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

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative medium-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? No

5.0

Representation: gender queer mc's, sapphic relationship, amputee, closeted gay character, achilles x patroclus type of pining, lesbian woman.  

This book.... left me speechless. Apart from the perfect gender queer rep we got from zhu's character, there's the perfect most adorable sapphic relationship I've ever read. Ma is the cutest and I loved how much zhu was teasing her the whole book. Zhu had such a great personality and their fricken brain was so powerful I'm in awe. They had such nice chemistry too 😭 

Then to elaborate, the achilles x patroclus yearning isn't for them but for another pair of characters, who frustrated the hell out of me but I will forever protect ouyang. He doesn't deserve whatever it is fate has prepared for him (if I'm right abt it) 

Now we all love a good historical fiction book dont we? And then have it sprinkled with fantasy and mythology and a lot of war politics and you get my favourite type of book. This book right here sits on the same table as the poppy war. Its also brutal and graphic and doesn't shy away from the horridness of war or men. 

I highly recommend simply for the representation but you need to know that this book lacked absolutely nothing in terms of a historical war fantasy. Please read it and come yell at me, thank you. 

—
—
Expand filter menu Content Warnings