This book was an absolute gem, as usual with Elizabeth Lim. I was rooting so hard for Channi and Vanna. Their relationship was beautiful and sweet and tragic, and it was a wonderful wrap up to the Six Crimson Cranes, going backward in time.

I want to preface this review by making clear that I had no idea this was a prequel to the Six Crimson Cranes duology.
That being said, I enjoyed this book thoroughly. Obviously I missed out on knowing everything that links this book to the duology, but my experience was not really ruined by this.
I am always a sucker for sister stories and I loved the dynamic between Channi and Vanna. As an older sister myself I could 100% relate to Channi and her desire to protect Vanna at all costs. The romance was cute, but it definitely felt overshadowed by the sister relationship.
I do have to say, the ending of this book destroyed me, so keep that in mind. If you love your younger sister devotedly, this book will rip your heart out.

The positives: world building! I loved seeing different setting within the world Lim had previously created. I also loved Channi’s relationship with Ukar. I was very happy that Vanna got fleshed out towards the end of the story and seeing her and Channi help each other was so beautiful. Lim’s writing is also just nice. It flows well, is poetically descriptive, and enjoyable to read.
The negatives: I really liked Channi and I really liked the character she ends up becoming in the Six Crimson Cranes duology, but the connective tissue between those two characters didn’t really work for me. They felt like two different people in many ways and it just makes Raikama’s adult life even more tragic, which this poor woman did not need. Vanna was too blank for much of the story- this is part of the point, even her closest friend/sister doesn’t see beyond her beauty- but it made their relationship feel less significant than it should have for the first half of the book. It’s not a romantic book- I love that it chose to focus on familial love instead- but some of the feints towards romance felt superfluous and unsatisfying, especially with its plot relevance. Either make it less important to the plot or give it a little more time.
Also, random complaint that the author obviously had pretty much zero control over, but none of the covers show Channi’s ‘monstrous’ face. I wish they did. The story grapples with her moving towards a place of neutrality re: her looks, as well as Vanna’s struggles with her extreme ‘beauty’ leading to danger, and the covers choosing ‘beauty’ over how Channi looks in the story feels contradictory to that. Even the character art on the US cover or the hardback for FairyLoot, which shows scales on Channi’s cheeks, leaves her very conventionally pretty (e.g. her nose). It bothers me that in a story that shows Channi is valuable, talented, and worthy of care and love no matter how she looks, the art seems to be afraid of showing anyone who is not conventionally beautiful.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed Her Radiant Curse because I loved Six Crimson Cranes. However, if you didn’t love it you won’t like this one.

Elizabeth Lim has become one of my auto-buy authors. I really enjoy her writing & her stories. Her Radiant Curse, her newest book, was no exception.
The book is set in the same world as her previous books and in this one we follow the stoey of Channi, who appears in the Six Crimson Cranes duology.

The world-building was really good as always and the story was whimsical, very engaging & action-packed. It also has very good friendship and sibling dynamics between the characters.

Elizabeth Lim remains an author that I will instantly buy from, this novel just continues to prove how much I have loved her work. This a beautiful continuation/expansion of Six Crimson Cranes. I cannot wait to read more from her.

I wish I had known this was a prequel to Six Crimson Cranes before I read it. I wasn’t prepared for this book to be a tragedy, and I would have been if I’d known. The book is really lovely - I love Lim’s writing style! But I did feel gut punched, a little.

This was such a beautiful book, I love Elizabeth work already. But I do believe this will be a new favorite for me. I love how will define the plot and characters are.

This interconnected series of books is one of my favorites! Elizabeth did a phenomenal job having me root for Channi. She was not always the “monster”.

Even though this is a prequel to Six Crimson Cranes, you could definitely read this without prior knowledge of the original series. It's set in the same world, but though you could probably guess how the pieces fit together, it's not fully revealed until the end of the book.

This was an interesting story, but for whatever reason, I never really connected with the characters. The concept behind the curse was very interesting, and I did like the sisterly bond this showed!

Brilliant just like all of Elizabeth Lim's other books. Don't usually like prequels but this one grabbed me and I honestly could not put it down! Beautifully written

“When Channari was a toddler, her father sacrificed her to Angma, the Demon Witch. Now she’s cursed to live out her days with the face of a serpent, a cruel contrast to her younger sister Vanna’s glowing beauty. When Vanna turns seventeen, the time comes for her binding selection. Wealthy suitors, both young and old, travel to Puntalo Village to bid for her hand in marriage. When it becomes clear that only the village leaders and one suitor will benefit from what’s taking place, Channi knows she has to fight on her sister’s behalf against cruel and greedy intentions, even if it means being out in the open with her face on display. What she doesn’t foresee is a journey that will take her off the island of Sundau and across the sea. She’ll do absolutely anything for her beloved sister Vanna . . . or so she thought. As it’s been alluded to in stories past, ‘one sister must fall for the other to rise.’”

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from Knopf Books for Young Readers, imprint of Random House Children’s Books, through NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

After the high of “Six Crimson Cranes” and the low of “The Dragon’s Promise,” I was feeling cautious but optimistic about another trip to the Lor’yan world. I loved the mountainous region of Kiata and was ready for more exploring because Elizabeth Lim never disappoints with her locations and atmosphere. This time, readers are taken to the island of Sundau where sisters Channari and Vanna Jin’aiti live. Though you don’t need to read any other books to understand this particular story, there are Easter eggs for those who have visited before. I won’t reveal anything but will confirm there are references to both The Blood of Stars and Six Crimson Cranes duologies.

I was excited for something different in “Her Radiant Curse,” fully expecting an emphasis on sisterhood and little to no romance. The relationship between Channari and Vanna is sweet and compelling and only gets better as the book goes on. I also love the adventures of Channi and her animal companions which feels like something out of a Disney movie. Some romance did creep in, and I tried my best to give it a fair chance. The identity of the love interest makes complete sense and is an interesting detail. However, the progression of the relationship moves so quick and never feels organic. I understand why this element was included but am of a strong opinion that it should’ve been reworked or omitted. It took me completely out of the book which is devastating because the sisters’ side of the story had my whole heart.

In the beginning, I was leaning towards a perfect rating; in the middle, I knew this wasn’t as good as “Six Crimson Cranes” but just as good as The Blood of Stars duology; and by the end, I was willing to place this above “The Dragon’s Promise” but no higher which is how I landed on 3.5 Stars. I’m still very much in love with the world Elizabeth Lim has created and will continue to read any future prequels and sequels. Someday, sometime, I will feel the five-star magic of “Six Crimson Cranes” again.

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Content Breakdown: Abuse (physical & verbal), Alcohol & Drunkenness, Animal Cruelty & Death, Arson, Betting, Blood, Bonemaker’s Arena (people are forced to fight to the death), Bullying, Captivity (animal & human), Charms & Talismans, Child Sacrifice (attempted), Clairvoyance & Prophecies, Cussing/Cursing, Death, Demons, Drugging (only mentioned), Face & Body Marks/Scars, Familial Death, Fights to the death (animals & humans), Hunting, Kidnapping, Killing (murder & self-defense), Kissing, Magic & Witchcraft, Parental Abuse (physical & verbal), Poison & Poisoning, Suiyaks (former witches who feed on blood), Superstition, Threats of bodily harm, Traumatic Childbirth (fatal), Violence (animal & human), Weapons (Knife, Spear, Sword, etc), & Witches (including one who consumes children & adults for immortality)

Arranged Marriage/Marriage Contest: A group of kings, varying in age from young to old, travel to Puntalo Village to compete for the hand of 17-year-old Vanna. It’s referred to as a “binding selection”, & bidding is involved. Gag accordingly!

Religious Beliefs & Rituals: Altars & Shrines (for gods & relatives), Gods & Goddesses, Heaven & Hell, Incense, Luck, Offerings, Prayer, Shamans, & Temples

Self-Inflicted Wounds: More than once, Channi cuts herself to make use of her poisoned blood. She also mentions fruitless attempts to cut off her facial scales, & at one point, purposefully gives herself a facial scar.

A wonderful prequel to a beautiful story. It takes us back to understand how the curse came to be in the first place. I adored the sister dynamic and the way a character is further fleshed out and revisited. The author has a beautiful use of langauge that creates a soothing and fascinating story.

Her Radiant Curse by Elizabeth Lim is a captivating blend of myth and magic. My favorite part is the intricate relationship between the sisters, Sura and Mina, whose bond is tested by a powerful curse. Lim’s character development is exceptional, with each sister’s growth and struggles deeply engaging. The world-building and lyrical prose enhance the story, making it a must-read for fantasy fans.

I didn't like it as much as I loved Six Crimson Cranes, but it was still fascinating to see this prequel concerning a major character in Six Crimson Cranes. Reading this really wants to make me reread that for more context! I did like the main character and really felt for her story. This is a compelling adventure filled with notes of Asian-inspired mythology that really bring it to life. And there's nothing like the bond between sisters.

I loved the Six Crimson Cranes duology, so I was stoked to read this companion novel. It's a great addition to that world! Elizabeth Lim's vivid and lush writing transported me to the Asian mythology-based setting. The dynamic between the sisters and the magic was fascinating, and I even found myself getting emotional at times. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will read anything Elizabeth Lim writes.

This is the first book I read by Elizabeth Lim. I then found out (probably halfway through) that it is a prequel for Six Crimson Cranes, and set in the same world as her other books. I mention that because by the time I got the end, it felt like it was setting up events while wrapping up the story of Channi and Vanna. I found the story interesting; a fantasy world, “cursed” sisters, and even an animal companion. The “romance between sworn enemies” wasn’t the most appealing. The twist at the end left me with mixed feelings. But as I said, it seemed to be setting up events for the duology.

This series is one of my absolute favorites. I loved getting a prequel and learning about the two sisters. This was genuinely such a fun read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!
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It was enjoyable to go back in time to see the back story of the step-mother from the duology! It was definitely sad to read about all of the trauma she endured , but fascinating to see the journey.
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I definitely think this prequel could be read as a stand alone and still enjoyable! But finding the Easter Eggs to things we knew from the duology was fun!

Another stunning work by Elizabeth Lim.

I absolutely LOVED Six Crimson Cranes and this prequel gave so much more insight into Chani.