I DNF’d She Who Became the Sun and thought maybe I just wasn’t in the right mindset for it at the time. So I gave He Who Drowned the World a go, hoping it would pull me in. Unfortunately, it didn’t and I yet again had to DNF another book.

The writing is undeniably beautiful, but for me, that wasn’t enough to carry the story. The pacing is slow, the characters feel emotionally distant, and the heavy political maneuvering just left me disengaged. and lost 100% of the time. I kept waiting to feel invested, but I never got there.

This series just isn’t for me. I can see why others might connect with it, especially if you enjoy historical fantasy with complex themes of power and identity, but both books fell flat for me and more like a chore than a journey.

DNF at 40%

When I first read Shelley Parker-Chan’s novel She Who Became the Son back in 2021 I was, quite simply, blown away. Their skill with language, their ability to craft compelling (and often reprehensible) queer characters, and their deft weaving of a tragic story all drew me into this fantastic retelling of the rise of the Ming Dynasty and the fall of the Yuan. Now, with He Who Drowned the World, we return to this world, joining five primary characters as they each play their part in the great events of the end of an age and the beginning of a new era.

As with the previous novel, tragedy permeates He Who Drowned the World. Characters undertake actions that they know might be doomed to failure; they watch as those that they love are killed or sacrifice their lives; and sometimes their efforts meet with failure. This latter is particularly true of Ouyang, who nurtures a fierce hatred of the Mongols and everything they represent, even as he also bears the scars of his betrayal of his beloved Esen. Like the other characters, he’s had to contend with the reality that vengeance isn’t always satisfying; indeed, it sometimes exacts its own dreadful cost. While he ultimately succeeds in bringing death to the Great Khan, he finds that his victory turns to ashes in his hands, and he is ultimately killed due to the treachery of Baoxiang.

From the beginning of She Who Became the Sun it was clear that Zhu was going to have to carry a heavy burden, and suffer extraordinary loss, if she was to claim the Mandate of Heaven and translate that into a throne. If anything, the anguish she endures in this novel is even greater, as she reckons with the sacrifices that those she loves the most are willing to make in order to help her assume the power she knows should be hers. Time and again, the reader bears witness as she endures setback after setback and death after death as she makes her slow, painful way toward the center of power. There are many introspective chapters in this novel but, far from slowing down the action they are instead moments of reverie in which we get to truly experience her state of mind during pivotal moments. As a result, Zhu becomes a character with whom we can fully identify, even if we aren’t ourselves going to forge a new world out of the ashes of an old one.

Though Zhu is obviously the center of the story, I personally found the chapters from Baoxiang to be some of the most compelling. He is, to be sure, a deeply reprehensible person, someone who has become so consumed by the darkness inside of him that he can’t see outside of it. Parker-Chan’s skill as a writer, however, invites us into his tortured point of view, allowing us to gain a glimmer of understanding of how he has become the monster that he is. After all, it’s not as if Baoxiang isn’t aware of his own depravity; he actively cultivates it, using it as a weapon with which he can counter the world. Forged in a crucible of cruelty and disappointment, he has proven to be a master of manipulation of others, until he finds out that there are some forces even he can’t defeat. There’s a delicious irony that it is Ma’s empathy that ultimately proves his undoing.

Indeed Ma is a fascinating creation in her own right, and in some ways she is the novel’s most important character. More than just a mainstay and support for Zhu, she is the one whose deeply empathetic nature keeps her spouse rooted in the world, who reminds her that there is something worth fighting for, something more than just power for its own sake. Parker-Chan doles Ma’s chapters out judiciously, and this is an effective strategy, particularly since they are so sharply juxtaposed to those of Madam Zhang. Like Baoxiang, she is an inveterate cynic, and her ambitions have curdled into hatred of almost everyone and anyone. Also like Baoxiang, she doesn’t realize until too late how her actions and beliefs have made her into her own worst enemy.

Shelley Parker-Chan, like Guy Gavriel Kay, has that invaluable gift: the ability to weave together strands of fantasy and history into a compelling whole. When, at the end of the novel, Zhu finally claims the throne that she has aspired to for so long, we actually feel as if we are bearing witness to a new birth of history. The China that she will rule over both is and is not the one we know in our own world, just as the Ming Dynasty she founds both is and is not the one with which we are familiar. In that sense, the novel is a truly radical piece of fantasy fiction. Rather than seeing the retrenchment of existing power structures as a political necessity, it instead dares to dream of a different world.

There is, moreover, a philosophical richness to He Who Drowned the World that elevates it into the realm of truly great fantasy. As cynical as their characters are, the novel itself is remarkably optimistic. It presents us a world in which gender and sexuality are always nothing more than a performance, things that can be taken on or put off at will. Likewise, the novel suggests that the world doesn’t always have to be a place of injustice and brutality, where the strong get to bludgeon the weak into submission and bend the world into their own image. As such, it reminds us all that there is always hope for a better and brighter future, one that each of us, no matter our gender or our social class, can bring into being. It might be difficult, and there might be many sacrifices that we have to make along the way, but Zhu’s story reminds us that it is very much worth it, that at the end of the day it will all be worth it.

This won’t be a book for everyone. If you like your characters to be at least partially redeemable, you might be better off skipping it. It was, however, a book for me. At the end of the day, I am a simple Wuthering Heights fan who incessantly gravitates towards tormented villains doomed by the narrative.

This novel is a ferocious and finely crafted tale of ambition, vengeance, and identity. Every character pulses with a hunger that defies simple categorization, and the prose mirrors that intensity with bold, cinematic flair. The story moves between battlefields, boudoirs, and throne rooms with ease, offering a vision of power that is both intimate and expansive.

What elevates the book is its refusal to flinch. Every alliance, betrayal, and sacrifice lands with emotional weight. The characters are not simply players in a game for the throne; they are shaped and scarred by desire, trauma, and the relentless pressure to become more than what the world expects of them. The novel examines power not just as a goal but as a burden that transforms all who seek it.

Visceral, clever, and emotionally unrelenting, this is a story that refuses to settle for anything less than greatness. It is epic in scope but personal in its impact, a rare combination that leaves a lasting impression.

Shelley’s writing and characters always go straight to destroying me in satisfying ways possible. It had me clinging on to dear life with so much stress and thrill. I will be needing time to recover.

He Who Drowned the World is an excellent follow-up to She Who Became the Sun. While I admit I enjoyed the first book more, I was eager to see how the characters developed and their lives unfolded. For those who want an alternative history with diverse genderqueer characters, this series is terrific.

I just finished He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan, and I have to say, it's an absolute masterpiece. This sequel to She Who Became the Sun dives even deeper into the complexities of power, ambition, and identity.

The characters are incredibly well-developed, each with their own intricate motivations and moral ambiguities. Parker-Chan's writing is both beautiful and brutal, painting vivid scenes that linger long after you've turned the page.

The plot is a rollercoaster of political intrigue and personal drama, keeping you hooked from start to finish. If you're into historical fantasy with depth and nuance, this book is a must-read

This is such an odd duology in that I think it's very well written, it's super interesting, there were moments where I was holding my breath from the suspense and yet I feel like the overall payoff isn't strong? I finished it and wasn't satisfied, now, maybe that's because I just don't know who I'm supposed to root for. Zhu Yuanzhang is the main character, but is she the hero? Hard to say.

It took me a while to finally read this book because I was scared nothing would live up to the first one, but I ended up loving it just as much! While many of the characters did not get happy endings, I thought their endings made perfect sense with the way they had been written. Overall, this was a great duology and I will be recommending it to all of my customers!

Life got in the way and I could not finish the book. Thanks to the publishers for the chance to read the book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for honest feedback

I loved this duology. The characters are so complex and well executed. The plot was full of political intrigue and chess-like moved. I can't recommend it enough.

Parker-Chan’s sophomore novel, the follow up to She Who Became the Sun is poetic, engaging and overall beautifully written. It deals with some heavy subject matter including war, sexual violence and other subjects that may be difficult for some readers. Overall, the follow up was not as strong as She Who Became the Sun, but I will certainlyu be keeping an eye on Parker-Chan’s future work.

I wasn't quite as hooked by this as I was with the first book, but I'm still so glad I decided to read it.

3.5 stars

It took me an unnaturally long time to finish He Who Drowned the World, but I think that has more to do with me than the actual narrative or writing. As my final read in 2023, it seems a fitting way to end the year and begin a new era.

There are a lot of twists and surprises here to keep you on your toes. Where She Who Became the Sun followed a more predictable direction, it was harder to guess who would finish on top and how they would get there this time around.

I like how deep the emotions are felt by every character. No light and breezy connections here. Every action and moment had meaning and significance. Even Madam Zhang’s lack of emotion is felt deeply in its absence.

The first time I read She Who Became the Sun I described it as ‘A lot of terrible people doing horrible things and blaming it on fate.’. He Who Drowned the World is where these people finally have to face the consequences of their actions. And it’s not always pretty. In fact, it rarely ends well. Which only made me enjoy He Who Drowned the World even more.

I won’t lie, He Who Drowned the World is not an easy read. It’s dense and detailed and it took me a long time to get through it. But the writing is beautiful, the characters are complex, and I never for one moment considered not finishing this story.

I found this sequel to be just as charming and engrossing as the original book. It was lovely to see how the characters lives move forward and the discussions of queerness, not fitting into the boxes that society creates for you, and the power to make a world of your own were all very important messages. Thank you to the author, @netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book!

Shelley should teach a master class on world and character building. Like… WHAT WAS THIS BOOK!!! It was fantastic omg!

I read this book a while ago and now post my review belatedly. The sequel here takes the plot set by the previous novel and uses it to build an exciting continuation for the series. The protagonist became increasingly more interesting as the story deepened. It's something I'm going to continue to recommend to everyone!

A propulsive, heart-pounding finale woven with cinematic prose. This book—and this series—will stay with me for a very, very long time.

4.5 stars



WHAT a CONCLUSION!!!! It took me ages to get to this after my re-read of the prequel, but damn it did NOT disappoint!! I feel like it's not an exaggeration to say that Shelley Parker-Chan is one of the best historical fiction authors working today. Their attention to craft is spectacular; despite reading so much every year, I am struggling to think of the last book I read that compared to the sheer levels of literary intentionality that we find in this book.

While the book's attention to historical detail and Chinese literary styles was stunningly fantastic (at least as someone who has experience in that area but isn't an expert), Parker-Chan absolutely shines in their character work, on multiple levels. Everyone in this book is "so toxic" (to quote my friend Pam) and completely messed up -- why make good choices when you could make self-destructive ones instead? Yet despite almost every character being ~unlikable~ by the usual metrics, I absolutely loved each and every POV character. None of them are good people, but all of them are incredibly compelling, and you can't help but root for them. Parker-Chan also manages to complexly foil different characters against each other, drawing out different questions through each connection.

Absolutely loved this book, and I know it will stay with me for a long time; I know I will be re-reading this duology in a few years. Cannot wait to see what Parker-Chan has coming along next!