3.5/5 stars

Big thanks to netgalley for giving me an arc of this book💕

“She who became the sun” tells an incredible story set in China in the 1300’s when the land is under Mongol rule. It starts when a girl loses what’s left of her family in a bandit raid on her village, and takes on the name of her brother Zhu Chongba, deciding that she will live as him and aim for the great fate that was destined for him. We read about Zhu growing up, living as a man in a monastery, and seeing how she develops in life as she chases the “greatness” she knows is waiting for her as Zhu Chongba.

On the other side we have Ouyang, a eunuch general who serves a Mongol Prince, the same man who killed his entire family and made him a eunuch. Ouyang started as a slave to the prince’s son Essen, eventually becoming his bodyguard, then general to his army. Reading Ouyang’s internal struggle of his feelings towards Essen is heartbreaking, as he cares for him deeply but struggles with it since his family is the reason his own is no longer alive.

The main chunk of the story is told from Zhu and Ouyang’s POV’s with some parts being told from Essen and Ma’s, Ma being the woman that Zhu meets later in the story. The story is broken into three parts with the first part focusing on Zhu’s youth, and then later bringing in the other characters and their POV’s. There was some POV changes within the same chapters, which felt a bit off to me sometimes because the way no big space between the paragraphs when they changed. I think it would’ve been better with a marker of some sorts just so we knew the setting/pov was changing rather than realising it after a sentence or two.

I personally felt like this book was quite character driven. There was a lot of the characters doing things, but I felt like there weren’t many impactful moments in it. I was really interesting in the story at the start, but around the middle I started to get a bit bored, and I felt like it didn’t really pick up again until the end which was really good and had me shocked and emotional. I think the issue I have belongs with me and not the book, this was incredibly well written but I just couldn’t connect super well with the characters which is what usually sets apart the books I love from I just like.

That isn’t to say that the character were bad, because they weren’t at all. I really liked Zhu and Ouyang and seeing how they both contrasted each other whilst also being similar in ways.

Zhu senses a connection between herself and Ouyang the first time they meet, knowing that they both feel wrong in their bodies. Zhu’s comes from the fact that she is trying to live as close to her brothers life as possible so that even the heaven’s don’t realise she is just an imitation, and her body is the biggest reminder to her that she is not who she says she is.

Ouyang’s dysphoria stems from being made a eunuch at young age and therefore having his body not develop the way cisgender males do when they reach puberty. He is often referred to in the book as beautiful, but always “like a woman”, and made to feel like he is no longer a man because of his lack of genitalia.

They both had similarities too in their goals as they progressed through the story, and I really liked how the author gave them that similar connection while also keeping their struggles separate and individual to themselves.

Essen and Ma had smaller roles in the story but I really enjoyed their parts too. Ma was a great addition to Zhu’s life and story and I really liked her. Essen was an interesting character since he was the one person who really “accepted” Ouyang, but also hurt him a lot because of how little he really understood him.

Most of this story focuses on character growth, politics, and taking lands, but there is a small bit of romance too which I enjoyed.

Overall I think this story was well written, the world building was good and the exploration of gender and what it to be accepted in the world was really well done. But the characters lacked the extra bit of dimension I needed to connect to them and I felt a bit bored for a chunk of the middle while there was little happening. I still recommend this book as I think a lot of people won’t have the issues I did and would really enjoy it.

Summary: She Who Became The Sun by Shelly Parker-Chan is an atmospheric and gripping tale of fate, drive and rebellion in a historical fantasy setting. Comparisons with Mulan will be likely as the protagonist tries to escape her fate by stealing the fate of her brother.

Recommended for those who enjoy an intersection of fantasy and history
Not recommended if you dislike a slightly more detached narrative voice to most
Recommended if you like stories that play with the idea of fate
Not recommended if you like your protagonists to be virtuous
Zhu is our main protagonist, a young girl who ends up joining a monastery in her brothers place. Her fate is nothing, while his is greatness. So she endeavours to steal it. Meanwhile Ouyang, the secondary protagonist, is general for the local Mongol army, local to the region and last of his family line, he has his own plans ready to set in motion.

Zhu and Ouyang probably get about equal amounts of pages for their POV chapters, and I much preferred Zhu’s, especially early on when it was less clear what Ouyang’s goals were. Both Zhu and Ouyang are willing to do terrible things, sacrifice thousands to get what they want, but for some reason it is easier to root for Zhu than Ouyang. I found myself rooting for both in the end, but Ouyang took far longer.

With Zhu we see her struggle for greatness while trying hard not to stray too far from his her brother might have acted. Her insight as a woman gives her avenues her brother never would have realised possible, but each time she takes those opportunities, she can feel fate tugging away from her. The use of fate as a near tangible force I found to be really interesting, as fate is a strong theme in this book.

The relationships in this book are great, Zhu with Ma, a woman in whom she sees a version of herself, but also a woman willing to challenge her to be better than the men she would put aside in her plans. Ouyang with Esen, son of the man who killed his entire family, but also Ouyang’s greatest and perhaps only friend, and the power dynamic there. As well as their relationship between Ouyang’s brother Baoxiang, scorned by his father because of his scholarly nature, resentful of Esen for his lack of understanding. The way those relationships play out, especially the latter, is a highlight of the book.

The writing style is slightly detached, which I think might put some people off, but worked for me as it felt like it combined well with the historical nature of the setting. There are also some pretty big time skips which felt a little abrupt – I did appreciate that they moved the story forward without lingering too long on details that weren’t necessary for the plot.

The setting worked well for me, although I can’t say how different things are to actual historical events, beyond the more supernatural elements. Those elements are so far restricted to three elements – the existence of and ability for select characters to see ghosts, the sensing of the threads of fate, and the mandate of heaven, a manipulatable light again exclusive to a very small amount of specific characters.

She Who Became the Sun gripped me from page one, the characters dripping with ambition, complex relationships and the merging of epic history and light fantastical elements. I’d recommened this book to any fans of epic or historical fantasy.

Rating: 9/10

I’ve been desperate to read this book for a while and it lived up to my expectations. I expect I’ll be thinking about this one for a while.

She Who Became the Sun is a retelling of the founding Emperor of the Ming dynasty, and it doesn’t falter in conveying the brutal actions and events that came before that triumph. The story primarily follows Zhu who was a daughter promised a fate of nothing and who took the place of her brother who was destined for greatness. Zhu is unflinching in her desire for power and grasps for it with everything she has, often making hard, morally grey decisions in that quest. She’s decidedly not a hero but you want her to succeed regardless.

There are other POV characters besides Zhu and whilst they’re all interesting, Zhu’s was the one that I was most invested in. Almost none of the characters in She Who Became the Sun could be considered heroic (apart from Ma), everyone is out for their own best interests and desires. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t tangible, profound and frankly beautiful connections between characters. I was particularly invested in the friendship between Xu Da and Zhu and the relationship between Ma and Zhu, they were spectacularly well done.

The writing was gorgeous and engrossing and kept you interested throughout the novel even when there some long, drawn-out battle scenes or political haranguing.

A large aspect of this novel was focused on gender identity and not identifying with the gender you were assigned at birth. I was leery at the beginning about how that was going to be handled but it was done very well and believably.

This is not a light, adventure fantasy it’s twisty and heavy and there are no white knights or honourable characters but it’s fantastic, nonetheless. I can’t wait for the sequel.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Fans of Mulan and Spirited Away will love this. There are a lot of characters and military battles to get to grips with but this book is exciting, fast-paced and gripping throughout. I can’t wait to read more!

This book left me breathless...I have been immersed in 12th Century feudal China for the past few days and now feeling bereft.
Our protagonist lives in a time when women are seen as weak, with set roles outside of which they should not step. Introduced as the girl living in a famine stricken region, takes up her brothers name Zhu Chongba to claim his foretold great destiny. Desperate to escape her situation Zhu travels to Wuhuang monestry ant thus starts her ascension from monk, to commander, to general and beyond.
Zhus' desire shapes every action and moment of her life, desire to survive, desire to live and her desire for inevitable greatness. The story is by turns tender and brutal (though never graphic) and whether or not you can condone Zhus actions they are all congruent with her goal.
Reading this novel brought images from my childhood from the Water Margin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Water_Margin_(1973_TV_series) to life and it is one of my top reads this year, joining The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman..
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for access to this ARC.

She Who Became the Sun is a reimagined story of the founding of the Ming Dynasty.
The story follows Zhu Chongba (the girl who took another’s place) and her journey from the starving fields of her village to her gradual rise to greatness.


The plot was fast paced, it kept me on edge the whole time as one action rolled into another consequence. The world was so rich with textures and descriptions that it immerses you in this part of Chinese history.

There is no such thing as heroes in this story, Shelley Parker-Chan does a wonderful job of showing the bad and good sides of each character; each one is as complex as the last and just as beautifully written.
Zhu’s rise to power came with accepting both parts of her life, but also thirsting for more of it; contrasted with Ma’s compassionate nature and Ouyang’s silent plot for revenge – you’ll learn to like the characters for all their flaws and damning choices.

I have been really excited for this book, and as expected, loved it a lot.
Just watching Zhu – a powerful character in her own right – fight for a destiny she desperately wants, taking anything in her path to victory. I loved her intuitive side, the side that showed compassion and understanding because it made her so much different from the other generals. I can’t say I was surprised by her sudden shift in violence towards the end; but I think Zhu lost a little bit of her charm because of that.

I also did some research on the Ming Dynasty (around the third part of the book) which spoils the book a little bit – so I wouldn’t recommend doing external research unless you’re prepared for that. Obviously, as it’s a reimagining, many details are changed anyway.


She Who Became the Sun is definitely something I’ll recommend because of the engaging plot and intense writing.

TW // child neglect, blood, gore, graphic injuries, body shaming, death, murder, forced marriage, manipulation, misogyny, starvation, torture, violence

In 1345, China lies restless under harsh Mongol rule. And when a bandit raid wipes out their home, the two children must somehow survive. Zhu Chongba despairs and gives in. But the girl resolves to overcome her destiny. So she takes her dead brother's identity and begins her journey. Can Zhu escape what’s written in the stars, as rebellion sweeps the land? Or can she claim her brother’s greatness – and rise as high as she can dream?

The author has really brought to life 14th century China, the world building is very detailed and the atmosphere perfectly set. I loved seeing what motivated 'Zhu' and reading about her life at the monastry, however, I was surprised at how long it took me to get through the middle given how strong the book started. I adored Ma and Xu Da they both brought empathy and humour to the story, the ending is very emotional and I look forward to the next book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read She Who Became The Sun.

Well this book is certainly different from other books I've read. Original, well written and crafted. Leave all your preconceptions at the door and just wallow.. Historical fantasy is probably the genre but really it is so much more than that. The book is quite long and the plot complex with many characters but somehow that didn't matter. A unique and engaging perspective on a historical event. Given that I am fascinated by China anyway that helped.
I would encourage everyone to read this

Right from the start of this book it was apparent this was going to be an extremely well written and complex story which likes others have said reminded me of Mulan.
It’s a reimagining historical tale of a peasant girl who takes on the persona of her dead brother hiding her identity as a girl and all the trials and tribulations that brings. This is quite a thrilling adventure story that goes at a fast pace and at times I must admit I did get a bit confused with certain storylines but because of the beautiful way it was written I did overcome that and enjoyed the book a lot.
There are a lot of characters to follow and one heck of a lot of plot lines, the book is also pretty long so it takes a lot of reading and I did find my attention drifting in certain parts of it but overall it was good and well worth reading.
My thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan, Mantle for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

'Practice like your head’s on fire' is the advice a young Buddhist monk lives by in Shelley Parker-Chan’s action-filled novel of the fall of China’s Yuan dynasty. In the beginning, a withered fortune teller foretells nothingness for a poor, starving nameless child visiting with its father and brother. The brother is surely on the path of greatness, he the 8th son with a lucky name, but life steps in and pushes them all into the arms of divergent fates borne of their own choices, good and bad. This lowly girl assumes her fortunate brother’s name and therein lies the problem – she will always be fated to live a lie. Or will she?

'She who became the sun' is a gripping retelling of the rise of the Ming Dynasty in medieval China with fictional elements creating a rich tapestry of what if. The author has woven in some daring gender play that really lifts the oft-told story and will engage even the most battle-weary historical fiction avoider. There is a tantalising sprinkling of magic, just enough to be believable, that enhances the story of a little monk’s rise to power.

Do you read two books at the same time? I also had Joe Abercrombie’s 'A little hatred' on the go and the similarities were striking: intrigue, politics, strategy, feminine power, male privilege, and that hint of magic. Although I appreciate both titles, Shelley Parker-Chan’s take on the swashbuckling historical saga was so fresh that it gripped me from the start. The LGBT+ elements of the novel are written with tender authenticity and serve to attract the reader further into the characterisations. The characters are magnetic. As interesting as Chinese history is, Shelley Parker-Chan has wrought an attractive cast, warts and all, and it is this that stokes the reader’s fire.

The language feels choppy, as if translated, but it rolls the tale out cinematic-style building a world that lives in the mind’s eye. I happily read the book in two sittings. I rooted for the Zhu Chongba (MC) to win through but the baddies (Ouyang the eunuch general on a mission, Little Guo the miserable misogynistic man-boy to name a few) shone just as bright. I felt I was in YA territory because of the unique POV of the story and its characters. I adore YA, by the way, and that’s high praise indeed. For those sexually squeamish readers, there is a 3-screen sex scene which is tender yet graphic.

I’m going to recommend this book to absolutely everyone I meet, especially if they liked the aforementioned 'Age of Madness' (Joe Abercrombie) or mythic retellings like those of Madeline Miller ('Circe' or 'Song of Achilles'). Even if you don’t like historical fiction or fantasy fiction or romance or adventure, you’re going to love Shelley Parker-Chan’s literary baby. The author’s notes attest to the epic nature of writing this one volume, but I will be praying for a quick sequel in 'The Radiant Emperor' duology, and then reading it like my head’s on fire.

Thanks as ever to NetGalley UK for the eARC and to PanMacmillan.

There’s so many words to describe how brilliant this debut is. She Who Became the Sun is full of picturesque prose illustrating harsh landscapes and brutal war. From the opening chapters to the closing lines, I was transfixed by how intriguing the politics was, and following the characters fight to make their own fate was breathtakingly captivating.

The world building felt ancient and vivid, and the political landscape was intriguing to say the least. I never knew what was going to develop next. From backstabbing and coups, to sieges and executions, Parker-Chan did not hold back. Honestly I’ve now got a complex about appearing to support war because of how epic it was to read this book’s scenes?! The rows of men, undergoing training and sparring sessions, preparing for war with their anxiety palpitating off the pages, with the horror, brutality and violence of war, all the while scheming their own schemes to seize power. It was just fantastic.

The characters were cleverly crafted and unforgettable. It was excellent reading the lengths Zhu would go to achieve a great fate, made even more enjoyable that we follow Zhu from adolescence into who they become by the novel’s end. As Zhu passes off as a man and embraces that identity, it grew a little tedious reading chapter upon chapter of Zhu’s worries about overstepping in the guise and being discovered. It felt like the author manifested the weight of Zhu’s burden onto me, which while impressive, was also incredibly exhausting.

We also follow the perspective of Ma who was full of compassion, yet always perceptive, even more so than many men. Her character, along with her relationship with Zhu brought a tenderness to the story although they certainly didn’t lack some spice (wink, wink).

The other main character is Ouyang. To avoid death at the hands of the royal family, he became a eunuch and as a grown man serves the same family as a general of the army. Ouyang was definitely my favourite character. I have nothing but love for him. My heart was with him in every embittered thought and tickle of anxiety about his resentment of those who looked down on him for being a eunuch, for hatching his own plans for his own agendas and for trying to resist how his traitorous heart beat for his enemy. I loved his and Esen’s chapters. At the height of turmoil, I couldn’t breathe and just kept reading and reading. They made this book a true page turner.

The concept of fate is crucial to the story and was probably my second favourite detail of the entire book. On the one hand, you’ve got Ouyang who feels his fate is set in stone and it must be followed until the end of the line. And on the other hand, you’ve got Zhu, who’s purpose of living is to bend the boundaries of what fate means for oneself. The contrast of these two characters, considering their parallels too, was beyond impressive. In fact, I still think about it months later, that’s how powerful it is.

Parker-Chan’s writing style is something I’ll appreciate for years to come. From how illustrative and easy to imagine some moments were, to how deeply moving and lyrical some passages were, it wins the book I’ve saved most quotes from in 2021. If I hadn’t struggled with some rigid dialogue here and there, I’d go so far as to class it flawless. Even still, remembering its a debut, my eyebrows go above my hairline and my socks remain blown off.

She Who Became the Sun will go down as one of the best publications of this decade. It feels as epic as it is to read long after finishing, and guarantees I’ll be putting whatever Parker-Chan writes next at the top of my TBR priority list. I’ve preordered both US and UK copies because ✨covers✨ and that’s how much I enjoyed this book.

P.s. definitely give any final maps and character lists a look over before reading. I was a little confused at first understanding royal titles and wish I’d thought to utilise the list (its at the back of the book).

Thank you kindly to the publishers Mantle (Pan Macmillan) and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for this honest review.

She Who Became The Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan is a historical fantasy novel, a genderqueer re-imagining of the story of Zhu Chongba, born to impoverished peasant farmers in 14th century China, who rose to become the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty. But there's a twist in Parker-Chan's interpretation of this story. Zhu Chongba dies in adolescence, and his younger sister takes on both his identity and his destiny to rise to greatness.

Parker-Chan does a great job of exploring the genderqueer elements of the story, with Zhu Chongba's struggle to reconcile the male identity in which she's immersed herself with the female body in which she's imprisoned, along with the ever-present threat of discovery. We also meet her nemesis in battle, Ouyang, made a eunuch as a child by a Mongol leader, then rising to the rank of general in the Mongol army as he grapples with his emotions about his mutilated body and his feelings for the son of the man who maimed him.

Zhu Chongba's arc, from a shy girl in a famine-struck village, to a novice monk, to a powerful military leader, is effective, as is her developing relationship with Ma Xiuying (the only character in the book who has any empathy for other people). The military engagements and the various armies were effectively described, delivering a filmic scope and scale that I haven't often seen on a page. The fantastical elements were also balanced well with the political and military aspects of the story.

Unfortunately, I did find that the pace dragged, especially in the middle section. There were, for me, too many examples of clunky prose or anachronistic sounding language. In a fast-paced page turner you could probably get away with this, but as this book was quite slow anyway, the things I disliked about the prose had the effect of pulling me out of the story, breaking the 'fictive dream'. I never found myself being carried along by the story and at times it became a bit of a chore, although the pace did improve towards the end. The book was pitched as Mulan crossed with Song of Achilles, and while I can see why they went with Song of Achilles in terms of story, for me it raised expectations in terms of the quality of the prose that sadly this book didn't live up to, for me anyway, despite the originality of the idea.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read She Who Became The Sun in exchange for an honest review.

If I could just leave a speechless face as a review, I would for "She Who Became the Sun". This book is an incredible journey, filled with amazing characters, an intensely vivid setting, a plot that I swear made my heart stop at several points... but, most importantly for me, Shelley Parker-Chan's writing delivers the story in a way that you can escape - and don't want to. One of my top ten reads of the year so far.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

This book explores an alternate history of the Ming Dynasty, and it's clear that Shelley Parker-Chan has put a lot of research and passion into this setting; it weaves together the realistic and grim history with a layer of the magic and paranormal to create a truly interesting world I had a great time exploring.
The two lead characters - Zhu and Ouyang - are well-developed and are each given time to breathe as protagonists, with grey morality and explorations of not only their own gender identity, but the way their society functions - and how their fate intertwines with its destruction.
The romances of this novel were not my favourite aspect, but the blossoming and eventual difficulties explored within each dynamic felt realistic and well thought-out (and heart-breaking, at certain points).
I personally haven't read many books that are so heavy on the logistics and planning of battles and encounters with an enemy force, but I found those to be my favourite parts of this novel, honestly.
Overall, this book was an enjoyable read! It's not a new favourite for me, but I feel like those who are hyped for it will have a great time.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book, the Milan meets Song of Achilles comp is absolutely spot on. Perfect for historical fiction fans and fantasy lovers alike, plenty of action and a great romance sub plot. Felt the characters were well crafted, the relationships believable, and there was a lot of unexpected humour which I loved. Would highly recommend.

3.5 stars.

In amongst the densely woven descriptions of battles and the deeply unlikeable characters (bar a couple), there is a good story here.

The first half of this book in particular was slow and I struggled to get into it, but from about halfway through the pace picks up and it becomes eminently more interesting. Unfortunately, the ending then becomes rushed and a lot of what happens to the main character seems awfully convenient! This is book one in a series, but I can't say that I'm left with any particular desire to find out what happens next - I'm quite happy to leave this as a standalone story.

Most of the characters are written to be unlikeable. They are greedy and corrupt, and will stop at nothing to get their own way. There are a couple of notable exceptions to this but unfortunately the central romantic relationships that involve some of these characters lack any real chemistry.

Overall, a good read once you've picked the story out of everything, but not something I'd rush to recommend.

4.5 stars
Set in China at the rise of the founding Ming Dynasty a young girls village slowly dies of starvation and bandits arrive she chooses to 'become' her brother and adopt his identity in order to claim his given fate of greatness.

This was a truly a novel that had it all, a strong protagonist, war, political intrigue and love. I followed Zhu's journey from the starving village to the monastery with bated breath in case she would be found out. Her decision to adopt Zhu's fate was truly gripping and I cant wait until the next book is released. If you enjoyed the Poppy War trilogy you will love this.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review

Rating 4.5 rounded up

Pitched as Mulan meets Son of Achilles, She Who Became the Sun is a reimagining of the rise of the Ming Dynasty set in an Alternate China. Simply put this book was amazing. It was such a magnificent read with a beautiful writing style, well thought-out characters, and epic fight scenes. This was an amazing debut book and I cant wait for the rest of the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to read this and personally I thought it was just okay.
I really enjoyed the writing style, it was beautiful and I enjoyed that the characters were diverse. The writing was very descriptive and it did annoy me in places. There’s also some time skips which took me some time to get used to. However it also wasn’t what I expected. The story is split into 3 parts. I really enjoyed the first part, it is what I expected and I just loved the atmosphere. So much happens in the first part which makes the pacing a little strange. The second part was okay and the third part was back to being enjoyable as I’d got used to things by then.
I wish there was more fantasy elements as I was expecting this to be fantasy. I would have also been happy if there wasn’t any fantasy elements but this is sort of feels like it has fantasy just for the sake of it. I enjoyed the military aspects of the story. The characters were okay, I didn’t fully connect and I’m not sure I’ll remember them.
One thing that I loved was that there are genderqueer protagonists as I haven’t read many books that have that and I enjoyed the aspect. I enjoyed the slight discourse on gender identity.
Overall this was an okay read for me, not what I expected but I think people will enjoy it.

What if, this book asks, the first Ming Emperor Zhu Chongba was secretly a woman. My knowledge of Chinese history is paltry but even I recognise this suggestion as being akin to asking What if Henry VIII was actually a woman. And yet for all the gender twists that this throws into the pot, gender is really only important here in as much as it limits opportunity. When her family die as a child, she cross dresses as her elder brother for survival as he had been promised to a monastery. Then as a monk, she has to maintain the facade. And so it goes, an extra layer of danger, a secret identity which really just underpins the overarching ambition. A fortune teller had told her brother that Zhu Chongba would be great - well when she becomes Zhu Chongba she follows through.

This takes place in the very early phase of the rise to power, the first third of the book is the coming of age in the monastery and I must admit this was possibly my favourite part of the book, Constant threat but also it is a schooldays memoir with a few cultural twists. Its also all in her head. Once the monastery is destroyed and Zhu has to make her way in the world, we also have chapters from the point of view of the Mongol rulers as antagonists. While the political machinations and family drama of her enemies is entertainingly done, Zhu is such a great protagonist that you resent time away from her. And once grown all the duplicity she used to stay hidden she puts in practice in the art of war - using the avalanche/rockslide trick to defeat an army single-handedly (possibly more than just a tip of the hat to Mulan there). The book gets up to the conquest of Nanjing, and past Zhu's marriage to the woman who would eventually become his Empress. It dodges, at least at this point, the issue of issue - though I will be interested to see how future books deal with the concubines and the 42 children - that's a lot of people to keep a deadly secret.

Whilst the book touches on issues of gender and sexuality in its whole broad story arc, its much more concerned about status and place and how a peasant can survive and eventually thrive in this feudal society. The subtext with the fortune teller is that Zhu Chongba brings the foretold greatness of her dead brother on to herself by force of will and belief (though that belief often stretches into moments where she believes she might be impervious to harm because of it). A similar thing happens around gender, having had to live as a man for such a long time she considers most things as a man and - biology notwithstanding - operates as a man in all ways. This may hint at giving a relatively modern perspective but actually it is more about safety and opportunity. When Zhu finally reveals their body to their wife to be, the conversation quickly goes to one of practicality and how holding such a secret can make both of them co-conspirators and safer. The book does nevertheless allow itself its moments of passion near the end.

This is a radical idea for a novel and one that could well be banned in China (I am not sure how seriously they take this stuff, but my sense is probably quite). But it still works fundamentally as an adventure, a romance and political novel, and Zhu Chongba is added to my recent list of smart warrior tricksters who will avoid war at all consts - though not necessarily bloodshed. Its already quite an incredible peasant to emperor story that I am sure it doesn't need the extra wrinkle, though that extra wrinkle here really gives it a flavour and drive all of its own.