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22.3k reviews for:

Iron Widow

Xiran Jay Zhao

4.13 AVERAGE


why did no one tell me that this book is basically ‘here’s my boyfriend, and here’s my boyfriends boyfriend, and i’m their girlfriend’ ??

yall are fake
adventurous dark funny fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
dark inspiring fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

One of my favourite books and one that I reread because it blows my mind EVERY single time. Eurgh it’s so great, that’s all I can say about it. Wu is truly an icon ✌

Not a lot of depth to it, but it’s YA, so… I don’t know, am I being too lenient on the book because of its genre? A number of things, like the romance, fall flat to me, but it’s not intended for my demographic to begin with…

This wasn’t for me. That said, I think it’s good for YA to have books with angry female characters that aren’t “reformed” into “letting go and finding peace”, so I’ll give it that. 
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Author was fond of time skips, and there was a lot going on. This book itself would be better as a duology or something. Unsatisfying ending: the takeover of huaxia felt unrealistic, and the twist in the epilogue leaves you hanging. Not sure if there's a sequel in the works
Otherwise, the world is very creative 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

I really wanted to love this book, but the feeling I got from it was that it wanted to be too edgy just for the sake of it. The main character felt very obnoxious from the start with little redeeming qualities or evolution throughout the book.