Joan He

"Princess Hesina of Yan is thrust into power when her beloved father is murdered, and she's determined to find his killer--whatever the cost"--

Descendant of the Crane

Linara K.S

DNFed. Maybe I'll pick it back up later on 'cause i truly believe that this book has potential; I just felt like the political intrigue was a bit suffocating.

kelsey

what is power? hesina had thought it was wielding the knife, or getting someone to wield it for her. now she realized it was neither. power was yielding. it was taking the bloodstained knife out of a thousand frenzied hands and making it hers alone.

this book has So many twists and i love it honestly ooof

Krys C.

3.5 🌟

It took me a while to get into the story. Initially I thought the characters were pretentious and I stayed purely for thr vibes for the first 50% of the book. The worldbuilding and plot development could have been handled better and this could have been shorter, but I'm willing to overlook that because the last 80% was a wild ride?? It was what I've been looking/waiting for the entire time—all those plot twists and betrayals and that cliffhanger ending.

Sarah Sammis

Descendant of the Crane by Joan He is a fantasy legal drama set in China inspired realm. Princess Hesina of Yan suddenly finds herself the queen after her father is murdered. In an effort to find the murderer, she employs a soothsayer, an outlawed profession. The vision she's sold puts her in the path of a lawyer who also happens to a prisoner.

http://pussreboots.com/blog/2019/comm...

What's the truth? Scholars seeks it. Poets write it. Good kings pay gold to hear it. But in trying times, truth is the first thing we betray.


ELEVENS.... I CAN'T SAY ANYTHING BUT... THE ENDING! KILLED! ME!

DESCENDANT OF THE CRANE.

sabina

my new favourite

god the emotional rollercoaster this book took me on, wow. this book now has a place in my heart, it's been a while since I've read a book I've loved unconditionally. no, I won't stop telling about it, I need everyone to read it and talk to me about it!!!

oberon vortigern

A friend lent me her arc, so thanks to her for giving me the opportunity to read this. 

I've been looking forward to reading this, since it's a Chinese inspired fantasy with political court machinations, but unfortunately, I was very disappointed after reading the book. I went in expecting a court political drama book, but it's more of a murder mystery with basically one political enemy manipulating the murder into their favor.

The world building at the beginning was confusing, and I had a hard time getting through the book initially, but the world building does get better and clearer later on. Sadly, I can't say the same for the plot, as it remains mediocre throughout the entire book. The plot is all over the place, and the pacing is off. It feels like the author tried to cram too many things in the plot, and the book suffered a lot from that. Hesina's story is also far from being complete, and it's so frustrating to have her journey just end abruptly, without any conclusion to her character arc. Apparently the book is a standalone, which makes the decision to have Hesina's story end right there is so baffling.

Speaking of Hesina, the characters are another huge issue I had with the book. Almost all of the cast's characterization are so lacking in the entire book, it's hard to be invested in any of them, even Hesina herself. Family dynamics play a large role in the book, but it's hard to be invested in the family when they don't have any personality that make them shine. It's also hard to feel anything on behalf of the characters, whenever a twist happens to them. They're so flat and bland, and barely have any personality that draw you in, and by the end, I still didn't care for any of the cast.

Don't get me wrong, the story does have its strengths and potentials. But the flaws are just too big for me to get over, and I'm just disappointed in what could have been a fascinating book, but failed to live up to its potential.

Megan Lowe

6 stars.

Holy. Wow!
1. I can’t believe I waited so long to read this book, and
2.
It’s incredible!
I love akira. I love Lillian.
I love the random touches of humour.
I loved the intrigue and the twists and turns.
I absolutely hate that Joan’s US publisher did her so dirty on this book and so it’s unlikely we’ll get a second, but this book blew my little mind and I adore it. 
All time favourite.

Dee B. 

3

Characters I cared for: Lilian

Characters Joan He did not care for: Lilian 😢


-------------------

An undeniable fact about He's novels: the writing is absolutely beautiful. 

I really didn't like the strange rift between (view spoiler)[Hesina and Sanjing. It didn't make sense to me - not the reasoning behind it, and certainly not the prolonging of it either. There were so many opportunities to get passed it and yet...they both chose to be as petty as possible. Plain dumb (hide spoiler)].


Akira deserved so much. He was a true ride or die.

Caiyan (view spoiler)[and the reason he betrayed Hesina didn't make a lick of sense to me. For someone who claimed he wanted the best for the country and for Hesina...it didn't seem like it to me. (hide spoiler)]

What I did enjoy about this book, aside from the writing, is the general premise of this book. There is so much to explore if this book had been given the opportunity to expand into a series. So many levels: the murder, the father's history, trying to fix the country and stop the hate, trying to fix her relationships, the room for character growth - this could have been so much. 

I wish it had been less tell and more show. I'm sad that I didn't love this one.

jess

“Her, against a seasoned court. Her, against the tides of war. Her, against the king's assassin. Akira had been right to call it a story worth spectating.”


Descendant of the Crane is one of the most hyped books of spring 2019, and let me say this: it totally lives up to the hype. This is one of the most tightly-plotted, well-characterized, and beautifully written books I've read in a while. I read Descendant of the Crane in almost one sitting; I became so absorbed in Hesina's story that I was disoriented for the rest of the day. Also, my neck hurts from the whiplash I got from this book's plot twists.

Hesina was such a wonderful character. She's a seventeen-year-old girl thrown into a mess of court intrigue and power dynamics she wasn't ready for, and it shows. A lot of YA shows their strong female characters as decisive and powerful, yet Hesina manages to be a pillar of stability while doubts plague her and everyone around her seems to be trying to undermine her position as queen in some way. She keeps stubbornly on the path she eked out for herself despite all the challenges and self-doubt and she doesn't give up even when it's offered, which is what I adore about Hesina.

I really liked all the other major characters too, and I'm so excited for my five character cards to come in the mail after this. I think my favourites are Akira and Lilian, but Caiyan is definitely the most fascinating character and the one I was most drawn to throughout the book. The shades of moral greyness that Descendant shows in its characters is so complex. Hesina, Caiyan, Lilian, Akira, and Sanjing all do great things that turn out terrible, and terrible things for the pursuit of greatness. All but Akira are related to each other, and I loved the intricate and often tense family dynamics. Big screwed-up families are a trope I love, and Descendant's was so well written.

The plot took a bit to get rolling, but once it did, it didn't stop--it was a snowball of a plot, collecting secrets and plot twists and betrayal as it went. I've heard many people say they were completely blindsided by the plot twists. I guessed many of them (because there was adequate foreshadowing, but not because it was predictable), but there were still parts that had my mouth dropping open in shock, and my brain was constantly throwing out predictions. This book kept me on my toes while reading. I had to be absorbed in it, or I couldn't keep up with everything that was going on.

Joan He crafts such a complex, beautiful, and creative world, and ties it all together with gorgeous writing. I loved all the Chinese-inspired aesthetics, mythology, and history. The sooths were so fascinating to read about, especially because it was approached from the perspective of a non-sooth. The lore behind the world also had me hooked, and I'm not usually a person who pays attention to the lore. Hesina's world--Yan, Kendi'a, the sooths, the Imperial Palace and its court--was all so vivid and lively.

Descendant of the Crane is a definite must-read fantasy and should not be missed. If you like political intrigue, interesting family dynamics and a cast of morally-grey characters, and well-crafted fantasy settings, you'll love Descendant of the Crane. 

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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laura

4,5 stars
PLEASE JOAN PLEASE WRITE THE SEQUEL FROM AKIRA’S POV PLEASE

ivan

made me have a meltdown at a jollibee. really good

Unable to properly process her father's death, Princess Hesina seeks advice from a Soothsayer who tells her a criminal with a rod will be the key to discovering the true cause of her father's death. This treasonous act of consulting the Sooth must be kept under wraps as Hesina is crowned queen and the trial of her father's murder begins. She soon discovers bigger problems than who killed her father, such as the unstable political nature of the country she now rules. On the verge of war, Hesina tries to pull together plans to uncover her father's murderer, keep her nation safe, and stop the discrimination of the Sooths.

To be completely straightforward, it's really hard to just give a short blurb of Descendant of the Crane. Joan He has weaved in so much complexity to this book, I am shook that it's supposed to be a standalone because I am craving more!

Descendant of the Crane did take a while to take off, so to speak. The beginning, while intriguing, was slow. There's a whole world He is building and the reader is thrown into the middle of it. I genuinely don't think a single standalone book, or even just 400 pages, is enough for this storyline. We begin the story with Hesina committing treason to speak with a soothsayer. She has conflicts with her adopted brother, brother, and mother. She is attempting to find her father's murderer. She has an impending war coming up while the teaching of The Eleven tells her to not go to war. She finds so many problems with her people. I mean, the list just goes on and on. This poor girl is literally thrown into being queen and has no real idea of all the problems she has to face. So ideally, I would've liked this to be a series or longer. Even a duology would be great.

One thing I will complain about in particular is character development. We get little snippets of development, mainly focused on Hesina because it's told from her point of view. Aside from Hesina's development, I would've appreciated more development from her brother, half-brother and adopted siblings. Even more character development from Akira, our criminal Hesina pulls from prison to be her representative in the murder trial of her father. There just isn't quite enough there in terms of development for me to particularly care if something goes wrong with side characters, which could be fixed if we go back to my previous suggestion of making the book longer or having a series.

If anything, the last few bombshells that are dropped at the end are what make Descendant of the Crane. I don't want to spoil it for anyone who wants to read this novel, but my mind was so blown away. There are so many cliffhangers and twists that I did not see coming that I am so desperate for a sequel which may never come. He has said "I don't think I can return to the story for a long, long time. It's been really hard to separate all that's gone down with it on the publishing side from the actual story, and it's been healthier for me to physically and mentally move on." So my hopes for a sequel are dashed.

To wrap this up, I'm pretty upset there won't be a sequel. I know I keep going on about it, but the amount left unsaid has shattered me. I wouldn't advise you read this if you're hoping for a story that ends with no cliffhangers. Personally, I'm okay with minor cliffhangers, but these are so large that's all I've been able to think about for a week. I will say I'm not so upset that I wouldn't read Joan He's work again. She has created such a wonderful world and magic system that I'm curious to see what else she has going for her other novels. But, for Descendant of the Crane I give it at 4 out of 5 stars. It's a bit slow to start, and the ending honestly bumped it up to a 5 star for me, but the fact that it's left unfinished is disappointing. I crave more character development, which I'd hope to see in future novels that likely won't happen. But I would recommend this book if you're okay with being left dangling.

Check out more of my reviews on my blog: https://erynbradshaw.wordpress.com

Titan Books provided a copy of Descendant of the Crane through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to read this book!

Eryn Bradshaw

Leah Patton

emily allen

Descendant of the Crane was, like most YA fantasy, not exempt from flaws, but it's still been my favorite book that I've read this year (so far). One of its main appeals is that I've never read anything like it before, and I spend a lot of time with my nose stuck in the YA fantasy genre. 

The worldbuilding was by far my favorite aspect of this book. It was so beautiful and extensive; interesting plot aside, I couldn't put it down because of how interesting the setting, politics, and culture of Yan were. I enjoyed how Joan He didn't spend too much time explaining every aspect of her world, instead allowing readers to discover new facets as the plot progressed. The description of Yan itself was stunning, from the red light district to the ink-stained pond, and her integration of casual legend and lore was something which I was endlessly entertained by. Another major part of the worldbuilding with this book that I enjoyed was the usage of Chinese culture as a base. The vast majority of this genre is dominated by classic European fairytale-inspired settings and plots, and while those can certainly be entertaining (Six of Crows, for example), I was happy to see more diversity in the genre. To have a book inspired by a completely different culture than much of its genre gave it completely different motifs and lore, which was unique. To me, at least, this helped the book stand out against other books of a similar idea.

The plot, too, was interesting, again because it subverted my expectations. If you're into action-packed novels, this one probably isn't the one for you; it's extremely political, and much of it covers the inner-workings of Yan's political system. This was immensely entertaining for me because it made the society seem more lifelike, as the leader was actually forced to act like a leader instead of running off on a magical quest. 

The last thirty or so pages of this book were packed with more twists than most full books that I read, and I was kept in utter suspense and shock as the book continued. Howere, it ends in a near cliffhanger; although the ending is technically wrapped up, the book could go so much further in terms of potential war, the fallout of (view spoiler)[Caiyan's mutiny,  (hide spoiler)] and countless other conflicts that were introduced in the end of the book. Hopefully there'll be a sequel to clear things up, though the possibility of one is looking slim.

One other critiscm that I have is that this book was fast paced, in such a way that there wasn't enough time to delve into the specifics of discoveries and actions. I would have liked it if some things were slightly more fleshed out, like some of the deaths, escapes, and big reveals that happened throughout the novel. Relationships and backstories, too, could have used a little more detail. 

All in all, I thought this was a great book because of its uniqueness in worldbuilding and plot, and I'm really hoping for a continuation of this universe :)

Fabiana Neves Miranda

always, annej 〄

Maria

Отца принцессы Хэсины находят мертвым в саду. Врачевательница заключает, что он умер от естественных причин, но Хэсина видела, как над ним поднялось облачко золотистого дыма, и уверена, что его отравили. Принцесса наследует трон и начинает расследование.

И всё было бы хорошо, если бы Джоан Хэ придерживалась линии расследования как основной, но её практически сразу начинает мотать из стороны в сторону. Помимо расследования появляется линия преследования пророков: магов, скрывающихся в подполье сотни лет. А потом вдруг появляется военная линия – соседнее государство собирается напасть на родину Хэсины и поработить всех пророков. А ещё есть какая-то тайна родителей Хэсины. И ты читаешь это всё и думаешь – а нельзя ли было сначала выбрать, о чем писать?

Я ничего не имею против эпичных фэнтези с миллионом сюжетных линий – я, в конце концов, «Песнь Льда и Пламени» читаю. Но было бы неплохо, если бы линии не рассыпались в руках, как собранный трехлеткой конструктор лего. Чтобы завязать несколько линий естественно и бесшовно, нужно определенное мастерство – и у авторки-дебютантки Джоан Хэ его пока нет.

Про романтическую линию даже говорить не буду – по-моему, она просто слита. Я почти пропустила момент первого поцелуя, настолько эти, прости господи, отношения были блёклыми и непрописанными!

В общем, как ни жаль, а дебют вышел сырым.

Sahi K

This book came onto my radar simply because so many of my fellow bloggers loved this so much and were just so excited to talk about it. And then my two dear friends Charvi and Nandini buddy read this too (please include me next time you read something together) and they couldn’t stop gushing. That settled it and I had to pick it up next and despite it taking me three days to finish (I was in a bad mood ppl), it was such a fascinating book and I’m still reeling from that ending. 

I enjoyed the world building here a lot. I really like it when we get a little bit of history about the world throughout the story and the author does a great job of it here. We get to know a lot about the kingdom of Yan and how it came to be. While there are three more neighboring kingdoms and there is ongoing conflict with one of them, we don’t know much about them and I have a feeling that will be remedied in the sequel. We also get some details about the soothsayers and their magic, but because they are the oppressed class, we only get bits and pieces of how the magic actually works and more about their lives and the hardships they face. 

The plot is definitely the best part of this book. The author thrusts us smack dab in the middle of the story after the King’s death and it’s just twists upon twists after that. There are not a lot of action packed scenes but this book is full of court politics and intrigue at its best. You never ever know who to trust, what anyone’s motives are and I felt totally baffled when revelations happened. I’ve heard a lot about this book being called Chinese inspired Game of Thrones and it definitely has that feel to it. The pacing is actually quite slow throughout, with some very unexpected situations thrown in between, but I never got bored and felt very interested all through the story. The book also has a couple of intense and absolutely wonderful trial scenes and I thought the author did such a brilliant job in them. I also loved the usage of Chinese language words throughout the book and I always enjoy it when POC authors do this. And that ending —— wow did those two chapters stun me. Within the last few pages, everything that I thought I knew was upended and I was left flabbergasted. I never saw that coming and the direction the story seems to be going next is so unexpected, it’s just excellent plotting.

There are so many interesting characters here and it was such fun figuring them out. We get Hesina’s POV, so she is the only one who’s motivations we are sure of. She unexpectedly becomes the Queen after her father’s death and she thinks she is prepared because of his teachings and his trust in her. However, as she sets on the path for truth and justice, so many of the truths that she thought she knew are shattered and she feels overwhelmed. She constantly has to battle her longing for her father with the revelations about his identity, she has to be the queen for the people who are seething with hatred for an entire community and hell bent on mob justice, and she has to learn who to trust every step of the way. What I loved most about her is the way she questions the oppression of the sooths that has been going on for three centuries and her desire to bring about an end to it, though she doesn’t know how. She is strong in her own way, compassionate and thoughtful, but definitely needs some more caution before trusting people - that’s her good quality but also her downfall. 

There are a host of other characters but they are not as developed as Hesina. Caiyan and Lilian are her adopted siblings - her constant companions and support systems, with whom she feels the most safe and wants to protect them. While Caiyan is stoic and reserved and very smart about political situations that Hesina never thinks through completely, Lilian on the other hand is feisty, bringing a little cheer to gloomy situations and always there whenever Hesina needs her. I loved their dynamic a lot. Hesina’s relationship with her brother Sanjing is slightly more antagonistic, owing to years of non communication and jealousy and just hurting each other with words. Akira is the mysterious stranger who is her representative at trial and while there is a developing romantic dynamic between the two, I would have loved to see them together more. There are also other players in the court and outside and it was very fascinating to know the intent behind each of their actions and betrayals. None of the characters are evil just for the sake of it and while it doesn’t erase their wrongdoings, it’s always interesting to know why they are committing those acts. 

Finally, I just want to say that this is a wonderful debut novel with an interesting world and fascinating characters and all the twists and turns that you never asked for. It’s slow paced and more of a political fantasy story than an action packed one, but it still packs a punch and will leave you wanting to know immediately what happens next. It’s not going to be an easy wait.

In this shimmering Chinese-inspired fantasy, debut author Joan He introduces a determined and vulnerable young heroine struggling to do right in a world brimming with deception. Tyrants cut out hearts. Rulers sacrifice their own. Princess Hesina of Yan has always been eager to shirk the responsibilities of the crown, but when her beloved father is murdered, she's thrust into power, suddenly the queen of an unstable kingdom. Determined to find her father's killer, Hesina does something desperate: she enlists the aid of a soothsayer - a treasonous act, punishable by death... because in Yan, magic was outlawed centuries ago. Using the information illicitly provided by the sooth, and uncertain if she can trust even her family, Hesina turns to Akira - a brilliant investigator who's also a convicted criminal with secrets of his own. With the future of her kingdom at stake, can Hesina find justice for her father? Or will the cost be too high?

Josephinne Alexe

One of the most powerful and strong female leads I have ever seen. Hesina’s whole journey put her through such tremendous lenghts I doubted she would make it. The topic may seems simple at straightforward, but what lays beneath it, it’s far more complex. A book about power and it’s price, about the harm of a lie and of a truth. Left me thinking about those things a bit more, truly remarkable 

Sheila Goicea

Read this full review along with other at: foalsfictionandfiligree.com

I received an ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review from Edelweiss. Thank you! In no way does this affect my rating or review.



All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication. 

I’ve let this book marinade and simmer for a while before writing my review. To be completely honest, Istill don’t know how I feel about it. While I did enjoy Descendant of the Crane, it simply didn’t resonate with me as I hoped it would. There were definitely magical elements throughout, but not represented as prominently as hoped. Moreover, Descendant of the Crane is really centered around solving a mystery--a murder mystery.

  But nothing squelched childish fantasies quite like inheriting the throne. Learning to rule was an all-consuming pastime.

Princess Hesina is the daughter of the King of Yan (a state in China during the Zhou dynasty in the 11th century, BC). After her father is suddenly passes away, Hesina immediately believes there is foul play involved and is drawn to investigate his death further. Her investigations, however, force her to seek a soothsayer’s help--which in this fantasy realm, is treasonous--especially for someone in her position. Still new to her station as queen, Hesina quickly learns that politics are ugly. Nothing is a simply, monochromatic, or entirely un/just. 

Upon Hesina’s secret meeting with the soothsayer, she learns that the person who will help her uncover her father’s murder is a criminal himself. This attachment obviously poses issues for Hesina, seeing how she is the queen. But what would a YA story be without a love-interest, and a forbidden one at that!? Akira, the criminal, also happens to be a handy investigator. With his skillset, the unlikely duo delve into the events of the past in order to uncover the truth. This investigation, however, comes with many difficulties. The more that is uncovered, the more vast and deep the plot dives. 

  What is power? Hesina had thought it was wielding the knife, or getting someone to wield it for her. Now she realized it was neither of those things. Power was yielding. It was taking the bloodstained knife out of a thousand frenzied hands and making it hers alone.

Since magic is illegal, Hesina is caught in a dangerous web. She realizes that those who have power easily have the power to hurt others. This aspect of the story is pivotal in Hesina’s growth as an individual and queen. It is the root that feeds her blossoming. I think this is one of the strongest points portrayed throughout Descendant of the Crane.

In general, I liked the way Hesina’s character was portrayed. However, I found that she felt reduced, along with pretty much everything else in the plot. The age of the characters was a bit unrealistic, and is a big reason why this book would be so much better as an adult fiction instead of YA. I felt the plot was held back by YA-level qualms--like the “ironic” love interest. While I liked Hesina, there were definite inconsistencies in her character due to the way she was placed in the story.

  When they forded streams, redcrowned cranes, rumored to be the animal counterparts of immortal sages, crossed alongside them. With every gasp and glimpse of beauty, Hesina found it harder and harder to accept this fertile, dew-crowned land as hers. Rather, it became easier to accept it hadn’t always been hers. In ancient times, cranes had been the size of horses. Now their heads only came to her stallion’s chest. The relic emperors, believing the blood of the birds to be an ingredient in the elixir of immortality, had hunted them to near-extinction.

One huge issue that I had was that the crane itself was barely discussed! I feel that if a book’s title, cover, and brief lore is going to include such a symbol, more of the actual crane needs to be included. Let’s be honest here--this cover is just gorgeous! But, I wish the story represented it more. 

Despite its areas of difficulty, Descendant of the Crane has a great plot when it comes to creativity, along with beautiful writing. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel swept away by this story as much as I had hoped. I simply couldn’t invest myself in the story. I may check out the sequel, and will hope for something more to grasp my attention.

Vulgarity: Minimal.
Sexual content: Minimal.
Violence: Moderate.

My Rating: ★★★1/2

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Adrianne

Even though this book did not rock my world, it is a very interesting story combining Chinese culture of the past and fantasy elements. All coming together to create a plot revolving around a murder trial of a king. Hesina’s first order, as the new ruler of her people, is to bring the murderer of her father to justice. Overcome by grief and love for her late father, she will stop at nothing to unveil the truth of his passing. However, in a country governed blindly by a set of rules written down centuries ago, her quest for truth is met with more resistance then help. 

There is magic, love, politics, violence and betrayal... lots of betrayal. If you enjoy YA fantasy stories with Asian feel, ‘Descendant of the Crane’ should definitely be on your TBR.

cossette

head full many thoughts what was that ENDING

Descendant of the Crane

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