Joan He’s young adult debut, Descendant of the Crane, follows Empress Hesina of Yan’s arduous journey to find the truth behind her father’s sudden inexplicable death, which she believes can only be the result of regicide. Determined to uncover the truth, Hesina commits an act of treachery, punishable by death. She seeks the aid of Silver Iris, one of the many soothsayers, magic-users feared for their ancestors' part in a corrupt kingdom centuries ago. Using the information granted by the sooth, she then turns to Akira—a bright and talented young convict—to help her unveil the truth. 

I found myself trudging along Descendants of the Crane until the latter half of it, when Joan He reveals a major plot twist. After that, Descendants of the Crane was jam-packed with twists and turns at every corner. But even then, the twists were painfully unsatisfying, some failing to make sense, and most not being hinted at prior to their revelation, although I must admit she had made attempts, albeit lame, to include some foreboding through some vague quotes. After a plot twist, I like to think, “Wow, everything makes sense now. It’s all falling into place.” But I barely felt that with this book. I also found many of my questions unanswered, which was incredibly agonizing, especially since Joan He has confirmed that there will be no sequel to the novel. 

I feel like I should also mention that in spite of all the novel’s shortcomings, I did find the novel hard to put down by the end, a feeling I haven’t felt in a while, which is why my rating is three stars. Furthermore, I feel the need to mention that I think I’m somewhat unique in my slight dislike of Descendant of the Crane, in fact, a lot of people on GoodReads have given it positive reviews and so I would recommend a quick look at what they have to say.

I wouldn’t recommend this novel for readers that appreciate thorough endings and closure, like myself. However, I would recommend it for people who don’t mind a little mystery and those inventive enough to create an ending for themselves. I also think people who love drama and plot twists would enjoy the novel. 

Similar Books include Spin the Dawn, Nocturna.