Fast Forward Today: She Who Became The Sun, 7/20

Hey y’all! In contrast to Throwback Thursday, I like to use Fridays to look forward to an upcoming release that I’m excited about! Today’s is She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan, and it’s actually publishing TODAY. I missed my post about it for Friday, but I’m really so excited about this one that I still wanted to include it! So here’s what to look forward to, and you don’t even have to wait! 😊
Expected Release: today! July 20, 2021

Why wait on this one?

Ancient Asian countries are always a great setting for me. The cultures have been around and developed for so long in China particularly that I feel like it’s just rife with fascinating content and moments in time to explore.
It’s like Twelfth Night by Shakespeare, except probably way more dramatic and definitely not a comedy. The “worthless girl child” ends up slipping into her brother’s place after he dies with the goal of attaining some freedom for herself and the power to actually do something in her life. She IS attempting to hide from fate though, and I’m not sure even a monastery can help with that. We shall see, I suppose?!
Ah, let’s just watch Zhu destroy everything that dares oppose her. I assume she’ll have some great cunning and shockingly rebellious ways (in the eyes of the authorities, I’m sure). To be honest, I’m getting vibes like from Marilia, the Warlord by Morgan Cole, and if that ends up being accurate, I won’t be mad.

Summary

In 1345, China lies under harsh Mongol rule. For the starving peasants of the Central Plains, greatness is something found only in stories. When the Zhu family’s eighth-born son, Zhu Chongba, is given a fate of greatness, everyone is mystified as to how it will come to pass. The fate of nothingness received by the family’s clever and capable second daughter, on the other hand, is only as expected.

When a bandit attack orphans the two children, though, it is Zhu Chongba who succumbs to despair and dies. Desperate to escape her own fated death, the girl uses her brother’s identity to enter a monastery as a young male novice. There, propelled by her burning desire to survive, Zhu learns she is capable of doing whatever it takes, no matter how callous, to stay hidden from her fate.

After her sanctuary is destroyed for supporting the rebellion against Mongol rule, Zhu takes the chance to claim another future altogether: her brother’s abandoned greatness.