Book Review: She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan (The Radiant Emperor #1)

Genre : Fantasy

Publisher : Tor

Length : 416 pages

Format : eARC

Rating : 5 stars

Publication Date: July 20th 2021

PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION

“I refuse to be nothing…”

In a famine-stricken village on a dusty yellow plain, two children are given two fates. A boy, greatness. A girl, nothingness…

In 1345, China lies under harsh Mongol rule. For the starving peasants of the Central Plains, greatness is something found only in stories. When the Zhu family’s eighth-born son, Zhu Chongba, is given a fate of greatness, everyone is mystified as to how it will come to pass. The fate of nothingness received by the family’s clever and capable second daughter, on the other hand, is only as expected.

When a bandit attack orphans the two children, though, it is Zhu Chongba who succumbs to despair and dies. Desperate to escape her own fated death, the girl uses her brother’s identity to enter a monastery as a young male novice. There, propelled by her burning desire to survive, Zhu learns she is capable of doing whatever it takes, no matter how callous, to stay hidden from her fate.

After her sanctuary is destroyed for supporting the rebellion against Mongol rule, Zhu uses takes the chance to claim another future altogether: her brother’s abandoned greatness.

BOOK REVIEW

Zhu Chongba used to be a starving girl living day by day in a famine-stricken village. Her brother was destined for greatness while she expected to remain nothing her entire life. However, when her brother succumbs to despair after a bandit attack and dies, the girl steals his fate. If her brother choses to give-up, she won’t, even if it means pretending to a boy and enrolling into a monastery. With her new fate in mind, Zhu Chongba strives for greatness. And if greatness means taking every opportunity and change the world, she will.

She Who Became the Sun is a historical fantasy book set in the 14^th century China during the Mongol rule and the rise of the Ming dynasty and it follows multiple characters. This cast of characters includes our little girl turned monk turned warrior, Zhu Chongba, Esen, the heir to a Mongol Prince, Ouyang, a eunuch general working as Esen’s hunting dog after his family was murdered by Esen’s family and Ma, a young woman betrothed to a rebel.

My favorites were by far Zhu and Ouyang, both characters have very different backgrounds but they couldn’t help but to feel like two sides of a single coin. Zhu is a woman living as a man. Ouyang was made a eunuch when he was just a child and, while being a legendary general, everyone sees him as a creature even less worthwhile than a woman (and that’s saying something since the book in set in the 14^th century). Both characters struggle with their gender identity and how they are perceived by other people. Both characters strive to change their place in the world and achieve what they believe to be their fate. And seeing them interact – because of course, they do end-up meeting – was fascinating.

This book is marketed as a fantasy book, and while it does have a few speculative elements – the Mandate of Heaven is represented as a flame that the owner can cast, Zhu and other characters are able to see ghosts and interact with them in some ways – these elements are minor. A reader expecting high fantasy might be disappointed by this book that is more historical than fantastical. She Who Became the Sun is also quite grim, not as dark as The Poppy War though both books have similarities, but Shelley Parker-Chan doesn’t shy away from killing off characters in gruesome manners. It’s not surprising considering the backdrop of the story: war stories are rarely happy ones.

I’m not usually a fan of military fantasy, I usually skim-read long battle scenes, but I thought Parker-Chan wrote them well and I found myself excited to see how Zhu would magically save the day each time. The battle scenes were easy to picture and they weren’t too rushed or drawn out.

Reading She Who Became the Sun felt like watching one of my favorite historical Asian dramas. Parker-Chan says in the acknowledgements that they watched a ton of K-drama while writing the book and I can definitely see how they were inspired by it. Some parts of the book gave me My Country the New Age vibes and I can’t say I was mad for it. Maybe it was because the level of drama was pretty high at times (Ouyang is one angsty eunuch for sure!) but I found myself very invested in the story and the character relationships. And I may have grumbled a few times out loud from frustration but, I’m not complaining, I was really living the story!

If you are looking for a book that blends history with ghosts, legendary fates and rebellion, look no further! I can’t wait to read the sequel next year!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

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I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. My thanks to Netgalley and Tor Books for the ARC.