What is a great book? The answer to that question is subjective. You can say, a great book should make the readers fully immersed in the story. Or a great book should have beautiful writing that can make the readers weep. Or a great book should have the perfect balance between a well-thought plot and well-developed characters. Whatever your answer is, I think we can all agree that She Who Became the Sun is a great book. A reimagining of the rise of the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, this book blends history and fantasy into a tale of courage, persistence, ambition, and fate.

She Who Became the Sun has it all, I couldn’t ask for more. Poetic writing? Check. A great plot? Check. Remarkable characters? Check. Asian and genderqueer representations? Check. Spectacular settings? Check. Emotional and empowering moments? Check. List everything you want to see in an adult historical fantasy and this book probably has them all.

At the beginning of the story, a girl is destined with nothingness while her cousin, Zhu Chongba, is destined for greatness. When an accident cost her her father’s life and her cousin succumbed into despair, she looked the gods in the eye with such ferocity and refused to accept her fate. Then she took her cousin’s destiny and became Zhu Chongba. With only the clothes on the back and a strong will to live, she went to the monastery to be an apprentice monk. The first part of the book was filled with the early life of Zhu Chongba at the monastery where she met her best friend who is like a brother to her, Xu Da, and General Ouyang.

In the second part, the POV switched to General Ouyang, Lord Esen’s—the Prince of Henan’s heir—eunuch general of Nanren bloodline. Burdened with his bloody and brutal past, the beautiful and deadly general could never let go of the promise he made to his ancestors. Aside from being a misogynist, Ouyang also kept questioning what he is because of what has been done to his body.

These two characters’ fate is intertwined as both of them trying to make sense of their destiny. Zhu Chongba, with her cunning and determination, would do whatever it takes to achieve greatness while General Ouyang struggled with his desire and was torn between his loyalty to his family or Lord Esen. Their journey—all the rainbows and hells—is what made me treasure this book so much. The feeling was not sudden and overwhelming but slowly seeping into my bones as I kept flipping the pages. Once I finished this book my heart is broken but I felt whole. There are books out there that ruined your life and you’d still praise and recommending it to everyone. Well, that book is She Who Became the Sun for me.

Besides the two of them, I also fell in love with Ma Xiuying and Xu Da. They deserve an award for being such incredible side characters. Glowing with strength and kindness, Ma Xiuying stole my heart from the first time she showed up. On the other hand, Xu Da was the supportive and reliable brother to Zhu Chongba. His mischievous nature is much needed to this rather dark story. Oh, and I’m curious to know what would happen with Chang Yuchun in the sequel. Introduced as a thief, in my opinion he has one of the best character arcs.

This review would be incomplete if I didn’t mention the hot sizzling chemistry between the characters. I’m sure my soul was burning from all the heat and tenderness from all those moments shared between Zhu Chongba and Ma Xiuying. They complete each other: Zhu Chongba pushed Ma Xiuying to want more than what life has given her and Ma Xiuying softened the rough edges of Zhu Chongba. And of course, there was also Lord Esen and General Ouyang. The yearning between both of them felt so raw and unbearable to the point of suffocating I could hardly breathe. I just wanted them to be happy *sigh*

This is a historical fantasy, not the other way around so the pace may be a little slow for some readers but it will all be worth it at the end, guaranteed. There’s still the fantasy element in the story, though, so it’s natural when some things do not make sense. I just want to put it out there so you know what to expect.

Overall, She Who Became the Sun was a phenomenal debut that left a deep impression on my heart. When I finished reading, one question haunts me: what would you do to have the life you want? I never find a character with as much fire in her veins as Zhu Chongba (no pun intended). Her story inspired me so much because if she—against all odds—can, so will I. Her name is one of the things that I’d remember every time life feels like dragging me down so I would find the will to get back up again and again, just like she did.

She Who Became the Sun is the epitome of greatness and in its core is an empowering tale of a character who would not be shackled by her gender. It is an epic story of war, heartbreak, and destiny. It is a spectacular book with an amazing plot, beautiful prose, vibrant characters, and astounding twists. I’d recommend this one for readers, regardless of your favorite genre, who crave a book with genderqueer main characters and a story that will live with you long after you read the last page.

(3.5 rounded up)

While I enjoyed much of the last third of the books, the first half or so fell flat in my opinion. The switches in POV made it really hard to get through this book because I simply didn't care about a lot of the characters, but I started liking them more towards the end.

Overall, I thought the story was interesting and I really ending up liking the romance. I also appreciated the gender non-conforming lesbian representation! While this book did have some drawbacks, I'm still really looking forward to reading the sequel.

**3.5-stars rounded up**

She Who Became the Sun was one of my most anticipated releases of the Summer. I fully expected to give this one 5-stars. Unfortunately, that's not the experience I had with it.

The first 25%, I was hooked. We meet a young girl, a peasant of the Central Plains of China, who adopts her brother's identity after he tragically dies in order to enter a monastery as a young male novice. More importantly, Zhu Chongba, her brother was fated for greatness and she plans to take that greatness for herself. She will make her fate a choice, instead of a chance.

The last 25%, I was so engaged. There's a lot of action, brutal deceptions and pivotal moments that tied me right back into the story. The central portion, however, was a mixed bag for me. I couldn't focus, my eyes kept glazing over; to be honest, I was bored. I felt like a ton was happening, while simulataneously nothing was happening. Trust, I understand this makes zero sense, but it's how I felt.

With my slight disappointment out of the way, I will say that Parker-Chan's writing deserves all of the stars. Their ability to create a beautiful sense of place, evoke strong emotions with their characters and seamlessly incorporate multiple perspectives into one linear narrative, is top notch. I did feel like I was in 14th-Century China.

Additionally, I enjoyed the exploration of gender identity and gender fluidity. With both Zhu and Ouyang, a eunuch general in the Mongol army, their gender identity was a large part of the development of their characters over the course of the story.

Obviously, I am giving this book 4-stars. I clearly enjoyed it. Even though I didn't enjoy it quite as much as I expected, it's still a really good start to a series. Although I am not sure how many books The Radient Emperor series is slated to be. I will definitely be continuing on.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. I appreciate the opportunity and am confident a ton of Readers will love this one!

When I sat down to write out some thoughts on She Who Became the Sun by soon-to-be-everyone’s-favorite-writer, Shelley Parker-Chan, the word “ambitious” kept coming to mind. More to the point, ambition, the will to act, the refusal to become nothing, and it’s that last point you’ll easily recognize as the primary theme in this journey of a book. So, if Shelley and her lead Zhu Chongba have anything in common, it’s that they’re both ambitious, because how else do you describe the scale of this book and her main character’s pursuit of greatness?

Pretty damn auspicious debut from Shelley and I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that She Who Became the Sun, the first book in the Radiant Emperor duology, is the type of book that will have most booktubers, bookstagrammers, and the twitter crowd going absolutely batshit crazy with delight. And the reasons can be both straightforward and complex because this is a book that really does work on many levels. From token seeking quest adventure to surrealistic pilgrimages activating the unconscious mind, from plain speak to wild abstraction, from historically relevant reimagining’s to outright fantastical fiction, this book has more layers than a 7-layer burrito.

And although I doubt this is the case, it very much seems like Shelley thought she’d have one crack at it and decided to write her opus, and if your Spidey-sense is tingling and you’re sensing the start of a ramble, your instincts are correct. But what it boils down to is that this grimdark adult historical fantasy is a fabulous bit of storytelling and you should look to add it to your TBR as soon as humanly possible.

She Who Became the Sun is a novel for adults in both genre and depiction and Shelley takes full advantage with a long list of content warnings in tow. In fact, the book is utterly humorless, even void of any gallows humor, which is appropriate given what’s at stake and the amount of violence you’ll encounter. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve reading anything this morally grey since R.F. Kuang’s Poppy War books, and if I’m bringing up that trilogy, understand that She Who Became the Sun is amidst VERY good company. To be blunt, I believe The Poppy War series to be greatest historical fantasy trilogy of all time, so yeah.

She Who Became the Sun is a queer reimagining of the life and rise of the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty in the year 1345, Zhu Yuanzhang. How much you know about Zhu and this time in history seems irrelevant to me as Shelley will give you the “need-to-knows”, or at least enough to get you out the door. Also, being a student of history doesn’t always make for an enjoyable reading experience if you are unable to separate the two, the fact from the fiction. So try to remember, this is a reimagining of events, it’s “historical fiction/fantasy”, not a history book and shouldn’t be treated as such.

For the full review, click the link below...

https://www.cinelinx.com/off-beat/she-who-became-the-sun-book-review/

When I first noticed She Who Became the Sun, I thought “an epic fantasy based on Chinese history, culture, and people? Yes, please!” And I was so so happy when Tor/Forge approved my NetGalley request.

Then I started reading it, and was thoroughly immersed! Shades of Mulan notwithstanding (girl impersonates boy), this is a fascinating story of how a peasant girl survives drought, famine, and bandits to “take” her brother’s destiny. Ever hear the term “fake it ’til you make it”? Well, she does. And then some. With courage and audacity, sure, but also slightly-more-than a little bit of help from a friend and a heck of a lot of luck.

The best part of She Who Became the Sun is definitely the characters. Zhu could be any girl who decides she’s not going to lie down and die (i.e. accept her fate) just because, who decides to try even if it’s something she’s not sure she can carry off. And with every passing day she’s tied more and more into the role her survival instincts put her in. She’s smart enough, but not so smart that she doesn’t make mistakes. She’s lucky enough, but not so lucky that she’s not put out of her home for a second time. And she’s plucky enough to keep on going, even when her near-misses almost mean her end. Because what else can she do, but keep going?

There’s a lot more than just a story packed in between these pages. Chafing against misogyny is what drives Zhu into taking her brother’s destiny. There’s the gender role expectations she has to remind herself to not instinctively fall into, especially in the beginning when she’s trying to figure out how to be a boy. And it’s not just all about Zhu either. General Ouyang is an eunuch, forced to live with the jeers and slights from his peers and subordinates even as he wins their battles in the war for dominance and power. Then there’s Ma Xiuying, who’s betrothed to a dunce with an outsized ego who thinks he knows better than any female. I appreciated that Zhu is doing her best to make her own way in a classic patriarchal society, and Ma is questioning her role in that same society.

It’s not all characters, no plot or story – there’s plenty to absorb, from the political intrigue to the battle scenes to the normal-daily-life backdrop. I can’t wait for the sequel to read what happens next!

drey’s rating: Outstanding!

What is your most anticipated read of the year?

She Who Became the Sun comes out next week (!!!!) from @torbooks and I am thrilled to share some reasons why you should check it out! I already can't wait for the sequel!

After her brother dies during a period of famine and drought in Mongol-ruled China, a peasant girl steals her brother's name and his fortune of greatness. As Zhu Chongba she enters enters a monastery as a novice where her will to survive and ambition lead her down a path of self-discovery and a desire for power.

She Who Became the Sun has:
Ghosts 👻
All the queer characters 🌈
Monks 📿
Rebels 🗡️
A dash of magic ✨
Epic battles ⚔️
Political machinations 🤫

Y'all already know I love a story with ambitious characters that takes a calculating look at war and politics and She Who Became the Sun 100% delivers on that!

While there were POVs I wasn't super interested or didn't like at first, I liked Zhu from the start! Zhu's arc is engaging from the beginning - full of internal and external conflict and tension even before the real height of the action. I love an ambitious character. But, as the eunuch general's POV picked up and we saw more of his perspective, anger, and agendas, I was all in.

I thought that what we see of the character arcs, relationship (romantic, platonic, antagonistic) arcs, and overall story arc in book one were fantastically done. They felt fulfilling - even in not positive ways 😂

I also loved the complexity of gender identity and presentation in the book. Gender is weird and complicated and I loved the way it fed into Zhu's character and relationships. Zhu's fate is tied up in their stolen identity and the masculinity that goes along with it - gender can't be straightforward when it's a debate of greatness vs nothingness, when their presentation and feelings about their own body are tied up in other's viewpoints and expectations. And I loved the way gender, presentation, and dysphoria were a major part of Zhu's romantic arc.

I could go on for ages, but I'll let you all from your own opinions! 😂😂

I hardly know where to start with this review. I already had high expectations, but SHE WHO BECAME THE SUN absolutely blew me away! This epic reimagining of the rise of the Ming dynasty's founding emperor follows the genderqueer monk Zhu Chongba, who was not born with that name or destiny for greatness; she stole both from her brother after a bandit attack left her the sole surviving member of her family. Refusing to accept her foretold destiny of nothingness, Zhu Chongba finds herself capable of anything if it means escaping fate.

However, this story is much bigger than Zhu's! Opposite her, the eunuch general Ouyang has his own struggles and fate to contend with. Several points of view weave between theirs and reveal more about the world and characters in a way that made it nearly impossible to put this book down. Despite the slow pace that perfectly matches other epic fantasies I've adored, such as The Poppy War and The Fifth Season, I feel like this book flew by and now I don't know what to do with myself! And don't let the words slow-paced fool you into thinking this book is itself slow. While there were moments to savor intense desire, details about the rich world, and deep internal conflict, Zhu took "0 to 100" as a motto to live by and I frequently found myself standing up in my seat, aghast at something I'd just read. The betrayal! The murder! The raw desire! Don't let the "Mulan" comparison fool you into thinking this is anything like Disney.

It's so hard not to write an entire essay on each character. Each one was so richly written, and I treasured so many of them. Ouyang's conflict was so complex and devastating, Esen's pure heart and arc had me tearing up, and I can't truly get into my burning love for Ma Xiuying and Xu Da without most likely spilling a ton of spoilers about their journeys. I'm amazed at the number of moving pieces and the way so many conflicting plans and desires came together to craft this truly great story, and I can tell a lot of care and genius went into it.

I can only dream of one day having the talent to properly put my feelings about books like these into words, but every page of Parker-Chan's debut shines with pure ability. Dialogue, emotions, action, and the world came together in an efficacious writing style I can only describe with my limited vocabulary and aptitude as *chef's kiss.* I love stories based on classics and history that preserve the feel of ancient epics but without making my eyes cross the same way classics do, and Shelley Parker-Chan nailed this perfectly. While I found the comparisons to The Song of Achilles less applicable plotwise— it mostly focuses on the "enemy," which is far too simple a word for them, and in the immortal words of Rebecca Roanhorse, "Patroclus could never"— the gorgeous writing style felt perfect for the time period in the same way TSOA's writing felt perfect for a story set in Ancient Greece, while still being easy for modern eyes (like mine, regrettably... one day I'll actually read a classic... one day).

I realize I'm making a lot of comparisons here, and I by no means want to diminish the originality and brilliance of She Who Became the Sun. I'm simply floored that this book has so many elements of some of my favorite books of all time and joined their ranks so quickly, and if you loved anything I've mentioned or the comp titles, you're sure to love it as well. I am desperately awaiting the continuation and truly can't recommend this enough.

This is more a 3.75 Stars. This is a complex book with some complex characters that have pretty simple motivations. It is also a slow and methodical historical fantasy that often times just crawls. There's a character that might shape up to be the moral center of the series, but may just be beaten down by all the ruthless machinations of holding political power in China during Mongol rule.

I think one of the things that fascinates me about the book is that, aside from one or two of the characters, everyone has very clear wants, especially to rule this little pocket of China near the northern boarder of the Mongol lands. Our lead is a nameless woman who takes the name of her brother, Zhu when he dies after an attack on their village. The nameless woman wasn't deemed special, but Zhu was prophesied to become great, so when she takes her brother's name, Zhu is driven to be 'great'. The people she meets on her journey are varying degrees of horrible, with the exception of her best friend and her love interest. I love that her friend, Xu Da, is a complex guy who is just, well nice, and a bit of a Casanova. He's sweet, makes mistakes and is guilty for them, and is just super down to earth. He, along with the general's daughter Ma Xiuying, are the two characters that ground the book.

Ma Xiuying is an interesting character, because I believe she's going to be something more than just Zhu's conscience in human form (there are some supernatural things going on with Zhu as well). She is the center of kindness and empathy in this book. I think without her pushing back as much as she can against the people in her orbit, this would just be a bleak exercise of Machiavellian politics. I'm interested to see if Zhu will actually listen to Ma, and what Ma will do. She's not naïve, but demands better of Zhu, because she knows there are other ways to gain power than blood and backstabbing.

I loved the characters, the setting and the time period of this book. It's just that sometimes it just felt so slow at times. There's also not alot of hope or lightness in the story. It is violent, but not gratuitously so, but still disturbing none the less. Zhu is a strong lead, but I don't know if I like her all that much. Which is fine! I love that I have a queer lead who is morally gray. She's interesting and I can't wait to keep reading about what she is going to do, with Ma at her side. For a debut author, this is an amazing feat. I am here for these characters, I just hope the pacing gets picked up a bit as the story moves forward.

One of the darker military fantasy books I have read in awhile. The first chapter wastes no time setting the theme and situation our main character is born into. Speaking of Zhu, they are fascinating legend in the making character to follow, probably my favorite ever and I am excited to continue this series just to see that character's journey. I was also happily surprised when we got more point of views in the second part of the book. It really add more layers to the world and political tensions. All in all I really enjoyed reading this one, the reasons why I didn't love it, or that it didn't become a new favorite for me was that I felt a bit distant from the characters and had some pacing issues in the middle but I am excited to pick up the sequel when it comes out!

She Who Became the Sun is an explosive powerhouse of a debut that gets you obsessed right from the start and leaves you reeling long after you've turned the last page. In fact, I'm still having trouble finding the right words to describe just how much I loved this book, because I feel like nothing I say will be able to do it justice. But I have to try at some point, so I guess I'll just do my best.

While She Who Became the Sun - a genderqueer reimagining of the rise of the Ming Dynasty's founding emperor - is on the shorter end of epic fantasy, it's still a fairly large book at 416 pages. Like I've stated before, I'm a horrifically slow reader when it comes to most books, probably because I have the attention span of a goldfish combined with a very busy schedule (I actually started this book twice (?) before and was unable to finish it due to constant interruptions). But once I actually picked this up a few days ago and got into it for real, I just couldn't put it down. I'm serious; I spent all my time away from this book thinking about nothing except getting to read more as soon as possible, because it's just that good. Though the writing was fairly dense and often grouped into blocky paragraphs that would usually intimidate me, I breezed through so much of this book in so little time that I surprised even myself.

Let's get down to why that happened. First of all, I'm in love with all the Chinese history and culture Shelley Parker-Chan included in She Who Became the Sun. My own knowledge of the real life Zhu Chongba (also known as the Hongwu Emperor) is tragically limited, but nevertheless, it was so interesting to see all the parallels between the characters in this book and their historical counterparts, which made for a great reading experience. I was also obsessed with the way the author utilized more-or-less direct translations of several Chinese sayings/phrases, especially since I recognized a few from what my own parents and Chinese shows/novels have taught me (the cursing was an especially hilarious addition); it made the book seem more authentic? atmospheric? than it would have been if common English phrases or idioms had been used instead, and added a unique touch to the book and its dialogue.

Aside from that, the rest of the book's writing is also very good; to be honest, I thought it was a bit dense and slightly awkward in a couple places, but (at least for me) that didn't take away from the rest of the book's brilliance. The quotes in this book hit and hit hard, and for the most part the writing remained a perfect balance of lyrical and concise, providing the reader with descriptive imagery and adding to the atmosphere while managing to not clog up the rest of the story. Really, the storytelling in this book was so, so phenomenal. The way tension and suspense were wielded, being gradually built up scene by scene, was ridiculously satisfying, causing everything from the romance scenes to the battles to become incredibly compelling to read. At certain points, the feelings I got from reading were so extreme I literally had to stand up and pace for a while before I could sit back down to read, and the end (which was one of the most brutal endings I've ever experienced) left me so drained I could barely get up.

If I'm being honest, though, I think the characters were the best part of this book. I could go on and on about our protagonists (Zhu and Ouyang) and their love interests (Ma and Esen), but I'll try to keep it short. To put it simply, if you love stories with driven and complex characters (and who doesn't?), read this book. Because I was utterly stunned by how well-written Zhu and Ouyang were. Though they were both clearly very different people with questionable morals and beliefs (Zhu's ruthless hunger for power and Ouyang's bitterness and rampant misogyny, for example), I still couldn't help but cheer them on all the way. I was especially impressed by how their own histories and personalities/mindsets affected their relationships with their love interests; Ouyang's simultaneous devotion and hatred towards Esen, how Ma loved but was also pained by Zhu's ambitions...it was all great. I'm extremely excited to see where both Zhu and Ouyang go in the sequel, in addition to a specific side character who I love (cough Wang Baoxiang cough), and how their fates and character arcs continue to unfold as well as how certain relationships end up. (I would talk more about the romances in this book because I thought they were excellent, but I can't really elaborate without tearing up and/or accidentally spoiling something, so for now I'll remain silent - just take my word that they were beautifully written and that I'll never be over them.)

One more thing that I loved about this book was how the many themes were handled and portrayed. Destiny, sacrifice, ambition, gender, and more - all were expertly combined and intertwined with individual character arcs and the overall plot itself, making it so that each one was clearly displayed and explored to an incredible extent. I won't go into too much detail because I'm nowhere near as good with words as Shelley Parker-Chan is, but I was amazed by how effortlessly the themes were incorporated into the story and how they drove and shaped the actions, lives, and relationships of individual characters, in addition to helping to further plot and all kinds of development. I thought the theme of gender in particular was explored really well, specifically the ways both Zhu and Ouyang were affected by their personal experiences and struggles with their individual gender identities in such a traditional and patriarchal society. (I also just really loved how queer this book was and how gender and sexuality played such a large role; after years and years of seeing almost nothing but heteronormative epic fantasies, it was so refreshing to finally read one where queer identities were such an important part of the story.)

Bottom line: She Who Became the Sun took the love I already have for historical/queer fantasy and basically multiplied it by a thousand. Though it assigned itself high expectations with its pitch (The Song of Achilles meets Mulan), my love for this book may have actually surpassed my love for both Mulan and The Song of Achilles combined. Not only did it give me an excellent premise and the queer Asian representation I always long for, it provided a storyline that was nothing short of mindblowing, setting a new standard for the genre of historical fantasy as a whole and making it an instant and unquestionable favorite of mine. I have no doubt that this book will get all the praise it deserves in the months to come and that it and its ending will continue to live in my mind for a very, very long time.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an eARC via NetGalley!

Content warning: Famine, poverty, flaying, plague, war, queerphobia, misogyny, immolation, dismemberment

A girl’s family dies in a famine-stricken village at the hands of despair and bandits. Instead of succumbing to her nothing fate, so takes on her brother’s name, Zhu Chongba, and takes on his destiny of greatness. She joins a monastery, gets enlisted in the army, and seeks greatness at every turn. On the opposite side of war, there is Ouyang, the eunuch general, whose everything was taken from him by the family he serves.

My official review is one long joyous screech of hype. This book has so many things I love, such as character archetypes and depictions of betrayal. The balance between political intrigue and epic battles is masterful, as are the parallels between Ouyang and Zhu.

If you heard a high-pitched screech at around midnight on 7/20/2021, that was me finishing the book. I’m not sorry. This book has so many things I loved that I fell into a blissful haze upon finishing.

Both Ouyang and Zhu are genderqueer. Both have their assigned genders and their assigned roles, but their identity and presentation don’t quite fit . The world-building isn’t explicitly queerphobic, but there are moments where it’s clear that the world is not queer-norm. The introspection here is top-notch. One of my favorite character journeys is taking on a role for a purpose that isn’t just “become boy to do boy thing even though I’m totally a girl.” Zhu becomes a monk because she won’t achieve greatness if she starves to death. Ouyang makes the decisions he does as a general for reasons that get into deep spoiler territory. These two are on mirrored paths, both inadvertently running towards destinies of their own making. It’s effective and evocative.

The way Parker-Chan weaves together political intrigue and epic battles gives this book phenomenal pacing. There’s a sense of “oh, I can’t wait to see what the consequences are here” after each character interaction. The writing is also cinematic in a way worthy of an epic. There is no room for misinterpretation, which works incredibly well for a reveal at the very end of the book. It’s gorgeous, it made me squeal. The prose also has a folkloric quality to it that beautifully works with the scale of the story itself.

I’ll find myself curled up in a corner, glowing, and eagerly awaiting what comes next for both Zhu and Ouyang.

She Who Became the Sun is an ambitious, immersive, and captivating story of fate, ambition, and gender. Despite its slow pacing at the beginning, the plot continues to grow as Zhu’s fate and ambition also grew. The scale of the story and characters will sweep you off your feet and it will become a story that sticks with you for a long time.

The hype around She Who Became the Sun has been building up steadily, at least in my corner of the blogosphere. Usually I'm very hesitant to dig into a book so widely praised but I simply couldn't help myself with this one. Thanks to Tor Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As some of you may know, I lived in Shanghai for four years and absolutely fell in love with it's culture and history. Both run so deep and have known so much change that they offer up endless stories. For me, She Who Became the Sun is one of the first Fantasy books that truly goes all in and revels in that history and culture. As Parker-Chan states herself in her prologue, in part this novel engages with the history and historic characters of the fourteenth century, but it also harks back to Chinese costume dramas and their vibe. This mix makes for a thrilling book that feels deeply rooted in history and tradition but also isn't afraid to fly and ask you to believe in the impossible. So much of Fantasy writing is steeped in traditions and tropes that are, upon inspection, either incredibly dated or straight-up offensive. To see this new wave of Fantasy writing from different cultural spheres, different kinds of authors, new and strong voices; well, it all makes my Fantasy-loving heart sing.

Where to begin with She Who Became the Sun? From the moment Zhu Chongba dies from despair and his nameless sister takes on his fate and identity, this novel blazes with a desire and a determination that is expressed in almost every word. Zhu is at the heart of this novel, her actions (usually) carefully calculated to help her reach the destiny she has claimed for herself. Parts of the novel are also narrated from the point of view of General Ouyang, a eunuch fighting on the other side. It is the combination of these two characters, Zhu with her drive towards greatness, her willingness to sacrifice (almost) everything in order to achieve it, and Ouyang with his relentless will, sharp mind and twisted loyalties, that kept me reading into the late, and then early, hours. The confrontations between Zhu and Ouyang are some of the highlights of the novel. First as a monk, then as a warrior, Zhu strives for a destiny that isn't hers but is within her reach. Alongside this we see the Mongol rule in China falter, rebellion rise and people's loyalties questioned. Solidly set in the "real" world and known history, Parker-Chan manages to create a story that soars.

She Who Became the Sun is Shelley Parker-Chan's debut and it's one hell of a debut. It is so tightly paced and plotted, with beautiful descriptions and dialogue that cuts you to the core. There were moments I wanted to gasp, there were moments when I squealed. My head is full of images from this book weeks after I have finished it, my mind racing with warrior monks, the Prince of Radiance and hunts across the Mongolian Steppe. Gender identity is a key theme throughout She Who Became the Sun. While Zhu was born female, she stops identifying as such early on and it changes her whole outlook on the world. Her fear about being discovered/found out/tricked back into her previous identity was fascinating to read and gave me a whole new insight into people who are gender non-conforming, etc. Much of the praise for this novel has been about its LGBTQIA representation and I did think it was beautifully done. Parker-Chan is capable of being so gentle to their characters while they are at their lowest, most vicious point that it almost hurts as a reader. I was quite honestly blown away by Parker-Chan, despite my expectations having already been raised significantly by all the hype. Don't let this one get away from you!

She Who Became the Sun is worth all the hype it is getting. It is a beautiful book with a gripping plot, astounding characters and brilliant world-building. Let yourself be swept away and keep your potential greatness always in mind.

Updated 7/21 for pronouns and link.

Seeing as asian fantasy is what got me out of a 5 year rough patch last year i was beyond thrilled when i heard this book was coming out. I reached out to the publisher to get a copy of the book through netgalley and i’ve been buzzing to read it since i got it. Sadly i have not been able to read it due to continuing file issues that have never been resolved but that’s not on the author or publisher. I am still excited to read this to this day it’s everything fantasy now a day should be. The countless positive reviews from other reviewers i’m friends with have only made me agree that this is going to be a stellar debut when i can afford to get my hands on it. from interactions with the team alone i’m willing to rate this 5 stars and i have no doubt the book will hold up. If you have the chance i do suggest you buy this book!

Shelley Parker-Chan brought the pain with She Who Became the Sun. I was not prepared for the onslaught of incredibly visceral (and real) emotions this book drew from me. While there are times that make you think this book heavily relies on setting and pre-ordained moments that feel almost miraculous, I think the magic of SWBTS lies in its characters and their individual agendas that make them who they are. (In simple text: I got attached too quickly, recklessly fell in love and in the end, all I got was a T-shirt to wipe my tears with.)

She Who Became the Sun is an incredibly bold (and queer!), genderbent retelling of the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty. It follows deuteragonists Zhu, an AFAB who takes her eighth-born son brother’s fate of greatness after he dies and becomes a monk, and General Ouyang, a Nanren eunuch who carries the weight of being the only survivor, and deemed traitor, to his family’s bloodline. When their paths cross, it sets off a chain of events that seem to have been written into their fates long before they were born. Zhu and Ouyang’s journeys are far from being nothing, but the path to both their goals (Zhu’s being greatness and Ouyang’s being… too many things to sum up with one word) is filled with blood, betrayal, and in equal measure, love and pain. SWBTS is also an honest exploration of gender and gender dysphoria, one that both Zhu and Ouyang navigate and internalize own on their own terms despite societal norms.

Beyond the war effort in SWBTS lies a complexly interwoven political struggle that will surprise you in the cunning and brutality of its key players. The court politics honestly feel reminiscent of historical C-dramas, except with a whole lot of battle scenes and less concubine squabbles. That being said, the novel does capture the intensity that these dramas have, and it’s impossible not to be drawn in by its tension.

As much as I adored Zhu as a protagonist (she continued to surprise me throughout the book, her unexpected intelligence and ruthlessness, and conviction in trying, and succeeding, to pave her own way to greatness was astonishing—and there were even times when it felt like it was fate itself intervening to help her), I found myself more attached to Ouyang from the very moment he appeared on the page to the very end of the novel. I was captivated by the guilt and hatred he directed at himself and at the Mongols that he had to work for and live with. I was also fascinated by the tangled web of affection that tied him to Esen: the son of the man who killed his family, his best friend, his love and at times, the master of his world. The pining on their end was the very definition of exquisite pain, and I thrived in it. But expectations on both their shoulders would only lead them on an “in another life” fate. (Also, so many of the secondary characters are absolute MVPs, they brought so much life to the novel.)

That being said, there was a part in this book that made me bump down a whole star and had an effect on me, personally. No spoilers but all I can say is that it did make sense in the grand scheme of things and logically, I understand why it happened but also… why did it have to happen. I am very curious as to where it will lead the characters involved and what consequences they will face, especially emotionally. But despite that happening…

I honestly cannot recommend She Who Became the Sun enough, Shelley Parker-Chan breathe so much magic into her words, more than enough that it overflowed and brought incredible and unexpected characters to life. In a sweeping landscape of a war-torn ancient China, we become witnesses to individuals who grasp fate by the fistfuls, tear it from the heavens and claim those strands as their own; it’s eye-opening and just a sight to see. She Who Became the Sun does more than just shine... it blinds in its radiance.

Thank you to Tor Books for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you, Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the ARC of She Who Became The Sun!
She Who Became The Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan is an essential fantasy read for every fantasy reader. It tells the story of the brother and sister of the Zhu family, the brother was destined for greatness but the clever daughter received a fate of nothingness. But when her brother dies, she takes her brother’s identity. Zhu hides that she is a girl and uses her brother’s identity to become a young novice. Zhu is led by a strong instinct to survive. She does everything she can to keep her appearance as her brother, even getting rid of those who are a threat to her identity. She knew she was destined for greatness and did everything in her power to make sure she survived and make her destiny come true.
Told in lyrical prose similar to modern Greek Myth Retellings we follow Zhu’s story, and what she did to survive. Parker-Chan’s writing is gorgeous, and the way the scenes were written was perfect. This is a fantastic story that was so well done, it explored gender in 1345 China. I do think that this book is far more similar to The Poppy War, this novel is a grimdark fantasy, it is brutal and Parker-Chan is not afraid to put their characters through it. If you love Myth retellings, told in beautiful prose with a twist of dark fantasy this is the book for you.

If you're a fan of literary fiction, historical fiction, military fantasy, stories with gender identity, queer relationships, or even stories that will flip you on your head, then I invite you to read this book. This is THE book and it was massive and lush and powerful and so damn surprising. I'm going to have some spoilers in here (nothing too wild, but hinting at some bigger events in the story), so proceed with caution.

Honestly, it's been a while since I've read a book of this magnitude and I need to shout it from the rooftops. This is one of the best books I've read all year. This is definitely a character-driven story more than it is plot-driven, but the characters were so utterly realized and felt so real and flawed that I couldn't stop reading. It's a bit of a slow burn as well, so be prepared to sit down and take your sweet time getting into this story. It's also not for the feint of heart. There's no lovely romance between two characters. There's no designations between "good" and "evil" characters. This is about ambition, drive, and the ability to overcome any obstacle in your way to a greater purpose.

There's two sides of this story because there's two different groups of people fighting each other for supreme reign of the kingdom. There's the Red Turbans and the Mongols. There's also two main characters; Zhu and Ouyang. Zhu represents the Red Turbans (who first starts off as a monk) and Ouyang is a Mongol. I was a little confused when I started reading because Zhu had such a strong opening, but Ouyang doesn't come into the picture until a bit later. When Ouyang started having his own perspective in the novel, I was thrown a bit. But once I started realizing that there's two main characters, then things started to make sense.

Your first main character, Zhu Chongba is a red turban, but she didn't become a red turban as quickly as you could imagine. No, she first started as a terrified young girl who's father and brother just died. I absolutely loved reading where Zhu came from. From being a starving peasant to becoming a monk and then finally the commander of one of the red turban factions, Zhu has been fighting all her life to survive; to become something more than the nothing fate she was handed at birth. Zhu was probably one of the most complex characters I've read. She was born with no name, no fate, and no reasons to live other than to serve her father and brother. She originally took her brother's name in order to survive, but the fact that he was fated to be great, she internalized that and ruthlessly fought her way to the very top. What started off as a means to survive drove her to become the leader of her own empire.<

And her fight was brutal. Filled with backstabbing and betrayal, Zhu did everything in her power to get what she wanted. She's constantly fighting herself as well trying to push out the nothing fate she was dealt and living the great fate her brother was handed. It was really interesting to see Zhu's psychology while she did the things she did.

The other character worth noting is Ouyang. OMG Ouyang and I hope no one sleeps on him because he's truly such an interesting character. He's first seen at Zhu's monastery as the Mongols destroyed and disbanded all the monks living there. Ouyang is described to be an effeminate man who could easily pass as a woman. Ouyang was enslaved to Esen (the Prince of Henan's) family, but over time he earned his way to becoming his general fighting alongside the Mongols despite his people actually coming from their opponents. Ouyang is also a eunuch not by choice. No, his family was slaughtered and was told by the Mongol Emperor that there would never be another Ouyang produced ever again. His past is brutal and it fueled him for years as he plotted his revenge.

But the most interesting part of the story is that he's also absolutely in love with Esen (his captor, his best friend, and his commander). The man who has enslaved him and helped slaughter his family is also the love of his life and I can't even imagine the turmoil that must have gone through Ouyang's head and heart as he enacted his revenge. OMG, the emotions running through me as he struggled with his own emotions.

There is a relationship between Zhu and Ouyang that does play out. Being on opposite sides of this great fight, there was going to be some derision, but at the same time I felt like they saw a little bit of themselves in each other. It was interesting to see.

There is a slight fantasy element to the story. It was surprising how subtle it was because I imagined people using magic or there being some magical creatures. But the fantasy components were interesting and the way they designated people as "Heaven's Mandate." It's like any monarchy that believes they're appointed by a higher being and the fantasy elements in this book were that appointment. I thought it was interesting, especially the way it plays out towards the end of the book.<

It surprised me utterly to find out that this was based on real people and the real Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. I don't know much about this point in Chinese history, but digging around the Internet after reading the book, I thought it was fantastic that Shelley Parker-Chan utilized these characters to create a story all their own. It was truly masterful.

I will say that the pacing was a bit slow for me. I wanted there to be a few more battles or conflicts between bouts of strategizing and plotting, but being a character-driven story, the focus was more on the people rather than the events.

Overall, this was quite a story filled with history and culture and some of the most interesting characters I've read in a while. I'm really excited for book two and I will probably end up reading this one again in the future.

Blog:
This is being marketed as the queer Mulan, and I just have to say that Mulan was already queer. Li Shang Mulan regardless of what gender she is presenting as. But there’s plenty of room for more than one queer ancient China war drama. 🙂

I loved the beginning of this book. The famine and Zhu’s entire time in the monastery just spoke to me. I was engrossed. But then when Zhu leaves the monastery the tone and setting of the book changed, and it worked less for me. To me the beginning of the book is about choosing your own destiny, and the clash of desire and faith. The end of the book is about being the best warlord with your brains instead of brawn, which just was less compelling to me personally. Actually, I think this quote from the book sums up how Zhu is at the end of the book, even though this is actually Zhu describing someone else:

[T]he ferocious, irreligious joy of a man who has willingly cast aside any chance of nirvana for the sake of his attachment to life.

(location 843)
The fantasy elements of this book include that Zhu and some others can see ghosts – hungry ghosts specifically, which is a Buddhist concept. Leaders also have a mandate from heaven, which presents itself as a visible fire they can summon into their hands. Different leaders have fire of different colors. It’s interesting to note that many sides seem to have a real mandate of heaven. Why is an interesting question that I hope the sequel will explore.

The queer elements in the book include both gender and sexuality. Zhu seems to experience some gender dysphoria – this is not presented simply as a cis woman passing as a man. It’s more complex than that. However, I do wish this was explored more deeply. For example, the omniscient narrator refers to Zhu as “she” regardless of how Zhu seems to feel about their gender at any point. Ouyang is a eunuch, and eunuchs fall under the queer umbrella. Ouyang has romantic feelings for another man. It was unclear to me if these feelings were ever consummated. Zhu falls for a woman, and they have sexual relations onscreen. For me, Ouyang’s relationship was a classic queer tragedy. Zhu’s is more complex, and I’m interested to see where it goes in the sequel.

There is a character who loses a limb in this book. The moment of the limb loss is presented as a turning point for this character. It lets them become who they need to be. I felt negatively about this. It read to me as a bit like disability inspiration p*rn. I understand that, for this character, their relationship with their body is complex. But I wish another way had been found to help the character come into their own rather than this.

Overall, I really enjoyed that this fantasy was set in a culture steeped in Buddhism as a nice change of pace for fantasy. Queer characters are central, rather than as tragic sidekicks. The qualms I had did not keep me from enjoying the book as a whole, and I am interested in its sequel. Recommended to fantasy lovers looking for a change or to those who don’t usually read fantasy but might enjoy it for the representation.

Instagram:
Happy release day to She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan! A queer fantasy set in 1300s China. Direct link to purchase is in my profile.
Her brother is supposed to have a great fate while a little girl is destined for nothingness. But when her brother chooses to die with their father, the she claims his fate as her own. Later she finds herself pitted against a eunuch general as their fates intertwine in surprising ways. Queer content in this read includes gender (this is not a story of a cis woman passing as a man but rather of gender dysphoria), as well as the eunuch general having same-sex feelings, and our main character falling for a woman. Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy.

GoodReads:
*I'm torn between 3 and 4 stars. Might update later.*

A fantasy set in a battle between warlords, Mongolians, and Nanrens. Starring Zhu, who was born into a woman's body but claims a man's fate, and Ouyang, who was made a eunuch, a "grace" offered to him instead of killing him as part of an act by a Mongolian ruler of doing away with his entire family line. What I enjoyed the most was Zhu's time in the monastery. My mixed feelings are spoilers.

[I wish there was more clarity about Zhu's gender identity. The omniscient narrator calls Zhu "she" and yet Zhu themself largely expresses discomfort and what comes across to me as dysphoria about their body. It's deeply unclear if Zhu acts just as a radical act of saving themself from dying (by "pretending" to be a boy) or if Zhu is trans* (or perhaps something else entirely?) I'm not expecting Zhu to necessarily have the words to describe in this time period how they feel but I do wish there was more clarity from the narration.

I'm not sure how I feel about the impetus to Zhu figuring out who they are being losing their arm. It felt it a little bit like disability inspiration p*rn - going through this trauma being ultimately a better thing for Zhu. That rubbed me the wrong way.

Ever since I've read a critique of butch lesbians being depicted as never wanting to receive sexual pleasure but only give it, I side-eye a little bit when I see that happening in a book. Zhu does not want any sexual pleasure themself, only to give it to Ma. Hm. (hide spoiler)]

One last note. I wish this wasn't marketed as a queer Mulan. Mulan was already queer. Li Shang loved and desired Mulan both as male Ping and female Mulan. The story was already queer.

*Thank you NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for my honest review.*

She Who Became the Sun is STUNNING! It’s intense and beautifully written and filled with characters that will simply devastate you. I have never loved and hated characters so much. This book is an instant favorite.

She Who Became the Sun follows Zhu, a girl who steals her brother's name and destiny in order to avoid the nothingness of her own fate, and Ouyang, a young man seeking revenge for the murder of his entire family and his own castration, in a dazzling tale of gender and fate, desire and suffering. As Zhu clings desperately to the idea of a great destiny, certain that if she believes in it enough, that Heaven will give her that greatness, Ouyang dreads the moment when his path leads him to his fate, his moment of revenge. Both characters are terrifically morally gray, both determined to do whatever is necessary to achieve their fates despite the suffering their actions will cause to both themselves and those around them. Bound together, they will shake an empire and reorder the world to fit their desires.

I cannot recommend this book enough. The writing is exquisite and the characters are complex and heartbreaking. Shelly Parker-Chan has created characters that you’ll love and hate and love some more. Brace yourself for a fantastically tragic and epic piece of fantasy. I cannot wait for the sequel.

This book quickly launched itself into my favorite 2021 reads. A gorgeous fantasy that's sorta of a Mulan retelling. It gave me so much to think about in regards to gender, and how two of the three main characters deal with grappling with gender and how it does (and doesn't) affect their fate. Add in a sapphic romance subplot and YES PLEASE. Amazing. Highly recommend.