Just finished an ARC of this book and it was EVERYTHING and more.

Strong female lead with 2 excellent supporting male characters/love interests.

Strong ending. I can’t wait for the next book in the series! I’ll definitely be reading more!

Gorgeous prose, fantastic mythology and magic, engaging characters, and a great storyline! I definitely recommend!

I liked all the power and revenge Zetian gets. She is a powerful female showing her skills and the lengths she’ll go. While I loved those part, the Sy fi pacific ring parts were not to my tastes. There was a lot of that! Not a bad thing but just not for me.
Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for my #gofted copy

This was such a great book with an amazing, empowering leading character. This feels like the beginning of a villain origin story with touches of feminist ideals. I am excited to read what happens next!

I'm conflicted.

I'll start with what I liked.
My main issue with a lot of fantasy/sci-fi is that it can be veeeeeery long and slow, with lots of exposition. That's why I haven't read that many lately, I don't have much free time to read and when the novel is nearly 500 pages,I can get a bit put off. It wasn't the case with Iron Widow. It was super fast paced, lots of action and conflict. It definitely gets you hooked front start to finish!

I haven't watched Pacific Rim but I'm guessing the Chrysalis and the wasteland description of what is beyond the wall are inspired by it. I really enjoyed the Chrysalis and how they were a vessel for the pilots to fight. The different shapes and classes, the different elements and how they affect the appearance of the mechas.

The highlight of Iron Widow for me is Li Shimin. His character is so complex and interesting. The guilt he carries is so immense, it shows in his actions. He is a broken boy, fighting for survival in a world that would sacrifice him in any way they can.

What I wasn't a fan of.
The severe lack of world-building and the convoluted way we get exposed to tidbits of it, was terrible. I get that since Zetian is in the dark about a lot of stuff and since we follow her pov, we're also left in the dark, but I feel that so much more could have been done to make the worldbuilding richer. The Chrysalis test, what does it consist of, what is the criteria. Everything feels very random, and things are the way they are just because we're told they are, it's frustrating.

The Hunduns are never described in detail, we're told they're rotound and their size but no further description is given, which is disappointing. I would have also liked to have more vivid descriptions of Chrysalis that aren't the Vermillion.

This book would have benefited from flashbacks of some sort. We get told how much Big Sister means to Zetian but we get nothing about why? How close were they? Big Sister is the catalyst and as the reader, I still don't know why. The same happens with Zetian's relationship with Yizhi. It felt like it came out of nowhere. I know we're told it doesn't but I need more because I honestly can't understand why Yizhi loves Zetian, unless he got to meet a very different Zetian than we do.

We know very little about Zetian's family other than "they're horrible people". Again, I think some flashbacks and more details about their life would have made me care more about them and Zetian.
I'm also confused how a family that is supposedly scum of the earth poor (because no one seems to work in that family) decides it's a good idea to break their daughters feet when keeping the feet from infecting would have been expensive. How it is realistic that Zetian got lotus feet and survived even tho she is dirt poor, yet Xiuying, who comes from a farmers family doesn't. They're both poor. One could argue Zetian's family was hoping to sell their daughters but the odds of them surviving the healing process was so low, they would have had to have a bunch of daughters and hope a couple survived to make a buck out of them.

The poly relationship felt unbalanced. It felt like Yizhi and Shimin were there to pander to Zetian's desires and demands. She used them as she wished, gaslit them and bullied them, especially Shimin. In theory it could have worked, if Zetian saw them as equals, which she never did. Also, Zetian's treatment of Shimin when he was clearly suffering because of his addiction was beyond disgusting.

I love morally grey characters but I didn't feel that Zetian accomplished that. She was truly a horrible to other women while supposedly fighting for feminism and against the patriarchal government. She was horrible to the two boys she supposedly loved. I honestly couldn't find one redeeming quality in her yet we're supposed to root for her. If she was meant to be a villain maybe I would have felt different, but it was clearly not the case.

I won't even say anything about the feminism, or lack there of.

Overall, this read was very disappointing. I loved the premise and was so excited to start because of how well loved this book is, but it fell short of my expectations. I do plan on reading the sequel as I want to know what happens to my boy.

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao is an imaginative reimagining of Chinese history that blends sci-fi with feminist themes. The story follows Zetian, a fiercely determined girl who, fueled by vengeance, becomes a pilot in a brutal system that sacrifices young women to empower men in battle. Her rise as the feared "Iron Widow" disrupts a profoundly patriarchal society, and the novel critiques gender roles and societal oppression.

The book tackles gender dynamics head-on. The way women are treated as disposable resources for the war effort is a powerful metaphor for real-world gender inequalities. Zhao doesn't shy away from violence and hard truths, making the stakes real and urgent.

At times, certain elements of the book seemed rushed to me, such as Zetian’s transformation from a rural girl to an almost invincible force. Similarly, I found her polyamorous relationship refreshing for its diversity; however, I felt it lacked development and emotional backing to make it feel completely realistic.

Iron Widow is a fierce and unapologetic debut that will resonate with readers hungry for strong female leads and fresh, daring narratives. It shines in its ambition, though it must fully deliver on the depth and nuance its premise promises. Fans of fast-paced action, social commentary, and rebellious heroines will find a lot to enjoy here, even if some elements leave room for improvement.

Music to enjoy while reading:
Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Lorde
Soft Power - Ladytron
you should see me in a crown - Billie Eilish
A New Society - Meg Myers
Power is Power - SZA & The Weeknd
Femininomenon - Chappell Roan

This book was exactly what you hope it to be. The romance was a compliment to the story and did not outshine the overall message. The insight to female treatment, drawn from history and weaved into the fictional story was done beautifully. Highly recommend this book.

This was such an amazing read. I love stories that weave history and fantasy together. A strong female character that I loved cheering for, and politics that make me want to rage along with her. Definitely going to be a book I recommend and also keep on my reread shelf.

Xiran Jay Zhao is a force. Their work is absolutely stellar and I am in awe of their work. The pacing of this book and the characterization here are phenomenal. A real page-turner that leaves audiences wanting more. I appreciate the ferocity and vulnerability of the characters. I definitely recommend this work to anyone.

A must-read, brilliant story of feminine rage, robotic symbiotic chrysalises, epic battles, social commentary, incredible world building and questions about humanity and its role in evolution, destruction and survival (nature vs science vs humans). I loved every second of this book. If you love a good, thought provoking, message driven, character based novel then you have to read this one immediately.

Thrilling action sequences and intricate world building and the way themes such as gender inequality was handled - all three of them made me love this book.

My favorite part of this book was probably the battles and the Chrysalis themselves. World building felt like it took a backseat sometimes when it came to having the reader connect to the characters. Zetian is definitely a fierce lady. She might come across as brash to some and a total badass to others. I do admit that the "love triangle" came across as a bit insta-crush and a bit too convenient for the overall plot but the romance wasn't a big deal for me anyway. The ending plot twist will definitely give you whiplash though 🤣. On one hand, I feel like we were lead to believe that the Hunduns (basically the bad alien force the main characters/everyone is fighting against) were attacking a tech advanced earth but it turns out *Spoiler* we're not EVEN ON EARTH! But ummm...yeah that's all for my review 🙈

I really wanted to love this one. I tried SO hard, because I’ve seen nothing but enthusiastic reviews of Iron Widow on all platforms praising its feminist outlook, openly poly relationship, imaginative worldbuilding, and badass female main character. Unfortunately, I just didn’t think there was any real depth behind any of this.

One thing that bugged me is the lack of explanation for how Zetian came by her feminist worldview. She was raised in the same society as all of the other women, and yet she is so strong-willed and forward-thinking. All of the other women are either pawns of the system, or weak and inferior to her. This is never explained in the plot, seeing as how any woman in this society could theoretically open their eyes to their poor treatment the same way Zetian did, and yet… they don’t?

I’d be fine with this if the writing at any point indicated that she would learn to sympathize with other people or find some friends who think similarly (they must exist somewhere), but the whole book is very earnestly trying to convince the reader that Zetian’s actions are always justified. She is always right, always the strongest and most powerful, and no matter how many actually innocent people she kills, we are not supposed to care about her lack of morality. We are supposed to think that this representation of insane vengefulness is “morally grey” and progressive. I reject this on the basis that these characters, when well-executed, are supposed to have visible flaws to the reader that they meaningfully engage with within the novel.

The inciting incident of the book is that Zetian is avenging her sister, who was killed by a male pilot. The relationship they had is never described. We learn next to nothing about the sister. The circumstances of her death are similarly avoided. Her quest to discover the cause of the misogyny in her world is really a surface-level descriptor of the plot, because the answer every time is simply “because women are worse.” There is no historical, religious, or political reason for any of this. Despite that, Zetian maintains her quest and her proto-feminist mission lives on, unexplained to the reader.

The worldbuilding is thus a mile wide and an inch deep. The only thing I thought was cool was the mechanisms of the machine suits that the pilots use to fight in the war. There is a mental relationship between them and the material of the Chrysalises which allows them to shape-shift and fight. This was linked with a theoretical perspective on yin and yang, and the elements that form a person’s own energy. I liked learning about the different properties these elements reflected when paired with the special metal that the suits are made of.

I am told, though I have not seen this movie, that these aspects are heavily inspired by Pacific Rim. Fair enough, but I do think they would have brought a cool aspect to the novel had the war been explained in a fuller, more dynamic way. We are told that the planet is at war constantly throughout the book, and yet very little about the rationale behind this is explained until the very end. This lack of explanations and general fleshing out of any plot or character point is a common theme in this book.

It genuinely frustrates me, having finally read it, that this book is given out as the new best thing in feminist literature, especially in YA where better examples abound. This is no Handmaid’s Tale, despite what the blurb says.

While I enjoyed this book for the most part, I wish certain aspects were explained a bit more. With all that said, I will definitely continue with the series and am excited to see where it goes.

Epic. Iron Widow is the historical-inspired, futuristic sci-fi mash-up of my wildest dreams. Iron Widow charges headfirst into a world of giant mechas and uncompromising characters. The brutal beauty of Xiran Jay Zhao's writing kept me glued to the page from start to finish. I was not expecting the story I got at all. I have started not to read blurbs in books and to go into them blind. Sometimes, that works in my favor; other times, it does not. This time, it did, as I was blown away and intrigued by the story I got. There is a sequel coming out, but from what I heard from other book lovers, there is a lot of discourse between author and publisher, and the sequel keeps getting pushed back. I loved the concept of yin and yang pilot seats in a mech, how each one works, and the combination of the qi to make a stronger mech. I was not too thrilled with the love triangle as I am not much of a fan of those, but I can see the necessity of it in this story. The central plot twists toward the novel's end make for a robust and compelling lead to the sequel if we ever get it.

Many thanks to the wonderful Caffeine Book Tours for selecting me for this tour! Thank you to them and to the publisher for the arc.

You can find the tour schedule here.

I have long loved and been fascinated by Wǔ Zétiān. Her ascent to power despite the patriarchal society in which she lived and her rule are stunning to fathom. From the moment I heard about Iron Widow I was so excited to get my hands on the book. This reimagining sounded so true to the spirit of that ascent whilst also taking it in inventive, even ingenius, directions. And this book absolutely did not disappoint any of my absurdly high hopes. From the moment that it was explained how qi powered the Chrysalises I was hooked. And details like Yang Jian and Dugu Qiueluo, the provinces being named for dynasties and the battle being broadcast across Huaxia – a historical name for China – filled me with absolute glee. As a history lover, this book is amazing. And if that at all interests you, I’d really recommend keeping note of names.

It’s been a long time since I’m really thought of China as home but it made me a little homesick for it.

Huaxia is as stunning and fantastic a world as it is cruel and unjust. The sheer spectacle of these giant Chrysalises is beyond words and their transformations a delight. The qi being channeled through the pilots giving their eyes a glow, lighting them up from within. Each battle is thrilling – both with regards to the Chrysalises against the Hundun and to the state of the pilots within. There’s glamour to it. You can see so clearly why the pilots are idolised and adored. But just as much as that’s true, I love that there are constant references to the reality of the world with descriptions like ‘a night wind keens across the Hundun wilds like a dead concubine crying out from beyond.’

This world is amazing and fantastic and it’s so easy to be swept up by the action and the world but this keeps it grounded in the horrors. And in this vein, I also like that it never shies from the torture and agony of Zetian’s disability and Shimin’s addiction and recovery. She’s always leaning on something or being carried if needed and the pain is likewise a constant thrum in the background – Chrysalis piloting excepted, of course. But even then there’s the relief of its absence. I don’t read many books where foot binding takes place but I’m glad that it wasn’t overlooked and downplayed, with Zetian even frustrated by the world stripping her of her ability to do things for herself. Even though it’s not intentionally infantalising. Even though she cares for those doing it to her.

Iron Widow would be a fantastic read and a great time even if it were just the story of a fantastic anti-hero and her ascent. However, it’s more than that. It doesn’t hesitate to delve into deeper topics – the corruption of the military, the weaponisation of its people, the power of the media. When we finally see it, the city is likened to the ‘performed silk shoes that girls wear on their bound, festering feet‘. This is a deeply unjust world and Xiran Jay Zhao doesn’t allow complicity to go unchallenged – not from Gao Qiu and his empire, from the pilots, from to the strategists and sages. Not even from Zetian herself – ‘such is the price we’re paying for survival: allowing this terrible system to use us as bait‘.

And quick side note: not only do we get a perfect encapsulation of the power of media, and most importantly, Gao Enterprises, but we get a name drop that had me howling with glee. Both for the sheer delight of it, and also because it gives texture to the history and present of the world.

Which is not to say it’s a heavy read! I, personally, didn’t find that to be so. There were certainly moments but not overall. There were quips like – “You can’t shoot me; I’m from Central Command!” “You can’t shoot me; I’m rich!” – that I found really funny. I hadn’t expected Sima Yi to be so amusing a character. And that’s not the only instance I’ve been surprised by the characters in Iron Widow. I mentioned above that I was delighted recognising Dugu Qieluo. As she’s Rongdi, a ‘barbarian’, as well as a woman, there are several opinions and view points given about her. From the very first to the very end, Qieluo is always changing in your estimation. And I bring her up because she’s the most obvious and spoiler free character to make this point about. It applies to just about everyone. This book and these characters are so rich with detail and depth.

I was curious how the polyamory would turn out in part because of the focus on Zetian. I’m still not that familiar with the romance genre but usually there’s perspective from both parties. I knew going in that Shimin and Yizhi wouldn’t have as much development there because we don’t have access to their point of views, and also, while there’s nothing wrong with relating more to one partner than another in one aspect – say, piloting a Chrysalis – it’s another way they don’t relate. I liked their progression. It felt natural, and in the end, with Yizhi taking a job working with them, there was also a place in the partnership for him. They were very sweet together. The three of them make for a lovely couple. They’re so supportive and grounding.

But most of all, I love Zetian. I have always loved angry characters, those who rage against unfairness, if not outright injustice. Her rage is justified and you want her to succeed. She’s even admirable for her fight. But anger, no matter how righteous, can obfuscate the nuances of a situation. Even if its evil of the highest order those nuances absolutely still matter but it’s completely understandable how Zetian can lose sight of that. It’s understandable wanting to dismiss them because they don’t justify the evil. But they matter still. I love that she grows. I love when it does matter to her, and I love when she decides that it doesn’t.

Wu Zetian, you are stunning. And this is one of my favourite books of the year.

“Iron Widow” by Xiran Jay Zhao is a sci-fi YA novel with giant mechs in a reimagined China.

Zetian, who lives in a patriarchal society, is a young woman forced to become a concubine pilot. As a female, she has no voice and no rights. She is to follow her dead sister and fight as a paired pilot in a war near the Great Wall in a robot known as a Chrysalis. But Zerian has plans to avenge her sister’s death and a strength of character which will earn her the title of Iron Widow.

I really enjoyed this book, which veers near tropes but not fully into them. Xetian’s story feels like one long anguish filled scream, but that never feels anything but fully authentic. The characters and worldbuilding are solid and I look forward to reading more by this author.

I forgot to leave a review for this, but I really enjoyed it! It's been out for ages, so I won't say much more than I need to for my star rating. <3

"Iron Widow" by Xiran Jay Zhao is a stunning debut that redefines the mecha genre with its blend of Chinese history, science fiction, and feminist themes. The story follows Wu Zetian, a determined young pilot who seeks revenge for her sister's death by piloting a giant mecha called a Chrysalis to fight alien monsters. Zhao's world-building is rich and immersive, and Wu Zetian is a compelling protagonist who defies expectations and challenges gender norms. The novel is action-packed, with thrilling battles and a gripping plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat. "Iron Widow" is a must-read for fans of diverse, feminist science fiction.

This book was one of my most-anticipated reads. With a Chinese take on a concept I love well, Pacific Rim style-mechas, I was so excited to read this book. Here's what I felt the book delivered: (1) a main character that embodied female rage and was unapologetic about it, (2) an interesting world that is unique in its execution and fun in its styling, and (3) a non-traditional polyamorous romance that surprises you. These are things I enjoyed and would love to see more of in books.

However, there is also a lot of parts in this book that disappointed me: (1) the writing style felt out of place, with the usage of anachronistic words like "duh", (2) while I was pleasantly surprised by the romance, the execution itself is a little lackluster as it doesn't feel set up that well, and (3) lack of character development where it concerns the main character, Zetian.

This book was something I really wanted to like, but the parts that disappointed me were too integral to what makes me usually enjoy books. Thank you to Net Galley for providing me this ARC and I wish the author well!