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purplelake's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Classism
Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, Xenophobia, Medical content, and Abandonment
fraxisle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder, and War
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, and Colonisation
starship_olympus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Genocide, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Addiction, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, and Slavery
mpbookreviews's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Torture, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Vomit, and War
keresian's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Iron Widow is a masterpiece. It is a science fiction story set in a society set on crawling out of a dystopia - where society was destroyed thousands of years ago, and the only things keeping them safe is their ability to pilot Chrysalises - giant creatures of spirit metal formed from the bodies of the creatures threatening their world. The novel is structured around Chinese society, what seems like a blend of dynasties across the regions, and the world itself is inherently Chinese - the Chrysalises are powered by qi, using the principles of ying and yang - male and female - to control the shifting mechs.
Its also very dystopian. Women are kept to heel by society, the female pilots are essentially used as batteries and playthings (if they survive battle), thrown out and replaced if they do not, qi consumed by the male pilot without hesitation. This is the world that Zetian lives in, the world she wants to change.
Wu Zetian's sister enlisted to be a concubine-pilot, and was killed shortly after, though not the noble death of battle. Zeitan wants revenge against the pilot who killed her, and it sets her on a path to discover the roiling, dirty undercurrent of their society, and of the army - the way they treat women, the way they keep their pilots leashesd, the way money rules everything.
The worldbuilding is masterfully done - precise, in that you are told things when you need to know them. Giving you a taste of the world without overwhelming the senses. It had me hooked in the best way, XJZ's prose is enticing in the best of ways, and I cover-to-covered this without a thought.
It's also delightfully queer, despite society not approving - the subplot romance is a polyam relationship built throughout the story, and I love each of them - they are the balance the others need, without a doubt. The triangle is the strongest shape.
And, that ending, *fans self* I saw parts of it coming, but not all - hints are seeded masterfully, and going back everything seems clear, but I very much could not have guessed the big reveal. I truly, truly hope there will be a sequel because I need more!!
Graphic: Sexism and War
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Death, Sexual violence, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
mackalayla's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and War
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Sexual content
norwegianforestreader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
maggie_t's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Sexism, Violence, and Medical trauma
Minor: Body shaming, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Death of parent
Artificially induced/forced addiction, Sexual extortionestelagois's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Vomit and Pregnancy
junothan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Torture, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body shaming