Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Canada, Penguin Teen, and Xiran Jay Zhao for the opportunity to read Iron Widow in exchange for an honest review.

A brief note on the title of my blog: I want to point out that this book does NOT take place in China. Huaxia is the fantasy country in this book, though the reference to the Great Wall and other influences are highly inspired by Chinese history and culture. The story itself never uses the word "China" at all, though the way it is written feels like it could be a future version of what China may have become in this world. Just my perception as a reader and made the experience of this book extremely intriguing. There is also an interesting note from the author at the beginning of the novel highlighting some of the history and inspirations.

Huaxia is the last safe haven behind the Great Wall, protected by those who pilot the Chrysalises, transforming mechs to fight off the Hunduns. The catch? They are piloted by a male and female pair, and usually the woman dies of mental strain. They are set to die as women are seen as lower than men.

When Zetian offers herself to the cause, it is not because she believes in the self-sacrifice. Rather, she seeks revenge against the pilot who killed her sister. She finds herself in the perfect situation to do so, only to find that she is an Iron Widos: someone with enough qi energy and willpower to defeat a man in the ying-yang realm.

Because of her astounding power, she is paired up with Li Shimin, a powerful pilot with massive qi energy. The secret hope is that she possibly won't be able to withstand his power, though it turns out they are an excellent pair. Li Shimin has more to him than Zetian is used to when it comes to men. Women are required to give into the bedding needs of the male pilots, but Li Shimin refuses such terrible treatment of women.

Soon enough, Zetian's childood friend, and the boy that loves her, ends up being one of their battle strategists. The three working together might just have the power to fight off the Hunduns and save Huaxia. In the midst of everything, Zetian finds the sexist secrets in the use of women as sacrifices in the war, and she will do everything in her power to expose those lies to the country.

This is really one of the most unique and interesting young adult novels I have read in quite some time. The lore and reerences are enticing and the characters are intriguing and expertly developed. I love them all, even the ones I hate.  The interactions between Zetian, Li Shimin, and Yizhi is an excellent show of power among those born without, and the different forms of the mechs are just a brilliant idea. It took me a while to wrap my head around the ying-yang realm, but once I figured out what was going on, that too I found to be utter brilliance.

This book is fast-paced and full of action. There were a few parts that felt a bit slow to me, but all-in-all everything was paced well, thought out, and thoroughly enjoyable. An excellent novel that sets up for a second installment. I can't wait!

Iron Widow is billed as Pacific Rim meets The Handmaiden's Tale and that pretty much sums it up. Even if you haven't seen Pacific Rim but more than the previews like myself you can easily pick up the similarities. Same goes for The Handmaiden's Tale comparison.

I'm not sure why but I just wasn't really feeling this book. The pacing, and character development were fine it just wasn't in my preferred genre.

I had to take a break from fantasy for awhile, my head just wasn't in it. Iron Widow was my first foray back into the genre, and it did not disappoint.

The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots that can battle the mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall. It doesn't matter that the girls often die from the mental strain.

"When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it's to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister's death. But she gets her vengeance in a way nobody expected—she kills him through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed. She is labeled an Iron Widow, a much-feared and much-silenced kind of female pilot who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises instead.​

To tame her unnerving yet invaluable mental strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest and most controversial male pilot in Huaxia​. But now that Zetian has had a taste of power, she will not cower so easily. She will miss no opportunity to leverage their combined might and infamy to survive attempt after attempt on her life, until she can figure out exactly why the pilot system works in its misogynist way—and stop more girls from being sacrificed."

Zetian was a bad**s protagonist, fighting against the patriarchy every step of the way. I need more feminist fantasy please!! She did not conform to your stereotypical female standards. The plot was fast paced and engaging. Keeping this short but this was the feminist, polyamorous book of my dreams. Highly recommend!

What initially drove me to this book was the promise of the polyamorous couple. I'm not a big fan of love triangles so when I heard Iron Widow makes this a non-issue, I was excited to see it unfolded. While Zetian relationship with both boys was cool I thought the relationship that develops between the two boys precious.

But besides the romance, I really like that this book made me care about the Mecha element. In Iron Widow, Zetian joins the army for revenge and has to copilot a giant robot which they call Chrysalises. What fascinated me about the piloting system was that qi was used to power it and if the partners were not on the same wavelength things would fail or someone would die. Which makes Zetian a fantastic copilot because she breaks all the rules.

What really made Iron Widow stand out for me was Zetian's characterization. Early on, readers learn that Zetian's hates the patriarchal society she lives because she feels that it has broken women down into husks of their former selves. Zetian's grandmother breaks and binds her feet at an early age so she can marry off and her family live well. And when Zetian's decided to enact her revenge it's all driven from her feelings that girls, in this world, are disposable. So, when Zetian becomes even more ruthless it all comes back from her rooted hatred of the Patriarchal society. And I found myself engrossed in this novel because I wanted to see what Zetian would do next.

Overall, I think Iron widow is a great novel if you're looking for a dark heroine too root for. It's written well and in first person. I also enjoyed that the author describes what the love interests look like multiple times because I'm the kind of readers who needs constant refreshers. I would recommend it to those looking for their next dystopian/sci-fi/romance read.

Iron Widow: 5/5
“Men wants us so badly for our bodies, yet hate us so much for our minds.”

Premise:
Huaxia has followed the same traditions for hundreds of years. In this world, the military is run by boys pairing up with women to pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots that can battle the mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall, but the women often die from the strain.

Zetian offers herself as a pilot only to seek vengeance on her late sister by killing the male pilot responsible for her death. But when she emerges as the only one alive after their psychic link to power the Chrysalis, she realizes everything is about to change. She is labeled an Iron Widow or a female pilot who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises instead of the other way around.

Writing & Plot:
I feel like this is the YA Sci-Fi I've waited for all year. This is on par with Skyward, in my opinion. It is just incredible. It was not what I expected, but so much more. It is filled with female empowerment, knowing your worth, and getting it no matter the cost.

The worldbuilding is top tier, and this book reads like a movie playing in your head. Once you start, it is impossible to stop. This book is for you if you're a fan of nonstop action, similar to Marie Lu. It is action-packed but also filled with blossoming unique romances and more.

“The entitled assholes of the world are sustained by girls who forgive too easily.”

Characters:
DAMN, these characters were good. Zetian herself is so full of badassery! I loved that Zetian never backs down from a challenge; she's more reluctant because she knows her worth and will not work for less than that. She is one of the most potent and badass women protagonists I've ever read.

Then there are the side characters. Holy shit, they're amazing. I wish we got one of their point of view because I just wanted more. Li Shimin and Yizhi are EVERYTHING. This book is the only "true" love triangle where Zeitian has two boyfriends, and those boyfriends are also boyfriends. I loved it. I wanted more I was so here for it.

Conclusion
This book is unique and feels so new, which is difficult to achieve when there are so many books. Be warned, though, I was unwell after finishing it. Anyways, I'm obsessed with this book, and you will be too once you read it.

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao has quickly become one of my new favorite books.

Do you want a book about mind melding , mecha fighting and aliens ? Then this is your book!

Are you on the hunt for positive polyamory In a traditionally published novel. Your hunt has ended !

Have you been hankering for more sci fy and fantasy set in eastern inspired worlds ? This author has delivered !

Amazing characters, Great and world building, and intriguing twists abound leaving me eager for more books by the writer .

This book is a great fit for science fiction and fantasy fans looking for a fierce female main character fighting for her own goals in a world akin to the handmaidens tale .

Iron Widow was so incredibly hyped up that I went into it assuming it couldn't possibly live up to expectations-- I was wrong.
Iron Widow follows Zetian, a woman from a small rural town, who becomes a pilot to avenge her sister's death. When she gets there she discovers she is much stronger than she ever knew, and she rises through the ranks quickly. As punishment for killing the pilot who murdered her sister, the people in charge pair her with Shimin-- The Iron Demon-- who has a reputation far worse than her own.
But Zetian, Shimin, and Zetian's friend and crush Yizhi team together to combat the lethal misogyny at the heart of their society, taking it down from the inside.

Iron Widow is one of the best books I've read in a long time, and I've already recommended it to tons of people.

I am a sucker for a fierce main female character but the amount of rage Zetian exudes gives me life! I love the ‘eff the patriarchy’ mood of this book and can’t believe I took so long to actually read it. I will definitely be telling everyone to read this as I wait for the next book.

I flew this book in a weekend after suffering a nearly month long reading slump. This action-packed SF YA novel is chock-full of high stakes drama and I had an absolute blast reading it. I'm looking forward to the sequel!

This book had everything going for it. Pacific Rim meets Hunger Games with some cool poly rep! The first part of it is solid! But man, the protagonist starts off obnoxious and just becomes progressively worse in every way, and by the end of the book, I basically hated her. Props for a novel approach to the obnoxious YA love triangle trope, but I will not be reading any sequels.

Not for me unfortunately, but I did enjoy a patriarchy-smashing, unabashedly feminist MC. The prose and story felt thin and too convenient, however, and I didn't always understand why things were happening or the motivations.

Zetian is merciless and I am 100% here for it. I did not think I'd be rooting for someone who straight up murders people but here we are. Also the polyamorous relationship was just so much better than reading another love triangle drama. Mechas are not normally my go-to subject matter when selecting a book, but this was about so much more.... loved it!!!

Fantastic story and I enjoyed the character's progression. Looking forward to the next book! I liked how it didn't follow the normal love triangle nonsense. Por que no los dos! <3

I used this review copy to inform my interview with Xiran Jay Zhao on the Fantasy Inn podcast: https://thefantasyinn.com/2021/09/14/e91-xiran-jay-zhao-interview/

5/5⭐ to Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao! Thank you so much to Penguin Teen Canada for an egalley to review! I'm going to keep this rave short & sweet, but the length in no way represents how good I thought this book was. From the first pages, I was absolutely hooked & invested in this story!! I usually have a little movie reel playing in my head as I'm reading, but Iron Widow took this to a WHOLE OTHER LEVEL. I can describe it as comparing the lowest budget grainy film to a Hollywood action blockbuster. We had a cast of characters including our MC Zetian that were so dynamic and alive as a book character can be. Zetian especially was multifaceted, determined, and was the frontwoman to this book's feminist messages. Everything she goes through in this book is pretty crazy, but I loved how she never gave up and just kept pushing. She truly took the reins of her own life with no excuses to her circumstances. In terms of romance, this book didn't disappoint! It was both not the focal point of this fantasy story, but also literally turns the tide of a battle. I liked her equally with each of the two LIs (and them with each other, though there wasn't as much development), especially because they each had such a different relationship with her. More than all of this, what really captured my attention and love for this book was the worldbuilding. It truly was unlike any other YA fantasy I'd read before. In Huaxia, there has been a war going on against these mecha aliens where they've developed these robot animals called Chrysalises to battle them. These Crysalises were such a fascinating technology as they can evolve into higher forms with the spirit & mental drive of the pilots. Also, the fact that the primary pilot has the ability to "use up" the secondary pilot if there is a significant difference in their spirit strength. This detail about the chrysalises also provides a strong base for the book & MC's feminist agenda. The battle scenes were intense, the character interactions were full of really interesting dynamics, and it was just overall so dang good! If you love YA fantasy but are looking for something new & different this is the book for you! Can't wait for the sequel and what this author will write next!!

4/5 Stars

** I received this as an E-ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review, Thank you!**

I have a few mixed feeling with this book. I'll start by saying I really enjoyed the writing and liked what this book had to say. I will also say that this book wasn't really the book for me. There was something about it that I didn't quite vibe with. However, I still see why someone would absolutely love this book. I think this book has promise for other readings for being a 5 star book. I would highly recommend regardless of my personal preference. Like I've stated the writing was good and the book absolutely keeps you interested.

Read if you:
-like giant transforming robots vs. aliens
-enjoy badass female protagonists who take no prisoners
-hate love triangles and think the badass female protagonist can have both her love interests
-appreciate queer, disabled, and poly rep
-are fond of jaw-dropping cliffhangers that make you demand a sequel NOW.

Skip if you:
-hate fun
-don’t enjoy good writing
-are a homophobe or polyphobe
-have boring taste

Five enthusiastic stars.

4.5 stars

In a beautifully written world where women are destined to work below men as concubines, which will quickly lead them to there deaths, Zetian has a mission. And one that I couldn't get enough of. This book was fabulous, from Xiran Jay Zhao's writing to the way the characters were crafted to the lush plot. The only issue I had was the pacing felt a bit weird at times, but overall that was an easy think to ignore with every other amazing component.

Zetian instantly became one of my latest book wives upon reading this book. The murderous, fiery rage in her shouldn't have made me love her, but oh it most certainly did. Not only was her character, deep, well written, and interesting, but she had the strength and drive that I wish more YA female protagonists had. Xiran Jay Zhao wrote this book so I felt like I could trust no one, but I stuck to Zetian the whole time. Of course, this made me weary of characters such as Li Shimin, but the way she fleshed him out was just perfect.

Now I'm not a fan of love triangles, and I wasn't even sure how a romance plot would be able to fit into this book, but oh let me tell you, it worked perfectly. This was the best written love triangle I have ever read, though it did make me hurl my book across the room...

I know my review is a bit late to say "you should pre-order this book," but you should certainly go buy it, or give it a read. I highly recommend <333

It’s not often that I’ll obsess over reading a book the way that I did with Iron Widow. I hated putting it down, and whenever I did, I would itch for the next time I could pick it up again. Have I mentioned I was obsessed? (Also, before I dive more into things, I would also like to say that I’m a big fan of the author, Xiran Jay Zhao, and I follow them everywhere! Okay, that’s it. Back to the book!)

I don’t think there was any point in this book where I was bored. I always wondered what would happen next––Iron Widow was such a page-turner! It was also quite dark in very good ways––mainly that it was eye opening, and also because I gravitate toward darker narratives sometimes.

Some of the subject matter made me question whether Iron Widow made better sense in the young adult category, or the adult category. But I suppose, the word adult is in the young adult category name for a reason (rather than in the past when it was all considered ‘teen’).

I loved the characters, I loved the setting, I loved the plot. Some parts made me laugh, many parts made me fume with anger, some parts made me fan myself (hehe), while others made me sob. Iron Widow was a fantastic read and I’ve been recommending it to everyone ever since I finished reading the last page!

Do you want a true love triangle? A heroine that is absolutely full of rage and doesn’t let her love interest get in the way of it? This is for you. There’s everything from an genuinely interesting story to disability and mental health rep. I couldn’t put it down once I started it.