A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur
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Web ID: 18496961A Dark Historical Mystery/Romance in 1500s Korea
"History moves its course...But it is the youth who point the current in its direction." -Wonsik Thank you to NetGalley, Feiwel & Friends, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and June Hur for the opportunity to read A Crane Among Wolves in exchange for an honest review. A Crane Among Wolves has it all: history, romance, murder mystery, family bonds, and political intrigue, to name a few. Hur's writing craft is a testament to the genre, wrapping the reader in her lavish world. The Cruelty of King Yeonsan In 1506, during the reign of King Yeonsan, the people of Joseon endure great suffering. The tyrant king exploits their land for his leisure, while also banning and destroying literature, executing any who demonstrate the power of writing. His horrific actions include kidnapping and abusing women and girls, leaving the populace powerless against his cruelty, for none with to face death from the king, even for their loved ones. Seventeen-year-old Iseul, despite living a sheltered life, is thrust into the turmoil when her sister, Suyeon, is taken by the king to add to his collection of women, of which he has over 1,000 removed from families to address his every desire. Determined to save Suyeon, Iseul ventures into the king's land, heading towards the capital to save her sister. A Dangerous Alliance Prince Daehyun, the king's half-brother, has long lived in the shadow of his despotic sibling. He is tormented by the king’s blatant cruelty and seeks a way to dethrone him. However, staging a coup is fraught with peril, and trust is scarce. When Iseul and Daehyun's paths cross in the happenstance of a hunting accident, their mutual disdain transforms into a shared goal: to overthrow the king. Together, they muster their strengths—her family connections and his royal access—to attempt a daring plan to save her sister, liberate their people, and end the king's reign of terror. Murderer on the Loose The king's territory is even more dangerous for Daehyun and Iseul, as a murderer with the moniker of "Nameless Flower" is on the loose. His targets: high officials close to the king. This is a major political statement that may turn in Daehun's and Iseul's favor. With the help of Investigator Wonsik, Iseul seeks the identity of Nameless Flower in the hopes that she may trade him for her sister, as the king has one fear: death. As Iseul gets to know Daehyun and some of the king's people, she soon learns that saving her sister, no matter how, may be a complete impossibility. Final Thoughts I absolutely love Hun's writing craft. The construction of the narrative is pristine, making for a masterful display of an excellent young adult stand-alone novel. The characters have so much depth to them. The reader gets Iseul's first-person narrative, while alternating with Daehyun's third-person limited view, an intriguing choice in craft that connect the reader more to Iseul, but also give just enough of Daehyun's plotting to give reason behind his actions. The murder mystery is a fun element that connects the two main characters while also keeping the reader on their toes. The political intrigue adds dashes of fact into an intense aspect of fictional Korean history (see the historical note at the end of the novel, which I read before I started). And of course, the romance. While the intention is not there between them, their time spent together leads them down that path to a heart-wrenching choice when it comes to what they both must do to save their families, themselves, and each other. This novel is a phenomenal, mind-blowing experience that feels like reading history. The intensity in combination with the craft itself makes for a must-read for an older teen audience, educators, and lovers of history and historical fiction.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Dark historical events that made me think
"This is our fate. We must be silent even when we are in pain; we must endure." 1506, Joseon. The people suffer under the cruel reign of the tyrant King Yeonsan, powerless to stop him from commandeering their land for his recreational use, banning and burning books, and kidnapping and horrifically abusing women and girls as his personal playthings. Seventeen-year-old Iseul has lived a sheltered, privileged life despite the kingdom’s turmoil. When her older sister, Suyeon, becomes the king’s latest prey, Iseul leaves the relative safety of her village, traveling through forbidden territory to reach the capital in hopes of stealing her sister back. Prince Daehyun has lived his whole life in the terrifying shadow of his despicable half-brother, the king. Forced to watch King Yeonsan flaunt his predation through executions and rampant abuse of the common folk, Daehyun aches to find a way to dethrone his half-brother once and for all. When Iseul's and Daehyun's fates collide, their contempt for each other is transcended only by their mutual hate for the king. Armed with Iseul’s family connections and Daehyun’s royal access, they reluctantly join forces to launch the riskiest gamble: a coup. Save her sister. Free the people. Destroy a tyrant. "To those who have dared to be a beacon of light in the bleakest of moments." 3.5 stars rounded up because I'm still thinking about the end. This story is dark, gripping, and heart-wrenching...mostly because it's based off true events from Korean history and it doesn't shy away from King Yeonsan heinous deeds. And I mean HEINOUS. This guy is EVIL. Iseul is a noble who has fallen from noble society. At first, I couldn't understand why she would set out for her sister—whom she confessed to have grown apart from because they were always at odds—but I'm chalking this up to a "love em more when I don't live with em" type deal because heavens knows that's how I am with my sibling. That said—while she starts out spoiled—she shows incredible character growth throughout the novel as she learns to grapple with the realities that the world is not kind...especially to girls and women. "One is imprisoned by a thousand rules as a woman, and no one will explain to me why such rules exist." Daehyun himself was a bit of fresh air. He was genuinely a good guy in a horrible situation trying to keep himself alive. While his character wasn't as fleshed out as it could have been, I actually liked that because the dynamic was best WITH Iseul. She was the dreamer that made him feel again...and I loved seeing that gradually coaxed out of him. Also, Yul and Wonsik? The best found family...they are the light in the darkness. The beacon in the night. And the entire reason why I'm still thinking about the ending and Hur's dedication: "to those who have dared to be a beacon of light in the bleakest of moments." Because that, ultimately, is what I decided was the point of the novel. Neither the coup to bring down the king—though that was definitely important and necessary—nor even the fact that the coup leaders were arguably just as—if not worse—for the people...but the spots of light in such terrible circumstances. It's the kindness of an innkeeper treating a patron with kindness. It's the chance an old dog took on a new pup to broaden her horizons. It's another woman raising up other women to keep them from being abused over and over again. It's the love that can blossom in even the darkest of times. I like that. I like that a lot.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Gripping and dark historical YA!
I thought this was a really great read! And I'm saying this as someone who doesn't read a lot of historical fiction. I went in thinking it wouldn't be that dark of a novel, but this was deliciously atmospheric without absolutely drowning in its darkness. It treated the topic of living under an oppressive tyrant with the gravity that it deserves. Too many times, the YA novels I've read don't seem to understand that serious situations like this aren't just set dressing to sprinkle some flavor on a tropey story. Anyway, on to the characters and plot. It's usually hard for me to connect with a character like Iseul (pampered younger sister types), but the author really made me care for her and her problems. I wanted Iseul to reunite with her sister. I wanted Iseul and the prince to get together and live happily ever after. I wanted Iseul and her found family to end up as a happy, thriving family unit working at the inn. I won't lie. I barely know anything about Korean history, but the setting was described adequately enough that I felt immersed both in time and space. I wish there was more time spent on describing the mundane, but Google helped fill me in. I liked the murder mystery plotline for what it was, but I did wish the book focused more on the rebellion. But then again, that's just me being a huge fantasy nerd who loves books about rebellions. Anyway, I'm pretty excited to tackle more of June Hur's works! Thank you to Feiwel & Friends and NetGalley for this arc.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Sageuk Lovers
If you love Kdrama taken on historical events, you will definitely love this one. As an avid kdrama fan and sageuklover, I find the terms easy to read even the whole book! I love the detailed parts and it’s just amazing to be hold a portal to true events of the past on King Yeonsan’ era. A mix of history and fiction at once. I love it!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Another beautiful story from June Hur
June Hur is not allowed to write about siblings anymore because every time it is devastating. Truly, June Hur is one of the most talented YA writers currently. She consistently delivers heartfelt characters and intense plotlines that keep me up long into the night. Her ability to weave character arcs, intricate mysteries, and untaught history into one novel is a skill. This novel is based on the period of King Yeonsan, a tyrant who destroyed his subject's livelihoods and stole hundreds of women for his concubines. It follows Iseul as she tries to save her older sister, kidnapped by the King. It also follows Prince Daehyun, half-brother to the king, who lives in fear for his life. He is determined to dethrone his half-brother despite how impossible of a task it may be. A Crane Among Wolves feels heavier than Hur's previous books, not just because of the content but because of the characters. Iseul is a bit spoiled going into this novel and, from the beginning, feels immense guilt for what happened to her sister despite their rocky relationship. She doesn't start likable, but she grows through the story. Her selfishness and spoiled tendencies fade as she sees the devastation throughout her country on her journey to find her sister. She goes through a lot of grief, and her connection to her sister is beautiful. I grew to love her strength and empathy. I didn't get a good read on Prince Daehyun. Most of his character was developed before the story started, so he remains constant throughout the novel. Overall, I liked him but didn't feel as strongly about him. June Hur, the woman she is, made an enemies-to-lovers I actually enjoyed. Isuel and Daehyun are on opposite sides of the spectrum in personalities, backgrounds, and goals. But Hur took her time building their connection and writing tense back-and-forth dialogue. They so gradually go from enemies to allies and friends. It's one of the most natural examples of the trope I've seen. Was it my favorite romance by her? No, but that's more a case of personal preference. The mystery was clever and fun to piece together, but it didn't fit naturally into the overall story. I think between the intense emotional journey Iseul was going on and Daehyun trying to stage a coup, the murder mystery was too much for the plot. Technically, the mystery does relate to Iseul's and Daehyun's separate journeys, but I would've preferred a complete focus on the character's arc. Still, the mystery was written well; I don't know if it was necessary to the story. Hur once again delivered a beautiful, atmospheric mystery that floats between great genres. I highly recommend this one if you love siblings, enemies-to-lovers, Korean history, and mysteries! Check TW, especially if you find violence and talk of SA triggering. The biggest thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
another great read from June Hur
**I received a copy of the book through NetGalley. I voluntarily read and reviewed it. All opinions are my own.** June Hur is an autobuy author for me. I love how her books have this soothing quality and elegant flow to it. That’s the case here even though it is a historical mystery with a fair amount of political intrigue. Also, Hur never disappoints with her vivid descriptions. It's one of the reasons why I enjoy her novels. While the book revolves around Iseul trying to rescue her sister who has been stolen by the king to be a concubine, there are subplots woven seamlessly into the main storyline including a murderer on the loose and an attempt to usurp the crown. It might appear as though a lot is happening, they are all tied to each other as actions against a tyrant. Importantly, they add to Iseul’s growth as a character as she finds herself involved in each, highlighting her determination while also helping her recognize how courageous she actually is. At times I wished Iseul and Daehyun were a little more obvious with their feelings because I am a romance lover and I needed those moments to squee. Despite this, I appreciated how the romance never overshadows Iseul’s goal of saving her sister. She is a tenacious character and thankfully remains so throughout the book. My favorite relationship in the book is the unexpected one that develops between Iseul and a retired government official. I just wish they had more scenes together because he ends up being one of the few individuals who believes in her. Also, I love found family and he gets to be part of that for her. With the many Asian inspired fantasies I've been reading, this provided a welcomed break. I recommend this to individuals who like historical fiction with a touch of romance.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Darker tones with mystery, intrigue, romance
Every page propels the mystery and intrigue forward to create an exciting adventure with more than a few dark undertones. Iseul is determined to save her older sister after the king nabbed her from the village and dragged her to the capital to join his ever-growing circle of concubines. The entire kingdom suffers under the tyrant's cruel rule, one which has left Iseul parentless after the king's last 'purge' on his government officials. With no money and no allies, the task is dangerous and impossible, but even if it means her death, Iseul won't let her sister suffer. When she's set face-to-face with a series of murders which is threatening the king, she realizes that finding the criminal might be the only chance she has to save her sister. But that brings her to the prince, and he will either be her undoing, her greatest ally, or both. When I picked this up, I was expecting an historical read...which this is but not with as many details as I expected. Instead, the setting radiates through the little things, which demonstrate the aspects of the daily life, ideologies, and cultures around 1506. This was a tumultuous time in Korean history, where the king lost his mind in greed and power. The author doesn't numb the cruelty, which also means there are more than a few triggers in this read. Still, it doesn't settle into the gore of details, but rather, lets the situations hit with the seriousness and emotions they deserve. It's a darker read, which even goes beyond the cruelty of the king and heads into a string of murders and mystery. There's quite a bit of intrigue thrown in, which when mixed with the planning of a coup, creates a heavy weave that thickens and thickens. There's a lot to work through, and that in just this one novel. It creates a quick-paced read with little time to take a breath before the next twist arrives. The general world building does slide back in terms of scenery and surroundings, and this will be an easier read for those who have already sunk into Asian culture before. But it's a tale, which grabs and stays tense the entire way through. On the character end, the author has placed the leads in two, very different realms before bringing them together. The tale switches back and forth between Iseul and Daehyun, and they don't meet until several chapters in. This gives the reader time to get a feel for both personalities as well as gain the needed foundation of life inside and outside of the palace. When the two meet, it's not insta-attraction by any means. Romance isn't high on the list when lives are at stake on so many levels. It was refreshing to see the main issues remain in control over the romance in a YA read. This strong flow of plot did mean less on character depth and reflection, but that also makes it a lighter read...if it can be called that. While this didn't have as much of the historical flair as I expected, it is an exciting read. The intrigue, mystery, and dangerous situations drive each moment forward and add many tense moments. The characters are determined and easy to root for as they try their best to turn everything around. Add the powerful ending, and it's well-worth a read for those who enjoy darker adventures set in historical times. I received a DRC and enjoyed reading this one quite a bit.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com