ARC TBR Pile Review: She Who Became The Sun, by Shelley Parker-Chan

Blurb

She’ll change the world to survive her fate . . .

In Mongol-occupied imperial China, a peasant girl refuses her fate of an early death. Stealing her dead brother’s identity to survive, she rises from monk to soldier, then to rebel commander. Zhu’s pursuing the destiny her brother somehow failed to attain: greatness. But all the while, she feels Heaven is watching.

Can anyone fool Heaven indefinitely, escaping what’s written in the stars? Or can Zhu claim her own future, burn all the rules and rise as high as she can dream?

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan is a re-imagining of the rise to power of Zhu Yuanzhang. Zhu was the peasant rebel who expelled the Mongols, unified China under native rule, and became the founding Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. 

My Review

So, this is the edition I have, an ARC with a negative of the standard cover. I saw a Twitter post from the author about ARCs and contacted the publishers, who very generously sent a copy. I have also ordered a signed hardback, 1st edition, 1st UK printing from Goldsboro Books. I’m probably going to get the audiobook too. It’s that good.

The character of Zhu starts as a peasant girl with no future. When her father and brother die after their meagre supplies are stolen by bandits, Zhu takes her brother’s clothes and name, hoping to take his destiny in the process, and goes to the monastery her brother had been dedicated to at birth. After a few adventures and ten years, she is forced out of the monastery because it is destroyed by the eunuch general of the Prince of Henan. Zhu makes it her/his/their mission to get revenge and take their greatness in the process. They join the Red Turbans and work their way into power, leading armies and finally discovering who they are. In the process they find a wife, Ma who tries to keep them on a good path through the treacherous world around them.

I wrote a partial review on Instagram the other night/very early yesterday morning. Now that I’ve finished the book (last night) I think it’s time to write a fuller review.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters are interesting and complex, while the descriptions of the landscape and culture are detailed and drew me into the world. The concept of the Mandate of Heaven is reified in this novel, and hinted at throughout as Zhu makes their own realisations about their place in the world. It is only as the novel climaxes that the reader is able to put all the pieces together, as Zhu does. Their understanding of themselves and their destiny, the thing they have been avoiding and chasing all their life is brilliantly played out.

The parallel story of Ouyang, his role in the army of the Prince of Henan and his personal story and quest for revenge is tragic and poignant. His long term plans and politicking in the Mongol Empire is sneakily plotted out, and his actions and self-hate show the complications of trying to fulfil filial duty at the expense of his personal feelings. He hates himself because he can’t be a ‘man ‘ as defined by his culture, but still wants to be a good son.

The meeting of these two characters sets them both on the path to personal realisation and their destinies. One is happy to meet their destiny, the other fears it. I love the contrast. The complex characterisation of the two main characters really gives this story depth and kept me gripped through 411 pages. I stayed up late one night and then went to bed early the next day to read this book, I couldn’t put it down, but I did actually have to do stuff, like eat, work and swim.

This book is gorgeous, tragic, and totally fascinating. highly recommend it for historical fantasy fans.

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Website: http://shelleyparkerchan.com
Twitter: shelleypchan

Shelley Parker-Chan (she/they) is an Asian-Australian former diplomat and international development adviser who spent nearly a decade working on human rights, gender equality and LGBT rights in Southeast Asia. Named after the Romantic poet, she was raised on a steady diet of Greek myths, Arthurian legend and Chinese tales of suffering and tragic romance. Her writing owes more than a little to all three. In 2017 she was awarded an Otherwise (Tiptree) Fellowship for a work of speculative narrative that expands our understanding of gender. Her debut historical fantasy, SHE WHO BECAME THE SUN (The Radiant Emperor #1), was published by Tor (North America) and Mantle (UK/Commonwealth) in July 2021.