This is the kind of book that reminds you just how great retellings and reimagined stories can be. Shelley uses a masterful touch to take us on this journey of ambition and war, vast in scope and merciless in the way it pulls you along. This is not only an epic fantasy in the true sense of the word, but also dives deep into the minds of each character so we gain a rich understanding of them. The narrative explores complicated themes of gender and destiny alongside brutality and politics, and each component is given the room to be unpacked. Though it will break your heart, She Who Became the Sun is an excellent fantasy and a great beginning to what is sure to be a breathtaking series.

The characters within Shelley’s novel is where the heart of the story lies, or at least where my heart lies. Our two main characters, Zhu and Ouyang, are fascinating in their depth. While Zhu fights so hard against her destiny as a ‘nobody’ to prove she can achieve greatness, Ouyang carries his own destiny around like stones in his pockets, the weight of his past dragging him down until he can’t fathom anything but what he perceives as inevitable. As a eunuch with no living family, Ouyang carries a lot of rage for what was done to him and those he loved. He holds on to revenge even though he knows it will make him miserable. Zhu on the other hand is determined to be great in defiance of her childhood destiny, but choices seem to slip away from her as she clings more and more desperately to this goal. For both of them, fate is a kind of prison and it makes for a fascinating read.

In some ways, She Who Became the Sun is a story about desire: the desire for power, for love, for a fate that isn’t yours but you reach out and grab anyway. In a lot of ways, it is a story about gender: the difficult relationship you can have with your gender, the ways other people perceive you due to your performance of gender and the ways this can morph and change. In other ways, it is a story of fear: the fear of being nothing, of losing power, of giving your all and ending up with nothing. It’s complicated and heartbreaking, and the way all of these facets of the story intertwined was very satisfying and made for a dark and interesting tale.

I had to enjoy She Who Became the Sun slowly, filing away each detail in my head for later as the story slowly unravelled. I do think it was harder to understand once a lot of time skips were introduced, and I found that if I stepped away from it for longer than a couple of days I would be a little confused once I opened up the pages again, but it was worth it for how enjoyable I found the story.

As a fantasy this is wonderful but as a debut fantasy it’s incredible. I loved learning what was going to happen next and can’t wait to see what horrible things happen to the characters I love in the sequel. Here’s hoping we get more queer epic fantasies in the (hopefully not-so-distant) future.

This was one hell of a ride. Full of intrigue and betrayals, heartache and complex and layered characters.

We’re transported to the central plains of China in 1345, where famine and poverty or rife. It revolves heavily around two children, a daughter whose fated to die and become nothing, and a son whose fated for great things. During a bandit raid two children of the Zhu family are orphaned and have to find their way in the world, but heartbreakingly the son (Zhu Chongba) deals with terrible grief and despair at the world he’s been thrust into and dies, despite the great fate that has been bestowed upon him. In the face of his death, the daughter with a burning desire to not let the fates choose her destiny, takes on the persona of her brother. We then follow her journey as she fights for her survival, from trying to hide her female identity from those around her in a monastery to becoming part of the rebel cause and ultimately a commander of her own army. Zhu will go to any lengths to achieve the greatness she longs for.

It highlights some really important topics and is full of really complex and richly thought our characters battling their own journeys with their identity and gender. Particularly in a time where women were not accepted as competent warriors.

I really enjoyed the development and layers that each of the characters possessed, even when you thought you knew everything about someone, another layer would slowly be introduced and change your perspective, even slightly. At times I was even feeling sorry for the antagonist, which was really frustrating given all the horrific things they’ve done. It just shows the genius of Shelley Parker-Chan.

I also really loved the way the tension is built up throughout and the high stakes that are on the line stay intense and present throughout, rather than being forgotten out.

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It was a very fast paced start and I was hooked almost immediately. There are various POV’s throughout the book from Zhu, the monk and Ouyang (the eunuch general of the opposing side) villain by all accounts. I did sometimes get a little lost at times due to the dual timelines throughout but that might be more of a flaw on my behalf as I was in a slight reading slump when I started this one. The chapters are also a little long, around 20 pages or so, which I understand can be difficult for some people, but there are breaks throughout so easy to stop within those chapters whenever you need.

Really incredible and tension filled book, full of battles and betrayals, love and destiny. Well worth the read in my opinion.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When I started reading this, it immediately put me in mind of Pearl Buck. Then it swung wide and opened into a completely different and amazing flower. The premise is simple, but brilliant- a girl takes her dead brother’s identity and forges a glittering destiny for herself. Based on this alone, I would have rooted for Zhu (the MC), but all of the characters are very well-realised- complex and emotionally nuanced. It is not easy to create a character with the kind of wild ambition shown by Zhu but still have her forming relationships and attachments with other people that you root for as the reader. I was captivated by this story and found myself thinking of it often even after I was done reading it. It was beautifully done.

Sadly this I a DNF for me, I've tried twice to read this and I just can't carry on with it. I'm halfway through and although the characters are enjoyable at times, the pace is excruciatingly slow. I'm very disappointed.

Firstly, apologies as I read this quite a long time ago but have been of Netgalley for a while. It is without question that Shelley is one of the greatest fantasy writers of our time. I have been a huge fan of theirs for a while, mainly through their presence online and as part of the Sapphic trifecta. She Who Became the Sun takes steps into the new type of fantasy that the world is craving; one that isnt just castles, dragons, violence and heterosexuality. It breathes a new life into the genre, with a stunning cover to match.

I really thought I'd love this one, but unfortunately, it just didn't work for me. I found the narrative quite dull and felt that a lot of the action happened 'off page', which was quite frustrating. I enjoyed Zhu as a protagonist and thought that their journey was a fascinating one, but the other characters fell flat for me and I found myself struggling to invest in the story.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

She Who Became the Sun is one of those books that is so vast in its entirety it’s stunningly Many Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Overview:
China is under harsh Mongol rule and for starving peasants are not feeling likely for greatness any time soon. This is particularly so for the Zhu’s, who’s eighth born son is destined for greatness….but their second daughter? Not so much.
When a bandit attack happens on the siblings, an unforeseen turn of events for the second daughter who now has a chance to escape her fate- and achieve brothers greatness for herself.

Review:
Now I am a massive fan of the Poppy war series- and this book gave me those kinds of vibes as soon as I picked it up. The writing style was exquisite, the depth and detail within the dark and brutal pages is fantastically done. The plot was executed extremely well and the pacing was really fast and complimented the storytelling.

It’s not an easy read in any way shape or form- There is no wholesome romance, most characters I personally read as close to anti-heroes with personal flaws that just accentuate their roles in the story. It was definitely emotionally charged and-yes- it has LGBTQIA+ rep!
Characters- It was a love hate relationship with some of them, but the development throughout was really good.


Final Thoughts,
A intricately well executed fantasy story with political manoeuvring, LGBTQIA+ rep and its spun a web that has left me in such a book slump as nothing I read even comes close.

I often think exploration of power is a big part of fantasy. The rise of one; the search for power to defeat another and how power can work are all themes you can explore in tales from Tolkien, Abercrombie to Pratchett. One less explored theme is why do people do it? What makes someone decide out of all the things in the world they could do this is what I’ll choose to do with my life and the inevitable huge consequences this will have on their country, close relationships, and themselves? In Shelley Parker- Chan’s stunning She Who Became The Sun we get an examination of how the need to be great or to have revenge can send people down quite unexpected paths delivering a fascinating historical fantasy.

The tale starts in 1345 China under Mongol rule and suffering regular rebellions, famines and bandits. Our nameless main character is a young girl living with her father and older brother Zhu Chongba. Zhu Chongba as the male heir is the important future of the family while the daughter knows she cannot eb anything. When bandits though destroy her family, the daughter chooses to survive and also takes on the identity and predicted future that Zhu Chongba would achieve greatness. Finding a place at a monastery disguised as a boy gives our lead now named Zhu Chongba an education and even friendship. Their intelligence and ability to do anything to hide their secret allows them to start a rise to power but in 14th century China reversals of fortune always occur and soon Zhu is a penniless monk working with a rebel force against the Mongols but Zhu’s intelligence and also ability to do things few would dare or dream of makes them rise in prominence and power. The Mongols prepare a counterattack with one of their most determined generals Ouyang who has risen themselves to power despite being a eunuch and despised by many on their own side (but who has a growing sense of their own agenda to follow).

This is a brilliantly told lyrical historical fantasy. Not one filled with magic and strange creatures but here the fantasy is more a sense of inevitable fate; unusual omens and playing with established history. What stood out most is that with Zhu and their opposition Ouyang we get two characters whose personal missions (one of survival and one for revenge) create so much havoc and turmoil that they end up influencing the future of China itself. With Zhu we get someone for whom their gender should have stopped them achieving any power, recognition, or happiness and yet once they’ve adopted their brother’s identity the world opens up and Zhu always takes the chance to be even more and also protect what they have. We soon get a sense that Zhu while bright, funny, and charismatic also will do anything they feel is the greater good. Reading along with their tale you get to understand and even scarily sympathise when Zhu does something quite terrible and yet always stay true to their character not a pure villain but someone trying to survive at a level where everyone has similar schemes and attempts to kill their rivals in the quest for greatness that dominate Zhu’s own life. But as the story develops then we are slowly asking ourselves is this really just what their brother would have done or is this for their own personal ambition?

Ouyang is quickly introduced to Zhu at the beginning of their careers and already we get a sense that these two characters are in some way connected almost as opposing powers. Ouyang, we learn has a tragic past and also like Zhu a desire to survive and do whatever it takes to survive but while Zhu is seeking that elusive greatness we also find that Ouyang through their encounters with Zhu has a re-awakened desire for revenge. Their path to more power ends up having a dramatic impact on the Mongol leadership and Ouyang’s relationships with the family that has ended up their own new family.

As well as these two charismatic main characters whose lives we live Parker-Chan delivers a fascinating tale of empires, battles and internal rivalries (there is a mention of k-dramas in the afterward which definitely play a role in this story’s approach and style). Here we get a swirling flowing tale over many years of how the rebellions and factions evolve. We get intrigue as people fight for power against even their own side; people chosen to lead because of their family not their own skill and many strange omens such as a child who may be a reincarnation of a much older soul and perhaps knows far too much about what is to come next. We can have epic battles of armies or a focused personal sword-fight between two opponents where all the stakes are on the line. Clever plans can be ruined or very successful. The story keeps us guessing as to where things will eventually end and at the end of this novel, we get a complete tale but a sense of greater stories to come.

One other impressive element is how Parker-Chan deals with the concepts of gender and sexuality. With Zhu a relationship with a famous general’s daughter develops and eventually Zhu’s secret is revealed to their lover, and it is accepted. It allows a character a rare moment of happiness (and one we fear may not always survive Zhu’s desire for even more power). With Ouyang there is a complex relationship between their leader/almost brother Essen that feels on the cusp of something but here Ouyang’s status as a eunuch may end up leading to destruction instead. These personal developments alongside all the major history-making ones help us see these complex characters as human in their own right with their own desires and secrets that can consume them or make them flourish. These scenes are very important to helping us understand all the many things these two will achieve over the coming years and also making us feel for their internal battles to do the right thing.

She Who Became The Sun is an excellent story very absorbing and delivered in an epic style that feels refreshingly different to so much out there. I will definitely be eager to see what happens next to these characters and this is definitely one of the strongest novels of last year that I’ve read. Well worth your time if you’ve not yet picked it up. Strongly recommended!

A must-read! An epic fantasy with political undertones and brewing conflict while retelling the life and ascension of a historical emperor through a queer lens.

A much-hyped fantasy epic, She Who Became the Sun defies all expectations of the genre. The novel reimagines the Hongwu Emperor in 14th century China, with a queer protagonist and a dash of magic.

In a poverty-stricken village a boy, Zhu Chongba, is foretold to achieve greatness, while his sister, Zhu, is fated 'nothingness'. But when he and his father are struck down in a bandit attack, his sister is left with no family, home or future. In an attempt to survive, Zhu steals her brother's fate, becoming him to find refuge in a monastery, where she passes for a young male novice and begins to train as a monk.

To describe this novel as epic is no understatement. It charts Zhu's training, initial successes in war, participation in military campaigns, to strategic coups and political machinations. While this could be high brow for a fantasy novel Shelley Parker-Chan manages to sustain a compelling plotline as she charts Zhu's rise weaving in elements of Chinese culture and beliefs through the use of the fantastical. The novel is also beautifully written, with detailed prose, laced with wisdom.

Zhu is the antithesis to most protagonists we see in fantasy; compared to the stereotype of the strong beautiful heroine with a sword, Zhu is a monk with a shaved head and more than one serious battle injury. In becoming her brother, Zhu shuns her own identity, firmly believing that fate and the heavens must believe that she actually is Zhu Chongba. Interestingly, in doing so the prophecies come true - not only is 'Zhu Chongba' poised to achieve greatness, but Zhu is lost as her own identity is cast aside. We actually never find out Zhu's name until she renames herself 'Zhu Yuanzhang'.

Interweaved with Zhu's story is that of General Ouyang, a eunuch who acts as both her enemy and foil. Through both characters Parker-Chan expertly illustrates and explores different experiences of queerness in a historical context, in a way that very much resonates with the modern day reader. She Who Became the Sun is an astounding novel, and many eagers will be eagerly awaiting the next book in 'The Radiant Emperor' series.

She Who Became the Sun is a blisteringly exceptional piece of writing from author Shelley Parker-Chan. Set in the Yuan dynasty, we follow a young girl who takes her brother's fate - greatness. Zhu is a ferocious character who blurs the gender binary with her existence, and blurs the meaning of greatness with her ambition. I loved the split narratives of this book, alternating between the Nanren perspective and the Yuan perspective, and I felt so deeply connected to all of the characters. Each and every one was deep, nuanced and complex. There was a considerable plot twist towards the end of the book which made me gasp out loud, and it was un-put-downable from start to finish. I am unaware if Parker-Chan intends to continue this in a series - though the ending was certainly not the end of Zhu's story - but I will be one of the first in line for book 2!

She Who Became the Sun is a fantastic, original historical story with fantasy elements throughout. Set in 1345 China, two siblings receive their fates from a seer. When the sister's destiny is nothing, she takes over her brother's identity when he dies before reaching his destiny of greatness. Can the sister change the fates? The story is filled with excellent writing and well-developed characters. Highly recommended!!

A great read! So unique, really enjoyable. Looking forward to book two!

Thanks to NetGalley, Pan Macmillan and Shelley Parker-Chan for an eArc in exchange for an honest review.

compelling, complex historical tale, with just a touch of fantasy. A tale of a young woman turned monk turned warrior who makes her own fate in the world through cunning and prowess.

I really enjoyed watching Zhu rise through the ranks, so to speak. Some might say Zhu has a villains quality, but she just does whatever she has to in this world and I loved watching her story play out.

There are a lot of characters and locations in this book and I often find battle and tactical stories hard to follow in that respect. But eventually you get the hang of it. Somehow, though, Parker-Chan never loses the thread of each character's mission. It's an extremely tightly-plotted and well-crafted novel.

All in all I loved this one. I was always excited to get back into reading it. While I think the characterization is a bit slow to start, it really builds up by the end and I cannot wait for the conclusion of this series to come out!!

I’m very conflicted with this one.
There were some parts I really enjoyed and some parts I really disliked.
One thing that I did enjoy was the writing style and authors ability to set the tone for this harrowing story.
From the very first couple of chapters you know this book will be a gritty tale of a battle for power and ultimately what the main character is willing to sacrifice in order to obtain that.
I also really liked the exploration of gender and sexuality. This made Zhu and Ma’s relationship one of my favourite aspects. I loved how open minded and accepting Ma was.
However Zhu was probably the least interesting character in the whole book. I found their personality just lacking and I didn’t think they were exceptionally clever with their strategic decisions. More just lucky.
The pace was a little off for me too! If you’re going to have a long time with conversations and build up to battles, I’d like more time actually with the battle scenes.
I found this made some bits drag for me in the end.
I don’t know if I’ll continue with book two as to be honest I’ll probably forget about this book before it comes out.

Zhu Chongba, the eighth-born son of the Zhu family, is given a fate of greatness, while he sister receives one of nothingness. But when a bandit attack results in the death of her father and brother, the girl decides to take Zhu Chongba’s identity and escape her own fate by claiming his instead.

She Who Became the Sun is an excellent historical adventure with beautiful prose and some fantastic characters. I particularly enjoyed the relationship/rivalry between the girl who became Zhu Chongba and Ouyang, the eunuch general of the Yuan. Zhu herself is a very strong-willed and pragmatic character, and she really makes the whole story. She has a great character arc and she felt very believable and understandable to me.

The plot is reminiscent of Mulan, and explores gender and societal roles in a very poignant way, while also telling a very gritty and detailed war story. There are a few fantastical elements, with the mandate of heaven and presence of ghosts, but I wouldn’t describe this book as a fantasy. Instead, I would definitely class it as historical fiction with elements of gender, identity and war.

I believe this book is the first in a series, with more to come. I’m not sure if I particularly want to read the next book when it comes out because I felt Zhu’s story came to a satisfying end and I can’t really see what direction a second book would go in, but She Who Became the Sun is an exceptional read on it’s own and I would 100% recommend it.

I had huge expectations for this epic tale of a girl who rose to power despite all odds. Sadly I preferred the idea over the execution. I found it really hard to connect with the characters because of the third person narration and time jumps.

However, I did love the exploration of gender in the setting of war and violence. It was really interesting to watch the different characters grow into their respective roles. The subtle use of fantasy added an extra element of risk, so the story felt believable with incredibly high stakes.

Fantasy fans will love the diverse cast and character development, as well as the exciting, action-packed plot. I would've enjoyed the book a lot more had it been written in first-person, though I think this is more a fault of my own than that of the book's.

Check trigger warnings for this book as it's packed full of them - definitely not a light read.

I really enjoyed the beginning of this. Zhu has grown up in such a harsh environment, always the unwanted child, unloved with no future. So when they are given the chance of a new life they seize it and thrive within the cut off world of the monestry. I liked seeing Zhu grow into themselves and grow as a master of cunning and deception, morally grey and willing to go the distance to seize power and independence. The monestry is pretty much its own world, with its own hierarchy, and I liked seeing the shift in powers within its walls.

However, from the second part onwards the pacing really falters as more characters are introduced and there is a great deal more political machinations and war talk. I just found I wasn't that interested anymore and that little spark that had initially gripped me slowly ebbed away. It also really lacks any real fantasy besides the occasional presence of some ghosts. It read a lot more like historical fiction than fantasy, and that's another reason I just couldn't really invest in this. I was expecting less war talk, more magic.

Great writing, wonderful exploration of gender roles and identity but this really isn't fantasy.

She Who Became the Sun is a fan favourite and it's understandable as to why. Complex storylines, morally grey characters with vying intentions, and a political force that sets the scene for some epic action, it puts together so much of what makes a great story (at least, as far as I'm concerned). It's also really interesting how historical threads have been woven into the narrative, showcasing an alternative rendition of the founding of the Ming dynasty.

For me, I found the opening section a little slow, waiting for the action to kick in. Our characters are also younger in this section and didn't have the agency to kick off the later action and sweeping battle scenes that Parker-Chan masterfully describes. While the pacing was slow, the initial acts directed each character on their journey. However, by the latter half of the story, I was fully invested in the characters and their stories, especially Ma and Zhu. I particularly enjoyed how the threads seemed separate and slowly intertwined, bringing each character onto the battlefield to make their claim for the seat of power.

Overall, I'd recommend to those that are a fan of an epic fantasy or with an interest in the alternative narratives in history.

Very very good. Very clever, emotionally resonant, high in betrayal. I especially liked its commentary of gender and the super grey characters.