is a tale of two sisters and two curses. One is beautiful and cursed to be desired by all, the other is fierce and loyal but cursed with a serpent’s face. Fans of the may recognize one of sisters as Raikama, the mother-in-law who makes life difficult for Princess Shiori. This is her gripping origin story, and an in-depth look at sisterly bonds that can transcend all obstacles.
Audible: Her Radiant Curse is a prequel to the Six Crimson Cranes duology. When did you know that Channi, aka Raikama, and Vanna would get their own story?
Elizabeth Lim: Funnily enough, I actually began writing Raikama’s story before I started Six Crimson Cranes and before I knew she’d be a part of that universe. I had been toying with the idea of writing a Beauty and the Beast re-imagining, but with sisters, and after sketching out Channi’s character over a few scenes, she started to come alive. I wrote an entire draft of Her Radiant Curse before realizing that her story was part of something bigger, and I’m so happy with how everything’s turned out, years later!
This is a love story, but not one that you might expect. What did you want to explore in the relationship between two sisters, especially two sisters who are so different from each other?
You know, it was actually my editor who first gave me the advice that the main romance in Her Radiant Curse was the love between Channi and Vanna, and that was a huge lightbulb moment for me. Channi and Vanna are extremely different—both are cursed in their own way. Channi with a hideous face that makes people scorn her, and Vanna with a divine light inside her heart that makes people desire and objectify her. Despite their differences, they share a deep sisterly bond, one that will be greatly tested during the course of the story.
Your stories often deal with transformation and concealment as plot drivers. What do you like about creating these types of situations for your characters to navigate?
So many reasons! My stories tend to be character-driven, and I love delving deep into their thoughts and asking myself how the book will change them and how they will grow by the end. I often choose concealment as a way to explore my characters because while they hide their “outer faces” from people they encounter in the story, the reader is given access to their “inner face.” For Channi, people view her as this hideous monster because she has the face of a serpent, and only a few know that she’s this incredibly strong and powerful young woman. Her transformation of bringing the inner face forward drives a lot of the story. Mirai did an amazing job! Channi is my most complex and morally ambiguous character, and I loved the depth of emotions Mirai was able to convey while portraying her. I think her performance of my animal characters (snake and tiger) cinched it for me!
