The summary:

The publisher's blurb about this books is "Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid’s Tale in this blend of Chinese history and mecha science fiction for YA readers." I've not watched nor read Pacific Rim, but I can see, somewhat, why The Handmaid’s Tale gets used as a hook. The "...blend of Chinese history and mecha science fiction for YA readers" seems to be the most accurate part of the blurb. I will say, there's a lot of interesting things going on in this story. It is also what I'd call "brain candy" and not completely in a bad way. Let's just leave my summary with a pretty solid 3 stars and say that there are some pros and cons, to be discussed in the actual review, shall we?

The review:

As promised in the summary, this book is a pretty solid 3 stars, with some pros and cons, and falls squarely into the "brain candy" category for me, although, it didn't have to. Some might say shouldn't have, as not all YA does for me.

The pros:

My Chinese history knowledge is not extensive, but even I've read a bit about Wu Zetian and she sounded like one tough woman, so I was thrilled to see this twist. Also, I'm not remotely versed in mecha anything, but ... giant robot-y things that are controlled mentally? Ok, cool. Even the generic plot of "woman fighting the patriarchy" was right up my alley. For those of you looking for romance, there is some, it's not all "man with woman full stop," and the romances in general aren't a predominant theme, which is nice, especially for YA.

The cons:

After the above pros, the worldbuilding, story, and characters feel very flat. The most depth you get is from Zetian and Shimin and trust me, you don't get a lot of depth with them. I know somewhat why the worldbuilding was a little flat, to set you up for the surprise at the end but, even that was somewhat predictible and no excuse for the shallow worldbuilding.

Overall, my complaint is that it felt like a lot of things in this book were skimmed over. Setting this story in the time, place, and space that it was in, more information (while avoiding the dreaded info dump) would've done wonders. Giving the characters more than one or two defining bits would've been awesome.

Last thoughts:

Overall, if my pros lined up with your pros, give this a whirl. Keep your expectations for understanding things low, go with the flow, and I think you'll be pretty ok. You may not like some things that I didn't mention, that's cool. You may really like some things that I was lukewarm on, which is also cool.

Honestly, maybe before you buy/borrow this book, check out Lexi's and Lucie V.'s reviews. They went into a lot more detail and said somethings better than I could've.

This book is damn near perfect. I love the mixture of Chinese mythology and history with Gigantic Robots. I would never have expected this but I want a million sequels. Full to the brim with unbridled feminist rage, interesting character dynamics and super fun and dynamic writing. Truly cannot recommend this enough

So my first thought surrounding this book is that it is one of the best books I have read in 2021. Like it will probably be in my top 10 list (maybe even top 5). I managed to read it in about 48 hours or less it was so addicting.

I absolutely loved Zetian as a main character, she has put her mind to a task and refuses to give up until it's complete. She is very defiant and doesn't agree with society in the way it runs and fights against it in various ways.

I really also loved Yizhi and Li Shimin who are the main male characters and Zetians love interests. Both of them are strong characters who each bring their own uniqueness to the story and really help Zetian with her plan and support her in said plan.

I love every interaction between all of these three main characters, especially with the fact that this book has a love triangle WHERE THEY ALL CHOOSE EACHOTHER, yes you read that correctly, it has poly rep which is something I personally have only seen in one YA book before.

When I think of these characters my brain just goes into a mush of saying I love them so much and overall how much I love this story.

The ending of this book had me physically in shock like umm give me book 2 immediately because I'm left with about a hundred questions I need answers to right now.

I will be recommending this book to absolutely everyone and already plan on re-reading it (probably before the end f the year if I'm being honest)

IRON WIDOW is a tightly-knit, fast-paced adventure that takes a close look at the treatment of women throughout history (especially Chinese and Asian history). What made the read so jarring was how the downright torturous practices towards women was juxtaposed with this high-tech world, which made the whole thing deeply uncomfortable and eye-opening. It not only critiques old traditions but also persisting ones, and challenges patriarchy by grabbing it by the throat. I’ve never read a book that is so unabashedly about toppling the patriarchy. It’s gutsy and powerful and delivers blow after blow relentlessly. It forces you to stop and think and it presents its case without wavering.

My second favourite thing about the read was the setting and the lore. We are quickly introduced to this world where giant robots exit and transform (which is like, awesome), and we are also introduced to the rules of the world, i.e., about the sacrifice of female pilots. A lot of the world-building is derived from Chinese history and lore, which was interesting and refreshing and kept making me want to turn the pages.

This book has a fascinating concept and great themes. It tackles misogyny in a clear, direct way, and doesn't shy away from darkness and violence. The way the author mixes fantasy/sci-fi and Chinese history is incredibly effective, and the most viscerally horrifying aspect is about the protagonist's bound feet. The pace is incredibly fast; I was never bored. However, I started to notice more issues around the halfway mark. I didn't get a strong sense of world-building and all of the minor characters felt incredibly one-dimensional. I enjoyed the three main characters, but everyone else suffered.

The flipside to the fast pace is that a lot of things felt rushed. I loved the idea of a poly relationship instead of a love triangle, but the romances progressed incredibly quickly. They felt unearned with the exception of Yizhi and Zetian, since they already liked each other before the start of the novel. Since this is a series, it would have made more sense to go for more of a slowburn with the other two dynamics. It felt as if too many plot developments were packed into this book without being given the space for them to feel interesting. At times, it was like a movie that uses far too many montages. Because of this, I didn't feel particularly attached to any of the characters.

Although I loved the messaging, it felt a little too heavy-handed sometimes. I was being told that things were bad more than shown them. Many times, characters would be able to stop and eloquently speak about societal issues in a way that didn't feel organic. No matter how intelligent a character is, it's not always believable or interesting to have them monologue for the reader's benefit.

A lot of these feel like debut problems that can be ironed out in later books. I enjoyed the plot itself and where this first book left things, but the execution felt a little lacking.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Teen for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was an amazing book! It is perfectly described as Pacific Rim meets The Handmaids Tale.
I can't wait for the second book because damn the cliffhanger was mean

2.5/5
TW: misogynistic violence, death, murder, torture, gore, abuse, threat of rape, alcoholism, racism

In this reimagining of Chinese history, Empress Wu Zetian's origins are supplanted into an alternate futuristic world in which hunduns terrorize society. Hope for a safe future lies with the pilots of giant mechanical beasts called chrysalises — controlled with the strength of their pilots' qi — which clash with the hunduns whenever they attack.

In this deeply misogynistic society, male pilots are heroic celebrity figures while the girls serving as their concubine-pilots are expendable and face almost certain death in each battle. After her sister loses her life as a concubine-pilot, Zetian commits herself to killing the pilot responsible for her death, setting off a chain of events that thrust her deep into the pilot system and public eye in unforeseen ways.

I was initially drawn to this book on the promise of it being packed with defiant, feminist rage and a bisexual polyamorours love triangle. I was further sold after discovering Xiran Jay Zhao's youtube channel which I earnestly recommend checking out, regardless of my feelings towards this book.

Now, onto the book...

At its core, Iron Widow promises more than it delivers. There was indeed ample feminist rage and a bisexual polyamorous 'love' triangle but neither was sold in a way that I could really get on board with.

Zetian grapples with the horrific and violently misogynistic society in which she lives, but does so while seemingly having the same furious revelations every couple of pages. She regularly spouts feminist lines of dialogue or thoughts that feel like they're meant to come across as cool and revolutionary but also get old very quickly. She interacts minimally with other women and the relationship that seems as though it ought to be at the core of the book — her relationship with the sister whose death has shaped the trajectory of her life — is virtually non-existent.

The love triangle, though refreshing in its polyamorous nature, didn't do the job of truly convincing me on all three interpersonal dynamics at all. Zetian and Yizhi have an existing relationship that doesn't get explored much, Zetian and Shimin's dynamic held so much more potential than it lived up to, and the relationship between Yizhi and Shimin felt so incredibly underdeveloped that it was hard to care about. Each of the relationships felt like instalove which was a serious disappointment.

The battle scenes are lengthy and repetitive, the pacing and and plot felt directionless for a large chunk of the book, many of the characters felt one dimensional, and ultimately my complaint all around is the same: this book, for all its ambition and genuinely interesting themes and moving pieces, winds up being so simple and almost didactic in its messaging.

All that said, this is a debut novel with some very real promise. The last third of the book brought some interesting turns to the plot and kept me interested in continuing the series. I really appreciate what Iron Widow sets out to do, I'm just hopeful for some added maturity and depth in book two.

What a wild ride this book was! It became a "Read Now" option on Netgalley and so we all grabbed it to buddy read. Our chat has just been full of "!!!!!!!" since we started it, and I'm so beyond glad we found this book and author.

I can't summarize the book any better than the publisher has, so I suggest you read that here. Zhao asked herself "what if Pacific Rim took place in a sexist ass world where women became collateral damage in a battle against giant aliens" and she answered it in the most badass way possible.

Zetian is... there are no words for her. She exists in a world where every possible variable has been molded to keep her down and yet she stands all the taller for it. She demands the life she deserves, and even when she's resolved to not get that at the book's start, she demands payment for her own departure to death. Her family didn't care about her life and when her sister is murdered, she knows she is the only person who can and will seek justice. There is a courage to Zetian that I see so rarely in female protagonists - a courage rooted very fairly in fear but persevering anyway, a flower growing up through concrete because it has to.

The plot felt unconventional in that it doesn't follow a typical structure. I kept waiting for it to hit pauses and find certain story beats but it didn't - it just kept going and forcing me to pay attention.

I can't spend too much time talking about the characters of Li Shimin and Yizhi Gao without spoiling the book but... please just read this for them and Zetian. There is something so beautiful about these three that can't be described because it must be experienced. I loved the dynamic and would have accepted this as an 800 page book if it meant more scenes with them.

This is an incredibly feminist book, as should be expected from its premise. I can't understate this though: please go into this book expecting it to be a feminist book with feminist quotes and graphic sexism against women. I don't think this book loses anything for being as on-the-nose as it was (and it was definitely in your face), but I don't want anyone to expect anything differently. It's not like that girlboss scene in Endgame though, it's more like when you get to watch Scarlet Witch fucking wreck someone after they knocked her down. That fear you see in Thanos' eyes when she comes at him? That's what this book feels like. Female vengeance pressed into pages with ink that I'd shoot into my veins if I could.

It's obvious that this author loved Pacific Rim and took a lot of inspiration from it, but the way she describes the Chrysalis and the mechanics of the yin-yang seats, this becomes her own world very quickly. It felt, to me, like when an author gets permission to write their spin on a popular character. This is Zhao's sandbox now. Readers get kinda dropped into the world but there's plenty of cultural world-building and descriptions that simply make sense. I don't know how to explain it, but sometimes an author is describing something technical and I'm left BAFFLED at how it's all supposed to work, but here I was completely on board. Plus it uses mechanics and aspects familiar to me - I knew what qi was and I just pictured all the Chrysalis appearances to be like.. mechanical Sailor Moon transformations. I highly recommend that imagery by the way, 10/10.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for the ARC!

3.5 stars

Iron widow has been my most anticipated book of 2021 and I was tremendously excited to start reading it. The premise and polyamory definitely captured my attention and made me super delighted for this book! Now while I found it a good read, I didn’t necessarily think it was a great one.

The plot felt kind of all over the place and was hard to follow (I will say that the plot twist at the end did surprise me!). The world building was pretty good but could have been more explained and elaborated on. I was confused with a lot of terms and character names due to many info dumps, but was eventually able to somewhat understand what/who everything/everyone was.

What I can definitely say is that I was very intrigued by the characters. Characters have always been the most important part of the story in my eyes, and I think Xiran Jay Zhao does a pretty good job at writing a good cast of characters. I thought Zetian, Yizhi and Shimin were very good main characters and I adored their dynamic!

I think that overall, it was a decent debut novel. Not necessarily a favourite of mine but definitely one i’m interested in following. I will definitely be picking up the second novel to see where the rest of the story goes.

Fueled by seething rage and unquenchable desire in the peasant-turned-mech-pilot, Wu Zetian, Xiran Jay Zhao devastates in their YA science fiction debut, Iron Widow. Drawing from Chinese culture – social, political, religious – Zhao blends brutal reality with mythology, unleashing a powerhouse in the re-imagined Zetian, drawing from the only female emperor’s roots in a lead character determined to make a difference by bringing down the patriarchy, playing to her strengths as a woman, undervalued and overlooked.

As the youngest child of a poor family on the Huaxia frontier, Zetian is nothing but a bartering chip in her family’s eyes. She exists to be pretty, to bare children, to serve. The greatest goal she could achieve is death, her battle price an expectation in a world dominated by the Chrysalis-Hundun war. To pay her for her brother’s bride price, Zetian is encouraged to enlist, pressured by her family to be the picture of femininity in order to be chosen as a sacrificial concubine pilot, a necessity in the war to take back Huaxia beyond the Great Wall. Destroyed by years of fighting, Chrysalises – massive mechas inspired by mythological beings, powered by qi, and capable of majestic transformation – are Huaxia’s only hope. Drawing from a host of mech anime, including, most notably, Darling in the Franxx, Zhao intricately pieces together Chinese history with climatic animation in male-female co-pilot pairs, a necessity not only to regain Huaxia’s stolen territory, but to survive.

Written with exquisite detail, Zhao brings mythological beings to life, transforming gods into mechanical monsters powered by qi, manipulated by those with high mental fortitude, or spirit pressure, with high numbers most commonly found in young males. It is in this yin-yang pairing that Zhao explores themes of misogyny and sexuality, from the harsh reality that women are often nothing but qi batteries to the idea of “balanced matches” and “bonded pairs” beginning with pilot seat position, accommodations, and clothing, and ending with high tech malleable armor, pilot ranking systems, and untold secrets. In a world where most women are destined to die on their first flight, Zetian’s fierce determination, unwavering will, and strong desire for vengeance win, granting her a new title when she comes out on top of Huaxia’s most beloved pilot, Yang Guang.

Zetian’s recognition as a pilot-killer is anything but positive. Consistently undervalued in the face of a male-dominated war effort, she is placed with Li Shimin, the Iron Demon, after enacting her revenge on her sister’s murderer. Iron Widow and Iron Demon meet with trepidation, rumors swirling about the half-Rongdi outsider that is Shimin. Though he possesses the highest current spirit pressure, he is an high profile convict turned reluctant pilot, captured, tormented, and abused for his refusal to obey. With a rugged, cold exterior, Shimin is judged for his broadcasted past, patricide paired with alcoholism, but unearths a strong desire for vengeance and women’s rights when placed alongside the fierce, unflinching powerhouse that is Zetian. In a world where men only want one thing (power, born from recognition inside of a Chrysalis), Zetian and Shimin are a clumsy force to be reckoned with, enemies turned lovers in a moving exploration of power and discovery, born from the desire to dismantle the pilot system from within.

Despite being declared a balanced match to the public, Zetian is no Iron Princess; she struggles every step of the way to pilot alongside Shimin, determined to claw her way to the top, even if it means pushing herself to her mental limit each time. Cooperative training sessions – ice skating, dancing, and flying – bring the duo closer together, albeit grudgingly, each wary of a past that haunts them. Mental balance is necessary if the Vermilion Bird is to transform into its ascended forms correctly, and inherently stubborn natures make matters near impossible until vulnerabilities come to the surface, pasts turned present in the mental spirit realm their bodies inhabit in the Chrysalis cockpit, the duo pushed out into battle long before their allotted rest period is up time and again in an effort to break them down, despite their unmatched power amongst Huaxia’s ranks.

When Zetian’s long-time friend and love interest, Gao Yizhi, enters the picture, Zhao demolishes any semblance of a love triangle immediately, encouraging open sexuality instead in the gentle understanding that Yizhi exudes. As the son of one of the wealthiest men in Huaxia, Yizhi’s connections have allowed him to follow Zetian, whom he met and fell in love with on the outskirts of the frontier. Unruffled by her fierce determination and rage, Yizhi fits in seamlessly, soothing and encouraging the Iron couple through exhaustion, addiction and suicidal ideation.

While it would be in his best interest to follow the lead, Yizhi joins Zetian and Shimin in their quest for vengeance on the patriarchy, becoming a necessity that allows the duo to connect on an emotional and mental level by lending qi and triggering the Vermillion Bird’s heroic form successfully. “A triangle is the strongest shape,” after all, and Zhao pens a poly romance laced with sexual tension, desire and understanding that is exceptionally sweet, allowing the characters to explore themselves in a way that encourages personal growth, each dynamic unique, enriching and distinctly separate from the other.

Tender romance, intense battles and unforgettable conquests send the reader on an unforgettable journey of betrayal and brutality in the quest for answers and equality. As the world comes crashing down around the trio, Zhao deftly explores history, dismantling the dystopia in a knock-out ending that challenges everything you thought you knew about Huaxia.

Written with lush, vivid detail that brings old gods to life in breathtaking mechs, rich attention to detail vies for power with a fiercely determined plot, vengeful characters, and an unforgettable romance. Stunning until the very end, Zhao is a force to be reckoned with, her words enticing and exciting in equal measure. There’s beauty in language, and Iron Widow is a work of artistic madness that longs for an anime adaptation of its own.

Although Zhao writes from the lens of Chinese history, detailing misogyny and the brutal expectations placed upon women, from foot-binding to subservience, they speak for all women in Zetian’s incessant fury and determination to gain control of her mind, body and destiny. Zetian’s relentless journey is equal parts exhilarating and empowering, making Iron Widow an impactful, impeccably paced debut that solidifies Zhao’s place on my auto-buy list.

Full of historical easter eggs, well-realized, mythological mechs, and surprising sensuality, Iron Widow offers a scathing examination of the patriarchy through a legendary female lead.

SMASH THE PATRIARCHY! From the very beginning of this book, you know that Zetian is out for blood, specifically the blood of the man who killed her sister. What starts as a revenge tale turns into a feminist adventure where Zetian turns her entire world upside down. There were so many quotes in this book that just made me scream hell yes. The scathing commentary on how women are treated vs. men and how expectations will differ was probably my favorite part of this entire book. I also loved that Zetian never apologized for being who she was, she just was herself and wasn't going to change unless she could use it for her own gain. I wasn't sure how I would do with the sci-fi part of the story but I actually really liked the concept. The last 15% of the book was where I deducted one star. There was so much going on towards the end that I had a hard time following what was happening plus cliffhanger but that's my only con for this book. Also, I don't think I've ever read a Young Adult book that so casually has a poly relationship in it and I AM HERE FOR IT.

Really excellent book that kept me on my toes. Many thanks to Penguin Teen for an advance copy through NetGalley.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange of a honest review!

Content warnings: gore, torture, sexual assault, mentions of rape, feminicide, alcohol addiction.

My honest review is: INCOHERENT SCREAMING. That’s it, that’s the summary of my feelings while reading this book.

Iron Widow is amazing. The ultimate “fuck you” to the patriarchy and all the Pacific Rim vibes got me deceased and then ressurected. I had no idea I needed this book until I finally got to read it.

I wasn’t expecting the first person POV, but it did wonders. Wu Zetian is just angry, SO ANGRY, and she’s right to be. Her journey throughout the book was extraordinary, and nothing she does is meaningless or without a reason: she wants to change things in her country, and she will do whatever it takes.

Although I think this book could have been even more extraordinary if it was aimed for an adult audience (with more exploration and depth to its dark themes), I am very pleased that a younger audience is given the chance to read about morally grey characters, unhinged female heros, polyamorous relationships developed in such a natural way, and discussions about gender roles and media manipulation through Zetian’s lens. She is not neutral about it. And neither are we, readers, who accompany her life-long suffering.

Besides Zetian, we have as protagonists Gao Yizhi, Zetian’s friend and crush, and Li Shimin, the strongest pilot in the Chrysalis program, paired up with Zetian. I absolutely loved how their dynamics worked, and how they were developed both as individuals and as a team. Triangle truly is the strongest shape. Also, Yizhi is one of the few rich men who deserves rights.

I can’t say anything more without giving spoilers, so I’ll just scream about one more thing: THE BATTLES?????? AMAZING. The action scenes were so well written and one of the strongest points of the book for me. I could picture everything.

There are a few tiiiiny things that I wish were more developed, but this is only the first book, and it ended with a BANG. I can’t wait to read the sequel!!!!!!!!!!!!!

<b>What I liked:</b> I am actually a descendant of someone Wu Zetian assassinated. As in, he tried to run away from her but she sent people after him, found him several hundred miles away from the capital, and had him offed anyway. I was curious how the writer would make her sympathetic without glossing over her machiavellianism. The result is that Zetian is an antihero and the book feels very much like The Hunger Games if Katniss was shrewd and had no problem getting her hands dirty. Mechas! Drama! Good times all around.

<b>What I was meh on:</b> I guess this is true to historical form, but Wu Zetian basically has no female friends in this story. It's a little disappointing.

Okay, so in all fairness this will probably not be a problem with people who are unfamiliar with Chinese history/myths/legends, but it was extremely jarring to have characters with the names of famous people. I shrieked when I saw that the chief strategists were named Zhugeliang and Sima Yi. It's just *weird.* Like having a mecha sci-fi story, but the engineer is named Leonardo Di Vinci, but it's not Leonardo Di Vinci.

<b>How's the romance?</b> It's a thruple! That in itself was a unique, subversive choice by the writer. Everyone is attractive and appealing in their own way. The sweet brainy one, the tortured emo one, very good.

<b>Okay, but are there PoC?</b> Yup. Everyone is fantasy Asian here. I also appreciated the disability representation for multiple characters in the story, including the main protag.

<b>Bottom Line:</b> Iron Widow is a fun, history inspired take on a Mecha + Dystopian Propaganda story. It's references to ancient Chinese culture messed with my sense of verisimilitude, but overall did not detract from a fun romp in a unique fantasy world that subverts many YA tropes.

Iron Widow combines elements of science fiction and fantasy in this gripping, relentless, unique and fast paced story. Xiran Jay Zhao takes the history of Empress Wu, the only female emperor in Chinese history and reimagines it in the tale of Wu Zetian, an 18 year old who is determined to avenge her sister's death. The world has been under attack from mechanized aliens, the Hundun, and in Huaxia, it is the goal of young men to become pilots of Chrysalises, huge transforming fighting machines. In order to help the male pilots, female concubine-pilots are used to help power the Chrysalises which usually leads to the death of the subservient female pilot. Wu Zetian has volunteered to become a concubine-pilot in order to kill the top male pilot who is responsible for her older sister's death. However, Zetian discovers during her mission that she is incredibly powerful and she realizes she has an opportunity to remake the world and save many girl's lives.

Zetian's story reels you in right from the start with many familiar elements from Chinese culture alongside the fantastical descriptions of the Chrysalises and the spirit metal armor used by the pilots. Zetian's constant struggle with the misogynistic culture that surrounds her, from her father's treatment of the women in her family to the use of the concubine-pilot, infuses the entire story. From feet-binding to the subservience that this culture requires truly makes you understand why Zetian makes the choices she does. She is ruthless and determined not to let this patriarchal society keep her from using her power and leverage in saving the lives of the other female pilots. Her relationships with Li Shimin and Yizhi humanize her and provide touching moments when she discovers all that Shimin has been through himself. This really is a marvelous story and after THAT ending, I cannot wait for book 2!!!!

Please don't let the three stars fool you. This is a really solid book.

However, there are some faults with it. Which are not quite terrible, depending for what you look for in a book. I'm a bit of a visual reader - I envision a book in my head as it plays out on paper. Like a movie, you know. So if there are any issues with the text then the movie in my mind becomes not so clear.

- I think the government / world building is lacking. The focus is in the dialogue and social commentary but in return to the world building suffers. While I get this is supposed to be like an anime, I couldn't seem to place a visual as to what this world looked like. I couldn't even picture the government info-structure. Who is the enemy? What does the enemy want? Why exactly are we fighting?

- Because the government / world building suffers, the social commentary seems too in your face. While it is good, it just becomes a lot of anger / aggression.

I dug the poly relationship. I dug the characters themselves, too.

I am looking forward to book two because I hope that the book becomes a lot more solid in terms of world building after that cliffhanger. If it doesn't I will be very sad. However, I do think readers will enjoy this and there will be a fanbase. It depends in the end what you look for in a book when you read and if that book delivers from text to visual interpretation.

Iron Widow is utter insanity. I couldn’t get enough of it. I haven’t seen Pacific Rim, but if it’s anything like monster Transformers beating the crap out of each other while tiny humans operate them from the inside, then yes. Yes, that’s exactly what this was.

Zetian has a plan. It’s not a particularly well thought-out plan, but it’s the one she’s sticking to. It’s all really pretty simple; she will volunteer as a concubine-pilot, get paired with the same pilot as her sister….and then murder him. Kill him as savagely and unflinchingly as he did to her older sister months before. The world Zetian and her sister have grown up into is not a kind place to be a woman or girl, and this final act by Zetian will be one small return on investment for a societal practice rooted in cruelty.

Though if everything went according to her plan, this would have been a much shorter story, wouldn’t it? Instead of getting the chance to intentionally slay her sister’s killer, Zetian inadvertently does while hooked up to his consciousness in the Crysalis, aka the device used to control the giant, fighting robots. The result is seemingly unprecedented, and as a punishment for her lack of subservience she is paired with the only Crysalis pilot not beloved by the citizens of Huaxia, convicted criminal Li Shimin. A transparent attempt to cow her or kill her all together, Zetian will have to gather all of her inner power to overcome a deck so monstrously stacked against her.

I think the biggest concern I had beginning this book is that it would be too sci-fi for me to follow. Thought it definitely qualifies as science fiction, fantasy readers don’t have reason to be afraid! It reads like a fantasy novel, albeit set in the future and with pseudo-technology instead of enchantments and curses. There is a good amount of magic present in the story as well, with pilots and concubines’ spirit pressure, aka the measurement of each person’s chi, being what powers the Chrysalises and lends each individual their abilities.

It was so fascinating to see the blending of new and old, technology and mythology, especially within a specific cultural setting. Huaxia is a society set centuries in the future, with pieces of historical and modern China pulled together into a hybrid dystopia. Things like the retired practice of foot-binding was present, and like most current and previous human societies, a deeply misogynistic, patriarchal structure dominated nearly every aspect of their lives. Still, it’s important to keep in mind that every society on this planet has done terrible things to its people, especially to the vulnerable members of it.

Reading this was such a trip, and I was constantly having to slow myself down so I didn’t completely tear through it. Especially since some of the action scenes moved pretty quickly and I would get a little lost. Between that and having a only middling understanding of the different kinds of qi and how they work, I think this book could have benefitted from a little more explanatory portions along the way. Still, I wouldn’t say any of that took away from my overall reading experience since I still was raving to people about it after I finished.

Iron Widow is an incredibly inventive fever dream of fantasy, science, history and polyamorous bisexuals, and a challenge to a genre that at times feels overrun by the exact same kind of story over end over again. I haven’t quite read anything like Xiran Jay Zhao’s debut before and I’m extremely excited to read more set in this universe after that *insane* twist at the very end. Please provide more of this soon Penguin Teen !!!! xoxoxo 💋

Iron Widow follows female and male pairing up to pilot Chrysalises which are huge robots used to fight aliens hanging out over the Great Wall. Usually, the male pilots are more resilient as the female ones often die in battle. This story follows Zetian who is paired up with the hotheaded , but Zetian has ulterior motives for joining the program...to avenge her sister's death. She also wants to uncover the flaw in the machinery which causes the death of the female pilots.

I liked this book a lot.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

I really enjoyed the characters and plot of this book. The morally grey characters and polyamorous representation was amazing to see. Additionally the world building was unique and discussed the differences between the cultures well. The discussions of gender norms, addiction, grief and misogyny among other topics throughout the novel are necessary to the plot and sadly related to issues currently faced by many. The author handles these plot points in a delicate manner and through her writing many different perspectives can be gleamed from the passages. The battle sequences were also very detailed and exciting to read.

However, on a different note I found the ending to be rushed and the epilogue partially confusing. Particularly because of how short it is, the information presented in it does not have enough explanation to really hit home. Additionally she discusses the importance of found family and family obligations in a strange way that works at some points but is muddled in other parts of the story. At times it seems like she excuses their behavior and diminishes her families toxicity as a whole but during other scenes it is explained well. This comes across as muddled and it is harder to fully understand her dilemmas later in the book because of it.

Other than that Iron Widow was a refreshing read with unique plot and although I found the last bit rushed overall it was a great read that I've already pre-ordered and plan on recommending! I can't wait for the next volume to see what happens next!

Disclaimer ~ I got an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. This is definitely one of the best books I’ve read in a while. This is an astounding story of a woman who’s been broken down so many times but doesn’t give up. Women are powerless in society except to bear children and keep a man’s bed warm or to sacrifice their lives to help power a Chrysalis among a man. The Chrysalis is a transformer type device powered by a man and woman with Qi power. The woman is typically killed in battle as their Qi power is drained and essentially they burn out and die while the man lives on to see another day.

This is an unsettling story. Women are abused and assaulted and can say nothing against the men. Zetian is there to burn down the patriarchy. I loved the polyamorous relationship in this book. The friendship and love between the three was powerful. Their losses and heartache only brought them closer. The power this trio has together…they could bring down the world.

If you want to read a book about a strong, woman who wants to bring the world to its knees. Who has two men in her life that support her 100% and help strengthen her then this is a great choice. Even if you don’t - this is a book everyone should check out. I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next even thought my heart has been shattered in the best way possible.

4.5 stars

Zetian, the main character of this fantastic YA novel, is the hero we all need now and always. If you can hear me, Zetian, there's some work for you in Texas! And everywhere else!

The world building is so interesting in this piece. Zhao makes some clear delineations between the nonsensical nature of gender constructs in this society and the more sinister realities of privilege...and what folks will do to keep it. There are some twists that make these points particularly impactful, and for me, Zetian's articulations of gender will make this novel especially memorable. This is a topic that gets handled in some tired ways, but not in this novel.

It's impossible not to root for Zetian. She doesn't kowtow to social expectations. Like any good hero, she has her own personal code, and she spends a great deal of time determining how to enact justice for herself but also the larger population. I died at the start when she considered the value of her extra weight around the middle and visible facial hair. Zetian is every well adjusted person in quarantine but in a fantastical society.

Another noteworthy feature is Zetian's relationship with Li Shimin. I appreciate Zhao's attention to providing Zetian with opportunities to enact her own agency. She is not going through a phase or waiting for some dude to show her the one true purpose of her life. Zetian is a whole character, and she's one I look forward to seeing featured much more throughout subsequent installments.

I'm also adding high marks for the treatment of alcoholism and addiction in general. For me, the approach is especially sensitive, and I think the language will be a great model for readers inside and outside of fiction.

YA fantasy can be hit or miss for me. I love the world building and character development here, and I whispered "Kumiho!" as soon as the nine-tailed fox talk started. MORE KUMIHO ACTION, please! There are sections that felt a little long, but overall, I really loved this, and I am very excited to read the next one NOW. I'll be recommending this to students for a variety of reasons for a long time to come.