Reviews with content warning for Alcohol - Iron Widow

Wow! I loved this book and immediately reserved my spot for Heavenly Tyrant at my library!

Wu Zetian is an angry and vengeful girl who is set out of fighting against her misogynistic society. Li Shimin is a sweet boy with a dark past who is just doing his best to survive in a world that doesn't want him to. Yihzi is a gentle boy with a restrictive father in a world of high expectations and different dreams.

Placing these three characters together in the way that they were made me so giddy, I just wanted to scream. There were so many twists including a major one in the epilogue!!!

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silverphoenix817's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

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

5.0

Did a re-read before reading the sequel. ALL THE STARS, ALL THE TIME, I love this book!

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thebooksanctum's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Just incredible, once again! The conversations around patriarchal societies and extreme sexism, the Pacific Rim vibes, it's all incredible and perfect to me!

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rjbedell's review against another edition

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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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abbyschalupa's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Dark sci-fi with a focus on destroying the patriarchy

A good read. I loved the main character and the rage she carried with her. Going against the lies she’s been taught, she defines her own worth. The whole story, you watch her reclaim her power. I liked the romance and was invested in all 3 characters- they each had their own story and history. I cared about all of them. The dynamics between the 3 of them felt fresh.

What I liked-
A fast paced, dark story about female rage and taking back your power. I loved watching the protagonist on her journey and use her voice. A found family in the midst of abusive biological family. A love triangle where each character loves, supports, and balances one another in their own way.

What I struggled with-
This was more of a personal thing, as where I was didn’t quite mesh with the book. There’s an emphasis on dark themes and while much isn’t grotesque, it’s present. The hunduns are the enemy in the war, yet there’s not enough description on what they actually are or what they look like. I had no idea how to picture them. For the war to be a central focus, it felt like a blatant missing piece to have scarcely any information about them. There’s a big twist at the end meant to shock you, and it felt a bit cheap.

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lauralia's review against another edition

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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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rizky's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging 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

4.25

Re-read before reading Heavenly Tyrant

I had forgotten SO MUCH, especially the final act, so this was another wild ride.

Not a lengthy review, but just the crux of my thoughts/feelings: this book has flaws - it is a debut, and noticably so. My main concern is a lack of subtely (Zhao spells the political implications out quite explicitly) and slightly convoluted worlbuilding. At same time, the story and characters are absolutely worth it (at least to me) (all the feelings I felt, damn).
I definitely recommend Iron Widow to anyone who enjoys female rage, morally dubious characters, and poly romance.

Excited to start reading Heavenly Tyrant!

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