He approaches the witnesses and the evidence with a calm detachment, pointing out holes in testimony, and revealing false evidence with logic and deduction that made me think about Sherlock Holmes and his methods. Akira is a hugely interesting character, and it’s fun to learn more about him over the course of the book and try to figure out what kind of person he is, but seeing him in court was hands down my favourite thing. The various accused that are brought in, who are all being framed by corrupt officials, must be defended by Hesina and her investigator Akira. The trial that comes from the investigation is one of the best parts of the book.

But then she begins to see that despite these teachings, despite people seeming to follow this way of life, there are corrupt people not just in the world, but within her own palace, who will use this investigation to further their own political and financial ends. Hesina thinks she understands how searching for the truth about her father’s death will play out because of the laws put in place by The Eleven. Well, unless you’re a Sooth and have magical powers, then you’ll be slowly murdered on sight. Hesina thinks she knows how the world works, she thinks that she has an understanding of her kingdom thanks to the teachings of The Eleven, a group of revolutionaries that changed her country three hundred years ago and built a fairer, better society.

Not only is the kingdom on the verge of war with one of their neighbours, but an investigation into the king’s death begins an investigation that turns Hesina’s carefully planned life upside down. Rather than just make the story about her grief over her father and all of the new trials and tribulations she as to contend with as a ruler, Joan He makes things so much more complicated for her. The story follows Hesina, a young woman who is not only having to deal with the sudden death of her father, but also with the fact that she now has to become the new ruler of her kingdom. It kept me engaged throughout and I was always guessing as to what was going to happen next, or what twists the next chapter would bring. There’s so much going on in the book that it’s hard to pin it down as anything other than wonderful to read. It’s a mystery story, but also has some elements of romance in there too. It’s got some amazing courtroom drama moments, but it’s also full of political intrigue. A lot of the time it feels like a historical fiction, but then there are things that place it within fantasy. I don’t know what category to even begin to place Joan He’s Descendant of the Crane in.

Descendent of the crane