The sequel really highlighted all my issues with the first one. It felt over long and under edited, and also occasionally so, so slow. It feels like it would have been best to be split into two books, or edited down significantly. The first book I devoured in like one sitting, but upon re-reading this and the first one again, these books aren’t exactly well written, but the first one was so fun. This one? Less fun.

Heavenly Tyrant was an altogether really satisfying book and I am incredibly grateful I got to be among the first people to read it (I read nonstop for 4 days). I’ll admit that I was initially baffled by the plot because beginning a book with 200 pages of political revolution to that degree of specificity was unexpected for me. Then action kicked in!

The pace for the first half of the book is incredibly different than that of the first novel. Iron Widow really was at full throttle from the first chapter, by contrast this one didn’t hit that until over the halfway point. Arguably a bit later. Page 300 is where it started to pick up steam and then gain momentum little by little until it felt like book 1 again.

Once things got going between the characters i was locked in. Qin Zheng and Wu Zetian are TOXIC and messy and chaotic and I couldn’t look away. The push and pull between them was very smartly done.

This is a fascinating and memorable follow up to Iron Widow. It expands the world and offers a story that is unique within the YA space; I really have not read anything quite like either books. Iron Widow was an absolute hit among my high school girls in Spain and I can’t wait for them to get a translated copy of this.

I really enjoyed this book!! The plot was so interesting and full of adventure that I was never bored. The author did a great job with character development because I was full invested in there stories. I will be recommending this book to all of my friends and family.

This sequel was just as enjoyable as the first book!
The first few chapters follow the action from the end of Iron Widow (which I found slightly confusing as it has been a while since I read the first one, but I quickly orientated myself) but I felt like the story really kicks off when we start to see the aftermath. It's very hard to describe without spoiling, but I love that Zhao doesn't shy away from very difficult questions and consequences of revolution. Zetian goes through a lot of internal conflict and despair in this book as she reckons with everything she has done, everyone she has lost, and the accidental consequences of her actions, but we also see how she can't allow herself to break down if she wants any of that loss to mean anything.
I also love that Zetian gets to have many more deep and meaningful relationships with women explored in this book, as well as the very interesting dynamic between her and Qin Zheng being the central storyline.
Addictively readable!

I have a hard time rating this, because I really really loved the first book. But this second one felt very unexciting and too heavy-handed. It felt like all the action took place in the last 150 pages, and the book could have cut 250 pages from the middle and still would have been just as good. I didn't care that much for the plot development and the writing in this book felt a lot more casual and kind of immature compared to the last one. Reading this felt like reading fan fic, in a way I didn't love. I will still read the 3rd in the series but I felt this one could have used more editing and plot development. I felt this was all set-up for a 3rd book.

Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao is a thrilling continuation of the Iron Widow series, blending action-packed storytelling with intricate character development. One of the highlights is how Zhao creatively adapts historical figures like Wu Zetian and Qin Shi Huangdi into the characters Qu Zetian and Qin Zheng, adding layers of depth and intrigue. For readers familiar with these historical personas, their transformations into futuristic, powerful characters make the story even more engaging. The plot stays tightly centered around the world Zhao has built, making the progression of the story feel believable and grounded in its own complex society.

However, one aspect I missed was a clearer connection to the first book, as the narrative thread from Iron Widow wasn’t fully picked up until near the end of Heavenly Tyrant. This made the continuation feel a bit disconnected initially. Despite that, the strong character arcs and fast-paced action more than made up for it, making the novel a captivating and immersive read!

Outstanding character work, bringing the fierce Zetian to further depths of character (and self-destruction). Loved the full commitment to bridging the histfic/scifi genres as the book spun into its final act. I personally found the long swaths of political experimentation and discussion interesting, especially intertwined as they were with the relationship dynamics for Zetian, but for some readers they may be exhausting. Overall, one of the best conclusions to a duology I've read in recent years.

The people who are angry about Xiran Jay Zhao being "too political" are going to hate this lmao. While necessarily quite a bit slower than Iron Widow, I still had a fantastic time reading this. There were so many passages I highlighted to come back to. And of course, I'm very excited for the next one.

I was a big fan of Iron Widow but this sequel might be one of the worst sequels I've ever read. Clocking in at over 500 pages it is a slog to get through. It is just Zhao infodumping about history with bad writing and inconsistent characterization.