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challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Characters – 8/10
I swear, I spent half this book shouting at Zetian to do something instead of getting punted around by other people’s schemes. She started out feral and unstoppable, and I loved her for it, but here she’s so reactive she feels like the human equivalent of a spinning office chair.
Qin Zheng, though—dear god. He woke up from his two-century nap, looked around, and decided to speedrun becoming the worst boss I’ve ever had. The narrative kept telling me he was a revolutionary genius, but most of the time he read like an overcaffeinated cult leader with a superiority complex. I still couldn’t look away. He’s the car crash of this book: horrifying, magnetic, a little bit funny if you squint.
Yizhi faded into a nice, bland afterthought. And all those new advisors? They felt like NPCs whose only job was to hover behind Zetian looking supportive. I’m pretty sure I could swap their names around, and nobody would notice.
Atmosphere / Setting – 9/10
The world is still deliciously grimy and larger-than-life. I could taste the metallic reek of crushed Hundun corpses and picture the neon glow of Chang’an at midnight. Even when the plot was deflating like a sad balloon, the atmosphere kept me invested.
That said, the space gods’ headquarters at the end felt less “cosmic threat” and more “abandoned shopping mall with a couple of drones.” But most of the book’s aesthetic was so vivid I forgave it.
Writing Style – 7.5/10
I have never read a book that sounded this much like someone live-tweeting their own revolution. It’s bold and unashamedly modern—sometimes to the point of feeling like a Tumblr post with a billion exclamation points.
There were moments I loved the bluntness—Zetian’s internal monologues have the energy of “fuck everything, burn it down.” But then we’d hit lines that were so on-the-nose it felt like the prose didn’t trust me to understand the point without a giant neon arrow.
Also, the Marxist safe words mid-sex scene? Peak cringe. I had to put the book down and reevaluate my life choices.
Plot – 6.5/10
The story here felt like a long list of errands labeled “state-building for dummies.” I started out hyped: Zetian was going to hunt down the gods! Challenge the whole system! And then…she spent 200 pages reacting to Qin Zheng’s imperial cosplay while everyone else ran around being incompetent.
I tried to be patient, but by the time the climax arrived—if I can even call it that—I was just tired. The big mission to destroy the gods’ space station was so rushed and convenient it felt like the narrative equivalent of tripping and accidentally hitting the self-destruct button.
I love ambitious stories, but this one needed another draft and a therapist.
Intrigue – 7.5/10
I can’t lie—there were definitely moments when I couldn’t put the book down. Watching Zetian fly the Yellow Dragon into the desert on a one-woman god-murder mission? Iconic.
But for every unhinged, riveting scene, there was another where I slogged through endless politicking that never built to anything. I felt like I was stuck in a meeting that could’ve been an email.
I still wanted to see what happened next, but I had to pep talk myself through the slog.
Logic / Relationships – 6/10
Let me be honest: the internal logic here is held together with duct tape and revolutionary fervor. I was supposed to believe Qin Zheng could wake up, read a couple history files, and instantly re-conquer an empire? Sure, buddy. And I’m the Empress of Mars.
The relationships didn’t fare much better. Zetian and Yizhi’s dynamic basically froze in place. Shimin turned into a haunted torso. And Zetian and Qin Zheng’s dynamic was an oscillation between “fascinating power struggle” and “please get therapy.”
And I still can’t get over the scene where Zetian’s feet are surgically fixed without her consent, and the narrative barely stops to consider how messed up that is. I mean—what??
Enjoyment – 7/10
I really wanted to love this. I wanted the sequel to take the wild energy of Iron Widow and blow it up into something even more unhinged and powerful. Instead, I got an overstuffed, lurching narrative that felt like a bloated second season of an anime that should’ve ended after twelve episodes.
But you know what? Even when I was annoyed, I wasn’t fully bored. The ambition here is undeniable. The mecha fights, the big ideas, the audacity—it’s all there. It just needed more discipline and less “look how clever I am” winking at the audience.
Will I read the next book? Yes. Because I’m a glutton for chaos.
Final Scores:
- Characters: 8
- Atmosphere / Setting: 9
- Writing Style: 7.5
- Plot: 6.5
- Intrigue: 7.5
- Logic / Relationships: 6
- Enjoyment: 7
Total: 51.5 / 70
CAWPILE-style average: ~7.35 / 10 — rounded rating: ★★★☆ (3.75 stars)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, War
Minor: Cursing, Self harm, Death of parent, Colonisation, Classism, Pandemic/Epidemic
This novel is a high-intensity blend of science fiction, political revolution, and psychological struggle. It features frequent scenes of violence and body horror, including detailed descriptions of characters suffering a plague that erupts in flower-shaped pustules, partial dismemberment and reanimation of a main character, and the visceral effects of piloting giant mechas powered by life energy.
Toxic and coercive relationships are a major focus. Zetian’s dynamic with Qin Zheng is fraught with manipulation, psychological domination, and power imbalance. Qin Zheng repeatedly exerts control over her body and circumstances, including performing non-consensual surgery to reverse her foot binding while she is unconscious, presented as a pragmatic choice but leaving Zetian disoriented and violated.
Themes of agency and autonomy are woven through the story: characters grapple with whether they are tools of the gods, disposable weapons of the state, or truly free. This includes repeated references to the dehumanization of pilots—especially women—and the way the state commodifies their bodies.
Mental health struggles appear prominently. Zetian experiences intense guilt, trauma, and intrusive nightmares of the people she has killed. She frequently questions whether her pursuit of power has made her monstrous, and several scenes depict her being overwhelmed to the point of collapse. Suicidal ideation is implied in her exhaustion and her willingness to die rather than return to subjugation.
While there are sexual elements, including a scene where safe words referencing revolutionary slogans are used in a way that feels both awkward and coercive, there is no explicit on-page sex. However, the consent dynamics are blurred enough to be potentially distressing.
Finally, the book includes a large-scale depiction of war and revolution aftermath, including civilian casualties, destroyed cities, forced loyalty, and ideological propaganda. The cost of dismantling an oppressive system—and whether that cost is ever justifiable—is central to the narrative.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Murder, War
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Confinement, Misogyny, Sexism, Gaslighting
Forced impregnation, non-consensual medicating and medical procedure
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Sexual content, Police brutality, Medical content, Colonisation
Minor: Cursing, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual violence, Vomit, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Alcohol
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Violence, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Torture, Murder, Pregnancy
Minor: Miscarriage, Sexual assault
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
adventurous
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
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
this book is not as strong as it's predecessor, adding too many elements and plot twists that were unnecessary. however, i still found enjoyment in reading about the adventures of wu zetian and friends. the worldbuilding is still very solid, and i love zetian and i support everything she does (even if she is kinda evil sometimes). very much looking forward to the next book in this series!!! i hope yizhi, shimin, and zetian get to live happily ever after...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Trafficking, Pregnancy
Minor: Alcohol
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Medical content
Minor: Suicide, Pregnancy
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I liked it a lot! I like the Zeitian’s key character flaws actually affect the plot in interesting ways and the thorough deep-dive into the struggles of having a successful, meaningful revolution.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence
Moderate: Pregnancy