I wouldn't be able to recommend this as a book included in a classroom library because of the descriptive nature of some intimate scenes BUT I would definitely recommend this to my more advanced readers. It's such a powerful book!

I tried to read this book back in 2021 when it was released, got about 15% in and set it aside because the book wasn't speaking to me.

I borrowed the audiobook from the library hoping that if I listened to it, the book would grab my attention and hold it. This unfortunately was not the case, I kept finding myself saying "well I guess I should listen to the rest of the book" each time I started the Libby app.

I have seen other reviews of this book and people rave about it, so please don't let my review sway you from reading this book. This book just wasn't for me.

She Who Became the Sun is being herald as a historical trans rep novel. However, the gender identity seemed to be more of convenience and actual survival than identity. This is not a horrible thing, however when it is combined with being trans then it provides fuel to the fire that gender identity is a choice, and people could just choose not to be trans. So, that part of the novel did not really resonate with me.

The overall plot was fine. It was a good book, but I did not synch with it the way that so many others have. It was good. I'm glad I read it. I'm not sure I will pick it up again. However, I will read future books by Shelley Parker-Chan.

I absolutely devoured this book. What an exciting and propulsive journey. The warring points of view were an excellent choice, and it allowed you to understand not just the protagonist, but also the motivations, successes and failures of the antagonist as well. The writing was fascinating and full of depth, with detail that let you imagine the sights and smells of the world of the story. I can't wait for the next book.

To sum it up in one word: wow

I originally got this as an eArc from Netgalley, and then I took a break from Netgalley and honestly forgot that I had been granted access to this book - so I ended up reading the ebook I bought for myself anyway. I am so glad I did, however, and I'm now kicking myself that I didn't read it sooner.

I really agree with another review I saw here that compared this book to the Song of Ice and Fire series above all else. It's a sweeping epic fantasy that leaves you breathless.

One thing I love about the characters in this book is that I really viscerally feel their pain. I think sometimes it is easy to overlook in fantasy that in this sort of a world, most people would have a painful existence - even more so based on your gender/gender identity. And that is at the heart of this story, two people who have dealt with the scorn that is based on your worthiness/gender, two people who are aching for different reasons, who have been made hard - but one is consumed by their grief, and the other has chosen to rise above it.

I saw some complaints that the "action" parts of this book happened too quickly - for me, honestly, this wasn't a bad thing. I don't need five chapters on a battle, especially when the mechanics of the battle really aren't important; the actual guts of this book are character development/character relationships and the prose.

And what beautiful prose there is - I often found myself re-reading sentences because they were just beautiful to read. I love how absolutely naked and bear Parker-Chan can lay the emotions of characters, whether they are honest with themselves or not.

What I appreciated about this book is that even our main "villain" is someone I can't particularly hate or fault. And even our "hero" is not without misdeeds. These characters behave like people who are fighting for their survival, for their fates, and who have been thrust into difficult situations. I appreciate a book where moral ambiguity reigns supreme.

I cannot wait the next installment, and am honestly a bit sad that this is planned as a duology instead of something more. However, I will eagerly await any other series Parker-Chan decides to share with us - I am sure I will enjoy them just as much.

Very solid debut and I plan on reading the sequel.

This book is about two people who are each living double lives. Zhu takes her brother's name and attempts to take his fate by living as he would have. She becomes a monk and then involves herself in the rebellion against the Mongol empire. She lives as a man but much of her edge comes from what she learned from being a woman. She sees the paths that a man would likely not see, makes unexpected decisions, attacks from unexpected directions. Zhu is consumed by the desire for greatness. All of her decisions follow from this desire and she is amoral when it comes to achieving her goal- the end definitely justifies the means for her. Despite her need for secrecy, she comes to love a woman also involved in the rebellion named Ma. Ma becomes her sounding board and her ally.

Ouyang, a general for the Mongolian army, is Zhu's opposite in many ways. He has been made a eunuch by the empire and then employed as a general by one of their great houses. Ouyang cannot get past the tragedy of his past, his dead family, the mutilation that was forced on him, the shame of living instead of dying. He can't help but love the members of the family in which he has been raised, but he can never forget that his goal is revenge upon them. He is in fact haunted by the ghosts of his family who wait for him to avenge their deaths although he does not know this. Ouyang also cannot get past the fact that he is not a man like other men. He has a lot of self-loathing and an idealized version of what a man should be. Although Ouyang has possibilities for love and allies, he denies himself these things and sees them as weaknesses. At the same time, his Han ancestry allows him to see things that Mongols do not realize and to exploit this knowledge for his own plans.

Both Zhu and Ouyang are deeply involved in war but both of them see this war as a means to achieve their own ends. They have no stake in the actual reasons for the war and only want to win as a way to achieve their own goals.

I found the characters in this book to be fascinating and unique. I was interested in their decisions and occasionally appalled by them. I'd read somewhere that the author wrote the book that they wanted to read and couldn't find. I'm very glad that they did! I enjoyed reading the book tremendously.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an electronic Advanced Reader Copy of She Who Became the Sun. This historical fantasy that takes place in 12th century China explores themes of war, magical realism, gender nonconformity, fate and destiny (and creating your own), and sapphic love. I would recommend it especially for those who are already fantasy-lovers and who read at more advanced levels. As I myself am not super into fantasy, I found it more difficult to understand and to stay engaged in - it was very dense - so I unfortunately did not finish it. However, it is beautifully written and I know I will eventually pick it up and finish it one day. I love that it features both sapphic and achillean characters, and all-Asian characters. Books like these are so important, and I'm confident it deserves the praise it receives- it was just not the read for me.

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.

4.5 stars

Fate rests within our own hands.
The unapologetic rage in this book is one of the most realistic and human things about a book filled with pain, war, ghosts and fate.
I was pleasantly surprised by the other pov and main characters than the ones I expected in this book. The goals of the two main characters are strange ones I need to happen no matter how they conflict; gain revenge and reach legendary status.
The relationships, both love and platonic and understanding are also note-worthy! The complicated, the trust and betrayals were terrific!

AND YEP, THAT SCENE WAS MUCH A SURPRISE; all of you know the one I mean!

Another fantastic debut from Orbit. Parker-Chen is an author to watch, and SHE WHO BECAME THE SUN is a powerful opening statement. Definitely recommended for all fans of epic fantasy.

3.5 Stars — I really love the characterization of Zhu and Ouyang. This is where the writing stood out to me. I loved following our morally gray hero Zhu. Her anger, determination, and sheer willpower to claim her own fate was depicted so well. We see her make difficult but necessary choices that are slowly leading her into a darker path. But you can’t help rooting for her all the same. And her arc is juxtaposed with Ouyang perfectly. Where Zhu is forced to hide her true self, everyone knows Ouyang’s shame and history of how he became an eunuch. While Zhu is intent on claiming a different fate than what was handed to her, Ouyang struggles with living out the fate he feels he cannot escape. The author explores this themes of destiny/fate vs, individual choice/desires, and gender in this highly patriarchal society with depth and nuance.

However, the pacing in the middle of the book was really slow. I personally love political intrigue and machinations in my fantasy novels. And while this is full of it, the politics is never wasn’t shown in detail to the reader. I felt like I wasn’t ever in on the plan and saw machinations after they’ve already happened. I want to be in the room where it happens.

Also, I love action scenes but for a story heavy with war, there were a lot of battles that were glossed over. I needed more intimate action scenes like the bridge and duel scenes. Not this “oh we planned out a strategy. We have X amount of men, they have Y amount of men. The fighting was all around me. In the end, we survived and they retreated.” Like where’s the expression on people’s faces, how are they fighting? I want to feel in the moment and when it came to the political scheming and action, I felt like I was reading observations.

I found myself getting bored for a good portion of the book. I enjoyed the book enough and may continue the series depending on how reviews look, but ultimately I am disappointed that I didn’t love this as much as I expected to.

She Who Became the Sun was the breakout book for me in 2021.

With strokes of literary genius and astute character studies, it is quite a surprise that this Chinese-inspired historical fantasy is Shelly Parker-Chan's debut novel. It's eloquency and elegance flowed throughout the story, even when it was at its lowest points and our characters' most destitude moments.

There are almost 3 acts in this first part of a duology:
- Act 1, with our protagonist defying fate and carving out a destiny of her own making, was the most coherent and appeasable to a general reader. Zhu's antics in the monastery she finds herself in under the guise of her brother's identity proved to be smart and funny as it gave an insight into who she is and the things she can and will do to survive and succeed. It alluded to the bigger things she is destined for.
- Act 2 did take a 180 and it almost felt like I was reading a different book. We got more character perspectives as the world in The Radiant Emperor expanded out of the little monastery, from Ouyang and Essen to Ma. It laid the groundwork of the antagonistic and sympathetic relationships to Zhu, even if it muddled up the plot and slowed the momentum from the first act a bit.
- Act 3 solidified She Who Became the Sun as one of my favourite reads. All the "detours" it felt like the second act was taking paid off when we see how all of the character interactions ultimately served to put Zhu in the spot she finds herself in. It was a very bittersweet moment to see her claim that destiny she manifested yet be torn as to her means of achieving it.

This story could end there but we know it's only the beginning based on the historical figure Zhu is based off. And boy, I can't wait to return to this world that plays with the concepts of fate and destiny, on gender roles and gender-fluidity, and of good versus evil or somewhere-in-between. There is still so much I want to know of it - the evolving relationships especially in the aftermath of that ending, the magic and the ghosts that haunt in a very subtle way in this duology so far, and the ascendancy to greatness as we know, with great power comes great responsibility.

As the Fantasy buyer for a bookstore chain and a POC, it really gives me so much joy seeing this renaissance of fantastical stories and reimaginings from a new wave of diverse voices. These authors are adding a new perspective and dimension to a magical space that we have all conjured up in our minds at some point in our varied lives. I cannot wait to support and be transported to more of these worlds.

The book had a strong start. However, when I reached the 25% mark, the book sort of lost me. It became disjointed and hard to follow. I was able to finish it, and it did pick up towards the end. I found the book to be a disappointment, and it was very difficult to finish.

Holy cow, I really enjoyed that! What a quiet, powerful book. This is a great example of how books can still pack a punch without needing to be all action all the time.

There's really so much to love here. Parker-Chan's writing is beautiful and strong and includes some of the best metaphors I've ever read. There are portions of this book that are unflinchingly harsh, while others are so tender and intimate. The romance is so sweet and precious and honest. The balance the author created is absolutely razor thin and it's a real treat to experience as a reader.

One thing I really treasure about this book is how it deftly explores many topics that evoke reflection in the reader. Everything from gender and our physical manifestations of ourselves, to fate and destiny, to how far humans will push to succeed/overcome. I had a lot of wow moments within these pages in a way that I don't often experience when casually reading fiction.

My only hang-up with this book comes more from my expectations than anything else. I went in expecting something more heavy-handed since it's so strongly marketed as a fantasy novel. Don't get me wrong - some of those elements are absolutely present. I think I just expected them to be more center stage. When those moments did show up, I found myself wanting a bit more from them. I still have a lot of unanswered questions, which I imagine will be addressed in the sequels, but I still wish I'd been given a bit more to help tide me over.

Overall, a great read that I will be sure to revisit in the future. Just go into it expecting heavy on the historical fiction and subtle on the fantasy. Very much looking forward to the sequel.

Finally read this, am absolutely completely obsessed with it and would HIGHLY recommend it. I can not wait to continue on in the series.

I feel bad giving this 1 star. I know a lot of people liked this. I really wanted to love it. I loved the idea and the blurb, but it just didn’t work for me.


FIRST IN A SERIES (maybe just duology). No cliffhanger.

Chunky- 416 pages, like 30% = at-least 4 hours (if you can keep your attention focused).

Hard to get through- beginning was interesting, really good idea. A lot of the middle I feel didn’t need to be there. The end still left a lot open to interpretation (didn’t meet the ultimate end goal). I didn’t know this was going to be a series/ duology when I started.

Lots of different characters- some seemed to be left behind/ you don’t find out what happened to them.

Multiple POV- not very clear when switching between them

ARC that I received did not include a map. With a world like this, especially where they travel all over/ back and forth- I really would have appreciated the map.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Books for this digital ARC.

an amazingly written Asian historical fantasy novel! of course, i adored the sapphic spin on its well-known figure from the past, but truly, the shining stars were the fluid prose and the evident amount of research done to bring this retelling to life.

I actually didn't finish this, but I can see the appeal. The writing style didn't vibe for me - it felt too stereotypically fantasy to me, but I know lots of readers love that. I enjoyed the story and the characters.

DNF - Did not finish. I did not connect with the writing style or plot and will not be finishing this title. Thank you, NetGalley and Publisher for the early copy!

I'm not *not* here for the fisting. Even though I've been struggling with heavy fantasy, this had a lightness to it that guided me through.