This was one of my most anticipated releases. Starting it, I thought it will sweep me away with the story. Soon enough disappointment creeped in.

It was a very very flat read. I received no emotion coming off this book. I couldn’t connect with the characters whatsoever. The only character that actually felt ‘alive’ in the book is Ma.

We see a young girl that having just buried her family takes another identity and becomes a monk to pursue her fate. The book’s attention is in that desire of achieving greatness. We also see the effort of the heroine to belong in her world and to find her identity, as a person and sexually. But it’s been represented really unfairly in the book that comes across very odd and awkward.

It’s with regret that I’m saying I’m bitterly disappointed…

Wow. Wow, wow, wow. I loved this book. The joy of reading Zhu. The plot that was unpredictable, but believable and steady. The character creation, the location, the world built. Everything about this book I loved. This review is short, but all I can say is... read it for yourself. You will not be disappointed.

“Nobody will ever end me. I’ll be so great that no one will be able to touch me, or come near me, for fear of becoming nothing.”

She Who Became the Sun is one of the most highly anticipated fantasy releases in 2021, so I was incredibly excited when I received an e-arc of this book. This book has received mostly glowing praises and is being marketed as: “Mulan meets The Song of Achilles”, which sounds fantastic! So does this book live up to the hype? Let’s talk about it.

She Who Became the Sun is the first book in the Radiant Emperor duology and is inspired by the Ming Dynasty. This story starts in 1345, in a village struck by severe famine, where a father and two siblings struggle to survive. According to a foretelling, the brother, Zhu Chongba, has a great future ahead of him, while the sister has no future. However, when the village is attacked by bandits, the brother, Zhu Chongba, dies of despair, leaving the sister all alone. The girl’s determination to survive and overcome her destiny decides to steal her brother name, Zhu Chongba, in an attempt to steal her brother’s fate.

The main character, Zhu Chongba, is a fascinating character with an immense determination to survive. The introduction to Zhu Chongba is fantastic, making readers invested in her storyline from the first chapter. Zhu Congba resilience and spirit will inspire readers, as she repeatedly faces impossible odds. This book also follows three other characters, Ma, Esen, and Ouyang, all with complex motivations and backgrounds. Although I enjoyed following Zhu the most, all the other characters are incredibly fascinating.

One of the best aspects of this book are the themes. Shelley Parker-Chan masterfully challenges the notion of gender, gender roles and sexuality through the character Zhu, demonstrating the complexity of human nature. Who would have thought that you could have a thought-provoking discussion about gender identity and sexual orientation in a fantasy book set in 1345, China? Moreover, the themes of defying fate, survival and power are handled incredibly well.

I was surprised by the lack of ‘fantastical elements’. She Who Became the Sun reads like historical fiction, with very minor supernatural elements. Yes, this is a historical fantasy, but I wonder if marketing this book as ‘fantasy’ might disappoint readers. Since this is marketed as a historical fantasy, I was hoping to see some kind of magic system or supernatural beings being more prevalent in this book. However, not having any of these elements did disappoint me a bit.

Moreover, I thought the transition between part 1 and 2 could have been handled better. Part 1 is very much focused on Zhu, while Part 2 suddenly switches POVs and location. While the overall story improved by having a wider cast, this sudden change confused me a bit. Moreover, there were a bit too many ‘information dumps’ in part 2. However, the plot does pick up in part 3, so I will encourage readers to keep going!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I have no doubt that this book will be successful!

4 / 5 stars

Thanks to Mantle and NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

When it starts Australian author Shelley Parker-Chan’s debut She Who Became the Sun feels like a retelling of the legend of Mulan. But that impression is very quickly put to one side as she crafts her own vision of 14th Century China under Mongol rule, its politics and the battles, seen through the eyes of two very distinct individuals on opposite sides, but also very much as it turns out, on their own side.
She Who Became the Sun opens in the middle of a drought. A young girl scavenges for food as her fellow villagers slowly die around her. When her father is killed and her brother dies the girl takes on her brother’s name, Zhu Chongba, and with it his foretold destiny of greatness which she is determined to fulfil. Zhu finds herself in a monastery and dedicates her life to becoming a monk until that life too comes to an abrupt end. It is at that point that she determines to start finding her destiny and joins the Red Turban anti-Mongol forces using both intelligence and sheer determination to rise through the ranks. At the same time, Mongol general Ouyang is also rising - successful in battle but as a eunuch looked down on by his peers and carrying a long held dream of vengeance against the people who took his family and made him as he is. When Ouyang’s circumstances change he puts that plan into action and starts himself on a path to a new destiny. As well as being on opposite sides of a war, Ouyang and Zhu have a connection that keeps bringing them together.
She Who Becomes the Sun does not go the way readers think it is going to go, leading to some jaw dropping reveals and reverses. But it is all consistent with Parker-Chan’s strong willed characters carry the narrative, setting it alight whenever they encounter each other. And those characters are also the centre of the book’s exploration of gender. Zhu is a woman pretending to be a man and a warrior, trying to stay contained but finds some measure of connection with another woman. Ouyang, on the other hand, is a man who, due to his castration, is seen by the world as a woman and is constantly having to prove himself. In this world both start as “other” but start to find some measure of acceptance of those around them as they begin to accept themselves.
She Who Became the Sun is billed as a historical fantasy. And there are some fantasy elements. Power and the right to rule is manifest by the ability to create flame or light. And Zhu is one of the few characters who is able to see ghosts and spirits, although the significance of this to the plot is fairly minimal at this point. Aside from this, Parker-Chan brings the history and landscapes of 14th Century China to life, the rivers and canyons, the walled cities and Mongol tent encampments.
She Who Became the Sun is the first of what is billed as the Radiant Emperor Duology. Given this title and the single mindedness of her main characters, it will be interesting to see what surprises Parker-Chan can pack in to the follow-up.

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan is a fantastical historical fiction in which a girl takes her brothers fate for her own after he dies. Now she is Zhu Chongba. Refusing to be nothing, she is determined to not only survive where her family has fallen, but to become great, and have the whole world ring out with her name. Not an easy task when you're a penniless, starving peasant, in a war-torn China, currently ruled by the Mongols.

The story condensed seems like a Mulan-like tale, but this tale is as brutal as the Mongolian Empire. Pain and suffering abounds, both on Zhu's side - the rebels trying to retake China - and on the Mongolian side. Our main character on the Mongolian side is the Ouyang, a eunuch who's entire family was slaughtered for dishonor, forced into slavery for the very family that mutilated him. His story is just as compelling and complex as Zhu's.

From the very first chapter I felt how desolate and bleak Zhu's life was. The hardships she endures seem neverending, yet the ways she manages to overcome them with determination are admirable. But things occur that make you realize that Zhu isn't the perfect heroine; she's not Mulan here to save the day. She's someone who is determined to get to the top and be remembered, whatever the cost - even to herself. She puts herself first in a time when a woman could never hope to think of herself.

Like all the characters in this book, Zhu is complex and layered. Each character, including a whole host of side characters, is fully fleshed out, deep and meaningful, with flaws and strengths. Themes are explored throughout; the main one that comes back around again and again is identity, but major themes desire, love (both sexual and not), duty and obligation, family. Gender identity is a big theme that's explored and the book is advertised as genderqueer in the blurb. Zhu, born female, fully identifies as male. Ouyang, born male and identifies as male, has a feminine appearance and is viewed as feminine by many of his peers, due to being a eunuch. Both have their own relationship arcs.

My only complaint is that the slow, epic burn ramped up very quickly towards the end, and then finished in a place that was an ending, but certainly didn't feel like a full conclusion. It was only when I googled, I found out that the book is intended to be a two part series, which is a great relief, because Zhu's story is far from done. It felt a little rushed, racing to the finish, but now I know that there's an entire second book to come, it makes more sense and I can't wait to read the final book.

I'm having a tough time picking my favourite book of 2021 so far as this is my 13th five star read of 2021, and we're not even half way through the year, but She Who Became The Sun is definitely in my top three right now.

Thank you to NetGalley and PanMacmillan for the opportunity to review this book.

I would like to start by saying that if this book does not end up on multiple end of year top fantasy book lists then I will be very surprised.

It is a refreshing rendering of the real life tale of the ascenscion of Zhu Yuanzhuang to Emperor in the Ming dynasty. However, the book is anything but a boring retelling.

'She who follows the sun' follows the parallel storylines of Zhu Chongba and Ouyang who are touted as enemies but much more similar in essence. I felt the plot was stronger than the characterisation and really struggled at times with the chapters from Ouyang's perspective. It felt that those chapters were really, reeeally pushing Ouyang's driving need for vengeance.

Nonetheless, I really enjoyed this book and regret that I have to wait so long to read the sequel now.

Firstly, I’d like to take a moment to thank Netgalley, Shelley Parker-Chan, and Pan MacMillan for the opportunity to review She Who Became the Sun.

Okay let’s talk about this phenomenal book…I have a lot of feelings. I first read this book a few weeks ago and it has been taking up space in my head, demanding attention and cognitive recognition. A book that had to have room to breathe, like a fine wine. I finally sat and down and wrote down my feelings. Was this a good sign? A bad one? In this case, it was a good one, it had shaken and impacted my psyche, had me searching for more information on such an impactful dynasty, the hunger for knowledge and understanding was a siren call, and boy did I answer it.

“I refuse to be nothing.”

I only have one proviso when recommending this book – if you get upset by the themes of misgendering and extreme scenes of hunger/starvation then you would need to decide on whether this book is for you. I believe it’s well worth the journey, it adds authenticity to a story based upon the Ming Dynasty. It’s 1345 and we are taken away from the world we know to famine and impoverished community, two children and their father are the sole survivors of disastrous conditions, they are given two different fates. Zhu Chongba, the son, is destined for greatness. The girl is fated for nothing. Bandits are as common a fate as starvation and when they come calling, the children’s father is killed leaving them orphans. Zhu Chongba is left a broken shell of the boy and dies from what I could only call a broken heart.

One thing that resonated was how Shelly Parker-Chon knitted together several societal matters of that time. It created a dark streak running throughout the story. By putting this story under a microscope we get a snippet of just how women were and still to a point today, treated in such a manner. They have no future endeavors to propel them on, their fate is nothingness. We see how family dynamics shape us and just how childhood trauma is like an itch that we can never reach. She Who Became the Sun is a story about warfare and realized potential. It’s raw and violent, necessarily so. It examines our values and just how we adapt when our landscape changes, will Zhu choose strength and resilience, or is it another obstacle that threatens to crush her.

“She was always going to be expelled into that world of chaos and violence—of greatness and nothingness.”

A testament to the authors consummate skill is the strength of character building that she injected into their being. Zhu Chongba is strength personified, she’s cunning, tactful and just utterly brilliant. I’m not exaggerating when I say that I flew from chapter to chapter, my interest and feelings became stronger, I developed an attachment and I found myself rooting for Zhu and everything she was aiming to achieve.

She Who Became the Sun has echoes of Mulan but Shelley Parker-Chan has a narrative that is all her own. Raw and spirited. Vividly sketched characters that call to be heard.

“I refuse to be nothing…”
Firstly thank you to Netgalley and Pan MacMillan for sending me the ARC for this book.
Having not read Mulan or Song of Achilles I can't speak to those comparisons.
However, this story is an epic in the style of the Iliad, it is intense and violent and reminds me of my love of The Poppy War Trilogy by R.F. Kuang.
Shelley Parker-Chan has written the most incredible story of the will to survive against all odds and the desire to do anything, no matter the cost, to achieve the impossible.
My other favourite part of this book was the sapphic romance, the quiet beginnings of playful interactions becoming trust and love slowly, it felt like a very real progression and I enjoyed it, despite not usually being a fan of any romance in fantasy books.
This book is violent, however, the descriptions of violence are never out of place, they all serve a purpose and never become voyeuristic.
The politics is intense and the strategy of each individual as everyone fights for themselves is intoxicating, a true page turner.
I can't wait for what Shelley Parker-Chan writes next!

It took me a little while to get into this book with all the names and places to remember but I enjoyed it. The main character's determination shines throughout the many phases of her life and I love how she struggles with who she is but always remains confident in her fate. The main romantic relationship developed gradually and naturally and I loved the brotherly relationship with Xa Du as well. The exploration of the historical setting was really interesting to me and the environment was richly developed and grew throughout the book. The spiritual elements where really fascinating and helped ground the story and her motivations believably. The subplot showing the perspective of the other side was interesting if somewhat sad, making you feel for both sides of the battle. I found the plot was somewhat slow at points but overall a really interesting story.

This book was exceptional, and I already cannot wait to see where the second in the series takes the story. The characters are varied and complex, and war and politics is the background for a thoughtful analysis of identity, desire and fate - a must read for any fan of historical fantasy!

She Who Became the Sun was definitely an interesting read. A combination of historical fiction and fantasy with two storylines, each sees an MC do everything that they can to achieve their goals. A ruthless pursuit of desire, an intimate exploration of relationships and loyalty, Parker-Chan weaves an intricate tale of two people defining their futures against all odds.

The writing in this book was lovely. The descriptions, the sayings, and the settings, were wonderfully portrayed, creating a rich scene that the reader could fully visualise. I thought that Parker-Chan utilised beautiful and evocative language, which kept me reading.
This book is fast-paced with contrasting characters, and I believe that it is a book that benefits from acute attention paid to it. I will admit that I don't think I gave it the attention that it deserved, which may have impacted my reading of it. I would reread this, to see if my opinions of the plot or the characters changed at all.

*For more detailed information on characters and plot, keep reading*
Characters
*For clarification on the MCs, I want to use Parker-Chan's own explanation (found on Goodreads): "each storyline has a genderqueer protagonist: one is assigned female at birth (but doesn’t identify as female), and the other is assigned male at birth and identifies as male (but is a eunuch with a gender nonconforming appearance)."* *I would also like to clarify that I will use the pronouns she/her for Zhu, as those are her pronouns in the book*
The two main characters, Zhu and Ouyang, did little to interest me. They are both turned on to their fullest throughout the whole story. In the beginning, Zhu's compulsion to rewrite her fate and become someone else was engaging, and she was clever in her pursuits of preserving herself to achieve the great fate she wanted. However, it soon got repetitive as she was never *off*. At the end, there was a glimmer of personal development, which may come in the second part of the duology.
Ouyang was also a character driven by his ambitions, although there are of a more selfless nature. He sacrifices his own personal love to do right by his ancestors, his heritage, and his duty. His ruthlessness is also always on, although the reader sees more of his own personal suffering compared to Zhu.
Personally, the only character that I enjoyed getting to know was Ma, and that was because she had a character arc. As a reader, you see her develop from someone who loves unconditionally but without desire and unable to voice her opinions, to someone who is able to articulate what she wants, even at her own expense. She learns what it is to want, and the sacrifices she will make for it. She embraces her desire and her need, but remains true to herself and stands up for herself. She was a wholesome ray of light in an unforgiving narrative, and I would enjoy seeing more of her development.

Plot
Like Zhu and Ouyang, I felt like the plot was always at 100%, but also weirdly there was not enough time for it to be at 100%. There was a lot of context that was character-driven, where the reader learns about the unrelenting desire and self-serving motives of the MCs, but when the time came around for action to happen, it was over so quickly that it felt that it didn't contribute to the actual plot development. The employment of their desire-driven motives was somewhat repetitive and cyclical.
It was interesting reading two storylines simultaneously and seeing how they weaved together. The complexities of conflict were fully represented in the dual storyline, and the progression over time reflected the casualties of two self-serving characters.
The fantasy elements of the plot help to explain characters embracing their power, but ultimately don't necessarily add much to either. This may be another element that is enhanced in the second part of the duology.

Thank you to Netgalley, Mantle and Pan Macmillan for the e-arc of this book.
#earc #netgalley #mantle #panmacmillan

An unnamed peasant girl is already close to starvation already when her family is attacked by bandits, but she alone has the will to survive. She claims not only her brother’s identity but also his foretold fate.

China is occupied by the Mongol armies. A small rebel force called the Red Turbans have gathered together to attempt to oust the invaders. But little do they imagine that they will be led down their road to victory by a small, effeminate monk.

Inspired by the life of Zhu Yuanzhang, founding Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, this story is meticulously researched and vividly brought to life. I wasn’t sure what to expect. This is not an era I am at all familiar with and I’m not a particular fan of war strategy stories, but the events of Zhu’s rise to power are incredibly compelling and exciting. Zhu is a wonderful character with a fierce, ruthless determination, not only to survive but to claim the Mandate of Heaven and achieve the glorious destiny once promised to her brother. She will do whatever it takes, no matter the cost.

An epic, breathtaking and dazzling tale - I thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait to find out what happens to Zhu, Ma and Ouyang in the next book.

This Book has taken me quite some time as least for me to read as it is quite complex full of details ,colours ,textures, languages ,people both Fiction & True .
It starts in the humblest & lowly of places & people ,& then through struggles, deaths, It eventually brings ,triumphs to a lowly Peasant girl, who becomes a Monk ,a General & eventually Zhu Yuanzhang the Radiant King & only a handful of people know her true secret as she battles her way towards her end goal as being the Mandate of Heaven .
It is a beautifully written Book which I would highly recommend . #FB, # GoodReads, #NetGalley, #Instagram, #Amazon.co.uk, # <img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/c566f42be23a0e25d120e78a3454e2d427c4beee" width="80" height="80" alt="50 Book Reviews" title="50 Book Reviews"/>, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/ef856e6ce35e6d2d729539aa1808a5fb4326a415" width="80" height="80" alt="Reviews Published" title="Reviews Published"/>, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/aa60c7e77cc330186f26ea1f647542df8af8326a" width="80" height="80" alt="Professional Reader" title="Professional Reader"/>!

Historical fantasy.

A reimagining of the founding of the Ming Dynasty. A girl will stop at nothing to survive.

The comparison with a Disney film should have been a warning. The characters are two-dimensional. With more telling than showing, and unimaginative imagery, this was a slog.

With thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for the ARC.

This is an epic historic fiction with a sprinkling of fantasy.

Our two main POVs are Zhu, an orphan with a Lot of grit and determination who has taken the identity of her dead brother in order to survive, and General Ouyang, a eunuch, who fights on the opposite side of the war to Zhu and suffers with his own demons.

This book is based on real historic people and events and you can tell that Parker-Chan has researched meticulously.

Zhu is a fantastic protagonist, she has complicated ideas on her gender identity and although she refers to herself as a she, she doesn't feel comfortable in her female body, at least not until much later in the book. However, she is also constantly surprised at the empathy and resonation she feels with other women who have had to struggle to survive in their sexist society.
She is also ambition personified. She is effortlessly adaptable and incredibly clever but also has a ruthlessness that's needed for what she wants to achieve.

General Ouyong is a tortured soul, he's best friends with the Prince of Henan's son, Esen, and also in love with him. Ouyong fights for their side as it was his way to get out of servitude but Esen's father is the one who killed Ouyong's own family, made him a eunuch and a slave to the family so his feelings are very complicated.
Ouyong, like Zhu, is ruthless and intelligent but he is also haunted by his past and the choices he makes.

This book isn't for the faint hearted; it's very dark and heavy and there are a lot of historic references and battle strategy planning. It depicts a very brutal world and two ambitious characters who will do whatever is needed to reach their goals.

This book also threads gender identity issues and queer romance throughout in a way that feels very natural and authentic.

I'm very intrigued to see what's going to happen in the sequel!

CW: Mentions of cannibalism, death, amputation, death of a child, death of a parent

This was a totally different genre than I normally read. It is set in the 1300's -
The main characters were shaped by what happened to them as children. The whole book highlights the barbarity and caste system which went on in those days. In places it was very heavy going as they just went from one war to another, but in other places you empathise with the characters and the events that have effected their lives.

This book from beginning to end is a marvel. I feel like no matter how long this series is, I am emotionally invested in these characters until the very end.

Let me tell you, this book is beautifully written, if it's the descriptions of the places in which this book takes place, for example the descriptions of the gardens in one of the cities or just the plainness of rooms in which our antagonists inhabit this book is a world building masterclass. The writer really creates and builds a wonderful and also dark setting for this book and I loved taking it in.

The characters are so real and brilliant and always so well developed. The growth of Zhu Chongba through this book is brilliant and their learning about the person they are and who they are becoming is just so good to read through every moment and this goes the same for other characters in this book - particularly Ouyang as you see their plan unfold throughout and the internal battle they're having as well as the ones happening externally.

The plot is twisting and intriguing and just when I think I know what's going to happen and where this book will stop I am wrong again, I love the unpredictability and the amount of adrenaline I got from reading this book - sometimes it made it hard to read, it left me on the edge of seat too many times to count to be honest.

Just a brilliant book and so worth the hype it is getting.

5*

(I received an ARC from Netgalley for honest review).

This book takes place in 14th century China and is a fictionalised account of the rise of Zhu, a peasant girl, adapting to the era to survive and then prosper. There are many interesting characters, generally well-developed, and the plot moves along at a reasonable pace although it does feel long in places when characters muse about their motivation. There is plenty of bloodshed, lots of betrayal and treachery as characters vie for position and power. It's entertaining and I learnt a lot about the era. I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

A fantastic tale that I really enjoyed. Suitable for a wide range of readers, with beautiful prose and well drawn characters. Thanks to the publishers and netgalley for letting me read an advance copy of this book.

4,5 stars

It's absolutely amazing to me how this book is Parker-Chan's debut. It's so wonderfully written and thought out.

Zhu isn't supposed to be destined for greatness, but she chose to be, and she won't let anyone stand in her way. She's the perfect anti-hero, she's ambitious and fierce and ruthless and cunning and ready to do anything to get what she wants. From the very beginning I loved her determination, I knew she'd be a character I'd love, and she did not disappoint. I love reading about characters like Zhu.
The book is wonderfully paced, there isn't a time when you're bored, you're always on edge, wondering what will happen next. It's so full of action and suspense, it's a real page turner.
The political intrigues was so well written, I love stories about power, loyalty and backstabbing, scheming and strategy. I loved the conflicts both between the Red Turbans and the Mongols, and inside each camp as well. All the fake loyalties, the murderous plots, but also the battles! And getting to see the conflict from both camps with the dual POV was so interesting.

This book is perfect for lovers of anti-heroes, complex characters, political intrigues, scheming, and battles.

CW: dysphoria, pre-existing non-consensual castration, misgendering, internalised homophobia, life-altering injury (amputation), ableist language, non-graphic depictions of death by torture, major character death, offscreen murder of a child, scenes depicting extreme hunger/starvation, graphic depiction of a person burning to death