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adventurous
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, War
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A long awaited sequel, Zetian must contend not only with her entire knowledge of her world being turned upside down, but deal with the consequences of her actions at the end of the previous novel, handle the grief of loosing someone she loved, and deal with a reawakened Emperor that had been kept asleep for over 200 years. Oh, and she also now is a major head of state who finds herself constrained by the will of the returned Emperor.
Writing this review hurts my heart. Not because that as a whole this book was disappointing. just the opposite in major ways. it expands the world and mythology. It opens up new areas of 'magic' if you will. Its exploration of how socialism works in practice versus paper and how dismantling capitalize doesn't mean a complete destruction of the behaviors that make it so very flawed at best and oppressive to many others is remarkable. there is incredibly deep thinking social, economical, and cultural thinking. it's a good reflection on how actions and intentions effect history in ways we can't anticipate. There are scenes of action that are rightfully sweeping. The depiction of the complexity of personality, in particular when someone is powered by their own anger, and how not even 'negative' emotions are necessarily white or black promoting good and bad actions and thought process is something there's a lot of room for.
What has me screaming with frustration and yanking down the review is that the relationship parts of this novel aren't just toxic. I am all for showing a journey through a toxic relationship and welcome it being one that carries problems from both parties. That type of storytelling would make the 'things to be admired' list. What I have a problem with is that while Zetian will have these reflections on how she knows she's reacting badly, or that the Emperor's actions aren't right, or extreme, or short sited she immediately shoves that down and acts completely contradictory in the next breath. this is a trait of being stuck in a destructive cycle, but the book NEVER addresses this or leads to a healing process.
There is a moment of sudden revelation where she acts drastically and stands her ground but it comes so close to the ending that it almost feels too late at that point. The 'romantasy' genre is full of 'bad boy' romances, 'enemies to lovers'. This is someone who acts absolutely abusively and controlling from day one. There is understanding in only that they both realize they are angry people and flawed. But the types of problems are not equal. It's really concerning for me as someone who's older to see for so much of this book seeing a lead character constantly manipulated knowing that this will have younger viewers.
the first book dealt with righteous anger and a relationship that was healing. It also managed to have a romance element that didn't take over the plot. That was even before the in depth world and fantastical elements that I adored. To see it go from there, to here, even if the reader isn't really led to 'cheer' for a relationship like this, to have so much focus and such a long book with this as what is preoccupying and entrancing our protagonist's life is really glamorizing it all the same.
It really hurts to have a book that has so many brilliant points to have such backwards character development. Even a new revelation about a previous existing character that comes to light that could have had some really interesting consequences really gets boiled down to make a villain of and outcast the character. Which is also somehow worse to Zetian because it's unexpected compared to the actions of the Emperor who gets a pass because "it's just like him to do that, I don't expect less."
I remain curious about how this series will conclude. I will probably pick it up on release. But it's hard not to admit that something is so wonderful and so deeply disappointing on one hand and the other.
Writing this review hurts my heart. Not because that as a whole this book was disappointing. just the opposite in major ways. it expands the world and mythology. It opens up new areas of 'magic' if you will. Its exploration of how socialism works in practice versus paper and how dismantling capitalize doesn't mean a complete destruction of the behaviors that make it so very flawed at best and oppressive to many others is remarkable. there is incredibly deep thinking social, economical, and cultural thinking. it's a good reflection on how actions and intentions effect history in ways we can't anticipate. There are scenes of action that are rightfully sweeping. The depiction of the complexity of personality, in particular when someone is powered by their own anger, and how not even 'negative' emotions are necessarily white or black promoting good and bad actions and thought process is something there's a lot of room for.
What has me screaming with frustration and yanking down the review is that the relationship parts of this novel aren't just toxic. I am all for showing a journey through a toxic relationship and welcome it being one that carries problems from both parties. That type of storytelling would make the 'things to be admired' list. What I have a problem with is that while Zetian will have these reflections on how she knows she's reacting badly, or that the Emperor's actions aren't right, or extreme, or short sited she immediately shoves that down and acts completely contradictory in the next breath. this is a trait of being stuck in a destructive cycle, but the book NEVER addresses this or leads to a healing process.
There is a moment of sudden revelation where she acts drastically and stands her ground but it comes so close to the ending that it almost feels too late at that point. The 'romantasy' genre is full of 'bad boy' romances, 'enemies to lovers'. This is someone who acts absolutely abusively and controlling from day one. There is understanding in only that they both realize they are angry people and flawed. But the types of problems are not equal. It's really concerning for me as someone who's older to see for so much of this book seeing a lead character constantly manipulated knowing that this will have younger viewers.
the first book dealt with righteous anger and a relationship that was healing. It also managed to have a romance element that didn't take over the plot. That was even before the in depth world and fantastical elements that I adored. To see it go from there, to here, even if the reader isn't really led to 'cheer' for a relationship like this, to have so much focus and such a long book with this as what is preoccupying and entrancing our protagonist's life is really glamorizing it all the same.
It really hurts to have a book that has so many brilliant points to have such backwards character development. Even a new revelation about a previous existing character that comes to light that could have had some really interesting consequences really gets boiled down to make a villain of and outcast the character. Which is also somehow worse to Zetian because it's unexpected compared to the actions of the Emperor who gets a pass because "it's just like him to do that, I don't expect less."
I remain curious about how this series will conclude. I will probably pick it up on release. But it's hard not to admit that something is so wonderful and so deeply disappointing on one hand and the other.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Gaslighting, War, Classism
adventurous
challenging
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
5 stars for the text, 4 for the audio
If you're unaware of #PegAmendment & you're listening, or reading a first or second edition hardcover, check out Xiran's review or socials.
"Every oppressor, through their denial of humanity, sows the seed of their own destruction."
Did this book do anything that I anticipated? Not really. Did it address the issues from the end of book 1? Yes. Was I left satisfied? Mostly? (I found out about halfway thru that its a trilogy, not a duology like I thought.)
"It’s incredible, how someone could be gone from this world, literally whisked away from the mortal earth, yet leave so many pieces behind."
Adressing the giant antlers in the room: this is an extremely toxic relationship - like an intervention should be called, but he'd kill anyone that intervened, & they'd just work it out with hate sex on the bodies. I saw at least 2 reviews about the lack of disability rep in this book - which is the opposite of the truth. Zetian spends at least half the book in a wheelchair & still has chronic pain. SpoilerShe also did not choose to fix her feet - the choice was taken from her. Stressing the lack of autonomy that women, especially disabled women, have, & the real world view that everyone has regarding disabilities are something to be fixed.
"If being on our knees was natural to us, why would they have to put so much effort into holding us down?"
Representation: Bi MCs, sapphic side character relationship off-page, disabled MC, all Asian MCs, nonbinary side character
"I mourn the people we could have been if a different world had shaped us."
If you're unaware of #PegAmendment & you're listening, or reading a first or second edition hardcover, check out Xiran's review or socials.
"Every oppressor, through their denial of humanity, sows the seed of their own destruction."
Did this book do anything that I anticipated? Not really. Did it address the issues from the end of book 1? Yes. Was I left satisfied? Mostly? (I found out about halfway thru that its a trilogy, not a duology like I thought.)
"It’s incredible, how someone could be gone from this world, literally whisked away from the mortal earth, yet leave so many pieces behind."
Adressing the giant antlers in the room: this is an extremely toxic relationship - like an intervention should be called, but he'd kill anyone that intervened, & they'd just work it out with hate sex on the bodies. I saw at least 2 reviews about the lack of disability rep in this book - which is the opposite of the truth. Zetian spends at least half the book in a wheelchair & still has chronic pain. Spoiler
"If being on our knees was natural to us, why would they have to put so much effort into holding us down?"
Representation: Bi MCs, sapphic side character relationship off-page, disabled MC, all Asian MCs, nonbinary side character
"I mourn the people we could have been if a different world had shaped us."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, War
Moderate: Pregnancy
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
oh my fucking GOD!!!!!! this was. wow. genuinely wow. i savoured the fuck out of this book because i knew i would need more as soon as it finished it (and i do) and the slower-pace really helped with that. it was also a bit tough to read at times, since reading is largely an escape for me and this has many, many parallels to our current political landscape (and all at certain points in history, of course).
there is so much to say about this. while i knew from the start of the "mystery" of the gods and huaxia exactly what the reveal would be, it still felt really triumphant to get to that point when it was revealed. i loved that this book delved so much deeper into the world and lore, and i look forward to seeing the rest of the planet and beyond develop in the next instalment.
i liked the way power and the different dynamics that come from acquiring different levels of power were portrayed. while a lot of this was accelerated progress and required a decent amount of suspending disbelief (it is sci-fi, after all), i thoroughly enjoyed reading this entire book. i'm so excited to see where this goes next!
there is so much to say about this. while i knew from the start of the "mystery" of the gods and huaxia exactly what the reveal would be, it still felt really triumphant to get to that point when it was revealed. i loved that this book delved so much deeper into the world and lore, and i look forward to seeing the rest of the planet and beyond develop in the next instalment.
i liked the way power and the different dynamics that come from acquiring different levels of power were portrayed. while a lot of this was accelerated progress and required a decent amount of suspending disbelief (it is sci-fi, after all), i thoroughly enjoyed reading this entire book. i'm so excited to see where this goes next!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Violence, Colonisation, War
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual content, Grief
Minor: Pregnancy
challenging
dark
slow-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
you won't catch me reading the third installment... these books were barely sisters, maybe distant cousins
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual content, Pregnancy, War
adventurous
dark
emotional
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:
No
5 ⭐ CW: (provided by the author) violence, abuse, body horror, mass murder, toxic relationship dynamics, discussions of reproductive coercion, allusions to childhood sexual abuse, references to miscarriage, domestic violence, sexual assault, and suicide
"They tell me you are vulgar, dangerous, bloodthirsty, self-absorbed, manipulative, and all-around, affront to sensibility. What do you have to say for yourself, Wu Zetian?
Yes, that's pretty much who I am. Still want to marry me, Your Majesty?"
Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao is book two in the Iron Widow series. I have been waiting so long for this book, and it did not disappoint! There is so much female rage in this, just like in book one, but this time it's much more politically focused. This was a very long book, but it kept my attention the whole time. Possible spoilers for book one ahead.
We pick up with Zetian after the events of book one, and she finds herself to have inadvertently started a revolution by waking Emperor Qin Zheng. Now Zetian has to live with the choices she has made and the people she has killed to get here. We find that despite her justifiable rage against the establishment, Zetian is quite naive about what happens after you topple a government and what it actually takes to have power and rule a country. We see her very unhealthy relationship with Qin Zheng, and the heartbreak and betrayal she endures from someone she loves.
Absolutely so much happened in this book, it's impossible to summarize it all. We get way more on the political side of things in this book as we see Zetian learning more about how government works and learns about the laborist movement. I have such complicated feelings about Qin Zheng, because one the one hand, he and Zetian's relationship is extremely toxic and he's definitely a dick, but on the other hand, he has some fairly progressive political ideas. Don't get me wrong, Zetian is also extremely toxic to Zheng as well. We learn so much more about the Hunduns and about the gods in the Heavenly Court. Some wild stuff happens at the end that leaves us on a cliffhanger about Shimin.
I'm so mad we had to wait so long for this book, and now I have to wait again for book three! 😭 I just want these characters to be happy. I loved this book, this series is definitely a favorite. Many tabs were used in the reading of this book.
"They tell me you are vulgar, dangerous, bloodthirsty, self-absorbed, manipulative, and all-around, affront to sensibility. What do you have to say for yourself, Wu Zetian?
Yes, that's pretty much who I am. Still want to marry me, Your Majesty?"
Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao is book two in the Iron Widow series. I have been waiting so long for this book, and it did not disappoint! There is so much female rage in this, just like in book one, but this time it's much more politically focused. This was a very long book, but it kept my attention the whole time. Possible spoilers for book one ahead.
We pick up with Zetian after the events of book one, and she finds herself to have inadvertently started a revolution by waking Emperor Qin Zheng. Now Zetian has to live with the choices she has made and the people she has killed to get here. We find that despite her justifiable rage against the establishment, Zetian is quite naive about what happens after you topple a government and what it actually takes to have power and rule a country. We see her very unhealthy relationship with Qin Zheng, and the heartbreak and betrayal she endures from someone she loves.
Absolutely so much happened in this book, it's impossible to summarize it all. We get way more on the political side of things in this book as we see Zetian learning more about how government works and learns about the laborist movement. I have such complicated feelings about Qin Zheng, because one the one hand, he and Zetian's relationship is extremely toxic and he's definitely a dick, but on the other hand, he has some fairly progressive political ideas. Don't get me wrong, Zetian is also extremely toxic to Zheng as well. We learn so much more about the Hunduns and about the gods in the Heavenly Court. Some wild stuff happens at the end that leaves us on a cliffhanger about Shimin.
I'm so mad we had to wait so long for this book, and now I have to wait again for book three! 😭 I just want these characters to be happy. I loved this book, this series is definitely a favorite. Many tabs were used in the reading of this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Suicide
challenging
dark
inspiring
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: Genocide, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, War, Classism
Moderate: Confinement, Sexual content, Medical content, Death of parent, Sexual harassment
Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Pregnancy
dark
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Medical content, Sexual harassment, Classism
Minor: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Medical content, Colonisation
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
FYI, the author has a short recap of Iron Widow and a note about adding a few lines on their IG.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War
Moderate: Sexual content
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Overall, I liked this. The beginning and end were the best organized, in my opinion. The middle really dragged. It’s not that I don’t like communist theory, not to mention communist theory inserted into fiction. I do! But tbh I’m here for the giant robot fights.
The political range in the first book is a lot more simplistic. I get the sense that, for this book, the author had to include a lot of detail for people to understand, but it just didn’t feel like organic conversation a lot of the time. And it just went on for so long, I was like, ok we get it already!! I think a lot of the detail of the middle of the book could have been cut and it would still make sense.
Even so, I am enchanted by the world building in both this book and its predecessor. I like how the characters are evil, petty, anxious, vengeful, … just very colorful and memorable. I look forward to the third book!
The political range in the first book is a lot more simplistic. I get the sense that, for this book, the author had to include a lot of detail for people to understand, but it just didn’t feel like organic conversation a lot of the time. And it just went on for so long, I was like, ok we get it already!! I think a lot of the detail of the middle of the book could have been cut and it would still make sense.
Even so, I am enchanted by the world building in both this book and its predecessor. I like how the characters are evil, petty, anxious, vengeful, … just very colorful and memorable. I look forward to the third book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body shaming, Child death, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Classism
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Abortion, Pregnancy, Alcohol