This was a really cool book. I liked the concept, and I really loved that we turned a classic YA love triangle trope on its head and had all three of them end up together.

These characters were great and I really loved their backstories.

I did find that the dialogue sometimes felt off, either it didn't flow well or it seemed out of character based on previous exchanges. Additionally, I did find some of the world building to be a bit confusing, but that might just be me.

Overall, I thought this was a really interesting story and group of characters.

After the first chapter, I was sure this book would be too weird for me but it grew on me. Zeitan’s sister is murdered by a renowned pilot so she goes into the pilot program to get her vengeance. She gets it and so much more.
This book will not be for everyone. It is WILD and honestly a bit meandering plot wise. Take the morally grey characters from the poppy war, the patriarchy of the handmaid's tale, the dual pilot system of pacific rim, add in a murdered sister and a polyamourus relationship and then you get the bones of Iron Widow.

This book was such a fantastic read! I have never read anything like this before, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved Zetian. She is all the feminist fire I aspire to be and more. I loved how the author didn’t shy away from portraying Zetian’s deep desire for vengeance. I hate when authors soften main characters as their story progressesto make them more likable, and Xiran didn’t do that with Zetian. Zetian is the takes no prisoners heroine we all need, and she will obliterate anyone who dares get in her way. Her relationship with Yizhi is next level; the amount of love, understanding, and trust they have is beautiful, no jealousy, no possessiveness, no bullshit. Then add Li Shimin in, and you got yourself the best poly relationship in a YA novel. Honestly, this book kept me on the edge of my seat, and the ending was such a shock (in the best way), I never saw it coming. Also, the way this book talks about misogyny, women’s rights over their bodies, lives, and future is the feminist agenda everyone needs to get on board with. PERIOD! I would’ve liked a little more world-building, get things more fleshed out, but overall, it was a fantastic read. I rated this book 4/5. Book drops September 21, 2021.

I so desperately wanted to love this book. The concept is everything I could ever want in a book. The author brings in LGBT+ rep, disability rep, deep discussions on gender roles and misogyny, and even polyamory.

The actual story and world building were the stand out points to me. I absolutely loved the technology and the way that the Chrysalises are developed and piloted by a male/female duo (who represent the yin/yang balance). I love the badass nature of our main protagonist, Wu Zetian, and how she is motivated to move through her world. Another highlight is the relationship between Zetian, her copilot, and the rich boy she fell in love with as a teen. Polyamory is something I actively seek out in books, and to find it in a YA novel just makes me so happy for the teens and young adults being able to see that representation of themselves.

My main issues lie entirely in the characters themselves. I’m all for unlikable and morally grey main characters, but the discussions on the patriarchy and misogyny were so blatantly stated in ways that just left a bad taste in my mouth. Zetian’s actions and conversations alone speak loudly on this topic. I didn’t feel like adding in these snappy one liners about how every single man in society hates women and only view them as caretakers to their every whim added anything to the story that she wasn’t already showing.

All around, I still enjoyed this book and absolutely devoured it in a few sittings, I just wish the author left more to be shown to us, rather than shown then immediately restated back to us exactly what we should have gotten out of the preceding event/conversation.

Described as “Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid’s Tale”, Iron Widow is a re-imagined story of Empress Wu, China’s first and only female emperor, in a futuristic sci-fi setting, where women are sacrificially used as concubine pilots against the alien Hundun race to protect humanity. The link between male fighter pilots and their female concubines almost never ends with both alive, and usually its the women who succumb. This is how Wu Zetian’s older sister died. This is why she decides to become a concubine pilot herself — to avenge her sister. What she hadn’t decided on was killing him through the psychic link in their mecha suit, which subsequently earned her the title, Iron Widow. Zetian is undeterred even when she’s captured and forced into a pairing with Li Shimin, a very powerful pilot himself but also a known criminal, and she won’t stop till she reaches the top and stops the misogynistic system that’s made to murder so many young girls.

Essentially, this book is the epitome of Jessica Walter’s “Good for her” meme. Wu Zetian is such a morally gray character and an absolute badass who isn’t without her flaws that keep her from becoming one dimensional. Li Shimin is a little predictable in his depiction as “supposedly a cold-blooded killer but actually a cinnamon roll” trope, but I still enjoyed how he was written, how he meshed with Zetian’s character, how he dealt with his own personal trauma at the hands of a corrupt government that views them as expendable. The story is absolutely intense, the world-building is beautiful and immersive, all the battle scenes were edge-of-your-seat mind-gripping, and despite the fact that it ends in somewhat of a cliffhanger, it still resolves the overall plot of this book first before bringing up what will be happening in the next one. Those are the kind of cliffhangers I can appreciate.

Many thanks to Netgalley for providing me with the digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for sending me the E-ARC of this amazing book. Going into this, I had not read the synopsis, but I ended up reading the first bit where it says Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid's Tale. I am a big fan of The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu. I was ok with the book, but the show is where it's at. I was eager to start reading and see if this did have the same aspects of The Handmaid's Tale and this book did not disappoint. I was hooked from the prologue. Now the Pacific Rim reference I didn't understand because I had never seen the movie. So I ended up getting the movie from my library and watching it with my husband and it was amazing. I understood the machines and the fighting and the mind connections so much more. But I did get a little upset because I started thinking that this book would have made a way better movie than Pacific Rim even though it came out years ago and that made me realize that if this book ever did get picked up, then it would not be a true to story adaptation because it is Pacific Rim on paper.

I started reading this book at the beginning of September and I finished it on the 21st. The day it came out in stores. I was reading the ending and promptly freaking the fuck out over all of the fighting and betrayal and the kick ass-ery and the big reveal, that my husband started searching our local Books-a-Million to see if they had it still in stock and what the price is. He rarely does that and when he does, it is for a book that I am truly engrossed in. Zetian had my heart from the very beginning along with every concubine pilot.

OH MY GOD FINALLY A STORY SO ORIGINAL I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN!

Zeitan Wu is immediately intriguing as a protagonist, and every detail the first few chapters intertwines with her motivations just adds to her engagement as a POV character. I thought I had her figured out, but about 2/3 through the book, her arc completely takes off. Pacing especially was a strength of the book, which I've found is difficult for many YA authors who like to focus on description or side arcs a little too much. But not here!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me access to an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Chrysalises are transforming mechs usually piloted by a pair of boys and girls from Huaxia to fight the aliens beyond the wall. The girls usually die from the mental strain of it, but those in charge don't care. Zetian plans to assassinate the pilot that killed her sister but manages to kill him through the psychic link instead. This makes her an Iron Widow, a woman of formidable willpower that can sacrifice men to pilot the mech. She's ultimately paired with Li Shimin, the best and most controversial male pilot in Huaxia. Zetian has to survive the attempts on her life and discover the reason why girls are being sacrificed.

The pages of Iron Widow burn with the fierceness of Zetian's willpower. From the beginning, she chafed against the restrictions of her gender, the anguish and pain of foot binding, and contortions she had to do to make herself seem palatable to the men in her life. It's a sad reality that it isn't just a historical footnote, and her character zings from the start. The transformation from concubine to Iron Widow is fantastic in its immediacy and emotional energy; we're right with her when she sees the proof of her sister's death in the pilot's memories and pushes past the mental restrictions he places on her, intending to kill her, too. She fights triumphantly against the alien enemy, realizing for the first time how powerful she can be. I love the entire sequence, and how it closes out the first quarter of the novel as well as an early segment of her life.

The troubles don't end there, and there are moments where Zetian is meant to be shamed, belittled, and beaten down because she isn't who the men in charge want her to be. Pairing her off with a known killer is meant to break her further, but instead, they find a connection and camaraderie. Adding in her close friend as further support gives her the strength she needs to continue and the reason to keep going. It's not enough merely to survive, to reach the pinnacle of what women are expected to have, but to reshape the system into something equitable not just for women, but for the poor and unable to see past the propaganda that is given to the public.

This novel is amazing, tautly written, and emotionally intense. I was drawn into Zetian's story from the first pages, and the plot seized me by the throat and refused to let go. I was glad to be drawn along for the ride, and couldn't put the book down even when I had other plans. This novel is sure to be on the bestseller list, and it deserves to be.

It's not everyday you get to read an Eastern-based book with YA elements. Because of its rarity, I was afraid I had set the standard too high, but I was glad it met my expectations and beyond.

I read this book on my netgalley shelf for ages and I finally got around to it - let me just say, how mad I am that I waited so long! The author does such an excellent job in creating this wonderful world that includes a sci-fi element to it. The book features a strong protagonist and she is definitely one badass woman!

I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to what the author brings forth in the next book.

ALSO, happy book birthday to this gorgeous book! This book released today and you all can get your hands on it. Order away!!

(Thank you to @netgalley, @penguinteen for this advance readers copy!)

Did not finish - stopped at 45%.

This novel started off fantastic. I thought the premise was unique and it hooked me immediately. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the first battle. However, after the conclusion of Part I, it started to fall apart for me. I felt like it was succumbing to the YA tropes I see too often. It already started focusing way too much on a relationship by part II instead of the grand story at hand. And the numerous attempted rapes were a bit much for me. I unfortunately just found it too cringy to keep going. I give it 3 stars because I don't think it's a terrible book. It's just not for me.

4.8 / 5 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2021/09/23/iron-widow-by-xiran-jay-zhao-review/

I did not pay for this book. I was very kindly granted an advance copy of it in exchange for an honest review. Hopefully the author will forgive me—especially after I post said review to Goodreads and/or Amazon with a rating;)
Right, the book. Iron Widow is a retelling of the Empress Wu Zhao who served as consort for the Tang dynasty and later seized control of the throne leading to the Zhou dynasty, during which she ruled unopposed. The book is the beginning of a retelling of her life.

Only with giant pilotable gundam-like chrysalises. And aliens.

Huaxia sits on the edge of extinction. The Hunduns—sentient mechanical aliens that have overrun the lands north of the Great Wall—have pushed humanity to the brink.

The remnants of the Han survive only through the grace of the great Chrysalises—huge husks made of spirit metal capable of transforming into fighting machines. When the two pilots—one a boy, one a girl—combine their qi within the Chrysalis they are able to force it into metamorphosis, resulting in a huge fighting robot. Though this grants the pilots the power to repel the Hunduns from their land, it usually results in the death of the girls. This is seen as a sacrifice worth taking, in order to assure the survival of the human race. Plus, they’re only girls.

Wu Zetian is born upon the frontier, near the Great Wall itself. Should the Chrysalises fail, her family would be one of the first to fall. And she was born (and ultimately kept) in order to die.

As her sister did before her.

And so Zetian follows her elder sister (jiejie 姐姐) into the army, joining the ranks of Yang Guang’s concubines—who wait on his every whim, offer themselves to him freely, and are taken into battle with him, most often to their deaths. Again, as Zetian’s jiejie did before her.

But unlike her sister, Zetian isn’t here to make some sacrifice, noble or otherwise. Instead she has her heart set on vengeance—for her murdered sister, for thousands of dead girls before her, and ultimately for herself. For even should she live long enough to kill Yang Guang—what then? She’ll still only exist in a world set against her, one where she’ll carve a place for herself—in blood.

This book is steeped in both sexism and racism. The misogyny of the classical world has been well documented of course, but here’s another crash course on China (zhongguo 中國), which take things a bit further. Being born a boy was a huge responsibility. You were the hope of your family, your bloodline. You were supposed to succeed in the exams, in life, marry into a good family and produce a (male) heir. You would then take care of your parents and manage their estates. If you were born a girl, you had to hope your parents didn’t kill you because they wanted a boy. If they let you live, you basically did whatever they wanted to ensure that you fetched a good dowry, which would be used to help your brother pay his way into a good family. Then you were someone else’s problem, but should never forget your parents/family should you somehow make it big. You were subservient to your father, then your brothers, then your husband, then your sons. At no point were you ever in charge of your own destiny. Maybe don’t google this.

Likewise, if you were Han, then you had a natural step up on the competition. If you were anything other than Han, you were a barbarian. Often even subhuman. If you were half-blooded or quarter-blooded non-ethnic Han you were often seen as inferior. Han nationalism is generally on par with white nationalism in terms of exclusionism. Of course, this is the only instance of racism ever in history, and therefore is quite notable. Seriously, DO NOT GOOGLE THIS—you won’t find anything remotely heartwarming.

The overwhelming sexism here takes center stage, while the racism is kinda glossed over. I hope that we get to it more later in the series, though. Xiran Zhao doesn’t exactly paint a pretty picture for female life back in the annuls of history, but it’s probably pretty realistic. There’s a reason there’s a huge gender imbalance even nowadays—as the number of men heavily outweighs the number of women.

In terms of a fantasy book, Iron Widow is a damn good one. I mean, it’s a whirlwind of blood, tears and chaos, but one hell of a ride all the same. Zetian quite the character. I legitimately believe she’d bathe in the blood of her enemies. She’s got a bit of a demon in her; willing to do anything in order to achieve her ends. She also has a warm, sensitive side (though it’s a little overshadowed by the whole “demon” bit)—which she shows in touching scenes with Yizhi and Li Shimin. I’m honestly not sure what kind of a romantic she is. All in all, Zetian is complicated. She’s entirely human, but also a vengeful goddess born of pure chaos. As I said, quite the character.

The romance is a thing—leaving me undecided whether I bought into it or not. Despite her assertions that “the triangle is the strongest form of geometry”, I’m still not sure what it was that Zetian really wanted. It seemed to me that both male leads were head-over-heels, willing to die for her, while she was more “well, I like them but… meh”. Again, I hope that this is something that gets cleared up in Book #2.

TL;DR

From gundams to aliens to emperors, there’s A LOT going on in this story. And while I didn’t love every minute of it, I loved way more than enough to recommend it. Wu Zetian is a monumental task of a retelling, but Xiran Zhao has a winner here. For while it’s not all accurate, it’s certainly a perspective with a twist; a story that finds the future Empress as a poor farm girl with a taste for vengeance, blood, love, and ambition. An amazing coming-of-age tale that devolves into pure chaos and is somehow better for it.

Wow. After finishing this book, I feel like I need to go run 10 miles or eat a bunch of chocolate and drink some wine. This was intense! I could not put it down. However, this is not a book for the faint of heart as there are many references to torture, rape, murder, and misogyny. This book had aspects of “The Handmaid’s Tale”, “The Hunger Games”, and Transformers, only way cooler.

This book takes place in a sci-fi world where the Hunduns (machine aliens) are killing the humans. Throw in a dash of Chinese history and culture, make the protagonist fight the patriarchy, add some transforming psychically controlled machines that a boy-girl pair has to pilot, a polyamorous love triangle, and voila! You have Iron Widow! Honestly, I can’t describe how incredible this book is and I don’t want to give anything away, but I will try to give an overview:

Our kick-ass protagonist, Wu Zetian, volunteers to be a concubine-pilot so that she can seduce and kill the pilot who murdered her sister. Concubine-pilots often don’t survive going into the cockpit with their male counterparts (the boys drain the girls by using their psychic connection…it’s complicated). Nevertheless, Zetian not only survives her first battle as a pilot, but she kills her male partner. She’s labeled an Iron Widow and thus begins an epic story about family, love, gender identity, and the roles we play in life. Zetian fights and thrashes against the murderous constraints of her society (girls are seen as worthless and are essential sacrificed as pilots. They also are held to ridiculous purity standards). She is determined to figure out a way to break the system so that girls are valued for who they truly are.

But that’s barely a scratch on the surface. If you can handle some dark and disturbing issues (mentioned above), read this book. The issues Zhao tackles in the book are set in a sci-fi ancient China/robot alien world, yet we deal with many of the same misogynist beliefs and traditions that are rooted deep in our modern day human society: purity culture, categorized roles for boys and girls, duties of a daughter compared to a son. This book points out that we have a long way to go before we’re free from societal restraints. Zhao did a beautiful job of portraying the world, society, battles, and characters. I was so swept up in her writing. She also included so many twists and turns—it was an incredible read. I cannot wait for book two!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for providing me with an ARC!

Iron Widow was likened to Pacific Rim meeting the Handmaidens Tale. I definitely see the comparisons. The book focuses on Zeitan Wu. She volunteers to join the nation’s army in order to enact revenge at her older sister’s death. Women are essentially forced to go to battle in this crystalline bots. Their Qi , which I interpreted as soul/spirit energy, is used to assist the men in piloting the weapons.

Unlike many other books the romance here is a triangle. Thought that was an interesting concept.

Overall though the novel exceeded my expectation. The surprising ending sets up a sequel. I really enjoyed reading this one. The reason I am not giving it a 5 is because there were times that I think the scenes could have been better described. I had trouble envisioning what was going on.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

I spent such a long time debating whether to rate this book either 3 stars or 4 stars. There were so many things I enjoyed about this book but there were an equal amount of things I disliked.

Let me start off by talking about the things I did enjoy.

The concept of this book is incredible. The plot is so creative and original and I applaud the author on creating such a complex and compelling world. Learning about this dystopian world of Huaxia and the horrific actions and rules imparted by the patriarchy was fascinating. I loved this world and Zeitan’s fierce desire to bring awareness to the utter wrongness of it. The Chrysalises and the yin/yang piloting system was so interesting. I loved the unapologetic feminism and social commentary. And I really loved Shimin.

The pacing of this book was also magnificent. Sometimes a fantasy novel can be slow at introducing you into the world but this throws you right in and doesn’t slow down. It had me glued to the book for the first 200 pages or so. Jumping headfirst into the world also wasn’t any cause any confusion and the world-building was conveyed in an easily understandable way, which is another major feat on the author’s part, especially considering the fact pacing of the book.

Now for some of my issues.

My main issue is with the middle section of the book. I really enjoyed the first third of this book but unfortunately it began to lose its momentum fairly quickly after that. The middle of the book just felt lackluster compared to the first and last sections. But once I slogged through the middle and was on the last third of the book, I was fully invested once again.

Another one of my main issues was that this book is told from Zeitan’s point of view. I feel like a lot of my issues could’ve been solved simply by the book being written in third person rather than first. A lot of Zeitan’s inner monologue felt young and immature and compared to her desires and actions as a character.

The novel is extremely fast paced, jumping right into the action, which is actually one of the things I loved about it, but the relationship developments suffers because of this. All three points of the poly triad feel rushed. In the case of Zeitan and Yizhi, it’s a bit more understandable, as they’ve known each other for a fair amount of time but even Zeitan herself questions how much she really knows Yizhi, as they’ve only met once a month for the past few years. The relationship between Shimin and Zeitan isn’t as easily excused though. Just pages before their first kiss, Zeitan was saying how much she hated him and I didn’t have reason to believe she regarded him with anything but suspicion and disdain. She certainly tolerated him better by this point and there was a moment or two of her being attracted to him, but this kiss came out of nowhere for me. I also found it highly unrealistic that Shimin was making romantic declarations at this point. It felt like they’d not spent a long enough time together to amount to that. Again, I think a change in point of view could have majorly helped here. If we’d had a third person P.O.V. from each character, it would’ve likely been a lot easier to understand how/why the characters fell for each other in such a fast manner. We get to see a couple of romantically tinged moments between Shimin and Yizhi through Zeitan’s eyes, but because we’re in her P.O.V., it still feels a bit out of left field when Shimin and Yizhi’s friendship progresses into something more.


I really wanted to love the relationships in this because I love seeing poly relationships in books and it was one of the main reasons I wanted to read this book in the first place. I’m so glad the author decided to write a poly romance into this story, I just wish it had been a little bit better paced so I could truly root for it. Of course I was rooting for them by the end but I wish the book had shown me more reasons as to why I should be.

Ultimately I’ve decided to go ahead with a 4 star rating because despite my qualms with it, reading this book was an enjoyable experience and I do want to know what happens both politically and personally in the next book . I also truly believe that majority of people will love this book. And I’m sure a lot of the issues I have with the writing will improve over time as the author grows. This was an incredibly high concept debut and the author did a remarkable job considering.

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao is a powerhouse of a book. It’s feminist. It’s angry. It’s bold. And I loved every moment of it.

"How do you take the fight out of half the population and render them willing slaves? You tell them they’re meant to do nothing but serve from the minute they’re born. You tell them they’re weak. You tell them they’re prey."

Wu Zetian, based on China’s only female emperor, is the narrator for this novel. She was born and raised to be sacrificed as a concubine-pilot. She is viscous and not afraid to do what needs to be done. Throughout the entire novel, you find yourself feeling the exact same emotions as Zetian. Her rage at the system that slaughters girls yet holds men as heroes is truly understandable. And the fact that so many of the misogynistic things in this novel happened - and happens - in real life his horrifying.

"If I had my way, I’d exist like that butterfly, giving onlookers no easy way to bind me with a simple label."

This novel takes your expectations and turns them on their head. The fact that what easily could have been a standard love triangle became a poly ship is truly exceptional. I hope this novel opens the door for poly ships in future YA novels! It was powerful and brought me so much joy that the three of them were made stronger together. A triangle, the strongest shape.

"You’re not something to be kept or taken, and love isn’t some scarce resource to battle over. Love can be infinite, as much as your heart can open."

From start to finish, Iron Widow is an incredible ride that keeps you on the edge of your seat. All I can say is that book 2 cannot come soon enough!

*Thank you to the publicist at Penguin Teen/Penguin Random House Canada for sending me an ARC to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

I am broken, confused, completely and utterly shocked. In a good way. I had pretty low expectations for this book since I don't read sci-fi too often anymore,(fantasy books have basically taken over my life) but I was so captivated! Iron Widow is set in a futuristic type world at war with alien creatures called the Hunduns. Their defense is made up of Chrysalis's, giant robotic war machines, piloted by both a male and female, where the male's mind has complete control of the Chrysalis. Though they won most of the battles, it was often at the cost of the female pilots life. When Zetian's sister is killed, she offers herself up as a concubine-pilot to the man responsible, so she can assassinate him before he hurts any more girls. But when plans go awry, she is forced into a Chrysalis with him before she has the chance to strike, and her chance of surviving the battle is nearly impossible, but... the impossible happens.

To start off, I just want to say that I absolutely love the characters! It's so rare to find a story where the MC's of the book feel more like villains! Well, not completely, but they definitely had their villainess/psychopathic qualities. For example, Zetian is depicted as this wild, almost maniacal character; we could tell from the beginning when she killed her sister's killer. It was both shocking and hilarious to read the thoughts running through her head. Despite all the hate, prejudice, and sexism that she—as a woman—receives, she is so strong and capable, which I loved as a quality to this book. I also realized about halfway through that there was a polyamory relationship in the story. Now, I am not against that at all, but I had never read anything like it before so it surprised me, but I thought it was super cute!

In the first chapter, I was a little bit skeptical in the sense that it felt like Zhao was pushing information at us in a way that seemed forced and it was just a very elementary way of writing. I also noticed she seemed to have skipped/skimmed the explanation of the Hunduns because I was honestly a little confused with the whole conflict. I felt like she just placed us directly midway through this century long war with very minimal information about the opposing side. Even so, it got so much better.

I don't know how I'm going to be able to wait at least a whole year before the second book comes out. I can't even completely process what happened! There was one character that died(not going to tell you who 'cause it's a major spoiler) and I felt like it completely came out of nowhere! I know, it defiantly hints that they will be revived in the next book, but their "death" still didn't sit right with me. There is just so much that Zhao dropped on us in that last chapter and so I need the next one!!! Anyway, do yourself a favor and read it!

I picked up Iron Widow because I was intrigued by the premise and the cover. What’s not to love about Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid's Tale? A whole lot it turns out.
Our main character Zetian is a poor girl in a lower-class family. Her lot in life is to be married off or sacrificed as fuel for the Chrysalises (the giant mechas) that boys pilot to fight other mechanical aliens. After her sister is killed while being used by a famous pilot, Zetian offers herself up as sacrificial fuel in order to kill the pilot in revenge. When Zetian succeeds, it reveals a talent for piloting the mechas that forces her into military bondage.
Again, the idea was interesting, and double so set against the possible backdrop of ancient Chinese politics, but the writing and pacing did not hold up. Zetian is an 18 year old girl, who while clever enough and strong enough to pull of an assassination, still speaks and thinks like a 6 year old. Some of the conversations between characters seemed frank to the part of artlessness as well as melodramatic. The side characters have no depth at all, and even Zetian seems to lack a personality, much of the time. YA writing does not have to be flat – just think of Graceling by Kristin Cashore, which is simple in grade-level terms but profound in depth. Iron Widow lacks both the clarity of narrative and the clarity of writing. Even the possible love triangle- which, again, had so much potential- was not enough to keep me invested in the story. It reads very much like a first draft, the ending was not believable, and it was difficult to get through. 1.5 stars, and unfortunately would not recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Where to start? Iron Widow is my favorite book of 2021. I started it one Monday afternoon when I got home and stopped at 70% around midnight. I had work early in the morning, and I still considered finishing it.
Reading Iron Widow was a thrill that made me way too happy, and finishing it was like waking up disoriented from a dream.
That was months ago. It took me forever to write this review because the book is so good that I simply don’t have the words. And I can’t just scream “I love it! You should buy it!” and be done with it. I must write something coherent, at least. There are better reviews out there, smarter and deeper, more eloquent and meaningful. But if you’re reading this one, I hope I can show you how good this book is and why it deserves your time.

But why is it so great? Let’s start with my girl, Wu Zetian. Her sister was killed by a pilot in a system in which girls are frequently sacrificed so boys can use mechas to fight aliens. Now Zetian is out for revenge, even if that means bringing the whole thing down. She burns with righteous anger against her family, against the guy who killed her sister, and against the system that tries to kill her. She’s the embodiment of feminine wrath. After an entire life of oppression and abuse, Zetian fights back.
Then there’s my boys: Li Shimin, the bad boy with a tragic past, and Yizhi, the soft boy who is also extremely wealthy. Who will Zetian choose? Well, both, because this love triangle is resolved in the only way a love triangle should: they all get together.
It’s Zetian’s thirst for revenge and her fight for survival that drive the plot. Those in power are not happy that a girl killed a pilot. They want her dead, but they also need her as a pilot to fight the Hundun constantly trying to invade. Zetian and Li Shimin must navigate both intrigue and assassination attempts in the military if they want to make it out alive.
This world is heavily inspired by Chinese history and culture, beautifully woven with futuristic elements like giant robots and alien invasions. Each detail is revealed subtly but meaningfully. We see the poor frontier families and the lavish capital parties; the national heroes and the girls who’d do anything to marry them; the weight of the past and the surprises of the future.
Most of all, Iron Widow is a raw, angry, and brilliant exploration of misogyny, gender and power. There’s more to fighting monsters than what it seems.

WHAT. A. DEBUT. I literally have to scream about that before I proceed with any sort of review. I just cannot wrap my head around this being a debut novel. Amazing.

Thank you to Netgalley, Xiran, and Penguin Teen for an advance copy of Iron Widow.

Set in a futuristic dystopia where society battles mechanical aliens by piloting giant robots, one young woman is about to challenge and change everything society thinks they know about females. You see, male pilots use female pilots as concubines to use their energy oftentimes ending in the death of the female pilot. It is seen as a great honor for the pilots to sacrifice for their land and in turn the families of the lost are very-well compensated.

Zeitan is an 18 year old girl who signs up to become a concubine…but not for the honor or money her family will receive. Instead, she wishes to seek vengeance for the death of her sister, assuming that she will die in the process. However, she successfully murders her sisters co-pilot and returns from the battle in one piece earning her the title of Iron Widow, something that may have been done in the past but is not common knowledge. Her energy is astronomical and she is paired with someone equally as vicious and powerful as she is.

The more Zeitan learns about the military, the more she begins to question everything. Are women really the weaker sex or are they just conditioned to believe that?


There is a lot of physical and mental abuse in this story, naturally due to its subject matter, but it’s also a really powerful story about one woman breaking out of the role that women in her society are brought up to follow – be quiet, obey, and serve.

One thing that I liked a lot about Zeitan was that she was never not confident in her plan. She knew it was dangerous and “crazy” and a suicide mission but she was determined to make her voice known and did not care about the consequences. And when her suicide mission turned out to be a success she just kept powering forward and pushing for answers. It’s rare to see any character start strong and stay strong, let alone a female character in a fantasy story.

There is also a love-triangle(ish) turned polyamory, which is a first for me to see in YA fantasy. We get to see an unconventional relationship outside of the ones we see regularly. Xiran managed to write a lot of emotion and romance without putting too much detail on the page and it worked really well.

It’s historically-inspired by the only female empress that China has seen, set in the future, and deals with topics (on an exaggerated scale) that women today face.

The only downfall is that there wasn’t as much world-building as I would’ve liked, however, knowing that it is book one, I would guess that we will see more of the world in the next installment. It sounds fascinating and I’d like to see it explored much more.