Magic just seems to describe most of my latest reads. And especially so, with Elizabeth Lim’s Her Radiant Curse. Six Crimson Cranes was a wonderful novel, one that takes the reader around Lor’yan and slowly unravels the legends of the world. It was one my best reads of last year. So a prequel to the series sounded so good that I couldn’t resist reading it and here’s 5 reasons you need to read Her Radiant Curse.
synopsis
From the New York Times bestselling author of Six Crimson Cranes comes a tale of two sisters—one as beautiful as the other is monstrous—who must fight to save each other when a betrothal contest gone wrong unleashes an evil that could sever their bond forever.
One sister 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.
Now seventeen, Vanna is to be married off in a vulgar contest that will enrich the coffers of the village leaders. Only Channi, who’s had to rely on her strength and cunning all these years, can defend her sister against the cruelest of the suitors. But in doing so, she becomes the target of his wrath—launching a grisly battle royale, a quest over land and sea, a romance between sworn enemies, and a choice that will strain Channi’s heart to its breaking point.
Weaving together elements of The Selection and Ember in the Ashes with classic tales like Beauty and the Beast, Helen of Troy, and Asian folklore, Elizabeth Lim is at the absolute top of her game in this thrilling yet heart-wrenching fantasy that explores the dark side of beauty and the deepest bonds of sisterhood.
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review
Rating – 4.2 stars
Thank you NetGalley, TBR and Beyond Tours and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for presenting me with an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. All quotes in this post are from an Advanced Copy and are subjected to change.
Shiori’s stepmother, Raikama has always been the mysterious one. Not quite the villain but sure was as charming as one would be. But before Raikama, there was Channari. And Vanna. And beyond everything else, is a sweeping tale of love and magic.
1. The tale breathes magic.
It’s quite crazy, really. And quite wondrous how many fantasy books that you find in a store claims to deal with magic and love. And sure they do. But the most enchanting thing of it all is when each author tackles the theme in their own signature way and that’s just so fascinating, don’t you think? Elizabeth Lim handled the theme quite elegantly in reference to the book and that was so perfectly captured in the novel!
2. Who doesn’t love fairy tales?
Yep. Who doesn’t love them? And more so when it isn’t just a classical retelling but something that is identical to a fairly tale in almost everything but reading it just does feel like taking a fresh new breath in the garden you’ve lived for so long. Familiar yet so refreshing. The author has a way with the trope considering that most of her works deal with the topic (from her novella series to her latest, Six Crimson Cranes) and that’s honestly so nice to read.
3. Vanna and Channi’s love is nothing short of fierce.
And that is quite unexpected considering that if things were any different, they could’ve hated each other. Instead, Channari loves and know Vanna better than anyone else and would fight tooth and nail for her sister in blood. Throughout the novel, you see Channi yearning for so many kinds of love but if there’s one thing constant, it’s her sister (or not).
4. Curses & Monsters
This may be a turn off for some but there are so many snakes here. And dragons and demons and tigers. Vanna is the Golden One, whose hand is the most sought after by kings and rulers from afar. But Channari? She was cursed by the Demon Witch Angma and is despised by her own kin. But she has to choose between her sister’s life of freeing her curse.
5. If you loved Six Crimson Cranes.
Might be a little generic, but this is a must read if you loved Six Crimson Cranes! A part of the book was already hinted at in the former, but it still kept the suspense element. Dragon pearls really do have their own minds. One thing I loved about this book was how it interconnected so many stories and also things made so much sense and I was just so amazed at all this! I hope these are reasons enough to convince you read this, and if you do, happy reading!
about the author
Elizabeth Lim grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she was raised on a hearty diet of fairy tales, myths, and songs. Before becoming an author, Elizabeth was a professional film and video game composer, and she still tends to come up with her best book ideas when writing near a piano. An alumna of Harvard College and the Juilliard School, she now lives in New York City with her husband and two daughters.Elizabeth’s internationally bestselling novels include Spin the Dawn, Unravel the Dusk, and Six Crimson Cranes. She is also a contributor to Disney’s ”A Twisted Tale” series.
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