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xx_salem's review against another edition
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.
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
mari1532's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I had first heard about the author when I stumbled upon them scrolling Instagram one day. I was immediately in love with their content and put the audiobook on hold at my library. Due to the book’s popularity, I spent several months waiting.
It was not only the author’s online content that intrigued me about their book. The descriptions I had read online described it as a science fiction book with loose references to China’s first Empress, Wu Zetian.
After finally reading it I can safely say, that I adored this book. It is full of political intrigue, messy relationships, and glimmers of historical references. The way that Jay Zhao writes is enthralling and by providing the reader with guide posts about the characters’ motivations/feelings and leads you along with the growth and development of the character without explicitly telling you what is going on. For instance, when Zetian has a confrontation with another female pilot in the bath, I was able to feel the character’s confusion, rage, and compassion in the scene and through the dialogue I was able to understand why various characters reacted the way that they did. Each of their characters is deliciously complex and Jay Zhao’s writing is exceptional.
I liked that there was a polyamorous relationship rather than a love triangle. It was a completely natural development and it was great that there was no focus on the development in the book. The relationships simply evolved and that was just the way it was.
There were several plot twists throughout the book that I did find unexpected and it made me want to keep reading. Jay Zhao’s plotting of this book was just exceptional and I am so excited for the next installment of the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Confinement, Grief, Gaslighting, War, Death, Addiction, Blood, Classism, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Violence, Alcohol, and Forced institutionalization
nhollie's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
The plot is interesting and the world building is vibrant, but the way that gender/sexism/women taking back their power is described in the book reminds me so deeply of being on Tumblr in 2014. And I think in the way that talking back against the gender stereotypes of Wu Zeitan’s world and our own, her character becomes flattened and loses complexity. The world building also gets sort of flat and the Chrysalis tech/training gets zoomed through. The best way I can put it is I would have liked to see more nuance — but I’m interested enough in the world and characters to check out the sequel when it comes out and Zhao’s future novels.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Body horror, Sexism, and War
keeley_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, and Physical abuse
pythonesque's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
+the presence of polyamory in the plot
+Robots
-Everything else
+Robots
-Everything else
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexism, War, and Emotional abuse
_andviolet's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Don't read this book if you're sensitive to mentions of rape, femicide, and patricide.
I had high hopes for this book because I followed Xiran Youtube channel for many years but this book was astonishingly subpar.
The prose is too childish for a story with such heavy, dark topics it's almost embarrassing. It's a poor attempt at critiquing the patriarchy with no real resolve or clear message/call to action as the main character Zetianends up also killing women as well despite her countless narrations of being against femicide, but "only at the hands of cis-men" i guess right?
[At this point I feel like I have to iterate that I'm not white, I'm also a queer POC so it's not anything about "not relating" to Zetian or Xiran.]
I understand that a lot about the character Zetian is a self insert of Xirans own struggles with their culture and sentiments with identifying as nonbinary, but a lot of the narration felt like aimless venting. I'm sorry I dare say its virtue signaling because Xiran only further perpetuates the concept of binary roles instead of eliminating them ("All. Boys. Want. It."; and when Zetian gains control over the Dragon saying "I finally feel like a man").
The love triangle was also pretty subpar for how much people hyped a bi-poly team. The 2 male characters felt like role played side characters and Zetian was kind of insufferable, and way too fueled by hatred. That's not female rage.
Oh also the weird racism against Shimin for notbeing a Han person? That parallel exists IRL but why did Zetian have to perpetuates the barbarian stereotype against him even in the last 30% of the book?
The last half of the book was really a drag and the only interesting plot revelance happened in the last 10 ish pages, but at the cost of Shimins faked death and Yizhis character assassination . I don't think I'll be reading the sequel if it's just a poor attempt at critiquing colonization next.
We get it, bad thing is bad! Please for the sake of your followers that are still willing to read the sequel, give them some sort of resolve to your talking points.
I had high hopes for this book because I followed Xiran Youtube channel for many years but this book was astonishingly subpar.
The prose is too childish for a story with such heavy, dark topics it's almost embarrassing. It's a poor attempt at critiquing the patriarchy with no real resolve or clear message/call to action as the main character Zetian
[At this point I feel like I have to iterate that I'm not white, I'm also a queer POC so it's not anything about "not relating" to Zetian or Xiran.]
I understand that a lot about the character Zetian is a self insert of Xirans own struggles with their culture and sentiments with identifying as nonbinary, but a lot of the narration felt like aimless venting. I'm sorry I dare say its virtue signaling because Xiran only further perpetuates the concept of binary roles instead of eliminating them ("All. Boys. Want. It."; and when Zetian gains control over the Dragon saying "I finally feel like a man").
The love triangle was also pretty subpar for how much people hyped a bi-poly team. The 2 male characters felt like role played side characters and Zetian was kind of insufferable, and way too fueled by hatred. That's not female rage.
Oh also the weird racism against Shimin for not
The last half of the book was really a drag and the only interesting plot revelance happened in the last 10 ish pages, but at the cost of
We get it, bad thing is bad! Please for the sake of your followers that are still willing to read the sequel, give them some sort of resolve to your talking points.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Sexual content and Confinement
tiddlerrr's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
If you are neurospicy there is something about the way Xiran Jay Zhao writes that clicks in your brain. I opened this up one evening thinking I was going to read max two chapters, and then proceeded to not be able to put the book down until I finished it at 6am. I literally read this while eating dinner.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Misogyny, Sexism, and Child abuse
Moderate: Sexual assault, Death, Sexual violence, Ableism, Torture, Physical abuse, and Classism
fkshg8465's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-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? Yes
3.5
This book was a lot of fun and validating for me. Is like The Iron Widow was able to say how I feel about the patriarchy in the ways I wish I could. She’s the best hero! Looking forward to reading the sequel when it comes out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Gore, Kidnapping, Rape, War, Bullying, Drug use, Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Classism, Death, and Suicide
angelfireeast24's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
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
A disabled queer feminist hero who took no shit and served endless power despite deep discrimination and injustice told within a sci-fi world of robots vs aliens. 5 stars Highly recommend reading
It is an epic story of a world shaped by discrimination and sexism. A woman dares to change the world by refusing the horrible role society has assigned her. The world seems like one thing and quickly stands out as something altogether different. Nothing is as it appears. I was rooted in the story of Wu Zetian even as I sometimes had to look away and take a break from all the angst. Wu Zetian never stops fighting patriarchy and injustice. As the story develops, so do Wu Zetian's views on feminism and the characters around her. It goes hand in hand as her worldview changes throughout the book. I was supposed to be shocked and perhaps conflicted about a few things that happened by finding I was 100% behind our heroes. Near the end, twist after twist leaves me desperate for more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Grief, Gaslighting, War, Xenophobia, Ableism, Body shaming, Sexism, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Violence, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and Torture
Moderate: Alcohol, Medical trauma, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Cursing, Child abuse, and Body horror
zoeluh's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I LOVE a morally grey, vengeful, murderous main character, especially a vengeful, murderous girl. As a survivor, Zetian’s rage and refusal to be forgiving speaks to me in an unvarnished and beautiful way. I love that she isn’t made to be forgiving, kind, or redeemable. She is fueled by anger, and beneath that by love for those suffering injustice, and that’s what makes her so powerful and relatable. I also like that although this isn’t historical fiction, it draws on so many aspects of real Chinese history, and highlights the discrimination of Chinese ethnic minorities. The descriptions of foot-binding stuck with me as well as someone whose ancestors had bound feet. Zetian’s rage was not arbitrary, it draws on very real injustices and deep, ancestral anger, making this a powerful novel that speaks to the darker parts of the heart.
Content Warnings
Minor: Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, Torture, Misogyny, Rape, and Sexual assault