A review by boxcar
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

4.5

Really enjoyed this Mulan-esque narrative! Not to say it's copying anything, just you know, the whole woman having to pretend to be a man to simply survive, and then thriving. All of the settings were unique and interesting, and the slow-burn romance was wonderful. Some fantasy elements, like the physical mandate of heaven and the ghosts. Gender is under a microscope throughout the book, with the eunuch general and the main character. It informs their lives, and the impossibilities of their physical form to their aims and attempted character guide their choices. The politics and conniving higher-ups were interesting, and well fleshed out. It was very gratifying to see Zhu rise from an unwanted daughter, destined to become "nothing" to on top of the world. Gripping and thoroughly self-motivating read.