A Crane Among Wolves
We are pleased to announce the forthcoming author talk about the novel A Crane Among Wolves with author June Hur.
June Hur, the bestselling author of The Red Palace, crafts a devastating and pulse-pounding tale that feels relevant in today's world. June's novels are steeped in Korean history which are set in the Joseon Dynasty. Based on a true story, A Crane Among Wolves has the pacing, courtly intrigue and palace political drama of popular historical K-dramas, with a swoon-worthy romance as well.
In conversation with A. Y. Chao, this is an in-person event at the Korean Cultural Centre with the author June Hur joining via video-link. We invite you to join us to discover more about June’s inspirations behind this captivating new work.
A Crane Among Wolves
The introduction scene of this novel is set in the year 1506 in the Joseon Dynasty. The people suffer under the cruel reign of the tyrant King Yeonsan, powerless to stop him from abusing women, banning and burning books and commandeering private land for his recreational use.
Seventeen-year-old Iseul has lived a sheltered, privileged life despite the kingdom's turmoil. When her older sister, Suyeon, becomes the king's latest prey, Iseul leaves the relative safety of her village, traveling through forbidden territory to reach the capital in hopes of stealing her sister back. But she soon discovers the king's power is absolute, and to challenge his rule is to court certain death.
Prince Daehyun has lived his whole life in the terrifying shadow of his despicable half-brother, the king. Forced to watch King Yeonsan flaunt his predation through executions and rampant abuse of the common folk, Daehyun aches to find a way to dethrone his half-brother once and for all. When staging a coup, failure is fatal, and he'll need help to pull it off-but there's no way to know who he can trust.
When Iseul's and Daehyun's fates collide, their contempt for each other is transcended only by their mutual hate for the king. Armed with Iseul's family connections and Daehyun's royal access, they reluctantly join forces to launch the riskiest gamble the kingdom has ever seen:
Save her sister. Free the people. Destroy a tyrant.
Find out more about the book via link here.
Author June Hur
June Hur is a bestselling and Edgar Award-winning author of YA historicals, including The Silence of Bones, The Forest of Stolen Girls, The Red Palace, and A Crane Among Wolves. Born in South Korea, June spent her formative years in the USA, Canada, and South Korea before studying History and Literature at the University of Toronto and working at the city's public library. Her work has been featured in Forbes, NPR, The New York Times, CBC, and KBS.
June resides in Toronto with her family and can be spotted writing in coffee shops.
Moderator A.Y. Chao
Alice (A.Y. Chao) is a Chinese-Canadian author of fantasy. Her recent publication is Shanghai Immortal, a fantasy steeped in Chinese myth and folklore set in Shanghai. She is fascinated by the interplay between self-perceived versus imposed identity and how this intersects with belonging and enjoys exploring these spaces in her stories. A recovering lawyer and a xiao long bao enthusiast, she lives in London.
