[ARC Review] She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
Format: eARC
eARC provided by: Tor Books and Netgalley
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For those of us enamored in our youth by the tension between the soldier Mulan and Shang Li, She Who Became the Sun is an epic journey through Mongol-led China as a young girl prophesied to amount to nothing grows up to be something great.
When she was eight, Zhu lost everything: her father, her brother, and, when it was foretold that she would amount to nothing, she lost her chance at a future. Taking her fate into her own hands, Zhu buries her brother but keeps his name. With survival the only thing on her mind, Zhu disguises herself as her brother and gains admittance to the monastery, studying for ten years under the monks. When the Mongols invade, Zhu is forced to flee to conceal her true identity and wound up claiming a different fate. At the monastery, Zhu became a survivor. But with a sword at her side, Zhu became greatness personified.
There are a lot of reasons to love She Who Became the Sun, and not just because it’s the adult version of Mulan that I’ve been waiting for. First off: the writing. I was instantly pulled into Shelley Parker-Chan’s storytelling. They crafted such an epic, vivid story. The scenes were so easy to paint in my mind, I could see Zhu and Ouyang, life in the monastery and life on the battlefield, as well as if I was watching it on a screen. Parker-Chan crafts details as if they lived through these trials in 14th century China and experienced the battles firsthand. The plot itself is so thoroughly engrossing, yet there’s a lot more to She Who Became the Sun. I definitely need to dedicate part of this review to the characters. I honestly can’t think of another story (that I’ve heard of, at least) that features such sexually dynamic characters. For the most vital parts of her life, Zhu had been masquerading as a boy; her very survival in the monastery depended on it. And it was such a pivotal moment when Zhu realized that she could no longer just pretend to be her long-dead brother - she actually had to mentally think of herself as him. I also loved Ouyang; just on the other side of enemy lines is the eunuch general who is such a fantastic foil for Zhu. The two characters, the two perspectives, wove such an epic tale. I was so anxious for when Zhu and Ouyang would meet face to face, and Parker-Chan did not disappoint. And deeper than their outward struggles, I loved how both Ouyang and Zhu had to spend their formative years struggling with their genderfluidity. Those personal journeys were so poignant, especially set in 14th century China where I 1) don’t see a lot of current fiction being set, and 2) definitely don’t see stories starring genderfluid characters.
She Who Became the Sun is so well done. I cared about the plot and the characters, and both swept me away in a vibrant tale of love, personal hardships, and bravery. This book is perfect for readers who love progressive characters set against an epic backdrop of love and war.
A huge thank you to Tor Books and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of She Who Became the Sun in exchange for an honest review.
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