Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

168 reviews

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

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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

amanda_reads13's review against another edition

emotional inspiring 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

5.0

18 year old Zetain offers herself up as a concubine in order to assassinate her sister's killer. But what she never expects to do it's to kill him through their psychic link and survive. Now she carries the label of the Black Widow, a feared woman who has too much power. She is then paired up with Li Shimin, the most powerful pilot (also deathrow inmate) in hopes of suppressing her power. Again she pulls off the unexpected when their pairing is a match. 

I really love this book. It has fantastic world building, dynamic characters, and a plot that sucks you in. I love how she brings in historical figures and facts while manipulating them to be relevant to this story and world. Feminism/patriarchy is obviously the main theme tackled here, but she also tackles addiction, abuse, government corruption and oppression, and gender and sexuality. 

Throughout the story we learn about how Huaxia is a country fighting against alien invaders called Hunduns, these giant round metallic creatures. For centuries they have been battling them using Chrysalises (giant magical robots crafted out of the spirit metal of Hundun corpses) which uses a two-pilot system in which one girl and one boy pilot a single vehicle. 

Huaxia is rules over by the Heavenly Council, a group of "Gods" who orbit the planet. The people of Huaxia must offer up Hunduns corpses in return for the gift of technological schematics. We discover that

the the people of Huaxia are actually the invaders and that their colony only exists to kill and harvest Hunduns for the precious spirit metal.  This leaves so many unanswered questions. Where are these people originally from? Are there other colonies? What do they need this metal for?

This world is a patriarchal hell-hole for women. Women have two choices in life: become a wife or sacrifice yourself as a pilot's concubine. Women rarely survive as a concubine as they are scaeificed to ensure the man survives. 

Throughout the story we meet Zetian (the iron widow), Li Shimin (the iron demon) and Yizhi (the cinnamon roll rich boy).  Zetian comes into the story roaring. There is no build up to her rage, she just wakes up and chooses violence. I love it. She is a very compelling and fascinating character. Through her we learn about the misogyny blanketing this world, suppressing women to sexual play things and property. She is determined to make the world a better place and stands up when all others cower. As she learns about the truth behind the army, she seeks to destroy it from the inside out, willing to sacrifice herself for a better future.

The yin seat is designed to limit the power of women and turns them into a battery that is easily consumed by the male pilot in the yang seat. This ensures the pilots survival.

I really appreciate the approach she took with the love triangle that could have been. Zetian is in love with Yizhi, yet develops feelings for Shimin as well.

Does she have to choose? Nope! And not only does she get to be with both guys, but they both develop feeling for each other. So we get bisexual representation and a polyamorous relationship. Perfect!

I love this because I generally dislike the YA angst of a love triangle. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Murder, Genocide, Blood, Abandonment, Death, Grief, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Sexism, War, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts

c_dmckinney's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Addiction, Murder, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Biphobia, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Alcohol, Death of parent, Child death, Violence, Xenophobia, Confinement, Colonisation, Body shaming, Gore, Ableism, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Classism, Abandonment, Child abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Genocide, Gun violence, Misogyny, War, Death, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Torture

lunalikesbooksss's review

adventurous dark inspiring 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Violence, Torture, Addiction, Sexism, Murder, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual content

Minor: Rape, Racism, and Homophobia

denee16's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

I don't even know where to begin. This book had me on the edge of my seat from early chapters. I loved the way the characters developed and subverted a lot of the stereotypes I've seen in so many books. It had a TRUE love triangle and the way I SCREAMED and got so excited reading that and how beautiful and non-toxic it was. I couldn't put it down unless I absolutely had to. I am now sleep deprived and in need of a long nap!
10/10 would recommend because Holly shit!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Bullying, Classism, Hate crime, Murder, War, Death of parent, Blood, Death, Medical trauma, Addiction, Alcoholism, Grief, Physical abuse, Violence, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, and Sexism

Moderate: Kidnapping, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Toxic friendship

turrean's review against another edition

dark 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

Brutal, dark, and riveting; a narrative of distilled feminine rage. 

Listening to the audiobook added an extra depth to the story, since the names were pronounced correctly. I did find that some of the most violent scenes were really hard to get through. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Alcoholism, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Emotional abuse, Classism, Violence, War, Xenophobia, Sexism, Trafficking, and Death

devourerofwords's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Addiction, Ableism, and Colonisation

Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexual content, and Classism

xx_salem's review

dark tense fast-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

3.0

The book was good but the main character upset me in a lot of her choices, I recognized she was tied but I wanted to see her put more on the line and take more and honestly be more evil. It got better in the end, I really liked the twist, but at the same time it took all of the sting out of the book, as if her actions didn’t really have consequences. I didn’t really feel sadness or attachments to any of the characters and really wished the Iron Widow didn’t feel as if she was made out to be the one truly strong girl, I wanted to see more scary powerful women if only in little actions behind the scenes. And all the love felt rushed and awkward and the lack of chemistry I felt was excused by this idea of accepting her sexuality, it’s a nice concept but felt really weirdly executed and off in this romance.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, War, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Gaslighting, Sexism, Alcohol, Classism, Murder, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, Confinement, Addiction, Ableism, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Death of parent

aestass's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Retelling of China’s only female empress as a polyamorous pilot in an epic science fiction world.  Comp to Scott Westerfield’s Leviathan. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Sexual content

mimiisbooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

4.25

This book got me back into reading fantasy and science fiction novels. 
I usually avoid fantasy because of the over the top, boring world-building that makes the book boring and a tiresome read.
 It's actually feminist not like most depictions of strong women with a kickass female protagonist that literally destroys the patriarchy.
The only complaints I have this this book is that the ending didn't satisfy me and the magic system is a bit strange.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Sexual violence, and Sexism

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Transphobia