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.

Set within a futuristic world, Iron Widow follows the story of Zetian who wants to avenge her sister’s death after she is sold as a concubine to the Huaxia military, within a world that only views women as tools to be used and discarded. Zetian rages at the patriarchal society that claims women are lesser than their male counterparts and she plans to disrupt that system in any way she can.

I adored this book so much more than I was expecting to. I absolutely loved Zetian as a protagonist. She’s hot-headed, passionate, and wants justice and fairness within a world that deems women to be second-class citizens. She was definitely the best part of the story for me and what starts off as a revenge arc develops into so much more. I also loved Yizhi as a character. He's soft-spoken and thoughtful and is the perfect foil to Zetian. Li Shimin is definitely one of the more controversial characters, after Zetian of course, he is a bad boy with a tortured past. Normally, I find this character archetype irksome at best and downright atrocious at worst. Xiran Jay Zhao does an amazing job at taking the bad boy archetype and creating a complex character that is so much more than what he seems. What I found fascinating about the characters is that every single one of them are morally grey. They each make horrible decisions that are understandable to the audience. However, their actions perfectly align with their character motivations. Another interesting aspect of the story is that each character is based on a prominent historical figure within Chinese history. Personally, I enjoyed the story without knowing anything about the references to Chinese historical figures, but if you understand the context this story might be even more enjoyable for you.

In terms of world-building, I thought the author did an amazing job. I can tell a lot of time and effort went into crafting every single detail of it. Within this world, humanity is at constant war with the mecha aliens that have attempted to take over. As a result, pilots are needed to protect humanity against invading forces. Chi, or life force, is used in order to pilot chrysalis’. Men and women usually have enough Chi combined to operate a chrysalis. Unfortunately, women are more likely to die because their Chi is considered much weaker than men. This is the basis for the magic system and the political machinations within this world. It’s a fairly unique and complex magic system and I have yet to read anything like it. The author does an excellent job at breaking it down for the audience and I highly enjoyed my time learning about it. Xiran Jay Zhao perfectly blends sci-fi with fantastical elements inspired by Chinese culture.

The themes are one of the stronger elements of the story. Feminism plays a huge role in, not just the main character’s development, but to the overall story. Also, themes of oppression and abuse of power are explored with expert care and nuance. The author plays with the idea that there is no justice in the world and any semblance of justice or equality is nothing more than a tool to be used against the masses.

Overall, I highly enjoyed my time reading this. It's a well-crafted story with characters you love to hate, a unique and refreshing world, and themes that make you question humanity. I highly recommend picking this up and I look forward to the next book in the series.

In a world where humans battle alien-like creatures called Hunduns, Zetian vows to kill one of the most successful pilots of the mechs that can fight them. With the help of a female concubine pilot, Yang Guang pilots a Chrysalis, a giant mech powered by qi. The mechanism of the Chrysalis means that the male pilot uses the concubine as a battery, draining her qi and, often, her life force, killing her. Zetian’s sister was one of these concubines, killed by Yang Guang in the heat of battle. When she turns eighteen, Zetian volunteers herself as a concubine. She achieves a high level of qi during tests and is miraculously matched with Yang Guang himself. Zetian vows to upset the entire pilot/concubine system and save future girls from being killed so senselessly, even as she must join the system to combat it. Paired with Li Shimin, a feared pilot who killed his whole family but who possesses powerful qi, Zetian has half a chance of succeeding.

Zetian is so powerful, in will and in qi. She defies her family’s expectations of her to become a quiet wife and is one of the most powerful qi users in the army. I love how she subverts even my expectations, rising and succeeding even when this extremely misogynistic society is against her at every turn. Her mind works in such a way that she is always thinking of what she can do to empower herself and take even the smallest step towards her goals. She isn’t afraid to love, either, her ruthlessness not looked down upon but admired by her partners. Yes, partners, plural. Finally, a book that isn’t a love triangle but a triad, with love shared between all partners, and not just between Zetian and her male suitors. Polyamory and giant qi powered mechs, as well as the mysterious Hunduns? Yes, please and thank you.

Alongside the queer and polyamory rep, there’s also disability rep. Zetian’s feet were broken and bound at a young age so that they wouldn’t grow. Called lotus feet, they are prized because it keep women’s feet small and keeps them dependent on their family and, later, their husbands. Zetian hobbles around in her bound feet, feeling pain with every step. With the addition of her spirit armor, she’s able to lift some of the burden via her wings, but she still travels in a wheelchair and is sometimes carried. The fact that her feet are so damaged doesn’t come up very often, and not often as a disadvantage. She’s hardly ever trapped by it, especially once she has her armor.

There are definite Hunger Games vibes, especially when Zetian and Li Shimin must put on something of a show regarding their partnership. Everyone assumes they are together, since they share living quarters and since men have urges they simply can’t control. Even Zetian believes this, having no other education than that her family allowed, which was basically nothing, and that her friend Yizhi gave her with his access to technology such as tablets. Anyway, it’s like when Peeta and Katniss had to pretend to be together so that the citizens of Panem would be satisfied and not riot. They kept looking to President Snow to see if they were doing well enough and Li Shimin and Zetian were just the same, looking to the officials and their sponsor. There are also broadcasts of all the battles with the Hunduns, monetizing all the pilots and their concubines. Where, hundreds of years ago, pilots were certainly revered, now they are spectacles and celebrities, able to be monetized.

I really liked the dialogue. I expected it to be more formal, slow to read, but it was really conversational and true to their ages and upbringing. The mash up of technology and old beliefs and gender norms was fun to experience, too. Fun meaning that I was outraged at every other page as the various instances of misogyny were revealed. The descriptions of the Chrysalises were beautiful, so colorful and powerful. It was at times difficult to understand the scale of their size, relative to the Hunduns, as well as what they looked like, exactly. But, having Pacific Rim in mind, I was able to figure something out. I would definitely like some art or illustrations to help me along, though! That would have been amazing to have in a book like this.

The plot is very action packed, fast paced and interesting at every turn. Time passes a little fast, skipping past what I think would have been very interesting moments as Li Shimin and Zetian began to understand each other better. Their relationship grows quickly, almost too quickly, even though the passage of time is marked. I would have liked to see more of their bonding moments, their training. Zetian seems to succeed a lot, too. The world is her adversity but on a personal level, she continues to win. She succeeds in her first goal very early on and then proceeds to get just about everything she wanted. It feels too easy, at times.

The twist at the end, in the epilogue of all things, is what alerted me to the fact that this is, at least, a duology! I am shocked and I really want to read more, right now. I need more of the powerful women. I need more ruthless Zetian. I need more of a woman who wants so much power for women everywhere, not just herself. She wants not only her own freedom, but that of future generations. I primarily enjoyed this book because of Zetian and her power, her subversion of a male dominated society, and the polyamory. The writing was easy to read and flowed very well from scene to scene with its fast pace. While I read this in several sittings, that was more because I was busy than because I needed a break. There is quite a bit of violence, mention of sexual assault, torture, death, some gore, misogyny, abuse, and addiction, so reader beware. But the main characters are all over the age of eighteen, so that makes it somewhat difficult to categorize this book as young adult. It’s not quite new adult, either, though. But I would recommend this book to fans of Pacific Rim and the Hunger Games series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for gifting me with an ARC of this title! I look forward to more from this author, particularly a sequel.

My biggest issue with this book is that I got it early and can’t read the second one immediately.
What a beautiful piece of literature. From start to finish I was completely enraptured. I couldn’t wait to pick it up, and hated to put it back down.
I loved that the love story wasn’t a love triangle, and I loved the badass female character of Zetian. I haven’t felt this empowered by a female character since watching Wonder Woman for the first time, and I want to thank my entire Tik Tok for you page for recommending it. 100% worth the hype.

So this is a young adult novel. This is a unique blend of Chinese History and science fiction. I enjoyed learning a bit about Chinese History and the science fiction made it very interesting and fun to read.