22.4k reviews for:

Iron Widow

Xiran Jay Zhao

4.13 AVERAGE

tosiekk's review against another edition

2.0

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Pierwsza połowa była super, ale im dalej tym coraz mniej byłam zaangażowana w tę historię i przestałam przejmować się bohaterami

mchllpix's review against another edition

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Trying to be more expansive in my reading and pick up more YA since it often gets written off. I think when something just isn't for me, I struggle even more to give a rating so I don't.

Ultimately this is written for a younger audience, most evident in the dialogue as well as the lack of fleshing out characters, themes and world building. But it's a good adventure tale, not bogged down by romantasy tropes. It has important messaging and I think a younger me would have loved it. 

uumea's review against another edition

3.0

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finally some decent poly rep, but at what cost?

vicmccorgi's review against another edition

5.0

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I feel at this point having read a good amount of fantasy it’s a little hard to shock me but consider me shocked! And maybe it’s my own fault for being shocked by making assumptions but whatever I’m happy it happened. Here comes the spoiler! I fully thought when jumping into this knowing nothing about it that it was going to be an enemies to lovers situation between Yang Guang and Wu Zetian. That she was gonna go for big sisters revenge and fall in love and find a way to forgive. Nope! She said imma get my revenge and I respect her for that! I overall just really enjoyed the characters and story line. There were multiple points that surprised me. I listened to the audiobook and the narration is 10/10. I immediately started Heavenly Tyrant upon finishing. Great time! Highly recommend!

Rating System:

⭐ - DNF, Did not like, would not recommend

⭐⭐ - finished, not my favorite, would not recommend

⭐⭐⭐ - finished, liked it, won't read again

⭐⭐⭐⭐ - liked it, would recommend, might read again

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - LOVE, everyone needs to read this, will read again.

lucinyx's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous emotional inspiring sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

kiki_31's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

nolongeremi's review against another edition

3.5

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-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

frogtoya's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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Gostei muito, mas como um livro "bobinho". Acho que a autora poderia ter aprofundado mais em questões feministas e dar mais dimensões aos personagens 

sophie8's review against another edition

4.75

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I loved this, I tend to steer away from sci fi as a rule, but with this I was even interested in the conflict/battle scenes! (I tend to skim these in every other book). Loving the polyamorous twist, and the absence of any heteronormativity, loved having two love interests but no love conflict/teen drama, and it started engagingly and easily and remained so. She was charmingly homicidal. I don't think I'll read the second any time soon, since I don't mind about the mild plot twist ending enough to follow up, but it was a great reading experience!

mandee4t's review against another edition

2.5

adventurous dark medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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An absolute slog to get through. The writing was not good and the plot was broadly fun but it very much had a "making up things as you go along" feel that's was ultimately boring.