Book Review | She Who Became the Sun

A fortune teller once gave two siblings very different fortunes: the son was destined for greatness and the daughter was destined for … nothingness. However, when a bandit attack leaves both their father and the son dead, his sister steals his name—Zhu Chongba—along with his fate.

She then flees to a monastery and trains to become a monk. Years pass and as a rebel group rises against the Mongol empire, Zhu must use her wit (and either a pinch of luck or Heaven’s divine blessing) to overcome insurmountable odds. She must decide what lengths she’s filling to go to and what sacrifices she’s willing to make to fulfill her stolen destiny.

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan is a gripping fantasy reimagining of the founder of the Ming Dynasty’s rise to power—pitched as Mulan meets Song of Achilles. I’m not so sure about the Song of Achilles comparison, but The Poppy War comes more to mind to me.

Brace yourself. This story is a brutal one, filled with backstabbing, betrayal, and heartbreak. The characters here are complex and mostly morally grey. I even found it hard to figure out who to root for in parts because, from part two onwards, the story is told from alternating perspectives—including the enemy’s general: Ouyang.

All in all, this is a stunning debut. Parker-Chan paints a richly-layered world and well-written characters, and I cannot recommend this book enough if you’re looking to sink into a good historical fantasy filled with conniving political machinations and evocative prose.

Thank you, NetGalley and Tor Books, for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Book Details:

Publication Date : July 20, 2021

Publisher : Tor Books

ISBN : 1250621801

Pages : 416

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