Book Chat: Jennie and Anjanette Discuss HER RADIANT CURSE by Elizabeth Lim
Welcome to the Dunham Literary Book Chat where we read and discuss books that we did NOT represent. One of the benefits of working in publishing is getting to read great books and share and discuss them. HER RADIANT CURSE by Elizabeth Lim is represented by Gina Maccoby of Gina Maccoby Literary Agency and was published by Knopf Books For Young Readers in 2023.
Why did we pick this book?
JD: I knew I wanted our next Book Chat pick to be either young adult or middle grade, and I’d been keeping my eyes and ears open for good suggestions. My agent friend Gina Maccoby talked about this book, and I knew it was just what I wanted so I mentioned it to Anjanette. Selfishly, I also wanted the book to be an enjoyable read.
I found several aspects of HER RADIANT CURSE enticing. The first factor is a strong female protagonist, and she has been physically changed by a curse which impacts how others see her and how she sees herself. I was also excited to read a story with Asian elements in the world, culture, and mythos. What clinched it for me was Gina Maccoby’s description that SIX CRIMSON CRANES “turns the evil stepmother trope on its head,” and this book is the backstory to set that up.
The setting in the story is inspired by Asian folklore. What elements of the world did you find the most compelling? Were there any folklore elements you were already familiar with?
AB: This story contained a bit of an amalgamation of folkloric elements from Asia and I loved that it gave the world a familiar but still unique feel. I wasn’t surprised to learn that Elizabeth Lim had lived in Tokyo for a time because several things (like the demon characters) stood out to me as feeling very Japanese. At the same time, the jungle setting is more reminiscent of Southeast Asia, and the Chinese elements are prominent. There were some aspects of the folklore and overall plot that I think I would have understood better (specifically the dragon pearl) if I’d read the other books Lim has set in this universe, but I was still left with the feeling that if I spent more time with these characters I could easily internalize even the mythical concepts that were less familiar to me. The author captured the kinds of world-building elements that make stories feel universal.
As a prequel novel to a series you’re unfamiliar with, did you find the story easy-to-follow? Were there any points where you felt like you were “missing” something that might have been clear to readers of the main series?
JD: HER RADIANT CURSE is the first novel by Elizabeth Lim that I’ve read, and I had no trouble immersing myself in this story. The story doesn’t depend on information in her other books, and if it had, I’d feel pulled out of the story each time I tried to figure out what was going on.
Once or twice I wondered if I missed an inside joke or connection to the other books the way an accomplished writer does as a reward for fans who’ve read the previous books in the series, but I think it’s harder for an author to put these in a prequel than a sequel since any connections to the series would have to refer to the future rather than the past. Even when I read a whole series, I sometimes find these references clunky in a sequel unless they are subtle; when I’m reading I don’t mind already knowing information, but I don’t want to be disrupted by a wink, wink, nod, nod moment meant to stick a point.
Although most people read a series in order, in my opinion it’s important for each book to be readable as a stand alone title. A novel is a whole story and needs to feel complete. It’s possible that the best choice on a rack in an airport is book #4 in a series of 10, and if that’s the case, then book #4 needs to be as good a starting point as any to hook a reader on the whole series. This is also true if a reader picks up a series again after a long time because the reader may not remember all of the details in the previous books.
There are multiple action/fight sequences in the novel—did you have a favorite? Did you find the author succeeded in describing the action elements in her fights?
AB: The fight/actions scenes were a major strength of this story! I was swept up in the action every time Channi went to battle. My favorite was maybe an early scene where she is forced to fight a demon that she really has no issue with and manages to turn the situation to their advantage. It was all very easy to visualize, and set expectations for the kind of person Channi was and could become.
Would you say the story was more “character-driven” or “plot-driven?”
JD: As is generally true of fantasy, plot is very important in this story. This is amplified by the fact that it’s a prequel; the point of the story is to lay the groundwork of events that led characters to the point in their lives where the next story starts. That said, the characters in this story are strong and realistic, and the plot wouldn’t matter without them. The story includes lots of twists and turns, and in each case something specific to the characters makes the event feel believable because it is consistent with the characters involved.
The story features multiple betrayals—did you find these twists surprising and engaging? Or were they more predictable?
AB: We went into this book with the understanding that it was at least on some level a villain origin story. I am often wary of those because I feel some suspense is lost when we know the long term outcome. However, I think the author paced the relationship development in such a way that we hoped against hope that everything would somehow turn out for the best. While some of the twists were predictable, the betrayals still stung. They also set the stage for what comes in the rest of the series, which I am now eager to read.
Much of the story centers around relationships both new and established. Which relationships did you find the most compelling?
JD: The primary bond between the protagonist, Channi, and her sister, Vanna, fuels the entire narrative, and oddly enough I felt that this relationship could have been developed more. Because the sisters have opposite circumstances and expectations set upon them, their lives differ significantly, but this is Channi’s story, so Vanna is always in mind but not frequently nearby. Each one wants the other to be part of her world without taking into thoughtful consideration who the other is, and ultimately that is part of what leads to an unfortunate event in the ending.
The relationship between Channi and her best friend Ukar, who happens to be a snake, is endearing and memorable. They have spats and call each other out, but they also support each other with unconditional love. Along the way Channi also meets Hokzuh, a dragon who is an enemy, then an ally, a friend, and possible love. One driving factor of the story is trying to guess what Channi and Hokzuh’s relationship will become by the end of the story, especially since the seed of betrayal has been planted. The ending makes a big impact because of the careful development of this relationship.
Did reading this book inspire you to pick up the rest of the series?
AB: Yes! I want to know more about this world and these people. I’ll be diving in asap!
JD: Yes! I enjoyed the book enough to want to know more about these characters and their lives. I have some guesses about what will happen, and I want to know if I’m right. But, it’s equally fun to be surprised when I’m wrong.
