I want the sequel, now. The characters are so rich and complicated and complete. I'm not convinced that there is even one truly good person, but I genuinely want to see more of them all. Zhu is fascinating and complicated. Her (the pronoun she uses for herself) journey to achieve her greatness and the risks she is willing to take are mesmerizing. Just as important are all the other stories that are woven together. You see how these lives interconnect and you care.

The daughter of the Zhu family was considered useless by her father and given the fate of "nothing." After the rest of the family perishes during the long famine afflicting her province, she adopts the name Zhu Chongba and disguises herself as a boy in order to change her fate. Inspired by the Mongol era in China, She Who Became the Sun follows Zhu Chongba in her adventures, from life as a monk to her time as a rebel leader, always fighting to claim her fate. Well written and engaging, this book is recommended to people who like epic tales of fate and clever, gender nonconforming characters.

This book was intense from beginning to end. Gripping storytelling pulls you in and makes it hard to put the book down. I can't wait to see more titles from Parker-Chan.

Shelly Parker-Chan wrote a stunning and evocative novel. It's harsh, dense and immensly capturing.
I have a few notes about the style and the rhythm, that are sometimes not as solid as the worldbuilding and the story, but that said i really can't wait for She Who Became The Sun to come out and conquer the world!
One of the best breakthrough novels of the last decade

This book is a fantastic entry into a new series, I was enthralled by the story and couldn't put it down until I finished it completely. I cant wait for the next installment! As someone not familiar with Chinese history it was still a very enjoyable read through this reimagining of the creation of the Ming Dynasty.

4.5 stars

I can see why it would be smart to advertise this book as “Mulan meets Song of Achilles”, since those comparisons were definitely the biggest draw for me and I’m sure many others, but in execution and style it feels entirely distinct. Despite the high expectations, this novel did not disappoint.

She Who Became the Sun is a story you wouldn’t believe is the author’s debut novel. For a reader, it seems to have it all – well-researched historical details and thoughtfully executed creative liberties, meticulous imagery, nuanced characterizations, and a very cohesive plot. Zhu is a fascinating vessel through which the story is told, carrying the reader from a barren and poverty-stricken Zhongli village to the secluded Wuhang Monastery and innumerable sites of political warfare. No matter the circumstances that inhibit her success, Zhu is unfailingly governed by her conviction that she is meant for greatness. Despite her determination for success, Zhu’s journey takes on a palimpsest-like structure where the past is always in the shadow of her unfolding destiny. In her humble form, no one can imagine what lengths Zhu will go to in order to ensure the destiny that is hers to claim.

Again, contrary to my expectations, there were few fantastical elements to be found in this novel, which is more impressive than not since historical fiction is not a genre that I’m naturally inclined to read without heavy embellishment. Although this novel had its peaks and valleys, Parker-Chan’s writing style and narrative is so compelling I still felt captivated throughout.

If there were one thing I’d have to nitpick it would be that, although the main characters had well-developed back-stories, I thought it difficult later in the novel to appreciate their actions and motivations. I was disposed to root for Zhu and Ouyang as they combated adversity to earn the respect of their communities, although felt that, even though their underlying convictions were hinted at, their decisions ultimately took a turn from much of their growth throughout the novel. Perhaps that’s just me, and I’m more than willing to give this series the benefit of the doubt when the saga completes next year!

My sincere thanks to Tor Books, Netgalley, and Shelley Parker-Chan for this phenomenal read!

I really liked how this book started off. It was really captivating and I loved the characters. However, I lost interest once part two started. I think this book was really well written, but it wasn’t for me. I would recommend it to someone who likes descriptive writing and doesn’t mind complex timelines and characters. This is definitely not a light read, but it was enjoyable and well written!

“All that means is we have to make this life count”

She Who Became the Sun is a breathtakingly beautiful novel. This is undoubtedly one of my favorite books so far in the year, perhaps(i think definitely yes) going to my all time favorite fantasy books as well.

The novel follows, who the story knows as Zhu Chongba, a predestined figure waiting to fall in place with greatness. The main character is the sister of this said figure, whom after several turns of fate, is taking destiny in her own hands and with this the author weaves a truly, hauntingly beautiful tale, of deception and acceptance, love and betrayal and what i know for certain; a masterpiece in the making.

I simply cannot highlight enough on how the word beautiful suits this novel. The writing style had a grip on me since the very beginning and unlike so many books, it held me in that firm grip because of just how gorgeous this writing was. It’s exactly the type of writing i want to read about, its the style of which i want to write with, and this book in particular with its atmospheric tones that suit SO WELL with the melancholic yet sombre undertones of the story had me in absolute awe. I have so much praise for the author on this aspect alone.

The results of the gorgeous writing style and the atmosphere it built, were the distinct character voices. Zhu and Ouyang in particular had so well defined and distinct personalities it leapt off the pages and their mannerisms, quirks, remarks, thoughts became something that i was able to visualize in my head. And so the character work that was done in this book was unbelievably good. I felt invested in the characters right from the very beginning. Ill say generally, character backstories, development and dynamics were absolutely impeccable in She Who Became the Sun. Individually, Zhu, Ouyang and Xu Da struck out to me so much and im so invested in their story lines. Honestly this should be illegal. How dare the author make me care THIS much about characters??? ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST HALF OF THE BOOK I STILL REMEMBER SO VIVIDLY MY MINDSET ON HOW FOCUSSED AND ON EDGE I WAS BECAUSE I DIDNT KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THEM. And wow i missed having that feeling. Not a lot of books accomplish that and im so so glad i got to read this.

Before i shutup about characters i HAVE to point out the banter and dynamic between Zhu and Ma, like WTF?? Im usually someone who’s really picky about banter. Most of the time its either too cringey or too bland but holy shit i enjoyed that particular character dynamic so much while reading this story!

Okay no i’ll keep talking about Zhu. This kind of overlaps with how good the plot was, but the realism with which things like poverty and famine was written really cemented my investment in the story as a reader. It FELT real. I felt what the characters were feeling and again this backtracks to how good the writing was especially in terms of showing and not telling.

With the plot, something i noticed was that a lot of the scenes moved the plot forward. Yes, we had a lot of different locations (i mean this positively) and most of which included its own plots BUT UNLIKE A LOT OF BOOKS, THEY ACTUALLY MATTERED IN THE GRAND SCHEMES OF THE story and had me entertained and THE POINT IS I WAS ALWAYS AT THE EDGE OF MY SEAT AND THERE WAS NO BORING POINTS ALL THROUGHOUT THE BOOK WHICH a lot of other books fail to do. Im getting irritated bc im unable to express how much i like that but y’all get the point. ITS GOOD.

Ill also just mention that I appreciated a lot on how there were idioms/sayings used that lead to a different but interesting conversation regarding the Chinese language itself with my friend and yes i will definitely be using some of these idioms henceforth hehe🥳. The fact that this was a retelling itself and how a lot of it was presented to us sparked more conversations regarding history and what i want to say is that is another reason i love historical fantasy as a genre too, because it opens the doors to make me learn and know more and i am eternally grateful for that.

Side tangent aside, i REALLY LOVED this book, but just in case ill leave my friend’s review here bc I absolutely love this review.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3845122643


Thank you to Tor Books for granting me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley.

Ps: some thoughts i had while reading!!!

- hate chaghan the prince of hannan
- Ma Xiuying banter i love it
- Ouyang my baby
- Baoxiang my beloved
- ESEN MY BESTIEEEEE
- XU DA SUPREMACY

She Who Became the Sun follows a peasant girl named Zhu who assumes her brother's place in the world after he dies. She becomes a monk and then a warrior, all following her destiny to become great. Along the way she has to make difficult choices in order to succeed. Both Zhu and Ouyang, another prominent character, struggle with gender identity and sexuality and the paths leading them to their ultimate fates.

This was a solid epic historical fantasy that I would recommend with the caveat that can be heavy on politics and war. For the most part I didn't mind, as there are plenty of other plot lines to sink your teeth into, but at times the war-talk made the book drag. Otherwise I thought this was a great story with plenty of interesting characters (Ma and Wang Baoxiang are two more that stood out). I'll be waiting to see where Shelley Parker-Chan takes this story next!

This book has been compared to Mulan and The Song of Achilles. I know the basic premise of Mulan and absolutely loved SOA, so went into this with high expectations. I'm not really sure how I feel about those comparisons, but I can see why this book is so popular everywhere. The writing so immersive and intense, I felt a general unease throughout. I had a hard time connecting with the characters, but that being said, I think Zhu's single-minded determination despite all odds is what I valued most about this story. Great addition and a must-read for anyone who enjoys epic high fantasy and historical fiction.

This book was received as an ARC from Macmillan-Tor/Forge - Tor Books in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I absolutely love the adaptation and rendition of this book being similar to the story of Mulan. I am all about female empowerment and fighting for what's right for the country and the harsh cruelty of the Ancient Chinese Hierarchy is tested like none other. Despite the risk of her life, Zhu learns that she can do anything she sets her mind to and is capable of doing more than the expectations of her peasant hood. I love the passion and perseverance Zhu demonstrated throughout the book and it will be inspiring to all young women all over the world. Greatness is not destined for one person but, destined for anyone, it is not given, it's made and Zhu is a perfect example of that.

We will consider adding this title to our Fantasy collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

3.5 stars

CW: death, murder, war themes, starvation, gender dysphoria, misgendering, ableism, sexism/misogyny, internalized homophobia

Honestly, I went into this book expecting to fall head over heels in love with it and have this be my new all-time favourite, but this wasn't quite that. It was very good, don't get me wrong, and there was a lot that I loved about it, but there were also a few significant things that just for me personally, didn't work quite as well.

Let's start with my favourite thing about this book - the characters. If there's one thing Shelley Parker-Chan can do, it's to bring characters to life. Every single one of these characters were so interesting, and I feel like for the most part, they were very nuanced and well-developed. My one exception to this is actually our main character, Zhu, but I will touch on this later in the review.

Ouyang and Wang Baoxiang were by far my favourite characters, and I definitely wish we could've gotten a bit more of Wang Baoxiang in particular. I'm not sure what it says about me that my favourite characters in this book are the Eunuch General and a bastard son who is basically the chief accountant for the Yuan empire, but here we are. They are both such intriguing characters who are incredibly flawed, and I love how we got to see both of their relationships to Esen.

Another thing that I loved about the characters were how Parker-Chan mirrored the two main pairs of characters. I've seen a few reviews talking about how Zhu and Ouyang are essentially two sides of the same coin, and they are, but I also love how we got to see the similarities of the way they affect the people closest to them - Ma and Esen - and the parallels between their character arcs as well. Honestly, it was so beautifully executed, and just *chefs kiss*.

My main gripe with this book was the excessive hammering of this theme of greatness, and not fading into nothingness. This happens to actually be one of my favourite themes in general, so I do love that this book, and Zhu in particular, was so motivated by this idea of wanting to control her fate and not fade into nothingness, but for me, the execution was not the best. Pretty much every few pages, you'll be hit with one of the following words: greatness, nothingness, fate, ambition. I personally prefer my books to be a little more subtle and hands-off in its theming, but even if I didn't, I still felt like it was overkill. At first, I thought it was just a small thing that I could get over, but I got to a point where after about a hundred pages of seeing this every few pages, it built up to something that really detracted from my enjoyment every time it was brought up. It even took me out of the story at times, which was frustrating.

Also, because of this, I feel like it really affected my enjoyment of Zhu as a character overall. I felt like it made her seem more one-dimensional than the other characters - you could argue that it just shows that she's just a one-track-mind kind of character, but again, I feel like there's a way to portray that without using the same words over and over.

This is not to say that Parker-Chan is not capable of delivering a theme/message in a very impactful, but subtle way. They can, and do, in this book, which is what makes the above point extra frustrating. I absolutely loved the exploration of gender identity and queerness in this book. I thought this was so well done - the way that we get to see both Ouyang and Zhu grapple with their gender identity was literally perfect. Once again, I loved this mirroring of these two characters, and seeing both how different and how incredibly similar they both are. In terms of execution, it was so subtly done, and seamlessly woven into the narrative.

On the writing - I think for me, there was just something that didn't quite click with me, but I recognize that this is a very personal thing. I definitely understand why Parker-Chan made certain choices, and I think they worked for the story. In a lot of ways, the prose is very reminiscent of translated Chinese historical fiction, and although this book isn't sold as wuxia inspired, there are definitely quite a few classic wuxia tropes incorporated throughout the story, which I loved. I really liked the sprinkling of more colloquial Chinese phrases (translated directly into English) - I thought it added a nice touch as someone who understood the meaning, but I do wonder how it will be received by a non-Chinese-speaking reader (despite there being fairly adequate context clues).

Overall, I still really enjoyed this book. The last 100 pages packed a lot of punch, and I am dying to know what happens next. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Chinese historical fiction, or c-dramas, as well as anyone who likes very politics-heavy historical fantasy in general. I'd also say this book is less plot-focused, but if you're someone who enjoys good character work, I think you'd really love this book. All in all, a stunning debut from Shelley Parker-Chan, and a) I would like to see a c-drama or donghua adaptation of this book please, and b) am definitely going to be keeping an eye out for anything else that she comes out with in the future.

This was an excellent debut and start to a new epic fantasy series. As someone who loves Asian inspired fantasy, I loved the historical Chinese setting. The setup of a young girl taking on a male identity is certainly one I have read before, but it is still one I love. 

The main character was a resilient young woman who showed bravery and strength in the face of hardship. My favourite aspects of this novel involved her coming of age narrative as she completed her warrior training. The focus on battles in the later half of the book were less compelling for me, but I am still interested to see where the story goes from here. I would be interested to read the next installment in this series. 

I would recommend this one to any fantasy reader looking for a new epic series to begin.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

A beautifully written, incisive debut with one of the biggest character arcs I've ever read. This book delivered on my craving for a slower, nuanced literary fantasy, and I read it straight through over the course of two days.

What a truly epic debut, and thank you so much to the publisher for approving me for this title. I can't wait to recommend this to to readers!

Wow! It's so hard to write a review of a book that encompasses all that a book should be. Dazzling descriptions o countryside, war and people all without being too long winded. Characters that become so real to you that you want to be part of their stories. The story of an impoverished girl who takes on the identity of her dead brother and joins the monastery in his place. She defies her fate and becomes one of the most celebrated generals in 14th century China. It is a must read for anyone even slightly interested in this period of history, any fantasy lover and anyone interested in gender identity. Thank you to Net Galley and Tor Books for the arc.
#NetGalley#TorBooks#SheWhoBecameTheSun

I LOVED THIS!!!!

This book is an amazing debut and I just need more from this author. Yes this book has the mulan links but it became completely its own and so much more than just a girl dressing as a boy. This is about a girl who wants to control her own fate and not leave it to others. Zhu has become an unforgettable characters and one of my favourite female characters. I loved the development of Zhu and cant wait for the next book in the duology.

She Who Became The Sun is a clever reimagining of the rise of the founding emperor of the the Ming dynasty, starting with girl who is destined for nothing seizing her brother’s destiny of greatness, and following her clawing for every opportunity to ascend further into power.

The high-stakes, brutal high fantasy is heavy with the themes of war, duty, power, betrayal, and revenge. Zhu Chongba is a compelling lead to follow - resilient, ambitious, an opportunist, and willing to sacrifice everything to achieve the destiny she took for herself, regardless of the cost or consequences. It was particularly clever to offer Ouyang as a foil to Zhu, as both find themselves in similar predicaments with their perception of gender clashing with society’s norms, and represent two sides of the same coin. The exploration of gender, gender identity, and sexuality was so seamlessly integrated into a story already so full of politics, war, and underhandedness.

While some of the characters, including Zhu, who was so guarded even to the reader, felt distant, they became animated through their relationships. For example, Xu Da and Zhu with a childhood innocence that has become undying loyalty, and Ma Xiuying who helps the reader locate their moral compass again amongst all the personal agendas. Baoxing and Esen’s complicated sibling bond was also a highlight for me, as well as Ouyang’s similarly complex relationship with both of them.

The writing was everything that was promised, gorgeous and evocative, as a perfect compliment to the 14th century setting. I did have some problems with the pacing of the novel and sacrifice of description on the page for action in the second, war-heavy part, but for the most part, it did an excellent job creating an immersive atmosphere and keeping the reader engaged through dynamic dialogue.

Forget ‘The Song of Achilles’ comparison you just read in the synopsis/publisher pitch. Just pretend you never saw it because it will be doing you a disservice. This is not that kind of book.

This is more similar to ‘The Poppy War.’ It's a dark, brutal, unforgiving tale about characters who will do whatever they can in order the achieve what they believe is their fate.

There is no soft, wholesome love in these pages. There are antiheroes who use people and connections in order to serve their purposes.

Go into this ready for well-written war-heavy descriptions, dense strategic and political maneuvering, unexplainable ghosts, complex characters, interesting motives, and an emotionally charged plot.

This is the kind of book it truly is. It's one of history and magic and destiny.

A magical alternate history, combining a Mulan retelling and The Song of Achilles? How could I not?

So first, I want to make a quick comment on the cover design, because it grabbed me immediately. The layout is so clean, but striking. Before I knew anything about the plot or the author, I wanted to know the story behind that cover.

Zhu Chongba was an absolute masterclass in a character that I immensely disliked. But I was constantly invested in her machinations, her triumphs, and her betrayals. Her relationship with gender after she assumes the identity of her dead brother was absolutely fascinating.

Parker-Chan is a deft hand at setting the scene. I could feel the stones of the monastery, and the wind on the fields as she described her settings.

I would have liked it if the magical part of the alternate history had had more of an effect on the story. The ghosts were interesting but not very present.

Now, the pacing was a bit odd for me. The first half was very slow, providing a lot of set up for the people, the politics, and the places. I found myself drifting away from this story, but I was intrigued enough to come back every time. And it felt like everything came together very quickly in the last 10%.

But I would unreservedly recommend this book to anyone looking for an intense Mulan retelling, or enjoyed The Poppy War.