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A Crane Among Wolves
CCBC Review:
In early 16th-century Korea, King Yeonsan terrorizes the populace, torturing those he considers enemies and kidnapping women as consorts. Iseul, 17, was raised in a noble family but her parents were killed in one of the king’s sweeping campaigns of vengeance. Now her older sister, Suyeon has been kidnapped by the king and Iseul is determined to rescue her. Once pampered and self-absorbed, Iseul takes a job at an inn and soon is immersed in the hunt for an assassin known as Nameless Flower—who’s been murdering supporters of the king—in the hopes of trading the assassin’s identity for her sister’s release. Meanwhile, the king’s half-brother, Prince Daehuyn, maintains appearances in support of Yeonsan’s rule but is secretly helping organize a coup. The planning takes place at the inn where Iseul is working, and she finds herself drawn to Prince Daehuyn, as he does to her. Iseul’s priority remains saving Suyeon, but as her questions about whom to trust deepen, she finds her best hope of doing so is knotted with the coup attempt, and realizes that all the women kidnapped by the king deserve saving. This sweeping love story and immersive work of historical fiction is told in chapters alternating between Iseul and Prince Daehuyn’s points of view, revealing each of their personal histories. The author’s excellent preface and end note provide helpful historical context. ©2025 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
CCBC Age Recommendation: Age 13 and older
Age Range:
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format:
Novel
Subjects:
16th Century
Activism and Resistance
East Asian People
Good and Evil
Historical Fiction
Koreans and Korean Americans
Love and Romance
Mysteries
Spies and Intrigue
Suspense
Diversity subject:
Asian
Publishers:
Feiwel and Friends, Macmillan
Publish Year: 2024
Pages: 359
ISBN: 9781250858092
CCBC Location: Fiction, Hur