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A review by lyakimov
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
2.0
I was so bored reading this. The whole book and its plot is made up of politics, was, and battle strategy, but it dragged so hard. I think there was just so much TELLING, but no showing. I blinked and Zhu killed 10,000 men. Like what??? How did that even happen? Battles fly by because they are casually mentioned in passing as if it isn’t a huge piece of the plot that we are glossing over. Why is there so much war strategy and then we see literally nothing of the actual war or anything? It doesn’t really make sense and made the story super slow and disjointed at times.
There were too many POVs, it was confusing being an audiobook listener because I felt like they all had the same inner voice. They felt like all the same person and it was hard to differentiate them sometimes. I would think that the chapter was Ouyang’s but it’s actually Zhu’s, and vice versa. They all blended together and no one seemed particularly unique as a character.
Plus, the character development was lacking. They have development but we don’t really see HOW that development happens, it’s so quick because we gloss over EVERYTHING in this book!!! I didn’t like any character, they all felt so boring and static. Zhu’s character was just ridiculous and I was so annoyed with her the whole book. We keep hearing how she is so intelligent and bold and ruthless and strategic but I barely see any of that in the story. Empathy is like such a shocking concept to her the whole book but she lowkey has empathy but just doesn’t realize it. She always is described to feel “understanding” for all the struggling women that she encounters in the story. That’s empathy, bestie! Plus, I have complicated feelings of Zhu just being able to throw away all the struggles that come with being a woman, especially when it keeps driving in to the fact “Zhu UNDERSTANDS!” when it comes to seeing other women struggle, but….does she??? I’m not going to continue discussing this but it bothered me because I felt like the author kept flip flopping and contradicting herself in how she wanted Zhu to act and how she wanted to develop her gender identity. I do want to add in, that random sex scene made me feel so sick lol. You’re telling me two virgins were up to that? Literally the most unrealistic thing ever for a first time. The whole time I was thinking, no way I just listened to that. It was so random too!
I’ve heard that the author states this book is one about gender identity and less about war but….maybe be clear about that being the main concept because both war and gender identity discussions were pretty weak in the story.
Anyways this book was so boring I can’t believe I even had enough thoughts to write this whole rant. This book was definitely not Mulan-esque to me, and Mulan is my favorite Disney princess. Put some respect on her name, please.
There were too many POVs, it was confusing being an audiobook listener because I felt like they all had the same inner voice. They felt like all the same person and it was hard to differentiate them sometimes. I would think that the chapter was Ouyang’s but it’s actually Zhu’s, and vice versa. They all blended together and no one seemed particularly unique as a character.
Plus, the character development was lacking. They have development but we don’t really see HOW that development happens, it’s so quick because we gloss over EVERYTHING in this book!!! I didn’t like any character, they all felt so boring and static. Zhu’s character was just ridiculous and I was so annoyed with her the whole book. We keep hearing how she is so intelligent and bold and ruthless and strategic but I barely see any of that in the story. Empathy is like such a shocking concept to her the whole book but she lowkey has empathy but just doesn’t realize it. She always is described to feel “understanding” for all the struggling women that she encounters in the story. That’s empathy, bestie! Plus, I have complicated feelings of Zhu just being able to throw away all the struggles that come with being a woman, especially when it keeps driving in to the fact “Zhu UNDERSTANDS!” when it comes to seeing other women struggle, but….does she??? I’m not going to continue discussing this but it bothered me because I felt like the author kept flip flopping and contradicting herself in how she wanted Zhu to act and how she wanted to develop her gender identity. I do want to add in, that random sex scene made me feel so sick lol. You’re telling me two virgins were up to that? Literally the most unrealistic thing ever for a first time. The whole time I was thinking, no way I just listened to that. It was so random too!
I’ve heard that the author states this book is one about gender identity and less about war but….maybe be clear about that being the main concept because both war and gender identity discussions were pretty weak in the story.
Anyways this book was so boring I can’t believe I even had enough thoughts to write this whole rant. This book was definitely not Mulan-esque to me, and Mulan is my favorite Disney princess. Put some respect on her name, please.