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A review by booksborrowed
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-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
3.5
She Who Became the Sun' is the debut novel of author Shelley-Parker Chan. We follow the storylines of two characters: The second daughter of the Zhu family of Zhongli, whom tries to out run her own fate by manifesting the "Greatness" of her brother Zhu Chongaba, and Eunuch General Ouyang, a former slave of the Prince of Henan's biological son Lord Esen-Temur turned into a successful military leader and Esen's trusted companion and confidant.
The novel is filled with details and I found the exposition became cumbersome. I wanted to know what happened to these characters because they have depth and are relatable. The premise of the book was interesting as well. However when I was ready for the big war scene, it really just never came.
The last 5 chapters of this book are the saving grace. Once I got to the last bit, I didn't want to put the book down. The character's archs are definitely not finished and even though I struggled, I will be reading the sequel to find out what happed to them all.
The novel is filled with details and I found the exposition became cumbersome. I wanted to know what happened to these characters because they have depth and are relatable. The premise of the book was interesting as well. However when I was ready for the big war scene, it really just never came.
The last 5 chapters of this book are the saving grace. Once I got to the last bit, I didn't want to put the book down. The character's archs are definitely not finished and even though I struggled, I will be reading the sequel to find out what happed to them all.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Murder, and War
Minor: Child death