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.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for allowing me to read this novel.

I absolutely love Elizabeth Lim and her writing. It's no surprised that I loved this novel.
I enjoyed the story and the characters. It just worked perfectly

A great premise that fell short in the end

I loved getting to know these characters and the fast paced action made it exciting to read along however we needed more development with the plot and characters

The first thing I read by this author and as I had a feeling... I was very hooked. It is a unique volume that introduced me to a world totally different from ours, without going too deep, without explaining much how this world is, it managed to quickly make me interested in the story of our protagonist.

I liked the relationships that were formed, the development they had, the outcome, the plot, the simplicity but at the same time intricate way of telling things.

Elizabeth Lim invites you into her world where when you least expect it you are totally absorbed by the story, where the characters seem to be close to you, where you manage to empathize with them, where you suffer with them and are outraged by them.

I liked that the romance is something totally tertiary, it is not the central thing in this story. It is present, but it is something complementary, something that is there and that gives it a different touch, nothing more.

I really liked the relationship between the sisters, the enemy, the gray and conflicted characters, the twists in the plot, I loved it!

I will definitely continue reading it.

Thanks Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC I read on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’m soft DNFing this at 100 pages in
The first 100 pages provided no new information to anyone who had read the Six Crimson Cranes duology. While this is technically a standalone novel, it’s also a prequel. I suspect I might have enjoyed this more had I not read the duology as I was a wee bit bored with the slow build up
This also felt a much younger read that the Six Crimson Cranes duology, each were YA but this felt more like Middle Grade
I decided to give up on this book for now. I may come back to it at a later date, I have preordered a copy which I can’t cancel so I probably will…maybe

As the cover tells us: one must fall for the other to rise.

Channi was not born a monster. But when her own father offers her in sacrifice to the Demon Witch, she is forever changed. Cursed with a serpent’s face, Channi is the exact opposite of her beautiful sister, Vanna-the only person in the village who looks at Channi and doesn’t see a monster. The only person she loves and trusts.

A heart-wrenching story of siblings and sibling love. Although this is a weaving of classic stories, like Beauty and the Beast, Helen of Troy, and Asian folklore, it felt entirely new and I couldn't put it down. As my first Elizabeth Kim book, I can definitely say it has made me want to read the rest of the series.

I have followed Elizabeth Lim's writing through out The Blood of Stars duology and then Six Crimson Cranes duology, and despite me having a bad experience with The Dragon's Promise, I was intrigued with Her Radiant Curse as it follows Channari who I thought was an interesting character in Six Crimson Cranes. Compared to TDP, I enjoyed this one better. The pacing was really good and I think it made a good prequel for SCC. I also enjoyed going back into that world again, and I loved the friendship and siblings elements in it as well.

However, I just feel like although we're following another character here, the way the plot is constructed, I didn't feel there was anything unique that separated this book with the others. Also this is definitely a "it's me not you" case because some parts I just felt really bored and disconnected with the story. This book just didn't quite draw me in like how Six Crimson Cranes (the first book) and Spin the Dawn did.

I would still recommend those who love the SCC duology to read this! I think this provided Channari with a much needed backstory and would be a great addition to read if you've finished the duology.

Thankyou to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thought the premise of this book was great. I enjoyed the curse and snake aspects, and the relationship between the sisters was sweet.

However, some parts felt superficial and needed more development, and some elements were dropped in and not really explained.

The ending also felt quite depressing and was a bit of an anti-climax.

Real rate: 4.5
This book was an epic fantasy with curses, hard choices, betrayal, and unconditional love between two sisters.

It was a great surprise! When I first started this book, I had no idea it was Six Crimson Crane's prequel. I think I enjoy it even more not knowing Channi's future.

Elizabeth Lim's writing is truly sublime. I love her way of rewriting Asian mythology. She causes me to cry again because of the impossible love between the FMC and the dragon/demon. Although their story was not the main theme, I would have sold my soul for more.

My favorite part of the book was how fierce and independent the FMC was. I loved the bond between Channi and her best friend, Ukar. It was my favorite since Vanna and Channi's bond is also beautiful, but sometimes, I taught Vanna didn't deserve her.

Thank you Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

— 4 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"One sister must fall for the other to rise."

📖 | 432 pages
👤 | author Elizabeth Lim
🏢 | publisher Hodderscape
📅 | release date 29 August 2023

Trigger warnings: violence, gore, death of a family member, estranged and abusive parent.

I went into this book unaware that is was a prequel spin-off of the well-known Six Crimson Cranes duology and was therefore concerned that I would be unable to follow the storyline, however this was thankfully not the case. Her Radiant Curse is an artfully written tale filled with loss and heartache, which tells the story of two sisters Channi and Vanna. Channi was once a normal girl like any other until her father sacrificed her to the Demonic Witch in hopes of saving his wife's life. Displeased by the offering which proves unsuccessful, Channi is forever changed with the face of a serpent. A monster to all but her sister Vanna, Her Radiant Curse is a heart-wrenching tale which focuses on the themes of sisterly bonds, courage and loyalty.

This book is a first-read of mine by author Elizabeth Lim, and I was expecting great things due to the well-received reviews that I have seen of her Six Crimson Cranes duology. I was not left disappointed with Lim's beautifully crafted world-building and well-paced writing that was easy to read. The plot kept me engaged from beginning-to-end and had me feeling every emotion I could think to name. I loved the relationships shown with the supporting characters, especially Ukar. And I of-course cannot forget to highlight the strength and love in the bond that Channi and Vanna share. This book feels like a love-letter for sisters filled with adventure, loyalty and emotion. I do feel I would've better connected with the characters had I known to read Six Crimson Cranes first, and based on other reviews I can see that this book sets up the main storyline found in the duology very-well. The ending of this book left me heartbroken, and I look forward to reading more from this author as I move on to read the duology that follows this prequel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for the DRC in exchange for an honest review.

I‘ve read most of Elizabeth Lim‘s previous books and enjoyed them all, so going into this I already knew that it would be great. What I somehow managed to not realise, however, was that this is a spin-off prequel to her Six Crimson Cranes duology, and about a character that I remember finding very intriguing back when I read those books. However, my memory did fail me a little in terms of what I knew about the main character already, and I regret that so I might just go ahead and reread SCC next.

Anyway, I was perfectly able to understand the story without any background from the apparent sequels anyway, so let’s dive into that! Obviously, what I liked the most in this book just as with all of the author‘s other works was the world building and the way the magical system was crafted. A true masterpiece! Add lots of action, the incredibly loyal bond between two sisters and a strong, determined, unwavering, courageous, loveable main character and you have yourself a truly compelling fantastical story that kept me hooked from the first page until the last. Let me tell you, that ending was amazing!

And I even liked the romantic subplots! They were so nuanced and well developed and added so much to the story. The interactions between all character are definitely one of the strongest suits of this book, but I especially enjoyed the slow development of Channi‘s complex and layered relationship with Hokzuh. Oh, and Ukar was the most hilarious supporting character. I adored him!

4.5/5 stars.

Her Radiant Curse by Elizabeth Lim is the origin story of Channi from the Six Crimson Cranes Series.
 
I absolutely loved the Six Crimson Cranes Series and Channi was only seen as the evil stepmother. Therefore, I was so curious to see her story and this book was amazing.
 
Channi grew up on a small island and when her sister was born, her father offered her as a sacrifice to the Demon Witch. This turned her life upside down and the innocent childhood was immediately over. The Demon Witch found a liking in her and therefore gave her the ability to speak with snakes and cursed her beauty simultaneously. The people around her start seeing her as a monster and at some point, she just embraces it.
 
This book shows how everyone has a story and you shouldn’t just condemn someone. Channi also has a very loving side and I loved how her relationship with her sister was shown. She fights and protects her sister Vanna until the very end and that just shows how strong of a person Channi is.
 
Overall, this is such a captivating and heart-wrenching fantasy novel and I appreciated Channi‘s story. 4,5 stars.
 
(ARC kindly provided in exchange for a review.)