This book is incredible. I absolutely loved it. From the characters, to the plot, to the message of the book, to the badass female main lead and her relationship with her two love interests. I thought the dynamics between them were interesting and very well written. The story itself is a really good criticism of misogyny in a patriarchal society and i enjoyed how the female lead challenged that system and fought to rise above it, with the support of her love interests. And that ending? Wild! What a cliffhanger! This book has my whole heart and i can't wait to see what happens next!

A gripping, intense tale of a girl fighting against a system meant to beat her down, IRON WIDOW is captivating and easy to get into even with all the intense action going on. All the characters are immersive and unique, and I enjoyed the poly trio greatly. The ending felt a little abrupt and rushed to me, as if the set up of the book hadn't quite managed to reach the conclusion given to us, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

This book gives some really great insight into Chinese culture and traditions, and the spotlight on China's only female emperor was very cool. That being said, there was a lot I didn't understand while reading this book - I definitely still enjoyed it though! Let's get into the details!

So our main female lead is Zetian, a badass, confident young woman who becomes a concubine-pilot in order to exact revenge for her sister's death. When she survives her first fight, (most girls die due to an inability to handle the mental strain), she is labeled an Iron Widow. It took me some time, but I do understand how the whole piloting system works - the actual semantics of the war itself however, had me scratching my head a few times. I feel like it could have been explained in a bit more detail - I'm still not sure I fully understand spirit metal and how it works in battle, and I had a hard time picturing the Chrysalises and Hunduns.

With our male leads, Li Shimin and Yizhi, I found a lack of character development - especially on the part of Yizhi. It is hinted that there is more to him than a sweet, innocent boy with a pure heart but this is never explored further and he is presented as such for the rest of the book. With Li Shimin, we do dive into his past and find out why he is the way he is, but he kind of just blurts it all out in one of his first conversations with Zetian. There isn't any lasting mystery or intrigue, we are just told everything we need to know up front.

In terms of the politics, Zetian is a fierce feminist (given the circumstances, totally understandable) and I did love all of her rebellious, bold statements and fearless actions. My love of her standing up for what she believes in and fighting the status quo is what kept me reading until the end. Also, I have always been curious about the details behind the Chinese tradition of binding feet and this book explained that process in great detail - I honestly found it super educational and really cool (and horrifying) to see how they did things back then.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, loved learning little tidbits about Chinese culture, and loved the representation! I'm looking forward to reading the next book, but do hope that I will be able to follow along a little better :)

When is the last time you have been completely surprised by a book? For me it was with Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao. This book completely blew me away.

Xiran Jay Zhao has created a fantasy universe inspired by figures from throughout Chinese history and general awesomeness. Billed as The Handmaid’s Tale meets Pacific Rim, Iron Widow follows Wu Zetian, a girl in a world where girls either are bought to be married off or forced to die as sacrificial “concubine pilots” to the men tasked with operating large transformer-like machines in order to battle the enemy Hunduns.

Usually with fantasy/science-fiction books it can take me awhile to get into them as I discover the world and familiarize myself with the rules of the world. With Iron Widow I was captivated immediately. Zetian is ruthless, brilliant, tenacious and just…so extremely cool. She is on a mission that she doesn’t back down from while also navigating this world in a way that allows her to grow and adapt and utilize her strengths and weaknesses most effectively.

Lest I forget the amazing side characters Shimin and Yizhi. I’m equally obsessed with both of them - my dark brooding soft Shimin and the sweet Yizhi. Honestly, easily the best resolution to a love triangle in the history of literature. Writers! Take note!

And that’s not even mentioning that ending. What did I even read??? I am not going to be ok until I get the sequel.

The tone of this book is funny and deep and cutting. I definitely got Gideon vibes. I will forever read anything Xiran Jay Zhao writes from here on out.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this fantastic book in exchange for an honest review.

Shattering excitement and brutal realities!

A startling concept! Humans blended with machines, becoming part of that vehicle as pilots, as frightening entities drawing on the pilot’s vital essence, their Qi. The merging of the pilot and his consort/concubine creates a machine with power deserving of anything Lucas has created. (Well to my mind) The relationship between pilots and their concubine-pilots, their consorts, is complex and flawed. Many of the concubines die, burnt out! One who died was Ruyi, our lead character Zetian’s Big Sister.
All this takes place in Huaxia where Chinese Hunger Games meets Transformers. (author Xidan Jay Zhao uses the analogy of The Handmaid’s Tale meets Chinese stories.)
Humans have endlessly battled the Hunduns, “invaders from the cosmos who’d pulverised the height of human civilisation some two thousand years ago and shattered humanity into scattered tribes. “
Animae and manga pictures meld in my mind juxtaposed with the awful humanness of pilots and their concubines. Hunduns are entirely something else.
Zetian a young woman is sold by her family for the purpose of being matched with a pilot, if she doesn’t die in the process. Sexual joining supposedly increases their abilities. Zetian however has a goal, to take revenge for the death of her sister and beyond that to make the male pilots pay for the unceasing death of all young women, concubine pilots, lost in the meld with male pilots, their energy being sucked out of them in battle until they are no more. Like what happened to her sister, with, as she learns, the favoured pilot Yang Guang. Zetian is so close to achieving her goal of vengeance when an attack happens…and she finds herself in the midst of battle and a whole different realm.
Later Zetian is partnered with Li Shimin known as the Iron Demon. A frightening character, and yet there’s a story. There always is…
What Zetian discovers in this amazing, violent, bloody journey is secrets within secrets, layers of corruption and hidden knowledge feeding women to the cause without them knowing their truth. They are all sold the Big Lie! “I’ve been told endless lies since I was born.”
Zetian realises that women were “devalued precisely because we’re so valuable. The world is too afraid of not being able to obtain and control us to respect our true worth.”
I did enjoy the reference to a Being ensconced deep underground for his protection where “Rows upon rows of unnerving clay statues stand guard, facing us. They look like the guardian figurines that would go into the mausoleum of someone rich and powerful, except they’re life-sized.” (A lovely use of the Terracotta Warrior image in a land resplendent with fantastical Chinese images and inferences.)
Twists and turns in the story leave us hanging on a completely new and mind bending possibility for what might come.

A Penguin Random House Canada ARC via NetGalley
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

I expected to really love this as obviously many people have but I had to DNF this one. I struggle to put my finger on exactly what wasn’t sitting right with me. Thank you for the ARC and the opportunity to share my honest opinion.

This novel is set in ancient China, but instead of swords, mechas are used as the tool with which to fight wars. The mechas are operated with boys qnd girls working together, but the girls are always the ones sacrificing their lives. Wu Zetian has lost her sister to this system, and she is determined to not let it ever happen again.

The Chinese historical figures that the main characters are based on, Wu Zetian and Li Shimin, were very prominent as Wu Zetian became the first female emperor in China after her husband Li Shimin died, and she seized the throne from her son. While I knew the original history, I got so caught up in the story that I completely forgot and as a result was surprised by the twist at the end! I really enjoyed this book, and I really hope there is another one, I need to know what happens next 🙏

I really liked this book not only because of the beautiful writing, but because of the underlying message and the intention of the author @xiranjayzhao to empower girls to remember that you do not have to remain meek, pleasing, and submissive just because someone tells you to. Even if you are a girl, you also deserve the freedom to choose your own path, and that is what Wu Zetian does.

Iron Widow

4.75/5 Stars (Rounded up to 5)

I just wanted to say thank you to Netgalley for giving me an ARC of this book! It’s been on my most anticipated releases of this year and it did not disappoint!

It’s a lot different from what I’ve been reading this year – which has mostly been high fantasy with a bit of dabbling in contemporary romances. I cannot tell you the last time I read a sci-fi or dystopian book.

This book captured me months ago from the beautiful cover and the description, not to mention the mix of The handmaiden’s Tale and Pacific Rim, but there was an underlying tone of The Hunger Games in certain areas that I haven’t enjoyed in a very long time.

There’s no part of the book that I can directly pinpoint that makes it so spectacular, no part that I can explain when I decided that I loved this book so much that I couldn’t and didn’t want to put it down.

This book covers so much that I don’t understand – or didn’t before reading this book. Our main character Zetian is so vengeful, so upset at the anti-female system that is in place, the anti-female system that killed her sister and so many other innocent women before them. She spends the whole book standing in the way of her vengeance. She slaps every man (metaphorically) when they challenge her just because of her gender, just because that she is the weaker sex.

The romance in Iron Widow is subtle, and so gentle but so harsh at the same time. The scars of three different kinds of past, bringing three different people together into a triangular partnership that all together makes them so much stronger.

There’s so much I want to say about Iron Widow, but I feel I would put spoilers in every other word if I were – this is a book that needs to be read, there’s no real verdict you can gain from reading a review that could truly make you understand how good this book is – how many emotions you will feel while reading it.

Especially the ending – I had the briefest moment of “oh what if” closer to the beginning as a joke, but the fact that it happened, that it happened like that, there I have no real words that can tell you to read this absolutely unhinged novel.

I can’t wait for it to be released, for other people to read it, so I have a collection of people that I can unhinge my jaw and scream with.

Okay, this is like I'm new to whatever this is, like a new experience or reality but Xiran's voice and what she's written, I enjoyed this so much! My body is ready and pumped after this!

Wow… Where do I even begin here? I felt so much anticipation waiting to receive the ALC/ARC of this book, and it absolutely did not disappoint!

***Trigger warning: This book contains descriptions of violence, physical abuse, alcoholism, and sexual assault.

Summary:
In the world of Huaxia, young men and women pair up to power giant robots called Chrysalises to protect human civilization from the aliens that live outside their borders. In a society based on the traditions and history of ancient China, Zetian is enraged when her sister is killed while serving as a concubine-pilot. The spirit link required to power the machines often results in the death of its female pilots as their chi (lifeforce) is drained. Zetian vows revenge upon her society that values female life so little, even if her revenge costs her life.

My Review in short, no spoilers:
Xiran Jay Zhao has emerged onto the Young Adult scene with a voice that is as passionate as it is refreshing. This book felt new and creative, surprising me with every chapter.

While the author certainly was inspired by Chinese history and culture, as well as themes from popular culture (think aliens and giant robots), the world she crafted still felt unique in a sea of dystopian societies that we see in popular YA fiction today.

Her characters were also surprising. They refused to fit within society's norms, either in their world or in ours. They learned to unapologetically embrace themselves, a valuable lesson that is difficult no matter what your age.

The action in this story unfolds quickly. It left me breathless as I rocketed through chapter after chapter, unable to stop and desperate to know what would happen next. If you’re looking for action and adventure, a badass heroine, and a book that fairly screams SMASH THE PATRIARCHY (and all of the rest of society’s silly expectations and strictures), then this book is for you.

I chose to rate it 4 stars only because, at points, the writing felt surface-level or the plot felt rushed. To be clear, it left me feeling completely satisfied with my desire for an adventure, a new world, blood-pounding action, a strong female lead, and just the right amount of romance. However, it didn’t feel profound or polished enough for the full five. I loved it--and highly recommend it-- but I’m picky!

This book kept me engaged and wanting more up until the very last page; I can’t wait for the next in the series! (Prepare for a cliffhanger.)

Did I say short? Sorry.

I got some Skyward vibes from this and I just loved it so much.

Also Zetian, please marry me.


↪ The Hunduns who are dangeous creatures and are trying to destroy society which lies in the Great Wall ~ the Krell who are also dangerous and mysterious creatures trying to destroy the human race/

↪ Fighter pilots who use Chrysalises (aka mechas) to battle against the Hunduns to defend their home ~ Pilots who use fighter jets to battle the Krell and defend their land

↪ Society is against this one girl who managaes to kill one of their pilots and has too much power ~ society is against this one girl whose father was branded as a coward and now view her as one too.

Seriously, if you loved the plot of Skyward, then I definitely say you'll probably love this too! The similarities I saw sdfgsdfs it was so cool but I have to say that the idea of giant mechas was even more interesting than what Skyward had. And like the fanart designs??? THEY LOOK EPIC.


I will say that the only reason this didn't get five stars was because of that I was a bit confused in the beginning with the information given but that could just be me and my dumb brain and some pacing issues throughout the story but other than that !! EVERYONE MUST READ THIS.

"But I have no faith in love. Love cannot save me. I choose vengeance."
So before reading this I actually had no knowledge of footbinding, so finding about it here in this book... oh god. Just shows another way with how cruel society can be to women istg. And seeing Zetian with this disability and not letting it define her?? I love it. Of course, there were still moments where she did admit to needing help due to her feet and she wasn't embarrassed about it at all, not being stubborn about the whole situation which made me respect the queen even more.🔥

"If we want something, we have to push back against everything around us and take it by force."


The way Zetian had men fall at her feet (literally) made me cackle in delight. They all had it coming and deserved so much worse <3 Xiran created such an amazing female protagonist like I would fall at Zetian's feet gladly all day, every day. SUCH A QUEEN.


Also can I just say how much I wheezed reading so many scenes where this book made fun of other typical cliche tropes?? yes, i say this liking said cliche tropes I loved it so much pleasee. A glimpse:

"Do you honestly expect me to believe you're some misunderstood, secretly sweet guy?"

*wheezing* now isnt that the case always?? and i love that trope

"Yes, because love doesn't solve problems. Solving problems solves problems."

oh how other YA protagonists wouldn't agree

"You'd better not be tangled up in a love triangle."

I CANT PLZ I LOVED THIS BAHAHAHA

Anyways, Xiran is such a legend and if this is only just their debut, I can't wait to see more of their books!! AND THE WAY THEY ENDED THAT BOOK- THAT IS ILLEGAL HOW DARE YOU, XIRAN. You'll be paying for my therapy bills if I think what happened at the end actually truly happened 🔪🔪

ALSO CAN I JUST SCREAM ABOUT THERE BEING A POLY RELATIONSHIP???? I LOVE THEM ALL SO CUTE UGH. Yizhi and Shimin are such cinnamon rolls sdfdsgs plus Zetian the queen, I swear they're perfect it hurts. And the fanart I've seen on Xiran's page isn't helping at all😩


All I feel is pain, please give me book 2 right now. *sobbing*

____


Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for sending me an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!!

Wow, is this book good! I'm in total awe of the immersive, thought-provoking world that Xiran Jay Zhao has created with Iron Widow. It's a brilliant mix of historical fiction and science fiction at their best with some phenomenal character development thrown in.
We dive right into the story on Zetian's pain of losing her older sister to the violent tradition of selling daughters to the army as concubines so the pilots of the Chrysalises, giant transforming robots, can use them to operate the machines. The girls rarely, if ever, survive. So it is that we meet Zetian as she prepares to follow in her sister's footsteps, not as the disposable chattel that her family sees her as, but with a plan to avenge her sister's death. It's a suicide mission, but she has the will and desire to go through with it no matter what. Thus begins the story of a girl who refuses to be silenced and cowed by what others tell she has to be. And I'm not even going to get into the story of her male co-pilot, Li Shimin, and her best friend, Gao Yizhi, and the complex relationships that develop there because it's surprises and revelations that kept me turning pages late into the night.
My one complaint is that the ending is explosive, unexpected, and one of the most brilliant plot twists I've read in ages and the sequel is still so far away.
This one will get a lot of hype. It deserves all the hype and more. Read it! Read it now!

Many very excited thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the early read!

“‘You insecure men, you’re afraid. You can force us into pliance, 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.’”

Have not been pulled into a fantasy like this in a while! This is described as Pacific Rim meets Handmaid’s Tale, and takes parts of Chinese history and mixes it with Sci-fi/fantastical elements. It’s an amazing story and I would highly recommend!
TW/CW: Alcoholism, suicide ideation, violence, abuse, torture, reference to sexual assault

First off, the world building is fabulous! The Chrysalises are detailed and the reader is able to fully picture these transforming robots. As they roam around and battle the Hunduns, you can picture the environment and get the full picture of what the characters are seeing, feeling, and hearing.

Zetian is such a strong character. I loved her journey, her strength, and her determination. I can’t wait to see how her character continues to develop. Zetian was not the only good character though. Li Shimin and Gao Yizhi are amazing as well. They are willing to stay true to themselves and fight for what they believe is right. They are great supporters for Zetian, who is a great supporter for them in return.

Trying to avoid spoilers, but you can easily find information on this in other reviews and even from a comment from the author, but the romantic relationship in this story is done well and gives representation to YA books. It’s not just the romantic relationship though. The characters are diverse, representing multiple facets.

Overall, this book is amazing and everyone should read it!

Admittedly, I scoffed at the claim that this book would be “Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid’s Tale in this blend of Chinese history and mecha science fiction for YA readers.” Happily, I was very wrong.

Perhaps surprisingly, I liked the Pacific Rim movies. Handmaid’s Tale (in any iteration), no thank you. But, the Pacific Rim link was very accurate. Because I know and like the movies, it actually helped me understand the book better.

Well-shaped world supported by history and fantasy.

This book packs a LOT in one package. Most of the world-building happens in the first quarter of the book and is done quite well. Fitting within the action, the world building is not just paragraphs of exposition. Dovetailing nicely into the historical framework and life of Empress Wu, Iron Widow does not try to rewrite a historical story, but uses the spirit and ambition of this notable woman to create something new and amazing.

I will say, if I hadn’t know the author was (very) inspired by Pacific Rim and the Jaegers, I don’t know if I would have grasped the use of the Chrysalises and how the pilot pairings worked.

A rollercoaster of sadness, frustration, anger, love, and hope for the past, present, and future.

Throughout this story, WHILE cheering for Zetian and her success, I found myself sad for all she had to endure, even as she says, “simply because she is a girl.” Accurate to Chinese custom (mostly not practiced any longer), as a five-year-old child, her feet were broken and bound to create the perfect lotus shaped foot.

“Female. That label has never done anything for me except dictate what I can or cannot do.” Pg. 18

This story is futuristic, based on history, heavily influenced by the present and there are so many common – reoccurring – themes throughout, making me look at how often we (as people) have made mistakes, continue to make the same mistakes, and will probably make the same mistakes in the future. It is very sobering. There is hope, too, that maybe this time we can get it right.

This is one of those books where I had to keep reminding myself that the main characters were only eighteen and nineteen. Far too young for the weight of the world to be on their shoulders, but also the youth and fresh perspective that CAN change the world.

Favorite Lines
“He doesn’t own me. Nobody does. They may think they do, but no matter how they scold or threaten or beat me, they can’t really control what goes on in my head, and I think that frustrates them to no end.” Pg. 21

“A crushing exhaustion weighs down on my face, my brain, my bones, my everything. I swear, people cannot make up their minds about who are supposed to be the clueless infants who can’t live without supervision: men or women.” Pg. 141

“Everyone lives in a different world. So much of the time, people make decisions they don’t want to. It takes more than just get out or just stop drinking.” Pg. 294

I definitely recommend this book and can’t wait for the sequel!
Stars 4
Would I Recommend? Yes

DNF at 31% for now. Iron Widow is an ambitious, high-concept novel that mostly succeeds in following through with its premise.

Iron Widow is described as Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid’s Tale and that’s the perfect description for this story. There’s so much that I could talk about with this one, and I’ll start by saying that this story wasn’t crafted without a long list of sensitive topics, of which I’ve included a list at the end of this review. But this novel from Xiran Jay Zhao pulled me in from the early pages and fully immersed me into the world of Huaxia.

In a world where pilots and their concubines control giant transforming robots that battle aliens, we meet teenage Zetian as she offers herself as a concubine-pilot to get revenge for her sister’s death. What comes next is as much a surprise to her as everyone else, as she’s the one who emerges from the cockpit of the robot, leaving her sister’s killer dead. After that exciting first stage of the book, it sets up a remarkable story, as Zetian is paired up with one of the strongest pilots in Huaxia, a man who has a dark past of his own.

I’m not going into more details than what the blurb explains, but I will say this is a beautiful story of love, acceptance, and fighting against gender roles that are accepted by society. I loved every second of this book. The worldbuilding was excellent, and the main three characters were so easy to love and cheer for. The characters are inspired by historical figures in Chinese history, but those characters are woven into a completely new story in an alternate universe where they’re inspired by history, but not following the same timelines. It was beautifully done, from beginning to end.

I could ramble on for a long time about this book and all the things that the author did that I loved. I loved the main trio and their relationships with each other. The layers of those relationships were genuine, honest, and healthy, and it gave me everything I wanted from them. The dynamic in the main trio is balanced beautifully, and while it doesn’t drive the plot, it’s a subplot that only adds to the story.

I can’t wait to see where this series goes in the future. After reading this ARC, I’ve preordered a physical copy for my library, and I know I’ll be keeping an eye out for future books.

Warning: This book discusses some sensitive topics that may be triggering for some readers including murder, violence, torture, physical & mental trauma, anxiety, depression, rape, abuse, and alcohol addiction.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The tag line for this is Pacific Rim meets Handmaid’s Tale and I am like sign me up! 18 year old Zetian wants to take out the male pilot responsible for her sister’s death. She signs up to become a concubine pilot. Surprising everyone she doesn’t die and kills him through a psychic link earning the nickname the Iron Widow.
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This book simply left me with the reaction of wow. It’s use of Chinese history mixed in with science fiction is beautifully done and completely action packed. This would be an incredible tv series and I am definitely crossing my fingers for book two.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for giving me an ARC in exchange for a review!!

I have never really been one to read science fiction and I was a little nervous to get into this book because of that fact but I was BLOWN AWAY!

This book was very fast-paced and the plot was so well-written! There was hardly a time when I was bored and I could barely set it aside to go to sleep!

Zhao did an amazing job describing the misogyny all women in this world have been exposed to. Issues such as abuse and gender equality were addressed in such detail and I was absolutely stunned by it.

The only thing I wish was done differently was the way the other characters were written because I feel like we did not get enough of them as we should have!
Maybe that's just me and my constant adoration of characters and their influences to the plot but other than that I cannot recommend this book enough!

And I CANNOT wait to read the second book!! <3

Iron Widow is completely unputdownable. I couldn't stop reading it because the story flows so well and is packed full of action and feminist themes. Zetian is our main character and narrator, and she has you rooting for her from the first to the last page. The concept of the book was a little overwhelming the first time I read the synopsis, but once I started reading the actual book it was set up in a very comprehensible way. I think it's hard to successfully combine science fiction and fantasy, but this is a perfect example of how to do it well. The battle scenes were definitely my favorite part! I can't wait to see where the author takes us in book 2.

Buy, Borrow, or Bypass: If you like YA, sci-fi, fantasy, or any combination thereof, you need to buy this book for your shelves. Plus the cover is so vibrant! Even though I read an eARC, I know I'm going to want my own copy to reread, and it will be a wonderful addition to my book collection. I highly recommend this book!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. It was not to my liking. I found the characters very disagreeable. I also do not enjoy love triangles at all, even consensual ones.