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celeste329's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This has been exactly the adventure book I was craving. Mysterious magic, curses, animal friends, epic battles and struggles against destiny/forces beyond one’s control.
The prose was excellent, I wouldn’t say spellbinding, but it suited the action of the book very well. I loved the pacing as well, I thought we were given enough glimpses of other characters and their thoughts/motivations.
The “curse” is the main driving force of the plot - and that does, at times, make some things feel like they’re taking a backseat. That said, I found no issue with it because it *made sense* that the curse should be the main focus as it was the thing that Channi struggled with her whole life. The action scenes were great as well, and I absolutely liked the action crescendo at the end of the book, including the final resolutions (as much as I cried and sobbed because of what happened).
Channi is definitely the star of the show, with Ukar - her snake friend - coming in close second. But the other characters are also fleshed out well-enough, including the antagonist.
The magic was also great and I think overall things were cohesive when it came to it. Would definitely read this again.
The prose was excellent, I wouldn’t say spellbinding, but it suited the action of the book very well. I loved the pacing as well, I thought we were given enough glimpses of other characters and their thoughts/motivations.
The “curse” is the main driving force of the plot - and that does, at times, make some things feel like they’re taking a backseat. That said, I found no issue with it because it *made sense* that the curse should be the main focus as it was the thing that Channi struggled with her whole life. The action scenes were great as well, and I absolutely liked the action crescendo at the end of the book, including the final resolutions (as much as I cried and sobbed because of what happened).
Channi is definitely the star of the show, with Ukar - her snake friend - coming in close second. But the other characters are also fleshed out well-enough, including the antagonist.
The magic was also great and I think overall things were cohesive when it came to it. Would definitely read this again.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm, Violence, and Abandonment
morininung's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
a romance that broke my heart & a sisterly bond that helped put the pieces back together
going in knowing exactly how this story was supposed to turn out did not help. i cried through most of the book anyway and had to look back through SCC and DP hundreds of times just to connect all the tiny details, which only hurt me more.
channi and vanna possess a special kind of connection, and their shared empathy makes them a fun pairing to read about. no matter how far her quest takes her, no matter if she found a piece of her heart in someone else, channi proves, time and time again, that her sister comes first. it's a selfless act that lost her the one person, besides vanna, who understood and accepted her as she was, in all her flaws and all her wrongs, but it's a necessary sacrifice. it's expected yet refreshing, even if i am incredibly torn about the fate of her lover.
the chokehold EL has over me grows stronger each day, and i am now confident that if she ever wants me to rake all my life savings over to her, all she will need to do is ask. i wouldn't even blink. i would die defending this woman and her books.
anyway, this is, by far, her best work. i take no criticism.
quotes that made me want to gouge my eyes out
going in knowing exactly how this story was supposed to turn out did not help. i cried through most of the book anyway and had to look back through SCC and DP hundreds of times just to connect all the tiny details, which only hurt me more.
channi and vanna possess a special kind of connection, and their shared empathy makes them a fun pairing to read about. no matter how far her quest takes her, no matter if she found a piece of her heart in someone else, channi proves, time and time again, that her sister comes first. it's a selfless act that lost her the one person, besides vanna, who understood and accepted her as she was, in all her flaws and all her wrongs, but it's a necessary sacrifice. it's expected yet refreshing, even if i am incredibly torn about the fate of her lover.
the chokehold EL has over me grows stronger each day, and i am now confident that if she ever wants me to rake all my life savings over to her, all she will need to do is ask. i wouldn't even blink. i would die defending this woman and her books.
anyway, this is, by far, her best work. i take no criticism.
quotes that made me want to gouge my eyes out
Is it the cage that makes them admire him and revile me? Would I be an attraction like the dragon if I were chained and imprisoned?
"Are we enemies then?"
A muscle ticks in his jaw. "Enemies want to hurt each other. I don't want to hurt you."
Never will I apologize for being the monster they made me.
"Butterflies celebrate all love, Channi, because every love is precious. And mine for you, above all. That love is forever."
"She didn't love me until the end. She loved you from the beginning."
The snakes will be your family no matter where you go. From this life to the next, they will remember you. Ukar dips his head. Lady White Snake.
quotes that made me kick my feet
We're a breath apart, and it's an odd sort of intimacy: how well I know the chart of his veins, the throbbing pulse points across his body, the lean muscles cording his arms. How much I want to best him in a fight.
"Finally, you admit you like me."
"I didn't say I liked—"
"You're going to be the doom of me, aren't you?"
"What?"
He winks. "It's those snake eyes. I can't resist them."
"Why did you come back?" I ask.
Another bite. He takes a sudden interest in his plate and I almost think he won't answer. Then he says: "Isn't it obvious?"
I hold my breath as our fingers uncurl at the same time, palms flat against each other. It's as intimate as a kiss, standing like this, locked by our hands.
"Did I ever tell you that green is my favorite color?"
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm and Violence
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Death, Misogyny, Blood, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent
fragrant_stars's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Of all the books in the Six Crimson Crane series, this one has my heart. I loved SCC but this book? I adore this book. I feel like Elizabeth Lim was able to show off a bit more of her creativity for storytelling in this book compared to SCC and she really really did not disappoint. I will be thinking about this story universe for days.
I initially picked up SCC because I'm always eager for a good East Asian fantasy- and I was very much delighted by the world Lim described in books one and two. My heart skipped a beat in book two when I realised that Raikama's-- Channari's-- home was inspired by Southeast Asian culture, and now there's a whole book's worth of story about it? I could have jumped for joy. As a Chinese-Indonesian, I'm so happy to see snippets of both my cultures in this story.
Don't get me wrong, Shiori is a plenty loveable character in her own right, but my favourite has always Raikama, so learning more about her in this book was basically everything I wanted. I can't help but feel that Channari was the real protagonist all along, over these last three books. I love her so damn much.
I initially picked up SCC because I'm always eager for a good East Asian fantasy- and I was very much delighted by the world Lim described in books one and two. My heart skipped a beat in book two when I realised that Raikama's-- Channari's-- home was inspired by Southeast Asian culture, and now there's a whole book's worth of story about it? I could have jumped for joy. As a Chinese-Indonesian, I'm so happy to see snippets of both my cultures in this story.
Don't get me wrong, Shiori is a plenty loveable character in her own right, but my favourite has always Raikama, so learning more about her in this book was basically everything I wanted. I can't help but feel that Channari was the real protagonist all along, over these last three books. I love her so damn much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Slavery, Kidnapping, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Alcohol
gardens_and_dragons's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
This as a good addition to the basic Crimson Cranes universe. I liked being able to see the history of Channi and her sister. I wish that there was more time spent at the end with the romance with Hanriyu since she ultimately does marry him and become his children’s mother .
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexism
Dismorphia: The major part of this book is you guessed it, a curse. So some of the themes are about how to cope with the curse.lizzie_beth98's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
currant7's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I almost forgot how engaging and compelling a storyteller the author is.
Coming into the book as a fan of the series, I wanted to hate Channari (being a fan of the Six of Cranes series - where she is written as one of the morally grey characters that cursed the protagonist), BUT my love for grey/flawed characters won over. This book is "her hero/villain story that gave me a better understanding of why Channari did what she did and made me appreciate this prequel much more than I expected.
Character development was spot-on for Channari. The author fully articulated the difficulty of Channari's life and the choices she faced in trying to save her family, especially her sister. It was impossible not to love Channari in this book! I am ashamed of my previous reaction to reading the sequel since learning Channari's life story, who won me over with her perseverance and resolve to protect those she loves and holds dear. She also empathizes with many other characters in the story, and ultimately, it broke my heart to see how much she had to give up to be where she was in the succeeding books. Channari had to do what she did with the life that was "fated" to her. It was not an easy path, but she dealt it all with grace, dignity, and bravery beyond any characters I encountered. Her determination to rise at impossible moments is beyond comprehension - an admirable trait that would determine her and her sister's lives.
The story's vivid imagery and exciting characters enhanced my reading experience. Every leaf and dragon scale described was I was holding on to that leaf or touching those scales that I could not help but relate to them. The plot to rescue Channari's sister and her family is captivating because these "predicaments" never seem to end! Just when I thought things were looking up, something grave happened, so I stayed put.
Overall, Her Radiant Curse is a fantastic journey with Channari and the wonder of magic. The author's world-building was beautiful and written in great detail, with so much love and emotion that it felt like the author lived through these lands. The story had many spine-tingling twists and non-stop suspense, and the "new developments" made the book an unputdownable page-turner from start to finish. If this doesn't convince you to read this book, let the heart-warming theme of sisterly love bring you to pick up this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Abandonment
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Death of parent
Minor: Body shaming