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A review by cantfindmybookmark
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-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? Yes
4.25
It’s as good as the hype would lead you to believe. First of all, it’s super 𝑺𝑼𝑷𝑬𝑹 queer. Like, honestly the queer rep brought me so much joy. Which brings me to my second point - this book will not bring you much joy. It would be generous to say the MCs are morally gray. They are dark and their motivations are far from benevolent. The choices they make will make you want to throw the book across the room. Despite this, or maybe because of it, you root for them because honestly their motivations are no worse than anyone else’s.
Quick Synopsis: The novel is set in 14th century China, during the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty and the Red Turban Rebellions. In a famine stricken village two siblings are given two very different prophecies for their futures. The boy is destined for greatness. The girl for nothingness. But then the boy, named Zhu Chongba, dies. The girl, struggling just to survive, assumes his identity and his fated greatness.
Meanwhile, Ouyang, a man of Han decent who was castrated and enslaved by the Mongolians as a child, plots his revenge. As an adult he serves as a general beside Esen, the Mongolian prince that he served as a child. And his fate becomes inextricably intertwined with Zhu’s as the two serve under opposing forces: Zhu for the Red Turban Rebellion and Ouyang for the Mongolian Empire.
If you are at all curious about this book, if you like complicated and morally gray characters who make awful choices, if you want a book that explores gender and sexuality in interesting ways, I highly recommend this book.
Quick Synopsis: The novel is set in 14th century China, during the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty and the Red Turban Rebellions. In a famine stricken village two siblings are given two very different prophecies for their futures. The boy is destined for greatness. The girl for nothingness. But then the boy, named Zhu Chongba, dies. The girl, struggling just to survive, assumes his identity and his fated greatness.
Meanwhile, Ouyang, a man of Han decent who was castrated and enslaved by the Mongolians as a child, plots his revenge. As an adult he serves as a general beside Esen, the Mongolian prince that he served as a child. And his fate becomes inextricably intertwined with Zhu’s as the two serve under opposing forces: Zhu for the Red Turban Rebellion and Ouyang for the Mongolian Empire.
If you are at all curious about this book, if you like complicated and morally gray characters who make awful choices, if you want a book that explores gender and sexuality in interesting ways, I highly recommend this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, War, and Ableism