Reviews tagging 'Biphobia'

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

31 reviews

c_dmckinney's review against another edition

Go to review page

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


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

xx_salem's review

Go to review page

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.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

kbairbooks's review

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

CHILLS. The rage, the revenge, the sit down little boy and let me handle it. Everything. I have been waiting for a book like this my whole life. I absolutely loved it. I want to reread it this instant. Absolutely stunning and I CANNOT WAIT FOR BOOK TWO.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

iane_reads's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional sad 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? No

2.5


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

vagabond_bones's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous inspiring reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • 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 couldn’t put it down and read it in less than 24 hours. It is feminist, fierce, raw, choke-full of amazing quotes. Although not reflective per se, it left me deeply in thought about systems of oppression, and the twist ending (which was foreshadowed, yet jaw dropping) only adds to my hunger for more.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

alfspoilerspren's review

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense 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

5.0

BEST STAND ALONE NOVEL I HAVE READ IN MY WHOLE LIFE

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

bookishchef's review

Go to review page

dark tense 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

3.5


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

takarakei's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

3.0

The concept and world building is the best part of this book. The world is fascinating - the way qi is used, the Chinese culture is thoroughly infused (even though this is very sci-fi futuristic).  Unfortunately I didn't feel like this lived up to my expectations. Our main character Zetian is extremely morally gray and not in like a "I'm rooting for this person" kind of way. I really thought there would be a lot more critique or eschewing of gender roles (I actually thought the MC would be nonbinary or trans). Zetian does almost constantly talk about how women are poorly treated, how there are many contradictions between how women are expected to behave, how generally patriarchal cultures are crap. However, I didn't feel as though Zetian was 'in community' with her fellow women. Instead she actually just blatantly disregards them all. 
Apparently this was openly marketed as a
polycule
book I seem to have missed that marketing, so the romance just gave me whiplash until it finally clicked what was going on.

Because I really enjoyed the world, I will continue the series because I hope that there can be some actual character development in the next book(s).

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

gogglor's review

Go to review page

adventurous dark 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? It's complicated

5.0

Imagine the Hunger Games, the Handmaid’s Tale, and Pacific Rim all had a big poly relationship and made a big poly baby. That is this book.

I’ve already recommended this book to three people. Wonderful example of how to write complicated people.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

icy_queen's review

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

Do not expect any of the characters to be "nice" or "good people" and be prepared for many horrible things to happen (definitely check trigger warnings)! If you're ok with that or even enjoy reading it, I highly recommend this book.
The main character is absolutely, wonderfully unhinged and hellbent on revenge for her sister, herself, and all the other girls that were sacrificed, mutilated and/or killed by their society. She doesn't stop at killing her sister's murderer, but strives to destroy the whole system with the help of her soft "rich boy" bestfriend and her dangerous, bad boy, involuntary co-pilot (the three of them form an actual love triangle).



Expand filter menu Content Warnings