new directions.

I enjoyed this very much, supplementing reading the eARC with its audiobook edition narrated by Nancy Wu for an immersive experience. There was a good balance between storytelling, character development, and world building. I was sad to reach its end.

Joan He has been working on this novel for years and it’s clearly a labour of love. Her writing is beautiful and the novel is rich in lyrical descriptions.

While intended by the author as YA title and marketed as YA/Teen, I felt that this is a novel that will appeal to lovers of fantasy of all ages.

While there is no notification on the author’s website of a sequel or a continuation set in the same world, the ending is quite open to allow for the possibility of either in the future.

Certainly this was an impressive debut and I will be watching out for news of her future projects.

Thanks to Netgalley for a digital copy in exchange for an honest review :)

I just finished this book and I cannot believe that it is over... I feel empty and destroyed, I want to read more... It has been a while since I last felt like this. I will have to add it to my favourite list for sure.

The whole book is a roller-coaster of emotions and twists. The writing is not flowery or dense, there is a good balance between descriptions and dialog or internal thoughts. I liked that even clothes' descriptions had a significance in the end. Very well thought.

One of my favourite aspect of this book is the characters: Hesina is interesting and complex. She's not your normal hero. Her internal thoughts are rational; when she was more impulsive or emotional, she knew that and she accepted that about her. Her relations with the other characters, especially her family, were so well portrait. I enjoyed seeing such a big family with complicated aspects and relationships; it felt very real. Nothing felt to much or not developed enough, all the relationships felt normal and something one would expect in that context. I can speak for hours on end about her relationship with her father, mother and brothers - awesome. There is a little romance in there, but it is not over the top and it plays perfectly in the whole story.

My second favourite aspect is the story: everything starts with the death of Hesina's father (the King) and then you have a lot of mystery, a lot of ups and downs, some great twits that changed the course of the story completely, some great magic and a great ending. The ending of the book leaves enough space for a second one (fingers crossed) or some companion novels (fingers crossed).

I cannot recommend this book enough and I will be reading anything else this author comes up with... Cannot wait for more.

Reading this was almost like reading two different books. The first half was much slower in pace, less compelling (aside from the medieval CSI, that was cool) and felt like it was just a prelude or preparation for the main event, which was basically the entirety of the second half. Full of rapid-fire twists and revelations, I was glued to ‘Descendant’ after the 50% mark, and ended up reading almost half the book in one sitting.

Aside from Hesina’s adoptive sister Lilian (my favourite), and Hesina’s half-brother Rou, I wasn’t incredibly invested in the characters as individuals. Of course, I wanted them all to survive, but they felt more like players in a game than tangible people I cared deeply about. I did love the sibling bonds though, especially the heartbreaking burden of words left unsaid between Hesina and her estranged younger brother Sanjing.

Hesina and Sanjing’s mother, the dowager queen, is pretty much a terrible parent but I suppose she never pretended to be a good one. While we do get insight into why the dowager queen is so horrible, it’s no excuse and I can’t forget the horrible second-hand pain I felt on Hesina’s behalf. That scene where Hesina asks for her mother’s blessing is etched with nausea into my brain, and was one of the few standout scenes in this book’s first half.

Hesina is actually quite clever at times, making you think momentarily that perhaps she might survive at court…until she then does something so monumentally stupid that you just facepalm in exasperation. There’s such a big deal made out of Hesina’s propensity for duplicity. Joan He has a lovely way with words but simply telling readers that Hesina is conniving and disingenuous is not enough, when Hesina shows us time and time again that she can’t bloody keep her cards to herself! Naturally duplicitous? Hesina? I don’t think so.

The world-building was lush, and I really enjoyed the imperial Chinese cultural features infused into the fantasy kingdom of Yan. We find out a little about Yan’s nearby countries but I’m sure we’ll learn more in the sequel, especially about their belligerent neighbour Kendi’a. The life-and-death stakes were scarily convincing, especially with the mob mentality displayed by both courtiers and common folk. I really loved the twist that revealed why the general public are so cemented in their almost worship of the Eleven, revolutionaries who overthrew the despotic emperors 300 years ago. The way magic works here was also really original, despite it being a little confusing at first. However, there were some things concerning immortality that I didn’t understand, even after the end.

I also wish He had left out the romance – it felt superfluous and wooden. A lot of random things, like that bizarre duel and Hesina’s idiotic lake diving, could have been cut if the romance didn’t feature.

The epilogue was a tad over-long but even then managed to squeeze in some last minute jaw-droppers and addressed some very intriguing questions. I’m certainly keeping an eye out for announcements of a sequel! (There has to be a sequel. Please.)

There was a lot to appreciate in this debut novel, but ultimately, I felt it was a little bit predictable and followed a lot of standard YA tropes. It tells the story of Hesina, a young princess who ascends to the throne following the death of her father. Convinced that his death was the result of foul play, she insists upon a trial and events escalate from there. I would say that the trial element of the narrative was really interesting and not something often seen in YA fantasy, but it dropped out of the story quite quickly, which I thought was a shame. I thought the world was really well constructed and vivid and I particularly appreciated all of the little mentions of food, as I think that these really help to cement the world and bring it to life. I thought the relationship between Hesina and her siblings was explored quite well, although I think more needs to be said about her relationship with Sanjing, which I hope will follow in book 2. In terms of the plot overall, I found it quite predictable, with twists that were telegraphed and obvious and character beats that didn't really do anything original. I also thought that some of the characters were a bit one-dimensional and had some stereotypical behaviours that again, weren't anything new or different. Overall, I thought this was a good read and that the ending sets up nicely for book 2, but it was ultimately, quite forgettable.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I went into this book not knowing much and yet that was the single best decision I made. It had so much political intrigue, backstabbing, morally grey characters and a society oppressive against those with magic AND A MURDER MYSTERY AT THE HEART OF IT ALL!! Our protagonist Hesina is really unique and I saw this for several reasons one being that yes, she is soft and loyal and cares for those she loves but she is also multifaceted and will cut or strangle to protect her loved ones. But despite her loyalty, she is also loyal to the people she rules over and constantly balances her many masks as queen, sister, and daughter. I loved learning about such a complex character who struggled in keeping their actions and ideals one and the same and coming to the reality that control is often out of reach for humans and that the answers she sought all along were under her nose. Joan He paints the image of a believable queen, one who yes wants the best for everyone but will even commit treason to achieve it. The endless lying and mystery made for such a fun read and I could not put this book down. I enjoyed the fact that the romance took the backseat and despite that, Joan gave us little intimate moments between Akira and Hesina and yet I didn't mind it. The reason is, the very plot and mystery of this book was so riveting and incredible that you can forget the romance and just want to know more and more. I also really enjoyed the implementation of the 'Tenets' these rules the kingdom of Yan lives by. It reminded me of the similar rulings on justice found in Abrahamic religions, though this is just from my personal experience. The family dynamics of this book hit close to home, with the tension and brashness between Hesina and her blood brother Sanjing constantly reminding me of my own relations. Despite their cutting words, the two share some sweet moments and I was glad to see their relationship evolve in which they both realise that they do care for each other. Hesina also has an adopted brother and sister (who are twins) and the dynamics of these three was also really sweet in a different way. Now the murder mystery...this had me trying to guess who killed her father the whole time and when I say I was shocked...and crying at that scene where she's in his office (she's in her father's office several times but read it and you shall know which scene I mean ;)).

What more can I add? I loved the plot, the unique touch on fantasy by integrating elements of thriller and the added nuances of morality was phenomenal. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a new, fresh take on the fantasy genre, since this book encompasses several genres and so very well.

Hello I have just now discovered that this is a stand-alone title, and I’m opening this review with a uh what the heck!! That ending, no sequel, what the heck am I going to do?? This blog is mostly spoiler free so no details, but ho boy am I disappointed there won’t be another book coming my way!

Well, suffice to say I thoroughly enjoyed Descendant of the Crane. This book has been on my list for a while, it was one of my most anticipated back in 2019, so when it popped up on Netgalley I had to request it and I’m really glad I did.

It took me a little while to get into this one, the start was slow and I kept putting the book down, but once the pace picked up I was dragged in deep. This book is just so twisty, it’s full of courtly intrigue and watching Hesina play by their rules was fascinating. Every twist felt like a surprise and I was often just as shocked as she was; it’s established early on that one wrong move in this game and she could lose it all, and I genuinely felt a pang of dread every time Hesina made a decision.
I would still describe the book as slow though and it certainly isn’t as action packed as I thought it would be; it’s more about clever political manoeuvres and uncovering the mystery surrounding her fathers death than fighting back directly.

The world the characters exist in is also so well built and vivid, Joan He really allowed me to picture Yan and the people that live there. It’s such an interesting world with a complex political system, and an amazingly detailed history that it was hard to remember that Yan wasn’t a real place. The world so intricate and well-crafted

Almost every character in the book is wonderfully grey, including our protagonist Hesina. I do have to say there were no real stand-out characters for me, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t like ’em. I feel like more importance was placed on relationships between characters, like Hesina’s complex relationship with her parents and blood brother alongside her relationships with her half-siblings. This ended up being both a pro and a con for me, I definitely wanted more character development but I did enjoy seeing every character through Hesina’s eyes.

The last third of Descendant of the Crane is where the book really picks up the pace and throws revelation after revelation at you, and ho boy did I devour every word. Suddenly your confronted by the results of every decision Hesina has made through out the novel, and it ended in a way I could never have predicted. This is, honestly, one of the few stand-alone’s that have left me desperate for a sequel, and I can’t believe there isn’t one.

Recommend: This is an intricately woven fantasy and I really think it’s worth a read!

⭐3 Stars⭐

Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me. Despite the fantastic premise, I felt little connection to the characters and the world. The lack of foreshadowing meant every plot twist felt inconsequential the more twists there were the less I empathised with the actions of any character. The romantic subplot felt lacklustre and the interactions between some of the characters felt unrealistic.

However, I think the book has a good message about equality and the fact that a YA novel discusses institutionalised racism in such a nuanced way makes me so interested in what this author will do next.

Story
This book had me hooked from the beginning. Descendant of the Crane is murder mystery meets fantasy and I am living for it. I went into this book completely blind and I was not disappointed. The story was really fast-paced and had me constantly on the edge of my seat. 

The many twists and turns of this book were all executed perfectly and had me going "WHAT" for most of the book. I read this book while also listening to the audiobook, and it was a really immersive experience. 

Writing & Worldbuilding
Joan He's writing is just stellar. Her sentences flow really well and you always know where in the story you are. As I listened to the audiobook as well, the story just came alive. He writes rich descriptions and makes it so easy to place yourself in the middle of Yan. 

The lore and the world-building of this book was also extremely well done. I love it when authors set up their lore and then proceed to pull it apart as the truth comes to light. I can go on and on about the rich world-building. It's so well crafted and the amount of care that went into it is amazing. Seriously, study the world-building of this book. 

Characters
The only thing I didn't like about Descendant of the Crane was the characters. Although I did like Hesina. She was the most fleshed out thanks to us following her perspective. The rest of the cast didn't appear that fleshed out and I felt like they were only there to drive Hesina's arc forward. 

Especially Akira. He seems to be forgotten in large parts of the book, and when he pops out we don't get much of his story or his motivations. Hesina should have spent more time with him and his own character arc should have been clearer.

After the death of her father Princess Hesina of Yan becomes Queen. One of her first acts as queen is to set in motion a trial to discover who killed her father. This sets of a chain of events that lead to many discoveries. The kingdom is ruled by a specific set of rules that includes the oppression of soothsayers. Queen Hesina must navigate this institution carefully while trying to do the right thing.

This is a Chinese inspired fantasy setting. This book is a ride. Many of the chapters end in a small cliffhanger making it hard to put down. However it is important to note that it is more political games rather than action based.

This book highlights why I love to read. Fantasy itself can act as pure escapism as you get away to a completely new world that includes magic. However within these fantasy worlds read-world issues can be reflected. In this story it the oppression of a certain people - the soothsayers. Reading inspires empathy.

There were a few moments where the writing felt a little jumpy that made me check I hadn't missed something however this did not detract from the interesting story unfolding. I cannot wait to see what Joan He does next. This book wraps up but there is potential for more stories and I am excited!

Descendant of the Crane starts with the death of a king and his daughter, Princess Yesina, rising up to claim the throne of Yan. But she suspects her father was murded and tries to find out the truth with the help of a convict named Akira while proving she’s loyal to her people. People she doesn’t trust anymore.

I want to talk about the plot because it threw me against the wall and held me in a chokehold when I least expected it. If you think you know the plot then I am here to tell you that you don’t have the foggiest about what’s going to happen. You could be 30% in to the book or 90% into it but your world will be wrecked by Joan He’s masterful plot twists. It’s best to go into this kind of book only knowing the bare essentials so that you’re adequately surprised.

Now, on to the writing. Joan He’s writing reminded me of an Anton Chekhov quote I came across back when I thought I could also be a writer:

” Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.“ - Anton Chekhov

That’s what Descendant of the Crane does to you as a reader. It reels you in. It takes you worlds away into the book and makes everything feel really, really real to the reader. It’s been a while since I read a book that made me feel like this, so when I was reading it I tried very hard to make it last forever but nothing lasts forever. and so far, there’s no sequel in sight so if you read it know that the cliffhanger will leave you restless for a while but it’s worth it.

Overall I would say this felt like a pretty good start to a series, I would purchase it for the library as many of my students are fascinated by East Asian culture and so those elements of the story would ensure it was picked up.
Initially I felt the book was attempting to handle too much at once. Was it a fantasy? Coming of age? Courtroom Drama? Political mystery? Action? I feel that although the author tried to manage all the strands, it felt overwhelming and confused at times. Meaning that elements like the relationships between Hesina and the other characters felt very superficial. This was a real shame, as I feel she was a worthy heroine and I would have loved to know her and her fellow characters better.
However, once I got over these issues I did enjoy the book. The twists in the last third of the novel were handled more masterfully than the previous plot lines and I found myself increasingly engrossed and eager to see what would happen next. The epilogue in particular gave the reader a lot to consider and left me wanting to see where the story goes next!
The vocabulary is beautiful but quite complex for a YA, so for that alone I would recommend for older or more able readers. In terms of content though, it's pretty clean which is great for a school librarian like me as I don't need to worry about upset parents!