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

adventurous dark inspiring 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

2.5

I thought this book would be better. I don’t enjoy political/military fantasy, which dominated the book, and while I appreciated its exploration of gender, it didn’t hit hard enough for me. The main character’s storyline felt implausible and the dialogue didn’t suit the characters or the setting at times. The story was repetitive, and I don’t think I’ll continue the saga. 
However, surprisingly this wasn’t a DNF. I enjoyed the author’s descriptive writing which could’ve been enhanced with more world building. I liked the character Ouyang and his tragic relationship with Esen. Again, the sapphic themes could’ve been explored more (fair warning, there’s a graphic sex scene towards the end). 
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