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betweentheshelves 's review for:

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
4.0
adventurous dark medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

A beautifully crafted re-imagining of ancient China, fully of politics, war, and gender/identity exploration. Part of me does wish I read the physical book instead of listening to it, because at times, I forgot which point of view I was following. Sometimes its easier in those instances to actually see the names on the page (and if there is a map in the physical book, even more helpful!).

But, despite that, I was thoroughly engaged with this story, with the characters, and with the overall politics of the world. It is a richly built fantasy world, with well-rounded characters (even if they aren't always the most likeable). Definitely looking forward to reading the sequel.

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