A Mongolian version of Disney's Mulan that is definitely not for kids. Through rich language, exotic places and peoples, Parker-Chan has created a singular character who refuses to be defeated by the circumstances of her birth to rise to the position of Emperor. Using luck, fate and a fierce belief that one can not only change one's destiny but can in fact, create it keeps the character of Zhu moving towards that destiny no matter what obstacles are placed in her way. Poverty, death, homelessness, being female in a male dominated society, and learning how to play the lethal games of politics propel Zhu to her final destiny. A saga to enjoy for those willing to put in the time and effort of keeping the different clans, tribes and armies distinct in their minds.

Siempre son bienvenidas las historias que cambian los escenarios más conocidos por otros más exóticos, algo que Shelley Parker-Chan consigue desde el principio. La novela tiene dos partes muy diferenciadas, aunque todas siguen la vida de Zhu, una joven campesina que supera una gran hambruna y muchas vicisitudes para conseguir su objetivo en la vida, esa grandeza que un vidente prometió en su momento.


La primera parte de la historia describe de forma muy acertada y dolorosa la hambruna que no hace sino exacerbar las diferencias entre hombres y mujeres de una sociedad patriarcal como era la china antes de la dinastía Ming. Estos primeros capítulos nos servirán para ver cómo se forja el carácter de la protagonista, que adoptará el nombre y la vida de su hermano fallecido con la tenacidad de quien se sabe destinada a un futuro elevado.

A pesar de no conocer la historia del fundador de la dinastía Ming, una búsqueda rápida por la Wikipedia permite saber que la autora ha volcado en su narración muchos de los hechos históricos de los que hay constancia, rellenando los huecos con su propio relato para conformar una novela con ligeros toques fantásticos y un planteamiento más que interesante. De hecho, los nombres de muchos de los personajes coinciden con figuras históricas.

Me parecen especialmente atractivas las dualidades de las que hace uso durante todo el libro, en una suerte de ying y yang que servirán de contraste para dotar de profundidad a la historia. No sola la protagonista que se hace pasar por hombre para sobrevivir, si no la presencia de su «mayor» enemigo, un eunuco al que le están permitidas cosas distintas a los demás precisamente por su condición pero que por esa misma razón vive aislado dentro de su propio ejército. El tratamiento del género es importante en She Who Became the Sun, que pone de manifiesto las desigualdades de la época pero que pueden servir como reflejo de las actuales.

La segunda parte de la novela cambia el paso para centrarse en las intrigas políticas tanto de un bando como de otro. Esta parte de la historia también es interesante, aunque de manera algo sorprendente me resulta menos atractiva que la anterior. Se habla mucho sobre el camino marcado y el destino manifiesto, pero lo cierto es que también hacen falta bastantes casualidades para que todo se desarrolle de forma satisfactoria para la protagonista. Además, no es un libro de blancos y negros, todos los personajes tienen cierta oscuridad en su interior y en especial la protagonista no se detendrá ante nada ni nadie para conseguir lo que quiere.

Se trata de una novela bien escrita que puede ser uno de los lanzamientos más importantes del año.

I need to start this review by saying that I literally screamed when I got approved for this arc. So thank you to netgalley and Macmillan-Tor, I’m really grateful.

From the very beginning, I loved Zhu and her thriving ambition. Though I wished she would have been more like Mulan, aka a warrior, I enjoyed the fact that she was different from any character I’ve read about so far - she’s so clever and driven by her desire of greatness and power. She will stop at nothing to achieve her goals.
Ouyang was an unexpected surprise. I cared so much about him. I understand his problematic behaviour and I felt for him. Most of the time.
Their complexity, the fact that they were morally grey characters and that they had a lot in common was so interesting to read about. I loved that they were on opposite sides as it increased my fear - I love them both and didn’t want to see them hurting each other.

As for the writing style, the pages flew by and I underlined so many beautiful or meaningful quotes. Sometimes I definitely needed to be fully focused to remember who was who - as there are a lot of characters - and what exactly were their schemes but I was never bored or losing interest.

As for the end, it was meant to happen, I knew it but it still hurts and, yes, I cried. I’m ready for book 2. I think.

I’m not going to lie, my expectations were way to high - She who became the sun was my second most anticipated books of 2021. Which should explain why I’m not 100% satisfied. Many battle scenes would have been welcomed but we didn’t really get one as it’s always avoided and the story was not as emotional as I thought it would be. This book is more about war and political strategy, which is without a doubt entertaining but not what I find the most riveting in a book.

It was still an amazing story and I’m so eager to know what will happen next.

I don't quite understand the comparison with the Song of Achilles and I believe it could do a disservice to the book. Indeed, I expected something different from what I read. Moreover, it was more historical fiction than fantasy, but I didn't mind that.
Nonetheless, I loved it, it was fantastic.
I am still in awe about the fact it is a debut novel for it is so intricate, well-written and elaborate.
This book is about fate, greatness, betrayal, love, war and power. It is epic, it is about political maneuvering and strategy more than about the battles. Indeed, the action often takes place "offscreen" and I like when it's a little more action packed.
The multiple POV were necessary and interesting. All the characters have their own personalities and agenda. And I loved seeing morally gray characters and still rooting for them. However, there is still some distance from their feelings, and I wanted to feel more heartache than I had while reading their inner battles (but this is a recurrent issue I have with adult fantasy). The characterization and character development is mastered. I loved Zhu, she is so driven. I loved Ma and Xu Da very much as well. Ouyang was also an interesting character, and I was happy we got to see his point of view.
I'm curious to know how the second book will turned out.

A long journey of courage and discovery. As the characters fight to save their country, they must also fight to discover who they are.

It feels vaguely wrong to say that I loved Shelley Parker-Chan's She Who Became the Sun - as though I'm confessing to some kind of moral failing - because it is entirely populated by terrible people or good people who behave in terrible ways for what they believe to be excellent reasons. It's an epic, sprawling story of ambition and hunger and shame and grief. It catches you by the throat from the first pages and refuses to let you go.

At its heart stand two people whose lives mirror each other's in unexpected ways. They are consumed by the hollowness at the center of their beings, feeding that emptiness with everything the world can provide in an effort to keep it from entirely taking them over. They make extraordinary sacrifices and suffer impossible grief - yet their betrayals, transgressions, anger and desire are the only things that keep them alive. This book asks you to imagine a life where pain is the most certain indication of life, and then presents you with two characters living out two separate versions of this theme.

You're either going to love it or hate it. There can be no in-between.

it’s an excellent book though it’s not one that hooked me completely. It’s well written and the duality of two of the narrators is amazing to read. I anticipate this will be a bestseller. (I think I was expecting more magic!) Still five stars.

Zhu is a powerhouse of a protagonist, the likes of which I’ve never read before. She desires not only to be great, but for everyone to know it and that never makes her less likable! She definitely had a duality going on, which makes me believe my students will relate to how she approaches the world. The author manages to give us a complex heroine without dimming her shine or making her apologize for going after what she rightfully deserves.

The wars, the relationships, the battles, the underlying conflict are all brought to life by Zhu’s ravenous desires and the story is better for it.

@shelleyparkerchan you have achieved greatness!

She Who Became the Sun was incredible in every possible way and
I know it's only May but I'm confident to say that this will be my favorite book of the year.

First of all, I loved Shelley's writing style and ability to connect you with the world and characters (not many authors are capable of doing that, especially in their debut novels).
At some points, I completely forgot that I was reading a book and felt like I was part of this amazing journey. I could see myself as Zhu, breaking all the boundaries, desperately trying to achieve something memorable, to become great, and have people remember my name for centuries. Truly incredible feeling.

"Becoming nothing was the most terrifying thing she could think of - worse even than the fear of hunger, or pain, or any other suffering that could possibly arise from life."

Zhu's character and ambition were the main highlights of the book for me, I don't remember liking a character this much ever since Aelin from the ToG series. I also loved Ouyang, Esen, Ma, and Wang Baoxiang, they were such great characters and they all had such impressive character developments. I can't wait to read more about them, especially about Lord Wang, I feel like people underestimate him too much.

Also, according to the synopsis, this is a fantasy novel but I wanted to tell you not to expect a lot from it. There are a few fantasy elements but not as much as you wish. Of course, this doesn't make the book less good or mean that there will not be more magic in the next book (maybe?).

All in all, this is a fabulous book and I'll undoubtedly write more about it once I reread some parts and have my feelings settled down.

"She didn't just want greatness. She wanted the world."

She Who Became the Sun - 100000🌟

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this arc in an exchange for an honest review*

I will be reading this book on behalf of Booklist, the magazine publication of American Library Association. Thank you very much.

She Who Became the Sun is a beautifully written, epic novel following a girl who takes on the persona of her brother after he dies. He had been promised a fate of greatness, and the girl decides to make this her fate. We follow her through the trials and tests she must take to achieve this fate.
The prose is beautifully written, the story is engaging, and the characters memorable. I highly recommend reading this book and am eagerly anticipating the next book in the series!

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan will be published on July 20, 2021.

Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley for this eARC.

Enjoyed this book both the plot and the characters were original and escaped the cliches of both fantasy and historical novels. Looking forward to the sequel, although it will be a challenge to write a book with as many unexpected developments as this one.

This historical fantasy novel of China was as intriguing as it was action-packed. Shelley Parker-Chan has done an excellent job of creating a historical novel with small fantasy touches that don't distract from a complex tale of conquest and political intrigue.

Definitely enjoyed this own voices fantasy! The examination of gender and destiny on the back drop of a war no one really knows the origins of is fascinating. Ma and Zhu endear themselves to the reader almost immediately. I'll be talking this book up to readers for sure! Especially people who may have just discovered The Song of Achilles.

Oh yeah. OH YEAH. This is my kind of book.

She Who Became the Sun starts with Zhu Chongba, a girl who was given a fate of nothing, but who ultimately says “f*ck it, I’m taking my own damn fate.” I loved Zhu for the same reasons I loved Fang Runin from The Poppy War trilogy - they’re both terribly ambitious, endlessly stubborn, and just a touch too ruthless to be considered the good guys. If you aren’t a fan of those kinds of characters, you might not like this book.

But I like those kinds of characters, and I loved this book.

Speaking of characters: every character is complex and well-realized. Some are cruel, some are crass, many are cunning. Zhu Chongba is a fascinating character, whose desires and emotions are incredibly visceral. General Ouyang, our second protagonist, is basically having an eternal existential crisis, and gods, it’s painful reading his inner narrative.

Bringing me to my next point: Shelley Parker-Chan has a fantastic voice. I savored each sentence like a fine wine (I don’t like wine, but let’s ignore that for the sake of the metaphor). Something about the way she describes the character’s emotions and thoughts is so poignant - despite not being able to relate to them in essentially any way, I was consistently struck by how often I could relate to the way they felt about their anger, or fear, or longing. Shelley crafts her story with a lilting, lyrical voice; she had me hanging onto every single word.

Let’s take a moment to talk about the ending. Just kidding, this is a spoiler-free review. All I will say is that the comparison of Mulan meets Song of Achilles is very accurate, and very agonizing. I normally hate comparisons (I understand their value in marketing, but sometimes I feel they are either inaccurate, or they take away from a book’s ability to sell us through an intriguing premise/pitch alone) but in this case, I’d say it’s a scarily accurate selling point. Basically, the ending killed me and I’m not even a little bit mad about it.

In short, just from the blurb alone, I was entirely certain I was going to love this book, and personally, it 1000% lived up to my expectations. If you like Asian-inspired (historical? kinda) epic fantasies, LGBTQ+ representation, badass characters, and some good-old backstabbing and political turmoil, you’ll probably love She Who Became the Sun. I will now sit and suffer silently until the release of the next book in the series. Thank you, Shelley Parker-Chan.

(note: this review is also available on Goodreads! https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/17017237-cathy-cao)

I loved the character development in this book! Zhu is such a great, strong female character and I thoroughly enjoyed following along on her journey. I couldn't put this book down and eagerly await the next book from Shelley Parker-Chan.

Okay look. I’ll start out by saying that this is already one of my favorite reads this year. It’s an absolute gem of a book. It will wreck you, it will mess with your head and just— UGHHHHH!!! The characters had so much depth that you’d find yourself rooting for every one of them. The plot is amazing and intricate. Well thought out. JUST READ IT! It’s stunning. 😭✨

This is a book about a girl who decides to take her fate into her own hands. When her brother dies, Zhu seizes the opportunity to take not only his identity but his prophesized fate of greatness. This is also a book about a man who is only seen for his identity and nothing else, and who must decide if he is to follow his fate or fight against it.

Shelley Parker-Chan did an amazing job writing this novel, but what really shines is how she wrote her characters. The characters came to life on the page through her writing. Out of all the characters, my favorite is Zhu. She's fierce, clever, ambitious, and stubborn, yet has a sense of humor. despite all she's been through in life. Ouyang's story intertwines with that of Zhu's in part two, which enriches the story. Both of them at so alike, yet different. They both struggle with how the world sees them and with who they really are, and both are willing to do whatever it takes to get what they want.

This book hits on a lot of hard-hitting topics including: gender, identity, famine, war, and loyalty. A lot of the characters struggle with the roles they have been assigned in life, and how they can fight against them or learn to live with them.

I would say this book is more of a historical fiction book with elements of fantasy thrown in, than actual fantasy. It isn't necessarily a bad thing but is good for potential readers to know. Some parts of the book were harder to read, especially since it does take place in wartime. But overall, this was a great read!

Oh my god.

This book was one of my most anticipated releases of 2021 and it DID NOT DISAPPOINT. I absolutely LOVED this Mulan re-telling and will recommend it to everyone I know. The characters, the political intrigue, and exploration of queer identity are all excellent. Truly the best debuts I’ve read this year.

What I will say is that comparing this book to The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller does both readers and the book itself a huge disservice. She Who Became the Sun is best suited for fans of R.F. Kuang’s the Poppy War trilogy, Ken Liu’s Dandelion Dynasty, and Game of Thrones. This book is a dark and brutal war story. There is no wholesome and sweet love story in this book.

I was so excited to read the description of this book! "A bold, queer, and lyrical reimagining of the rise of the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty". This is a cultural emersion that I was dying to embark on and I was not disappointed. It is dark and brutal and delightfully queer!

Best part?- Hands down the culture. Reading about the discipline, the chauvinism, the dedication. I have so much respect for Chinese culture and just loved watching Zhu's determination to break the mold in her journey as she tackled each obstacle. First by becoming something she was not and then continuing to evolve and learn and grow into herself.

I connected so much with Zhu and I loved her time in the monastery. The shift into the second part was a little more difficult for me. The introduction of new POVs took me a minute to develop the relationship I had already solidly built with Zhu. She is a strong female character and I'm glad to see her transformation and acceptance. She begins to come into her own instead of having to continue to pretend to be something she is not. As part two wraps and I ventured into part three I found the new characters lining up for me and I'm thoroughly intrigued for the continuation of this story.

This is a great immersive read and I'd recommend you take this journey along side Zhu. In the future I'd love to try this as an audio book as well!