If you don’t live under a rock in the depths of the sea, chances are you’ve heard about Iron Widow once or twice, or about a hundred times in the past few months. The hype is real with this one and let me tell you, it is deserved. A pitch like “Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid’s Tale in a polyamorous reimaging of China’s only female emperor” is as unique as it is intriguing. From the author’s letter, you learn that this is a love letter to Chinese culture and the only female emperor while also an unflinching portrayal of a system designed to keep women from succeeding at anything. Let me give you a bit of background:

The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots that can battle the Humduns, mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall intent on breaking through. The only downside of these heroic battles is that they always end in the death of the girls since the pilots overpower them during the mental exertion portion of these fights. Iron Widow follows 18-year-old Wu Zetian who offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, not to earn her family some money but to avenge the pilot responsible for her sister’s death. She knows anyone signing up is essentially signing their death warrant and has made her peace with it— vengeance over survival. But what Zetian doesn’t expect is not only successfully killing her sister’s murderer but emerging from the cockpit unscathed. Labeled as the Iron Widow, the most feared of female pilots, she is paired up with the scariest and strongest male pilot in Huaxia, Li Shimin, to keep her under the patriarchy’s idle thumb. But now that Zetian has found all this power within her, there’s no way she’s giving it up. Determined to make the pilot system work for her, Zetian is on her way to stop girls from being sacrificed to men’s power—and to dismantle the patriarchy while she’s at it.

Iron Widow is a chunky read and it’s difficult to formulate just how much this story has got going for it. But if you’re into unlikely alliances, enemies-to-lovers, fantastic Asian and queer rep as well as a girl who will stop at nothing to give her fellow women the equality they deserve, then have I got the book for you.

We follow Wu Zetian not only form a connection with Li Shimin but also her best friend Gao Yizhi joining the fight for equality. This unlikely trio fights to dismantle the patriarchy—all the while trying to stay alive long enough to achieve said goal—and we get to learn so much about each of them through their connections to the other. As they learn to trust each other, they also learn more about themselves and what’s at stake if they can’t make their new roles work.

I can already see readers swooning over Li Shimin and Gao Yizhi for different reasons and rightly so. Without giving too much away, Li Shimin, “the Iron Demon” has a lot of depth to his character and to how he became who he is. As you get to see that history unravel, you can’t help but want to fight the unjust system yourself. Meanwhile, Gao Yizhi is the kind of “cinnamon roll that could actually kill you” portrayal fantasy readers are going to devour.

The absolute highlight of this book and what made it unputdownable for me, however, was our protagonist Wu Zetian and the themes of feminism we get to explore through her eyes. The author takes a deep dive into the unrelenting and unfair gender roles Wu Zetian’s society tries to uphold at any cost and how that not only affects how people treat her but how she, in par, treats others. There are so many powerful and feminist moments in this story that I basically highlighted a quote on every second page of Iron Widow. While Wu’s actions and thoughts sometimes didn’t match up when it came to approaching other girls and women, her fight to reclaim her right to be equal to men is downright intoxicating to read about. As you watch her best the other pilots and ruthlessly avenge those she has lost, you also get to see just how deeply ingrained the belief that women are lesser is in Huaxia and especially within Wu Zetian’s family and why her fight is such a worthwhile one. You can’t help but root for Wu Zetian as she defies all odds in a brutal system designed to keep her and every female down. All I can really say is, if you love stories where women bite back, this one needs to be on your TBR.

Where things sort of took a dive for me was when it came to the worldbuilding. Blame it on my tired brain but I had the hardest time keeping up with the concepts of Iron Widow—I mean, the premise? Ten out of ten, would recommend. The actual explanation for how everything came to be and the whole chrysalises and qi and pilot bonds went a bit over my head because we get to see a lot of them unfold as the chapters go on instead of having the answers early on. The funny thing is, I know this was an intentional choice to circumvent info dumping, which is always a difficulty in fantasy novels. But in this one little case, I think I would have embraced the info dumping over the strewn information we got because, even though qi as a concept sounds downright amazing, I still don’t have a real grasp on it. Then again, I could very well be talking out of my butt at this point and this will be elaborated on in the sequel, who knows? Besides, my confusion over the different qi forms and affinities didn’t take away from my enjoyment at all, so I think readers who pay attention will have no problem understanding all the intricacies of Huaxia’s fight to protect the Great Wall against Hunduns. And I can’t wait to see where the sequel takes Wu Zetian and those powers.

An unapologetically queer and feminist sci-fi adventure with a ruthlessly compelling protagonist and an explosive ending that ramps up the stakes for the sequel, Iron Widow is perfect for fantasy lovers and fighters of the feminist agenda!

*4.25 stars*

We follow Zetian, a young girl who enlists into the military as a concubine pilot, where she will be paired up with a male pilot to fight against an alien race, the Hunduns. Girls in this world are sacrificed during these battles, ensuring the survival of the male pilots as well as the success of the battles. Zetian’s big sister was murdered by a famous fighter, and Zetian enacts her revenge not by a sword or strangulation as planned, but in the mind-link during battle. She is then called an “Iron Widow” and her struggles continue as she tries to free girls from the same fate as her older sister.

What I Loved:
-This contained an alternative love triangle a.k.a. a poly MFM relationship, and I loved that it was represented so well and was so refreshing. The bisexual rep mixed with a Poly relationship was amazing. We love inclusive stories. (I wish it was better explored, since the last 25% was pretty much all plot and plot twists)
-I loved that this was inspired by Chinese history and the author made their own world and rules inspired by history but futuristic and sci-fi.
-Our main character, Zetian, was emotional and passionate, yet determined and forthright and brave. I feel like so often you have to be cold and calculating without crying or showing emotion, and she felt real. I also appreciated her revenge arc and how she actually needed men’s help throughout, showing her that not all men were out to sacrifice and use the concubine pilots.
-The feminist overtones!!!
-The quotes about relationships and love.
-SHIMIN. SHIMIN. He was so ignored towards the end but I feel in love with that dude.

What I Didn’t Love:
-The “alien” conflict was very confusing and was never explained in a way I enjoyed. The ending had some more explanation, but really just made more questions.
-The world politics seem like they would be really important in a book like this, but the politics were never explained fully and we were left in the dark.
-A lot of the novel is telling instead of showing, so I feel like I couldn’t always make my own opinion about the events transpiring.
-This book is not subtle in the slightest. We get to see the author’s tropes played out throughout but they are never really pulled together in a cohesive way.
-The relationships were pretty instalove-y. Not my favorite, but this was not character focused. -The world building is lackluster and again, confusing. I love the idea of the world and it mirrored our own in many ways, but a cohesive picture was never achieved.

TW: Femicide, Gore, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual Assault (mentioned), Torture

**Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada, Penguin Teen for an eARC in exchange for my honest review**

In this world that combines The Handmaid's Tale and Pacific Rim, Wu Zetian is to be sent into war for her country as a concubine for the man that killed her sister. However, she ends up finding herself wrapped up in the complex war of Chyrsalises, these mega robots that are used and piloted by men that kill women during fights to gain power. Wu will do what it takes to survive, even if it means taking the patriarchy down with her.

The worldbuilding in this story is a bit intense. You have this fantasy science fiction world inspired by China and its history, but with such a unique twist that it really does pull you in. It took me a bit to get into the world but once I did I was flying. There's also such an amazing take on qi, the life energy in all people, and the different elemental aspects of qi that manifest in each person. Each elemental qi has its strengths and weaknesses when it comes to application in battle, and seeing those interactions in the spirit armor and the Chrysalis fighters and even the people who wield it was so beautifully done. Although I will say that some points on magic building with qi felt repetitive, even at the end of the story, but I still found it extremely enjoyable.

The characters were either extremely lovable, or extremely easy to hate, which I felt was good to build the narrative of women oppression in this society. Most of the male characters were the latter, except the exceptions of Simu Yi, Yizhi, and Li Shimin. They were all cool. Yizhi was smart but light hearted and had an open mind about a lot of stuff that really drew me to him. Li Shimin I was iffy on in the beginning. Yes, we don't get introduced to him until 30% through the novel, but we get this immediate tough guy persona only for that to immediately melt away 10% later. I know it's because of his addiction but I still was a bit iffy about it. Regardless I still loved him at the end.

Now Wu Zetian I had a love hate relationship with. She was either a complete badass or a hothead with temper issues, but either way she had compassion and a drive and would do what she had her mind set on. And in that way, I felt that I really admired her for it and what she does throughout the story.

I know a lot of people have been asking if there is a polyamorous relationship in this story. All I have to say is that you have to read this book to find out. Regardless, the relationship that does happen I felt had really good buildup and I wish I would have seen more of it before the final end to the story. Made me feel a little disappointed but still glad we had it. But I have hopes with the sequel because THAT CLIFFHANGER OMG!

I will also add that I was thrown off by the dialogue for a good portion of the story, but I also have to acknowledge that this story takes place in a fictional China, so there might be a cultural barrier to the language that I don't really understand. But the descriptions were absolutely stunning.

Iron Widow is perfect for science fiction fans who want some more powerful female representation with something akin to watching Power Rangers as a kid. It made me want to be a pilot and take down the patriarchy along with Wu. Please go and pre-order this book! You won't regret it.

I received a copy of this book as an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Any and all thoughts are my own.

I love the mix of modern technology and language with somewhat historical traditions and ways of life. The sci-fi was of course a draw-in for me. I loved the main 3 characters and found their relationship to be the perfect break between the hard truths, utter tragedies, and unfairness of their world. Zetian was angry, smart, and still learning to untangle herself from the lies she had been force-fed since birth. She is far from perfect but that is what made me believe in her more. Shimin is a misunderstood murderer whose beliefs ripped apart his life and put him on this self-destructive path to be used as a tool before Zetian enters his life with new hope. And Yizhi is the rich pretty boy with hidden secrets and an undercurrent of power and darkness hidden beneath fancy robes and all the luxuries money can buy. Together they are tiny slithers of hope and happiness that they in the end want to fight to hold on to. I love this polyamorous rep in YA!

I am the type to care more for characters than the plot in books but the progression in the book was great still in having enough action to balance all we were learning about this world. There are a lot of twists and shocks in the last 15% of the book but that only drummed up more interest and emotions around the book and my want for the next one. Also, the writing in this book is so good!! I highlighted so many lines and GOD they were so good every time Zetian felt invigorated to speak against the patriarchy and take back the power that had to be stripped away just because she is a girl.

This was such an enjoyable read and I can't wait to see what Zhao has planned for the rest of this series, future writing projects, and other endeavors. If you haven't, you should check out the fan art on their Instagram and the commissioned art they've had done. It's so good!!

What is better than five stars? Oh, right, THIS BOOK!

Listen I knew I was going to love this book going in. Sometimes you just know. And I knew. But wow. My expectations were exceeded by miles, okay? Miles. Everything about this book was flawless. Stunning. It should be on every shelf and in every store and on every wish list, ever. Characters? Would die for them. Plot? Perfectly done. World building? The author should teach a class on it.

If everyone doesn't buy this book the moment it's available they are doing themselves a disservice. 10/10 would and will read again very soon.

Wow, this is such a cool book! I truly have not read anything like it.

The story follows Wu Zeitan as she enlists as a pilot concubine of giant transforming robots to avenge her older sister's death. When she ends not immediately dying as expected, Zeitan becomes the notorious Iron Widow and seeks to destroy the society who continuously sends young girls to their deaths.

This story is based off of Chinese history, myth, and philosophy portrayed through a very modern lens in a sci-fi setting. I was continuously in awe of how Xian Jay Zhao blended these areas together to create a world that was so different from anything else I have read.

I haven't read much sci-fi and had a hard time imagining what they chrysalises looked like and how exactly the spirit armor and metal worked. I think that if I were more familiar with the genre I could picture it more, but as it I'm still not really sure how the chrysalises worked and the limits of the pilot technology. This would normally really bother me but I was honestly so swept up in the amazing setting and premise that didn't mind too much.

Iron Widow has some sci-fi and YA genre tropes that I have seen a lot of times before (being forced to be with a rough appearing person, having a childhood love that the character leaves, main character finding out that they are special). However, the author portrays these plot points in a way that is totally new and totally subverts audience expectation. The characters are memorable and complex. I really didn't know where the story was going and am very excited to see how it progresses in the next book!

This was my first book with a poly relationship, and man, can we have much much more of that please?

"There aren't nearly enough nice feelings in the world, so why deprive ourselves?" Totally agree, especially as everyone lives in a hellscape in this book and can die at any second.

I love that this book didn't waste time on Zeitan being torn over which person to pick. Instead, she picks them both, and they pick each other. It's wonderful. Zeitan also uses a wheelchair for a lot of the book and continues being shown as badass, sexy, and assertive. I loved seeing that. The story also metaphorically and physically smashes the patriarchy and explores how gender is viewed by culture vs. nature. It also explores the different ways that abuse and trauma can affect people. It also shows people working through their pain and helping others. That being said, this book is pretty brutal in many places so make sure you're okay with that before you read it.

If you want a fast-paced and incredibly unique read, this book is definitely for you! Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for an electronic advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review!

TW: violence, death, abuse, torture, rape

4.5

YOOOO this book was wild start to finish. Wu Zetian has IDGAF disease, and yes, it's terminal. Xiran Jay Zhao really said "love triangle, but triangles are the strongest geometric shape." And that ending? W H A T.

There are a lot of YA books in the vein of "girl grows up in oppressive society and her only goal is survival. Keeps her head down, protects the family. Reluctantly becomes a part of the resistance only when the unavoidable call to action comes." This...is not that book. Wu Zetian's first words were "Fuck This." Wu Zetian says, "Come on board or get the fuck out of my way." Wu Zetian says, "You've been living a dream for long enough! Welcome to your nightmare!" (Literally, she says this.) Wu Zetian is on some queen shit and we love her.

A BIG thank you to NetGalley, Penguin, and author Xiran Zhao for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. An honest review was requested but not required.

Many (MANY!) other reviews have already quoted the same summation: Pacific Rim + Handmaid's Tale + Chinese history retelling + xyz. Oh, and with a pan, poly heroine. Yep, that's it in a nutshell.

Really, the plot is too complex and grandiose for me to recap it. Suffice to say: Wu Zetian, our aforementioned heroine, is DONE with being a downtrodden second-class-gendered doormat. She is ready to kick ass and take names and break things and, unlike many other books where the female protagonist is purportedly this real strong, fierce, uncompromisingly tough, big-talking avenging angel (but is really just a sweet, pretty girl who is occasionally assertive), Wu Zetian is EVERYTHING she says she wants to be. Fierce. Strong. Avenging. Tough. Persistent. Canny. and, and this is the most important thing, when she says she's DONE, she's DONE. If you're not with her, you're against her, and she isn't about to forgive OR forget.

The side characters, Li Shimin and Gao Yizhi (and it's SO nice that they STAY side characters, where they belong) are both amazing. But you never, ever forget that it's Wu Zetian who is leading the show here. The last 15% of the book was a crazy ride; I'm still not completely sure I took a full breath the entire time. OMG. Wu Zetian means BUSINESS. I cannot, cannot, cannot wait to see what happens next. Iron Widow book #2 had better get here FAST.

Very highly recommended to fantasy readers and girls who are sick and tired of being "just a girl." Wu Zetian is the heroine you've been waiting for.


Oh yeah, and I'm adding to the 2021 PopSugar Reading Challenge under category: book from my TBR list with the prettiest cover 😍😍😍

I received a copy of this from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this read. The MC was badass and I loved the social commentary about what it is to be a woman. There are societal expectations and people telling you what to do. I love when books can make that commentary without it feeling like "this is how you should feel" or "actually this is the way to be a woman". This book is all about taking your life for yourself and doing what you want.

On top of that, I loved the fantasy/sci-fi mix. There were invading aliens and the way to fight them was with qi, or spirit energy, that every person has access to in different levels. The way the system was explained was super well done. Often I am confused after the explanation of the magic system so I have to reread it, but this was very well explained but wasn't simple.

I also liked the world building. It felt real. It felt lived in. It fell very well thought out. Overall, it was a really great book and I will definitely be reading the sequel when it comes out because the ending made me very excited to see what is coming next.

Picked up this title and read the beginning but realized it's not for me. I really liked the fact that many of the characters were loosely inspired by figures from Chinese history, but couldn't really get into the whole mecha aspect. Readers who were into 90s/2000s anime as kids will likely love it :)

I had a lot of fun reading this book, although I will say it was a lot darker than I was expecting. When the author described it as being similar to the Hand Maid’s tale (among other things), they really meant it. This book doesn’t pull punches and it doesn’t gloss over violence towards women. I think I assumed that as a YA it wouldn’t be as direct as it was in acknowledging elements like rape and sexual assault, but the book doesn’t shy away from calling things what they are. It doesn't actually depict any of these acts, as far as I can remember at least, but it does acknowledge that they are a part of the world. Once I adjusted my expectations, I really enjoyed the ride. I actually loved how it dug into darker themes. I particularly loved seeing the lead character’s anger. I haven’t read a character this angry in a while, and it’s been a while since I’ve seen a character use that anger this ruthlessly. There is no apologizing in the book for Wu Zeitan’s more aggressive tendencies, and the world build around her completely justifies the stakes in a way that there isn’t any need for it. I hadn’t realized how much I was craving seeing ruthless female characters in fiction.

The only criticisms I had were that while I loved the “love triangle” I thought the resolution was heavy handed in explanation. I loved that the three characters ended up together, but I think I wanted to see more of those three characters coming together. I think part of the issue was the first person perspective and part of it was the limited number of pages allowed to the book. The other thing I would have loved was more foreshadowing of the final twist in the epilogue. These critiques didn’t really dampen my experience, and I will definitely continue with the series.

Well this book was a lot! Not always enjoyable (for me) but definitely worth reading if you're into mecha battles, revenge, badass heroines, and Chinese culture/history. First of all, this is a very dark read. At times I kept asking myself "is this really YA? did I misunderstand? is this adult or new adult?" It's heavy on abuse of women and set in a society where women are only good for having babies, serving men, and being sacrificed in the mecha piloted by men. Also, the main character, Wu Zetian, had her feet forcibly bound and the author does not hold back on the details or the lasting agony that Zetian experiences as a result. There's loads of death, torture, and some of the worst characters you'll encounter in fiction (Zetian has a hit list that I very much endorse). I guess I should have paid more attention to the "like The Handmaid's Tale" than the "like Pacific Rim" part of the pitch. However, as a huge fan of Pacific Rim I was very entertained by the mecha battles. I found out in the afterword that the piloting system is more inspired by the anime Darling in the Franxx (which I haven't seen) which makes sense because Pacific Rim pilots have an equal partnership and that is certainly not the case in Iron Widow!

My favorite thing about the book is the characters. Zetian is fierce and I cheered on her victories and growing power. Her copilot, Li Shimin, the Iron Demon, is a fave. He's the epitome of the scary bad boy who is actually the Best Boy. There are precious few characters who aren't deeply warped by the misogynistic society but thankfully Zetian met two of them, and the other is her childhood friend and mega rich boy, Yizhi. I wish I had gotten more emotional development between the three characters -- it felt like they all ended up together rather quickly and then never talked about it? Most of Zetian's focus is on other things besides romance and her scenes with the boys were more about the physical than emotional. (Maybe that's just me -- I do love getting into the feels).

Overall, a fast paced, futuristic adventure filled with plot twists, danger, a dash of romance, and a big ole cliffhanger.

I loved this book! Zetian is a morally gray character. She has goals and overall good intentions but is forced to do bad things to achieve them.

The characters were all amazing. The romance was slow-burning and I loved each part of it.

The villains were frustrating but definitely served their purpose! It was hard to read about the abuse toward women at times, especially it being a futuristic setting. I understand that it added to the plot and relates to current events, but it still made me put down the book in frustration sometimes.

It was fast-paced, and there was never a dull moment! I did have trouble understanding how the Chrysalises worked, but there are explanations throughout the book.

The ending was full of twists- I was able to predict one of them, but the rest took me by surprise. It definitely ended with a cliffhanger, and I cannot wait for what comes next!

Iron Widow completely blew my away and I'm not sure I'll stop thinking about this book for a long time. This is not your usual YA fantasy book - the main characters are seriously morally grey and do not make great choices, but you root for them anyway. Set in a futuristic Chinese inspired world, young women are sold by their parents to the government to power space ships in the war against the Hunduns. Zetian willingly goes into service to avenge her sister's murder by one of the best pilots in the military.

The world-building is top notch, the characters are so well-rounded and multi-faceted, and the plot kept me guessing the whole way through the book. There were points where this book was difficult to read, so please look at trigger warnings before picking it up. I did know what I was getting into with reading it, but it is still hard to read women be treated as property. Even after all of that, this is the easiest 5 stars I've given to a book all year.

I'm here for the open relationship included in this book, which is something I haven't seen in a YA book yet but it was done so well. As the best continued I felt like the relationships were going to go that way, and I was so excited when it actually happened. The ending killed me though and I'm still not over it. I'm in desperate need of the sequel ASAP.

**Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review**

TW: depictions of sexual assault, murder, misogyny, assault, alcoholism, domestic violence

Thank you to the publisher, Penguin Teen Canada, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“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. You tell them over and over, until it’s the only truth they’re capable of living.”

The land of Huaxia has been at war with the Hunduns and mecha aliens beyond the Great Wall for many centuries and the only way to fight them are using Chrysalises, giant robots that require a boy-girl pair to activate and pilot. The girl of the pair often dies of the mental strain involved in the process, but the harshly patriarchal and misogynistic society sees them as acceptable losses. When Zetian’s sister is killed by one of the most famous male pilots, she enlists as a concubine-pilot to gain vengeance. And on the field, a shocking and unprecedented event occurs – instead of dying from the strain, she instead overpowers the male pilot through the psychic bond, killing him and taking control of the Chrysalis to return unharmed. Labelled an Iron Widow, the army is eager to silence her and pairs her up with the strongest pilot in Huaxia. But while this was initially about vengeance for Zetian, the taste of power she has gained has her seeking more and more, determined to break down the skewed pilot system and stop any more girls from being sent to their deaths.

I have been looking forward to reading Iron Widow ever since I heard of it on Penguin Teen’s top 10 list, and it did not disappoint. Absolutely gorgeous cover aside, this was such an epic read and unlike anything I’ve ever come across before. Iron Widow is inspired by Chinese history, particularly the life of Empress Wu, the first and only female Emperor of China. This is one area I know literally nothing about, but reading this book has made me so curious to know more, and as I understand it, there are several characters throughout the story inspired by real historical figures, so I imagine actually knowing the background would make it so much more intriguing a read. This is set in a well-built world and though we get quite a bit of detail, it never felt like info dumping at any point. Very important to note, there are a whole lot of content and trigger warnings for this book – take them seriously. It was nice that the author mentioned them at the beginning of the book because this story gets dark really quickly and it was good to have an idea of what to expect.

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

Zetian was an amazing character, fierce and determined and she refuses to be tied down by the system that suppresses girls in the name of tradition and morals. Also, she was a very, very angry young woman – totally justified, because I myself got pretty mad just reading about what that society was like – and when she finds out just how skewed the system is against girls, decides to do something about it instead of accepting the status quo as so many other women around her have. Zetian was a phenomenal protagonist, a take no prisoners kind of character, and definitely not your average fantasy heroine. She is one of those characters that will leave an impression on the reader long after the story is over. Also, can I just say, hats off to the author for taking what seemed to be headed for a very awkward love triangle and turning it into something I have never seen in YA before? I wasn’t sure it was going to work initially but it did and we really need more books like this!

There was just one tiny thing that didn’t really work for me and that was the level of detail in the battle scenes. It was described in quite a bit of detail, but here’s the thing – the mecha fights are more or less like Transformers with people inside piloting them and while it’s pretty cool, it’s not really my thing and I lost interest in the minutiae after the first two such battles. I was more interested in the reason behind the piloting system and the extremely dangerous game Zetian was playing.

Even though I sensed there was a major plot twist in the air going into those final couple of chapters, it still took me completely by surprise as it came from an angle I wasn’t expecting. The closing events of this book have completely changed the lay of the land and Zetian’s challenges are just beginning. I can’t wait to see what happens in the sequel! Iron Widow was a fantastic read and basically the book I never knew I needed. I really wish it were another 100 pages long because I just flew through this book in one sitting and it was not enough. If this book isn’t on your TBR yet, what are you waiting for? Highly, highly recommended for every fantasy and sci-fi fan out there!

I am not overstating it in the slightest when I say I'm completely obsessed with this book. I was unsure about how I would feel about this book, even though I loved the concept, but the masterful writing, the execution of an excellent idea leading to further more excellent ideas, and some stunning characters have actually made it my favorite book of the year.

From beginning to end this is a fantastic story. The blending of historical and futuristic is difficult to do well, but Zhao definitely manages it. And I won't speak on the ending in any direct terms, but I was completely blown away with the way this book ends and it made me wish I could just keep reading forever. There was not a single moment in this book where I wanted to put it down, even to sleep.

The characters in this are one of my favorite groups in fiction, because they are all distinct personalities and bring something to the story and dynamic of the group, but they are all also incredibly chaotic. We have "welcome to your nightmare" Zetia, "will absolutely murder that guy with you" Shimin, and "you can't shoot me I'm rich!" Yizhi, and they both manage to bring out the best and the worst in each other in such compelling and fun ways. Honestly, the fact that these characters have flaws and weaknesses but are either vulnerabilities that band them together or weaponized to destroy the oppressors (or both!) is so amazing to me.

And this fantastic dynamic can only be improved by one thing- a good romance. Not only does Zhao avoid lingering on a love triangle, but she integrates a healthy, loving polyamorous relationship in a way that adds warmth and love in a brutal story, and that feels completely organic. I love this romance so much, I love the interactions we get, and I love the mental images we get. I did not previously know that "2 unhinged people and the rich boy keeping them from consequences" was a dynamic I loved, but, geez, I sure do now.

The pacing in this book is great, in the way the relationship(s) build, but also in general. There is solid movement without ever feeling rushed, and always enough room to grow towards something without having to touch on every event.
And the way the world building is slowly revealed is incredibly effective. As we gain higher stakes and learn more about the characters we gain crumbs upon crumbs of this world we're in until we suddenly have a bran new understanding of where we are, and it's both jarring and completely obvious in that perfect blend that makes a reader lose their mind.

I really, genuinely, do now know how I'm supposed to wait for the sequel of this book. I immediately preordered a physical copy of this book so I could reread it over and over to tide me over, and I still kind of thing I'm not going to make it. Zhao has made characters you can't untangle yourself from and a story that will not go quietly!

Iron Widow is absolutely EPIC!!! Going into it, all I knew was it had a mix of historical Chinese setting and futuristic sci fi with a poly relationship and it delivered on every single level!!

I couldn’t put it down because the story was so gripping and the writing is absolutely beautiful. Wu Zetian, our protagonist, is incredible fierce and powerful and I adore her so much. It’s the feminist book we deserve and I enjoyed every moment. The rush I felt when they fight the misogyny and rise above the obstacles is indescribable.

The other main characters are Li Shimin, aka Iron Demon, who’s actually a cinnamon roll and deserves everything. And Gao Yizhi, Zetian’s best friend and other love interest, who is a sweetheart but also deadly.

While romance is not the focus, it is very well done and I loved how the relationship developed between all three. It’s the first time I’m reading a poly relationship in a YA and it was so refreshing!!!!

I sort of had a small suspicion about the ending but to have it confirmed and the magnitude of it really surprised me. I’m so hyped for the sequel and this one isn’t even out yet!!!!!!😭

Overall, I highly recommend it to everyone! One of my new favourites this year!!!!

*ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review

TW: Violence and abuse, footbinding, suicide ideation, discussion and references to sexual assault (though no on-page depictions), alcohol addiction, and torture

Iron Widow is the first novel in the series of the same name. It has been described as “Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid’s Tale” for the main story set-up and it definitely fits. One thing to be aware of is that there is an MFM triad for the romance. The story does not have the main character follow the usual love triangle where she must choose one and instead she has both. The two males also form their own connections with each other. Together they make a sweet polyamorous couple. If this type of relationship is not for you, then I would suggest skipping this series as it is a part of the story. For me, the relationships that formed added a heartwarming layer to an action-packed story and I could not imagine the novel without it as I love all three characters as individuals and together.

Wu Zetian is an 18-years-old frontier girl and ready to finally start her plan for revenge. Her older sister was killed three months prior during her time as a concubine pilot for Yang Guang. Before this plan takes place, the story explores Zetian’s home life and sets up the treatment of females in this time period. Even in her own family, she is disregarded in favor of her brother, Dalang. Females in this time were drowned in pig cages if they disgraced their families and they bind their feet to create a more “desirable” lotus shape. While Zetian is a very strong personality that seeks to destroy this way of life, she knows she needs to be strategic and it is not a simple matter of only speaking up. The way this novel is written makes it clear of the world that these characters live. Zetian does have an ally in Huaxia, as she has been friends with the son of the richest man, Gao Yizhi for the past three years.

Through a series of obstacles, Zetian finds herself the pilot of the Vermillion Bird, one of the Chrysalises. These mechas are war machines where the pilots control them with their minds. Female concubines are there as support for the male pilots and sometimes end up killed in the process. This is one of many elements that Zetian wishes to change. Her male pilot counterpart is 19-years-old, Li Shimin, the Iron Demon, who killed his own family when he was 16. With Zetian’s stronger personality, it is not an easy pairing and the two need to find a way to work together. Together they have high Qi and are a powerful pair. Each character is neither good nor bad and both are morally grey. This was one aspect that I loved with the characters as they did not lean too much towards right or wrong and instead straddled between them. Even Yizhi initially seemed only good, but he slowly started revealing some greyer aspects of himself.

The story is told from Zetian’s perspective so the reader follows along her journey as she navigates the complex political system and the war-filled battles. The characters around her may initially seem mysterious or more simplistic, but they become more and more complex as Zetian gets to know them. This is the case especially with Yizhi and Simin as a lot of their backstory and thoughts become more apparent as the story moves forward. At times I do wish that the story had three points of view just to get further inside their heads, but, at the same time, I do not think I would actually make the change. Zetian’s story is full of perils with added obstacles of being a female that the story would become cluttered by trying to add in one more aspect of multiple perspectives.

Overall, the author did an excellent job balancing the intense elements and the softer elements. The story goes through a lot of death, violence, and assault, yet still has moments of softer characters through the connections they form. The novel crosses many genres while not quite fully aligning with one in particular. It is historical based on the time period but mixes multiple real historical periods and figure inspirations together. It also takes a bit of science fiction and fantasy; however, if I were to place this in a book store in one place or the other, I would lean towards science fiction. It is a well-done mix of genres and I am very curious to see the direction the sequel takes. Not only do I look forward to seeing more of these genres come to life, but the ending of this novel also makes me very excited to read the next one, and 2022 cannot come fast enough!

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Penguin Teen, for the opportunity to read this enjoyable novel. The opinions expressed are completely my own.**

I absolutely ADORED this novel and I hope I can write a coherent review rather than just spewing my love for it. Marketed as "Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid's Tale," I was honestly not expecting to love this book quite as much as I did. I assumed that the commentary on gender inequality and the patriarchy would be a bit too hit-you-over-the-head, but in fact, it was incredibly nuanced and layered. The author's note at the beginning was a lovely touch, informing us of the aspects of Chinese history and culture that were woven throughout this book, while simultaneously warning us that the patriarchy is everywhere, not only modern day China.

As much as I love science fiction, I often have a hard time picturing the technology - but in this case, I had no trouble picturing the giant transforming war machines that Zetian and the others powered with their qi. Zetian, Shimin, and Yizhi are all incredibly developed and three dimensional characters - it's amazing what Zhao was able to do with the fairly limited space she had in this book. The plot was also fantastic, with truly surprising twists and turns throughout. And THAT! ENDING! I need book two NOW.

4.5 Stars

I had an amazing time with Iron Widow. This book was action packed from start to finish. It’s described as Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid’s Tales in a Chinese inspired world and that’s honestly a perfect description.

The main character was a complete badass and super intense. She doesn’t always do the ‘right’ thing or what you would expect her to do. She reminds me quite a bit of Adelina from The Young Elites series, who is one of my all-time favourite YA characters. I found a lot of the characters in this book to be very interesting and I am excited to hopefully learn more about them in the rest of the series.

The action scenes were very easy to picture, which is something that I tend to struggle with. I will say that I’m a big fan of Pacific Rim and have watched quite a few anime that have similar concepts of pilots in giant robots/creatures so this might have given me an edge.

The book went in a direction I wasn’t expecting at all which was awesome because I find that I can normally figure out a plot before it happens, so it was nice being surprised.

It was also refreshing to see how they portrayed the romance in this book. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything quite like it. I won’t go too much into detail about it because I view it as a bit of a spoiler. I will say that one relationship was a little fast for me, as in the characters went from not liking each other to liking each other very quickly but I was cheering for them so this didn’t bother me too much.

This was a book that I didn’t not know I needed in my life and I am so glad I had the chance to read this. I will 100% be continuing this series.