NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER âĸÂ From the critically acclaimed author of SIX CRIMSON CRANES comes a fantasy tale of two sistersâone as beautiful as the other is monstrousâwho 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 serpentâs face, Channi is the exact opposite of her beautiful sister, Vannaâthe only person in the village who looks at Channi and doesnât see a monster. The only person she loves and trusts.
Now at seventeen, Vanna is to be married off in a vulgar contest that will enrich the coffers of the village leaders. Only Channi, whoâs 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 wrathâlaunching a grisly battle royale, a quest over land and sea, a romance between sworn enemies, and a choice that will strain Channiâs 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.