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adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
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
An ok read, though it dragged in the middle and was repetitive. The ending was also disjointed, and introduced new plot/ world building too suddenly and without much processing by the main characters. A little heavy handed on the main themes, while also glossing over others.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse
Moderate: Pregnancy
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, War, Classism
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Book 9/30 for my youth fantasy literature class. Holy crap I LOVED this book. It was very long and I was totally hooked the entire time. I love how morally grey everyone in this book is, it's incredibly nuanced and well done. When Yizhi did crazy shit I would put the book down and send a voice message to a friend of mine because I HAD to tell someone about it. I did miss reckless wild Zetian but she was playing the long game and I was just so hyped to see how the book would end. The last 1/4 of the book went so hard, it picked up really fast and I absolutely cannot wait for book 3.
Also if SA/rape is a trigger for you, read my spoilers:
This book has an enemies with benefits thing going on, the first time they have sex it starts sort of without Zetian's consent but she decides to go with it to manipulate him. Later they have sex again but they very clearly establish boundaries and have discussions on safe words and similar things. I was worried that Zetian would be raped/sexually assaulted but the worst it gets is the first instance where it didn't super start with her consent but she decided to go with it. I wanted to explain fully what to look out for in case this is a trigger for you because I was worried. <3
If forced pregnancy is a trigger for you, read these spoilers:
There are many instances where characters talk about impregnating Zetian, but this does not happen. She eventually finds out that they stole eggs from her to put her egg and Qin Zheng's sperm into a different woman who consented to this happening, and at the end we find out that Yizhi tried to sabotage this procedure so it's likely not Zetian's baby but the woman who was impregnated's egg.
Also if SA/rape is a trigger for you, read my spoilers:
If forced pregnancy is a trigger for you, read these spoilers:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Body shaming, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Miscarriage, Suicide attempt
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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: Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, Classism
Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gore, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy
adventurous
dark
reflective
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
that was wild ride. I enjoyed it. I'm curious to see where this goes!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War
Moderate: Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Sexual harassment
Minor: Miscarriage, Pregnancy
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wasn't salivating and freaking out about this one as much as I was the first book, but I still enjoyed it! Idk how a friend DNF'd it. I do think it feels like a middle book of a trilogy, like it's building and getting ready for the big finale. Lots of character development, including of the Emperor which I wasn't expecting (idk how anyone didn't expect her to kill him?? She was debating it for ages, and we know she does impulsive, potentially bad with huge consequences things in big moments lol) .
I did really miss the otherthird of our love triangle 🥹 , so that was definitely a bummer. The parallels to today were a bit too on the nose and stated rather than shown sometimes, but I didn't mind it. It makes sense knowing the author. I still can't wait for the third one, even if we have to wait years and years again ðŸ«
I did really miss the other
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, War, Classism
Minor: Miscarriage, Pregnancy
adventurous
funny
tense
fast-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
I loved Iron Widow. And I wanted to love this book just as much, but I couldn't. I reveled in how vengeful and angry Wu Zetian was in the first book, and it made sense for her to hit a lot more roadblocks and societal oppression in the second book. But trying to explore that while also processing the entire real-world context of the Cultural Revolution, shoved into a fantasy setting, was too much for me. The constant switch between the plot with the gods & the political ideology of revolution was a lot - I would've loved either, but just one. It felt like the plot was being pulled in two different directions and it didn't feel as cohesive to me.
I worry about this being a classic case of trying to cram too much into a trilogy. First book is amazing, but then it gets overwhelming from there.
I worry about this being a classic case of trying to cram too much into a trilogy. First book is amazing, but then it gets overwhelming from there.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Violence
Moderate: Medical content, Pregnancy
Minor: Child abuse, Sexual assault
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Medical content, Grief
Minor: Drug use, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Colonisation, Classism
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
While I loved Iron Widow, Heavenly Tyrant I could only like for certain periods. Going from the non stop, fast pace set by IW, HT I felt like the narratively was either yanking me between fight scenes or dragging me through political intrigue. There was so much world building that needed to be shifted and established throughout this book that I felt like between tension filled scenes of either abuse or complicated toxic emotions, we were getting hit over the head with repetitive scenes of progress and backlash.
I really appreciated character growth and time to dig deeper into Zetian as she developed more of a community and became more grounded in the stakes she was fighting for. Her dynamic with Qin Zheng was definitely a complicated and interesting one to parse through but after 400 pages I was feeling pretty done again with what felt like repetitive scenes of fighting and making up.
I really missed the dynamic between Zetian/Shimmin/and Yizhi and felt even further frustrated by the constant betrayals on Yizhi’s part that left me not giving a shit whether he lived or died by the end.
Speaking of the end, wow. I hate to say it but the most interesting part of the book was rushed, underdeveloped, and in an odd way anticlimactic. There were hints throughout how the adventure was going to go in Heavenly court, but what I had been hoping for was them reaching the Heavenly Court/Space Station and then the book ending, so that the hopefully the last book would be able to spend a good amount of time exploring that aspect of the world. Instead it felt like 300 pages had built up to a two chapter speedrun using Shimmin’s body as a McGuffin. By the actual end I felt frustrated with how much time was spent on the ground for so little to be spent in the Station.
Still love this world and hope for a third book, but still wish there had been a bit more focus on pacing and pay off here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, War