NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the critically acclaimed author of SIX CRIMSON CRANES comes a fantasy 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.
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 with her husband and her daughters.
Elizabeth's internationally bestselling novels include Six Crimson Cranes, The Dragon's Promise, Spin the Dawn, and Unravel the Dusk. She is also a contributor to Disney's A Twisted Tale series.
Visit her at elizabethlim.com
Follow her on Twitter at @LizLim
Follow her on Instagram at @elimpix
“
Every page of Elizabeth Lim’s masterful writing shimmers with beauty and emotion. With characters who steal your heart, a rich world of legend, and a gorgeous romance, this is a journey you’ll wish had no end.” —Alexandra Bracken, #1
New York Times bestselling author of
Silver in the Bone
"
Her Radiant Curse glows from start to finish. An origin story that stuns even knowing how it will end, bringing new beauty and darkness alike to Raikama’s tale. Elizabeth Lim’s writing is a marvel." —Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times bestselling author of
These Violent Delights
“
Elizabeth Lim’s worlds and words are always magical.” —Xiran Jay Zhao, #1
New York Times bestselling author of
Iron Widow
"It is.... Lim’s
best and most cohesive work yet—mixing the rich world-building of her previous stories with a tightly focused tale of two sisters and the curse that has divided their lives." —
Paste Magazine
★ “A fantasy to savor.... Artfully rendered, precisely paced, and piercingly true. Against the rich folkloric backdrop, Lim's complexly rendered characters come heartbreakingly alive." —
Booklist, starred review
"
[A] thrilling fantasy adventure...lush storytelling evokes East Asian folklore mixed with Helen of Troy vibes, culminating in
an intriguing tale about one sisterhood that endures against all odds." —
Publishers Weekly
"
Action-fueled fantasy deepened by a compelling setting and well-constructed cosmology."
—Kirkus Reviews
"A
spellbinding adventure that focuses on the bond between sisters and the strength it takes to be our true selves."
—School Library Journal
"A
high-stakes fantasy with a fully realized world, heart-pounding action, and a hint of forbidden romance....Lim's tantalizing world and empathetic characters come together in this captivating yet heartbreaking story about sisterly love and facing adversity."
—Shelf Awareness
