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A review by minamouse
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Firstly: I'm not really sure why this novel is advertised/categorized as a fantasy novel, when it reads more like a work of straight up historical fiction. Yes, there are mentions of the Mandate of Heaven, but this is less of a "power" and more of an ancient Chinese ideology. But I think that's why I enjoyed the novel so much. I love a good "grounded" fantasy.
Ironically, I found Zhu Chongba's POV to be one of the more lack luster in the novel. She's interesting and watching her slowly harden over 400+ pages is entertaining. And I love her chemistry with the ever-playful Mai Xiuying, but I think Ouyang might actually be the star of this book. I found myself trying to get through Zhu/Mai's chapters just to get to the juicy angst that is Ouyang's story. Who knew a small angry man with a bizarre love/hate for his best friend and captor would end up being my favorite. Solid 4.75 ⭐ out of 5!
Ironically, I found Zhu Chongba's POV to be one of the more lack luster in the novel. She's interesting and watching her slowly harden over 400+ pages is entertaining. And I love her chemistry with the ever-playful Mai Xiuying, but I think Ouyang might actually be the star of this book. I found myself trying to get through Zhu/Mai's chapters just to get to the juicy angst that is Ouyang's story. Who knew a small angry man with a bizarre love/hate for his best friend and captor would end up being my favorite. Solid 4.75 ⭐ out of 5!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Child death, Death of parent