Shortened Summary: Written mainly from the perspective of four different protagonists, Crescendo explores the four different Oricorio that live in Alola who are the last of their kind. Faced with the fear of extinction, these Pokémon must band together in the hopes of surviving the humans who threaten their very lives. 

Review: Although this story was a bit of a jolt to understand at first, it was a unique take on the four famous Flying-types of Alola who are able to change forms (though none of them do in the story). While I'm not a big fan of these Pokémon myself, I am a fan of Pokémon-centric stories and tales that explore unknown aspects of their world. I enjoyed the variety each Oricorio brought to the table and how they interacted with each other. The way they looked out for one another and cared for each other felt as strong a family as one who are blood related. It is told chronologically and the events are easy to follow once you get past the first chapter. While it didn't completely tackle all the plot points, it did a good job at wrapping it up as a whole and didn't leave huge holes the reader had to figure out after finishing it.

However, it could be stronger in some areas that one would expect upon encountering it. The first chapter could do a better job at setting up the cast, why the other Oricorio became extinct and the setting overall. Also—not to spoil the story—but the switch of POVs to the Absol later was jarring and confusing to read. Sticking to one POV per chapter would be more helpful in telling the story and be less confusing for the reader. I would've loved to get more on each Oricorio's thoughts on some pieces of the story, but felt those were minimal since we do get a good bit of insight into their minds throughout the work. Despite having a few weaker areas, this one was an interesting read and is one of the better Pokémon-centric stories. I found myself wanting these bird Pokémon to survive and take down the humans harming them, while also wishing for a sequel I felt was foreshadowed near the end. I would definitely read it if one was written, despite my initial dislike of Oricorio in general, as I came to like these four particular ones.