“She shivered with awe, and with her feverish desire for something she had never thought she would desire. Her fate.“

ARC provided by the publisher TOR Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A new fantasy power house debut that brings a historical story about one person’s rise to greatness. A journey fueled by unbending ambition and want that demands heaven’s attention. She Who Became the Sun is the radiating epic fantasy debut that’s burning with greatness.

If you follow me on Twitter or if you’re one of my closest friends you would probably know how badly I wanted to read the ARC (Advance Readers Copy) for She Who Became the Sun. After seeing plenty of my friends reading and loving the book, the desire to read the book just grew stronger with time. With help from Jo (The Books are Rising) of finding the right email for the publicist I managed to secure an e-ARC. It became my highest priority and I have to immediately get to it. Before I start my review, I would like to appreciate how beautiful the US cover is. Done by Jung Shan Chang the same artist that also did the cover for The Poppy War trilogy by R. F. Kuang and The Rise of Kyoshi by F. C. Yee. Designed by Jamie Stafford-Hill. This book is marketed as a combination of Mulan and The Song of Achilles, blurbed “…bold, queer, and lyrical reimagining of the rise of the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty..” as advertised on the Macmillan website. After reading the book I can verify that it is more than that. In the words of Rebecca Roanhorse author of the critically acclaimed book Black Sun, “Patroclus could never”. And oh boy! Patroclus and Achilles would be weeping for Ouyang and Esen. Mulan and Zhang would drop dead in the presence of Ma Xiuying and Zhu Chongba. Mushu who? Xu Da is knocking at your door.

“If he took my fate and died . . . then perhaps I can take his, and live.”

She Who Became the Sun is the first book of The Radiant Emperor duology and debut by Shelley Parker-Chan. The base of the story of She Who Became the Sun is the reimagining story of the founding Emperor of the Ming dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, the peasant rebel who expelled the Mongols and unified China. The story takes place in a small village struck with famine and death, the year is 1345, as a family of three struggles to survive. The three are the only survivors in their family, a father and his two children, a boy named Zhu Chongba and a girl. Zhu Chongba is destined for greatness while the girl is fated to be nothing. After a group of bandits attacked their home and kills the father, Zhu Chongba numbed with grief and despair, dies. The girl however remains steadfast with her desire to live and survive. Burning with the blinding flames of desire she took it upon herself to claim the fate and the name of her dead brother.

“Learn to want something for yourself, Ma Xiuying. Not what someone says you should want. Don’t go through life thinking only of duty. When all we have are these brief spans between our non-existences, why not make the most of the life you’re living now ? The price is worth it.“

The way Shelley Parker-Chan delivers their prose is like no other author. From start to end Parker-Chan delivers their prose marvelously, everything that is written has meaning and purpose in the overarching story. I think I highlighted whole pages of this book because of how amazing and consistent the writing is. The quality of writing is just *chef’s kiss*. There are many underlying themes in She Who Became the Sun but there is one that stood out to me. The impactful themes of gender and identity that is prominently present in the story arcs of Parker-Chan’s characters. It is one of the most major themes that will spark conversations about gender expectations, gender roles, gender identity, and so many more. Honestly, reading She Who Became the Sun it feels like a love letter to the queer community especially for those who identify as gender fluid, gender queer, and non binary. Seeing characters in a story that breaks the boundary of gender is refreshing to see. Adding to that Parker-Chan weaves in the importance of acting upon ones desire and to not be held back by societies expectations regarding ones purpose and mission in life. How individuals have the power to control and choose their own destiny in their current life. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that my hands were shaking with excitement while reading this book, there are so many beautiful lines that left me breathless because of the sheer emotion the writing emanates.

“If you want a fate other than what Heaven gave you, you have to want that other fate. You have to struggle for it. Suffer for it.”

The main character Zhu Chongba drives the story forward and pushes the narrative towards her eventual greatness. Zhu’s unrivaled ambition to claim her brother’s destiny and to defy her own is invigorating. Achieving the impossible with her cunning tenacity refusing to back down no matter what or who it is that stands in her way. Zhu isn’t written to be the most likeable protagonist, even though she lends her skills to the Red Turban Rebellion, her morals and motivations is grey. Zhu’s pragmatism is apparent in her actions, anything that stands in Zhu’s way she will do what needs to be done for him to get what she wants or where she wants to be. Shelley Parker-Chan did a magnificent job in fleshing out Zhu’s character, there is something intensely raw and blinding about Zhu’s motivation. I just love her character all around, I didn’t expect such growth showing in book one and it surprises me that Zhu’s story arc came full circle in the end. It is truly jaw dropping to witness!

“You never realized that it wasn’t your name they were going to call, exhorting you to reign for ten thousand years. It was mine.”

The story starts off from Zhu’s perspective in part one that shifts to a multi perspective narrative. This sudden shift into a multi POV narrative amplifies the story by adding in more characters with new agendas and motivations that adds a level of complexity and depth to the story. The three added perspectives from Ouyang, Esen, and Ma Xiuying are as amazing as Zhu’s that elevates the narrative making it more whole. Each one of them showed growth and believable development that by the end of each of their arcs they become a new version of themselves. Saying that Shelley Parker-Chan’s characterization is great is an understatement it is bloody AMAZING! All of them have motivations, agendas, personalities that are distinct, and they all come from a variety of backgrounds. The one character that has a strong presence rivaling Zhu’s is Ouyang’s. The way Ouyang’s character is crafted is masterfully done. The savagery and raw emotion of blinding vengeance that bleeds out of the page as you read is heartbreaking and cold. Reading the book I shivered a few times at how detached Ouyang is from the world, the only thing that’s holding him is Esen and his motivation to deliver his vengeance. I hope to see Zhu and Ouyang to cross paths in the sequel as it feels like Shelley Parker-Chan is building the tension between two for something that probably will involve both of them.

“Every time the world turns it face from you, know it was because of me.”

She Who Became the Sun is based on a story of a prominent historical figure that contributed in the rise of the Ming dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang. In this book Parker-Chan reimagined his story and breathed new life into the other characters that is also rooted in history. Reading the book the fantasy element of it isn’t as strong as other fantasy books I’ve read. The world is the main part of the story with added fantasy element that takes the form of a prophecy. If you wanna know what that is you should read the book because I’m not spoiling anything. For historical context on the characters from the book, Shelley Parker-Chan has made a post breaking down each historical figure (click here). I highly advise you to check out the historical context after you read the book because it might spoil the experience of reading the book.

Final thoughts, She Who Became the Sun is a wonderful book that took me on a bold, lyrical, and queer trip into the reimagining story of Zhu Yuanzhang. A story that defies gender roles, celebrate queer love, and a story with well fleshed out yearning gender queer characters. For a good part of the book I can feel the crackle of tension between the characters that it was a joy to read. Fair warning this book is not at all happy go lucky and there are a few graphic moments, so please check out the trigger warnings before reading. The conclusion of this first book is excellently done, Parker-Chan closed the ending without leaving readers with a frustrating cliff hanger. Personally, I’m thoroughly excited for the release of She Who Became the Sun. I can’t wait for other readers to experience the sheer goodness of this book. Pre order it friends! I’ve pre ordered my copy. There are two versions of this book, with equally amazing covers. Choose your fighter, links here : US Version & UK Version. It will not disappoint. Shelley Parker-Chan is destined for greatness! She Who Became the Sun is destined for greatness! Now it’s time for you to claim your destiny.

“She had been nothing, and lost everything, and become someone else entirely.”

The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

If you like your queer, sweeping fantasy novels to effortlessly combine the delights of an addictive c-drama with the elevated tone of a classic Greek tragedy -- well, then this is just the right book for the job! It reimagines the rise to power of the first emperor of the Ming dynasty through pretty much an all-queer set of characters, thoughtfully explores the themes of fate, gender and desire by some really neat juxtapositions, and makes a great show of crashing characters into each other's life and watching sparks fly (and houses burn, lbr). Chewy and compulsively readable.

Many thanks to #NetGalley for an advanced copy of #SheWhoBecametheSun.

She Who Became The Sun is a book I’ve seen a lot of hype about and it is an epic of a book, I immersed myself in this story for a day and a half and i feel like I have lived intense, grand things!
The world building is great, the political network, the alliances and the betrayals, the power plays and the strategies of both the sides of Prince Henan and the Red Turbans. This book is well thought out and you can tell the author is thinking steps ahead, she’s a clever strategist.
Zhu, a peasant girl who takes over the ‘fate’ of her late brother to chase glory, and Ouyang, a eunuch, are an interesting dynamic in terms of gender identity, Zhu hides that she is a woman to reap the power of being a man while Ouyang is objectified and underestimated as a woman in a cruel reaction to having what he sees as his what makes him a man taken away.

The main issue for me with this book is just that Zhu, while earning the title of the book, didn’t feel either the most solid or the most interesting character in this story. Ouyang, with his conflicted love of Esen and hate for his family, the trauma of his past in both losing his ancestral line and what makes him a man and the bottled anger bubbling away for how he is seen and treated, is a far more dynamic character with so many layers and power on the page. And when he did things that were morally black, not even, grey, you understood him still. This book has been compared to Song of Achilles, for Zhu and Ma I didn’t feel anything romantic, but there’s such beautiful, tragic longing between Ouyang and Esen worthy of that comparison. Lord Wang, Esen’s adopted brother and ‘black sheep’ of the family is also intriguing and complex on the page. Both these characters I would want to follow more. Zhu, however, has one goal and it feels like her entire character is written around it. She wants the fate of her brother, the power and the glory, Morally grey characters are interesting but it’s like she was written without emotions, despite her being 1/2 of this narrative in this book. On paper she is a brilliant character and there are times when you root for her, her breaking the expectations and restrictions of her sex and the oppression of her father, however it’s like part of her is switched off, there is no conflict, she wants something so she simply sees that as bigger than any hurt it may cause others. For that, I found i found it hard to like her, which is ok, protagonists don’t have to be likeable, but I also didn’t understand her or ‘feel’ her like I did Ouyang.

Overall, I did enjoy this book and I sense there’s more to come so hopefully Zhu can be bulked up more. Thank you NetGalley for the early copy to review.

4.5 stars

This book has all the raw ambition and dogged determination of its characters. It conquers its goals and leaves no survivors. Shelley Parker-Chan has taken on many complex issues and themes in this story, and has done them all proud. I’m stunned at what this debut novel has achieved. It feels like it's exactly the book she set out for it to be.

This is not an exhaustive list, but consider that this is-

-An own-voice historical-fantasy set in China (which we need more of, see also, I need more of), that tells both the intimate story of a peasant child rising from the dust, and the much broader, epic story of the founding of the Ming dynasty.
-Written in a lyrical style that (somehow?) is modern enough to be digested easily but compliments its historical nature AND (to a western person reading in English, at least) feels faintly like 14th century Chinese. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s just right.

It has-

-Morally grey main characters that feel completely authentic for the setting. Beyond survival, they have a drive to thrive; they covet and desire and won’t let anything stand in their way and are unapologetic. They may not want to be cruel, but their ambitions don’t leave them many opportunities to be kind, either. Sexism, misogyny, mis-gendering, internalised homophobia and ableist language are present in the way they typically would be, MCs included.
-Subtle discourse on gender identity and the spiritual ‘who am I?’ during a time period that’s hardly written about, that never comes across as a modern take awkwardly inserted, is natural to the story and is at the heart of it.
-Two MCs having almost opposite experiences with how society views them, their genders, appearances and roles. Simplified, it feels like yin and yang, but complete it’s an astute observation and navigation and seeing it through the eyes of a monk and a eunuch, as an idea, is nothing short of genius in my eyes.
-Eerie and wondrous fantasy elements that are subtle, fit the tone and don’t detract from the main war and politics plot points. This book is heavy on historical and light on fantasy, if that’s your thing you won’t be disappointed.
-Mongolian characters that aren’t depicted solely as ruthless barbarians as we are so used to seeing/reading.
-Female characters that aren’t one-dimensional, background decorations without a sense of agency.
-All the rep you could want in terms of genderqueer, lgbt, fem, masc.

What it does-

-It does not shy away from the horrors of war tactics, historical punishments/torture, keeps it real with historic brutality, but doesn’t use these elements merely for shock value. (Just a heads up- most strong violence is written non-graphically or off screen, but one instance involving fire, is. At the time of writing this the author has a list of content warnings in the Goodreads comments section, but this moment isn’t mentioned, and neither is an explicit intimate one, so I’ll bring those to their attention, as they’ve asked.

Now I’ve listed the main things, I’ll stop, or we’ll be here all day and I’ll end up spoiling everything. Suffice to say, this book holds all these things in near perfect balance. Hats off (and flung in the air).
My only criticism, which is also sort of a compliment, is that the characters felt so expertly of their time that I felt a little distant from them, as if, at times, I were reading a historical account rather than inhabiting them as characters; watching them from a far as opposed to living their experiences. I could easily relate and sympathise with them, but I would have liked to feel more connected. This is something I’ve found in historical fiction before however, not something particular to this book, and maybe now I’ve grown to know them in the first half of the duology, I’ll find myself awfully attached in the second!

I’ll finish by saying that this book actually lives up to the comparisons made about it. It’s very Mulan in story and setting, with a Song of Achilles tendency in characters and writing. I would add that there’s some positive similarities to Jin Yong’s Legends of the Condor Heroes series, and that lovers of The Romance of the Three Kingdoms will find it very satisfying. If you long for something to fill the gaping hole in your reading life that is the rare, slow-burn, East-Asian, Adult Historical-Fantasy story, this is it, and there’s more to come!

Personal note to the author- please, please, please write some sort of retelling of the Three Kingdoms period at some point. I’ve been waiting for someone with your writing talent to do it for years, it would make my life.

A great many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mulan meets song of Achilles!! First off Mulan is my favourite movie of all time and secondly Song of Achilles is one of my favpurite books i read last year!!

This book was erything and so much more.She who became the sun is a Masterpiece! It's powerful and a brutal high fantasy that will break you but leave you wanting more.

I loved how we were given a flawed character. I find often authors like to write characters that are perfect. This was a breath of fresh air!

I will be recommending this book to everybody that will listen. This is definately a book i plan to read again and lok forwarded to experiencing every emotion again!

I went into this hoping that it would fill the hole that The Poppy War trilogy by R.F. Kuang left in my heart - similarities being that they both draw on Asian history and mix in fantastical elements with a focus on warfare. I was not let down. The Poppy War is literally my favourite series, period, but She Who Became the Sun really is the natural successor. This had to have been one of my most anticipated releases for 2021 and it did not let me down in the slightest - Parker-Chan will definitely be an author I pick up by default.

For a highly anticipated read, this book definitely lives up and exceeds expectations. It’s a tale of gender nonconformity, fate and a quest for greatness. It tells the dual story of Zhu, a girl who, after becoming orphaned, has no choice but to seize the destiny she desires or be left to nothingness; and General Ouyang questions whether pursuing revenge and honour is worth the devastation left behind.
The author’s writing is the real highlight in this book, Parker-Chan’s ability to describe the setting in a way that fully immerses the reader is commendable. The warfare aspect was handled well, it wasn’t boring but still managed to be action packed and exciting. The two main characters that we follow express a refreshingly human moral ambiguity that is thoroughly explored; I loved the way the characters are developed, with their inner turmoils and complexities as they battle between doing the ‘right’ thing or seeking the outcome they want. I was very satisfied with the ending, though I’m glad it leaves room for more character and plot development. This was a fantastic debut and I’m excited to see how Parker-Chan will expand this story in the following book.

ARC provided by the publisher - Pan Macmillan - and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

*4.25

“Becoming nothing was the most terrifying thing she could think of—worse even than the fear of hunger, or pain, or any other suffering that could possibly arise from life.”

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan has been one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it definitely met and lived up to my expectations.

She Who Became the Sun is a reimagining of the rise of the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty. The story begins in 1345, where China lies under harsh Mongol rule. In a famine-stricken village, two children are given two different fates; the son - Zhu Chongba - is destined for greatness, whilst the daughter is given the fate of nothingness. When a bandit attacks their village and orphans the two children, Zhu Chongba succumbs to despair and dies. The girl, propelled by her burning desire to survive, steals her brother’s fated greatness and uses his identity to try and claim a different future for herself.

She Who Became the Sun is a powerful, intriguing and brutal high fantasy debut that left me begging for more. Going into this book I didn't realise that it was part of a duology, but now I am so glad and excited to read the next instalment. This book is a character driven story with an ambitious narrative, that explores themes of destiny, gender, war, duty and love. The characters in this story are fantastically well-written - their character arcs, development and personalities

The real spotlight though goes to the fantastically written characters – their development, their arcs, their personalities was so beautifully done. One of my personal favourite characters when reading this book was Zhu Chongba. She was a pragmatic and engaging character who was willing to do everything in her power to defy fate and claim greatness for herself. She definitely made some very morally grey choices throughout the book, however this only contributed to her complex and wonderfully written character. Whilst Part 1 of the novel centres solely on Zhu's POV and explores her origin story, the novel shifts to a multiple POV narrative once it reaches Part 2. This shift definitely took me a bit of time to get used to, however each new perspective introduced added another dimension to the story. The multiple perspectives allowed the reader to see the conflict progress from both sides and this was incredibly engaging. The author has such an expert command of characters and their psychology. Now that I know what to expect, I definitely want to reread this book again as I believe that I will enjoy it even more a second time and my rating will probably increase over time.

A personal highlight of this novel was the author's incorporation of themes of gender and idenity that is woven into the protagonists' storylines. Both Ouyang and Chongba's experiences with their gender and identity was compelling, I loved how at times these characters seemed like two sides of the same coin.

The writer has such an admirable proficiency for storytelling and uses lyrical prose to paint a vibrant picture of a war-torn period. I really can't believe that this is the author's debut novel... Wow. Bold, lyrical and queer, She Who Became the Sun was a wonderful read and I can't wait to read the next installment.

I hardly know where to start with this, it was just... amazing.

This book has something for everyone; an epic story, brilliantly written lgtbq+ experiences, action and adventure, and historical details that are given in a way that you dont have to be a historian to understand. The characters feel real on the page before you, you cant help but empathise, love, hate and everything in between with them.

I was gripped by this book and the authors writing style straight away, and it was one of those truly rare books that I could not put down. I just truly hope the author continues this story, there is so much more I want to know, including what happens next!

Excellent book! I loved the characters, they felt real to me, which is an achievement, because their identities are so far removed from my own. Not only with regard to gender, but also geographically and chronologically of course. It became quite technical and political halfway through, and in that aspect it made me think of Game of Thrones, more so than Song of Achilles which it says on the blurb.

An interesting and inclusive take on history! Loved it.

2 1/2 stars

She Who Became The Sun begins with a girl who is destined to be nothing, and her brother, Zhu, who is destined to be great.
When the brother dies, the girl makes a life changing choice; she must become him, take on his name, and fulfil his fate. In this security of her new identity, Zhu becomes a monk, and then a commander, leading a rebel army; she raises her station, again and again.

Throughout this book, we see just how determined Zhu is to fulfil this destiny, and the lengths she will go to achieve it.

She Who Became The Sun also follows General Ouyung, who is fighting for revenge following the murder of his family. He’s part of the ‘enemy’, opposing the rebels, but there are startling similarities between himself and Zhu.

I loved the historical setting of this book - it’s set in 1345, and it’s clear that Shelley Parker-Chan has an amazing understanding of Chinese history, however all other aspects just fell short of my expectations. Zhu felt a little repetitive, and I couldn’t connect with Ouyung. The writing also felt confusing at times - the split perspective felt jumpy and unnatural.

I really wish I had loved this, however I had to force myself to pick this book up.

Mulan meets The Song of Achilles.? You mean, one of my favourite Disney movies AND one of my favourite fantasies? SHUT UP and give me the book!

She Who Became the Sun is the genderbent reimagining of the rise of the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty written by Shelley Parker-Chan. For someone who loves her Asian-inspired fantasies, this was such a treat!

Let me preface this by saying that I have been sitting on this review for weeks, not knowing what I want to talk about because uff! this book made me feel so many things. This book just had everything I love - the writing is so unique and interesting. the protagonist, Zhu, may not be likeable but her ambition and thirst for greatness were refreshing to read, especially for me as a POC woman living in a society where women being ambitious is viewed in the negative. This book is also queer AF and the mix of fantasy and historical fiction had my heart from the get go. Zhu's character arc, her pragmatism, the morally grey characters and a certain other character's pining were some of my favourite things about this book.

I'm sure I've missed so many things and maybe I'll come back one day after rereading to update the review but just know that I loved LOVED this book! I'm pre-ordering this already and I would highly recommend it to everyone. I know things won't end well for many of my favourite characters in the sequel but gimme that book already! I'm ready for my heart to be ripped open.

Note: This comes with a bunch of trigger warnings and you can check author's review on Goodreads for the complete list.

When a peasant-born person believes in their fate for greatness, there will be no limit to what they can achieve.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Zhu family are starving peasants, but they have something to pride - Zhu Chongba is the eighth son of the eighth son, he is destined for a life of luck and greatness.
After an attack by bandits, Chongba loses the will to live, and fades into nothing. His younger sister, a nameless, worthless girl, decides to take on his name and his fate, because she has the stubborn will to achieve it.
She joins a monastery, and is raised as a man, until her home is attacked by the Mongols who rule China.
Zhu is the only known survivor, and makes her way to the Red Turbans, a peasant rebellion that follows the Prince of Radiance (a child who is one of the great chinese emperors reborn).

It was interesting to read about young Zhu, her life in the village, where only boys were worth feeding. And everything she had to do to hide the gender she was born with at the monastery.
But it took a while to truly click with the book.
I think this happened when I realised that Zhu is NOT a hero. She's not doing this to save her family, or loved ones; she's not being noble. Zhu is not doing this for the Emperor, or to please Heaven. She is doing it because she wants greatness for herself, and she is willing to do whatever it takes to get it.

There are some very dark moments, with questionable morals throughout the book, but I didn't think Zhu was a full-on anti-hero, she sees the flaws in other ambitious people, and attempts to reduce them in herself.
She is lacking in all softness and femininity, either because she has spent so long removing every trace of what does not belong to Zhu Chonga; or because she never had them in the first place. Zhu does recognize this weakness, and tries to find some balance... as long as it doesn't affect her grand plans.

The narrative is shared with Ouyang - the Mongol's eunuch general.
Ouyang is Chinese, his family killed by the people he now serves. As a young boy, he was castrated, but left alive, to suffer his humiliation forever.
Ouyang's story seemed quite straight-forward at first - he'd been elevated from slave to General by Prince Esen, the only person Ouyang has ever cared for. His duty is to his lord, and he is a cunning man who has earnt his place on the battlefield...
Except, Esen doesn't see the pain that Ouyang is still in, he doesn't see that his friend is still affected by the death of his family.

There's plenty of action in this epic story, but my favourite elements are the politics and the cunning shown by both Ouyang and Zhu.
Their fates are interwoven, and there is a certain recognition, as like can see like.
I was hooked to see who would come out on top, and what hidden plans they had. In the end, both remained ruthless, which was kind of a relief in a weird way.

I really liked how this story explored gender identity. Both main characters are non-binary, but with very different approaches. Zhu naturally relates more to being male, but refers to herself as 'she'; and poor Ouyang had this forced upon him, fueling his anger.
The book also views the role of women in this era, who are bound by duty to serve men as wives and concubines. The intelligent ones have to hide their influence.

Overall, I really enjoyed this debut, and I look forward to where the series goes.

A good solid well written book, looking forward to reading the rest of this series. Good strong characters, plenty of twisty plot lines and well written revenge storytelling. The author knows their stuff about Chinese history and it shows in the quality of the book.

Highly recommended to all my good read friends who read fantasy.

It’s so hard to put my thoughts on this amazing book into words. Every scene, every character and every sentence absolutely shone and the level of research the author has put in is commendable: I felt as if I was immersed in the setting. What I loved as well was how no character was clear cut. I had mixed emotions about all the main characters (except Baoxiang my man) but despite how much I disliked them, I still loved reading about them. That is the sign of a character well written for me. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book!

3.5 stars

History, gay romance, ambition, war, backstabbing and dead people everywhere 💀

This book was so elaborate, so complex, with exceptional historical representation and I’m shocked this is a debut. The talent™!
The choice of putting these characters with contrasting personalities together was also very smart: I mean, a prince loved by everyone and a broody introverted general? That’s an easy win. A cold-hearted sarcastic resolute monk and a kind altruistic maternal woman? No need to say more.

I found the subtle discourse on gender identity to be just awesome. Having two characters on the opposite specter but dealing with their bodies and society norms in a similar way was pretty clever. You see two sides of the same coin which definitely makes you appreciate a bigger picture of the issue.

When I started this book I had no idea what I was getting into. Part 1 has a very different feel from the rest of the book. During the period at the monastery you have the time to get to know Zhu while she grows up and I really enjoyed seeing the way she changed through the years (which I now know that was only the tip of the iceberg, so you have way more shenanigans to look forward to than that 😬).
From Part 2 the book completely changes direction and goes deep into war and brutal politics. I love that at one point I started wondering if anyone would stay alive by the time the end would come around.

Despite having liked this book, the writing and I.....let’s say we didn’t mesh well. It’s elaborate and complex, and it perfectly complements the historical setting, but it was too dense for my tastes. These are some issues I had during my reading experience:
- The writing was very descriptive but I still had trouble visualizing places and characters in my head.
- I wasn’t able to really warm to any of the characters because they felt too distant.
- Some elements of the plot/world building are given for granted (in particular a thing that concerns Ouyang) and there’s nothing to do apart from ignoring that it’s not explained and getting used to it. Those are big plot points though, and not understanding where they come from is confusing and very far from ideal.
- There are a lot of time skips after the first 50 pages and at that point the narrative started to feel kind of diluted for me because I couldn’t directly read about the struggles the characters were going through. This happens especially with battles: you rarely see them actually fighting, you only learn about the outcome.

I’m pretty sure this is a duology and with the way this ended I’m really interested to see where the conclusion will go. Those last chapters were wild! However I’m going to have to find the courage to pick it up because this one took me a month and it’s only 400 pages lol. I hope the next one has more magic ✨

She Who Became The Sun is a slow moving, intricate story that starts with a girl being destined for nothing, while their brother, Zhu Chongba, is destined for greatness. When their home is attacked by bandits and their father killed, Zhu Chongba succumbs to the sorrow, leaving the girl alone. Stuck in a place impossible for a child to survive, the girl takes the brother’s name and makes their way to the monastery to be taken in as a monk. As time passes, the new Zhu Chongba leans more and more into the role, in the hopes that Heaven will not notice the deception and put their life back on track for nothingness. And as danger comes closer and closer to Zhu, they have to decide what they will do to achieve greatness.
Ouyang, a eunuch general, is on the other side of the war. Fighting with the Mongols, Ouyang is betraying his murdered family by working with the Prince of Henan's son as his right hand man. When Zhu and Ouyang's paths cross, their fates become intertwined, and the battle of wits and strategy begins. Though on opposing sides, they have more in common than they know.
As debut’s go, this one is fantastic. The intricacy of the plot, the moral greyness of the characters, the tension woven through-out, all of it was addictive. I loved the spin on history (it’s a part of history that I am not so familiar with) and the inclusion of genderqueer characters added a new conversation to the overall story. I loved how magic was so delicately placed within the world without it overpowering other elements while still remaining a critical part of the story. The characters’ flaws were realistic and inhibiting, which fleshed them out so well that I was rooting for them even as they did things that were questionable, and at times downright horrible. Zhu was cunning and resourceful, determined to reach the greatness that the original Zhu Chongba was destined, while Ouyang, the eunuch general, was so focused on the end goal that nothing could stop him from achieving what he set out to do, even if it meant betraying those closest to him. Each flaw was integral to their character arc and none seemed forced or unrealistic. It was a relatively slow moving story, relying more on interactions and a match of wits than full-force action. The way that Zhu's mind worked and how they thought their way around confrontation in conflict was so clever and made me love them more than if they went it all guns blazing. That being said, the action scenes didn’t shy away from the grotesque and they perfectly captured the gruesomeness of war.
If you have an interest in Chinese history, love a book that focuses on brains over brawn, or just like the sound of any of the points above, this book is perfect. I loved every second of reading it, and can't wait for the sequel.

In 14th century China, Zhu Chongba is destined for greatness, as the eighth born son. But when his father dies and he gives up on life, his sister takes his name and his destiny. Starting with joining a Buddhist monastery, then joining the rebellion against Mongol rule, Zhu pursues their greatness - all whilst keeping their secret.

It's quite simply brilliant. The relationships through the book are so good - Xu Da, who is Zhu's friend from when she arrives at the monastery, who keeps her secrets and calls her "little brother". Ma, the under-estimated daughter of an executed general, who falls in love with Zhu. The Mongol general Ouyang, a eunuch who both loves his Prince and hates him for what his family have done. So many of these characters feel trapped by gender expectations, but transcend those and become more. There's no shying away from the complexities of the decisions made, of lives taken and the fallout from that.

It's historical fantasy, but the fantasy element is mainly the gender-swapping aspect, it's more of a sweeping epic. And it's so good - read it.

he Who Became the Sun is an intricate, brutal and gorgeous high fantasy which will be sure to linger in a readers mind long after the last page is turned. I can’t quite believe this is a debut novel in the genre because it’s so self assured and just all around incredible.

There’s so much I enjoyed about this novel, the first being the characters themselves, they’re so complex, well written and so beautifully realised. Our two main characters, who find themselves on opposing sides of the conflict; Zhu and Ouyang. We start our story with Zhu, as she lives a dreary existence, caring for her father and brother, where she has no prospects and life grinds on – until everything changes and she takes the opportunity for growth and greatness upon herself and forges herself a new path.

I loved Zhu so much, her ambition, her bravery, her loyalty, just everything about her as a main character was so well executed, making for such an intriguing narrative. Even in the most morally grey moments, where Zhu makes questionable and almost impossible decisions, it feels true to this character and their motivations – which are above all to pursue ambition and greatness. I’ve noticed a new trend of sorts in fantasy with characters who are ambitious and unapologetically so and I’m enjoying it a lot. I think at times it can be a bit difficult to understand Zhu’s motivations, in terms of why actually she craves this power so intensely.

Ouyang too, his life and existence being a constant reminder of the subjugation of his people and having to live and serve the very family who killed his own is such a fraught but fascinating dynamic on the page. Ouyang has added stigma due to factors outside of his control and reading as he navigates these and what he feels he must do to restore his honour and avenge his people is tragic and compelling. Especially as he has grown up alongside Esen, who despite being his best friend and the person he loves the most , is also a daily reminder of everything he has lost and the life he cannot possibly have. The yearning in this book is unparalleled and utterly heart wrenching.

Many of the characters in the novels are in the attempts of figuring themselves out; their choices, their identity, their next moves and Parker-Chan has such a deft touch when it comes to these issues. Issues such as gender, queerness and identity are reflected in such an unapologetic and impactful manner, there are few books out there which manage to do this and it’s amazing to read.

I also enjoyed the heavy political and military focus, and how Zhu, Ouyang and the other characters find themselves entrenched in machinations and power struggles. I also enjoyed how both of them were such vital and major players in it all, they were on the front lines and their actions have such far reaching impacts, on each others stories and the wider world. I’m really looking forward to seeing how the repercussions of what happens in this book are felt in the next instalment, because that ending was just beyond it all.

Overall, I know this is a book I won’t get over anytime soon and I’ll be thinking about the characters and that ending – because wow just wow – was just something else. I can’t stress how much I recommend this book, especially if you’re into sweeping historical epics, this is one you won’t want to miss.

In 1345, China was under Mongol rule. For the starving Zhu family where only three members remain, their eight-born son, Zhu Chongba, is destined for greatness, a feat only capable by the few. But nothing is said for their daughter. When a bandit attack results in Zhu Chongba’s death, his sister takes on her brother’s identity to enter a monastery. There, in this alternate-history, she takes her opportunity to achieve what her brother failed to do: survive, and take control of a fate that would see her be nothing.

Judging from other early reviews, my expectations were through the roof. Pitched as Mulan meets The Song of Achilles and while that is a fair comparison, I just feel like there must be some other way to describe this. I’m quite literally speechless. I don’t think one book has ever shot up my all-time favourites list so quickly. Usually, I let a book marinate on my mind before casting a final judgment, but She Who Became the Sun didn’t need to wait. It was that good.

This book stands out because its character, each crafted and built to perfection, while not being entirely perfect. Zhu’s determination to survive is intense. Her peers at the monastery are confused by her actions, but what they don’t know is that she also has the ability to see ghosts, which loom over her in silent judgement. There is a cost to pay in her decisions, and she takes them head-on regardless of the reaction she knows she’ll inevitably receive because in the end, she knows what she wants and that is to rule. She might have been fated to be nothing, but she determined to let nothing stop her from achieving the goal her brother should have done. She is this perfect balance of driven and powerful while also being rather cheeky and very sweet. Zhu’s storyline introduces us to Xu Da, a fellow monk, who Zhu comes to see as her own family. Later, you’ll meet Ma, a young woman whose fierce compassion takes a toll within the backdrop of war and power-plays.

The story chronicles Zhu’s journey from monk to the leader of the rebellion against China’s Mongol rulers. But we also see the opposition in the form of eunuch Ouyang, a feared general who tore Zhu’s future apart and set him on a path that makes them intertwined. I was enthralled by his character the most. But the relationship between Ouyang and Esen, the prince of Henan, is so complex, considering the history behind them. Esen is much more optimistic than Ouyang, and can never seem to understand why his friend would keep his distance. The tension between them is just perfect.

The writing is so atmospheric, you could feel the impact of the landscape resonate with each character. Especially with Zhu as you witness her climb from a nameless child close to death to a well-rounded leader with men of her own. A child with no hope to a monk that can rally the people of this war-torn land to her words. Also, I loved the nuanced exploration of gender identity, and how Parker-Chan does not shy away from anything. For anyone wondering, this is from the author: [Zhu] is assigned female at birth (but doesn’t identify as female), and [Ouyang] is assigned male at birth and identifies as male (with a gender-nonconforming appearance). [Goodreads] I used she/her pronouns for Zhu as reflected in the novel.

Overall, She Who Became the Sun is one story you must watch out for. It’s bold, imaginative and highly thrilling. A fantastic reimagining of the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty.