She Who Became the SunShe Who Became the Sun
What it's about
In 1345, China is ruled by the Mongols, and famine is everywhere. A fortune teller tells a peasant family that their son will be great and their daughter will be nothing. When bandits kill the son, the girl takes his name and his destiny, becoming a monk, then a rebel leader, determined to become great by any means.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Hugo finalist and a Goodreads Choice finalist. It reimagines the rise of the founder of the Ming dynasty, and it's fierce and inventive.
You'll love it if you liked
Babel
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
Wolf HallGood to know
It's violent and deals with gender identity. It's the first of a duology.
By the numbers
- Readers12 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics25 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz26 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #394 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #433 of the 481 new books we rank
- #2557 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Epic
If you like this, read next
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The Devils
A Master of Djinn
The Song of Achilles
The Island of Missing TreesExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is She Who Became the Sun worth reading?
Yes. It was a Hugo finalist and a Goodreads Choice finalist. It ranks #2,557 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 57.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is She Who Became the Sun about?
In 1345, China is ruled by the Mongols, and famine is everywhere. A fortune teller tells a peasant family that their son will be great and their daughter will be nothing. When bandits kill the son, the girl takes his name and his destiny, becoming a monk, then a rebel leader, determined to become great by any means.
How long does it take to read She Who Became the Sun?
About 10 hours (416 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after She Who Became the Sun?
If you liked it, try Babel by R. F. Kuang, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin or Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel.