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the_vegan_bookworm's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Sexism, Grief, Child abuse, Murder, Death, Medical trauma, Misogyny, and Gore
Moderate: Sexual content
emtees's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
4.5
Sometimes it’s weird writing a review for a heavily hyped book, but Iron Widow lived up to almost all my expectations.
The blurb for the book compares it to Pacific Rim, among others, and that’s a bit of an understatement; there is a core concept here that is clearly coming directly from stories like Pacific Rim, where humanity is threatened by giant monsters and must fight back with mechas piloted by two people who have to find balance to control their machines. The comparison to the Handmaid’s Tale is also fair, with Zhao depicting a society as relentlessly and cruelly misogynistic as Atwood’s, though with an emphasis on elements of historical Chinese culture that anger them. But I would also compare the book to the Hunger Games, with its balance of young people fighting brutal battles alongside a world of media consumption and manipulation. I wasn’t expecting the very modern elements of this story, and the parts where the main characters must learn to manipulate public opinion and the media’s desire for spectacle to get what they want were fun.
Iron Widow takes place in a world that is influenced by Chinese history, though it is overall more modern sci-fantasy. Huxia is a nation beset by the Hunduns, creatures made of the mysterious “spirit metal” that echoes the elemental qi found in all living things. To fight back, humanity captures dead Hunduns and transforms them into Crysalises, gigantic mechas that, in the hands of skilled and powerful pilots, can transform to do battle. These pilots are men, but all of them go into battle accompanied by a pilot-concubine, a woman who uses her own qi to enhance her partner’s. Because almost all women are much weaker in “spirit pressure” than men, few of these pilot-concubines survive, but there is always the hope that the two will prove to be a Balanced Match, and will together become the most powerful pilots in the army.
Wu Zetian doesn’t care about any of that. After her family forced her sister to enlist as a pilot-concubine for the money, only for her to die before she made it to her first battle, Zetian is determined to get revenge, enlisting herself so she can have the chance to murder the pilot who took her sister’s life. After all, it’s not like she has much to live for - a family that has abused her all her life, destroyed her feet with binding and left her with chronic pain, and made it clear that she is only worth whatever they can sell her for; a future where all she is expected to do is serve and sacrifice for men. The only bright spot in her life is her friendship with Yizhi, a wealthy boy who she’s been secretly meeting for years. But even a last-minute proposal from Yizhi can’t deter Zetian from her path. The only thing that can shake her is when her plan works a little too well - not only does she get her revenge, but Zetian discovers that she is the rarest type of pilot, an Iron Widow, a woman who not only matched but surpassed a man in battle, draining him of his qi until he died. The Sages who control her society are horrified by her, and so despite her obvious potential, they decide to get rid of her by pairing her with Li Shimin, a murderer who also happens to be the most powerful pilot in the army. Surely even the Iron Widow won’t survive going into battle with the Iron Demon.
It won’t surprise the reader to learn that Zetian not only survives but manages to match Shimin. Iron Widow isn’t the kind of book where there are a lot of surprises in the plot. Most of the plot twists, until very late in the book, are predictable: that Zetian is more powerful than anyone realized, that there is more to Shimin’s story than the monster he’s supposed to be, that there is more to the way the pilot system is set up than just “girls are weaker, oh well, nothing we can do about it.” The strength of the book is the way these plot points are unfolded alongside the distinct characters of the main trio - Zetian, Shimin, and Yizhi - and the real surprising, enjoyable twists come in the character arcs and relationships. All three are great characters, as appealing for their flaws and sharper edges as they are for their strengths. Yizhi is a delightful romantic interest, and I loved that every time it seemed the story would fall into a cliched trope like jealousy, Yizhi basically saw it coming and said “nope.” Of the three, he’s probably the one who is slightly idealized, but it works for the story - Zetian and Shimin are deeply damaged people struggling to find ways to be happy despite all the world has done to them, and they deserve a Yizhi in their lives. I loved his speech in favor of polyamory. Shimin, meanwhile, is an extremely endearing character despite being, you know, a murderer. Zhao manages the trick of showing all the ways he’s been broken by abuse, addiction and cruelty without softening him too far - he’s a victim, but he isn’t without his intense dark side. And then there is Zetian, the main protagonist and an incredible one. Zetian is a character driven by anger, and I loved that while she did find love and moments of happiness, that anger was never allowed to fade. This is what I mean about the twists being in the character arcs rather than the plot: over and over, Zetian was put in a position to question her convictions and her beliefs about her society, and while on occasion she did change her mind, her story was never about needing to realize she was wrong or that things were more complicated than she understood or to develop compassion towards her oppressors. On a few occasions, Zetian was tempted to do just that, and those were the moments that were mistakes. In the end, even when it gets her in trouble, Zetian’s anger is never anything but justified.
Okay, the romance. I somehow missed that this book had a polyamorous romance in it, so that came as a great surprise. The handling of the romance is really well done. The three characters are all very well-balanced and each corner of the triangle, as well as the way they come together as a whole, is a distinct relationship. I found Shimin and Yizhi’s relationship very touching, even though, since the story is told through Zetian’s eyes, it got the least attention. Yizhi’s instant compassion for Shimin was very nice to see. Zetian and Yizhi had a friends-to-lovers romance, but with the twist that Yizhi isn’t just the nice rich boy, he’s got a distinct dark side of his own. And Zetian and Shimin’s relationship, probably the most important, is also the angstiest, with both having to move beyond the traumas of the past before they can come together, but it makes their moments of connection the most satisfying. As a triad, the three are wonderful. Their relationship is soft and touching despite the fact that all three of them are ruthless and somewhat dark characters.
My only issues with this book come at the end. The pacing in the last 20% or so felt really off to me; after really strong build up on the plot and character arcs, the last few chapters race through an enormous number of events with no time to really reflect on or even acknowledge them. In particular, a major plot element that had been hinted at earlier but which I thought would probably be addressed in a future book was instead rushed through in a few pages:Zetian waking the sleeping emperor. I wasn’t surprised by where the story went in the end but I was surprised that we’re already there, since the book ran through what felt like it could have been the entire plot of book two in five or six chapters. These were also very emotional events and I would have liked a little more time to sit with them and see how they changed Zetian’s character and her relationships.
The very end of the book is a huge cliffhanger, and that leaves me excited for the next one.
The blurb for the book compares it to Pacific Rim, among others, and that’s a bit of an understatement; there is a core concept here that is clearly coming directly from stories like Pacific Rim, where humanity is threatened by giant monsters and must fight back with mechas piloted by two people who have to find balance to control their machines. The comparison to the Handmaid’s Tale is also fair, with Zhao depicting a society as relentlessly and cruelly misogynistic as Atwood’s, though with an emphasis on elements of historical Chinese culture that anger them. But I would also compare the book to the Hunger Games, with its balance of young people fighting brutal battles alongside a world of media consumption and manipulation. I wasn’t expecting the very modern elements of this story, and the parts where the main characters must learn to manipulate public opinion and the media’s desire for spectacle to get what they want were fun.
Iron Widow takes place in a world that is influenced by Chinese history, though it is overall more modern sci-fantasy. Huxia is a nation beset by the Hunduns, creatures made of the mysterious “spirit metal” that echoes the elemental qi found in all living things. To fight back, humanity captures dead Hunduns and transforms them into Crysalises, gigantic mechas that, in the hands of skilled and powerful pilots, can transform to do battle. These pilots are men, but all of them go into battle accompanied by a pilot-concubine, a woman who uses her own qi to enhance her partner’s. Because almost all women are much weaker in “spirit pressure” than men, few of these pilot-concubines survive, but there is always the hope that the two will prove to be a Balanced Match, and will together become the most powerful pilots in the army.
Wu Zetian doesn’t care about any of that. After her family forced her sister to enlist as a pilot-concubine for the money, only for her to die before she made it to her first battle, Zetian is determined to get revenge, enlisting herself so she can have the chance to murder the pilot who took her sister’s life. After all, it’s not like she has much to live for - a family that has abused her all her life, destroyed her feet with binding and left her with chronic pain, and made it clear that she is only worth whatever they can sell her for; a future where all she is expected to do is serve and sacrifice for men. The only bright spot in her life is her friendship with Yizhi, a wealthy boy who she’s been secretly meeting for years. But even a last-minute proposal from Yizhi can’t deter Zetian from her path. The only thing that can shake her is when her plan works a little too well - not only does she get her revenge, but Zetian discovers that she is the rarest type of pilot, an Iron Widow, a woman who not only matched but surpassed a man in battle, draining him of his qi until he died. The Sages who control her society are horrified by her, and so despite her obvious potential, they decide to get rid of her by pairing her with Li Shimin, a murderer who also happens to be the most powerful pilot in the army. Surely even the Iron Widow won’t survive going into battle with the Iron Demon.
It won’t surprise the reader to learn that Zetian not only survives but manages to match Shimin. Iron Widow isn’t the kind of book where there are a lot of surprises in the plot. Most of the plot twists, until very late in the book, are predictable: that Zetian is more powerful than anyone realized, that there is more to Shimin’s story than the monster he’s supposed to be, that there is more to the way the pilot system is set up than just “girls are weaker, oh well, nothing we can do about it.” The strength of the book is the way these plot points are unfolded alongside the distinct characters of the main trio - Zetian, Shimin, and Yizhi - and the real surprising, enjoyable twists come in the character arcs and relationships. All three are great characters, as appealing for their flaws and sharper edges as they are for their strengths. Yizhi is a delightful romantic interest, and I loved that every time it seemed the story would fall into a cliched trope like jealousy, Yizhi basically saw it coming and said “nope.” Of the three, he’s probably the one who is slightly idealized, but it works for the story - Zetian and Shimin are deeply damaged people struggling to find ways to be happy despite all the world has done to them, and they deserve a Yizhi in their lives. I loved his speech in favor of polyamory. Shimin, meanwhile, is an extremely endearing character despite being, you know, a murderer. Zhao manages the trick of showing all the ways he’s been broken by abuse, addiction and cruelty without softening him too far - he’s a victim, but he isn’t without his intense dark side. And then there is Zetian, the main protagonist and an incredible one. Zetian is a character driven by anger, and I loved that while she did find love and moments of happiness, that anger was never allowed to fade. This is what I mean about the twists being in the character arcs rather than the plot: over and over, Zetian was put in a position to question her convictions and her beliefs about her society, and while on occasion she did change her mind, her story was never about needing to realize she was wrong or that things were more complicated than she understood or to develop compassion towards her oppressors. On a few occasions, Zetian was tempted to do just that, and those were the moments that were mistakes. In the end, even when it gets her in trouble, Zetian’s anger is never anything but justified.
Okay, the romance. I somehow missed that this book had a polyamorous romance in it, so that came as a great surprise. The handling of the romance is really well done. The three characters are all very well-balanced and each corner of the triangle, as well as the way they come together as a whole, is a distinct relationship. I found Shimin and Yizhi’s relationship very touching, even though, since the story is told through Zetian’s eyes, it got the least attention. Yizhi’s instant compassion for Shimin was very nice to see. Zetian and Yizhi had a friends-to-lovers romance, but with the twist that Yizhi isn’t just the nice rich boy, he’s got a distinct dark side of his own. And Zetian and Shimin’s relationship, probably the most important, is also the angstiest, with both having to move beyond the traumas of the past before they can come together, but it makes their moments of connection the most satisfying. As a triad, the three are wonderful. Their relationship is soft and touching despite the fact that all three of them are ruthless and somewhat dark characters.
My only issues with this book come at the end. The pacing in the last 20% or so felt really off to me; after really strong build up on the plot and character arcs, the last few chapters race through an enormous number of events with no time to really reflect on or even acknowledge them. In particular, a major plot element that had been hinted at earlier but which I thought would probably be addressed in a future book was instead rushed through in a few pages:
The very end of the book is a huge cliffhanger, and that leaves me excited for the next one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Torture, and Sexism
Moderate: Racism
Foot binding is a main theme and is depicted as abusive. Other forms of child abuse and domestic abuse are depicted or referenced. A main character is an alcoholic and themes of addiction recovery are prominent. Several scenes of torture are depicted.kaywhiteley's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- 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
4.5
Fuck. Literally insane.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Child abuse, and Torture
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, and Sexual assault
astropova's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
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
5.0
This was an incredible book! So gripping, the pacing was on point. The centering of female rage really resonated with me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Violence, Misogyny, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Death, Torture, and Sexual assault
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Child abuse, and Grief
pnorrell's review
adventurous
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
4.25
Xiran Jay Zhao wows from the beginning with their talent for world building and politics, weaving a story that will have you feeling everything that the main character, Zeitan, feels, celebrating with her in her best moments, and weeping with her in her lowest, bringing everything to an ending that will leave you gasping for air, and wishing for more.
I cannot wait to read more from Xiran Jay Zhao, and I'm looking forward to the release of the upcoming sequel, Heavenly Tyrant!
I cannot wait to read more from Xiran Jay Zhao, and I'm looking forward to the release of the upcoming sequel, Heavenly Tyrant!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Sexual assault
Minor: Child abuse and Physical abuse
cnaccarato's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Toxic friendship, Fire/Fire injury, Sexism, Colonisation, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Genocide, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Xenophobia, Alcoholism, Grief, Medical content, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Child abuse, Addiction, Ableism, Death, Murder, War, Classism, Confinement, Homophobia, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Rape, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Violence, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Slavery
chanlo1994's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Classism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Death, Ableism, Alcohol, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Misogyny, War, Trafficking, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Sexism, and Confinement
Moderate: Rape and Panic attacks/disorders
gussurireads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
Uma mistura brilhante de cultura e história chinesa com sci-fi mecha, female rage e uma crítica dura ao autoritarismo e patriarcado. Aguardo ansiosamente pela sequela, cujo lançamento estava previsto para este ano e que pode potencialmente ser adiado pela editora, que considera o ativismo de autore Xiran Jay Zhao uma afronta, aparantemente.
Esta edição só peca por uma tradução pobre para o Português de Portugal.
Esta edição só peca por uma tradução pobre para o Português de Portugal.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Emotional abuse, Classism, Murder, Misogyny, Sexism, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, and Police brutality
Minor: Child abuse
theotherallie's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Violence, and Torture
Moderate: Body horror, Gaslighting, Death, Child abuse, and Grief
al_ana5522's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
So good. Everything I wanted and needed for a book. When I say I want a strong female lead that slightly morally grey this is what I meant.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexism, War, Rape, Grief, Violence, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Misogyny, Torture, Child abuse, Murder, Domestic abuse, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail