Iron Widow is exactly the type of fantasy I wanted to read. It has mechas and the brutally unapologetic, powerful and true badass, Wu Zetian. She has become of my favorite protagonists ever. She is vicious, strong, brutal and rightfully angry at how the world has treated her and how it has bound her into these shackles. Xiran Jay Zhao's writing was utterly powerful and I could feel Zetian's anger through the pages. I want more books like these where girls are unapologetically brutal and vicious and bite back. And I know, even though I've just finished this book, I'll be going back to reread it again soon. It's pretty much going to become my new obsession now.

I highly highly recommend this!

All you need to know going into Iron Widow is that it's Pacific Rim meets Handmaid's Tale but also make it polyamorous.

This book was on a whole other level. The action was phenomenal and made me want to power a humongous robot like body. But what took this book above the rest were the characters, their development and the relationships they built. Almost everyone starts of hating each other but the amount of change that takes place in them all is astounding. Zetian is probably the most stubborn girl you will ever meet and I love her so much for it. The world in it made me so disgusted for the treatment of women and you just cannot help but root wholeheartedly for her. The emotional ride I took was crazy. I definitely grinned like a maniac at different points but I also shed a few tears. The ending made me so mad that I'll have to wait a while to see what happens and what in the world is going on. For me, this was a 5/5. If I could go higher I would.

If you like enemies to lovers, want to change the world so girls aren't dying for nothing, and are ready to desperately want to be a pilot but no way would you ever want to live in that world, then I have no doubts this is for you.

I received a digital copy of this book free from Netgalley and Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.

Iron Widow had everything I love in a book, and I truly never wanted it to end. It was so refreshing to see a female protagonist get fed up with a life surrounded by sexism and the patriarchy, and refuse to submit to those ideals, no matter how immoral. Wu Zetian was angry and ruthless, and overall fed up with everything, which made her so fun to read about. The world building was incredible, and I thoroughly enjoyed every bit about the Crystalises (the giant mechs), the world, and the characters. My only qualm is that I wish the book did allow more time between Zetian, Yizhi, and Li Shimin, and further developed their own dynamics, but aside from that, the three of them worked so well together, and were great to read and learn about.

"Iron Widow" was one of the most engaging, well paced, and heart pounding books I've had the pleasure of reading. It was impossible to put it down, the connection with the story and characters was palpable. Initially the draw of the book, for me personally, was the addition of Wu Zetian - the historic female emperor of the Tang dynasty of China turned main character into a book lauded as a cross between 'Pacific Rim' and 'The Handmaid's Tale'. (Also Handmaid's tale is covered in Western puritanical culture where this is distinctly Chinese and I feel like exists in its own realm and shouldn't be compared but I get it). But after delving head first into this powerhouse of a book, there was so much more to love than just this phenomenal character. The book is neither historical fiction or alternative history, it's something else entirely which made it even more of a pleasure to read. It's sci-fi that has scooped up precious bits of Chinese history and legend and woven them all into a tale of great magnitude and fierce feminist pride.
Almost immediately, 'Iron Widow' creates a visceral connection with the reader, and like Zetian, keeps a death grip on you until the very last word on the very last page. The story tackles some really intense issues with unwavering strength, poise, and rage. Often, it was the rage I enjoyed the most. It's so rare to find a book that doesn't skitter around women's anger, doesn't try to dampen it or cool it down. Here though, Wu Zetian embraces and wields her anger like the Chrysalis she powers. She is not ashamed - instead she turns shame on its head and mocks it for what it is. A tool for control. Deftly, Zetian picks apart each hypocritical, misogynistic construct. It was part of the glittering beauty of the book. Wu Zetian is a character unlike any other I've read before and I really enjoyed that uniqueness. She is a true morally gray character, but still, she has her own moral compass. She knows exactly what she wants. She is not irrational, but she is still emotional. She does not need to trade one for the other. It was what made it so difficult to put down the book. The drive to know how the story continues, how the characters continue permeated my life for the entire 24 hours it took to read. Every word felt so careful, so purposeful to the story. The symbolism was magnificent. The one scene when the trio are frying buns in the wok felt so real, I could perfectly imagine the smell of the frying food in a steamy kitchen. It made me love these characters so fiercely. I cried, there were times I laughed, and times when I murmured an endless stream ' oh no oh no oh no' but couldn't fathom stopping from reading. Writing this review was a bit difficult even, because a part of me didn't know where to start and what to touch upon, I still feel that I haven't covered everything I wanted to. I had so many thoughts reading this, so many things I wanted to say, but it boils down to: 'Iron Widow' was magnificent in a way English does not have words for.

This books is absolutely incredible. It's unlike anything I've ever read, yet it still feels so familiar. I love the writing style and the plot and the characters, they're all amazing. Having this feminist tale where the women actually get their vengeance is amazing and I feel like other books don't hold the villains to the accountability they deserve. This book did that. This book gave everyone what they deserved with no remorse and it's actually incredible to see. Also, there aren't many polyamorous relationships in the media, so to see a book as incredible as this one feature one made me so incredibly happy. It's so diverse. The main characters are queer and I love that it's rooted in actual history because I feel like, even though I learned a lot reading this book, I still want to research more. Especially, I want to learn more about our main character's namesake. If Empress Wu was cool enough to inspire such a badass main character, I definitely want to know more about her.

Everyone needs to read this book once it comes out. Everyone.

This story was exhilarating. Action, scheming, magic, f/m/m, fighting the patriarchy and rage… SO MUCH RAGE. Flawed female MC that refuses to be used by men or back down in her quest for vengeance and power. It was so well done, and so engaging that I just devoured this story and can’t wait for the next installment in this series. Just blisteringly good.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for honest review

As soon as I heard this book compared to Pacific Rim, I was immediately intrigued. The concept was incredibly original and I was impressed by the intriguing blend of the fantasy and SciFi genres.

The strongest part of the story for me was the characters. They were all uniquely interesting and their dynamics were incredibly fun to read. I withhold my judgment of the relationship until I’ve read the next book. I do not feel like I can accurately judge my feelings on the dynamic when there was very little page time dedicated to it. I will say the relationship was very obvious and I knew what would happen as soon as the characters were introduced. I loved each of the main characters in the trio and am both scared and excited to see how they grow in the next installment.

Despite my love for the characters, I struggled with Zetian’s perspective at times. Despite having a more advanced view of women’s roles in society, I felt like she could be incredibly naive and close-minded. I want more information on her motives and I hope to see some character growth. Though I recognize not every main character has to be likable I struggled to connect with the story from her blunt and stubborn perspective. There were many times throughout the story where I found myself wishing Iron Widow was multi-POV. I feel like it would have added a missing layer of complexity to see this world from Li Shimin and Yizhi’s perspectives as well.

My biggest critique of the story is that it felt very simple at times. With such an interesting concept I wanted more world-building and a more extensive exploration of certain concepts. The whole concept of an Iron Widow was barely explored. I also think there was room to talk about the concubine-pilots. As a reader, it felt like the world did not exist beyond what was written on the page.

The events of the novel felt like a series of events lined up in a row. I did not feel like anything in the book was pushing them along or tying the events together. When I’m reading a book I want to feel like I’m watching events happen in another world. I want to forget that it is words on paper and I want to feel a sense of realness and complexity. It was very clear to me that Iron Widow was a book written by a person which made it really hard to engage with the story.

I also had a huge problem with the epilogue. In my opinion, an epilogue is meant to spark the reader’s interest in the next book. Plot twists and major reveals need to happen in the story. The plot twists in the epilogue felt tacked on and random. I would've liked to see more lead up to them as it felt cheap to completely change the context of the story in the epilogue.

The world-building and the execution of the plot left a lot to be desired. However, the characters and the concept were engaging enough that I will likely pick up the next book in the series. While I personally wanted more from the book, I can see many other people enjoying it.

This is a fierce, fabulous find (with a gorgeous cover). Very original premise with excellent execution and world-building and lots of action. Plus an ACTUAL love triangle (which I gather the author is taking some heat for including.) Personally I found it refreshing.

I loved that this book was unapologetically feminist. Yes, the book takes place in a society in which the gender divide is wide, but the author continually makes observations about gender that rings true for any society, any age. Like this one...

"How do you take the fight out of half the population and render them willing slaves? 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."

Anyway, there's a lot to love about this book. But it's not quite an easy read akin to The Hunger Games, (a book I think it shares a vibe with). The culture, the Chrysalises, the use of Chi, may be foreign to some audiences, but it still adds up to a compelling story. There is a very visual sense of storytelling that I think would make for an interesting film adaptation.

There were two other things that I think really set this book apart for me. For one, it's not noted in many reviews, but our heroine is disabled from footbinding as a child and uses a wheelchair for much of the book. I've NEVER seen a lead character in YA who lives in a differently abled body. The fact that, in this world, she's able to fight with her spirit and her mind was a totally cool idea.

As mentioned above, I thought the love triangle was well done (not at first, but it got there.) I loved that the book didn't really center on the main trope of "who's she gonna love?" but instead said, "how about they all love each other?" I also loved that there was "offscreen" sex that was both an important plot point (as some of the plot discusses virginity) but also NOT a plot point (since this book isn't so hampered by determining who she's going to pick, who sleeps with whom.

So if I liked it so much, why not five stars? Well, I didn't really dig the ending: the Game of Thrones finale vibe, the throwing of lots of last minute hoops to quickly set this puppy up for a sequel. Up until the final pages, a story that felt pretty natural, suddenly felt awfully contrived. I didn't hate the reveals, just hated that they came fast and furious in the final pages. But overall, a cool read.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I’ll be gushing about this book for the next year, holy crap!! I loved the atmosphere of this book, the political intrigue, THE MECHS… just everything. It didn’t shy away from topics like rape, autonomy, sexism, sexuality, the works. Adding in an intricate plot and the sheer amount of Zetian’s female rage rounds out the book and makes me so excited for the sequel.

*Thank you to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Thank you so much, NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada and Penguin Teen, for the chance to read and review this amazing and brilliant book!

TW: rape, sexual harassment, feminicide, physical and psychological abuse, alcoholism, torture, murder, suicide ideation

POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD

In Huaxia, the boys' dream is to pair up with girls and pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots and battling the mecha aliens beyond the Great Wall. None seems to care that girls often die from the mental strain. When 18 years old Zetian decides to offer herself up as concubine-pilot isn't for glorious dreams, but to assassinate the pilot responsible for her older sister's death. Unexpectly she manages to kill him through the psychic link between pilots, reveling herself as an Iron Widow, a powerful and feared female pilot. Paired up with the strongest pilot and a murderer, Li Shimin, in order to tame but use her mental strength, Zetian is determined not to cover, not to be used and abused. She is tired of seeing more girls being sacrificed and she, her best friend, Yizhi and Li Shimin start to investigate why the pilot system works in misogynist way and what exactly is going on in their country

Iron widow is a brilliant and powerful story, with unforgettable characters, set in a world where mecha and aliens exist and where the battle for the humanity and freedom is fought both in the mecha and in the human world.
The worldbuilding is magnificent and intricate, mixing history with robots, misogyny with rebellion, aliens with publicity photo ops and stunts. In a glittering world hiding the festering wounds in it, Zetian and her friends and partners are brave, reckless and fearless in their desires, revenges and wants.

Zetian lives in a misogynist and cruel world. All her life she's been taught how to be, how to act, how to please, from her crushed and bound feet, to her grim future: to be a wife, a servant and a mother or to be sacrificed as concubine pilot. In a world where female are underestimated, abused, sold and hurt, Zetian refuses to be oppressed.
When her plan to assassinate her sister's murderer goes too well, she learns to appreciate and love the taste of power and her world and possibilities broaden. She's not powerless, she's not tamed and she will do anything in her power to stop more girls from being sacrificed.
Her character is one of my favourite (in the book and ever). She's reckless, fearless, sarcastic, strong and she refuses to conform to the society and what people expect from her.

Zetian stands out as a brilliant and powerful character, but she's not the only one. Her best friend and her partner (and more) Yizhi and Li Shimin are also captivating characters. Yizhi represents her past life, the tender friendship and love and the bond between them is so strong they are inseparable, even through changes and discoveries.
Li Shimin is a intricate and complex character and the reader learns to know him through Zetian's, overcoming with her the misconceptions and lies about him, getting to know the real Li Shimin and the unjustices and abuses he suffered.

Zetian's relationship with Yizhi and with Li Shimin is one of the most brilliant and powerful I've ever read. I didn't know there would be a polyamorous relationship and it's the first I've read that made me appreciate the love triangle, without useless dramas, jealousies and misunderstandings. Zetian, Yizhi and Li Shimin complete each other, each of them complex with their past, fears, desires and loves and the characterization is truly amazingly written. I loved their bond, how they strongly love, support and help one other through everything, how they always have each other backs.

"Love can be infinite, as much as your heart can open." (quote from the earc, so it can be subject to changes)

It was moving and empowering reading how Zetian slowly starts to realize and discard the lies she's been told since she was born and to love and appreciate herself, to accept love and friendship. How she refuses to be smothered and to hide her power and intellect, to accept what the society and the men decide for her future and her life.

"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 didn't deserve to live. Propaganda. All of it. Propaganda to keep me chasing after the approval of others on my bound and broken feet, as if being a good servant is the only thing I should be proud of." (quotes from the earc, so it can be subject to changes)

The story is a strong feminist one, mixing powerful and strong characters fighting for the truth and freedom, to be themselves, to love who they want, to live the life they choose and not what others decide for them, soldiers and pilots fighting against aliens, myths and lost Emperors, lies and machinations in a compelling and thrilling story that left me breathless.
I can't wait to know what will happen next, after this ending! This book is empowering, brilliant and I recommend it to everyone!

The concept is absolutely KILLER, with all the elements — Chinese historical figure(s), action sequences like Pacific Rim, oppressive patriarchy in the style of harem stories (or The Handmaid's Tale), media spectacle and main triad dynamic reminiscent of The Hunger Games — interwoven for impressively cohesive worldbuilding and (at least in my opinion) pretty great representation that's integral but not overpoweringly central to the story.

However, the narrative flow is frequently put on hold for a paragraph or two establishing the whole setup, and there are countless moments where the narration sidetracks into "how is this wildly inequitable system so entrenched and accepted? well, this is why" philosophizing/ borderline preaching, which can be distracting and/or tedious.

And I really wanted to like the characters and their dynamics, because they seemed cool! There's thoughtful exploration of morality and culpability and trauma which I appreciated on a theoretical level, and significant development over the course of the novel. But to be honest I found them fairly archetypal, maybe a bit flat?

All that said, overall this was a really engaging and unique read; I am definitely excited to see how the second book will build on this foundation!

I received an eARC from Penguin via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review; gratitude to the author and Penguin Random House Canada for the opportunity.

This review will contain spoilers.

This book was the most accurately hyped book I have read in the last decade; the premise as marketed is absolutely spot on and I am here for it.

I saw Pacific Rim when it came out (and the sequels as well, though I didn't care for them as much), and my main opinion was that aside from the criminal waste of Idris Elba's character (IYKYK), Rinko Kikuchi's character Mako Mori was underutilized and kind of ended up being a trophy for the main white dude, despite being a badass in her own right. Mostly, I just really wished that we could have had the story from her POV, and in a way, this novel really leans in to that sort of wish fulfillment, with much better representation,

The writing style is clear, educated, and entertaining, just as the author's YouTube essay's are (seriously go check out her channel if you haven't yet - it's a very good time). The world is well established, with just the right level of detail in the fantastical and the everyday. The relationships are so well done, and the themes explored are super interesting. I appreciate the sensitivity to cultural context; this book does explore some darker themes, but they are done tastefully and naturally (with no painful exposition dumps). I also appreciate the positive nod to alternative relationships; this story established the best and healthiest nascent triad relationship that I have EVER read in YA or other Sci-Fi/Fantasy works.

The villains in this book are proper villains, and at times, it is shocking for the protagonist to let out her dark side (but again, this book was very accurately described and her dark deeds are not entirely unexpected, and somewhat cathartic when they do occur.)

There was the almost inescapable set up for another book (or series) but as a standalone read it was very satisfying.

I do strongly recommend this book if you like mecha pilots, YA Science Fiction with well written action, and a strong female lead who makes reasonable decisions; If you enjoy this one, I also recommend Rachel Caine's Honors series, or for a more grown-up Sci Fi recommendation, Anne Leicke's Ancillary series.

I hereby predict it will at the very least get nominated for a Hugo Award, if not a Nebula. It's proper YA Science Fiction with a likeable and strong female protagonist done well, which in my experience is a pretty rare find.

4.5 stars

Iron Widow is, without a doubt, one of the best books I have read this year. Is it a perfect book? No, but I really don't think that mattered here. I absolutely loved every second of reading this, and even though I am now stuck waiting in pain for god knows how long until the second book comes out, it was 100% worth it.

The best way I can describe this book is that it is kind of like a Chinese history AU fanfic - all the characters are (loose) reimaginings of historical/mythological Chinese figures, but it's set in a futuristic mecha world with bits and pieces of Chinese culture, history, and lore scattered throughout. Our main characters live in a world where they're constantly under attack by these alien-esque creatures that can only be fought against with these metamorphic exoskeletons that are piloted by young men and women. It's honestly such an outlandish concept, and yet, it works. It is so incredibly fun, and all the historical references and characters were just really fun easter eggs.

My favourite thing about this book is hands down, the characters. Wu Zetian is kind of a terrible person, and yet I cannot help but root for her. She's so unapologetically angry - at the system, at society, at her family, at herself - and I love that about her. She knows what she wants, and she will do whatever it takes to get it. I also loved both of her love interests (and the fact that this is a poly love triangle), Li Shimin and Yizhi. In fact, I would say Li Shimin is my favourite character in this entire book. He's your typical bad boy with a tortured past, except he's not really a bad boy, and in fact, is a precious bean that must be protected at all costs. I loved their relationship dynamics, and Zhao did a fantasic job of just combining some of the best character/relationship tropes.

I also really appreciated the themes that this book touched upon, and how central to the storyline these were. While they were a touch too on the nose at times, I did like how this book really discussed and criticized the patriarchy and misogyny in this world, particularly from the perspective of a very self-aware character who is trying to topple the system while coming to terms with her own complicity in that system. I love that Wu Zetian is not presented as some sort of a "perfect feminist" or anything like that, but just a young woman who is a product of the society she was born in, and who is constantly questioning herself and just how deeply rooted these injustices are, both within herself and in the world at large. I also appreciated the discussions around gender and the role that gender plays in this world, and I am really looking forward to how Zhao will expand on these themes in the next book.

My one minor criticism of this book is definitely the writing. I felt like especially with the action scenes, the writing didn't always flow very well - at times, it felt like moments from the scene were just dropped, and it was a bit hard to connect point A to point B. I did also feel like some of the theming was a little too spelled out for my liking, and it kind of makes the flow of the scenes a bit unnatural. That being said, this is a debut novel, so all things considered, the writing is pretty solid, and I look forward to seeing the author continue to improve.

If it wasn't clear already, I highly recommend this book. I think it has everything a book needs - great characters, fantastic plot and pacing, great themes - and is very well executed. I am so incredibly attached to these characters and I am so excited to see where this series goes. If you are a fan at all of the mecha genre, or even just sci-fi (with some fantastical elements) in general, I really think you will love this book.

A reimagining of the only female emperor of China in space. The sci-fi aspect gave me Brandon Sanderson’s SKYWARD VIBES. This is a very gritty, dark, and wonderfully feminist tale.

Wu Zetian becomes a pilot concubine so that she can avenge the murder of Big Sister. In the process, she becomes the feared, Iron Widow.

Wu Zetian breaks the boundaries of expectations for females, pilots, and binary sexual relationships. She is a fierce character that refuses to feel shame and is ruthlessly power hungry.

Triggers: abuse, rape, violence, suicide ideation, alcohol addiction, and torture.

I'll start with my first impression upon finishing: damn, that was a great read, and I don't want to have to wait for the sequel!

I tried describing this book to a friend, and the best I could do was: in a world loosely inspired by medieval China (sorry, I don't know enough Chinese history to know the proper term for the period) people pilot robots that are powered by magic, use them to fight alien invaders, and a teenage girl tries to fight back against the social and military patriarchy. If that interests you even a little, find yourself a copy of this book, because no blurb or summary is going to do it justice.

I will note that I'm seeing this included in categories like "LGBT fiction", "Queer fiction", and so one, and although there's definitely an element of...let's call it non-straight romance...I don't think that's really a key part of this book. It's primarily about a girl who decides that enough is enough, and she's going to smash the patriarchal power structure (both figuratively and at times literally). Her rejection of the norm of monogamous heterosexual relationships is a piece of that, to be sure, but just a piece. If you're not sure, I encourage you not to let those categorizations hold you back. Read the book for yourself, I don't think you'll regret it.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’m going to be honest, going in I thought there was no way this would be a five star read for me. I’m not an anime/ mech fan , so that part of the premise was a hard sell for me, but it was also compared to The Handmaids Tale so I decided to give this book a try.

Boy am I glad that I did. Sure, there was stuff in here that wasn’t tailored to my taste but what this book does really well is smash down some of the typical YA tired old tropes and breathe some real fire into the genre.

The protagonist is unapologetic, passionate and opinionated, which is honestly such a rarity in the YA genre these days. She’s allowed to be angry, reactionary, violent and powerful. There’s plenty of antihero male characters out there but it was so refreshing to see a female one that didn’t have her edges softened.

The poly mfm love triad was so much better than yet another love triangle. I love that there wasn’t unnecessary drama around it and hope to see more relationships like this in fiction in the future.

The book ends on a “hold your breath, then scream out loud cliffhanger “ which is leaving me starving for the sequel. Definitely worth 5 stars.

omg i’m obsessed so good. an artistic masterpiece. incredible. AHHH i loved this so much!! the characters are fantastic and i love how history is incorporated into this. while i loved the whole concept of this, i was bored at times which is why i docked off 1 star. as someone who’s half chinese i really appreciated this book :) and the ending was perfect!! 4 ⭐️

The female rage.... I adored it. Wu Zetian is everything I look for in a strong female protagonist, I absolutely loved the writing style, the plot, the relationships omg, The only thing I didn't like was the Zetian would refer to her older sister as "Big Sister". It felt more impersonal? But that may be a cultural/respect thing that I don't understand. This book is described as Pacific Rim meets The Handmaiden's Tale, and I, unfortunately, have not read/seen either. However, this book gave me very Ender's Game meets The Hunger Games vibes.

What can I say about this book that already hasn't been said. In the post #MeToo era, I feel like this is a significantly important book. This book is all about feminism, and how important it is for a woman to have autonomy of herself and her choices. The character Wu Zetian although based on an ancient queen carves out her own path in this beautifully written adventure through blood, sweat, tears, and grit. Her gumption helps her face the impossible walls erected by influential males in her community, while at the same time helps lead her to her loves who are both her support and pillar while also relying on her to help them out. As was written by the author in the book "a triangle is the strongest shape" and indeed the love triangle in this work makes each and every one of the three main characters stronger both in mind and in spirit. All in all a brilliant debut by author Xiran Jay Zhou, and I for one cannot wait to read the next book in the series.

Absolutely FANTASTIC. Science fantasy at its absolute best, with a female protagonist who takes exactly zero shit, a wonderful polyamorous love triangle, and a twist at the end that will leave you absolutely FREAKING OUT. I AM NOT OKAY. This may be the best book I've read so far this year. The writing was top notch, the pacing perfect, and the story itself gripped me from absolutely the first page. Zhao is a genius and I am in love.