A review by cheye13
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

adventurous tense fast-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? No

5.0

I think this would make a great book club selection, and I don't think it needs a sequel. There's so much to discuss, both throughout the story and at the end, with some open-ended philosophy questions. I worry that a sequel will cut off further ruminations rather than encourage them or pose new ones.

I also don't think this book was pitched to me correctly. "A fantasy Mulan retelling" is very far from what this actually is. There's very little fantasy (more in the realm of magical realism) and the story is much more in the spirit of intricate political historical fiction. The book itself has a broader scope than just Zhu Chongba's perspective, and I found it riveting.

The nuanced depiction of gender identities as well as cultural identity in a period of colonization was expertly done. The physical proof of the Mandate of Heaven was an excellent choice and offered a significant thought exercise. The various sympathetic perspectives in war time made the story feel full and rounded. An expertly crafted piece of fiction. I plan to read the sequel in hopes that it lives up to its predecessor.
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