I received this book as an e-arc by NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton/ Hodderscape in exchange for an honest review, thank you!

« I was not born a monster. People forget that. »

Rating: 4⭐️
Genre: Teen & YA
Pages: 432
Series: Prequel to the Six Crimson Cranes duology

When I saw this book available, I was excited. I had planned to read the SCC duology this month and thought this would be perfect to read before!

Elizabeth Lim has a beautiful voice when she writes. She is known for her Asian mythology/fantasy and she does it again in this book. From the start, I was hooked. I loved how she writes and as I have not read SCC, I am so curious to see where the story goes from here!

The story is narrated by Channi who is cursed as a child to have the face of a snake by a demon witch. This is done because her father tries to sacrifice her instead of her sister. Her sister Vanna, is born with light in her chest and her dad decides not to sacrifice it but the witch is not happy. Channis bitten by the snake king in an attempt to help her since his poison protects hers from the demon witch. When Channi is cursed, the witch tells her she will come back on her sister's 17th birthday. She then spends the rest of her life preparing herself for that day. The sisters are incredibly close and the story starts right before Vannas 17th birthday as Channi continues to prepare for the day she will meet the demon witch again.

I was never bored while reading and I enjoyed the descriptive writing. Even though it is over 400 pages, I read it rather quickly. I was hooked right away and didn’t want to put the book down. I was even crying by the end of the book as I was so invested. I enjoyed it and think it would be one that everyone would enjoy!

I went back and forth between 4 and 5 stars for this book. I picked four stars so I can read the duology first. I still loved this book and highly recommend it to all!

« Only it was not my sister that he took into the jungle. It was me. »

5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an e-ARC copy. All thoughts are my own.

As I expected, I thoroughly enjoyed this read. Captivatingly tragic, this prequel to Six Crimson Cranes tells the story of Channari, and all that it took for her to become Her Radiance as known in the main series. I grew quite fond of Raikama in SCC that I eagerly awaited this release, and it didn't let me down at all.

Even with the knowledge that things must go poorly for Channari in the end, I was hopeful for her and how hard she fought for her sister Vanna. I actually found myself not a huge fan of her sister - and her father is a real piece of work - but the way Channi would go to the ends of the earth to protect her was praiseworthy. She's easily relatable and admirable for how much she's had to endure and hasn't entirely turned against her family. I also like the comparison of her heart, and how much it hopes and wants compared to the likes of the other entities around her, especially Hokzuh.

Once again, along with family ties being stronger than love, I do like the friendship that is built between characters. That Channari has such kindness towards the captured demons and beasts, her budding connection with Hokzuh, and her long-standing alliance with the snakes and Ukar - it's all so heart-warming. This is a trait of the main series that I liked a lot, so I'm glad to see it return in this story. I also enjoyed the moral ambiguity of the characters, and how Hokzuh, Angma, and even Channi all have done things because they're desperate for what they hope and dream of. The villains of this story are just as tragic as Channi's journey, and I felt really sad for Hokzuh's ending in this.

The world-building is sumptuous and feels just as dangerous as Channari experiences it to be. I've read two series by this author, and have come to expect immersive settings, magical prose, and enchanting descriptions that place the reader in the world. I experienced this again with Her Radiant Curse and was very pleased with the rich depictions of the jungle and the places Channari travels to off her homeland.

Whilst the romance sub-plot remained as such throughout, I enjoyed it and appreciated the way it shaped Channari. It's beautifully tragic and I mourned Channi's loss of love, something she had wanted so much for herself. Knowing how she ended up in Kiata after is bittersweet, and yet, I'm grateful that she was given what she craved so much. The epilogue is poignant to the reader who is well-acquainted with how Shiori feels about her stepmother. I truly wish things could have been different for Channi in many ways. Yet I'm equally grateful Lim gave us insight into this character's backstory and all the easter eggs that are shared for readers of the main series were rewarding.

I really liked all the Asian mythology and how Channari evolves despite all the misfortunes that befall her.
The story is good, although the writing is a bit chaotic. I have the feeling that the descriptions of the characters contradict each other as well as the actions that are happening.
There are some very detailed descriptions and others very little that left me confused. I don't quite get this author's writing style, but over all was a okey book.

Elizabeth Lim has become an auto-read author. Whenever I see a new book written by her on Netgalley I press the request button before even checking what the book is about. I kinda understood, due to the cover design, that this book was linked to Six Silver Cranes. It took me however way too long, that's what you get for not checking the summary, to understand that this is a prequel! However, I was really happy that Hodder & Stouthton granted me a review copy.

In a way we already know how this book is gonna end when we start it. After all, we already met the heroine in the duology and we heard some glimpses of her story there. But hearing about it and living it are two entirely different things. I really loved that the author took the time to write down this complete story. Not only does it paint a much clearer picture of her character. It's also a wonderful and touching story about love and wishes.

From the very start the magic is very present in this book. Everything is magic. At times that makes the book feel a little overwhelming. There's so much going on. There are so many characters involved. The characters take a lot of detours and have to complete a lot of side quest. And yet the book never feels chaotic or all over the place. On the contrary. The book reads like a fairytale. Just one without a happily ever after.

I also really loved the heroine in this story. Since I didn't realize it was a prequel for a long time I started this storsy without any prejudice. And because of everything that happens, because of everything that's being done to our heroine and her sister, I did understand why she eventually became the character we meet in the duology. And I could only feel very very sad. Sad about the person she could have been. Sad about the person she was forced to become.

I hope the author will return to this world once more. There must be more stories to tell, right?

The whole concept that one sister must fall for the other to rise is great. The sisters contrast so much and the bond between them is explored well. There’s plenty of Asian folklore woven throughout the story and elements of Beauty and the Beast. The witches and magical systems are enchanting. The FMC Channi is a delight to read, her adventures and battles seem endless. The animals in this book are beautifully presented. Channis relationships with them are what made this book for me. The conversations she has with her snake friend are lovely and witty. The snakes sixth sense part made me laugh.
Overall a charming book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an E-ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

While knowing the story behind this from the synopsis and having read Six Crimson Cranes duology, I still felt it was a little pointless in the beginning. Most of the start of this book was explained in the duology, and it didn't really add to the characters having it recited again.

However, as the story progressed, and we learnt more about Channari's journey and motivations, the full picture was weaved, and I came to appreciate her character so much more in-depth.

It's an incredible story about the love and devotion between sisters and how far someone is willing to go, what they will sacrifice, for the person they love most. It's a beautiful story with a heartwarming ending.

While it adds little to the duology, it is a fitting prequel that captures everything you would desire from it.

What can’t Elizabeth Lim do? Her world building is top tier. Her characters are phenomenal and the entire storyline is just so engaging. Am I a No.1 fan? Yes

I was so excited to read this book because of the hype that THE DRAGON PROMISE created but sadly it didn't turn out that well.

There was so much repetitive description about Channi's sister like she is so bright, she is so beautiful, she has some charming heart . I was fed up with this description.

The plot was interesting I think but still it fails to engage and I was skipping and flipping the pages to reach the end.

In the end, this book isn't for me.

**Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this eARC. All thoughts are my own.**

After reading Six Crimson Cranes & A Dragon's Promise last year, when I heard we were going to get Channi's story, I was so thrilled.
This book did not disappoint. I loved every second of reading this, so much so that I finished it in one day.
This tale is about two sisters, one golden, beautiful, and full of light, and the other is called a monster, for she has the eyes of a snake, and scales on her face to match.
When Channi's sister was born her father took her to the jungle and left her for dead, to sacrifice her to the witch Angma in hopes it would save his wife, but Channi was spared and left with a disfigured face. The serpent king gave her gifts, as Angma swore she would return for her sister Vanna on her seventeenth birthday.

I adored the magical elements of this story and the friendships Channi makes along the way. The connections she forges even when she feels she has no one. The love she has for her sister is the one thing that keeps her going.
Her life isn't easy, and her journey reflects that, but I'm so glad we got to hear her story.
She was one of my favourite characters in the Six Crimson Cranes duology.
This book made me cry. It is a heartbreaking, and sad story, but also one of resilience, strength, and courage, as she fights to save her sister, and discovers her true self along the way.
5 out of 5 stars!

Elizabeth Lim strikes again. As a massive Lim fan prior to Her Radiant Curse, I had pretty high expectations but boy was I blown out of the water! Lim's prose is as whimsical as ever, immersing you straight into the world and not letting you go.

The best element of this book is the relationship between Channi and Vanna's relationship. As someone who doesn't have sisters, I could feel the love between the two and how it has persevered throughout their varying lives and of one being too beautiful and one not being beautiful enough by their society's standards.

This book is hugely successful for either giving existing fans of the Six Crimson Cranes duology extra intriguing background of a character they know, or for readers like me who have not read the duology yet (though I have read the Spin the Dawn series, thankfully).

My one issue, which may be on my behalf, is that I couldn't fully visualise Hokzuh based on the descriptions alone until I saw the promotional art. Otherwise, an incredible read!

I suppose it must be said that the mysterious origins of the Nameless Queen in Six Crimson Cranes and The Dragon's Promise was intriguing enough that I requested Her Radiant Curse when I saw it on NetGalley, even though I've been telling myself to stop picking up ARCs when I have no time to write reviews.

Here is the story of the two sisters, one beautiful and one hideous, and how their very existence changed the world. It is, thankfully, not one of sibling rivalry and resentment because of the disparity of how they're treated, but one where the two sisters love each other so much that they would give up their own lives for the other.

It is a story that deals a lot with the idea of beauty - how one is treated because of how they look, the expectations and burdens of both beauty and ugliness. Whilst the focus is on Channi as the protagonist, it is also about Vanna and how the beautiful sister has to always act in acceptable ways because everyone expects it of her. It brings to mind Isabela Madrigal from Encanto.

There are beautiful and touching moments in Her Radiant Curse and I think that the relationships in the book are the core of what kept me reading, from Channi and Vanna's special bond, to Channi's close friendship with Ukar and her tumultuous alliance (frenemyship? lol) with Hokzuh. Unfortunately, for it being written in first person from Channi's POV, I did not really like Channi very much at all - which, I suppose, is the reason for this rather detached review.

I will have to say the ending was great though.

Note: I received a digital ARC of this book from Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I have to be honest, I was quite hesitant about this one. I loved Six Crimson Cranes, but The Dragon's Promise ended up being very disappointing for me, so I didn't really have the urge to return to this world, but then I saw the cover and it swayed me to give this a try.
And I am so glad I did because this was SO GOOD.

I'm not always a fan of prequels but I think this one was done really well, because it stands pretty well on its own while also providing context for the original duology. It is set in the same world, of course, but in a different part, with little overlap to the part of the world we see in SCC.
I read the original duology over a year ago and therefore didn't remember a ton, but from what I could tell, HRC mostly just gave nods to things that happen in SCC, but you don't need SCC to understand what is happening here.

Her Radiant Curse is about Channi, a character in SCC, and we learn all about her backstory and how she became cursed in this book. It is very character-driven, the politics and world are really mostly there to support her journey, along with the mythology and magic that is woven into the world.

I really loved the setting. I'm a fan of Asian-inspired fantasy books in general, but the tropical setting was so cool (though I read it during a heatwave so that potentially helped me feel even more immersed because IRL temperatures matched the ones in the book :D).
The world felt very rich and the many animal (-like) creatures added to that.

The plot itself was really good, breaking a curse is a classic trope, but several caveats and twists made the stakes higher and I was entirely captivated by the story.
I cried for the last 10%, it really got me there and I think it was such a poetic way to end the book.

I thought a while about the question of duology first vs. prequel first, and I think you can't go wrong with reading it in publication order, but I can't really comment on whether the duology spoils the ending for HRC because I didn't remember enough about Channi's character, so the ending was a surprise to me.
Personally, I think I would have liked reading the prequel first because I really want to re-read SCC now to see how Channi's character acts in the duology. At the end of the day, I think both ways of reading are possible, though.
Overall, I loved this book so much more than I thought I would and needless to say, I am very glad I gave it a chance.

I adored the Six Crimson Cranes duology, and thus was super excited to dive back into their world. Especially since this book follows Channi, a character I wished had more space in them. Here we get to explore her past and how they came to affect her future. Her Radiant Curse is a fantastical story about sisterly love, adventure, dealing with loss, and the mistreatment Channi has to endure for being cursed.

Sometimes prequels can feel a bit unnecessary, because you already know how the story will end. But here it’s not about the ending, but the journey Channi takes to get there. So it’s still really interesting to learn about all the things that lead up to that moment. To the story you already know, and the character they eventually become. This gives the reader a deeper understanding of what has shaped them, an explanation for their actions and their choices - even if they weren’t always the right ones. Family might suck, but the strong bonds of sisterly love are eternal.

It was such a great experience to explore more of this magical world, and Elizabeth Lim’s writing never disappoints. The adventure had me hooked from the start, and all of the wonderful characters found their way into my heart. Especially the emotional parts, mostly in the later part of the book, had me tearing up. So if you’re looking for your next fantasy read, look no further than Her Radiant Curse.

I loved Six Crimson Cranes and A Dragon's Promise, so I was super stoked to receive a copy of "Her Radiant Curse"! And like the other two books, I definitely enjoyed this prequel to the main series. Chianni is an entirely refreshing protagonist - she's strong, fierce and stubborn with relatable flaws and desires. The story took a bit to really get going, as we spend a lot of time exploring Chianni's relationships with her different family members, but once it took of, I couldn't put it down! Ukar was the perfect sardonic sidekick as well. Would definitely recommend this, even to people who haven't read the main series.

Before I get to the review proper, I want to note that Her Radiant Curse is a standalone novel. I’ve seen some reviews mentioning that they didn’t realise that it is part of a series, especially when they picked it up on NetGalley, and that’s because it can be read on its own. It’s set in the same universe as the Six Crimson Cranes duology and reading the duology will give you some extra information. However, the duology is not required reading to enjoy this book. Personally I would read the Six Crimson Cranes duology first as I think reading Her Radiant Curse will give away part of that story, but that’s up to you.

I wasn’t sure about reading Her Radiant Curse by Elizabeth Lim because I didn’t know if there was much of a story to be told. Lim told us Channi’s story in the Six Crimson Cranes duology, and sometimes prequels just repeat a story that we already know just with more detail. I didn’t need to worry. Her Radiant Curse is as rich and fulfilling as the original duology. I personally loved this book more than the previous two books and found it much more compelling.

What Lim had told us about Channi’s story was just a tiny portion of this woman’s story, and the rest is told with raw power and brutal honesty. I’ve seen people refer to this as the villain’s story, and I dislike that description. Channi is very much an unwilling victim whose life is turned upside down when her father drags her into the jungle and leaves her at the mercy of a witch, attempting to exchange her life for her mothers. When he fails, his wife dying after giving birth to a second daughter, he takes it out on his eldest daughter especially when she returns with a face of a snake, a constant reminder of what he did.

I was in awe at Channi’s strength and tenacity, as Lim’s wonderful storytelling built up a little girl and older sister to the stepmother that carefully watched over Shiori in Six Crimson Cranes. I loved the way that Lim showed Channi’s love for the Emperor’s children even before she met them, confirming that she was never a villain and everything she did was for love. She used her experiences to protect her new family to the best of her ability.

I don’t know if Elizabeth Lim will return to this universe again, but she has definitely found a place as one of my go-to authors after this book.

Channi's mother is dying after the difficult birth of her sister Vanna. Her father attempts to sacrifice her for her mother's life and while Vanna lives and the mother dies, Channi is cursed. Vanna is beautiful and Channi has been cursed with a monstrous snake-like face. But if she brings her sister to the witch on her seventeenth birthday, the curse will be removed. One problem Channi and Vanna adore and protect each other and so there is no way that Channi will end the curse in this way. Instead she hunts the witch and so starts the adventure.
A cleverly written fantasy fairy tale of sisterly devotion and family loyalty. Steeped in mythology and rewritten fairy tales this is an engaging story with strong depictions and descriptions. Lovely character arcs with strong messages of love and loyalty interwoven in a tension driven narrative.

Her Radiant Curse follows the story of Channi, after her dying mother gives birth to her sister, Vanna (who is beautiful with a radiant glow) her father leaves her as a sacrifice to the demon witch in order to save his wife. However the after Channi is bitten by a snake the Demon Witch does not kill Channi but curses her with he face of a serpent. Now her sister is turning 17, Channi must protect her sister from the suitors her father is trying to sell her off too, the return of the demon Witch.

I haven't read any Lim before and I really enjoyed this standalone story. The flow of the sory was great and the world & magic was unique. Vanna reminded me of Helen of Troy but added into such a enchanting world. Channi was a really interesting character and I enjoyed the banter between her and Hokzuh, but the stand out relationship in this has to be between Channi and Vanna.

Overall if you are looking for a story that tests the limits of what you would do for sister, set in a beautiful world of magic and monsters, you will definitely enjoy this

"Her Radiant Curse" by Elizabeth Lim attempts to recapture the allure of the "Six Crimson Cranes" world, focusing on Channari. Despite my prior engagement with Lim's works like "The Blood of Stars" and "Six Crimson Cranes," this prequel left me unimpressed, a sentiment I share with "The Dragon's Promise."

The pacing, while commendable, fails to salvage the narrative's lack of novelty, making it blend in with the rest. Returning to the world felt like revisiting a tired setting, and the themes of friendship and siblings didn't manage to resuscitate my waning interest.

Sadly, the book's inability to distinguish itself from its predecessors hindered my engagement. Channari's backstory might offer some appeal to duology enthusiasts, but having experienced the series, I found "Her Radiant Curse" underwhelming and a forgettable addition.

I really enjoyed this book, I loved the six crimson cranes duology by the same author and the writing is just so lyrical and descriptive I love it, I really enjoyed the story and the idea of sisters was nice to read about. If there is another book in the series I will pick it up for sure, and I will reread the book when it comes out.

HER RADIANT CURSE is a tale of sisterhood delving into a villain's backstory.

I loved that this was a tale about sisters and their love for one another. Their are boys, but they are such a minor part of the tale and this is not a romance. It is the story of a sister doing everything she can to defend her sister, even facing down kings and demons. It is a tale of courage and determination, and the lengths we'll go to for our loved ones.

This is the prequel to the SIX CRIMSON CRANES duology, following the villain of that series in her childhood, desperate to protect her sister against demons. it's not so much a villain origin story in that it's not a "everyone was mean to her, so she took her revenge". It's more of a tragedy, elucidating things learnt in THE DRAGON'S PROMISE.

There is plenty of mythology woven into this tale, tales told between the sisters and creatures that Channi stumbles across in her quest to protect her sister. All of Elizabeth Lim's books that I've read so far are set in the same world, though different parts, with their own magics and mythologies, which is a really fun way of playing within the same general rules but having more freedom to make them all feel a bit different.