This was my most anticipated book of the year and it did not disappoint. It took me a a few chapters to get into it, but once the story got going I could not put it down. It was amazing and I loved the characters.
Zetian is one of my favorite characters ever.
The whole story was interesting and written in a way that I could not put the book down once it got going.

Iron Widow was a fantastic read. Perfect for anyone who loves strong female main characters. The characters and world building were both fantastic. This is such a rich blend of mythology and science fiction.

Zetian is a fierce female that doesn’t let anything stand in her way to getting what she wants. In this world women are viewed as subservient to men and exist only to serve them. This is why Zetian is viewed as a problem, because she doesn’t want to conform. She wants to make her own way. When the book starts off she has her heart closed off to others, but I loved seeing her grow as the book progressed.

I love the Chrysalises too. Giant robots that can transform into different forms are pretty cool. Plus I like that they each take the shape of a different animal. Kind of reminds me of Power Rangers in a way.

All I can say is that I hope this book has a sequel, because the epilogue gave us an awesome plot twist. I need more of this world, and I need it now. I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting something a little different than your usual YA Fantasy or Sci-fi book.

Thank you so much for allowing me to receive an ARC of this book to review.

Let me start off by saying that this was one of the best books I read in 2021! I could not put it down and I was constantly engaged throughout!

Firstly the plot of this book was very well done! I thought it flowed very well and that the pacing of the book kept me engaged as there was always something happening. The twists in the ending were very well done as I did not see any of them coming! And they genuinely shocked me as they happened. I also really loved the world building of this book, as it not only focused on magical aspects but also the mindset and politics of the people.

Secondly, the characters were also very well done. I loved Zetian's strong resolve and will power! Her motivations were well developed and I loved how even though her motivations changed as the story progressed she still held on to her goal of saving future girls from being concubine pilots. Her blind rage also beautifully acts a character flaw as she sees many things one dimensionally (ie. Li Shemin's lack of care for all the dead concubine pilots), and it is satisfying to see her thought process change as she gains more perspective and stops viewing the world through a black and white lens. I really liked Li Shemin as well, and loved how alcohol abuse and withdrawal was portrayed in such a raw way. I also liked that his "crime" was defending a girl who was being assaulted. Which helps show that even though he's part of the reason so many girls are dying, he still himself has strong morals. Lastly, I LOVED Yizhi! He was my favourite character because he was too supportive and had both Zetian and Li Shemin's back throughout the novel! He is the glue that hold the relationship together in my opinion.

Lastly, I loved that this book explored a polyamorous relationship rather than the overdone love triangle. It brought a freshness to this book, and I really liked how the relationship between the 3 MCs grew and become strong. It is important to have representation of all kind in books and this is the first book I read where a polyamorous relationship is being portrayed in a positive light. So I am happy that teens will have a chance to read about a good polyamorous relationship through this novel.

My only criticism of this book is that the magic system isn't explained very well. Ie. there are different types of chrysalises and handguns and one can be more than one type and weak to another etc. I wished there was a section in the end of the book to explain each class, type and strength & weakness for Chrysalises and Hunduns.

Overall I would give this book 5/5 stars as I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!

I've uploaded a review to my instagram page, and will be posting a review on good reads as well as on TikTok shortly!

Wow!
Teenager, Wu Zetian, is mourning her sister and bristling against the constraints and expectations of proper behavior for girls. Over the course of a few months, she learns to wield the weapons of a terrifying war, weapons that only boys can control, or so everyone is told. She fights for the salvation of the young girls who are sacrificed to make the weapons work. And she learns to use a misogynistic society against itself.
Through a series of unexpected twists, Wu Zetian learns resilience, and to recognize that things (or people) are not always what they seem.

This book completely blew me away. It is full of strong, fully realized three dimensional characters whose problems make you root for them and whose strength allows the reader to connect with them. The world is vibrant, and complicated, full of real-world politics that frustrate you and make you cheer every triumph of the main character.

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!!