Audacity Book Club: April Read

By Celeste Daniels

TW: War, death

Hello, audacious readers!

Spring is officially here but flowers aren’t the only thing that grows as the heat continues to rise. Last month, we’re exploring the bond between truth and mercy in Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head by Warsan Shire. This month, we’re exploring the story of someone who refuses to let someone else define their destiny in She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan.

In 1345 Mongol-ruled China, a girl from a starving village has been told she will mean nothing while her brother, Zhu Chongba, holds a fate of greatness. However, when bandits attack the village, she is the only one to survive. Desperate to stay alive, she takes her brother’s identity to escape to a monetary.

Over the years, Zhu grows and learns, wielding the same cleverness that kept her alive as a child into her adolescence and adult years. More importantly, she learns about the freedom boys have, the possibilities of their future endless compared to girls. This opens her mind up to wondering what more she can accomplish with her brother’s name.

Reality shifts overnight when the monastery is attacked for supporting the rebellion against Mongol rule. Thrust into war, Zhu realizes that she can rise even higher as she becomes involved in the fight. Soon, she learnd she is capable of doing whatever is necessary to thrive, no matter how cruel, as her need for survival morphs into a deep-seeded desire for greatness. After all, she defied the odds so far. Why shouldn’t she defy destiny too?

Epic and audacious, She Who Became the Sun is a war story for the ages. This book is available online, at your local bookstore, on Bookshop.org as well as your local library. Remember to check out the book club merch and, as always, make sure to read audaciously!

Audacity Magazine & Events is an affiliate partner of Bookshop.org. If you click the link and make a purchase, we receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. All books are selections of the Audacity Book Club curator.