Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

She Who Became The Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

81 reviews

spootilious's review against another edition

dark reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

 Read: December 17, 2023
 Title: She Who Became The Sun 

Series: The Radiant Emperor #1 

Genre: Fantasy / Historical Fiction / LGBT 

Rating: 3 / 5
 Review: 

I went into this book looking to expand my reading to other cultures and in that aspect I wasn’t disappointed. 

From the beginning this book had an entirely different feel than the fantasy novels I have been used to. There’s such a beautiful cadence to it and the cultural aspects from names and titles to imagery are breath taking. Shelley Parker-Chan is a stunningly talented artist! 

With that being said there were some ups and downs with this book. First and perhaps my biggest complaint is the marketing (which has little to do with the book but) it was pitched as Song of Achilles meets Mulan. If you go into this book with the hope of that kind of story you be SORELY DISAPPOINTED. This is no love story, there are no ‘feel good’ moments. This is pain, sorrow, duty and ambition. There is no sugar or softness. 

That isn’t to say there isn’t a romance, simply that the romance in the book is in the background and has very VERY little to do with the story. 

Now, the thing I loved most about the novel is the exploration of the gender spectrum and the comparison and contrasting roles of the two main characters. I found it intriguing and something I haven’t seen in many books. Being cis I am curious how individuals that identify with these characters feel about their representation. I for one and simply happy to see it in a (for the most part) positive light. 

I also feel that while Parker-Chan’s writing is what had me turning the pages, the plot was inconsistent and left something to be desired. The beginning and the end were certainly a meal but the middle felt like a fasting that lasted far too long. The book became very politically focused and with so many names to characters that weren’t very distinguishable that it all just formed into one incoherent blob I was forced to trudge through. 

Again, that is not to say it was bad, simply that it was a struggle. 

In fact, most of the characters were a bit formless, fading into the background until something important happened and I was forced to try and recall who they were. This also left the feeling of a disconnect with the characters. I never really warmed up to anyone or felt on edge. I don’t think I would have shed a tear if either of the main characters or their loved ones died and for me that it a tragedy when examining how stunningly well written this book is. 

I hold out hope that book 2 will change my mind but regardless I recommend this book for anyone looking for stunning writing, multi-culturalism, beautiful imagery, and LGBT representation. 

 

QUOTES: N/A 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Murder, Vomit, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death of parent, Gore, Child death, War, Animal death, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual content, Confinement, Cursing, Classism, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Suicide

sophiesmallhands's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexism, War, and Violence

Moderate: Classism, Genocide, Grief, Body horror, Colonisation, Gore, Blood, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Ableism, Child death, Slavery, and Sexual content

Minor: Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, and Animal death

auroramw's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

I really enjoyed the first 1/3 of the book - after that it wasn't really for me anymore. I loved the conversations on gender though!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Body horror, and War

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Blood, and Murder

heckin_hello's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, War, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, and Misogyny

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Body horror, and Blood

kristinallard's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Violence, Gore, War, Body horror, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Murder and Child death

duffchan's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I loved the diversity and differing points of view from characters depending on their birth and circumstances. Zhu was an inspiring a character, showing how you can overcome your designated fate by sheer will. The book was overall a bit slow, but worth it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, and Death

o_mcg318's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Blood, Body horror, War, Dysphoria, Murder, Colonisation, and Death

teriodvarkova88's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

forget the whole song of achilles crossover with mulan its more like the poppy war - she will do whaever it takes to get what she wants
there is a little bit of romance tho 

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 zhu and ma have my heart<33

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Child death, Torture, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Blood, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Grief, and War

lonny05's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Body horror, and Misogyny

Moderate: Sexism, War, and Child death

sadiaa's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No

2.75

I listened to this as an audiobook, it was the only way to get through it. I kept picking it up and putting it down, I didn't feel interested by it, the only reason I finished it was because I borrowed it from the library. I felt that the pacing was so slow and that the book could have been shorter, lots of added detail that was slowing my interest. Don't think I'll read the sequel but glad I finally got this off my tbr list.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Violence, Child death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, and War