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A review by queer_bookwyrm
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
3.5 ⭐ CW: violence, death of a parent, death of a child, misogyny, ableism, sexual content, war
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan is book one in The Radiant Emperor duology. This book came highly recommended from bookstagram, but I gotta, I was disappointed. This definitely didn't live up to the hype for me, and it makes me nervous to read the other "sapphic trifecta" books.
We follow Zhu, a girl who loses both her father and brother, and assumes her brother's identity in order to gain the fate he was told: that Zhu Chongba had greatness in his future. With that goal in mind, Zhu becomes a monk, and continues to strive for that greatness she believes is her fate. She eventually becomes embroiled in the fight between the rebels of the Red Turbans and the ruling Mongols, using her cunning.
This story is an exploration of gender identity using the historical lens of the Ming dynasty in the 1300s. Zhu has lived almost all of her life as a man, and only really has to confront that after she becomes married to Ma Xiuying. It's also a story about Zhu's ambition and belief in herself. She is stalwart throughout the book about what she wants, and will do anything to get it. I did appreciate the relationship between Zhu and Ma. Ma discovering she is attracted to Zhu, because she is a woman, and Zhu seeming to be asexual and also having a bit of body dysphoria. We get the sense that Zhu is probably genderqueer.
This was a beautifully written historical fiction book, but it was so slow. I thought it would have more action and be more character focused, but I just wanted it to end sooner than it did. We also follow a whole lot of characters and the transitions were a bit jarring at times. I don't think I'll read the second book.
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan is book one in The Radiant Emperor duology. This book came highly recommended from bookstagram, but I gotta, I was disappointed. This definitely didn't live up to the hype for me, and it makes me nervous to read the other "sapphic trifecta" books.
We follow Zhu, a girl who loses both her father and brother, and assumes her brother's identity in order to gain the fate he was told: that Zhu Chongba had greatness in his future. With that goal in mind, Zhu becomes a monk, and continues to strive for that greatness she believes is her fate. She eventually becomes embroiled in the fight between the rebels of the Red Turbans and the ruling Mongols, using her cunning.
This story is an exploration of gender identity using the historical lens of the Ming dynasty in the 1300s. Zhu has lived almost all of her life as a man, and only really has to confront that after she becomes married to Ma Xiuying. It's also a story about Zhu's ambition and belief in herself. She is stalwart throughout the book about what she wants, and will do anything to get it. I did appreciate the relationship between Zhu and Ma. Ma discovering she is attracted to Zhu, because she is a woman, and Zhu seeming to be asexual and also having a bit of body dysphoria. We get the sense that Zhu is probably genderqueer.
This was a beautifully written historical fiction book, but it was so slow. I thought it would have more action and be more character focused, but I just wanted it to end sooner than it did. We also follow a whole lot of characters and the transitions were a bit jarring at times. I don't think I'll read the second book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence, and War
Moderate: Ableism