Scan barcode
A review by momwithareadingproblem
The Dragon's Promise by Elizabeth Lim
3.0
I received an eARC of this book via NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
The Dragon’s Promise by Elizabeth Lim is the finale to Six Crimson Cranes and one of my most anticipated books this year. I adored Six Crimson Cranes and really couldn’t wait to dive into Shiori’s story. However, I don’t know if it was my anticipation or the writing itself that caused my lower rating. In The Dragon’s Promise, Shiori and her brothers are home, and Raikama’s death weighs heavy on them all, especially Shiori. With the promise to return the pearl to its rightful owner, Shiori sets off with Seryu to the dragon’s kingdom, leaving all she loves behind and not knowing if she will return. The story follows her adventures in the underwater realm and the peril she faces with the demons in the mountain.
I love Shiori, and I still do. She is such a strong character. Her love and loyalty to her brothers and the growing love between her and Takkan is beautiful. Her growth over the series is truly evident here in all that she faces to protect Kiata. I love her magic and Kiki, her paper crane. Kiki is fantastic, and basically the inner voice of Shiori. Despite loving Shiori, the story itself struggled.
While I love all the characters and the world Lim has created for them, I did not enjoy this story. There was a lot of rehashing and repetition that occurred. Shiori’s trip to the dragon kingdom is roughly half the book, and as it was alluded to in book one, I expected a majority of the plot to take place here. However, it was disjoined. The events in the dragon kingdom do not bear much weight to what is happening in Kiata. The story with Bandur was truncated and at the same time drug out. Multiple chapters end the same way with little forward progression in the story. As a result, I found myself asking if Shiori’s story could have been down in a longer standalone book instead of a duology.
Overall The Dragon’s Promise was not my favorite read of the year. Despite that, I did enjoy parts. I loved Takkan and Shiori’s continued relationship, her brothers are amazing, and how the story wraps up is beautifully written (like brought me to tears). If you enjoy Asian folktales and legends, I highly recommend it. Lim has seamlessly crafted her own story weaving in threads from Asian culture. The Dragon’s Promise is a beautifully written, slower-paced novel about one girl’s heart and soul and where they belong.
The Dragon’s Promise by Elizabeth Lim is the finale to Six Crimson Cranes and one of my most anticipated books this year. I adored Six Crimson Cranes and really couldn’t wait to dive into Shiori’s story. However, I don’t know if it was my anticipation or the writing itself that caused my lower rating. In The Dragon’s Promise, Shiori and her brothers are home, and Raikama’s death weighs heavy on them all, especially Shiori. With the promise to return the pearl to its rightful owner, Shiori sets off with Seryu to the dragon’s kingdom, leaving all she loves behind and not knowing if she will return. The story follows her adventures in the underwater realm and the peril she faces with the demons in the mountain.
I love Shiori, and I still do. She is such a strong character. Her love and loyalty to her brothers and the growing love between her and Takkan is beautiful. Her growth over the series is truly evident here in all that she faces to protect Kiata. I love her magic and Kiki, her paper crane. Kiki is fantastic, and basically the inner voice of Shiori. Despite loving Shiori, the story itself struggled.
While I love all the characters and the world Lim has created for them, I did not enjoy this story. There was a lot of rehashing and repetition that occurred. Shiori’s trip to the dragon kingdom is roughly half the book, and as it was alluded to in book one, I expected a majority of the plot to take place here. However, it was disjoined. The events in the dragon kingdom do not bear much weight to what is happening in Kiata. The story with Bandur was truncated and at the same time drug out. Multiple chapters end the same way with little forward progression in the story. As a result, I found myself asking if Shiori’s story could have been down in a longer standalone book instead of a duology.
Overall The Dragon’s Promise was not my favorite read of the year. Despite that, I did enjoy parts. I loved Takkan and Shiori’s continued relationship, her brothers are amazing, and how the story wraps up is beautifully written (like brought me to tears). If you enjoy Asian folktales and legends, I highly recommend it. Lim has seamlessly crafted her own story weaving in threads from Asian culture. The Dragon’s Promise is a beautifully written, slower-paced novel about one girl’s heart and soul and where they belong.