She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

War, desire, vengeance, politics - Shelley Parker-Chan has perfectly measured each ingredient of this queer historical epic. 'Evocative and heart-rending, Parker-Chan's debut is a poetic masterpiece about war, love and identity.' - S.

Heartbreaking, stirring, haunting.' - Aliette de Bodard 'A gripping tale of rise to power, fate, betrayals and the bloody beginnings and endings of dynasties. 'Epic, sublime and emotionally devastating, She Who Became the Sun is as brilliant as Circe, and a deft and dazzling triumph.' - Tasha Suri 'Parker-Chan unrolls the painted scroll of her epic tale with the control of a master storyteller, revealing a dazzling new world of fate, war, love and betrayal.' - Zen Cho I've been waiting for a book like this.' - Megan Campisi The exploration of gender and personhood was totally absorbing. 'A thoroughly engrossing read with a fabulous, tragic-trickster protagonist. It will wreck you, and you will be grateful.' - Alix E. 'She Who Became the Sun is epic, tragic, and gorgeous. Publisher: Pan Macmillan ISBN: 9781529043389 Number of pages: 416 Weight: 654 g Dimensions: 241 x 162 x 41 mm MEDIA REVIEWS Zhu was the peasant rebel who expelled the Mongols, unified China under native rule, and became the founding Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan is a re-imagining of the rise to power of Zhu Yuanzhang. This is a glorious tale of love, loss, betrayal and triumph by a powerful new voice. Can Zhu escape what's written in the stars, as rebellion sweeps the land? Or can she claim her brother's greatness - and rise as high as she can dream? So she takes her dead brother's identity and begins her journey. But the girl resolves to overcome her destiny.

And when a bandit raid wipes out their home, the two children must somehow survive. In 1345, China lies restless under harsh Mongol rule. For a family's eighth-born son, there's greatness. In a famine-stricken village on a dusty plain, a seer shows two children their fates. She Who Became the Sun reimagines the rise to power of the Ming Dynasty's founding emperor. Shortlisted for The British Book Awards 2022 Debut Book of the Year