This is such a fascinating science fiction novel and I fear my review will not do it justice.
It takes Chinese history, time period and historic figures, and uses it to inspire a futuristic world at war. The author compares their book to the Handmaid's Tale and Pacific Rim, and I think its’ entirely accurate. The characters in this futuristic world, fighting against giant metal monsters are hopelessly backwards socially. Women are treated as second class citizens and in the war used as sacrifices. The main character Zetian, knows this and fights against this.

Zetian and her fight for herself, and all woman, was why I really loved this book. We often see “good” characters, fighting for things like positive social change, equality, etc. Generally, these “good” characters try to maintain the high moral ground. Rarely do we get truly morally grey characters who are willing to do whatever is necessary to create change. It was a refreshing to see characters make hard choices and not regret them or question them afterwards.

In addition to the main plot, there was a romantic subplot in the book. It was very well done. It’s there without taking over the story and took the love triangle trope and turned it on its head.

The book does end in a way that absolutely opens itself to a sequel (and wow what a universe the author created).
Definitely one of my favorite reads of the year and I hope I can look forward to reading a sequel in the future.

4.5 Stars

What a stunning debut. And that epilogue. Whew. Half a star is just for that.

It's an epic story about what it can take to be a woman with power, and it's not afraid to depict misogyny in all its ugliness. This was a great fast-paced read. I loved so much about the small hints towards bigger world going ons and what exactly is happening with these dang aliens and then the epilogue pulls it all together and gets you so hyped for the next book.

By the way, first time I've read a true triangle style relationship in a book and I loved the way it was handled. My current favorite trio.

This was wonderful, but I'm even more excited about what's to come next.

You should read this if: You love tales of women who take power, you like giant robots or aliens, you're looking for something to get completely absorbed in, and you don't mind a little murder.

This book and the way it critiqued gender roles and the made up differences between "girls"/"boys" in frankly a perfect metaphor ??? chef's kiss. FAVOURITE part.

The poly trio? also amazing, I've never read a poly relationship in trad pub before. Groundbreaking dare I say? I have to say Shimin was my favourite character in the triangle though, he's exactly my brand of tortured and anguished.

The world building and concept? SO unique, I can't say it was exactly my bag or that I really understood everything—it felt overwhelming for me—but I'm so glad it's in this book. I've never read anything quite like it before, so again, I think it's a great contribution to the YA canon.

Also: can I just say I love having a female main character in YA fantasy who's FUNNY??? these bitches always be so serious and morose and the voices start blending together after a while. Zetian on the other hand, is an ICON and she's hilarious. Much applause.

Overall, I think this book is definitely one to look out for if you're wanting something wholly unique. I'm not sure overall it's my taste, enough that I would read the next one, but it definitely Did Something here.

“Damn. That was intense.” This was my very first thought right after I finished reading Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao. Although, to be more accurate, that was my consistent thought throughout the entire story. Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for the e-galley via NetGalley. Iron Widow was one of my most anticipated reads for 2021 and while I can’t say that it met my expectations exactly, it didn’t went beyond anything that I was able to imagine also.

From the synopsis and the author’s note at the start of Iron Widow, I was very intrigued by the inspiration behind the book. Xiran Jay Zhao took inspiration from Empress Wu, a woman who was able to defy the patriarchal rules of Chinese society and history to become the empress, the most powerful person in China. This vein of female power and fight against the patriarchy runs very deeply throughout the entire story as Zhetian, the main character, is constantly fighting against the system that tries to hold her down and control every aspect of her life. She is definitely not going to sit back and let all of that happen. She’s ruthless in the ways that she has to be in order to survive. Her relationships with Yizhi and Shimin are also unlike anything that I’ve read in YA and challenges those social rules. Though that shouldn’t be too surprising as Zhetian and the entire premise of her story is to defy and challenge all the rules that exist.

I am definitely going to be eagerly awaiting the sequel to this novel, especially after the cliffhanger at the end of Iron Widow.

Friends, this is SO GOOD. Everything just fits together so damn well. It is a brilliant book in every way – I started telling everyone around me to read this because I was sure I was going to love it as soon as I was just a few chapters in. Zetian is such a badass bitch who doesn’t take no shit from anyone. And silly me was originally not even going to pick up Iron Widow because I thought, eww, mechas, not for me. But I would have missed out. I’m so glad that I had friends who were raving about it and made me want to read it.

Think of this as anime vibes in smart and compelling book format. And with the most gorgeous cover art. Iron Widow plays with so many YA tropes and just turns them upside down and it’s glorious. Zetian goes out, seeking revenge. Gets revenge, and instead of being punished, she proves herself invaluable. Oops. A love triangle starts blossoming. Oops, a poly triad forms instead. It is one of the best YA novels I have ever read. And it’s a DEBUT. I can’t wait to see what they come up with next and I can assure you that I will be getting myself a shiny hardcover or special edition the moment it is available.

Seriously, this is so good that I don’t even know how to coherently write about it. Just, get it for yourself. It’s brilliant and you need it.

Absolutely phenomenal. Iron Widow was fast paced in all the best ways. You are immediately hooked onto the characters, the worldbuilding, the relationships, the fight scenes. I read this in one sitting. Iron Widow was addicting in all its female rage, unhinged cast, and spectacular sequences, not to mention Zhao's prose made this a pleasure to read. I loved it !!

This book was pitched as Pacific Rim meets the Handmaiden's Tale and I was absolutely floored that for the high expectations that pitch alone gave me, Iron Widow did not at all disappoint.

If SFF books were movies, this novel would be a blockbuster. A retelling of one of China's greatest emperors - Empress Wu Zetian - set in a Sci-Fi world where aliens exist and the threat of invasion throws humanity to a crisis, Xiran Jay Zhao crafts a thrilling story around female empowerment. When I first picked this book up, I wasn't at all sure about whether or not I would like it. It had all the ingredients I was looking for - queer rep, BIPOC rep, a retelling of one of East Asia's greatest figures in history. But the social media machine has disappointed me before. People give value to things that aren't always executed well, but I was so happy to find that Iron Widow backed up every single one of its claims. I've never shouted as I read a book in my life. I've also never cried while laughing. With such a colorful experience, I can definitely say, with absolute certainty, that this book is unlike anything I've ever read before. And I daresay it has given me both hope and great insight on what the future of SFF can become.

I can't wait to read more of Xiran Jay Zhao's work!

This is my first ever ARC from Netgalley, I am super grateful and happy for this thank you!

This book had so much potential and I lovedddd the concept behind it but the execution fell flat for me.

I will talk about the good then the bad of this novel and who I would recommend this book for.

Pros:
This book had such a unique setting and plot. Had conversations for Bisexual and Polyamorus relationships, also brought up the patriarchy in this society and covered things such as chronic pain and having a physical disability. Morally gray characters. The last maybe 10-20% of this book is where I believed had the best best execution, plot twist, and really shined.

Cons:
The plot and writing felt rushed. There was not enough background or depth to any of the characters, everything felt forced and told TO you rather then shown or unfolded naturally.
To me the writing mirrored a lot of early YA broadline wattpad fanfiction writing. Which isn't for me.
With the main character I loved her moral ambiguity but at times found that she lacked true depth and understanding.
I was also expecting a gripping well done poly romance and found that 1. it was under developed and 2. the poly relationship didn't really begin till 80% into the novel.
The overall atmosphere in the beginning did throw me off just because since this is a some what sci-fi futuristic novel I did not anticipate the dialogue between characters to be so similar to how someone would speak today in 2021, which is a gripe I personally have in books.

Overall this novel just wasn't for me I was really excited the concept is amazing, the writing was I believe the books weakest link along side underdeveloped plot point and characters.
Going forward I don't think I will continue with this series.

Recommend this to:
I would still loosely recommend this book to individuals who are just getting into YA/SCI-FY genre and want to slowly start. If you enjoy stories that are Chinese history inspired, LGBTQ+, morally grey female main character, and a some what fast-paced plot.

Thank you again Netgalley and Penguin Teen For my first ARC!!!

While I was excited by the premise of Iron Widow, I wasn't able to get into this book. I'm sure it's actually extremely good, but I personally didn't fit well with the writing style, and I couldn't really understand what was going on.

Well crap, I really wanted to love this one. It has a polyamorous relationship and great representation but the plot and story flow just wasn’t there. Zero chemistry between characters, so much telling in the writing style, everything just felt forced. Even the main character’s feminism felt forced. So disappointed with this one 😕

thank you netgalley for the arc bc i don’t think i could’ve waited a few more months for this!

iron widow focuses on an absolutely disgusting patriarchal society, and one girl who’s kicking their ass. but ten times more. seriously i owe zetian so much praise for her confidence to turn down sexist huanxia and face the discrimination head on! there were so many moments in the book where i felt where written so perfectly, like the author was taking words out of my head for me. i don’t even think this is a retelling or the handmaid’s tale anymore: the plot lines about the concubines, sexual assault, physical and emotional abuse, propaganda, and more all shed light on today’s world, and i thought the author encapsulated that in a really honest way. i’m also loving the historical references, such as the terra-cotta warriors! xiran really did a heck of a lot of planning B)

mild spoiler: that ending! i’m still emotionally intact, but i wish we could’ve gotten more closure about the documents yizhi found about that planet. sigh. next year i guess!

Wow! This book has quickly made the list of best books I have read this year! I loved the unique story. I thought the mix of Pacific Rim type machines with a Handmaids Tale society vibe was a weird combination, but it worked seamlessly. I understood the amount of rage that Zetian felt with society and how it treated women and admired her commitment to bringing down those in charge of her sister's death. I could not help but root for her at every turn. And that ending! I cannot wait for the next book. I have so many questions.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4131521045

Excellent characters in a story that pulls you right in. The world feels expansive on a grand scale, full of mystery and imagination, but its scope never looses focus on the characters central to the action. I don't usually enjoy YA, but this let the characters act in a convincing way that never felt sanitized or particularly worried about snagging a movie deal-- which is a good thing. Looking forward to more in this series, and by this author in general.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for an eARC of Iron Widow!

In Huaxia, boys become pilots, and girls have two choices-marry or become pilot Chrysalises, transforming robots that battle aliens and defend the land beyond the Great Wall.

Zetian chooses to become a concubine-pilot to assassinate the man responsible for her sister's death. When she kills him through the psychic link, she is labeled an Iron Wido, someone who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises.

This was weird? But in a good way. It was a strange blend of sci-fi and fantasy. I did have quite a bit of difficulty in the beginning understanding what the heck was happening in the battle scenes. I wish it had been a bit clear and that there had been more description earlier on.

I also wish there was a bit more sci-fi. Despite the aliens and the giant battling robots, there were only bits and pieces there, and I think I just needed more info about the surrounding environment.

This is definitely more focused on the action, but I liked the romance and the casual queerness. A really interesting debut! Might be easier to follow as an audiobook.

I had this book all wrong. I had seen the title multiple times in other places and just didn’t think it was my style. Then I saw it on NetGalley and figured I would give it a try. From the very first line I was hooked. I devoured most of the book in about a day and finally dragged my feet for a while because I did not want it to end. Where has this author been all my life? This book has so many twists and turns that I could not stop reading. The MC, Wu Zetian, is badass, driven and my favorite type of character to read. She’s navigating a world that sees her and every other woman as a servants who are meant only to sacrifice themselves for men. Quickly she proves her power and turns everything upside down. It was well written and kept me on the edge of my seat pretty much the entire time. I am now a huge fan of this book and author. I recommend this book to everyone and anyone who enjoys strong MCs that refuse to give up. I will be picking up this book when it is released.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC. It was amazing!

you don’t understand this is my new favourite book and i need the sequel right now!!!
The story is so compelling, i love the setting with the sci-fi aspects mixed with history, however, i have to admit that the world building was at times a bit confusing (specially during the prologue, that felt like being thrown into a blender), i’m still not a 100% sure how chrysalis work but i’m guessing that now with the twist at the end we are going to learn more.
I really like all the commentary in the book, although i do believe the writing of it could be improved, as it sometimes felt very on the nose i do believe that is a product of iron widow being a debut novel and i look forward to see how xirans writing improves in their future works.
I specially love how all the main characters are complex and ruthless in their beliefs, Zetian and Li Shimin will always have a special place in my heart but i’m not going to lie at first i wasn’t very on board with yizhi but i ended up warming up to him, i just wish we could have seen more of his and zetians early relationship development so i could have been more invested in their relationship

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.

I am begging for Zetian to marry me this instant.

YOU ARE NOT READY FOR THIS BOOK!! ADD IT TO YOUR TBR RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT HAS EVERYTHING.

A new and interesting independent sci-fi world, a gorgeous cover, Asian rep, inspired by Chinese history, a polyamorous love triangle twist...

And most importantly,

A BADASS MURDEROUS FEMINIST WOMAN DRIVEN BY REVENGE WHO AIMS TO TAKE DOWN THE PATRIARCHY THAT I AM IN LOVE WITH AND YOU WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH TOO.

Sorry for screaming, but this is very important.

This book follows our main character, the loml Zetian. Her sister has been sacrificed and killed to power a Chrysalis that is run by a male pilot while trying to fight the mecha aliens outside of the Great Wall. Driven by revenge, she signs up to become a concubine pilot so she can avenge her sister by slitting the throat of the pilot who killed her. After gaining his trust, she kills him in his sleep. Things don’t go as she has planned but she manages to take control of the Chrysalis and survives the attack.

She becomes the Iron Widow. The government doesn’t know what to do with her. They pair her with Li Shimin, the strongest pilot alive, to help fight the war and change the fate of the world. Then she begins to discover secrets hidden from the public that could change everything...

The plot was fast-paced which I loved. Most of the time it was thrilling and impossible to put down. Sometimes I think it dragged just a tiny bit, but not an extremely noticeable amount.

I love the characters. Actually, I love Zetian. We didn’t see much of the other characters enough for me to love them but we had Zetian so that’s fine with me. She is so badass and strong-willed that it was impossible for me not to love her. I loved how she isn’t the typical female character and she lets no one tell her what to do. Her motives of revenge, anger, and bitterness towards the patriarchy for forcing her into gender roles (same) made me intrigued to learn more about her character. I am seriously considering devoting my life to her, even though she would probably kill me (which I would gladly let her do honestly). Some people might think that she’s trying too hard to be badass but I don’t think so at all. I love feminist main characters and Zetian is exactly that.

The romance!! It’s unlike anything I’ve ever read before. Taking the typical love triangle trope and turning it into a polyamorous relationship? GENIUS. I will no longer accept love triangles in books. Zetian’s boyfriends are cinnamon rolls who I love dearly. I do wish I got to see more of them together not in battle but I can understand why not.
The setting and the world is a lot to take in. You get all this information thrown at you which can be confusing. There is some unexplained info-dumping at the beginning but as you read on it all starts to make sense. I came to appreciate the world of Huaxia by the end.

Overall I enjoyed this book a lot! Although it was a bit confusing at times, I now have a new favorite character and I loved the themes of feminism as well as all the diversity and uniqueness of the story. I also have an extreme need for the sequel. I definitely recommend it.

trigger warnings: violence, abuse, suicidal ideation, discussion and references to sexual assault (no on-page depictions), alcohol addiction, and torture.

4.5 stars

"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."

Writing this review immediately after finishing Iron Widow may not be the best idea, but I need to rant about this book somewhere and I might as well pour my feelings out into a review. Iron Widow is the first book in a YA sci-fi duology, following 18-year-old Wu Zetian as she becomes a concubine-pilot of a Chrysalis, one of many transforming robots that fight the Hunduns, aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall, in order to get closer to the male pilot of the same Chrysalis, who just so happens to be the one responsible for her sister's death.

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

I normally don't read sci-fi, because they rarely catch my attention, but this book is everything I love. The feminism! The setting! The queer rep! The writing! (I could seriously talk about the writing for hours.) All in a wonderful 400 page book with a sequel coming next year!!!!

"It's hilarious. Men want us so badly for our bodies, yet hate us so much for our minds."

Can we just talk about how amazing of a protagonist Zetian was? I was hanging on to everything she did and every word she said. There were so many times where I read an especially thought-provoking quote and just had to sit and take a moment.
"Even I do it. I say it. I say the word despite how it blisters my mouth like sizzling ember, because it brings me one breath closer to bathing my hands in his blood."
" 'What is it about gender that matters so much to the system, anyway? Isn't piloting entirely a mental thing? So why is it always the girls that have to be sacrificed for power?' "

There are so many more quotes I would put, but it would get to the point where the entire book would be in this review. I suppose the only way to read all of the other amazing quotes is to check out the book for yourself.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penquin Randomhouse for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Full credit goes to Katee Robert for hyping this one.

TW: sexism, feet binding, chronic pain, violence, fatphobia, emotional and physical abuse by family (past), torture, alcholism/addiction, discussions of rape, blackmail, death of a loved one, grief

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-mfm friends to lovers
-Handmaid's Tale x Pacific Rim
-fierce feminism
-piloting giant robots
-fame and
-some very soft cinnamon rolls

The description that this is the Handmaid's Tale and Pacific Rim melding together is spot on. This book was atmospheric, immersed in Chinese culture, with themes that are universal. I couldn't put this one down. It was exciting, angry, and just so different from what I've been currently reading in the best way.

Zetian is not a simpering heroine, she's out for blood and taking names. Within the first couple of pages when one of our MMC tries to save her, proclaim his love, she pushes back, she knows what she wants. I adored her so much and her journey. She didn't soften but the development of the relationship, which was the b plot but such a joy to read about this poly couple. Honestly I can't say enough good things about this fiercely feminine book other than where is the second book.

It does end in a bit of a cliffhanger just to warn you friends but provides resolution for a lot of the plot points too. Just read it, devour it. It is just so excellent, original, and a must read.

Rating: 5
Steam: 1.5 (completely closed door but implies sex)

Have you ever heard of a premise so damn cool that you are actually in awe by the sheer imagination it took to even come up with such an idea for a story? Because that’s how I felt from the moment I heard about Iron Widow. The summary alone was enough to have me screaming about this upcoming book to anyone who would listen. Then came the absolutely gorgeous cover and my excitement for this book only grew. I must have done something to deserve being approved for an ARC. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Iron Widow was one of my most anticipated books of 2021… and after reading the ARC it has become one of my absolute favorite books of the year.

This book was everything. It was vicious and violent and breathtakingly fantastic that I did not want it to end. It’s been a long time since I’ve finished a book and immediately wanted to re-read it right then and there just because I wasn’t ready for it to be over - and Iron Widow was that book for me. I felt Wu Zetian's rage, and rather than be horrified by it, I cheered her on again and again. As for Gao Yizhi and Li Shimin... I just wanted to hug those boys the entire book.

AND THAT ENDING! No spoilers but damn. Brav-freaking-o Xiran Jay Zhao. That sound you hear is me continuously clapping and screaming. It's going to be tough to wait until next year for the sequel but I don't doubt it'll be completely worth it.