This was a truly fantastic book and I am so glad that I gave this book a second chance
When I initially picked this book up I found myself a bit disconnected from it, so I took a step back. This past week I picked it up again and I loved it so so deeply and I found myself so connected with it, so obsessed with the characters, the writing, the plot and the complex dynamics between the characters, that I look back on my past self in horror because how on earth did I feel disconnected on the first go round and now it is one of my favorite books?

The prose is this book is so phenomenal and evocative, the use of repetition is masterful. The characters are so vibrant they jump off the page. I mean it's just a truly excellent book and Zhu is a master of manifestation. And if you love a fictional sad boi, Ouyang is the one for you. This story has really interesting depictions of gender and sexuality, love and yearning, politics and schemes and passion. It's all so engaging and I think this book will work for you if you don't go into it expecting some super action heavy narrative, this is very much a character study and the fantastical elements are a bit limited. It leans heavily on the historical side of historical fantasy. Anyways I loved it! Highly recommend it!

Think Mulan but in a much more sweeping scope, this is a perfect saga that examines gender roles in a retelling of the rise of the Ming Dynasty. Zhu is a girl, so considered worthless, while her brother has been told he will rise to greatness. When bandits come to her village and kill her father and her brother dies as well, Zhu determines that she will not be nothing, that she will take her brother's destiny as hers.

I really enjoyed this book!! The worldbuilding was fascinating and immersive, the character work was great, and I found Parker-Chan's writing really compelling. Looking forward to more from Parker-Chan in the future!

The most amazing feat is that I felt like I was reading in Chinese. I especially adore all the cussing (yes), including “turtle egg,” “white-eyed idiot,” “water leaked into brain,” “fuck eighteen generations of that bastard’s dog ancestors,” and other non-vulgar phrases like “blowing up the cow skin” (boasting), “chicken-skin” (goosebumps), “eat tofu” (sexual harassment), etc. The language aspect of the book was wonderful.

SHE WHO BECAME THE SUN is essentially the genderbent story of Zhu Yuanzhang (朱元璋), the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1662). The main character Zhu (sapphic), stole the identity of her dead brother Zhu Chongba (朱重八, Zhu “Double Eight”) who was promised a great future. She spent her childhood and early teens at a monastery and subsequently joins the Red Turbans, a band of rebels fighting against the ruling Mongols. One of the Mongols’ general is the eunuch Ouyang (achillean). Despite fighting for the Mongols, Ouyang holds a deep hatred again them because they were the reason his family was slaughtered and he castrated. The complicated relationship between Zhu and Ouyang continues to play out through the story.

I have to admit that if not for my familiarity with the language and Chinese history, I might not have enjoyed the book as much. The first part of the book was engrossing, and I flew past the pages. But then it took me several months to pick up the story again after putting it down some 30% into the book. There were two other POVs that I find somewhat redundant—Ma Xiuying and Chang Yuchun (both are real people in history). And the magical realism of Zhu seeing ghosts and her Mandate of Heaven also made the metaphors of haunted by ghosts and burning as bright as the sun too on the nose. I believe SHE WHO BECAME THE SUN would be even more epic without these elements.

That being said, I am in awe of Parker-Chan’s (she/they) storytelling. They brought all these historical characters to life, and it’s like reading Jin Yong’s wuxia novels but with little martial arts scenes. The following is a non-exhaustive list of real people: Chen Youliang (陳友諒), Liu Futong (劉福通), Zhang Shicheng (張士誠), Chaghan-Temur (ᠼᠠᠭᠠᠨᠲᠡᠮᠦᠷ, who had an adopted son called Wang Baobao), Xu Da (徐達), Chang Yuchun (常遇春), Guo Zixing (郭子興), Guo Tianxu (郭天敘), Ma Xiuying (馬秀英, who was Guo Zixing’s adopted daughter in history), and of course, Zhu Chongba (the birthname of Zhu Yuanzhang).

I love that racism is addressed in the story, as in Yuan Dynasty, there was a caste system that separated people into four races (from “high” to “low”): Mongol, Semu (meaning “colored eyes”), Han, and Nanren (meaning “southerners”). All the other details like the name of the cities Bianliang (汴梁, now Kaifeng), Anfeng (安豐), Anyang (安陽), etc., just brought me back to 1300s China perfectly.

As for the plot, I like antiheros Zhu’s boundless ambition and Ouyang’s warring thoughts. I wondered why the characters were mostly addressed in their family names until I realized we never learned Zhu’s name. I don’t remember reading Ouyang’s either. Maybe the author used family names because Zhu is finding who she really is without trying to live her brother’s life and that Ouyang represents his whole family since he is the only person left alive.

Playful Zhu is really endearing. It’s like reading about those urchins in Jin Yong’s books. The scenes with the sapphics are very cute as well. Yet despite Zhu’s usual lightheartedness, her storyline is still dark, much like Ouyang’s. Be prepared for the huge amount of torture and deaths in the story.

THE RADIANT EMPEROR duology is an alternative history in which the real Zhu Chongba died and his sister took his place instead with some fantastical elements sprinkled in. I am glad to see this Chinese historical fiction written in English and reaching a different demographic of readers from wuxia novels. I didn’t listen to the audiobook for SHE WHO BECAME THE SUN this time around, but since the narrator is Natalie Naudus, I just might listen to it before the next book comes out.

[content warnings: mutilation (past castration, arm), nudity, death from starvation, death of parent, death of sibling, murder (including child), arson, manipulation, plague, dismemberment by five horses (五馬分屍), skinned alive, animal deaths (in battle, illness, poisoned), bound feet, sexism, misogyny, burning books, poisoning, graphic sex, explosion]

I had a wonderful time reading this book -- deliberately paced and fantastically realized, this is an alternate history in an alternate world of royal magic and personal determination that made for a believable and enjoyable read. brutal and sexy, all the characters are extremely interesting, capable, and readable, which is a feat considering the span of politic in the novel.

Absolutely loved this gender bending fantasy/historical novel. We have it on our shelves now, and I continue to hand sell it.

I was really hyped for this book due to all the good reviews but it seems this just wasn't for me.

This novel felt so much longer than it was and I felt as though I was forcing myself throughout it multiple times. Despite I still feel as though there were many missing scenes? All of this was most likely due to the pacing which wasn't my favorite.

The relationships felt flat to me but I enjoyed the exploration of sexuality and gender. It was my favorite part about this novel.

I did enjoy the idea of the usage of multiple POVs as it helped tell the story better but I didn't really connect with any of them.

I couldn't bring myself to care about this book at all but I am definitely the minority in my opinions so don't let it sway you from reading it.

During the famine of the 1340s in China's Hunan province, an impoverished family visits their village's fortune teller and learns that favored son, Zhu Chongba, is destined for greatness and will be revered throughout history. The family's only surviving daughter is given a fate of nothingness, much to her dismay. Soon after, bandits strike and both Zhu Chongba and his father die, leaving the daughter orphaned and alone. She decides she only has one real option: she claims her brother's identity and fate as her own. She enters the nearby monastery as a novice, revealing her true gender to no one. Will she be able to evade detection? Meanwhile, eunuch Ouyang, general of the Prince of Hunan's Mongol Army, has his own terrible destiny to fulfill, one that directly impacts Zhu's own and puts them at great odds. This first book of a new series is a bold, feminist reimagining of the founding of China's Ming dynasty.

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This title was included on the January 2022 Staff Picks on the CPL website (see link) and also on the Best of the Best list for adults in 2021 for the Chicago Public Library.

She Who Became the Sun is a unique blend of historical fiction and literary fantasy. While the fantasy elements were limited, I still found myself captivated by the story and the characters. No one is particularly heroic; each person is motivated by their own views of destiny, fate, and obligation. How the author explored these themes was done exceptionally well, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Boy howdy this one ripped my soul to shreds and I thanked it for doing so. She Who Became the Sun is for people who love epic fantasies spanning many years with plentiful richly described settings. The prose in this book is on another level. Good lord. I need the physical book, I think, just to go back and memorize some of my favorite quotes. Natalie Naudus, always the right choice, did a splendid job with the narration. It was always clear whose POV was taking place and which characters were speaking. There's a huge cast too so that's triply impressive imo. My favorite character is Ma but after her it's definitely the protags. Are they on opposite sides of a war? Yeah totally but they go HARD and it's unbelievable sometimes the lengths these characters are willing to go to in order to accomplish their goals. Good for them tbh.

readalikes include: Iron Widow

Phenomenal. From start to finish. Such a rich, epic ride that I was loathe to finish. Flawed heroes of the best sort and a villain with a truly fascinating drive.

This was quite good, but the middle half or so didn’t quite hold my attention as strongly as I generally prefer. I’d say it’s 4.5 stars, though if I had to round it I’d round it down to 4 rather than up to 5. (Not to be excessively precise in my gradations or anything.)

This book (first in a … duolgy? Trilogy? Series? I don’t know) is a reimagining of the fall of the Yuan Dynasty (aka the Mongols) and the rise of the Ming Dynasty in 14th century China. As I’ve said before, I know shamefully little about Chinese history, so I can’t comment much on things from that perspective. But from a storytelling perspective, this was great.

The main character is a girl born into the peasant Zhu family. We first see her in the midst of a famine; the land is suffering because the Mongols are losing the Mandate of Heaven, and her family has been reduced to herself, her brother, and her father who places far more value in her brother than herself. A seer promises that her brother is destined for greatness, but for her, just a girl, her fate was “nothing.” Not good, not bad, just “nothing.” She is absolutely unwilling to accept this, and is determined to achieve greatness for herself. When her father is killed by bandits, and her brother just gives up, lays down, and dies, she decides to assume her brother’s identity and claim his fate of greatness for her own.

Plot happens, she is able to disguise herself as a boy, join a Buddhist monastery, and escape starvation. More plot happens, and she (still claiming her late brother Zhu Chongba’s identity) joins the rebellion against the Yuan rule.

Zhu Chongba is a very compelling character, but that isn’t necessarily the same thing as a likable one. She is focused on her undefined goal of “greatness” nearly to the exclusion of all else. I’d go so far as to call her more-or-less amoral. She doesn’t go out of her way to do anything bad, but she only barely hesitates to do “what needs to be done” if something is standing in her way. Some of the things she does in this book are simply awful. This, I think, was my biggest issue with the book. She doesn’t have a defined goal, except to rise, and she wants greatness for its own sake; we don’t even have a fuzzy and problematic notion of a “greater good” to justify some of the things she does.

But that doesn’t mean this still isn’t a great book. Where it comes into its own, and where it really hooked me, is when Zhu Chongba meets Ma, a girl her own age who is every bit as determined as Zhu Congba herself, but also idealistic and with a strong moral compass.

Meanwhile, there’s a secondary protagonist: Ouyang, a general fighting the rebels on behalf of the Yuan. Ouyang’s family was killed as traitors against the Yuan when he was young. Ouyang was able to plead for his own life, and was made a eunuch. He’s been a servant of the local Yuan ruler ever since, and a close companion to the local ruler’s son. But he remembers where he came from, and why he was made into a eunuch, and he is patient.

The book does drag in the middle a bit, I feel, but that’s a pretty minor complaint. Overall strongly recommended.

This simply one of the best books I have ever read. Parker-Chan blends stunning literary prose with sharp, gripping plotting and delicate, complex characters. I have pushed this book on everyone I know. Parker-Chan deftly dissects notions of gender, power, ambition and trauma, weaving a story that is as moving as thought-provoking. No punches are pulled in this novel that demands the reader's entire attention, and one knock out blow is delivered after another. And yet there is a tenderness, and intimacy amongst the grand historical scale and political ambition. I honestly cannot say enough things about this brilliant book.

This was an excellent book--a work of historical fantasy . So glad to see more of this type of book available for adults and not just YA, not just the genre but also representation of marginalized groups. Definitely plan to look for more from this author in the future!

While I did not enjoy this book, for reasons I will get into later, I definitely think this was a refreshing and fantastic move for the fantasy genre. I never actively go out of my way to recommend this book, as I didn’t enjoy it myself, but if anyone is looking for a dark, queer fantasy (specifically non binary representation) I would 100% recommend this one. This is one of those books that while I didn’t enjoy it, I know others did/will so I will never actively dissuade people from picking it up.

The main part I didn’t enjoy was the lead character, I found the, quite hard to relate to/connect with so it detached me from the story. Their attitude and the way they went about doing things just didn’t seem… realistic to me. But, I also wasn’t actively trying to shift to their perspective and really invest in their character after I didn’t relate to them right away. The world and all the other characters were wonderful, the author has a brilliant writing style and created a fantastic atmosphere with their language. I would definitely pick up another book from this author but I am unsure if I’ll move on with the series.

This book is immense in every sense of the word. It's a sweeping story that spans many years of pain, struggle, and perseverance. If you're a fan of intense political worlds like the one built in The Poppy War, this book is perfect for you. I've seen it compared to the story of Mulan and while I definitely agree with that comparison, this book does an incredible job of exploring gender identity and sexuality in comparison to the original story of Mulan. It nearly brought me to tears several times and it's full of inspiration to push through dark moments. I loved the tenderness and pain of our two main characters, Zhu and Ouyang, and I can't wait to see how their stories progress in the future.

DNF at 55%
I really wanted to like this book. There was such a hype around it and the synopsis made it sound really interesting. I started reading this book before it's release, planing to review it early, but I just couldn't. The beginning was so promising and the first third book of this book just flew by, but at some point it got so boring, and I just stopped caring about the characters and the story. I put it on hold at 55% and planned on finishing it at a later point because it was causing me a major reading slump. I had to force myself to pick it back up and continue reading, and I just decided that I didn't want to do that anymore. I had hoped that I would get interested again at some later point and that I would pick it back up again, but alas, I still can't be bothered to read more of it. I'm slightly tempted to just skip to the last chapter and see how it all ends, but I probably won't even do that.

Just giving it 2 stars because NetGalley requires a star rating, otherwise I would not rate it at all, because I didn't finish it.

It’s hard to discuss this book without talking about pronouns first. The character referred to as Zhu Chongba is assigned female at birth and uses female pronouns in her point-of-view chapters, but does not identify as a woman. Ouyang is assigned male at birth, identifies as a man and uses male pronouns in his point-of-view chapters, but is treated as something other than male by other characters because he was castrated as a child. I will use the same pronouns for both characters that they use in their own point of view. With that out of the way...

This book absolutely knocked me off my feet. It is not an easy read in any sense of the word, but I never wanted to put it down! Both protagonists are incredibly compelling. It is truly a masterclass in the art of the narrative foil. I had no idea how their stories were going to intersect, and the plot kept ratcheting up the tension to a meeting that genuinely shocked me when I read it. Because I mostly read romance, plot twists that I can’t predict aren’t something that I actively seek out. If that’s something that you do care about, I recommend this book even more strongly to you.

I loved Zhu Chongba’s evolution throughout the book. She isn’t what I was expecting as a heroine at all. But even more than that, Ouyang was not what I was expecting as a villain. The book is very much about power, but it isn’t a straightforward “power corrupts” narrative. Pretty much everyone is morally gray from the start! (The one genuinely “good” character is Zhu Chongba’s future wife, Ma Xiuying.) Zhu Chongba does horrible things to gain power, and even more horrible things to keep it. She believes that she’s making the right choices—the only possible choices—the entire time.

Ouyang, who loves and is loved by the man who literally owns him, offers a different and equally important perspective on power. Lord Esen's power makes it easy for him to be kind, but it also blinds him to the fact that Ouyang is his own person with his own independent desires. Is it possible to truly love someone if you have so much power over them?

I think I would have liked this book more if it hadn't felt quite so long. While I don't think there were necessarily parts that should have been shortened or cut out, it just felt daunting and I found myself having trouble keeping focus or being able to keep track of who was who. None of the characters particularly grew on me, and I think that was just a side effect of how long the book felt, because they were all written very well. Overall, a good read, but felt too much like a book assigned for English class that you don't particularly love but also don't particularly hate.

I enjoyed reading a fantasy world unlike the Euro-based ones I see all over the place. I learned a lot about the history at the same time. I love when fantasy is grounded in historic realities. I was utterly enthralled in the first half, lost steam a bit, and then was rewarded for sticking through it with that ending.