I cannot stress enough how good of a book this is. I am a lifelong avoider of the sci-fi genre, but something about this book just spoke to me (probably that gorgeous cover).
But I'm not exaggerating here at all - by the time I had finished the author's note at the start of the books (Yes, before I had even started the first chapter), I knew that this was somehow everything I've ever wanted in a book. A sci-fi reimagining of a Chinese Empress who controlled not one, but two puppet emperors? Set in a Pacific Rim style world that melds Chinese mythology and culture with a futuristic dystopia that is both familiar to fans of the dystopia genre, and yet also completely unique due to the heavy integration of Chinese culture that has been completely unrepresented in the genre? Absolutely flawless.
I loved every single character. Even the ones I disliked as people were so incredibly organic and intertwined with the world Zhao has built that I wanted to learn more about every single one of them. The plot genuinely kept me on the edge of my seat, and there were multiple times throughout the book where I had no idea what was going to happen and was so pleasantly surprised (even when it was nail-bitingly stressful) with the direction the story went in.
I cannot wait for the second book in this series, and I am absolutely going to pick up a physical copy when this book comes out. I read an ARC courtesy of NetGalley.
As a complete side note, I realized partway through the book (when I ran to follow the author on social media) that I had actually been watching the author's Youtube channel for months! Small world, and just makes me love this book even more!

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao is one book that will break barriers in the Young Adult world. Where you usually see a Male/Female love interest (with more often than not a love triangle thrown in) in the Young Adult genre, in this book, that is not the case. This book has a polyamorous relationship and it was one of the things I loved most about this story. I am avid reader of the Reverse Harem trope in the indie community so reading a poly relationship that is being published within the young adult community is huge and I am totally here for it! If you don't like polyamorous relationships, then unfortunately, this book will not be for you. I would encourage you to keep an open mind though and at least try to read this book. You could end up loving it and having your mindset changed.

As for the story as a whole, Xiran Jay Zhao really knew what she was doing when writing this book. The history and the science-fi in this book was beautifully written and kept me engaged till the very end. The heroine, Zetian, is one of my favorite characters and she is fierce. She is also determined .to create a better world for all the young women after she learns of the lies that were created to keep them down. Through this book, Zetian truly comes into herself and also finds love with two guys. She learns that love is unconditional and without restraints, which is a lesson I think we all should admire as our world needs more love in it. Zetian is truly a queen in her own right and I am excited to see her rise even more in the second book.

You truly created a masterpiece Xiran Jay Zhao! Keep perservering and breaking those boundaries!

Thank you to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

Xiran Jay Zhao has taken us on a bloody and furious journey to fight the patriarchy with teeth and nails and friends, just let me grab my coat.

Zetian is newly 18 and knows her choices are either enlist to be a concubine-pilot in the mech army and die or marry. The choice is easy - concubine-pilot in order to avenge her older sister who was murdered in the name of duty. What follows is Zetian becoming one of the most powerful female pilots in history and being paired with Li Shimin, the strongest male pilot in Huaxia. With her newfound power, Zetian decides that she'll take her fight beyond one pilot to try and save the girls in her country from being sacrificed in the name of battle.

Less than 100 pages in, I was already hooked. This book is described as Pacific Rim meets The Handmaids Tale, and I'd also like to add a dash of The Hunger Games. It's inspired by historical China and uses the culture and famous figures, but it's not historical fiction or even a reimagining. It's its own unique sci-fi world. The pilots control their giant Mech armies with their qi (a sort of inner elemental power) and fight to defeat the aliens that threaten human civilization. The battles are so well written and the imagery is so fantastic, I would love a visual adaptation of this!

Zetian is not your average girl boss hero. She's angry and mean and horrible. She'll sacrifice who she needs to for the greater good and for all the girls who are forced to kill themselves so the boys can take home all the glory. She's been taught that her body is shameful, her voice is shameful, her being is shameful unless it's to serve a man. Her feet are bound as well as her voice, so when she finally starts using it, it's absolutely glorious. I love her character so incredibly much. She fights the patriarchy every step of the way and finally asks the hard questions no one else is.

Yes, there is a poly relationship in this book, and yes, it's done so well. Zhao did an excellent job of making us root for both love interests with equal fervor. I loved Li Shimin because he's broody and traumatized but still a sweet cinnamon roll on the inside. I love Yhizi because he was always a sweet cinnamon roll and is logical in a way that you can't even argue with. There's no jealously and no hurt because how you feel about one person doesn't take away how you feel about another. Truly, so well done and I hope it gives other authors a chance to write polyamory in their books in a positive light.

Overall, really fantastic debut. I'm dying for the second book already and this one isn't out yet. Way to knock it out of the park, Xiran!

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

All I have to say is, wow. I admit I was confused by just how many times you’re warned about triggers in the beginning of the book but I’m glad they were there. This book is most everything it set out to be, and is fast paced from start to end. I want so much to talk about specific plot points, but I feel like even the smallest thing has a chance to spoil one piece or another. If you looked at the summary and thought “this might be something worth checking out,“ just save yourself the time and read it. You may need to pace yourself, but it is definitely an interesting book.

5/5; Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the e-ARC.

[The world I put on the page is fictional, but the rage that burns through it is real." --author's note]

This was an enthralling, heart-wrenchingly poignant fantasy feminist reimagining of Chinese history that I could not put down. In short, Iron Widow is everything that I could not even fathom to imagine reading in a traditionally published book. Everything I lamented that mainstream publishing lacked. Yet here it was, in all of its glory. Iron Widow heralds East Asian representation, polyamory, thunderously captivating worldbuilding, and a refreshing no-nonsense take against patriarchal structures.

"Welcome to your nightmare!" -- Wu Zetian, the protagonist whose POV we read through, was a delight to meet. Her voice was incredibly fierce and formidable, yet retained a sense of sarcastic humor that had me laughing out loud throughout the story.

"You can't shoot me; I'm rich!" -- Gao Yizhi, the sheltered noble boy with a heart of gold and a resolve of steel, who is arguably just as gloriously unhinged as Zetian herself. What a fantastic lad. I was cheering every time he was on the page.

"The last thing I needed was another reason for the world to hate me." -- Li Shimin, the Iron Demon, the repulsive cold-blooded murderer... but is he really? The gradual unfolding of what Shimin was not, of who Shimin could not be, of who Shimin could not ever become... Xiran Jay Zhao tore my heart apart and I will be forever grateful for it.

This book, from start to finish, will have you soaring to unimaginable heights with the characters. (But with unimaginable heights comes equally unimaginable plummets, and what a joy it is to fall...)

[He should be the Iron King, and I should be the Iron Queen. Yet Iron Demon and Iron Widow is all they'll let us be.]

Iron Widow releases on September 21, 2021, and I eagerly recommend that you add this book to your TBR! It truly does not disappoint.

*Trigger Warnings: contains scenes of violence and abuse, suicide ideation, discussion and references to sexual assault ( though no on-page depictions), alcohol addiction, foot binding, and torture.*

In a world where there are giant transforming robots that battle mecha aliens... and boys are paired with girls... in which the survival rate of girls is about 1% and are seen as disposable compared to the boys, one girl is going to destroy it all. Zetian is a 18 year old girl who decides to offer herself up as a concubine-pilot... to work for the man who killed her sister. Her plan: get the role, kill the guy.. and die. To her surprise she doesn’t kill him in his sleep, rather she ends up killing him through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed. She is now labeled the Iron Widow- a much fear and much silenced kind of female pilot who can sacrifice boys to the power of the Chrysalises (robots they pilot) instead. In a world where girls are seen as disposable and used to be sold off and silenced, she is the ultimate threat and in a system that is built to keep her down her defiance will not go unheard. She is thus paired with the pilot known as Li Shimin, the strongest and most controversial male pilot. He is a prisoner who was sentenced to jail for killing his father and brothers, and no girl who has ever piloted with him has ever survived. It is a literal death sentence... until they find that Shimin and Zetian are compatible as partners. Together they have the power to face the system that has both kept them down and take a few bodies down with them. Let me first say, this book was GLORIOUS! Zetian is everything I could ever want in a protagonist. She is bloodthirsty, strong, defiant, smart, and willing to do anything to get to her goal. Did I also mention there is a polygamous relationship in this book in which everyone actually likes each other ( Zetian, Yizhi, and Shimin). Yizhi is Zetian’s best friend who is the son of the richest man in Huaxia, he is sweet, caring, has skin like porcelain and is the epitome of a soft cinnamon roll. He is the caring one in the relationship and is definitely a nurturer. Shimin on the other had is more of a bloodthirsty killer with a super soft side, exemplified by the fact that he loves to read but destroyed his books to make a shiv to try and stab his guards (he really be out here being the murderous but soft boy). He feels a lot of guilt and remorse for his previous partners and while he does have a rough around the edges aspect to his character he is sweet and caring too. There is chemistry between all three of them which I really appreciate. <spoiler> I will forever be laughing at Shimin’s attempts to kill his guards, especially when its noted he used his last pair of glasses by smashing the lenses, sharpening the biggest fragment on the floor of his bunker, hiding it in his collar, and trying to slit a soldier’s throat with it, and Zetian is just so impressed hahah. They really are the bloodthirsty couple. and when I found out why he murdered his family, 100% agreed with him, they had to go.</spoiler> Its great to read a polygamous relationship in which all the parties interact and care for one another. Anyways onto the story, the magic system was great and the story was really exciting. THAT ENDING!?!?! EXCUSE ME??? How am I suppose to wait until the next book??? I NEED MORE! So if you haven’t already added this onto your TBR YOU HAVE TOOO!

Fav Quotes:

“You’ve been living a dream for long enough! Welcome to your nightmare!” Zetian (p. 82)

“It takes a monster to slay a monster” Zetian (p.102)

“He will not kill me. He does not get to make me a statistic” Zetian (p. 105)

“Too bad. I am exactly the kind of ice-blooded, rotten-hearted girl he fears I am. And I am fine with that” Zetian (p. 114)

*Thanks Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

absolutely amazing!! i love femme fatales. the book was written beautifully. i need more immediately!

I requested this solely based on the description and comparison to The Handmaid's Tale. This is not a genre I typically read a lot, but I was surprised at how much I enjoyed. Zetian is a bada** female character that you root for from the beginning. Her need for answers and to break down the mysogynist world she is living in tie in to some of today's events in which women are still being controlled and expected to act a certain way. Hence why the comparison to Handmaids Tale came about. Although the fighting/mecha parts and some of the Chinese history that was brought in lost me a little bit, the real meaning behind this was what shined the most for me. I really enjoyed this!

I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't entirely know what to expect when I opened this book. The book summary was what piqued my interest, and I feel like the book far exceeded what I anticipated based on the summary.

In a society where men are considered superior and women are either required to marry or become a concubine for male pilots, Zetian is having none of it. Women who serve as concubines do not survive because their spirit pressure is always significantly lower than men's. The only way a women would survive is if they have a spirit pressure that matches that of the male. Then they would be considered a match. Zetian's older sister was killed being a concubine for an arrogant man who has no real care for any of the women employed to him. When she joins the service of the man who killed her sister, she is elated to have the opportunity to kill Colonel Yang. Except, when the two link inside of the Chrysalis (giant robots that battle aliens), she over powers him and ends up killing him. Not the way she anticipated killing him.

Now she is labeled as an iron widow and is paired with the most dangerous male pilot the program has. Li Shimin. He is a prisoner of Huaxia after murdering his family and it is believed that he has zero remorse for the loss of any of the concubines he uses. Zetian and Li Shimin prove to be a formidable pair and together they work to dissemble the patriarchy of China and figure out why women are always being sacrificed. The pair also receives help from Zetian's friend/love interest Yizhi as he offers them his spirit pressure at times.


I felt like I got more out of this book than I was anticipating from the summary. It isn't just about Zetian trying to unravel the plot behind women dying in Chrysalises. It's about the war occurring with the Hunduns beyond the Great Wall. It's about the truth of Li Shimin's past and who he really is. It's about the lengths Zetian will go to prove that men are not superior. I felt like this was a complex and well crafted story. There was a strong blend of a fast-moving plot and character development and world building.

I will admit, I was surprised that there was a romance in the story, considering how angry Zetian is with the system and women dying. She is a strong, opinionated, fierce female who knows what she wants and there is nothing that is going to stop her from getting it. There is a polyamorous relationship (which I have yet to encounter). I am surprised by how much I enjoyed the development of the relationships and how each individual provided something that the other persons did not. I found it fitting with the storyline and felt like it enhanced the story. It did not make it more confusing or unnecessary. It showed the necessity and value of trust, friendship, and love when fighting for what you believe in.

I highly recommend this book and based on the ending, I think the author has set it up to be another fast paced, well developed book!

The thing about Iron Widow is that it is so unbelievably cool that you as a person become more cool just by reading it. I mean that. I literally feel like a cooler person now that I have read this book. Not only is it well paced and well written, it is full of such unique and complex characters that even though there is a big cast, none of them get blurred with the others. This book is just incredible.

Will my review be a little incoherent.... maybe. But I'm going to do my best.

Iron Widow takes place in a world where metal beasts, called Hunduns, attack the people in the provinces we would call China today. In order to combat these mechanical beasts, the people created Chrysalises, their own mechanical beasts to battle the Hunduns. Through qi, these Chrysalises channel the spirit type (Earth, Water, Fire, Wood, and Metal) and deliver deadly attacks. These Chrysalises are powered by two pilots, a man and a woman, and because men's qi is so much stronger than women's the female pilots (also called concubines) die. This is accepted and understood in society. Families send their daughters off to certain death for money and a sense of righteousness. Sometimes, very rarely, a concubine's spirit levels match that of their male partner and in these situations they become Matches and pairs. It is rare and requires a lot of strength that women don't normally have. But everything changes when Wu Zetian attacks.

Wu Zetian is PISSED. The world hates women and she hates it back. Her big sister was sent off to be a concubine and died at the hand of a pilot before battle which meant her family never got the money that was owed. This latter fact upset her family more than her own death. Except for Zetian. This act fueled an even greater hatred and caused her to create a plan of vengeance to kill the pilot responsible, even though it means she herself will die. Her best friend, Yizhi, tries to stop her from going, but in the end, nothing can stop Zetian from fulfilling her plan, and so she goes off to the great wall to become a concubine.

There is so much more to this story than what I cobbled together above. I can't explain how much I enjoyed this story. Zetian is RUTHLESS in such an amazing and vicarious way. My anger mixed with hers. I felt her pain. I felt her glory. She is paired with Shimin, a killer that was taken from the prison to be a pilot because his qi levels were off the charts, second only to a legendary Emperor from 220 years ago. The relationship between Wu Zetian, Shimin, and Yizhi is probably, ugh idk if I can really say this, but probably my favorite part of the story. It's messy and complex and full of pain and anger and sadness and love. I love that we got.to have a polyamorous relationship because IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME. As Wu Zetian says, "the triangle is the strongest shape."

I know this book has been hyped and thank god for that because otherwise I would be disappointed in the reading world. Everyone always says they want a ruthless, bloodthirsty, powerful female lead, and in this book, they got one. Wu Zetian is more than just her anger, she is full of the whole range of human emotion, she is not just one note of buzzwords. And that's part of what makes this book so special. It's full of nuance and complexity and really let's you examine what these people are really like. This is what we mean about have strong female characters. Not that their only trait is strength, but that they find their own strength through sheer force of will AND with love and support from others.

Please read this. Please buy this book. I got an advanced copy and I already placed a pre-order for it. It's just that fantastic.

*Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for the eARC*

I absolutely love this book and am waiting (im)patiently for the sequel. Well, according to Goodreads, it looks like there will be a sequel, so I'm crossing my fingers that that is true :)

The writing is beautiful, the characters are badass and flawed and intriguing. I am glad there was an Author note before reading the story because I feel like it helped with understanding and receiving more knowledge about the time period. I am definitely going to keep an eye out for more from Xiran Jay Zhao and am looking forward to more from the characters, plot, and her beautiful writing.

4.5 stars.

“Iron Widow” was a fascinating depiction by Xiran Jay Zhao of a world where traditional beliefs of a society place males first and dominant and females as subservient and weak. A world where war is being fought against mecha aliens while televised like a show. A war where male pilots with their female concubine partner power mechanical Chrysalises made from the husks of the dead aliens. A war where the females are more than likely to die each time the alarms call the pilots to action.
The young heroine, Wu, has decide to take revenge on the pilot who “killed” her beloved big sister, but discovers something more tantalizing than the revenge she wanted so badly that will make her want more of. She will learn trusting the good is not always the right choice. Loving and caring for others lead to heartache and pain. That to right the wrongs of the society she lives in she may have to bend her own beliefs to accomplish it.
The novel was a very good read with evenly paced action.

4.4 stars! absolutely amazing how the main romance consists of the unhinged chaotic angry, the 'lawful' romantic, and the won't-hesitate-to-throw-a-punch nerdy neutral. thank you netgalley for providing me with an arc!

this novel takes you on an electrifying, bold ride as if you're the one controlling a chrysalises, ferocious power and energizing spirit in every move you make. it's thrilling to me how this is inspired by darling in the franxx, a science fiction, romantic anime that explores gender, sexuality, and adolescence. it's also riveting how zetian is a re-imagined empress wu, the only female emperor in chinese history. her unforgiving calculation, her resolved determination comes alive off the page with every angry, unflinching move she makes constantly driving the story forward. xiran jay zhao really did her unbreakable character justice.

zetian, shimin, and yizhi's budding polyamorous relationship was a delight to behold, making me squeal and cackle in every scene they're in together. they're all so precious??? i love how different they all are from one another, yet they value and treasure each other's differences. the power they hold in my mind. also, maybe i'm just a whore but it's a crime how this is a YA. because seeing the fanart of shimin? phew zetian is one lucky bitch because wow. holy shit. do yourself a favor and check out the fanart!

the only critique i have is the pacing near the third half of the book, which was fast-paced for sure, but to the point where it missed a couple of important details that made me think "wait, what about — " but then we were already moving on to the next thing. the pace then wasn't exhilarating but more hurried. it didn't leave me breathless with awe; it was more suffocating than anything. there were times when certain, impactful scenes didn't hit as hard because the build-up was messy or wasn't there at all. but the third half of the book was mixed with these feelings and the whoa holy shit holy shit this is crazy, so there were really astounding moments that i loved in the third half too. i just wish the pacing was more balanced and fleshed out.

overall, this book just wants you to enjoy yourself. don't go into this thinking it'll be a grim science fiction novel with heavy, complex political intrigue and roaring, battlefield angst (this is a YA novel). it's more bold and adventurous than anything, a rollercoaster ride of that hysterical feeling of thinking you're going to die and the burning rage of systematic injustice. i gasped, giggled, hissed "what the fuck", and laughed so much while reading this book that i urge you to read it when it comes out because it's such an enjoyment to experience. happy reading!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, this was WILD! I really enjoyed this book. The world it was written in was really unique, and the three main characters were great. Zetian is ruthless in the best possible way. I really appreciate that it had such a great polyamorous relationship, and the commentary about gender inequality was really well done and so very relevant. I found myself giggling uncontrollable at so many parts because the characters and twists it took were just so wild. And that TWIST at the end of the story, such a cliffhanger, I can't wait for the sequel!

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<p>Review copy provided by the publisher.</p>
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<p>Do you want a retelling of the story of Empress Wu as a teenage mecha pilot? because that's what this is. It is a retelling of the story of Empress Wu as a teenage mecha pilot.</p>
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<p>Do you need more information than that? <em>Okay but WHY though</em>. SIGH. FINE. It is an utterly ferocious flail against institutional sexism, "a triangle is the strongest shape" comes up in context, the Four Symbols get mecha forms, and there are aliens for the mecha to fight in dramatic battles. But really: Empress Wu as teenage mecha pilot, that's the sort of pitch that sorts out the people who want it from the people who don't pretty fast.</p>
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<p>(I am a people who do.)</p>
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<p>It makes me sad and angry that Zhao needed an author's note saying that the institutional sexism examples in this book were Chinese because that's the culture they were drawing on in this case not because Wow Those Sexist Chinese Good Thing No One <em>Else</em> Has Institutional Sexism. They were absolutely right that they <em>did</em> need that author's note, because people absolutely <em>would</em> make that inference, and by "people" I mean "a certain subset of racist white people unfortunately too large to ignore." I wanted to stand whitely next to them and make mean faces at anyone who did make that inference. Institutional sexism: it's not just for one culture! It should be for no cultures, but here we are! In any case: if you can't cope with portrayals of institutional sexism at the moment, put this aside until you can, but if you want to watch Wu Zetian absolutely trouncing the sexists, with help from lovely people of various genders, on with the show, here's <em>Iron Widow</em>.</p>
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How do I even begin to describe this story? I'm not sure words would do it justice, but I enjoyed every moment and I cannot emphasize. that enough. The world-building is intense, and I had to start out writing little notes for myself because of unfamiliar terms, but what fantasy book doesn't have the same process? It was probably a little easier for me because I grew up reading and watching xianxia, but it's not difficult to follow because the author is thorough in her explanations, it's just a little overwhelming at the beginning. I also want to emphasize that this is most definitely not a historical fantasy, but a sci-fi story with Chinese cultural and historical elements implemented into the worldbuilding. There is a lot for me to talk about, yet none are spoiler-free so I'd at least like to say that one of the things I loved about the story (other than the large fighting mechas) was the love "triangle" because the setup to it was perfection, and we all needed the polyamorous representation without the explicits. Although, my favorite aspect of the story is our female protagonist, Wu Zetian, who stays unapologetic while fighting her way through the patriarchal system, yet also trying to dismantle said system by the roots to prevent future female subjugation. You'll cheer for her the entire way, trust me.

This book was quite the ride. I am beginning to really enjoy sci-fi/fantasy with real world history entwined into it. Iron Widow incorporates elements of the first and only female emperor of China. In this world there are enemies called Hunduns where select people must fight against, by pairing a male and female together to pilot a kind of “power ranger” like machine. Though in this case it is more detrimental to the pilots as it feeds off their literal energy or qi in this case. Women are seen as less in this world and often die in battles. Our main character loses a sister to this very cause and gets herself selected to exact revenge. Her plans eventually grew much larger from there…

Characters (9.5/10): I tend to be quite picky with my female leads, but I have to say, Wu Zetian is awesome. She does not take crap from anybody. She is ruthless, intelligent, and ambitious, and I love it. Her relationship with the other two main characters is really enjoyable to read. Yizhi is wonderful and kind. His level headedness is a great buffer to our other two in this trio. Shimin is an interesting character. He is introduced as some kind of bloodthirsty murderer, so it was great to get more of a backstory and discover how much truth there is to this first impression. The side characters were memorable as well and each had distinct personalities and goals.

Plot (10/10): The plot starts out as a simple revenge story, but quickly descends into something much larger. I really loved how this story progressed and the themes it covered. Throw in some betrayal and political intrigue and you have got quite the thriller. It is always fun to read about women who fight against those that oppress them.

World (8/10): In this first book we got a nice picture of the class and gender structure. I do like the addition of the footbinding. It is neat to see history mixed with sci fi/fantasy. The author did a great job at using footbinding in women, amongst other things to portray the gender imbalances in this world and how the men see themselves as superior. One character even mentions how it is fine for women to sacrifice themselves but that would never be expected of the male pilot. I am sure in the next book we will see even more worldbuilding. The last few chapters gave us a little snippet of what is still to come.

Magic (9/10): At first look the “magic” seems to have similarities to others. You have the spiritual type of energy known as qi and everyone has an element they have more affinity to. But I really liked how the author took that style of energy/magic and incorporated it into the characters using it to pilot these giant animalistic machines. I do not recall reading anything like that before. It seems like a “magic” you would see more in movies or anime, but the author did it quite well.

Writing (8.5/10): I thought the writing was really great. I did find some of the battles a bit hard to follow, and with all the stuff going on inside the characters mind. Then again, I find battles/fights often hard to follow even in other books, so this may just be me.

Entertainment (9/10): I was kept thoroughly entertained. I did not find any lulls in the narrative. Action or intriguing dialogue was always taking place. The character interactions were great, the twists were great, and the politics were great!
A big thanks to the author as well for not making another typical love triangle. I mean, I guess it was kind of a triangle, but a polyamorous one. Much better than the overused one where the girl must choose between two guys storyline!

Total (9/10): I highly recommend you check out this book! It will keep you hooked from the start and the characters are great.

HOLY COW THIS BOOK!!! I mean, I'm not sure exactly what to say other than READ IT!!! It was brought to my notice by a friend that loves any book that is Asian inspired, and I decided to give it a try despite the comparison to Power Rangers. It honestly has a kind of dystopian Neon Genesis Evangelion feel to it, although the main character is not a whiny boy but a very feminist bad*ss female. I highly highly recommend this, even though it ends on a semi-cliffhanger and we all must suffer the wait for the next book.

Most unique story I’ve read in some time! This book is a great mixture of YA science fiction and Chinese culture. The strong characters show that perseverance and determination can change the most harsh circumstances. I definitely recommend this book - I suggest 13+ due to non-consensual sexual scenes.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

5/5 for the concept of this book! Really amazing, and I could instantly see it being a movie (or anime). But for me, I kept wanting it to be an adult book, with slower focus on characters instead of action. But that's a me problem!