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eclyan's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
J'ai aimé ce roman mais je trouve toute la recherche autour du genre de Zhu assez esquissée - alors que j'y pensais un développement plus fort-. Au final on se retrouve avec un personnage à la Mulan alors qu'on m'a plutôt vendu un roman avec un personnage queer.
Les intrigues politiques sont intéressantes mais j'ai été perdue par les noms a rallonge. Ne pas hésiter à prendre des notes pour ce roman!! Les deux points de vue sont je trouve difficile a suivre et cela impacte sévèrement le rythme du roman.
Le personnage de Zhu, si je l'ai apprécié au début, je l'ai trouvé vraiment détestable sur la fin. Obsédé par sa quête de grandeur, il deviens effectivement un "véritable homme"... Mais a un prix assez faramineux qui le rend assez imbuvable. Je suis par contre curieuse de lire la suite.
Les intrigues politiques sont intéressantes mais j'ai été perdue par les noms a rallonge. Ne pas hésiter à prendre des notes pour ce roman!! Les deux points de vue sont je trouve difficile a suivre et cela impacte sévèrement le rythme du roman.
Le personnage de Zhu, si je l'ai apprécié au début, je l'ai trouvé vraiment détestable sur la fin. Obsédé par sa quête de grandeur, il deviens effectivement un "véritable homme"... Mais a un prix assez faramineux qui le rend assez imbuvable. Je suis par contre curieuse de lire la suite.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, War, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Violence, Transphobia, Sexual content, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Death of parent
offthecarousel_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I wish I could lead or be in a class studying this book. There's honestly too much to unpack. The descriptive prose is so visceral and creative it made me pause at times. The discussions of gender, especially their emotions & internalized phobias about how their bodies and how others perceive them is extremely well done. I rarely see it done to this level in published YA fantasy.
The way Zhu and Ouyang's arcs seemed like each others' road not taken, and yet each of their fates inevitable, fascinates me. In some cases they mirrored each other and others they were completely opposite. Zhu craved the gender she was perceived as while Ouyang was so repulsed by it he rejected all things feminine.
My only critiques are that the pacing felt a bit fast and loose, and the first switch to the new perspective was a bit jarring after several chapters of just one perspective.
Edit: I forgot! The fantasy element, at least in this first book, was either subtle or underdeveloped, depending on how generouly you want to look at it. I'm curious if that will come in more in the sequel, but if you're hoping for a book with a lot of fantasy, this is not the one.
The way Zhu and Ouyang's arcs seemed like each others' road not taken, and yet each of their fates inevitable, fascinates me. In some cases they mirrored each other and others they were completely opposite. Zhu craved the gender she was perceived as while Ouyang was so repulsed by it he rejected all things feminine.
My only critiques are that the pacing felt a bit fast and loose, and the first switch to the new perspective was a bit jarring after several chapters of just one perspective.
Edit: I forgot! The fantasy element, at least in this first book, was either subtle or underdeveloped, depending on how generouly you want to look at it. I'm curious if that will come in more in the sequel, but if you're hoping for a book with a lot of fantasy, this is not the one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dysphoria, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Body shaming, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, War, Transphobia, Gore, and Misogyny
The fisting (sex) scene took me a bit by surprise I have to say.eelitorr's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
3.5
Perfectly good tale of fate, desire, and our true selves. There were points when it was difficult to follow the plot and keep character straight. Third act lull was harsh. The ending didn't really land imo, but glad to have read a different kind of story. I have the sequel but I'm not sure if I'll pick it up
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Emotional abuse, Dysphoria, Transphobia, and War
sundayfever's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I went back and forth on this book. At times it really engaged me, at other times it bored me. It was easier to love and empathize with Zhu as a main character than Ouyang. A stellar world of historical fiction, with queer romance, very well written. Lots of themes of fate, desire and identity. Maybe details of military campaigns just aren't my thing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Misogyny, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexism
Moderate: Dysphoria, Violence, Death of parent, Sexual content, Child abuse, and Death
Minor: Transphobia and Fire/Fire injury
danielleafsordeh's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
The perfect historical fantasy for a reader like me. Complicated enough plot and character arcs without being overwhelming. Such a beautiful book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and War
Moderate: Transphobia
Minor: Ableism
solskxn's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War, Transphobia, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Child death
abnormal_shadow's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I absolutely love this book I went into it not knowing what I would get not really expecting anything but it was so good. The characters their motivations the way that the story represents their motivation not only physically but mentally and spiritually also is just so amazing I love the format of the book. The way that characters genders and sexual orientations influence the plot and the way that they speak to not only themselves but others is absolutely stunning. in the book The main character adopts the name of her dead brother by proxy also adopting the state that a fortune teller gave him which was greatness and renouncing the Fate that the fortune teller gave her which was nothing . Throughout most of the book the main character struggles coping with the fact that she was not born a man and that the heavens May recognize this and see what she had done and renounce her fate and kill her. I love the after the main character gets her arm cut off she becomes a new person . She is no longer in the mental space of I need to be someone I am not or I will die instead she sees herself as a different person entirely not the little girl that was subsequently buried that day not the dead brother that she stole the life of instead she is something else entirely not a man not a woman . I love that her wife except her as who she is physically but has a hard time accepting the fact that she will have to sacrifice the empathy that the main character loves so much so that she can stay with the main character who is just going on a killing spree. It is challenging and amazing and I love it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Murder, Gore, Transphobia, Blood, Violence, Death, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual content, Misogyny, Alcohol, and Child abuse
Minor: Death of parent, Outing, Child death, and Emotional abuse
qteabeans's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a good read. I both appreciated and struggled with the ongoing emphasis on fate. Sometimes it made the plot feel a bit scripted, as is the nature of fate. But I loved Zhu Chongba coming into her own, claiming her own fate and her own self. I also loved the foil of Zhu Chongba and Ouyang. A book about desire and finding your path in a world that has a destiny planned for you. Amazing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Transphobia, Body shaming, and Sexism
Moderate: Sexual content and War
bashsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Sometimes when I hear a bunch of hype for a book, I find that it makes my expectations so high that I can be nothing but disappointed when I read it. Thankfully, She Who Became the Sun well-earned its praise. I was blown away by how immersed in the time and setting it was, as well as the carefully-considered jumps between character perspectives. All of the characters were undeniably bad people... but they were also so easy to understand and sympathize with. And don't even get me started about all the deliciously complicated gender stuff happening for Zhu and Ouyang. I Love This Book, and I can't wait to read the sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Xenophobia, Ableism, Violence, War, Homophobia, Transphobia, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexism, Classism, Death, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child death, Alcohol, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Child abuse, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Excrement and Vomit
navyredrose's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Vomit, Xenophobia, Torture, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Death of parent, Classism, and Sexual content
Minor: Transphobia and Child death