Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

173 reviews

cnaccarato's review against another edition

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: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, War, and Classism

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Rape

valjeanval's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? Yes

4.0

Well, it was better than I thought it would be. As my book club has started talking more about the four doorways of reading (Character, Plot, Setting, Writing), I'm coming to realize more and more that without that Writing doorway, I just have a hard time getting into a book. 

This book is extremely cinematic in a way that if it was an anime or graphic novel where I could actually see the Chrysalises and watch the battle scenes, I'd probably be pretty into it. The ruthless female anti-hero is a trope that I'm glad is gaining more traction. In the romance aspects of the book,

the pro-poly anti-love triangle take is a great way to turn YA fiction on its head even if the Shimin/Yizhi romance didn't really get enough attention to feel at all believable.

So plot and character-wise, it's pretty good. The world-building is all right too. I think it's just the language including occasional modern phrases that feel so anachronistic to the setting that grated on me. The ending also was pretty abrupt and included so much new information that felt rushed to me. So I don't know. I think it's a good book that just wasn't really for me. It is a shame that it was disqualified in the Hugo debacle this year because as literature aimed at a young adult audience, I think it is making some very important moves and deserved that recognition.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and War

Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail

gaymoonreader's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent

Minor: Terminal illness

tokaylamockingbird's review against another edition

3.0

This is the only correct way to resolve a love triangle.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Death of parent

Minor: Terminal illness

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

denee16's review against another edition

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

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

lemonwrlds's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

ionarachel's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol

thisonecassie's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-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

holy fucking shit, i LOVE this book. It is absolutely beautiful, ever sentence is filled with emotion, the way Xiran describes the world of Huaxia (particularly the capital Chang'an) as an almost untouchable and otherworldly place while still maintaining a sense of reality to me as a reader (plus it ties itself to the inspiration of Zetian, the real life Empress Wu who ruled in the Tang Dynasty in a way that links itself to the historical basis, while still allowing the story to grow from the source) Wu Zetian is a brilliant narrator she does things that my mind tells me i should be morally against, but Zetian herself convinces me that it is right (i love getting mind fucked like this by the narrators morality differing from mine)

reading all about Zetian and Shimin killing An Lushan was everything i wanted, and i thought that would be the 'height' of Zetian's anger, and her 'cold bloodedness" (being a ya book and all) but then the pay off of her killing Zhu Yuanzhang and Ma Xiuying in the Black Tortoise, and this passage!!!!!

I lean close to the Tortoise almost touching it with the dragons extended snout and long golden whiskers, my words pour a silver white glaze over its black surface. "please you already killed my real family"
I squish a slaw through the tortoise's head, tearing it clean off its neck. I crush and grind it, streams of blood, so thin they're nearly invisible, trickle down the claw. The thought of Shimin going through the same thing flashes through my head, and i clench even tighter, gritting the dragon's teeth"

oh my god i love it so much!!
I love the build up of the relationships (both romantic and otherwise) as well as the deterioration of some of the relationships, so many books go straight from characters working well together to just saying "they are no longer good" but Iron Widow explore how they deteriorate, and I loved the focus and exploration of chosen family.
The romantic relationships, are handled beautifully, at no point did i think "why??? are THEY in a relationship??"

I loved how the book handled polyamory, and how Zetian at no point compromised herself for her relationships, and how Shimin and Yizhi are "gentlemen", in the classical sense, focusing on her comfort and wants over their own desires.

The book wrapped itself up well, I felt satisfied by the ending, and yes it does set up a sequel that I am eagerly awaiting entitled Heavenly Tyrant.

some people might think the 'twist' (through i woudlnt call it that) was unexpected or out of the blue "hail mary-y" but i disagree, it was set up well and makes sense

 
I hope Xiran can come to an agreement with their publisher that does not force them to compromise their morals (a few days ago, as I was mid-read, Xiran announced that in addition to being sketchily excluded from this years Hugo Awards [likely due to their open position against the Uygur genocide] that Heavenly Tyrant is being delayed from its original april 30th 2024 release date to an unknown date in 2025, due to internal conflict with the publisher over the Palestinian genocide. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail