Set in 14th century China, the story revolves around an impossible tale. The Mongol hordes raid the village and kill Zhu's father. Her brother gives up on life, but Zhu is made of sterner stuff and decides to take on his identity and as a boy, to enter the local monastery to have, as she sees it, the best possible life. However, the eunuch who was part of that raid has a much bigger part to play in her life, and this leads her to a path far removed from her first dreams. Eventually she will meet the one who has the 'Mandate of Heaven' and discover her true destiny.

The story is told very well, and Zhu's efforts to survive, to be a man and remain undiscovered, and to eventually lead her people against the oppressors is fascinating, all set against the backdrop of China in these turbulent times.

Thank you to NetGalley, Pan Macmillan and Mantle for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An epic and tragic tale set in 12th century northern China, reimagining the life of Zhu Yuanzhang, a peasant born in 1328 who led the rebels who brought the end of Mongolian rule in China. This is Historical fiction, fantasy and something else entirely, really unlike anything I’ve read before. Described as Mulan meets the song of Achilles and I can see why!

I admittedly don’t know enough about Chinese history, especially for someone who has a history degree, it was never part of my learning but this book has really inspired me to dive into it.

Some of the things I really loved was the focus on ghost and spirituality, the beautiful descriptions juxtaposed with extreme action (wasn’t so keen on the extreme violence though), the theme of destiny and exploration of gender.

I didn’t love so much that there was LOTS of dialogue, at times it became a bit tedious and made it feel a long read that started to drag on a bit in areas.

I will definitely pick up the next instalment of Parker-Chan’s writing!

Thank you for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

She Who Became the Sun is a fascinating historical fantasy, the likes of which I have rarely (if ever) encountered before.

I was completely gripped by this book and its many, highly complex and morally grey characters. They were definitely my favourite part, even though most of them are extremely unlikeable! The settings are also gorgeously rich, and I loved the fact that some of the plot is based on actual historical facts. I didn't go on a research (read: google) spree like I normally would because I desperately want to avoid spoilers for the next book, but I certainly will catch up on that afterwards!

The only thing I struggled with was the pace, which in certain parts of the book seemed to drag a little, and the multitude of characters, which I sometimes struggled to keep straight in my head. The were also some rather explicit violent scenes which I personally wasn't a fan of, but were well inserted in the narrative and I could certainly see why they have been included.

Other than that, this was a fantastic read and I am definitely looking to the next one!

A slow burn of a book, it builds and builds in spectacular fashion. I loved every second of this and am so excited to see what will happen in the sequel when that comes out!

Oh my god I have absolutely slept on this release. Pitched as Mulan meets Song of Achilles, I can't say quite how accurate it is, considering I haven't read the latter yet. But what it definitely is, is the start of a series (I believe it's a duology) that deals with topics of fate, greatness, gender and identity but also colonialist themes and the idea of being the maker of your own destiny. It is a retelling of the founding of the Ming dynasty in China, and honestly I loved it!

In a small village in the middle of a famine, the son of one family is told that he will have greatness, whereas the competent daughter (whose name doesn't even matter) is told that she will only ever be nothing. But when bandits orphan the children, it is the son Zhu Chongba who gives up on life and his sister who decides that she will use her brother's identity to enter a monastery and survive. There, she learns that there are great lengths that she will go to in order to preserve her identity. But after the monastery is destroyed for supporting rebels opposed to Mongolian rule, she realises that perhaps she should aim higher and claim her brother's greatness instead.

This little summary doesn't even begin to cover the whole Mongolian side of the story and Ouyang, who is just one of those characters that burrows under your skin and stays there, like a thorn that you can't get rid of, or Baoxiang, who for such a minor character absolutely steals every scene that he is. I also haven't spoken about Ma, who is an absolute cinnamon roll and who deserves nothing but amazing things to happen to her. Parker-Chan has the ability to make you care about each of her characters for different reasons, whether it's fascination, disgust or just a burning desire to make sure nothing bad happens to them. She is able to weave this tale that feels imbued with the thread of epicness throughout and one where I found myself annoyed at how much work was preventing me from being able to read more.

Those topics of gender and identity absolutely stand out. Because not only is Zhu Chongba trying to convince Heaven itself that she deserves the fate of greatness, but Ouyang also wrestles with his own demons. It's such a fascinating dichotomy when one lives in fear of being exposed for her true gender, who feels the need to believe so deeply in her manliness, her masculinity, to ensure that Heaven doesn't see her for who she truly is and punish her; while the other, a eunuch and slave, is derided to that which has been taken from him. When he finds himself allowed into space no man would enter (except under penalty of death), you see the disgust that Ouyang feels for himself, the way he feels about his body and his identity, the way he yearns to prove himself when he knows that his castration is the defining feature of his life. Again, this is without even touching on Baoxiang, who is judges as "soft" for being a scholar, not a warrior, or Ma, who knows she is not allowed to want anything, that desire is outside her role as a woman.

I enjoyed the topics of fate and how much a mandate from the gods matters under the weight of sheer human desire. The best bit about these characters is that they are complex and nuanced and Parker-Chan doesn't waste any time in showing us their writing chops by having them make choices that are so repugnant and yet so understandable. I was immediately carried away and rooting for them to succeed, even when it meant that they would make some pretty awful decisions and betray people who in some cases had been nothing but innocent. There are some really interesting parallels between ideas of fate and greatness, masculine at their core, and nothingness, pegged as feminine and undesirable. Does one push back against what is seen as their Heaven-desired path? And at what point does Heaven turn its face from one of its own followers and doom them?

I am honestly so excited to read the next installment and with this, Parker-Chan may well have propelled themselves straight onto my instabuy list!

The synopsis for this book mentions how it is based on Zhu Yuanzhang, a peasant born in 1328 who led the rebels who brought the end of Mongolian rule in China. This story is a reimagining or alternative version of Zhu and the rise to power.

So how is this reimagining? A young peasant girl decides she wants to live, she doesn't want to be nothing, she wants to be something. In fact, she wants greatness and for all to know her name. The only way this can happen is she takes on the identity of her dead brother Zhu.

Set in the 1300s this is a story that I absolutely loved. I really like the idea of a woman having the nerve to rise to power especially in a time when women have no power or status, are possession and should bear the next generation of sons. Having a character that has the temerity and the nerve to make her own way in this male-dominated world was great.

As this is a reimagining of a historical period, it means the book falls into a category of historical fantasy, and to a point yes it is fantasy but it is also fabulous reading for those who love historical fiction. AS soon as I started this book and read the first couple of sentences I knew I was going to enjoy reading it. Those opening lines were ideal for drawing me in.

As this is set in the 1300s there is a lot of turmoil in the Mongolian/ Chinese areas, under the Khanate, Mongolia wanted to extend its reach and the size of the kingdom. China was a country that has had a lot of turbulent times, Mongolian rule is just one of those times.

The author created a fabulous set of characters who all have their own desires, some more honest than others but very few I would call trustworthy. The middle ages are about power, land, resources, armies, feuds and dominance. Sides and allegiances can be swapped in a blink of an eye. Families are even worse.

I did like that the author decided to choose a female to be the main protagonist, especially when women hold such a low status in this era. I really enjoyed following the journey from peasant girl to a monk and then the story that followed.

I adored everything about this book, it was also incredibly difficult to put down once I had started it. As this is the first book in The Radiant Emporer, I will be looking forward to continuing the story of Zhu in the next book.

I liked this a huge amount and it is one I would definitely recommend.

The writing was absolutely fantastic with this one, and it had been one of my most anticipated reads for the year and if I was judging it on writing alone then it was a winner as Parker-Chan has a wonderful way with words. However, while I enjoyed the first quarter or so of the book, I found myself losing interest in the middle part of the book - there was a lot happening, and yet at the same time I just wasn't engaged and unfortunately it got to the point where I couldn't continue. I can see why this book is so loved, and it may well be one that I return to in the future, because I did love the premise, the opening part and the writing and I would love to have that experience with the rest of the book.

It has taken so long for me to read this book and thats because i found it difficult to read as an ebook. Its complicated, you have to pay attention so i purchased the physical book and tried again.

I loved part one and part three. It was so interesting, so intriguing to see Zhu's character develop. I think all the battle scenes and war talk confused me but overall it was good!

Ma and Zhu were my fave characters. Also the cover of this book is STUNNING.

𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐈 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: She Who Became the Sun
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Shelley Parker-Chan
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤:
• historical fantasy re-imagining of Zhu Yuanzhang!!
• intriguing premise, captivating world, and complex characters
• tragedy, yearning, ambition, and magic
• explores themes such as destiny, choice, gender, power, and ambition to name a few

𝐓𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞: pain™, The Poppy War, The Song of Achilles, The Jasmine Throne, The Unbroken, you may like this.

𝐂𝐖: death, war themes, violence, child murder (off-page), starvation, gender dysphoria, misgendering, internalised homophobia, ableism, amputation, misogyny ‼️Definitely check out all the content warnings first‼️

Thank you to @NetGalley and the publisher Pan Macmillan for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 𝐌𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠: 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐣𝐨𝐲.𝐜𝐨𝐦; 𝐅𝐔𝐋𝐋 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖 𝐓𝐎 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 because my two brain cells are working overtime to gather thoughts on this!!!

From humble origins in a peasant village, Zhu seizes a destiny meant for her brother and makes it her own. Her journey from starving peasant girl to young monk, to inadvertent battle leader, to bona fide warlord is enthralling right from the opening pages. A vivid, sweeping historical epic with a richly drawn, clever, tragic antihero; this is a timely and welcome addition to the genre. If you loved The Song of Achilles, you need to read this.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me (for now). I think I know why so I do plan to go back to it.
First of all I assumed this book was fantasy (totally my fault) and while there are some fantastical elements, She Who Became The Sun is actually historical fiction. This doesn’t bother me because I do quite like historical fiction when I’m in the mood for it, it just took me by surprise. Secondly, I’ve been on a bit of a fluffy contemporary romance/Rom Com kick of late, I thought it was just a summer thing but it’s still going strong and I can’t shake it. Needless to say going from that to this book was jarring to say the least. It’s for that reason I think I found it so hard to get in to, I did attempt a couple of times but it wasn’t working for me.

I think the premise is brilliant and I will absolutely go back to finish this book, I think I just need to wait until I’m in the right frame of mind to do so. I’m so sure I’ll like it that I actually bought a copy!

I’m giving a neutral rating of 2.5 stars (rounded to 3) for fairness.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

"When the world turns its face from you, remember it was because of me."

So, this was definitely special.

Not gonna lie, it took me 130 pages to get into the story. The writing was very dry, monotone and distant at the beginning... which isn't really my cup of tea. It almost read like a historic text (which, on the other hand, is COMPLETELY my cup of tea).
I love the time period the story takes place in.
Sometimes I wished the characters would've been explored in more detail from early on and with more emotional depth, instead of this surface level. But I enjoyed reading about them nonetheless. Even though I liked the "villain"  more than our actual protagonist (who's personality and thoughts were a bit repetitive in the first half of the book).

It took 130 pages for me to connect to any of it, but THEN it was captivating and impossible to put down. I enjoyed EVERY PAGE of the second half and shipped everyone with everyone.
I never quite read anything in a comparable writing style and it fascinates me that Shelley Parker-Chan managed to make me so attached to these characters, feel so many different things and make my heart ache, with the few information and insights we actually got about them.
But somehow it was just enough to fill out the  blanks on your own?
If that was intentional, it was definitely brilliant. But even if it was only coincidence, it worked.

This was a very impressive historical retelling with fantastical elements. I really enjoyed my time with it and wish I could read the sequel already. (or that we would at least have a release date) I surely can't wait for it.

I liked all the characters, but as I said I was completely sucked into the chapters  about the "opponents" (the lines aren't very clear). My favorite was Quyang💙 and well... I love family drama and conflicts between older and younger siblings. Especially if the older brother is a brute who loves his sword and the younger brother is introverted, booksmart and power hungry. Esen and Lord Wang👍🏼🙏🏼 I shipped Quyang with both of them at different points of the story.

Pls, don't go into this book expecting a "lovestory" as the main focus though. It has some romantic subplots (that are awesome slowburn) buuut in its core its definitely a historical book about a time of war and strategy and culture. And of course about the life of our main protagonists.

Coming to that point, I would like to include a statement/post from the author:

"There are no trans characters in She Who Became The Sun. But at the same time, there are. If you feel that way, you'll probably see them. If you don't feel that way, perhaps those characters will say something entirely different to you. And that's valid too."

This story is very queer.
No matter if you can read between the lines or not, you'll notice it. I expected a very "clear" trans retelling of ancient Chinese history. But I think it does a better job in challenging gender roles/norms instead. I've no doubt a few characters would definitely be nonbinary in modern times... but it's not clearly "on page" confirmed. The binary lines are just very blurred.
Nonetheless, is this book very queer. And it's very obvious in the way binary constructs and tropes are challenged and displayed that a trans person wrote it. (Especially the "Mulan" trope, which is most of the time executed in a very transphobic way, was handled SOOOO SOO WELL in this book!! This is why own-voices novels matter so much.)

This enchanting story will stay with me for some time, that much I know. A unforgettable story with the potential to become a modern classic.
I can't wait to reread it once the sequel and final installment gets published☀️🏳️‍🌈

This felt like a very long book and I found the cadence quite difficult at times. The story is supposedly based on history but felt vary comical at times. Not for me I'm afraid.

Do not go into this book faint hearted. Wow, this was amazing and a wild ride I did not expect. This book is difficult to review as it has so many intricate layers to it, woven into different storylines and times. This is a historical retelling with Mulan vibes, where a girl takes the place of her brother to rise up the ranks. This was such a clever book and I am delighted that I have had the chance to read it.

This in theory would be a book of my dreams, however for some reason it fell short of my expectations. I began to get lost between the characters, especially the character changes, and the plot became hard for me to keep up with. Hopefully with a re-read I might enjoy this book more!

She Who Became The Sun tells of a girl who was fated with nothingness while her brother was fated with greatness. When he dies, she takes his fate for her own, carving her own path in a quest for greatness, through worship and through war. It is a reimaging of the rise of Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming Dynasty with a blending of Mulan, and the first in an epic duology.

From the very first chapter, you are transported into the girl’s poverty-stricken world. It immediately establishes the struggles of a fading empire and the skills and drive of the girl, even before she takes Zhu Chongba’s name and destiny. The book doesn’t shy away from showing the harshness of the times, or the violence that comes through the bandits and war. Zhu Chongba, despite being the protagonist of the book stays firmly in the grey zone, making questionable choices to protect her identity and but also to help her journey to greatness. In fact, very few of the characters feel like ‘good’ characters, which makes it interesting to see how the act to get what they want.

I really enjoyed how the book explored identity. At no point in the book do we learn the name the girl was given as a child. Instead, the only names used are the one she takes on to achieve greatness (Zhu Chongba) and the one she chooses for herself at the end of the book. Her views of gender identity are explored in how she related to other characters and then how she describes herself. We then have Ouyang, a male-identifying character who is a eunuch with feminine features, who must navigate his position in the army and that of the household he grew up in first as a slave and then as a friend. And those are just two characters, others touch on the role of women in this world, ethnicity and class through the Mongols and the Nanren, amongst other themes.

The world itself is a solidly grounded in historical China, but with injections of fantasy that add an air of mysticism and mystery to Zhu Chongba’s journey and Ouyang’s mission. The research done came across strongly, and it felt like you could reach into the pages at time. Even after reading, certain scenes still resonate strongly and I know this is a book I will be revisiting in future. The sequel cannot come soon enough.

This was… so different than what I expected, but not necessarily in a bad way. For one, I thought this was based on an actual female emperor’s founding of a dynasty… I was sure there had been one, but no – this is a reimaging of the founding of the dynasty that unified China, but with a twist in our main character. It plays with gender, and is queer as well! The writing is gorgeous, the world fresh and rich, steeped in history but with a slight magical touch. I had very little trouble grasping our setting, even though there is no time wasted on unnecessary explanations – which is how I like it, it never makes sense for our characters to explain things mentally to themselves that for them is the world they live in.

I kept wavering between feeling connected with the characters and almost watching things unfold, which may have been intentional. This back-and-forth did keep me from falling fully in love with the story. As deep and emotional as the journey is, it never felt too heavy. I loved the dynamic between our two characters connected by destiny – one determined to claim it for their own, the other determined not to veer from the path set before him, each with their own struggles and societal scorn. It’s disturbing to see what lines are crossed, what principles adjusted, when the end justifies the means. Zhu tries to keep hold of some of her core beliefs, but in the end the only important one is her faith that she is destined for greatness.

I didn’t know it was going to have a sequel, so I was surprised at where we ended up leaving the story and our characters. I am intrigued – and scared – to see what they’ll be willing to sacrifice and change to reach their goals. I wonder if we’ll see more of Ouyang in the second book as well, I really liked reading from his point of view.

This book blew me away. I don’t know what I expected but this was fantastic. It was very raw in some places and I really enjoyed the different character perspectives. At the start I worried that the perspectives would be very villian/hero but it wasn’t, I felt as though both sides were understandable. I also enjoyed the sapphic elements introduced.

Absolutely loved this book and now own 3 copies. I can’t wait to read more.

I like historical fiction and She Who Became the Sun is that - set in 14th Century China it explores the story of the founder of the Ming dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang. I haven't read a book in this setting and timeframe before, so for that reason I found it really interesting. I also really enjoyed its themes of gender identity and power. Not my usual type of read per se, in some parts it was really intense and there are some fantasy elements but I loved being swept up in the drama of this epic story.

Dubbed as Mulan meets The Song Of Achilles, She Who Became The Sun is the first in The Radient Empire series following a girl who is fated to nothingness, while her brother is fated to become great. However when their home is attacked by bandits and her brother and father killed the girl takes her brothers name, Zhu Chongba.... and his destiny.

This book is dark and gripping and reminded me of The Poppy War series in the best way as it follows the fate of characters who will do anything, no matter how unforgivable, to survive and for a place in history as someone great.

If you love complex anti-heroes, ghosts, magic, political intrigue and dark captivating prose then you'll adore this book!