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

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.75

Shelley Parker-Chan’s She Who Became the Sun is a masterful work that first builds the deep, desperate desire residing within Zhu Chongba, showcases their resilience and strategy, and critiques the systems that failed them–all in order to lead me into following Zhu and their cause, before wrenching my heart out with its still-beating-heart-wrenching turning point. 

It weaves each character’s story with purpose and highlights how in war, in desperation, in love, there are no absolutes, and that more often, a compromise is necessary to survive. Yet, as brutal as the story gets, there are moments of quiet, accompanied by elegant prose that exude emotion out of its lyricism. 

Overall, She Who Became the Sun is a strong debut and I look forward to the second book of The Radiant Emperor duology.

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