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.)

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a great story on vengeance, and I enjoyed every minute of it!!!

This book left me breathless.

I am a huge Pacific Rim nerd. I've watched the movies multiple times, so anything inspired by it is an immediate "yes please" for me. This book was everything I expected it to be, and more. Wu Zetian is an unforgettable character that will forever live rent free in my mind; her badassery is simply unmatched, and I loved how her character development set her loose from the misogynistic ropes tying her down.

Iron Widow is a huge fuck you to the ridiculousness of the patriarchy; a system built out of fear that women might not just be equals, but better than the men themselves. Zetian is constantly questioning these gender divisions and the status quo of gender binary and polarity; ying and yang, opposites that contain the other in their essence, yet Zetian knows there is more to the binary of that system. The whole book is about rupturing an old and harmful way of living, it's about tearing down the foundations that have ruled for eons. And it simply, BEAUTIFULLY, delivers. I highlighted so many quotes I might just get them tattooed.

I LOVED the way this book proves that you can write deeply troubled male characters without making them complete assholes. It proves that men in positions of power will not hesitate to subjugate their so called equals into submission for their own wretched plans. This book is heartbreaking yet uplifting, it gives us HOPE that the system can be broken, but at the same time reminding us that change is rarely ever peaceful. I can already see the hordes of men (and perhaps women too) when the book comes out raging about Zetian being this unlikeable, selfish character, and to them I will simply say that they totally missed the point of this book.

I will never cease to recommend it. I will never shut up about it. The pacing was perhaps a tad too fast for my liking, but it didn't greatly influence my enjoyment of this book. The writing was amazing; action packed and delivering masterful lines every couple of pages. The polyamorous rep? GLOURIOUS. We stan proper communication between characters. And the ending? I was left screeching in my seat and that's when I knew I'll do anything to have the sequel in my hands as soon as possible.

— 4.5 stars

thank you to netgalley and penguin random house canada for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

i loved this so so much. coming in i had no idea what to expect, but this book blew all my expectations and biases away. zhao has accomplished something amazing here. not only has she managed to write a compelling story with fresh new perspectives, but she has also woven in pressing issues of misogyny and classism into her story. i'm amazed at how adroitly zhao deals with these matters with a delicate—but still astonishingly skilled— hand. this is the book of 2021, i know it.

and that PLOT TWIST? i need the second book now

Yes! Thank you Netgalley and publisher for approving me of this eARC! I was so excited to read this as its wasn't on my radar, but it is now! There's high stakes plot and throughly entertaining characters. I cannot wait for Iron Widow to publish!

May 26, 2021 –
13.0% "This world is definitely different with the advancements and all. There are weird numbers in random places in the kindle version I am reading."
May 26, 2021 –
26.0% "The mental world seems horrible and painful. When she was with the iron demon the first time, that scene was terrible, falling on the swords and the fire and such."
May 27, 2021 –
46.0% "It actually annoys me a bit how she reacts and speaks about Li Shimin. I don't think he is lying about his family and for her to ask why he didn't let them kill him. She's taking her vengeance and letting it warp all sense of anything."
May 28, 2021 –
68.0% "While she's not my favorite character, I do feel sorry for her having to be chained and treated like a pet in the photoshoot. I do see what they are doing, making it seem like she is but really wondering if she's just as in charge."
May 28, 2021 –
80.0% "I'm really glad she has changed her mind about him and changed her attitude. She is looking at the bigger picture on what happened and that makes me like her more."
May 30, 2021 –
99.0% "I can’t believe she actually killed her family. I get the father but the little brother? The ending was wild! I couldn’t guess the twist of the end and I’m so glad they explained the Hundun better."


Cover-It's a pretty cover and really goes well with the story.
Problems-Throughout the book, I never understood the Hundun issue. They were supposed to be mindless yet invaded an entire planet. THANK GOODNESS this became a focal point at the end of the book. This wrapped it all up.
Likes-The setting was neat and I love anything historically Asian based. The story in itself was great because it dealt with some real world issues like sexism and addiction.

As soon as I read the summary for this book, I knew I had to read it. I pushed it up my TBR list when I was approved for an eARC and was not disappointed. Iron Widow was a thrilling tale of standing up against a misogynist system with unique worldbuilding and amazing characters.

After her sister dies, Zetian volunteers for the same position as a concubine-pilot, intent on killing her sister’s murderer and leaving behind her beloved, Yizhi. She succeeds, becoming an Iron Widow, a feared female pilot who can use boys’ qi to power the giant Chrysalises. In an attempt to silence her, the military partners her up with Shimin, the strongest pilot. However, they all soon discover that Zetian will not be tamed so easily.

From the very beginning, I knew the worldbuilding would be incredibly unique. I mean, read the summary and tell me that it doesn’t intrigue you. Zhao weaves in Chinese mythology with Pacific Rim-esque technology. We see much of Chinese culture, including the casual misogyny that boys are “better” and therefore treated better (something, the author notes, is not unique to her culture but she writes from her own experience). It was interesting seeing this set in a world that is so clearly not ours.

The plot was fast-paced; I never knew what was going to happen next. The ending, in particular, was something I am still recovering from. I also liked following Zetian’s point-of-view. Her voice is so clear, and you pick up on her strong will and stubborn determination. She was born in a world that would prefer to (essentially) sacrifice girls if it helps fight off the mysterious aliens beyond the wall, but she refuses to give in.

I loved the characters most of all, particularly Zetian, Shimin, and Yizhi. Shimin is a renowned pilot, admired only for his strength and persecuted because he killed his father and brothers. However, we soon see that he, too, is victim to the horrible rules of the regime. Yizhi is Zetian’s childhood best friend, who loves and supports her unconditionally.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: three characters equal one love triangle. You know how people joke that all love triangles should just end with polyamory? Well, we finally got what we wanted. I loved seeing how all three of them end up caring for each other so strongly.

Iron Widow was utterly exciting; I couldn’t put it down. I loved the characters and can’t wait for the sequel, especially after that ending. If you want to read a book with unique worldbuilding, Chinese inspiration, and/or a love triangle that ends in polyamory, you should definitely check out Iron Widow!

i received an arc of this title in exchange for an honest review. thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in advance of its release.

4.5 stars!!!!! the way i loved this so much????? i'm going to have to wait so long for the sequel i'm gonna cry

as i've stated many times, this was my most anticipated read of 2021 and i still am in shock that i got the arc and i've read the entire book already! there are no words for how happy i was when this came onto my shelf and i'm really really grateful to be able to read this!!!

zetian is the love of my life and i will never be sorry about it. she is the kind of heroine i will ALWAYS want to read about. she has lost her sister at the beginning of this book and that is absolutely unacceptable to her. she is going to do everything she can in order to enact revenge on the person(s) who have done this and she doesn't stop for even a second. there are moments in this novel where you think she isn't going to accomplish this, but she keeps triumphing over all of her enemies and i think that's just neat :)

let's talk about the plot for a second. do you love pacific rim? do you love overthrowing the patriarchy? do you love women who are tired™? then you gotta read this one when it comes out!!! this novel asks the question, why the fuck do women have to do [insert unnecessary bullshit here] and doesn't let up until there's an answer. that answer is usually unsatisfactory to the main characters, so they're going to blow shit up in reply. and it was beautiful to read about. i would go into detail but i don't want to spoil anything and also my pea brain can't recall everything at the exact moment anyway so you're just going to have to read it to find out!!!

i would love a bit more development between zetian, yizhi and shimin. the poly aspect of this book was a huge reason why i wanted to pick it up and, don't get me wrong, i wasn't disappointed by it in the least! so much of this book is like "hey let's do this" and there are no questions asked after and i liked that. i also felt the romantic connection between zetian and yizhi and zetian and shimin, but not necessarily all three of them together nor yizhi and shimin. i would like a tad bit more than i was given and i definitely believe we could/are going to get more of that in the sequel!!!

anyway i think you should read this novel when it releases and i cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy <3

This book was absolutely fantastic. I've already preordered our library collection and will recommend it to students. I plan on talking about it more at length closer to publication on my site.

An interesting world and a cut-throat badass main character carry Iron Widow through the book. I cannot wait for the sequel

When I tell you that i absolutely loved this book, my god. In this YA sci-fi novel we follow 𝗭𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗻, our MC, as she seeks revenge for her sister, and succeeds. 

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

Zetian is a powerful and strong woman that never gives up. She lives in a oppressive society that says that she's lesser than merely because of her womanhood. Because of this she's angry, with every right to be so. Everything that happens to her makes her more determined. The way misogyny is talked about in this novel is incredible. 

"𝘠𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘬𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳. 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦, 𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯. "

The romance was easily my favorite part of this book. Poly representation we love to see it! It isn't a major plot but way that it's tackled is just delightful. The trust and care between the characters is amazing. You can tell how much they love each other. Their relationship is a wonderful friendship bound by love and it was just so lovely. 

The pacing was perfect, keeping me invested in the story all throughout it. I don't think there was a time whole reading this book that I was bored. The characters were likeable and well developed. I genuinely wouldn't change anything about this book. 

Overall this was a 5 star read and completely worth the read. I desperately hope it gets the love it deserves. Definitely check it out if you want a sci-fi novel with a chinese coded cast + setting, and poly rep! 

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄.

All the stars in the world!!!

This book might be everything I've ever wanted in a YA book. EVER.

I always tend to be annoyed when books promise me darkness and bloodshed but fail to deliver. This book, on other hand, lives up to its promises. Zetian is a determined, fierce, young woman with a vendetta. She is not tied down by what society deems as appropriate or the morals and shame they try to force upon her. For all their attempts to oppress her, they only make her more determined to break free.

She is the sort of young woman I would hope I could be if I was forced under the same circumstances. Zetian is not a monster. But she angry. And she has every right to be. Society deems her less than. Her family treats her as lesser than. Her sister was murdered and her death left unavenged. Rather than break down and fall apart over all of these injustices, she hatches a plan for vengeance. And she succeeds.

But when she learns of the injustices that have been wrought upon young women such as herself for generations, of the lies created and perpetuated to keep them down, she resolves to overhaul the entire misogynistic system. And through all that, she also finds love and a sense of self. Zetian comes to understand through her relationships that love is infinite and given freely with no conditions. Something she never experienced with her own family.

She is a true queen in the making, and I cannot wait to see her rise even further.

It's been a long time since I've praised a book this much. But what can I say, I love this book. And I hope it gets the love it deserves.

Hats off the author!

I was very excited about this book and I will say from the start that I still think the story idea is really interesting! I like what's being done with the characters and how certain tropes (for one, the dreaded YA love triangle) are subverted. Unfortunately, I didn't really hit it off with the writing style or some of the ways the book was told. Part of that is just that is a me problem - I showed a friend of mine who reads more YA than I do some of the passages and she said it's just how YA books are written. So, fully admitting I am not exactly in the target audience. That being said, I still felt some of the story choices were weird. For instance <spoiler>the way that Li Shimin has an addiction forced on him was horrifying, but the fact that it's then used as an excuse for how he kept fighting in the war and incidentally killing female pilots didn't really work for me. I felt like if there was more focus on the fact that he felt the war itself was important enough to save more lives for the sacrifice of one, and the women were volunteering with the hope that they would not die, etc, that might have seemed more logical. In this, it felt more like he had to have his culpability wiped away in order to be a love interest. I also found it weird to believe that they would keep giving people who have proven very willing to do great harm to the army GIANT ROBOTS to fight in. If they want to make sure these pilots die, then probably don't strap them to a bomb they can use to blow you up in the process? Perhaps the illogical way the military was set up this is explained more in later books, but to me it just felt more and more nonsensical.</spoiler> So in conclusion, cool idea, the execution didn't work for me.

This was an amazing read that left me wanting more. From the jump it was captivating and the main character Wu Zetian's progression into a powerful and relentless female emperor was satisfying to read. I loved the relationship between Yizhi, LI Shimin, and Zetian. It was an unexpected trio that broke out of the stereotypical love triangle we see usually in YA books and it was a refreshing change that I could not stop freaking out about. The way the characters' sexuality was told is simple and forward and leaves no questions asked. Everyone is bisexual and we love to see it. I am so pumped for the next book I can't wait.

Every once in a while, a book comes along that feels utterly fearless, sweeping you along for the ride with bold storytelling, brilliant characters, and a rollercoaster ride of a plot. IRON WIDOW is one of those books, and I can't wait to recommend it to everyone I know.

On paper, the premise sounds like a bizarre and unexpected mashup: The Handmaid's Tale meets Pacific Rim plus a remix of several different figures from Chinese history and some serious gender-role-smashing in a world where boy-girl teams of pilots are required to basically spirit/mind-meld to control sci-fi robots that hold off invaders, with the *tiny* detail that the female pilots typically get drained and killed by the process. Wu Zetian is one of my favorite protagonists of the year: fierce and brave and impulsive and maybe a little unhinged in the best way possible. This isn't the kind of YA fantasy/sci-fi that calls itself "dark" for having the protagonist angst over killing someone justifiably - these characters live in a brutal world and are up to the challenge of surviving in it. And yet, somehow, it never feels like "gritty", grimdark misery - it's also a rollicking action adventure that feels like the kind of blockbuster movie you wish Hollywood would make.

On the topic of things we need more of: male characters like Li Shimin and Gao Yizhi. One intense, strong, and damaged, the other soft, scholarly, and sweet; both incredible counterbalances to Zetian (and to each other because oh yeah, this books Goes There and is not coy about it and honestly more love triangles should take the damn hint). Tearing down misogyny and power structures *and* sending sideeye at toxic media tropes? I am HERE for it and you should be too.

this book was incredible. fast-paced, amazing writing & worldbuilding, endearing characters. i loved the central theme of feminism & watching it play out as wu zetian discovered her true strength. also, i adored her as a character. she is fierce, bold and never afraid to speak her mind and stand up for herself. her character was definitely one of the highlights of this book and also one of the reasons why this has become one of my new all time favourites

arc kindly provided by netgalley in exchange for an honest review.