Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

937 reviews

lovethypanda's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? It's complicated

5.0

5/5 ⭐️
Worldbuilding: 4.5/5 🌎
Characters: 5/5 👥
Plot: 4.5/5 🧠
Writing: 4/5 ✍️
Spice is closed door 👄
Romance Quality: 4.5/5 ♥️
Romance Quantity: 1.5/5💗

Wow. Just wow.  

At first, I was completely thrown—what in the Chinese history meets Pokémon is going on here? But then came the rage. The love. The feminism. And then even more guttural rage.  

I never thought a queer throuple set against the backdrop of futuristic Chinese lore would captivate me, but here we are. The story defies expectations at every turn, blending history, sci-fi, and raw emotion into something truly unforgettable. It’s fierce, it’s bold, and it will make you feel everything! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Torture, and War

caelinsullivan's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

keen's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Torture

Minor: Body shaming and Fire/Fire injury

rjbedell's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

“A primal scream of a book” is a very apt tagline, for better and for worse.  Zhao’s great achievement in Iron Widow is a raw, ferocious current of feminist rage, sustained by shocking plot twists and vivid action sequences.  Genuinely tender moments thread a surprising love arc through otherwise dark scenes.

However, for me the book was weighed down by excessive brutality, surprisingly immature dialogue, and at-times clumsy plot advancements.  The cruelty of the novel’s world makes it impossible not to root for the title character, yet the conclusion Zetian reaches as her revenge fantasy reaches its fever pitch —   “the world does not deserve my respect… kindness or compassion” — abandons speculative fiction’s potential to inspire.  From a serious standpoint, the story paints a grim portrait of a woman consumed by her own rage in a seemingly endless fight against injustice.  For readers able to take the book less seriously, it may provide a cathartic release valve in the form of a sensational, unpredictable bloodbath.

Reminded me strongly of The Hunger Games and Ender’s Game.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Homophobia, Sexual assault, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation

lauralia's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This is my second time reading this book, as I’m preparing to read the sequel, and I loved it just as much as the first time. The intrigue and the different revelations throughout make sense, I love seeing the way the main characters shed the weight of what society told them is the right. I hope Heavenly Tyrant will be as good, because Iron Widow still hasn’t let me down! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racism, Torture, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Genocide, Homophobia, Sexual content, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation

railarey's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I read this book in 5 hours (aggregate - I slept 8 hours in the middle). I couldn’t put it down. I’ve had it on my kindle since it came out, waiting for me to be done with my degree and actually have free time. Well I’m back, and Zetian was the perfect heroine to welcome me. 

I adore the worldbuilding, I adore the characters, I adore the romances. I wouldn’t change a single word, a single theme, a single plot point. I can’t wait to read the second and third!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Murder, and War

Moderate: Death

Minor: Genocide and Xenophobia

ddan's review against another edition

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

The first time I read this book I listened to the audiobook in a feverish state. I don’t know if it’s the fact that I don’t have any fever now, or if my taste and myself changed in these two years, but I think I appreciated this book way more.
I feel like there could’ve been a bit more of background (characters, infos, situations), but it’s a story packed with events so I understand why those might not have been the priority.

Still agree with most of what I said in 2022: I enjoyed this book very much. The love story is secondary to the plot but extremely enjoyable. I understand more the female anger and revenge craving and revolutionary stand, I still don’t necessarily agree with everything— there is an age gap between me and the characters and I feel they’ve been written very well to encapsulate the white-or-black idealistic thoughts of someone that young, and the growth in Zetian and how she learns to consider other point of views than hers and how these difference don’t effectively diverge from her goal -but are just another way to get there- is very nice to read. 
I can’t wait to see how these characters are going to grow still and what instead will radicalize them. How are they going to pick up from where the first book ended?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture

Moderate: Death

catey_eye_jo's review against another edition

adventurous 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? No

4.75

Take evangelion, throw it in a blender with early imperial China, add in a dash of polyamorous boy kissing and a lot of feminine rage for seasoning, and you've got Iron Widow. Darker than I would have expected for YA. A vivid, snappy read that left me hungry for both a sequel and more queer representation. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, and War

aurora4847's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense 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

5.0

Reread in audiobook form to prepare myself for reading the sequel Heavenly Tyrant. Iron Widow is just as incredible as I remember it being! I'm not a huge Scifi fan, but this blends futuristic tech and mecha battles so seamlessly with myth and magic that it's easy to forget. Zetian is the my favorite character ever for bloodthirsty female rage, and it doesn't hurt that Shimin and Yizhi are my favorite supportive male leads. The character arcs are brilliant, the stakes are just high enough, and the action sequences are so tense and fun. This book doesn't pull punches, so read with caution of course. But the ending is so satisfying and leaves you desperate for the continuation into Heavenly Tyrant.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Rape, Sexual content, Trafficking, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

This book has very heavy topics and scenes, including misogyny, foot binding, death, war, colonisation, murder, torture, death of family members, sexual assault, ableism, racism, exploitation, and war. It is all handled well, and is worth it.

ynysafalon's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, Gaslighting, War, and Classism