Ok let me just start off by saying holy shit. Like i’m in shock the ending i-. This book exceeding my expectations and more. The plot is very fast paced and I was never bored. It did get confusing sometimes but I ended up figuring most of everything out. I fuckin stan Wu like she carried this book. Her character was badass, the stuff she did was crazy and honestly I give her creds because I know I would not have been able to do what she did/does. Also, this book includes a polyamorous couple and the way it was written was done really well. I do wish I saw more of Shimin and Yizhi’s side of the relationship develop more but it was still really good. Also, the romance was more of a subplot but I was fine with that because the plot was insane and overall very interesting on its own. I learned so much throughout this story and I loved it. I’d give this a 4.5/5 stars. Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to review this in exchange for an honest review!

Pacific Rim meets angry teen feminism is probably the best way I can describe this novel. Which, to be fair, is a pretty high compliment coming from me. The world that Zhao presents us with is lush, imaginative, and thoroughly addictive to read about; and the ideas and concepts they present carry this book over some minor pacing and awkward language problems.
In terms of plot, I was a little shocked that the beginning of Iron Widow opens from the perspective of the pilot the protagonist wants to kill, and it isn’t to give us insight on why she wants to kill him. In fact we don’t really learn much about Zetian, her relationship with her sister, or her personal motivations beyond thinking that their society is chaotically sexist (which it is) until about a quarter of the way through. This struck me as a little strange, because characters are thrust into life threatening situations before we, as a reader, are given the chance to understand or care about them. At times, this also caused an odd disconnect with the dialogue, where characters were being a little too open with each other, telling their life story, before you even got the sense they were anything but strangers.
Language-wise I think this might read a little younger than it is supposed to. However, I also kind of like the abrupt frankness of it because it mimics the unflinching honesty of Zetian’s character.
Overall, I would say that this is a great book for when you’re angry, or for when you want to be angry about something, because it is satisfying in that people die fairly brutally—especially those that deserve it. I would also say that Iron Widow is an exciting debut, and I’m curious where this author will go in the future.

calling it right now: this is the best young adult sci-fi of 2021. i loved being able to root for a protagonist as ruthless and yet sympathetic as zetian, and the final 10% of the book hit me like a two-ton truck. definitely looking forward to reading the sequel next year!

This will be posted on Fanbase Press closer to the publication date.

Zetian has always struggled to be the ideal of Chinese femininity. She loathes her useless bound feet and how her family values her brother, father, and grandfather over any of the women. When her older sister becomes a concubine to a war lord pilot and ends up dead Zetian’s rage focuses on the system of using young women to help fuel Chrysalises, giant robots that fight against strange alien creatures outside of human civilizations, and help young men obtain military fame. Her natural mental strength propels her to the highest concubine ranks, where she successfully overcomes her male partner while mind melded and earns the name Iron Widow, a concubine who kills any Chrysalis partner. How will the government react to Zetian’s intense abilities, and will she be punished for the crime of murdering a war hero? Can a young woman from the provinces rise to power in a society that prizes city-bred, educated men over everyone else? Only time will tell.
I was sold on the idea of Xiran Jay Zhao’s Iron Widow from the description of a mash up of Pacific Rim (giant robots whomping monsters) and The Handmaid’s Tale (dystopian world where the oppressed/women fight for recognition and agency). As I got further into the story, I felt rewarded as it blossomed into a complex world where the protagonists exemplified non-traditional romantic connections, challenged ingrained views on racism and addiction, and shattered the common portrayal of strong women needing to stand alone. Each plot development startled and awed me, and while Iron Widow is designed as a stand alone (so far), I can see the potential to continue Zetian’s meteoric rise to power (especially since she is loosely based on a female Chinese Tang Dynasty emperor, Wu Zetian).
I’ve noticed that many of the books I’ve read and appreciated this year (and last) focus on female rage becoming the focal point for transformation and claiming a degree of control. Zetian fits into this mold with her fierce desire to shake off the subservient female ideal with painfully beautiful bound feet and carefully groomed features. She’s not above using society’s expectations to score a place as a concubine, carefully hiding her weapons as harmless accessories, something no man would ever inspect carefully. Zetian never shies away from embracing her inner darkness as long as she advances towards a goal (first avenging her elder sister’s murder, later forging a new place for women in her world). Given her intensity it is no surprised that the men drawn into her orbit, Yizhi and Shimin, embody gentler characteristics and fragility. Neither would be characterized as overtly feminine, but they could not function as a triad without being open to a bond with each other as well as formidable Zetian. The development of how they complement and develop each other’s personalities and goals is less cinematic but just as important as the action.
At this point I’m sure someone is screaming at the computer screen wanting to know if I will discuss the promised giant robots, and yes, Virginia, there are mecha. The pilot/concubine pairings are used to fuel immense battle armors known as Chrysalises, which this version of China uses to defend its civilizations against the alien Hundun. Ironically, the “spirit metal” used to build each Chrysalis is composed of the exoskeletons of defeated Hundans. Human chi powers each robot, which is why both young men and women are screened for their primary and secondary chi strengths as well as base ability before being paired. Couples with strong compatibility may successfully transform their Chrysalis in battle into superior forms of the base creature i.e., turtle, fox, dragon, phoenix, etc. I would love to see this in animated form (I don’t think live action could capture the magic of this type of transformation even with current special effects).
Again, I’ve spent much of my review talking about my favorite aspects of Iron Widow and not the overall plot, but what’s the fun in knowing everything going in? There are mecha, a tough as nails country girl filled with existential rage, the two young men who both love and fear her in equal measure but want her to be happy, an unexplainable war with alien creatures, and a complex battle system set against the backdrop of an alternate history China. I’m not sure you can distill that down to a meaningful elevator pitch. If any of this sounds like your catnip pick up Iron Widow and experience the world through Zetian’s eyes. I couldn’t put it down, and I hope Xiran Jay Zhao has more stories to tell, be they in Zetian’s world or others.
5 Remote Emperor’s Tombs out of 5

Iron Widow begins with an authors note- one that explains the concept, the idea of putting a fictional, historical queen as a central character in a futuristic science fiction, with characters from history peppered throughout, all as mecha pilots. It’s honest to goodness one of my favorite parts of the book, getting to see into Zhao’s mind and a little bit of the rage and love that came together to create Iron Widow.

The book did not disappoint. I found myself enraptured by the strong, complex persona of Wu Zetian, of her power and the secrets that lay behind her community. Even more than that, I loved the way she loved, without boundaries and without limits- that is to say, she was in a throuple, and it was so powerful I audibly gasped. I’m a big fan of the “resolving the love triangle by letting them all love each other” idea, so this really hit the spot for me.

There is no easy way to describe this book other than a freaking fun time. I’m gonna keep this review short, but end with a desperate plea: Read. This. Book.

“I’ve been told endless lies since I was born. That I was not kind enough, considerate enough, humble enough, honorable enough, pretty enough, pleasing enough. And that if I failed to meet the needs of those around me, I did not deserve to live.”

Holy hell, I don’t know how to articulate how much I ADORED this book!!! It’s definitely making it in my top 5 reads of 2021. This review may be a mess, but my thoughts are also a mess. So. Thanks NetGalley/Penguin Random House for a copy of the earc!

Zetian is one of the most badass characters I’ve had the pleasure to read about. She’s the kind of character who fucking PUSHES BACK against the men in her life and doesn’t let them steamroll her. The kind who doesn’t conform to what’s expected of her as a female. The kind who PROVES that women are not inferior to men. I got angry a lot reading this book—it’s hard not to when nearly all the men are misogynistic assholes who sacrifice women to preserve their masculinity with the lie that women are inherently weaker than men and are therefore expendable. But Zetian! She’s the the kind of MC I should have been able to read about as a teen. I love her so damn much, I can hardly contain it. Every time she opens her mouth to tear into someone, I’m mentally screaming “YES YES YES YES YES!!!!”

Of course, I can never understand the violent upbringing these characters experienced that shaped them (especially Zetian), but as someone who has always been treated as a woman, this book clobbered me. Especially when faced with the reactions of men in the book when Zetian doesn’t act the way they expect their women to act. She’s a bitch, a man-killer, selfish and ungrateful.

And while there wasn’t exactly a “found family” in this book, it did smash into our brains (yes, smash!) that just because they are your blood relative doesn’t mean you OWE them your love or respect even though they often act like you do. It’s a fucking POWERFUL message.

The character development was gorgeous! I loved learning new things about each of them, and how they formed bonds with each other.

This book was brutal and violent and I am here for it!! The battles were so interesting to read about. Can I have my own Chrysalis?

ALSO, this is the poly romance/triad I’ve been DREAMING of ever since I read TID. I’m just so HAPPY about it.

I’m going to be thinking about this book for a LONG time. I absolutely cannot wait for book 2!!!

content warnings: feet binding, misogyny/sexism, war, gore, murder, alcoholism, suicide ideation, mentions of rape

If anyone has asked me about my most anticipated books of 2021, Iron Widow has been one of the first I mentioned without a doubt. I’ve been excited about this book for what feels like centuries. When I first heard about it I immediately added it to my list, and my excitement only grew as I followed Zhao on Twitter and saw their youtube uploads examining Mulan (2020) and other Chinese-inspired media.

Pitched as Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid’s Tale as well as inspired by Darling and the Franxx, Iron Widow is set in a world that is a mix of Chinese history and science fiction. Wu Zetian is intent on joining the army as a concubine to one of the best fighters in the mecha army so that she can kill him as she believes he killed her sister. However, she unexpectedly murders him through the mecha’s psychic link and is labeled the Iron Widow. The army decides to pair her with another pilot who is known for murdering his family, and Zetian thinks this is the end for her.

Like I said, this was one of my most hyped reads, and I am just so thankful that I got to read it early and know that I was right to be excited. Iron Widow is a wild ride from start to finish and I was hooked from the word go. It is super fast-paced but never feels out of control, which works perfectly for my brain at the moment, to the point where I read it in about 3 days.

I think this is the first book I’ve read outside of romance that featured polyamory. And after this, I would absolutely love to read more because when that throuple became complete my heart just soared. I am actually a fan of love triangles but a throuple is just so elevated because then you don’t have to have someone heartbroken, everyone’s happy, including me. The three characters involved just had the best chemistry with each other and I just want to reread their scenes right now because they were so damn good.

The society in this book is super interesting as it is futuristic but also so backwards when it comes to human rights. Women are sacrificed in these big mecha fights and forced into having their feet bound. I felt like Zhao dealt with this aspect of the novel so well and I look forward to how they will deal with this further in book 2. The feet binding mentions were a bit graphic though, so be aware of that because I really struggle with the thought of foot binding and it made me feel quite ill.

All 3 of our main characters have such strong voices and personalities that came across perfectly on paper. They’re also so well developed that they feel like actual people. Zetian is learning more about how sexist the world she lives in is and trying to fight for that but also wants power and isn’t scared to get blood on her hands. And honestly, I love that for her she’s my favourite kind of morally grey character. Shimin seems like a scary guy to start but Zetian and the reader quickly discover that he is in fact a golden retriever in murderer’s clothing… which is probably the weirdest sentence I’ve ever written. And Yizhi is a sweet cinnamon roll who is also happy to take advantage of his rich family background to elevate Zetian. They are all victims of the world they have grown up in, which makes a lot of their decisions questionable but understandable at the same time.

Also, I would recommend you check out the thread of art that Zhao has comissioned because it’s all incredible.

I just want everyone to read and love this book because I sure did. I know the author had a tough start getting this book a publisher and I do not get it because it’s truly fantastic. The wait for book 2 is going to kill me off honestly!

I am in LOVE! I'm lowkey mad that I received an ARC because now I have to wait a year for the sequel...
This is a perfect mashup of sci-fi and fantasy elements with the qi but also the idea of aliens and advanced technology. I admit that I did see that last twist coming but you know what? It makes me want to pick up the sequel. I served it's purpose!
A lot of what Zetian was feeling and saying about the persecution of females (no, not women, females specifically) really resonates with me and with what we've been suffering for the past few millennia. I've highlighted sooo many passages that just struck a cord with me.
Anyway, 100% recommend this book to anyone who's a fan of sci-fi, fantasy, and a badass feminist main character. Also check out Xiran Jay Zhao's website! She's posted fan art, face claims, memes, etc.

This book was one of my most anticipated reads of 2021. The whole concept felt entirely new and, of course, I was drawn to it. When I first started the book, I didn’t understand a single thing. I always wondered why the world of Iron Widow was so misogynist. I wish I could know now. Because I don’t. Even after a whole book, I don’t know a single thing about the political system of Zetian’s world, and it truly annoys me. Not only did it make me confused throughout the book, but I just wanted to DNF it right away. It was truly painful to read. Too much new concepts, not enough explanations.
Then, let’s talk about the main character, Wu Zetian. Her only personality is her feminism. And I am glad, soooo glad that we get another badass woman as a main character, but I wish the author had put more depth to Zetian. Because other than being a feminist, Zetian had no personality traits. She was often annoying, thinking in a way that made my blood boil. I couldn’t understand (and I still can’t) how Zetian became a feminist in such a misogynistic world. We know little about her past, about how she grew up, and about why, suddenly, she aspired to free all the concubines held captive by the men. That’s why I simply couldn’t connect with her, for she seemed like a character, and not living person.

4.5 stars

Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Iron Widow series. I got an eGalley of this book to review through NetGalley.

Thoughts: Welcome to an amazing science fiction world of giant robots and the men who are honored to pilot them. The twist is that the men must have a woman co-pilot to pull energy from in order to control these giants; the women have no choice in this and are often sacrificed as their life force is sucked away. This is a fast-paced, crazy world, with amazing characters. All the characters in here are vicious and a bit grey moral-wise...and I loved them all for it.

I waffled a bit between 4 and 5 stars for this one. The reason I hesitate to give this 5 stars is that the writing and dialogue feel really awkward at times. The characters don't sound natural speaking to each other and sometimes descriptions are a bit jarring as well.

The other small quibble I have is that I think this would have made a better adult book. It is fine as a young adult read but I feel like a lot of the viciousness here was tamped down. The author does comment at the end that a lot of the "darkness" in this book was tempered to make it an appropriate YA novel. I wish that she hadn't done that and just went full-out with the viciousness and darkness to make this an amazing adult sci-fi read. The way things were neutered is incredibly noticeable.

Those complaints aside, this was an amazing read that was hard to put down. I can't wait to see where the story goes next. I love these characters; they embrace their more evil and vicious natures to do good, save people, and destroy a corrupt system. The tone to this story is amazing and I really enjoyed it a ton

My Summary (4.5/5): Overall this was an amazing idea, had amazing world-building, was incredibly fast-paced, and featured a fantastic cast of characters. My main complaint is at times that dialogue between characters feels very jarring and awkward. Some of the descriptions are also awkward and hard to follow. Despite those quibbles I really did love this and am definitely looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Fun facts time!

Fun fact #1: Whenever I read a book and I get the feeling that I'm going to stay up late reading it, I buy sweets. About twenty pages into Iron Widow, I ordered an entire pie from my local restaurant via Doordash.

Fun fact #2: I love pie

Fun fact #3: I had three pieces


Thank you, NetGalley for the e-galley!

Iron Widow pairs a bunch of great things together, smooshing them into one big ball of awesome. Pacific Rim is always a good comp title and assures that I will 1. preorder book 2. request it on Netgalley or Edelweiss 3. join every book tour I can to promote said book 4. Preorder one for a friend 5. scream

All that being said, when I first got wind of this book, I took the scoreboard of my most anticipated 2021 reads and wrote in block letter IRON WIDOW FTW and scooted it right to #1. It'll probably stay there for the rest of the year. I'm betting some pie on it.

You see the synopsis, so you get the gist. Zetian is mad. Like, MAD. Her Big Sister died while in service to Huaxia, and she wants nothing more in her life than to enlist as a concubine to copilot the giant Chrysalises and get her revenge on the pilot who took her sister away. She lives in a world where women are devalued, used up as sacrifices to the boys to help defeat the aliens beyond the Great Wall, and looked like nothing but vessels for children and for the pleasure of men.

If you want to stir emotions in me, either put me into a world where misogyny is king or give me sick kids fall in love. We don't have sick kids in love, but we do have a protagonist who takes no prisoners and does well on the promise of revenge. Soon, homegirl is paired up with one of the most dangerous pilots, Li Shimin, and showcased as his One Perfect Match which is a duo who can both pilot their machines without the woman dying. That's putting it into simple terms.

This book is anything but simple.

Zetian holds onto her anger and uses it well. She wants to reshape the world and show them that women have value and that they are more than sacrifices. She is no stranger to being put down by men, and she uses it to her advantage. I mean, she's a queen from the very beginning of the book.

Pushing on!

Okay, so we do have what first appeared to be a love triangle. BUT rest assured, it is NOT what it looks like. She has the hearts of two men who support her in very different ways. They lend her strength, and she does the same. It's a very reciprocated relationship and I loved every single second of it. I won't get into too much since I want you guys to be equally surprised and delighted.

THIS WORLD is unlike anything I've ever read, or seen, or listened to. I got a sense of Pacific Rim, yes, but there are also some Power Rangers mixed with Pokemon mixed with Neon Genesis Evangelion mixed with everything I love in the world. I cannot stress this enough. This powerhouse of a book just assaulted me with its perfection. Where are the special editions? WHERE ARE THEY??

I don't know, you guys. I'm exhausted. The sugar high from that pie kept me up way too late. I gained two pounds. I have severe depression over never being able to write anything like this ever in my entire life. This review is not eloquent (are my reviews ever eloquent?) and I'm leaving out a lot that you don't need to know right now (unless you read other reviews) because this book is like the biggest Christmas present ever.

Again, thank you to NetGalley, and add me on Insta @celiamcmahonreads

Trigger and Content Warnings: Violence and abuse, foot-binding, suicide ideation, discussion and references to sexual assault (no on-page depictions), alcohol addiction, and torture

Once I dove into this Chinese-inspired world of mechas with Wu Zetian at the helm, I didn't want it to end. Zetian is the feminist protagonist YA—and all of us—needs. This world is so set against her and other females, yet she keeps pushing against the males in her life who are intent on metaphorically (sometimes) beating her down into a pulp, forcing her to stop her mind from thinking and her body from freedom.

There is a semi-descriptive scene about Zetian's foot-binding *shudders* However, I think this physical disfiguration of her feet hooks into so many other parts of the story, least of all the foot-binding that was seen in Chinese culture. How can one run when they can barely walk? I think it is also important to note that Zetian uses a wheelchair through a good portion of the book!

I loved the mechas aspect (and these images from Xiran's twitter really help me to visualize them; see below!). Even without the visual aids—for example, the White Tiger—Xiran builds this world so well that its intricacies are not too difficult to follow. The mechas and piloting system were amazing channels to funnel the rage of Wu Zetian and spotlight the horrific misogyny against women that is seen too often.

On another note, the same mechas and sci-fi world creates a highly entertaining story full of twists and battle scenes that will leave you breathless. I also thought that the mental landscape pilots share were so interesting—because the two are linked, each other's memories are sometimes shared with the other party.

I can't talk about IRON WIDOW without talking about the poly power trio either (Zetian, Li Shimin, and Gao YIzhi)! Please, this boy Shimin, I cannot express all of my love for him (and his glasses!!). I found this romantic relationship refreshing, especially since IRON WIDOW is labeled as YA (which I agree with considering character age and voice). And, you know, this is a true "love triangle," which Zetian has said, is the strongest shape after all.

The poly relationship gives readers something to think about, particularly the relationships Zetian has with Shimin and Yizhi respectively. As Yizhi mentioned, Zetian loving him does not decrease her feelings for Shimin, nor vice versa.

IRON WIDOW also cuts into how the media has a role in creating celebrities. Even in the world of IRON WIDOW, pilots fighting in the war against the Hunduns are also there for entertainment value. For the media companies, the most important part is capturing the public's attention with these "celebrities," whether you love or hate them.

In conclusion, I would highly recommend IRON WIDOW! You truly do not want to miss this force of a novel.

Thank you to Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

What the fuck. I want the next one immediately. Reading the Author's Note now, it gave me chills. Truly this work is incredible.

Iron Widow is a work of fiction that pulls historical figures from Chinese history. The main character is inspired by Empress Regnant Wu and her rise to power to become the only female Empress of China.

In Huaxia, boys dream of piloting Chrysalises, giant transforming robots, that defend against the mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall. Girls are bound into service as concubine-pilots, and taken on a subservient role that also has a greater chance of death. Zetian Wu decides to join the army for revenge of her Big Sister's murder. When she kills the man responsible through the psychic link in the Chrysalis, she becomes an Iron Widow--a woman feared for her power. But the army isn't ready to cooperate with her yet, they team her up with Li Shimin, the most powerful pilot ever.

This book was bloody, violent and so damn good. I loved Zetian and her craving for revenge and justice for all the concubines who were killed. Zetian would probably not ever be described as "good", but I absolutely loved her character. I am so here for powerful, unlikeable, yet determined female characters.

The plot of this was fantastic. Throughout almost the whole novel, we're convinced of the storyline and we are given hints on how it will proceed. But then the ending comes and whacks you upside the head and everything goes to shit... I'm still screaming from the ending. I probably won't stop until I have the sequel because damn that was amazing.

I loved the appreciation of Chinese history and culture that was woven into this book. The world truly came alive and I could viscerally picture it. This book also definitely asks the question what use are gender roles and why does the patriarchy continue to win? Truly, I just can't say even good things about this book!

Rep: Chinese polyamorous female MC with bound feet & uses a wheelchair, bisexual Chinese male love interest, alcoholic bisexual Chinese male love interest, supporting cast of all Chinese characters. While the world heavily relies on the gender binary, there are discussions that gender and sex are not binary.

CWs: Acephobia/Acemisia, alcohol/alcoholism--forced development of alcoholism, internalized biphobia/bimisia, blood, body horror (bound feet), body shaming/fatphobia, colonisation, confinement to chrysalis vehicles and prison cells, death/death of parents, emotional abuse, fire/fire injury, forced enlistment of women as concubines, gaslighting, mental illness (PTSD/panic attacks), misogyny, murder, racial slurs, attempted rape/mentions of past rape/sexual violence, sexism, sexual content, suicidal thoughts, torture, war, violence.

CWs from author: contains scenes of violence and abuse, suicide ideation, discussion and references to sexual assault (thought no on-page depictions), alcohol addiction, and torture.

I was told that this book was very reminiscent of Pacific Rim, and I was told that the protagonist is based on the real-life Empress Wu. I love that movie unabashedly, and I am all about learning more about historical female figures.

I just have to say: Wow. I loved this book so much, and I will absolutely be going through to read it again. Giant robots and mind linking technology presents a very advanced society, and this juxtaposed against a culture that the main character calls out repeatedly as repressive and deliberately stacked against half of its people is so enthralling. My heart broke at several of the small details, especially since as a white woman, I have never experienced some of the repressive measures taken. For example, we are shown the lifelong effects of foot binding on Wu Zetian, the main character, and there were several no-holds-barred descriptions of the initial binding and what was required to care for those feet after. Zetian is portrayed as such a fiery spirit and an indomitable personality, and being reminded that her very body held her physically back for fighting was, for me as a reader, heart-wrenching.

These did not stop her, though, and this same indomitable personality and Zetian's desire for justice for her deceased sister propels her to make allies where she did not expect. She is not a "soft" person, but her own background and desire for answers compels her to open herself to those connections and then to understand her allies. She refuses several times through the book to feel ashamed for her circumstances, the expectations of her gender, and to accept things as they are.

This book was wonderfully written, and I cannot wait for the next one.

"Iron Widow" is a book unlike any I've ever read before. It points out how horrible misogyny and the patriarchy are for everyone all while presenting an amazing storyline. AND THE PLOT TWISTS ARE THE BEST! Zetian is such a strong, independent, and intelligent character and we definitely need more characters like her in books and the media. There's action and friendship and romance and heartbreak and everything in between, and I would 10000% recommend everyone reads this book. I AM ALREADY ANXIOUSLY ANTICIPATING THE SEQUEL!!!

This book was such a great premise. As soon as I started it, I loved the whole world and it gave me major Pacific Rim vibes which is fantastic since it is one of my favorite movies. I love when books jump right into the action and introduce the story and characters with a fast pace.

Pros:
- Amazing premise with fantastic imagery and strong world-building
- Unique storytelling and perspective
- Great diversity and inclusion in the story that is completely natural and works so well
- Strong female characters that do not put up with anyone treating them as less.

Cons:
- Mediocre middle and a story that lags as you go. This book started with so much potential that just completely fizzled out by about 1/2 through

I think this book will be perfect for a lot of people who want a unique world and action-packed plot. But for me the pacing had issues and my enjoyment decreased as I read the story. It started off so well but quickly fizzled out.

I was so happy to get an ARC of this book. I have been following the author on Twitter for a while and enjoy her takes on culture and media. The setup for this book is a futuristic setting with characters and traditions from Chinese history. Described as Pacific Rim and Handmaid's Tale, I can honestly say I'm familiar with neither and went into this not really knowing what to expect.

This book is a YA title, but is certainly readable for adults as well. I had so many highlights in this book! This author speaks to my angry feminist soul! The main character, Zeitian, is a young country girl who is disappointed by the culture that allows women and girls to (literally) be sacrifices for society. Her strength and honesty are amazing representations for young girls without being inauthentic.

The heroes on this story are imperfect and lovely. There are fewer, less developed side characters, but I didn't find any of them caricatures. There is a lot of action happening so there just wasn't much time for them. I appreciate that there were other strong women in this novel who had different goals and perspectives, especially relating to Zeitian. (No spoilers)

Please let this be a series because I am not done with this world!

#NetGalley #Reviews #IronWidow

*3.5* Let’s get one thing clear: Zetian is an empress and everyone should bow down to her.
Now that that’s out of the way, let’s continue on to the actual review.

Where do I begin? I have many conflicting thoughts about this book. A part of me loves this book while the other is confused and a little disappointed. Let’s start with the things I liked:

The plot. The whole idea of the Chrysalis and the idea of how they worked was interesting. Very specific details, the suits, the yin/yang seats. Zetian wanting more for women in general and fighting for what she believes in. Kicking some Evas—I mean Hunduns’ butts.

The characters. Zetian, again, is super awesome. I liked Li Shimin and Yizhi. Seeing poly being represented in YA is already giving this book high praise. I hope people who are in a polyamorous relationship can relate to these characters feelings.

I know they compare this story to Pacific Rim but honestly I compare it to Evangelion Neon Genesis. Maybe it’s because I’ve never seen Pacific Rim.

The things I didn’t like:

The world building.This is what the whole story should’ve been about. Building this fantastic SciFi world and making it make sense. It didn’t really make sense. The politics, the living situations, the locations, the science, the army. None of those things were explained enough to truly understand what’s going on. We know that the Sages are the ones in charge but we don’t know what they’re in charge of or what they do for the people. We know the pilots have special classes but they were just throwing words around that I would keep forgetting which one is better. With a little more world building, this book really could’ve hit it for me.

Y he characters. See how confusing this is for me?! I loved and hated them? What? They were all good in their own rights but they all felt one dimensional. The interactions between certain characters felt forced and a little awkward. Their relationships were sweet but also not natural. It just didn’t flow right.

The writing. I think that’s the thing that’s breaks this the most. The thing that kept taking me out of the story the most was the inspiration feminist quotes every time Zetian thought of something. Don’t get me wrong, seeing Zetian fight for women’s rights and standing up to the failed system is really awesome. But it isn’t awesome when every page is a short monologue of inspiration. And some were very generic quotes that I’ve heard before. I like them but there’s just too much of them. The way the author describes things didn’t give much to imagine. Things weren’t explained for some stuff while other things were explained but just the bare minimum. All the scientific stuff was left out! They described out it works but there should’ve been more in-depth descriptions of what it all meant. I was confused what meridians were and I didn’t know that Qi could be used for external power, I thought it had to be transferred to a machine like a Chrysalis. Maybe this is just me nit picking but idk.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. It was a lot of fun to read. That ending? Was definitely not expecting that and I’m heartbroken and confused even more. Hopefully when the sequel comes out I will enjoy it even more.

"'You've been living a dream for long enough!' I yell at the cameras between bursts of maniacal laughter, raising my arms. 'Welcome to your nightmare!'"

In a techno, dystopian world mirroring the cultures of ancient China and the women's equality of The Handmaid's Tale, looming alien creatures known as Hunduns terrorize the people of Huaxia. Boys and girls team up in psychically linked mecha suits known as Chrysalises in order to fight these beasts in a blaze of glory—one that almost always ends in the physical death of the female concubine-pilot. When 18 year-old Wu Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, no one expects her to be capable of killing her male co-pilot in an act of vengeance for her sister's death years earlier. More notably, no one could expect that she would be mentally strong enough to survive such an encounter at all. Her defeat of her sister's powerful killer and mecha pilot earns her the rare title of an Iron Widow, a female pilot capable of reversing the usual tale.

Fueled by a desire to crush her society's misogynistic systems and defeat the endless cycle of female sacrifices, Zetian teams up with the powerful—but hated—pilot Li Shimin to understand the true reason behind the brutalities—at any cost.

In the briefest words possible, Xiran Jay Zhao's debut novel has made me think harder than any YA novel I've read in a very long time. From its onset, Iron Widow presents a bleak but captivating open world of aliens, invaders, warrior culture, female oppression, Attack-on-Titan-style horrors of war and mystery, and a complex polyamorous love triangle—all fueled by a bitter, firecracker protagonist. In other words, there is pretty much everything going on in this fast-paced, captivating novel.

Zetian is hard to read for much of the novel. I was fascinated with her relatively gray morality. Sure, she has noble-ish purposes in mind for most of the book: she’s driven to hunt her sister's killer in the name of justice; she wants to end the system of concubine-pilots, which forces girls into enlisting for near-certain death; and she’s still motivated to attack the Hunduns in order to preserve the interests of everyone she knows. But don't be fooled—while Zetian is written to be a protagonist, she is never a hero.


"I am exactly the kind of ice-blooded, rotten-hearted girl he fears I am.
And I am fine with that."

Zetian seems to think of herself in clouded, ash-colored words. Though she grows to love at least two characters, she does not believe in the existence of completely good or unselfish people. Early on, we see that she has complicated relationships with her family, and that she understandably resents them for their abusive and misogynistic treatment of her. This coldness towards her family manifests into a lack of caring about her own life as she pursues vengeance in a way that was very difficult to read. Zetian is a cynical character, but I think that her bitterness makes her softer moments more tender to read.

My one issue with the core of Zetian's fierce character is that we don't see how she is able to break free from the illusions of the patriarchy. Her mother and grandmother have reinforced patriarchal ideals onto her for the entirety of her life. Zetian also does not have many outside resources, like group education or female friends. She learned to read and write from her upper-class, secret-friend-turned-secret-lover, Yizhi, who showed her an unusual amount of kindness and respect. But besides that, it is difficult to understand how Zetian could so strongly reject the idea that she was born to be subservient to men in such an isolated existence. She is driven towards being so hardcore and ruthless—understandably so, because of the pointless death of her sister—but avenging her sister is just the beginning of Zetian's path towards destructuring the very fabric of the world she was forced into.


"The pain can't surprise me because it has never left.
A lightning strike of it shoots up my legs with every step I take."

Bodily autonomy is a heavy and crucial part of the feminist overtones in Xiran Jay Zhao's Iron Widow. We repeatedly see how having bound feet weighs on Zetian physically and emotionally. With a constant reminder of how she is meant to be reliant on men, Zetian shies away heavily from having to rely on anyone. Even when she has strong feelings for Yizhi, she is still suspicious and embittered: "As long as I do not give in to my emotions, I cannot lose any game that might be being played."

Sexual autonomy is also an important theme in this society filled with concubines, forced marriage, and several allusions to sexual assault. Feeling ashamed for having sexual desires as a woman has been reinforced in Zetian since she was a child. She deals with that shame alongside her relationships heavily in the novel.

The polyamorous relationship and bi representation among the three main protagonists is a particularly unique dynamic. It’s different, but honestly a nice change to see. Yizhi explains it best when saying that: "Love can be infinite, as much as your heart can open." In a book centered around liberation, Zetian freeing herself from having to pick one or the other just makes sense.

I could write thousands of words about the intricacies of this devastating piece, but my most significant thought is that any and all YA fantasy fans should read it. Iron Widow is one of the darkest YA stories I've read since earlier books like Marie Lu's The Young Elites or Kendare Blake's Three Dark Crowns, so keep that in mind before diving in. But make no mistake: Xiran Jay Zhao's shockingly bold debut is a fiercely feminist dystopian read that's not to be missed.

Iron Widow releases September 21, 2021.

(Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing us with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

This book was phenomenal. I don't think I have a single complaint aside from it ending too soon.

The story is upbeat and immediately addicting, the characters are strong and The motivations are stronger.

Each character has a bright and distinguishable personality that makes them who they are and the way the author connects them all is gorgeous.

The whole novel is insanely poetic and when I was taking reading breaks I found my mind wandering back to the story and wondering what comes next.

I strongly recommend this book to literally everyone.