In Huaxia, the boys dream of piloting giant robots, called Chrysalises, while girls are dragged along to act as concubines and often die in the process. Eighteen-year-old Zetian decides to volunteer as a concubine-pilot for one purpose only: to kill the pilot who killed her older sister. What she doesn’t expect is to still live after carrying out her vengeance, but when she does so, she is labeled an “Iron Widow” and feared by others.

There were so many parts I loved about this book! I loved the plot itself, but even more than that I loved Zetian. She’s a strong female character who knows what she wants, and I love to see that! This is told from her perspective, and while I don’t always like first person narratives, this POV was perfect for the book. I was also glad to see a book with two love interests but no love triangles—how refreshing!

I recommend to anyone who loves fantasy and wants an enticing new read.

This was really good, especially as a Star Wars and Pacific Rim fan! I really enjoyed the historical Chinese elements. I loved this, and if you like any sci-fi franchise, you’re sure to love this book!

4 Stars

Arc received from Netgalley for an honest review.

Iron Widow was like nothing I've read before. Not only does it have giant mecha robots and a kickass main character, it also had a lot of elements that I was surprised to read about and enjoy.

My Opinions:

Our main character Zetian can be hard to like at times. I find her to be an almost morally grey character due to her thought process and choices throughout the book. I really enjoyed that aspect of her though, because I find myself having similar feelings within my life and to my own family. Considering the environment she grew up in, I don't find it surprising that she grew up having to react the way she does.

The topic of sexism and misogyny in this book was well done but difficult to read at times. There were a lot of hints to how men and woman are treated in real life, so despite it being set in a fictional world, you see the aspects of reality interwoven throughout the book which only effected me as a reader more.

The romance in this was also a nice surprise. I wasn't aware going into it that there was a polyamorous relationship, but this didn't take away from me, in fact I actually preferred it. Even with some backlash possibly coming from this choice, I'm happy that the author kept it in and stuck to her guns because I hate love triangles with a passion, I tend to always choose the character the protagonist doesn't end up choosing, so I was thrilled to see them all together.

With that said, the romance isn't flushed out completely, a part of that probably stemming from the amount of time they had together. It didn't feel incredibly unrealistic, but it wasn't a smooth transition. It felt a little quick but at the same time I still found myself really cheering them on and hope to see more of them together in the future.

The ending made me want to pick the next book up right away. I'm not sure how I'm going to wait for it but I'm undoubtedly going to be waiting excitedly when it comes out.

Read this book if you enjoy; Sci-Fi, giant fighting robots, romance, strong female main characters, and awesomeness.

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao is one of those books you cannot stop thinking about even after you finish reading it. Everything from the world-building to the characterisation is perfect and to the T. Wu Zetian, my favourite femme fatale, is a character you can't help but love. Her drive and motivation forces you to root for her.

The plot is well driven and thought out. It flows really well and I can't wait to read the sequel.

Wow, talk about a book with a slow start that ends explosively. For the first 30% of this, I was interested, but not hooked. The middle just kept getting better, and the ending is what made this a 5 star read.

My favorite thing about this is definitely our main character. Zetian was such a powerful character, and I loved her transformation from beginning to end. She was the perfect morally grey character, and I can't wait to watch her journey continue. Plus, she had some of the most powerful quotes ever, which never hurts.

The romance never completely sold me, but I loved every character individually. Honestly, I shipped Yizhi and Shimin together more than either of them with Zetian, but that just kept things interesting. I do love that this book strayed away from a love triangle and just created a thrupple, it was a nice change.

Finally, I loved the world! It was a bit vague at the beginning, but the twist at the ending explained everything. I was a bit worried I wouldn't like this since I'm not usually a fan of robot-type reads, but this defied every expectation I had.

If you haven't read this, you don't know what you're missing. With a power thrupple, a full cast of morally-grey characters, and the twistiest ending, there's nothing here I wouldn't recommend.

Thanks to Xiran Jay Zhao and Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

I've gone from one debut to another, had huge expectations for both, and yet wow what a different experience has been had. I'm actually | | close to rounding up and giving this the full five star treatment, to be honest. It's so close to that feeling. And wow has it been a long time since I've felt that.

<i>How do you take the fight out of half the population and render them willing slaves? You tell them they are meant to do nothing but serve from the minute they are 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.</i>

You've probably seen the pitch by now : THE HANDMAID'S TALE meets <i>Pacific Rim</i> and I think that's actually a great vibe to have going into this because it lives upto it so well. But there's also a lot more going on than just that so don't worry. Much awaits you.

<i>Men want us so badly for our bodies, yet hate us so much for our minds.</i>

But before you even get to the story the author has a fabulous note to explain their inspiration, their themes, and more. It did such a great job setting the tone for this story and even though I'm very spoiler averse (not that there were any) I really appreciated the insight.

"<i>[..] nothing in this world has been created, built, or set up in our favour. If we want something, we have to push back against everything around us and take it by force.</i>"

Maybe I should actually talk about the book though? As with many favourites, though, sometimes that's hard to do. Because even though this book isn't subtle about its themes, there is still nuance to explore, evolutions to witness, and a few little surprises that didn't exactly surprise me but I was delighted to see play out.. only to then be actually surprised by something. Which maybe happened once or twice. I was digging it.

<i>Love cannot save me. I choose vengeance.</i>

As for the romance, well. I don't know if it counts as a spoiler but for those who haven't yet seen the reveal, and want to experience that on page, I won't say anything. It isn't hard to search out if you're curious though! That said, I would've liked some of it to be a little better developed but.. well, again, saying more would be a spoiler.

Rarely, no matter how much I love a book, do I feel the desire to flip back to the beginning and immediately reread. But IRON WIDOW makes me want to do so. I'm sure there were things I missed because I d e v o u r e d this in one sitting but I will save my reread until book two comes out. Which, like.. can that be now? Please?

<i>[..] he's trying to worm into my mind and shackle me down with morals, so he can feel more comfortable about my existence. Too bad. I am exactly the kind of ice-blooded, rotten-hearted girl he fears I am. And I am fine with that.</i>

If you want to read a down with the patriarchy story that is less "girl power!" and more "I am sick of this shit"; who streaks right past shades of grey and fully embraces the dark; who claws her way out of the pain, literal and figurative, of existence to fight, every day, and challenge everything she's been brought up to believe; in a world where pilots are both celebrity and saviour as they battle aliens.. and I mean, I could go on. I haven't even touched on Li Shimin who, besides Zetian, stole my heart.

Preorder this book, request this book, beg you library to buy it. Do whatever you can to read this book.

4.5 stars

Thank you to netgalley for providing me with this arc.
This book????) was so good!! I loved every second of it. The way the world works is so different to anything I’ve read before. It was old yet new at the same time and I loved that about this book. Definitely a favorite and needs to be read by all!!

This is an amazing book! I really need to processo my thoughts and feelings to write a proper review. I

THIS WAS SO GOOD. Fast-paced, immersive, furious. (Fast and furious?... I'll show myself out.)

First of all, the protagonist, Wu Zetian: She's great. It's so rare to find a character who just says what she thinks ALL THE TIME, even (especially!) when it's extremely confrontational. Zetian is honestly a little unhinged, but that's what makes her so fun to read. There's nothing flat about her, no blanks that the reader needs to fill in. She's all there, 100% of the time.

The science fantasy world is great, too. (I am counting things like the gods as fantasy elements, but I'm not sure if that's wholly accurate, since I can't tell how much of the worldbuilding is based on real religion, and I don't necessarily want to count religious elements as fantasy.) The Chinese elements, the mechas, the video-game-like element of spirit energy and qi types all blend together surprisingly seamlessly. I was a little wary, thinking that the world would require a lot of exposition, but once you're through the prologue the novel dives right in, and I was never confused or lost.

The pacing is breakneck, and the plot is engaging pretty much all the way through. There were a few stretches that didn't hold my interest as tightly as the rest of the novel, and the last 50 pages or so I thought actually moved a little too fast, but none of that interfered with my enjoyment. I also loved the poly twist on a love triangle! (Not marking that as a spoiler because the author has been very open about it.)

I am a little surprised this is being marketed as a YA novel. In the author's note, Zhao wrote that the first draft was apparently far too dark to be YA, and this still doesn't really feel like a YA novel to me. Sure, the characters are teenagers, but you could kick them all up to age 25 and I think their personalities would still hold. They don't feel or act especially young to me; indeed, when it comes to relationships and expressing their feelings, they're extremely mature, and their concerns don't feel like teenage concerns. If it weren't for the marketing, I would have pegged this as an adult science-fantasy novel.

But no matter what marketing category it's slotted into, I enjoyed this novel very much and I'm excited for the sequel!

I received an e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Iron Widow is a book with no "good guys," just the people upholding oppressive systems of power and the people fighting to survive and change them. That being said, I was pretty fully on board with every violent and murderous urge of Wu Zetian's, our protagonist. I loved both the political action plot and intertwining romance subplot. The critique of patriarchal systems was great to see. Watching the poly relationship develop was so much fun and all 3 characters fit together so well. This book is very intense and violent but I truly enjoyed every word and cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel one day.

It has been a long time since I have read a book this brilliant. Iron Widow is a reimagining of Wu Zetian-China's first and only lone Empress-in what feels very much like a mecha anime turned into a novel. Fans of Handmaid's Tale and Pacific Rim will both adore this story-which isn't something I'd ever thought I'd say before.

Not only does Iron Widow have a take-no-shit, incredible female protagonist, incredible pacing, character depth, plot twists galore, and of course mechas-it is also an incredibly amazing portrayal of polyamory which is so incredibly rare in writing, and even more so in YA.

This book tackles gender in a very head-on way. There's no room for subtlety in this action-packed scifi as Zetian plows her way through the metaphorical (and some physical) shackles of her society. Her rage powers her through fight after fight of physical, verbal, and mental conflicts.

While sometimes the dialogue seemed a bit choppy-the story flowed so beautifully that I had trouble putting the book down at all. It was absolutely gripping and as the plot moved forward I just couldn't tear myself away.
My only other complaint would be that I'm not quite sure what the hundun or chrysalis look like. We're given descriptors but not a description if that makes sense. This could be intentional and didn't bother me greatly, but I do hope to learn more about them in possible sequels (please let there be a sequel).

I do want to thank Xiran Jay Zhao-as a polyamorous woman it is very refreshing to see polyam portrayed in a natural and positive way. I cried more about their relationships than I did about anything else because I was absolutely elated to have that representation.

First things first, I love Wu Zetian. There is a special place in my heart for morally grey characters, and she is no exception. Zetian takes so much anger at the patriarchy and the way it consistently pushes down women and acts against it. She isn't kind, she refuses the roles that men push her into and it is very cathartic to watch her fight against it. There are scenes where you read how she changes her own thought pattern to not allow men to continue to hold her back or shame her, and it is incredible to feel as if you are there with her, fighting alongside her. Yes this may be a fantasy setting, but the prominence of the patriarchy is very real in today's society, and being able to experience Zetian's defiance when it isn't always possible to act in defiance of what is expected of women in society makes her even more wonderful to read. I love how Zetian follows through on her plans, she doesn't back down for the sake of anyone else, she truly is an incredible character.

There are two other central characters in the novel, Yizhi and Shimin. Both are interesting characters who hold their own alongside the strong presence of Zetian, but the most important thing for me was how well all three of them communicate. Personally, I hate it when charcters refuse to talk maturely to their partners, whether it be about an event or feelings for another characters (love triangles can become very annoying), but these three don't fall into that trap. They have those conversations (when ready in terms of character growth and relations) with maturity and respect, and it was so satisfying to see characters that love and trust each other implicitly.

Conceptually, the plot sounds amazing, but if anything it undersells how good the plot of the novel is. Qi, and giant robot-style machines, and the dismantling of an old and oppressive system is my new favourite combination. I do have one slight critique, personally I would have enjoyed an extra conversation about the way in which Zetian's primary and secondary qi manifests, rather than just being told that it had happened but never being shown or told much about how that was discovered. The Hunduns and the way in which parts of their consciousness can be heard by pilots is a very interesting concept which I hope to see explored in a sequel (and I really hope that there's a sequel!!) The action is fast paced and exciting, it leaves you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next, and of course, a good plot twist that left me shocked and in awe.

One of my most hyped books of this year, to be honest - The very first time I heard about the concept of "Iron Widow" I knew I needed to read this. And I was right, I had such fun with this debut! It isn't perfect and I did have some issues with it, but overall it's just an unapologetically feminist, queer, exciting, action-filled quick read that combines Pacific Rim style war machines with Chinese culture and mythology.

"Iron Widow" tells the story of Wu Zetian, a young girl that volunteers to become the concubine of the pilot of one of said big war machines, knowing full well that it'll be her death just like it has been a death sentence for most of the girls that came before her. But she has to, because that particular pilot killed her big sister - so she might die, yes, but she's gonna take him with her. That does sound like a pretty standard fantasy story, but it's told in such a unique and fascinating way that the tropiness of it doesn't matter.

"Iron Widow" is most of all a feminist story. A story about female rage, revenge, power - all in the face of a society that doesn't see any worth in the female gender beyond what it can do to serve men. It's an angry book that doesn't mince words, that allows its central woman to be brutal, that lets her be violent . Wu Zetian is a fascinating protagonist not just because of her unapologetic fight to save girls and take revenge on the men who wronged them, but because she is an unusual protagonist to begin with. Her lotus feet cripple her movement so she has to use a wheelchair when she's not piloting her chrysalis, and while she does suffer from what was done to her feet by the society she grew up in she never lets it get in the way of her getting what she wants. Her two love interests are mostly well-rounded characters, too, although I admit I did find Li Shimin a lot more interesting, mostly because Yizhi's characterization is pretty... inconsistent throughout the book. I'm not sure I could tell you exactly who he is.
The romance is awesome insofar that it is a polyamorous mfm relationship with all three of them falling for each other. I honestly can't remember reading any healthy poly relationships in ya fantasy like, ever. There is generally a lot of queerness and gender discussion, which I liked a lot. I do have to say, though, that the romance has so much potential that the book never really lived up to. Mostly because of the lack of actual deep character moments between them. It all happens pretty fast, especially the relationship between the two boys. This romance could have been absolutely epic but in the end, it's sadly a little shallow. I need more chemistry, more interaction, more actual romance.

The story is interesting and very dense. It doesn't let you breathe for a single second - and I actually consider this a flaw to some degree. There are no quiet moments to get to know the characters better, there is always action, always something happening. Sometimes it reads like a movie script more than it does a novel, as if the author tried to write down what they saw on the big screen. Thus, everything seems kind of superficial, lacking the depth necessary to really make me care about most of what was happening. The writing is good but also pretty simple and kind of hectic, the world-building rough and lacking detailed descriptions and the lushness to make this world feel really alive. It does read a bit like a pacific rim fanfiction, sometimes. There is a lot of tell-don't-show going on, entire pages in which there are several characters talking with each other but it's only referenced as indirect speech á la "and then x said that we have to do this and y explained that this thing is happening because of reason z". Instead of, you know, actual dialogues. I'm sure this was a conscious choice but the author but it does come of as lazy writing, skimming over details to get the plot moving. No time to waste, here's a monster attack! I couldn't always follow what was going on, either, because there is just.... a lot happening very quickly, and then another thing is added to it, and another, and another.

The epilogue though - the epilogue is really forking epic. It makes me want to immediately pick up the sequel because DAMN! The plot of the book is generally very straightforward without a whole lot of surprising twists and turns, so the epilogue really hit me out of the blue. I love it. I want to know more.

So in conclusion, this is a really entertaining quick read with a cool protagonist and chock full of important themes. It never really tackles them in a deep or profound way, deciding to stay on the surface level in favor of more action scenes. Xiran Jay Zhao is a talented writer and their book shows just how much fun they had writing it, but there is room for improvement. Still, an absolute recommendation - a wild ride for sure.

10 seconds review:
A hankering for Chinese influenced anime Pacific Rim series? Queer polyamory romance? An enraged female MC vying at tearing apart the system's treatment of its female citizens? Grab this book!

Longer review:
"You've been living a dream for long enough!" I yell at the camera between bursts of maniacal laughter, raising my arms, "Welcome to your nightmare!" With that passage, you know exactly what kind of a ride you are in.

Wu Zetian, the main character, seeks for revenge after the murder of her older sister at the hand of the system that grooms its female citizens to accept their fates to benefit the other half of the population. Dowry, foot binding, abuse, the list goes on, and ultimately death after piloting Chrysalis with their perfectly intact male partner is accepted as the norm. Huaxia is in a war against the Hunduns, invaders that appeared 2000 years ago, the only weapon they have against the Hunduns is Chrysalis. A group of mechas that take the names and the shapes from Chinese mythical beasts like Nine Tailed Fox and the Vermillion Bird. Any mecha fan will have a blast reading mechas fighting, transforming, and power levels.

After enacting revenge for her Big Sister, Zetian finds out there is more to be done to completely achieve her goal to tear apart the system of Huaxia. Despite people being horrified at her for breaking out of societal expectations, she keeps going, society pressures and moral be damned. One big part of Zetian’s journey is the growing relationships with her male copilot Shimin and her friend Yizhi. The author Xiran Jay Zhao manages to make the progress feel organic without making it awkward and resorting to poor tropes that usually occur in love triangles.


I grew up watching Macross, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and countless more mecha anime. This book ticked so many things I love about those mecha anime. It is refreshing to see those ideas being in a novel format. Having a queer love triangle is a cherry on top because many anime suffers by zeroing on monogamy het relationships with the audience following the male end of the relationship. I am excited to see what Zhao have in store for the sequel and her writing career.

This is gonna be a ride, so get strapped in.

First of all, thank you so much to Penguin Teen Canada for sending me an eARC of this book (my first ARC ever)!

The cover and description of this book gripped me from the first time I saw it - “Pacific Rim meets The Handmaids Tale”. But this book bought so much more than I was ever expecting, and I’m still kind of coming to terms with it.

For someone who’s “read” list predominantly consists of Romance and Fantasy - this book was nothing like I’ve ever read before. Iron Widow is inspired by the only female emperor in Chinese history; Empress Wu. It’s an action packed, gender role smashing sci-fi take on Chinese history/culture and customs.

Zhao’s descriptions are immaculate, and I could visualize what was happening so vividly - will a little booster from Pacific Rim visuals I remember ngl. I did find that Zhao’s voice often differed when writing dialogue/the MC’s inner thoughts compared to when she was world building. This threw me off a little, and I found my reading pace stalled. I was able to get on track easily, but it was something I noticed numerous times. The world building seemed so eloquent, and in one or two places I just felt that the dialogue didn’t reach the same level.

Much of this story surround the concept of Gender, and rampant misogyny in society (specifically and historically - Chinese society). The concept of Gender is deconstructed so intrinsically, and Zhao causes you to reconsider things on a personal level. Like, as I read this book and the MC (frequently) questioned the idea of gender, the patriarchy and monogamy, I found myself asking similar questions about my own personal experiences. It was eye opening in a way I didn’t expect it to be.

Writing this review, in my notes app, as I try to figure out how I feel about this book, I honestly forgot that it was a YA Novel. The themes explored and discussed are so advanced and appropriate for our current lives - the exploration of sexuality, relationships, self value and gender are exactly what YA novels should be championing.

Even if you don’t typically read Sci-Fi - read this. Iron Widow is out on September 21, 2021!

Iron Widow is a mecha anime in written form and follows a reimagined Wu Zetian–first and only woman emperor of China–as she takes down the patriarchy with the help of her two boyfriends. It not only takes its readers on a wild adrenaline high as it cuts down creatures with giant robot suits; it also dares to confront and dismantle the system surrounding the dual pilots’ chairs and sustaining the war.

This book has been pitched as Pacific Rim X The Handmaid’s Tale, and though it’s awesome that it grabbed people’s attention right away, I am super sad that the comps don’t fully cover its premise. It could have been pitched as a feminist Neon Genesis: Evangelion X gongdou (harem contentions) story! I love that storytelling forms I’ve only seen on TV are now being explored in written form, and somehow, it feels incredibly validating to have these interests meld into one firecracker of a text. I totally understand that this book is primarily marketed to a Western audience who may not be familiar with staple East Asian media, and I hope that this book gets them to explore content outside their comfort zone.

Note: In all honesty, I have not finished Neon Genesis: Evangelion. My suggested comp is based on the first few episodes and the subsequent spoilers I gathered from friends. It only took around three episodes for the psychedelic PTSD from the mind-meld? mind link? to hit my gut like a ten-pound bowling ball. Though it wasn’t a pleasant experience AT ALL, it got me ready for many of the difficult and heavy scenes in this book. I should probably stop being a wimp and finish NG:E this time.

Titular character Zetian keeps us glued to the last page with the sheer force of her fierceness and rage. She is unstoppable at every given turn, and she carries with her an anger backed by years of pain and by scores of unnamed women who have died in service to powerful men. She protests against illiteracy, lack of autonomy, footbinding, media attention, and so much more. It feels exhausting to list them all, but it also makes me realize how hard it is to be a woman in a world that punishes you for being one.

I love how the book builds this society that clearly exposes the roots of Zetian’s burdens. She not only goes toe-to-toe with powerful men oozing with toxic masculinity, but she also questions–though with much more empathy–the women who have been complicit in perpetrating abuse. Her whole journey in ferreting out the truth behind misogynistic systems is one that hurts too much to follow, and everything becomes even messier and blurrier the deeper she digs.

Through this character, Zhao channels their very angry, very unapologetic stance against Chinese traditions that have made so many women needlessly suffer. With every action, they, through Zetian, dare ask the readers: who are you to ask me to tone down? Who are you to tell me that my rage is inappropriate? I don’t see myself as someone who would hold up a middle finger to the establishment and tell it to fuck off, but I admire the strength of people who have the guts to do so especially in defense of women.

Besides women’s issues, the book also touches on other difficult topics like racism against non-Han Chinese–collectively called Rongdi here–prison labor, and alcoholism through Shimin’s and Yizhi’s arcs. Much of it is based on real issues, and I love the messy yet nuanced takes presented here. Shimin and Yizhi, in turn, each have their own compelling narratives, and I can’t help but cheer for these two soft boys whom I have adopted in my heart forever.

But aside from the characters and themes, the plot and worldbuilding elements leave much to be desired. Throughout the course of the book, I constantly ask myself: is it a matter of craft, or is it a problem of unfamiliarity with the source material?

Like with all science fiction–whether written or visual–I feel so lost whenever unfamiliar tech is described, so I don’t think it’s a tech thing. However, I do spend a lot of time scrambling around trying to figure out the rules for some staple items like spirit armor. I wish a brief sentence or two is added to fill in the gaps.

I also struggled with imagining what the Chrysalises look like. Initially, I assumed quite they are angular and boxy like those in Gundam and Voltes V, but some features include wings and heads. At some point, I even imagined them to be like transforming manor robots of Batman Ninja. It slows me down a bit, but because Zhao’s writing still manages to convey the epic scale of these fights, I can still keep up with the emotional beats of the story.

In many of the battles, Zhao pays homage to all the anime they love. It’s the best kind of self-indulgence, and though I’m not weeb enough to name each one, I can definitely feel that this is a book that they wrote primarily for themself.

Iron Widow bases its “magic” or abilities on the five-element qi system. I am unfamiliar with it beyond its literal sense especially when the book emphasizes otherwise, so it does require a learning curve to keep track of when and how each type is used. I try to keep mental tabs through collocation (which qi/ability/color is associated with which Chrysalis/pilot), but each new context still leaves me scrambling for my notes. Though I love the challenge of acquainting myself with an entirely different worldview, other readers who may not have the patience to do so might find it frustrating.

Many of these hiccups are also present in the general mecha genre, which I think is a missed opportunity to elevate some aspects and improve on them. I treated them as minor frustrations and focused my attention on cheering for big robot fights like I do with every other anime. At times, it can feel like a “head empty, vibes only” kind of scene, but I still enjoyed everything.

Overall, this book is an exhilarating mecha experience from beginning to end. I hope you like it too!

Wow. If you enjoyed Pacific Rim, The Handmaid's Tale, and Attack on the Titan, then you'll love this. Set in a futuristic Chinese history inspired world, this story has everything you're looking for. The author will blow all your expectations out of the water. Vivid, fast-paced, and complex, it will keep you on the edge of your seat but not at the expense of the characterization. Zeitan, Shimin and Yizhi are all exemplary characters, and the intricacy of their relationships just add to many beautiful layers of this story. Definitely a must-have in any HS collection!

Where to start?!
First of all, I would like to thank netgalley for allowing me to read this in advance.

I laughed, I raged, and I cried at what Zeitan went through again and again.

To start, the book Iron Widow is about:
When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, her plan is to assassinate the man responsible for her sister's death. But on miraculously emerging from the cockpit unscathed after her first battle, she has a new plan. The time has come to overturn the entire patriarchal military system.

I haven't read a 5 star book in a minute but I was sucked into this the first chapter with Zeitan was in. Simple Zetian "frontier girl" grieving and planning her revenge on her older sister that her family can't even acknowledge her death except in passing of not getting enough money from her death abandons her only friend that seemed to care about her than her own family to die trying to revenge her sister. Things happen to her as a female in a male lead world that you will soon find out but it makes her 10x stronger of a female character that I don't normally read. I loved her inner strength. We all love a morally grey character but she also had the clear head to change when the situation called for it. Its very feministic, it was written so well. Can't wait to read the next one!

My favorite quotes because nothing more sucks me into wanting to read a book that powerful quotes from the book:

"I'm going to be his beautiful, sultry concubine. And then-" I yank the hairpin apart, revealing the sharp point within," I'm going to rip his throat open in his sleep.""

"Maybe, if things were different, I could get used to this. Being cradled in his warmth and light. Being cherished. Being loved. But I have no faith in love. Love cannot save me. I choose vengeance."

"Laughing uncontrollably, I keep stabbing. And stabbing. And stabbing."

"Welcome to your nightmare!" As a body comes into the camera view of the man that killed her sister. (non spoiler btw)

"Burning white eyes glare into mine. "Be their nightmare, Wu Zetian."" My skin is goosebumps!

"I'm becoming no less than a monster, but that's okay. It takes a monster to slay a monster."
I love morally grey characters.

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

Here's one that made me laugh unexpectedly, "Okay. So Li Shimin is absolutely fucking bonkers, I guess."

"What I have learned through this madness is that you can absolutely solve your problems by throwing money at them. If you can't, you probably don't have enough money for that particular problem." You are not wrong!

Cue the chills down my spine quote, " Redemption story, they said? There will be no redemption. It is not me who is wrong. It's everyone else."

Okay last one, best one with no context, " You're in my way."

This is probably one of my favorite books I've read to date this year! It was nothing like I've read before. If you are a fan of The Handmaids Tale and Pacific Rim this is the book for you. It has a strong, female character who is confident and someone who is unapologetically themselves. I loved the world building in this book and also the different character developments that were taking place. I will definitely be reading this book again!

I was already incredibly into the premise back when this was announced - mechs, a piloting premise reminiscent of a certain recent anime, and Wu Zetian, a subject of a lot of the pop Asian American literature I picked up in the target during high school? Hell yeah! Penguin Teen was kind enough to pass me an ARC via NetGalley, and man, reading this has been a hell of a ride, in the best way possible. Zhao leans the fuck into both the anime and body horror of the premise, and while the book leans heavily on the anime side of the spectrum, they make sure to focus on the pilots’ interpersonal relationships and their position within the politics of the army and to have it not focus just on the mecha fights (though those and the media attention around the pilots are wonderfully described, and I could see it absolutely getting an animated adaptation). One of the pull quotes describes this as a primal scream, and really, that is one of the best descriptions. Zetian is rightfully fucking furious, and while her reasons for being so only increase throughout the book, Zhao makes sure to not make her a one note character. There are two major twists in this book, and one of them you’ll definitely see coming - the other, not so much, and I’m eager to see how it plays out over the rest of the trilogy. If you know all the historical names (there are several figures from several periods of Chinese history mashed up here), it does help guide your understanding, but if you don’t, you won’t be lost. (I would like to see a quick guide to some of the historical names in a later book bc not all of the names show up on an initial Google, but it isn’t a barrier to enjoyment.) The patriarchy in this takes cues both from actual Chinese history and attitudes towards women, but also leans into some of the worst shit you can see on the internet. Oh, also! The love triangle in this actually resolves into a poly triad, and they’re all bisexual, and it’s fucking excellent to see. Pick this up when it comes out - you’ll be in for a hell of a trip. (I will content warn for bound feet, torture, and attempted sexual assault as a heads up.)