If I were to describe "Iron Widow" in a few words, they would be, "perfectly imperfect". On the one hand, I drank this book up, reading it quickly once I sat down and gave it a chance. As I'm wont to do with books I find engaging, I did find myself skimming some sections to get to the resolution of the conflict. But there were so many aspects of this that SHOULDN'T have worked for me. But somehow...it still did!

With most YA, I am on here complaining about how slow the plot develops, with expositions that seem to span hundreds of pages. But "Iron Widow" drops the reader right in and resolves the inciting incident rather quickly, morphing it into a larger conflict in record time. Further into the book, I found a similar pace, with almost every issue or problem being resolved in mere pages. So for once, a faster pace DIDN'T work for me in many places. But there were definitely scenes I appreciated not having to read (e.g. anything decided by a council). That all said, I would have been upset had Zhao omitted anything from book one, saving it instead for book two in order to just describe a slow, tedious process for the sake of immersion or something.

My only other qualm that I normally don't have with YA fantasy/sci-fi was the dialogue. Because of the faster pace, as I mentioned before, I found myself speed reading a bit. Usually that means I speed through descriptions of setting or character to read the dialogue (and key scenes of course!). And usually the dialogue is enough to capture the characters' voices and seem authentic and engaging. There were scenes where the dialogue was fantastically written, but much of it was clunky and awkward in my opinion.

Despite feeling a bit less enthused about the writing style of this one, I still gave it a good rating because what makes this book good is the story. It has a lot of potential to turn into something epic in future books, and I kept thinking about these characters and their world for days after I put it down. I can nitpick and unpack why this book wasn't a "perfect" read, but nevertheless, it was thoroughly enjoyable, and I will reread to finish up the series!

Xiran Jay Zhao blends elements from Pacific Rim, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Chinese history to give Iron Widow the most compelling and engaging read.

Strong Foundation
The fact that Iron Widow is inspired by China’s only female emperor, Wu Zetian, is incredible. Now, Iron Widow is not historical fiction but instead blends history and futurism to make the story work.

There are practices in this novel, such as foot-binding that do not take place much, if at all, nowadays. Furthermore, I think it was powerful of Zhao to bring this bit of history to light because it does highlight the rampant sexism and misogyny going on in the novel.

There is no balance in power in this novel; the women are supposed to be subservient to the men. Ying and Yang, Zetian knows this but does not like it. Being a concubine-pilot costs Zetian her sister’s life, and Zetian is determined to figure out why the balance tipped so much in favor of men. Women are constantly asked to sacrifice themselves daily in giant robots to help the men win battles.

However, Zetian refuses to be fodder. Using a historically influential figure gives the story its richness and strong feminist edge to draw in the reader.

Excellent
Iron Widow is, without a doubt, engaging. Zetian is a compelling character with her resilience. She is constantly standing up to her family and against the sexism that has built their society from the beginning.

Zetian resents her family, first for crushing her feet to practice foot binding and then sacrificing her sister and herself as concubines for money.

Her entire journey begins as revenge, but her strength motivates her to do more, to be a weapon against a society that would keep women subservient and beaten down.

What I also loved alongside Zetian’s journey was the romance and friendship that blossoms between the characters. The polyamorous relationship gives the dynamics such an excellent stage for them to develop.

There is such an insurmountable amount of respect between these characters, making them a team you want to root for.

These are unforgettable characters who love one another and respect one another, keeping up the flow and momentum of the story. That is what makes them so incredible.

Final Thoughts
Iron Widow is a remarkable novel. Utilizing a strong female character with roots in history while layering in futurism allows the plot to tackle misogyny and sexism in a compelling and forthright way.

I actually started writing notes at a quarter of the way through the book. It was intense reading (and I had no idea it was 400 pages, it flew by fast!) But I still loved it. I did have my issues with the book, but it thankfully came with trigger warnings listed at the front! (I wish more authors would do this!)

Trigger Warnings: misogyny and femicide, rape mentioned, physical and emotional abuse, suicidal ideation, alcoholism, blood and gore, murder, torture, torture of a child

This is not a book for the faint hearted or those easily offended.

Wu Zitan is a girl fixing to go off to war for her family, as she has no desire to be married. She also doesn’t want to die but it’s common knowledge that girls don’t live long upon serving the men in the army. Wu Zitan is only going so that she can get vengeance for her Big Sister who was killed recently. (Unsure if this is a SPOILER) she succeeds… and falls into worse trouble.

I loved Wu Zitan’s character. She was strong willed despite shit after shit flung at her, and she still triumphed against all odds though that cliffhanger was definitely not what I saw coming. I had suspicions for something else entirely but it’s nice to be surprised. I liked that there wasn’t a love triangle. I won’t say anything because I don’t want too many spoilers. But I’m happy for how the relationship turned out. The books cliffhanger is still frustrating and I need the second book. I can’t begin to rate this highly enough but I believe it’s earned it’s rating!

My Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of the book. I definitely look forward to the sequel!

Thank you Penguin Teen, Netgalley, and Ziran Jay Zhao for sending me an eARC of Iron Widow to read and give an honest review.

"Be their nightmare."

Content Warnings:
- Violence and Abuse
- Torture
- Suicide Ideation
- Discussion & references to sexual assault (though no on-page depictions)
- Alcohol addiction

The girls of Huaxia dream of being a One True Match to a Chrysalis (giant transforming robots powered by qi that battle Hunduns, mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall) pilot so they can be elevated in life and serve their country. Most often though, these females are just concubines and can't handle the mental strain; they die.
When 18-year-old, headstrong Zetian offers herself up as one of these concubines, it's to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister's death. But she kills him through the psychic link between pilots and their concubines, which no one expected, and emerges from the cockpit unscathed. She is then called the "Iron Widow," a feared and silenced kind of pilot simply for being female - she has more strength than the male and therefore kills THEM instead of herself.
To tame her unnerving yet high mental strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, a murderer, but also the strongest pilot out on the field in Huaxia. But now that Zetian knows what real power feels like, controlling a Chrysalis on her own, she will not give it up so easily. She misses no opportunities to leverage their valuableness and infamy to survive. At least, until she figures out exactly why there is unfairness towards females in their society AND can stop more girls from being sacrificed.

First of all, the characters were well-written. I loved Zetian's fire, though sometimes I thought it was a bit much and that her emotions clouded her judgment. I didn't see much character development in her - even in the beginning, she was headstrong and fiery. I didn't really feel that the other characters had much personality besides going through some trauma or being kind like Shimin and Yizhi.
Secondly, the plot was fantastic. There was a lot of action and the pacing was on point. I think the polygamous relationship was an interesting touch as I've only read one book with that once before (Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare).
Thirdly, the worldbuilding was okay. I think there was just a LOT of it in Iron Widow. In the beginning, I almost stopped reading immediately because the words didn't make any sense to me (it was a bit of an info dump with "Chrysalis", "Hunduns", etc.). The world felt very dystopian to me, but I don't think it's on Earth, so I'm not sure if it would be dystopian then. There is a lot of extra technology, so if you like sci-fi books, this is a great new release for you.
The second half was my favorite part with all of the action and the subplots. I also enjoyed the ending - it was definitely mind-blowing, although I didn't like that Zetian became "Queen". She seemed a bit crazy at the end and more totalitarian than before. I look forward to reading the sequel!

Well, I genuinely wanted to like this book but it wasn't for me.
Aside it from being a classic chosen one trope where this one girl more powerful than all other girls who are discarded because they're not important enough and it's supposed to be this big feminist move. The book is more tell then show. There is no explanation for anything. One moment Zetian is trying to avenge her sister and the next moment she is somehow mentally stronger than everyone else.

The aliens and humans are on war or something it is never explained why, the universe isn't explained nor is their system. Word building doesn't exist. The characters aren't really strong enough, they just get monologues that explain their motivations otherwise we barely know anything about them. For a book that was promoted as a feminist story there are barely any actual conversations about how and why women are treated the way they are nor are there any other female characters the ones that happen to appear were just there to be jealous of Zetian but hey, Zetian has a witty feminist dialogue for every sexist comment so that's enough.

The romance sadly was not for me. It was very insta love something I'm not a big fan of. I don't thinknI would be reading the sequal because I don't care enough about any character or the plot.

Thank you netgalley for providing me with an arc of this book.

In a world where girls are disposable, living and dying for the convenience of men in the home, the boudoir, in the building of empires, one girl defies the ages-old custom, determined to avenge her sister’s death even if she dies too.

This book is MANGA in novel, rather than graphic novel, form, and thus a tale of blended spirit and mech tech, of young men with tortured psyches and young women who can reach them when nobody else can. There are plenty of exciting, easy-to-visualize battle sequences. But when our young heroine, Zetian, is paired with the most violent pilot in the Imperial Army, all her unprecedented spirit power may not be enough to save her.

The story is fast paced and very readable, with gentleness and friendships as well as brutal training and individual striving against obstacles that seem insurmountable. While its roots are firmly in MANGA, the novel form allows a depth of insight into the main character and her society that would be lacking in a graphic novel. Zetian is both engaging and repelling; we want her to succeed even when we don’t approve of her methods. The male characters are less developed, serving (unusually) as tools for her instead of her for them. In that sense it’s a subverting book, determinedly flipping the accepted social order on its head even while Zetian maintains a public façade of meekness.

The tale’s Chinese cultural roots are deep and wide, from the ancient custom of binding girls’ feet to the newest ways that media empires shape public perceptions in support of state objectives. Embedded racism in this post-disaster society serves both individual and Imperial aims as all lower-designated (refugee) racial groups are weak separately, their mutual antipathy fostered to keep them from making common cause against the dominant elite.

A worthy read that doesn’t hesitate to burn down the patriarchy both individually & collectively.

Content warning: physical & psychological violence.

Everyone needs to read this book! I loved the characters and references to history and it just made me incredibly happy!

3.5*

Well, this was a ride and a half. Looking for a brutal, vengeance, take down the men and all patriarchy feminist perfection, with the best part a true love triangle in all its poly shipping glory; then Iron Widow 100% wins in all.

Zetian is pretty rash. Doesn't hold back with her thoughts. Which is both a pro and a con. But 100% works with her character. She's out for revenge and man does she get it and more. She's fun to read from but also somewhat frustrating because you want to stop and think before. Just sometimes. This is where her BF's come in. Yizhi is a childhood friend, rich, and adores her. Li is tragic and a cinnamon roll.

What really held me back, ultimately, was I couldn't grasp the world and what the hell the sci-fi elements, the Chrysalises were. They're like robots and it all ties into like their being and some sort of like level of their "magic type soul power". It was really confusing and IMO lacked a lot of proper description. I was really into the book to start with. Quickly got through 100 pages. The vengeance dripping off the page got into my head and was like YES KILL EVERYONE. DIE MEN DIE. Then I was like wait, what in the hell is actually happening here. Who are they fighting? Why are they fighting? What the hell is a Chrysalises? And well all those questions remained questions. I'm really hoping a reread will help me figure this shit out. Because that ending was a perfect way to make me need the sequel.

This book has everything you would want from a fantasy mecha adventure. The author describes it as power rangers meets Pacific Rim and that description fits like a glove. The way the main character uses her enemies to get what she wants is extremely satisfying. You won’t regret picking up this book. Don’t wait.

Thank you so much @NetGalley and @penguinteen for gifting me a copy of Iron Widow.

🤖 Mini Review 👾
Wow, just wow, there is a lot to digest in this book.

I have been super excited about reading this book for a while now. This story is different than anything I’ve ever read. It took me some time to get into, mostly because I was still trying to figure out the world and how everything worked, but once I did I was hooked. I ended up buying the audiobook yesterday so I could finish it and thought the narrator did a superb job.

-Reasons why I liked Iron Widow-
👾Asian author & Asian representation
👾Characters inspired by historical figures across Chinese history
👾Unique story and characters
👾Intriguing plot
👾Fantasy/scifi

I gave this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 If you liked The Handmaid’s tale and Pacific Rim I def recommend it!

Yooooo. I love any book with an unapologetically, righteously angry female lead and this one did not disappoint! Also, Zetian is a disabled heroine who kicks ass! I don't think I've ever read a book with such positive disability rep, which is partly on me but, let's face it, mostly on publishing. Add to that the Asian aspect and I was already hugely predisposed to loving this, even before I laughed and cried and empathized my way through reading this terrific speculative fiction novel.

Wu Zetian is a frontier girl on a mission. After her beloved older sister dies at the hands of Yang Guang, a male ace mecha pilot, Zetian decides to enlist so she can assassinate her sister's killer. She knows that doing this not only condemns the rest of her family but also forsakes the guy she's been secretly seeing for the past three years, rich city boy Gao Yizhi. But vengeance is more important to her than anything, even love.

It's something of a surprise to arrive at training and discover that her spirit pressure, the ability that allows people to pilot and transform the mechas, is high enough to immediately qualify her to partner with Yang Guang. But it's only her iron will and murderous intent that allow her to climb out of their mecha later alive, the sole survivor of a process that usually takes the lives of the female concubine-pilot while leaving the male pilots unscathed.

At first, the army is scandalized, especially since Zetian staged her survival as a triumph, entirely out of keeping with the docility expected of women in Huaxian society. When she refuses to back down, they partner her with Li Shimin, the most powerful pilot in the army but also a boy with a reputation as a savage patricide. Zetian is fully ready to kill him too if she has to, but discovers a surprising kinship between them. As the pair slowly bond over the abuse they've each suffered, they begin to fight back against the suffocating restrictions and expectations placed on them both, in the process uncovering fearful truths about the world they live in.

This book is so fast-paced and so filled with twists and turns that I only figured out something that should have been glaringly obvious to me from the beginning at about the 80% mark! I mean, Xiran Jay Zhao audaciously gives the game away from the very start, in one of the slyest acts of misdirection I've ever seen. The world-building is incredibly smart, and the characterizations, particularly of Zetian, deeply felt. I totally empathized with Zetian's teenage desire to burn the world down, and appreciated how intrepidly she evaluated the costs and made her choices. Her difficult relationships with almost everyone -- while still acknowledging that the lessons they were teaching her were all valuable -- was an intelligent if possibly unpopular authorial choice. I felt it was in keeping with the amount of anger and bitterness that not only Zetian but also so many of the people surrounding her were using as they fought for their physical survival, never mind the psychological will to self-determination that was constantly under threat by a milieu that promoted conformity in a way that trampled on women especially.

And hello, wow, did I love the inversion of a love triangle into a polyamorous throuple! There were certain parts where it did feel like the romances were fast-forwarded, but given the physical and mental bonds the trio built and the pressures they were under, I'm not surprised that they all fell in love so quickly. I was absolutely crushed by what Shimin did in the final battle, and I'm completely on tenterhooks to see what happens next!

I really hope Zetian holds onto her righteous fury in the next book, and doesn't have it stupidly doused or diminished as in one of my <a href="https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2019/01/16/kingdom-of-the-blazing-phoenix-rise-of-the-empress-2-by-julie-c-dao/">most disappointing sequels</a> of the past few years. But I have faith in Ms Zhao's ability to hone in on the morally correct while challenging the corrupt, hypocritical systems that view certain people as "lesser" and thus expendable in the pursuit of maintaining society. There were so many excellent little lessons in Iron Widow on the value of rage and empathy both. It was SO GOOD and I can't wait for more!

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao was published September 21 2021 by Penguin Teen and is available from all good booksellers, including <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/15382/9780735269934">Bookshop!</a>

Inspired by the story of Empress Wu, Iron Widow spins a sharp, angry scifi novel around Zeitan, who starts as a mistreated girl out for revenge and ends as a woman ready to take on the gods. Magical mecha armor requires two pilots - a boy and a girl. When Zeitan's older sister is murdered by her copilot, Zeitan enlists in order to kill the boy. Her success shocks the nation and threatens to expose the horrible cruelty and misogyny underpinning the piloting system. Sent to certain death, Zeitan becomes known as the Iron Widow when she survives. Has Hunger Games vibes, including the obligatory romance plot - but this one is wonderfully unconventional, and a twist I will be happy to geek out about when you've read it!

Where should I begin?
Perhaps from the fact that I'd been waiting for this book for about a year? Ever since I watched her cultural analysis on the Disney movie Mulan and I took notes? (I hope being a Chinese language alum justifies my ultra-nerdiness)
I don't claim to know the sci-fi genre or any of its elements. Even right now that I got all the details in the book, I'd have to look at the blurb to name "mecha" and all that. Which I guess should be enough to let u know that you don't need to be a sci-fi or anime nerd to get this. All you need is the love of historical figures and ancient culture... Or perhaps the burning rage of being a femme should be enough. After all - as I learnt while researching for my own wip which takes place in a different geographical location- the only thing we can say for sure that humanity has gained through millenias is technology. In some other terms, "worse" is an understatement how we have turned out.
***
Iron Widow is a dystopian, futuristic retelling of the life of China's only empress, Wu ZeTian.
In her world, humans are fighting to liberate their kingdom and lost lands from the alien Hunduns, using the technology the gods have given them. How do they supply the energy for these huge machines they have to pilot? you might ask. By using a female companion for each pilot so he could suck her life qi out of her... For the greater good.
One of these co-pilot concubines happens to be ZeTian's older sister. Sold out to the army by her very parents. ZeTian has a chance to marry a nobleman she's been secretly meeting for rather a long while. But she gives everything up for the chance to be conscripted by the same pilot who murdered her sister in one of his missions.
For revenge.
***
I had become a bit fearful that the hype could come to my disappointment in the end - specially since it's the author's debut work- but nope! I mostly don't say such thing after reading someone's only one work but I'm already hooked to the degree that I could probably read Xiran's shopping list😂
Apart from the writing and the plot in general, I was also worried how the enraged feminism of the book would turn out. Because this exact year I read a book inspired by east Asian culture which all over the story, the character would start these "let's talk about feminism for the sake of having talked about feminism" conversations out of nowhere!
I'd say there was one tiny phaze that I felt the inner conversation regarding gender would have felt better if done with more subtlety. But the majority of it was rad.🔥
I cannot wait for the second installment... Or literally anything the author writes.

Wow.

This book is fantastic.

It is a sci-fi reimagining of China’s first female emperor’s rise to power. This book is fast paced and pulled me in right away. I literally couldn’t put the book down after I started it (I might have stayed up very late one night finishing this).

While reading the book, I did find myself wishing that it was longer. The book definitely flows well and hits all the points that it needs to, But I would have welcomed another 200 pgs devoted to just worldbuilding and character development.

I wasn’t very familiar with Empress Wu Zetian prior to reading this books, but I did do a bit of research after I finished and I’ve enjoyed reading more about the women who inspired this book. I love when fictional book make me want to go and research various topics that come up in the text. That’s is actually one of my favorite things about reading.

Overall, I would defiantly recommend this book and I am so excited for the sequel!!!!

Thank to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a eARC in exchange for a review!

From an objective standpoint, this is a very good book. The world is incredibly well-crafted, and the themes are sure to resonate with a lot of readers. There's a lot of angry feminism, a lot of very cathartic scenes where women stand up to men. I would recommend it to people who were really big fans of the dystopian YA genre back in the early 2010s, but who are looking for something that skews a little bit older.

With that said, I didn't personally enjoy Iron Widow as much as I thought I would. While I appreciated the action scenes and the worldbuilding, I did not feel like enough care was put into developing the characters and their relationships. Because I didn't care about the characters, I found myself a lot less invested in the plot. And that's a shame, because I can tell that a lot went into this book! I really wanted to love it! Also, this is my own fault, but I was mislead by the fact that this book was tagged LGBT - after seeing that and reading the summary, I wrongly assumed that there would be a sapphic romance, and went in expecting that. I was disappointed. But again, that's on me for going in with the wrong expectations.

Overall, I think this is a very good book, but it just wasn't for me. I tend to prefer books that are more character-driven, and this one just didn't have enough interesting characters for me to really be invested.

*eARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I also plan on purchasing a finished copy from Illumicrate.*

This. Book. Is. Amazing. The story starts in Zetian's hometown, where she has a plan to become a pilot's concubine in order to avenger her sister's death. In this world, pilots fight in transforming robots against mecha aliens that attack their land. But a male pilot isn't strong enough to power the robot on his own. Female concubines are strapped in the robot too, providing the pilot with their mental energy, which often leads to the woman's death. This was the fate of Zetian's sister, and she volunteers in order to kill the pilot that murdered her sister.

She does kill him, in a fierce battle of wills that earns her the title of "Iron Widow" and sentences her to serve the Iron Demon, Li Shimin. Coupled with Shimin and her childhood friend (oh yeah, this book is polyamorous and queer), Zetian fights to uncover the truth about the pilot system to prevent the needless deaths of the female concubines.

One criticism I had about this book was how easily like goes for Zetian. Despite being a woman, a murderer, and a prisoner, she gains allies and power very quickly, though we don't really get to see those relationships develop. And while I do love a woman who gets her way (Aelin [Throne of Glass], Nina [The Court of Miracles]). some parts of Zetian's story just seem unbelievable.

Regardless, it remains an amazing story, and I am very excited for the sequel. Did I mention the cliffhanger ending? Book 2 cannot come out soon enough.

5 stars.

One of my most hyped releases of the year is Iron Widow by the absolutely flawless Xiran Jay Zhou. After bothering Penguin for several weeks (I love you, Penguin~) I was able to get my hands on a beautiful physical copy of the ARC. Now, believe me when I tell you that you are not ready for Iron Widow.

In a world overrun by large parasitic creatures called Hunduns, Zetian has lost her big sister to the military and her death has only brought pain to her and her family, resulting in increasingly horrible treatment towards her. Making the decision to enact her revenge on the pilot who murdered her sister, Zetian signs herself off to the same fate as a concubine used as fodder to pilot the Chyralises against the Hunduns. What Zetian doesn’t know is that her abilities far outweigh that of what the Sages of the army have told her.

I can honestly say that this book was perfection from start to finish.

Iron Widow is a permission slip for people to be angry, to be unforgiving, and to say “No, fuck you.” As Zetian is used and belittled and controlled over and over again, she begins to learn that the only person who can shame her is herself. The only person who can tell her what to do is herself. She is absolutely a badass to look up to as she refuses to be anything other than her powerful self and will subdue anyone who gets in her way. Her rage is so raw and visceral that it made my blood sing especially considering the reasons she is mad. The injustice is rampantin this book and I have never seen a lead in a YA novel – or potentially any novel really – who seeks to change the world as much as Zetian does.

Meanwhile, this book also has one of the greatest romance subplots I have ever read in my life. Bad ass bad boy with a sunshine heart? Check. Wholesome sunshine study boy who is ruthless on in the inside? Check. A female lead that doesn’t want to need to choose between the two and instead and truly wholesome and functioning polycule forms? CHECK! Iron Widowis one again the first example I’ve read of a truly healthy relationship in YA and it’s actually between three people!

So I truly want to say thank you to Xiran. Thank you for this beautiful book that is a permission slip to be angry. A permission slip to take your life by the goddamn horns and take what is yours. To love how you want to and be who you are. Thank you for giving the reminder that we don’t owe forgiveness or compassion to those who have genuinely abused us and that found family is no less legitimate than blood relatives.

Thank you for this incredible book that is going to mean so much to so many people who have been put down and stuffed into boxes of expectations. For fans of Pacific Rim and Darling in the FRAXXwith the feminist anger of Handmaid’s Tale, please pick it up when it hit shelves.

TRIGGER WARNING NOTE: Please be aware that this book does contain instances of foot binding, abuse, sexual harassment, alcoholism, and extreme withdrawal.

<b> “Female. That label has never done anything for me except dictate what I can or cannot do.” </b>

This book is a phenomenal and unapologetic look at and journey to dismantle the patriarchy. Blending fantasy, dystopian, and sci-if together, Zhao brings us a masterful debut where me has (basically giant transformers) are piloted by men using women as Qi batteries. Oftentimes, this results in early death for women, the concubine pilots, who are enlisted with the sole goal of utter servitude and obedience.

<b> “I have no faith in love. Love cannot same me. I choose vengeance.” </b>

Zetian, a woman thirsting for revenge after her sister’s murder, is a breathtaking main character. She is flawed, ugly in the twisted and warped ways that single minded hate and vengeance can make you into, and far stronger than even she realizes. When her plans for revenge don’t end her life as she planned, she’s trust into the spotlight where the men in power want to use and abuse her, while those around her feel threatened by the power imbalance she may represent.

<b> “You insecure men, you’re afraid. You can force us into compliance, but, deep down, you know you can’t force us to truly love and respect you. And without love and respect, there will always be a seed of hatred and resistance. Growing. Festering. Waiting.” </b>

Throughout Zetian’s journey through survival and political games and intrigue, I loved her most when she was her grittiest and ugliest. She isn’t some idealistic, pretty heroine. In fact, she doesn’t even start out wanting to be a heroine and she ends up much more an anti-heroine in the end. While constantly anchoring her rage back to the society that devalues and condemns her and its women to servitude and death, Zetian begins to grow into herself, seeing the world around her for how it really is, and slowly making bonds and connections of her own.

I loved the introduction and use of Li Shimin and Yizhi, two men who each offer Zetian something different, a strength that complements her and helps her continue to grow past her initial feelings of blind anger. Zhao expertly uses Shimin and Yizhi to sharpen and focus Zetian and her plans, creating a triangle of sorts that instead of being weighed down with petty drama, is actually used to help each character flourish. There’s great LGBTQIA+ rep that doesn’t feel forced, and ultimately offers us more compassionate and softer sides of Zetian. Shimin and Yizhi each have their own compelling backstories, trauma, and secrets, which I can only hope we will dive into more in the next book. Their addition kept my on my toes, wondering if either would try to usurp the other or dominant and manipulate Zetian. Yet she remains the ringleader and driver, aided by Shimin’s brute force and hidden compassion, and Yizhi’s resources and strategy.

The society and men in power, the system in place, felt very reminiscent of the Handmaid’s Tale which the author points to as a comparison or inspiration, and it very much felt like its own characters - it was wholly horrifying and captivating.

<b> “Shame. That was their favorite tool. A tool to corrode me from the inside until I believed I could only accept whatever lot they threw at my bound feet. It didn’t work. Despite their best efforts, I find myself worthy of happiness. Everything they’ve used to bind me, I will turn against them. My looks are an illusion to snag their attention. My decadence is a bait to stir their outrage. My perfect partnership is a lie to keep them obsessing. The very force of their judgment and hatred will make me unstoppable.” </b>

Lastly, the ending. Wow. I was anxious and seriously sweating the entire time. So many big moments, revelations, and twists happened I damn near suffered whiplash. While some theories I maintained throughout the book were confirmed, others were broken wipe open and the epilogue was both perfect but infuriating for leaving us on such a cliffhanger. HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!?!?!?

It was so so so good. It was deliciously wicked and satisfying, justice in quite brutal terms is meted out to an extent, and I relished in Zetian’s glory. However the story is far from over and Zhao did was great job of leading us all the way through one journey, just to show us that that was merely round 1 in what is sure to be a brutal war.

All the stars. And that cover! It’s gorgeous. Don’t hesitate to pick this one up and don’t worry about the sci-fi aspects. Zhao walks you through it all flawlessly so it never feels too alien or cumbersome, but only heightens the storytelling. I’ll be snapped a hardcover of this beauty and anxiously awaiting book 2.

Thank you netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for my eARC!

4 STARS

Zetian has no need for wealth or glory. She only needs vengeance.

After Zetian's older sister dies during a battle, another victim of the Chrysalis pilot system that so often destroys girls, she enlists under the very same pilot. Her only aim? To kill him, even if she dies in the process.

But it's not so simple, because once he's dead and her sister is avenged, she still remains. More than that, an entire system fears her. For once in her life, she has some shred of power, and she intends to use it without remorse. Every ounce of leverage she can grasp, every hint of strength she can wield, she'll use it to tear down the system that has caused so much pain and grief. Her allies are few, the attempts on her life are many, and the secrets still lying in wait are greater than she knows.

Zetian is an Iron Widow, though. She is more powerful than the world wants to admit, more frightening than any battle that might lie ahead. She just has to learn to utilize that power for herself.


"May he stay unsettled."

This book is brutal, and leaving readers unsettled is an understatement. Iron Widow doesn't just challenge abuses of power; it explores them, cracks them wide open. We see the fear these abuses of power cause, the pain and the suffering. We see what these abuses are trying to protect, and at what cost to the victims, never the abusers.

And then Zetian arrives, vicious and driven and furious to her core. Though she's experienced her fair share of suffering at the hands of the system, she has the intensity to rage against it. More than that, she has the strength to tear it apart from the inside. Becoming an Iron Widow and pairing up with the most powerful Chrysalis pilot in Huaxia restrains her in new ways, but it also allows her access to an exclusive vantage point, one where she can discover exactly how the system works. 

Exactly how she can destroy it from within.

There's no shying away from the violence in this book, the unflinching bitterness that Zetian wields against her enemies. It makes her an incredible, ruthless sort of character who uses every ounce of leverage she has to disrupt her enemies, undermine their confidence. Or kill them, as the case may be. Revolution is messy, bloody work, and leaving her opponents unsettled is only the start.


Iron Widow is the history of China's only female emperor with a hefty dose of Pacific Rim and a pinch of a polyamorous trio.

Zetian is far and away the best thing about this book. Her drive absolutely burns through every page, and it's irresistible, following her story. But it's made even better by the elements that combine around her, without a doubt.

For one, it's fascinating to put this against its historical context. I know very little world history outside of classical antiquity, since that was the focus of my studies, but Xiran Jay Zhao's author note at the beginning of the book provided valuable historical context. More than that, it also opened up an itch to learn more, and I can't complain when a book makes me curious, especially about a topic I'm not well-informed on!

Two, the giant mech elements. While not exclusive to Pacific Rim by any means, that's certainly one of the more contemporary, well known comparisons to make, and it's apt. Giant mechs clashing with otherworldly enemies on the battlefield, powered and piloted successfully only by duos that can match one another's power? What should be an exercise of trust corrupted by power and greed? An exploration of said trust and corruption? It's a fantastic element that brings the action up a notch, in sequences I can't help but imagine with full animation. I do love a good fight scene, and what's better than adding multi-story towering robots with elemental powers to the mix?

And last but not least, that sweet, sweet polyamory. I actually don't think I've read a YA book before that's so comfortable about polyamory, and I ended up liking it a ton. The three personalities involved are so different, yet they carry a balancing common thread, along with more secrets we've yet to explore (I'm looking at you especially, Yizhi). Plus, this trio works so well with everything that happens in the cockpit of the mechs. There's some clever, subtle exploration of gender that I really appreciated. It doesn't come to conclusions outside the binary yet, but it's perfect for characters who have lived their lives in this rigid system that values boys over girls without question.

(I do admittedly wish we saw more of Yizhi and Shimin, as I felt their characterization was occasionally underwhelming. But is that a consequence of not having enough substance, or is it that Zetian just burns that brightly on the page, that she eclipses them both with ease? That would, naturally, be extremely in character for her.)


Do not miss this book, whatever you do.

2021 debuts have not been messing around, and Iron Widow is no exception. It's fast-paced and impossible to put down, not to mention furious as hell. It gripped me from start to finish without mercy, and I'd happily let it do so again. Plus, it ends in such a way that I am dying to know more about the next book. Even the title alone would appease me, but let's be real: I just want the whole thing. Iron Widow ends on a note that leaves you craving more even though there's a fresh fear waking in your bones. 

This is a book that does not hold back, and neither should you. Iron Widow is on shelves now, and waiting for you to pick it up.


CW: violence (including gun violence), loss of a loved one, suicidal ideation, child abuse, domestic abuse, gore, graphic injury, torture, alcoholism, sexual assault

[This review will go live on Hail & Well Read at 2:30pm EST.]

The complexity and world building of this novel is so definitely something to admire. It definitely felt like a instant action movie and the pace was fast and sustained throughout. However the characters and relationships could feel a little stiff at times. But that aside poly rep and we are here for it. For a debut novel they writing was off at so e times with dialogue but overall an enjoyable experience.