Descendant of the Crane

In this Chinese-inspired fantasy, narrator Nancy Wu makes Princess Hesina's reluctance to be heir to the throne fully believable. When her father is murdered and Hesina becomes queen at age 17, Wu transforms her as she learns to focus on the well-being of her subjects while also finding out who killed the king. Wu maintains a well-balanced pace through the extensive world-building as she weaves an atmosphere of political intrigue. She draws upon a broad range of voices to help the listener navigate the complex plot. Wu also proves to be adept at using tone to distinguish older people who seek to advise Hesina, particularly her mother and senior military advisors, from her contemporaries. J.E.M. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine