Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 07/01/2021 Gr 7 Up—Dangerous magic, untimely romance, and more than a few twists await readers in a magical adventure set in the same world as Lim's "Blood of Stars" duology. Princess Shiori'anma, the youngest child and only daughter of the Emperor of Kiata, has successfully hidden her forbidden magical abilities for years. But one fateful day, desperate to escape a dreaded betrothal ceremony, Shiori slips up and reveals her secret to her stepmother, who is discovered to have dangerous powers of her own. Now Shiori and her six older brothers have been cursed and banished—her brothers doomed to transform into six cranes by day, while Shiori is rendered unrecognizable and warned that for every word she utters, one of her brothers will die. Shiori must summon every ounce of grit and resourcefulness she possesses to survive, track down her brothers, and solve the mystery of their curse. Fast-paced excitement is balanced with a satisfyingly intricate plot that weaves in elements from Western fairy tales and East Asian folklore. Princess Shiori, with all her shortcomings, is an endearingly determined protagonist whom readers will be excited to follow into promised sequels. VERDICT A must-read for fans of folklore— and fairy tale—inspired fantasy.—Darla Salva Cruz, Suffolk Cooperative Lib. Syst., Bellport, NY - Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 03/15/2022 When 16-year-old Princess Shiori is introduced to her betrothed, she panics and flees, appalled at the notion of constrained life as a married noblewoman. Shiori is feisty, adventurous, and close to her six older brothers, and she will need all those qualities when stepmother Raikama reveals her dark magic and curses to Shiori and her brothers, changing the princes into cranes. Shiori must act on their behalf to break the curse, with the help of origami crane Kiki, who she brought to life with her own magic. Lim combines Andersen's The Wild Swans with many elements of Asian folklore while complementing fast pacing with the richly detailed world of both courtly life and the natural world. Large and small cultural details bring authenticity: the importance of the number four (considered bad luck), the folktale of the girl with a bowl on her head, the legend of 1000 paper cranes and culinary and religious details are seamlessly incorporated. A comfortably predictable romance emerges between Shiori and her intended betrothed, and the folk and fairy tale elements will lend a similar feeling of warm familiarity for many readers. - Copyright 2022 Booklist.