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thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.75
my feelings abt this book are...perplexing. iron widow feels both too much and not enough in certain aspects, and now im left grappling w/ some confusing thoughts. a chinese-influenced fantasy by an asian author w/ a heroine who takes no sh!t and is out to figuratively and literally smash the patriarchy? if i read this book when i was younger, i wouldve loved it. and i still like it now, just not to the extent i should despite the myriad of things i enjoy.
things i like: the deep-rooted culturally enforced sexism and misogyny are painfully familiar, and zetian's rage and exasperation of it all are very relatable. it's also my first time reading a book w/ polyam characters and i enjoy the trio's refreshingly non-toxic dynamic, though i wish the trio was firmly established earlier so we'd get more interactions like i was led to believe by the pre-publicationhype (like they literally go into battle right after..). the merging of gender dynamics w/ mecha is interesting as well.
despite the aforementioned, i feel like the book could simultaneously tone it down yet push it up a notch. in terms of characters, i wish we learned more abt zetian as a character beyond her righteous fight w/ the patriarchy (she does give weird "im not like other girls" vibes sometimes and i do find the "nightmare" lines cringey..), as well as some actual scenes or info abt her dead sister who we're supposed to care abt. certain plot threads also feel like mere tools that seem to get dropped right after, like the media deal w/ gao (no further mentions of it after like 2 chapters) and other army ppl's hostility towards zetian & shimin. i feel like the worldbuilding could be better as well; we rly dont learn much abt huaxian society beyond scraps of history and the confines of zetian's limited worldview (granted, she's a peasant and her access to the outside word's limited, but still). focus on certain things and not on others also befuddle me a bit, as some important stuff get merely short mentions. and maybe bc ive read quite a lot of YA, the book's a lil unpredictable.
this is an entertaining enough book that interestingly explores the patriarchy and gender thru sci-fi mecha, though i wish it does so w/ a lil more depth and nuance in both its themes, main character, and story.
things i like: the deep-rooted culturally enforced sexism and misogyny are painfully familiar, and zetian's rage and exasperation of it all are very relatable. it's also my first time reading a book w/ polyam characters and i enjoy the trio's refreshingly non-toxic dynamic, though i wish the trio was firmly established earlier so we'd get more interactions like i was led to believe by the pre-publicationhype (like they literally go into battle right after..). the merging of gender dynamics w/ mecha is interesting as well.
despite the aforementioned, i feel like the book could simultaneously tone it down yet push it up a notch. in terms of characters, i wish we learned more abt zetian as a character beyond her righteous fight w/ the patriarchy (she does give weird "im not like other girls" vibes sometimes and i do find the "nightmare" lines cringey..), as well as some actual scenes or info abt her dead sister who we're supposed to care abt. certain plot threads also feel like mere tools that seem to get dropped right after, like the media deal w/ gao (no further mentions of it after like 2 chapters) and other army ppl's hostility towards zetian & shimin. i feel like the worldbuilding could be better as well; we rly dont learn much abt huaxian society beyond scraps of history and the confines of zetian's limited worldview (granted, she's a peasant and her access to the outside word's limited, but still). focus on certain things and not on others also befuddle me a bit, as some important stuff get merely short mentions. and maybe bc ive read quite a lot of YA, the book's a lil unpredictable.
this is an entertaining enough book that interestingly explores the patriarchy and gender thru sci-fi mecha, though i wish it does so w/ a lil more depth and nuance in both its themes, main character, and story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Violence
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexual harassment, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
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